Hand held masking sheet material dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9365384-B2
Application number	US-201514594279-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2015
Priority date	Jan 21, 2014
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

A hand held dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll. The dispenser includes a handle assembly, an elongated blade, and a support assembly. The handle assembly includes a hub rotatably mounted to a frame. The blade extends from the frame. The support assembly includes a bracket, a brace and a support hub. The bracket is attached to the blade apart from the frame and includes a guide track. The guide track provides first and second segments that combine to define a guide axis. A leading side of the brace is slidably mounted to the guide track along the guide axis. The support hub is rotatably mounted to a trailing side of the brace. In a locked state, the leading side is slidably disposed over the track first segment and cannot rotate. In an unlocked state, the leading side is over the track second segment and is allowed to rotate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hand held dispenser for dispensing lengths of sheet material from a roll of sheet material, the roll of sheet material having opposing, first and second roll ends, the dispenser comprising:
a handle assembly including:
a frame,
a hub for selectively receiving the first roll end, the hub rotatably mounted to the frame such that the hub is rotatable about a hub axis;

an elongated blade attached to and extending from the frame, the elongated blade having a cutting edge extending between opposing, first and second blade ends, wherein the first blade end is proximate the frame and the second blade end is opposite the frame; and
a support assembly including:
a bracket attached to the elongated blade apart from the frame, the bracket including a guide track having first and second segments combining to define a guide axis,
a brace defining a leading side opposite a trailing side, the leading side slidably mounted to the guide track such that the brace is slidable relative to the elongated blade along the guide axis,
a support hub for selectively receiving the second roll end, the support hub rotatably mounted to the trailing side of the brace;

wherein the dispenser is configured to provide:
a locked state in which the leading side of the brace is over the first segment of the guide track and is prevented from rotating relative to the bracket,
an unlocked state in which the leading side of the brace is over the second segment of the guide track and can rotate relative to the bracket.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the cutting edge is spaced from and substantially parallel to the hub axis.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the guide axis is spaced from and substantially parallel to the hub axis.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein support hub is rotatable about a support axis, and further wherein the locked state includes the support axis substantially aligned with the hub axis.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the unlocked state includes the brace being rotatable relative to the bracket about the guide axis.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the leading end of the brace is longitudinally slidable along the guide track in both the locked and unlocked states.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein guide track and the leading side of the brace combine to form a mated keying arrangement along the first segment, the keying arrangement including:
a slot formed in one of the leading side and the first segment; and
a tab formed by an other the leading side and the first segment;
wherein the slot is configured to slidably receive the tab.

8. The dispenser of claim 7 , wherein the slot is provided by the leading side and the tab is provided by the guide track.

9. The dispenser of claim 8 , wherein the leading side includes a collar forming a central passage sized to receive the guide track, the slot being formed in the collar and open to the central passage.

10. The dispenser of claim 7 , wherein the guide track includes a main track body, and further wherein the tab projects from the main track body along only the first segment.

11. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the second segment of the guide track extends from the first segment in a direction opposite the frame.

12. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the guide track extends between opposing, first and second track ends, the first track end being more proximate the frame than the second track end, and wherein the support assembly further includes:
a shoe assembled to the second track end and configured to prevent sliding movement of the first side of the brace beyond the second track end.

13. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the guide track extends between opposing, first and second track ends, the first track end being more proximate the frame than the second track end, and further wherein the second track end is longitudinally beyond the second blade end in a direction of the hub axis.

14. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes:
a panel, wherein the hub projects from the side panel; and
opposing arms extending from the side panel in a direction of extension of the hub;
wherein the handle assembly further includes a grip attached to the opposing arms opposite the side panel.

15. The dispenser of claim 14 , wherein the grip includes:
a rigid inner rigid post attached to the opposing arms; and
a soft gripping member disposed over the inner post.

16. The dispenser of claim 1 , further including:
a tape hub mounted to the frame, the tape hub including:
a tape hub body defining an outer surface configured to frictionally retain a core of a tape roll, the tape hub body being rotatably mounted relative to the frame;
a metal spring clip associated with the tape hub body and including a spring arm biased outwardly beyond the outer surface.

17. The dispenser of claim 1 , further including a pocket clip coupled to the frame, wherein the pocket clip defines an open end opposite a closed end and a clip axis extending between the open and closed ends, and further wherein the clip axis is substantially perpendicular to the cutting edge.

18. A support assembly for use with a hand held dispenser for dispensing a length of sheet material from a roll of sheet material, the dispenser including a handle assembly and an elongated blade, the handle assembly include a frame and a hub rotatably mounted to the frame such that the hub is rotatable about a hub axis, wherein the elongated blade is attached to and extends from the frame, the support assembly comprising:
a bracket configured for selective attachment to the elongated blade apart from the frame, the bracket including a guide track having first and second segments combining to define a guide axis;
a brace defining a leading side opposite a trailing side, the leading side slidably mounted to the guide track such that the brace is slidable relative to the bracket along the guide axis,
a support hub for selectively receiving an end of a roll of sheet material, the support hub rotatably mounted to the trailing side of the brace;
wherein the support assembly is configured to provide:
a locked state in which the leading side of the brace is over the first segment of the guide track and is prevented from rotating relative to the bracket,
an unlocked state in which the leading side of the brace is over the second segment of the guide track and can rotate relative to the bracket.

19. A method of applying a length of sheet material to a surface, the method comprising:
receiving a hand held dispenser including:
a handle assembly including:
a frame,
a hub rotatably mounted to the frame such that the hub is rotatable about a hub axis,

an elongated blade attached to and extending from the frame, the elongated blade having a cutting edge extending between opposing, first and second blade ends, wherein the first blade end is proximate the frame and the second blade end is opposite the frame; and
a support assembly including:
a bracket attached to the elongated blade apart from the frame, the bracket including a guide track having first and second segments combining to define a guide axis,
a brace defining a leading side opposite a trailing side, the leading side slidably mounted to the guide track such that the brace is slidable relative to the elongated blade along the guide axis,
a support hub rotatably mounted to the trailing side of the brace;

sliding the brace along the guide track in a direction away from the hub and to an unlocked state;
rotating

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Thompson Craig D
• Vanderheyden Jacob P
• Trifilio Christian R
• Somero Christopher E
• Waffensmith Jeffrey B
• Herman Christopher J

Classifications

• Y10T225/232

  Plural supply sources · CPC title

• Y10T225/10

  Methods · CPC title

• B65H2301/41346

  separate elements engaging each end of the roll (e.g. chuck) · CPC title

• B65H35/004 Primary

  simultaneously with a second roll, e.g. masking tape · CPC title

• Y10T225/247

  Bearing or trunnions to engage package core · CPC title