Description

The present invention relates to a holder for a roll of unroUable material, comprising a rectangular frame which has two longitudinal sides located opposite one another and two transverse sides located opposite one another, wherein at least one longitudinal side is provided with a tearing element, wherein the transverse sides are each provided with support means for rotatably supporting the roll to be fitted in the holder and wherein the holder is made of plastic.

Holders of this type, which are also termed dispensers or dispensing holders, are known in many embodiments.

One important application is to be found in the building trade and Do-It- Yourself sector, where holders of this type are used for unwinding, applying and tearing off plastic film from a roll, which film is provided along one edge with a narrow self-adhesive strip, such as adhesive tape. The film is obtainable in various widths, and often is folded several times to give narrower widths which are easy to handle. After tearing off and, where appropriate, sticking firmly along one edge, the film is unfolded. Masking films of this type which are adhesive along one edge replace the conventional combination of masking film on paper and adhesive tape, which are brought together and stuck firmly by hand during work. ith films of this type provided with an adhesive strip along one edge it is possible to cover a surface rapidly, easily and securely when painting or carrying out other work where surfaces have to be protected against damage and/or smearing. Dispensing holders which have a rectangular frame, the transverse sides of which are provided with spindle holes through which a spindle is inserted to support the roll, are disclosed in the prior art. Dispensing holders of this type are therefore composed of at least two components, which has an adverse effect on the production costs. Separate components of this type can be lost. When replacing a roll, it takes some time to detach an insert spindle and the insert spindle can, for example, fall to the ground, all of which is unfavourable for ease of use.

Dispensing holders of this type have to meet a number of requirements. In order to function well, the holder must lie firmly in the hand of the user and the film and any

adhesive tape must tear off well. Furthermore, if the holder is to function well it is important that the transverse sides are as thin and flat as possible, so that the side of the roll carrying the self-adhesive strip lies as closely as possible against one transverse side. By this means it is possible, during unwinding and application of the film, to fit the self- adhesive strip well and easily in corners.

It must be possible to fit the film very tightly against the window frame on, for example, window ledges.

For great ease of use it is also important that the dispensing holder can easily be provided with a new roll of unroUable material. The aim of the present invention is to provide a holder, in particular a dispensing holder, which is inexpensive to produce, is easy to handle and functions well.

This aim is achieved according to the invention in that the support means are formed as an integral part of the insides of the transverse sides of the frame. By forming the support means as an integral part of the insides of the transverse sides of the frame, the dispensing holder can be produced in one piece from plastic by means of, for example, injection moulding. Therefore, no separate components are needed for rotatably supporting the roll of plastic film. Support means of this type therefore do not have to be manufactured separately and subsequently assembled with the holder, so that the production costs of the dispensing holder according to the invention are lower. A further disadvantage of the separate support means known from the prior art is that these have to be removed when changing or replacing a roll of film, which does not promote the ease of use. Since these components can be detached, they can also easily be lost. The support means for a roll in the case of a holder according to the invention cannot be, and also do not have to be, detached from the holder, and therefore they can also not be lost. In the case of the holder according to the invention, the roll of film can easily be pushed between the supports and can also be pressed out again from between them.

According to the invention, it is particularly advantageous if the frame is flexible to such an extent that when the longitudinal sides are pushed towards one another the transverse sides are deflected outwards at their centres, so that a roll to be fitted in the holder can be placed between the supports. By this means, the fitting of a new roll and the removal of an old roll, or the core on which it was wound, is appreciably facilitated.

From the standpoint of manufacturing technology, it is advantageous, according to the invention, if the support means on each transverse side comprise a ridge which extends

in the longitudinal direction of the transverse side. A ridge of this type will be located at the interface of two mould halves to be used for injection moulding of the holder.

It is furthermore advantageous, according to the invention, if the support means on each transverse side comprise at least one, preferably three, ridges extending in the transverse direction of said transverse side. These ridges also can easily be formed using injection moulding methods.

The use of such longitudinal and transverse ridges as support means also facilitates the fitting and removal of a roll, and a minimum of material is used for the support means.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a holder according to the invention, in which part of a roll of unroUable material is also shown, and

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section along the line H— II in Fig. 1 of a holder according to the invention. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the holder is composed of an essentially rectangular frame

1 which has two longitudinal sides 3, 4 located opposite one another and two transverse sides 5, 6 located opposite one another. One longitudinal side 4 is provided with a tearing element 7 in the form of a serrated knife. Said serrated knife is often a component separately manufactured from steel, but optionally can be formed from plastic as an integral part of the holder. The transverse sides 5, 6 are each provided with support means 8 for rotatably supporting the roll 2 to be fitted in the holder. Only the support means 8 on longitudinal side 6 can be seen, but it will be apparent that corresponding support means are arranged on the longitudinal side 5.

The roll 2 is composed of a film 16 which is wound on a winding core 17 and which along one edge is provided with an adhesive strip in the form of adhesive tape 15.

As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the support means 8 are arranged essentially in the middle of the transverse sides 5, 6.

Use can advantageously be made of the flexibility of the frame when fitting and removing a roll. The longitudinal sides 3, 4 are pushed towards one another approximately in the middle thereof, as a result of which the central parts of the transverse sides, where the support means 8 are arranged, are deflected apart. As a result, sufficient space is obtained in order to fit the roll with its winding element 17 between the support means 8. When the inward pressure on the longitudinal sides 3, 4 is then removed, the transverse

sides 5, 6 move towards one another again, so that the support means 8 can engage in the winding core 17. The roll is now rotatably supported in the holder.

From the standpoint of injection moulding technology it is advantageous that the support means 8 on each transverse side 5, 6 comprise a ridge 10 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the transverse side concerned, and/or that the support means 8 on each transverse side 5, 6 comprise at least one, preferably three, ridges 11, 12, 13 which extend in the transverse direction of said transverse side.

During use, the roll can be unwound easily and the strip of adhesive tape can be stuck firmly in virtually any desired position, after which the film and adhesive strip can be cut off to a desired size with the aid of the tearing element 7.

Because the transverse side 5 can be made very narrow and the adhesive strip side 15 of the roll 2 is able to lie very tightly against the inside, it is possible, for example, to stick the adhesive tape firmly on a window ledge very close to a window frame, or even to stick it firmly in contact with the window frame on the window ledge.