U.S. patent number 3,743,086 [Application Number 05/112,985] was granted by the patent office on 1973-07-03 for adhesive tape dispenser package.
This patent grant is currently assigned to W. H. Brady Co.. Invention is credited to Walter S. Aldrich.
United States Patent |
3,743,086 |
Aldrich |
July 3, 1973 |
ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSER PACKAGE
Abstract
A dispenser package for adhesive tape transported on a carrier
web which includes a cover element and a backing member. A roll of
tape is enclosed between the two package elements, and a portion of
the cover element is utilized in a functional manner to apply
pressure against the tape in order to facilitate release of the
tape from the carrier web for dispensing of the tape from the
package.
Inventors: |
Aldrich; Walter S. (Shorewood,
WI) |
Assignee: |
W. H. Brady Co. (Milwaukee,
WI)
|
Family
ID: |
22346932 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/112,985 |
Filed: |
February 5, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/588.6;
156/764; 206/409; 206/461; 242/566; 206/411; 221/73 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
83/00 (20130101); Y10T 156/1978 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
83/00 (20060101); B65d 085/67 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/52R,58,78B,64
;221/73,72,71 ;156/584,540,577 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Dixson, Jr.; William T.
Claims
I claim:
1. A package comprising
(1) a base member, (2) a cover element joined to the base member
and including a housing portion and an exit portion, and (3) a roll
comprising (a) a web of adhesive tape having a toplayer with an
adhesive layer secured to one side thereof and (b) a carrier web
releasably joined to the adhesive layer of the tape, the roll
consisting of interleaved layers of the tape and carrier webs,
the roll being arranged between the housing portion of the cover
element and an underlying portion of the base member with part of
the carrier web and the tape being unwound from the roll and
extending through the exit portion for travel about an edge of the
base member,
the improvement wherein:
the tape and carrier webs pass between the cover element and the
base member upon being unwound from the roll with a section of the
cover element overlying the tape and a section of the base member
underlying the carrier web,
a. the section of the base member underlying the carrier web being
in a substantially flat condition, and
b. the section of the cover element overlying the tape being
slightly curved with its inner surface bearing against the top
surface of the toplayer of the tape,
the carrier web being tensioned upon movement about an edge of the
base member after transport of the tape and carrier webs from under
the cover element, at which edge the tape releases from the carrier
web for dispensing thereof from the package.
2. A package according to claim 1, wherein:
the cover element is formed of thermoplastic material and the base
member has a heat sealable surface with the cover element being
heat sealed thereto to form a package enclosure, there being a heat
sealed portion of the cover element on each side of the tape and
carrier webs extending through the exit portion of the cover
element with each said heat sealed portions being arranged closely
adjacent to its respective edge of the tape.
3. A package according to claim 1, wherein: the section of the
cover element overlying the tape bears against opposed marginal
edge portions of the top surface of the toplayer of the tape.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of this invention is the art of packaging adhesive tape,
such as tape with a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive, wound
into roll-form with a carrier web, in such manner as will
facilitate separation of the tape from the carrier web when it is
desired to dispense the tape for use.
Adhesive tapes of various types may be secured to a release coated
or treated carrier web and then wound into roll-form. A length of
the tape and its attached carrier web is unwound from the roll, and
then the tape is separated from the carrier web in order to use it.
It is often desired to package the roll of adhesive tape with its
temporarily attached carrier web in a package which will enclose
the roll in order to protect it against physical damage and or
contamination. Various types of packages have been devised which
will protect a roll of adhesive tape and also aid in obtaining
separation of the tape from the carrier web.
One of the typical packages employed for roll-form adhesive tapes
is a so-called "blister pack" which includes a thermoformed plastic
cover element having a surrounding flange that is heat sealed to a
flat base element with the roll of adhesive tape carried between
the cover and base elements. A prior art form of such package
employs a formed covered element which includes a housing section
in which the roll of tape is stored and an exit portion having a
formed channel communicating with the housing portion. Tape unwound
from the roll stored in the package is led through the channel
formed in the exit portion of the cover element and thereafter bent
around an edge of the base member with the intention that tape will
separate from the carrier web as it is bent over the edge of the
base member, whereupon the user can grasp part of the tape to
remove it from the carrier web and apply it to an object. However,
it has been noted that it is often difficult to obtain the desired
separation of the tape from the carrier web with prior art packages
as described and that the tape often will not release from the
carrier web as it is led over the edge of the backing member, and
the user must place his finger over the tape in order to obtain its
release from the carrier web.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
My present invention relates to an improved package for adhesive
tape transported on a carrier web of the general type comprising a
formed cover member secured to a flat base member providing an
enclosure for a roll of the tape and wherein, in accordance with
the general concepts of this invention, the cover member is adapted
to provide a restraining force bearing against the adhesive tape as
it exits the storage enclosure to thereby facilitate and enhance
the release of the tape from the carrier web as the two are moved
across the edge of the backing member element of the package. In
its presently-preferred embodiment as described hereinafter, the
formed cover element of the package has a flat exit portion through
which the tape and carrier web pass after being unwound from the
stored roll and which is adapted to bear against the surface of the
tape as it moves through the exit portion.
One of the main objects of this invention is to provide a dispenser
package for a wound roll of adhesive tape carried on a carrier web
comprising a pair of packaging elements, wherein one of the
packaging elements is adapted to additionally function as a means
for applying a restraining force on the tape as it is being
dispensed from the package in a manner which will aid in the
release of the tape from the carrier web during the dispensing
action.
A further main object is to provide a tape-restraining adhesive
tape dispensing package of the foregoing general type which
utilizes no structural or mechanical elements in addition to the
two packaging elements, which has the advantage of thereby
preserving the simplicity and economy of a two element package such
as a blister-type of package. Another principal object is to
provide a web-restraining adhesive tape dispenser package formed of
a cover element and a base element in which the cover element is
utilized to apply a substantially constant restraining force on the
web, thereby leading to the advantage of insuring uniform
dispensing of the tape from the package.
Another major object is a provision of the web-tensioning adhesive
tape dispensing package as described above wherein the package
elements combine to insure that the tape and carrier web will
closely follow the sharp edge of the base element card after the
tape leaves the wound roll, such conforming-type of tape travel
wherein the tape may contact the surface of the base member of the
package being important to the achievement of release of the tape
from the carrier web as the two are led over a sharp edge of the
base member.
Another important object is the provision of an adhesive tape
dispensing package of the general type described above in which the
package itself provides the web restraining force needed for
satisfactory release; this eliminates the need for user preparation
or user action, thereby removing a variable factor affecting proper
dispensing action, making the package substantially more convenient
to the user and eliminating the possibility of user errors.
A more specific object of this invention is to provide the
particular construction details as hereinafter set forth in the
claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is hereinafter described with reference to
the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a front view of an adhesive tape dispensing package, with
a portion broken away, in a presently-preferred embodiment of this
invention;
FIG. 2 is a rear view of the package shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the package of FIG. 1 which
illustrates the dispensing action of the package construction of
this invention;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the tape and carrier webs used
in the roll enclosed in the package of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 5 and 5A are partial sectional views to show the relationship
of the package elements and a tape in position for travel
therebetween through the exit portion of the package;
FIG. 6 is a front view, with a portion broken away, of a prior art
tape dispensing package shown to compare to the struction and
action of the package of this invention;
FIG. 7 is a rear view of the package of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the card of FIG. 6; and
FIG. 9 is a partial sectional showing the relationship between the
two package elements and an adhesive tape in the exit portion of
the package as shown in FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a presently-preferred embodiment of the
package of this invention, which includes three principal elements;
a base member 10, a cover element 11 and roll 12 comprising a web
adhesive tape 13 and a carrier web 14 wound together into
roll-form.
The base member 10 may comprise a sheet of cardboard, card stock,
plastic, or other materal of suitable rigidity inasmuch as it forms
the principal stiffening member of the package. In the form shown
herein, the base member 10 is a sheet of cardboard about 5 to 15
mils thick with a heat sealable coating on its upper surface.
The cover element 11 in the illustrated form is a piece of plastic
thermo-formed to include a central housing portion 15, an exit
portion 16, and a peripheral flange 17. The flange 17 is heat
sealed to the base member 10 in order to construct the package
enclosure. The housing portion 15 of the cover element has a
central section 15a which is depressed relative to the top 15b of
the housing and may also be heat sealed to the base member 10 to
form a hub inserted into the core of the roll 12.
The web 13 of adhesive tape has a toplayer 18 and a layer 19 of
adhesive firmly secured to one surface of the toplayer, (see
especially FIG. 4). The carrier web 14 is releasably secured to the
adhesive layer 19 of the tape and serves to protect it from
sticking to adjacent layers of the roll in addition to its
transport function discussed below. In a typical instance, the
adhesive will comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive that is
slightly tacky and is adhered to an object by the application of
pressure. The carrier web 14 may comprise a material having its
surface in contact with the adhesive layer 19 suitably release
coated so that the adhesive will cleanly release from the carrier
web without substantial transfer of adhesive to the carrier web
when it is desired to use a portion of the tape for application to
an object. In the illustrated form, the adhesive tape 13 is slit
transversely to form a plurality of short markers 20 carried
end-to-end on the carrier web. The roll 12 thus comprises
interleaved layers of adhesive tape 13 and carrier web 14.
The roll 12 is carried between the base member 10 and the cover
element 11 and enclosed by the housing portion 15 of the cover
element while resting upon an underlying area of the base member. A
portion of the tape and its adjoining section of the carrier web is
unwound from the roll 12 to extend through the exit portion 16 of
the cover element and is then led about a nearby edge 21 of the
base member 10; the edge 21 may include a notch as shown through
which the carrier web and tape pass.
The dispensing action of the package of this invention is best
illustrated in FIG. 3. As the carrier web 12 is led about the edge
21 of the base member and pulled downwardly along or near the back
surface of the base member, the adhesive tape 13 releases from the
carrier web 14 as the latter makes a 180.degree. bend around the
edge of the card. Each marker 20 of the adhesive tape will then
project at an angle to the base member such as shown by marker 20a
in FIG. 3 from which position it can be grasped by the user,
removed from the carrier web and applied to an object. If the
adhesive tape is not slit into market sections, the user may cut
off the projecting portion in the desired length.
The package construction of the present invention is designed to
facilitate the release of the tape from the carrier web as it is
transported about the base member in the described fashion. It is
essential that the tape markers 20 release from the carrier web as
it moves over the edge 21, otherwise they would remain adhered to
the carrier web as it advanced along the back of the base member
and would then be difficult to remove from the carrier web. This is
accomplished, according to this invention, by providing means
bearing against the upper surface of the tape, either along its
marginal edge portions or along the entire surface, after the tape
leaves the housing portion of the cover element. Referring
specifically to FIG. 5, the cover element 11 is attached to the
base member 10 by heat sealing the flange areas 17 on either side
of the tape 13 and carrier web 14 along the exit portion 16 of the
cover element. A section of the exit portion 16 is flat and is not
formed into a three-dimensional structure; during the heat sealing
operation, the heat seals joining the cover to the base member
along the flange 17 extend to closely adjacent to the side edges of
the tape and the section of the exit portion 16 of the cover
element which extends across the tape assumes a catenary curve due
to the interpositioning of the tape and carrier webs between two
otherwise flat elements. The cover element will thereby contact the
upper surface of the tape along its opposed marginal edge portions
as it travels through the exit portion. The section of the base
member under the carrier may be flat as shown or be slightly curved
by action of the heat dies used to join the two package elements
together, but in either case it will be substantially flat.
Further, when pressure is used to pull the carrier web over the
edge of the card, the tape and carrier web may assume a slightly
concave cross-sectional shape which will cause the upper surface of
the tape to contact the curved interior surface of the overlying
section of the exit portion which extends across the tape, thereby
additionally facilitating the application of a restraining force on
the tape as it is transported through the exit portion. In an
alternate form, referring now to FIG. 5A, the section of the exit
portion 16 of the cover element 11 which overlies the tape may
assume less curvature than that shown in FIG. 5 so that it will be
in contact with substantially the entire width of the top surface
of the tape passing through the exit portion. In either case, part
of the cover element is utilized in a functional manner when
constructed in the illustrated fashion so as to apply a
back-tension or restraining force which will serve to restrict free
travel of the tape and carrier web through the exit portion of the
cover element while at the same time enabling the two webs to be
pulled through readily by hand. It is thought that compression
forces exerted by this section of the cover element may develop
horizontal force vectors in the tape which will cause it to assume
an arcuate cross section when it is transported and thereby give it
strength and facilitate its release from the carrier web. While the
action of the package of this invention is difficult to describe
and illustrate precisely because of the scale involved, it becomes
readily apparent to a user in view of the excellent release of the
tape from the carrier which is obtained during the dispensing
action. While a portion of the cover element is utilized in the
illustrated embodiments for applying this interfacial restraining
force along the top surface of the tape, the same action can be
obtained by using a small piece of plastic as a means separate from
the cover element but constructed in the described manner, although
the cover element which provides this tape restraining means as an
integral function in addition to its packaging function represents
the most economical way to manufacture the package as presently
considered. Furthermore, the restraining force applied by the
illustrated structure of the exit portion 16 of the cover element
is a relatively constant force inasmuch as it is not dependent upon
the amount of tape on the roll or upon the amount of force which is
exerted on the tape by the user.
Returning to FIG. 2, the carrier web 14 after being pulled across
the edge 21 of the base member 10 may pass through a pair of spaced
axial slots 25 and 26 which are somewhat wider than the tape and
which are interconnected by a longitudinal slot 27. The threading
of the carrier web through the slots 25, 26 and 27 is also
illustrated in the sectional view of FIG. 3. This provides a means
to cause the carrier web to move against the rear surface of the
base member during the dispensing action. This is an optional
feature, and other equivalent structures including various forms of
slot configurations and mechanical means may be employed, and while
it is not necessary in order to obtain the desired dispensing
action of the present package, it provides for convenient transport
of the carrier web along the bottom of the card and serves to
insure that the user makes a 180.degree. or nearly 180.degree. bend
in the carrier web to provide positive dispensing action.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED PRIOR ART
A prior art form of dispenser package similar to the present
invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6-9. It includes a base member 40
and cover element 41, with a roll 42 of adhesive tape 43 on a
carrier web 44 carried between the base member and cover element.
The exit portion 46 of the cover element is formed into a
three-dimensional structure including a channel 48 through which
the tape and carrier webs travel upon being unwound from the roll
42; thus, there is no means for applying a restraining force or
tension on the tape during its transport after leaving the roll 42.
On the rear surface of the card, see FIGS. 7 and 8, a staple 49 is
provided under which the carrier web 14 is threaded. When the user
grasps the end of the carrier web as in FIG. 8 the tape and its
attendant releasably-attached carrier web is freely unwound from
the roll 42 and the two webs assume a somewhat bowed-out shape as
they travel over the ege 51 of the base member 40. The tape 13,
therefore, will not release from the carrier 14 unless the user
applies some external force against the tape after it leaves the
cover element 41; this is typically accomplished by applying finger
pressure against the tape on the top of the base member after it
leaves the exit portion 46 of the cover element. However, it is
difficult to apply the proper amount of tension or pressure which
will secure release of the markers 20 of the tape so that it often
happens that the markers 20 continue their travel about the edge of
the base member in the manner shown in FIG. 8. Securing suitable
release of the markers 20 can be a frustrating action particularly
when very thin tape is used. In comparison to this prior art
construction, it has been found that the dispenser package of this
invention provides accurate, dependable release of the tape from
the carrier web during the dispensing operation.
EXAMPLE
A package as illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 was constructed in which the
base member was of card stock approximately 8 mils thick which had
a heat seal coating on its top surface. The cover element 11 was
made from a 2 mil thick sheet of cellulose acetate butyrate plastic
thermoformed to include the three-dimensional housing portion 15
and flat exit portion 16. Released coated paper approximately 2.5
mils thick was used as the carrier web 14, and the tape was a film
polyester about 0.7 mils thick that had an aluminized coating and
which was slit into markers 20 approximately 1 inch long. It was
found that when the exit portion 16 of the cover element remained
flat so as to provide the configuration as shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A,
a restraining force was applied against the top surface of the tape
and effective dispensing of the tape from the carrier web was
obtained as the latter traveled over the edge 21 of the base
member. This dispensing action was dependable in that all of the
markers were released from the carrier web and the package was easy
to use in that a user did not have to employ any additional
operation other than pulling the carrier web across the rear
surface of the base member.
There has thus been described a new dispenser package for packaging
a roll of adhesive tape carried on a carrier web which comprises a
backing member and a cover element wherein a portion of the cover
element, or similar structure, is utilized as a means for applying
pressure against the surface of the tape as it travels thereunder.
This enables facile release of the adhesive tape from the carrier
web as the latter is moved about a nearby edge of the base member
whereupon the user can grasp the tape after it is separated from
the carrier web and remove it for application to an object. The
package may be utilized with rolls of adhesive tapes having various
types of adhesives including solvent-activated adhesives and
pressure sensitive adhesives. The tape may include a toplayer
formed of one or more similar or dissimilar webs firmly joined
together, or a coated web, and may utilize plastic, metallic or
paper materials. The cover and base elements of the package may
have constructions other than those particularly disclosed herein
and yet produce a package of this invention. In general, the
construction of the package according to this invention which
includes a roll of tape packaged between a cover element and a base
member wherein a section of the cover bears against the top surface
of the tape after it is unwound from the roll provides a section of
the composite package in which the cover and base members are held
together tightly by the strength of the materials, but through
which the tape can move while being held back only by the force
generated by separating the two parts. This force of separation
translates into a resistance to the forward movement of the tape
through the subject portion of the package and insures that the
carrier web will follow a sharp edge of the base member in order to
thereby obtain dependable and accurate release of the tape from the
carrier web with a package that is economical to manufacture, which
is easy to use without mistakes, and in which no user preparation
to position or tension the tape is necessary since this is provided
by the configuration of the package herein disclosed.
Although several structural forms of this invention have been
illustrated or described, the invention is not limited to the
specific constructions herein disclosed and it is expected that
those skilled in the art may be able to devise changes in the
disclosed structural features while still practicing this
invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that it is intended
to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of this
invention herein disclosed, as well as other embodiments, which do
not constitute a departure from the true spirit and scope of this
invention.
* * * * *