Tape dispenser assembly and support member therefor

Abstract

 A tape dispenser assembly comprises a support member and a stack of adhesive tape strips supported by a first face of said support member. The support member is provided with attachment means for releasably attaching it to clothing of a user of the assembly. Examples of attachment means are a clip member, a channel or an eyelet.

Description

[0001] The present invention firstly relates to a tape dispenser assembly, comprising a support member and a stack of adhesive tape strips supported by a first face of said support member.

[0002] A tape dispenser assembly of this type is already disclosed by document GB-A-2.214.464. Such a tape dispenser assembly is provided for facilitating the use of strips of adhesive tapes. Using such a tape dispenser assembly it is not necessary anymore to separate a desired length of the adhesive tape from a roll, which separation can be difficult (because the end of the adhesive tape adheres to the underlying roll) and may lead to damaging the adhesive tape.

[0003] A tape dispenser assembly of this type can be used in an advantageous manner in situations in which a large amount of adhesive tape strips are needed. An example of such a situation is found at music concerts, in preparation of which large amounts of cables (e.g. audio cables and electrical cables) have to be attached and maintained at certain locations by specialised persons (so-called 'riggers'). The use of a tape dispenser assembly provided with a stack of adhesive tape strips makes a quick application of the adhesive tape strips possible with a minimum amount of operations to be carried out.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved tape dispenser assembly of the type referred to above.

[0005] Thus, in accordance with the present invention a tape dispenser assembly is provided, comprising a support member and a stack of adhesive tape strips supported by a first face of said support member, characterized in that the support member is provided with attachment means for releasably attaching it to clothing of a user of the assembly.

[0006] Whereas the state of the art tape dispenser assembly according to GB-A-2.214.464 should be kept in one hand while an adhesive tape strip is removed with the other hand, the tape dispenser assembly according to the present invention can be attached to the closing of a user, such that only one hand (the hand removing an adhesive tape strip from the assembly) is needed. As a result, a user still has one free hand which, for example, may be used for manipulating cables which should be positioned using the adhesive tape. Further, a user may use two hands, for example when climbing a ladder, while the tape dispenser assembly is attached to his clothing.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the tape dispenser assembly according to the present invention, the attachment means comprise a clip member for, for example, engaging a belt of a user. The belt of a user generally defines a rather stable member which easily can withstand the forces created when peeling an adhesive tape strip from the underlying stack of adhesive tape strips. Thus, a stable positioning of the tape dispenser assembly relative to the clothing of a user is provided, making the use of the assembly extremely simple without the provision of any additional means.

[0008] Although the clip member could be a separate member attached in any appropriate manner to the support member, it preferably is defined by a resilient bent end of the support member. Such an embodiment of the tape dispenser assembly not only limits its cost, but also prevents the creation of unnecessary projecting parts which could hamper the use of the tape dispenser assembly (and which, for example, could lead to the tape dispenser assembly getting entangled with foreign object).

[0009] In another preferred embodiment of the tape dispenser assembly according to the invention the attachment means comprise a channel extending transversally to the support member for receiving a belt or for receiving an additional fastening means, such as a strip of Velcro or alike. Such a channel may be provided as an alternative or in addition to the previously mentioned clip member.

[0010] Preferably the channel is provided at the end of the support member opposite the resilient bent end thereof and at the face of the support member opposite the first face thereof. This offers the possibility of threading a strip of Velcro (or any other lengthy fastener means, such as a piece of rope) through the channel and fastening it around the upper leg of a user while the clip member cooperates with a belt. As a result the tape dispenser assembly is optimally stabilised.

[0011] Still further, as an alternative or in addition, it is possible that the attachment means comprise an eyelet attached to the support member for receiving an additional fastening means, such as a karabiner (carabine hook) or alike. Specifically, such an embodiment is advantageous for use by riggers which often use karabiners for securing themselves at, for example, elevated locations in scaffolding or alike.

[0012] When the eyelet extends laterally from the support member it is very good accessible.

[0013] Constructively it is preferred that the eyelet is connected to the clip member.

[0014] Preferably the support member has an oblong shape, making it well-adapted to support a stack of adhesive tape strips with an oblong shape.

[0015] Finally, for stabilising and securing the position of said stack of adhesive tape strips onto the support member, it is preferred that the first face of the support member at least partially is surrounded by a projecting edge.

[0016] The invention secondly relates to a support member presenting all the features of the support member disclosed herein and being thus constructed and evidently intended for use in the tape dispenser assembly as claimed in the attached claims. Such a support member could be marketed without a stack of adhesive tape strips, which could be sold separately and could be attached to the support member for preparing a tape dispenser assembly ready for use.

[0017] Hereinafter the invention will be elucidated while referring to the drawing, in which an embodiment of a tape dispenser assembly in accordance with the present invention is illustrated.

[0018] Herein:

figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a tape dispenser assembly;

figure 2 shows a bottom plan view of the tape dispenser assembly of figure 1;

figure 3 shows a side elevational view of the tape dispenser assembly of figure, and

figure 4 shows a frontal view of the tape dispenser assembly according to IV in figure 1.

[0019] Firstly referring to figure 1, the tape dispenser assembly is meant for supporting a stack 1 of adhesive tape strips (illustrated in phantom). In the illustrated embodiment the tape dispenser assembly comprises a support member 2 with a first (upper) face 3 and a second (lower) face 3 (see figures 2-4). The upper face 3 supports the stack 1 (for example the lowermost adhesive tape strip adheres directly to said upper face 3).

[0020] The support member 2 has a bend end 5 which defines a resilient clip member. This clip member 5 functions as an attachment means with which the support member 2 of the tape dispenser assembly can be attached releasably to clothing of a user, for example a belt of trousers.

[0021] As a result the tape dispenser assembly obtains a stable positioning, in which one can easily remove adhesive tape strips one by one from the stack 1 of adhesive tape strips. When all adhesive tape strips have been removed, another stack 1 may be positioned onto the support member 2, or the empty support member 2 may be discarded and a new support member 2 with a stack of adhesive tape strips may be utilised.

[0022] The tape dispenser assembly illustrated further is provided a channel 6 extending transversally to the support member 2 for receiving a belt or for receiving an additional fastening means, such as a strip of Velcro or alike (not illustrated). The channel 6 is provided at the end of the support member 2 opposite the resilient bent end (clip member) 5 thereof and at the lower face 4 of the support member opposite the upper face 3 thereof.

[0023] In the illustrated embodiment, the tape dispenser assembly also comprises an eyelet 7 attached to the support member 2 for receiving an additional fastening means, such as a karabiner (carabine hook) or alike (not shown either). In the illustrated embodiment said eyelet extends laterally from the support member 2 and is connected to the clip member 5.

[0024] As illustrated, the support member 2 has an oblong shape adapted for receiving a correspondingly shaped stack 1. Further the first face 3 of the support member 2 at least partially is surrounded by a projecting edge 8 for stabilising the position of the stack 1.

[0025] The invention is not limited to the embodiment described before, which may be varied widely within the scope of the invention as defined by the appending claims. Thus, also other attachment means for releasably attaching the tape dispenser assembly to clothing of a user may be provided whereas some of the illustrated attachment means may be omitted or may be provided in a different number.

Claims

1. Tape dispenser assembly, comprising a support member and a stack of adhesive tape strips supported by a first face of said support member, characterized in that the support member is provided with attachment means for releasably attaching it to clothing of a user of the assembly.

2. Tape dispenser assembly according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprise a clip member for, for example, engaging a belt of a user.

3. Tape dispenser assembly according to claim 2, wherein the clip member is defined by a resilient bent end of the support member.

4. Tape dispenser assembly according to any of the previous claims, wherein the attachment means comprise a channel extending transversally to the support member for receiving a belt or for receiving an additional fastening means, such as a strip of Velcro or alike.

5. Tape dispenser assembly according to claim 3 and 4, wherein the channel is provided at the end of the support member opposite the resilient bent end thereof and at the face of the support member opposite the first face thereof.

6. Tape dispenser assembly according to any of the previous claims, wherein the attachment means comprise an eyelet attached to the support member for receiving an additional fastening means, such as a karabiner (carabine hook) or alike.

7. Tape dispenser assembly according to claim 6, wherein the eyelet extends laterally from the support member.

8. Tape dispenser assembly according to claim 7 and claim 2, wherein the eyelet is connected to the clip member.

9. Tape dispenser assembly according to any of the previous claims, wherein the support member has an oblong shape.

10. Tape dispenser assembly according to any of the previous claims, wherein the first face of the support member at least partially is surrounded by a projecting edge.

11. Support member presenting all the features of the support member disclosed in any one of the preceding claims and being thus constructed and evidently intended for use in the tape dispenser assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

Drawing