WITH INTEGRATED WRITING IMPLEMENT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of The Invention

The present invention relates to devices and methods for dispensing adhesive tape and labeling items.

2. Background Information

Storing items in boxes, whether long or short term, involves in all but the rarest occasion the need for labeling a box's contents. In many, if not most cases (especially instances of moving from one home or business location to another) using boxes requires assembly of the boxes, using tape. In recent years, the use of tape dispensers such as show in U.S. Patent Application No. 20080271853 Al, has become an indispensible, time saving element of the boxing process.

In any circumstance involving repeated processes, time unnecessarily expended on each repetition accumulates to a significant magnitude. Such is the case with box assembly and labeling. Using the tape dispenser of the type mentioned above saves time, but time is (at least after adoption of the present invention) unnecessarily lost after each box assembly as the user, upon completing a box assembly: (A) sets the dispenser aside, (B) retrieves some marking device (pen, pencil, crayon, felt-tip marker, or the like), (C) labels the box, (D) lays the marking device aside, and (E) retrieves the dispenser to begin the next box assembly and labeling process. The time expended in Steps A, B, C, D and E for each instance of this process is certainly of little significance, but over the course of all such processes during a residential move, for example, the cumulative time inefficiency becomes significant. As discussed below, it is precisely these steps - A, B, D and E - that use of the present invention avoids.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, there is a need to make the process of assembling and labeling boxes as efficient as possible. Over the course of a residential move, for example, the time saved by eliminating the above-referenced steps A, B, D and E will be significant. Therefore, the present inventor has devised a device that combines the tape dispenser and marking functionalities, and exhibits features that make its use effective and comfortable for users.

Any embodiment of the present invention will include a tape dispenser assembly for dispensing packing tape, with a handle unit into which is incorporated a marking device. Preferred embodiments will include contours for the handle unit that make extended use of the device comfortable, and will include component orientations (principally the relative orientation of the handle unit and the tape dispenser assembly) that make transition from tape dispensing to marking a quite ergonomically optimized process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an elevational side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1, in use, and showing the relationship between a user's hand and the device in the first of two orientations, when used to mark an object.

Fig. 3 is perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1, in use, and showing the relationship between a user's hand and the device in the second of two orientations (rotated approximately 180 degrees axially of the handle, relative to the user's hand), when used to mark an object.

Fig. 4 is a sagittal cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the tip portion of the handle portion of Fig. 4, showing the marker engagement and securing means.

Fig. 5 depicts the preferred configuration of the marker end of the handle unit.

Fig. 6 is a depiction of a prior art tape dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring principally to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 a tape dispenser and marking system of the present invention is identified generally by the reference number 10. System 10 includes a handle unit 16 coupled with a tape dispensing assembly 12. Tape dispensing assembly 12 is mounted to an assembly surface 18 of handle unit 16.

Tape dispensing assembly 12 is essentially of a designed exemplified by the prior art device 100 shown in Fig. 6, when its handle omitted. Device 100 shown in Fig. 6 also depicts a tape application face 110 as will be referenced later herein.

With reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, handle unit 16 is contoured (as exemplified by contour 20) according to ergonomic principles for a hand-held implement, taking into consideration the predominant orientation of a user's hand relative to handle unit 16 while system 10 is in use. A hand support projection 20 is provided for supporting the position and orientation of system 10 in a user's hand while marking a box (such as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which further show that users may prefer, and the present design accommodates use of system 10 while rotated substantially axially of the handle unit 16).

Extending through handle unit 16 is marker member 22. Marker member 22 may be any marking device (a pencil, pen, grease pencil, felt tip marker, etc.), but the SHARPIE brand, indelible marker is preferred (or at least one that is configured substantially the same for reasons described below). With particular reference to Fig. 5, marker member 22, in certain embodiments, is maintained within the associated cavity 24 of handle unit 16 by reversible snap-in engagement, facilitated (in one embodiment) by a yieldable (made possible in one embodiment by one or more slots 28), annular retention ring structure 26 positioned substantially at the opening of cavity 24. Alternative retention means are equally acceptable, provided that they allow for removal and replacement of marker member 22 upon depletion of the marker medium. Such may include set-screw assemblies (not shown in the drawings) that reversibly engage, through user actuation, with a positioned marker member 22. Also, friction-fit, or even suction-fit arrangements are possible. However, the depicted annular ring structure 26 is presently considered optimal, because it engages (and any embodiment should be designed to engage) with the currently, most popular marker member for use in such contexts - the markers presently sold under the brand SHARPIE.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, not only the kind of handle unit 16, but it's orientation relative to the tape dispensing device affords a significant benefit of embodiments of the present invention. Extensive design, redesign, and testing have shown that a central axis of handle unit 16 (indicated in Figl. 1 and 5 as line A) should define an approximately 50° angle relative to a plane (or general orientation) of mounting surface 18 (represented by line B of Figs. 1 and 4), while mounting surface 18 and the plane defined by the tape application face (represented by line C of Fig. 4) should define an angle of approximately 90°. The tape application face of tape dispensing assembly 12 should (as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) project beyond the foremost margin of handling unit 16.

Particularly as shown in Fig. 2, a system 10 constructed as described herein affords easy transition from tape application to marking, while omitting the above referenced steps A, B, D and E of the box assembly and marking process. Handle unit 16 is contoured rest in a user's hand, while the user comfortably grasps the contoured handle unit 16 and writes in essentially a conventional orientation, whichever orientation (Figs. 2 or 3) the user finds most comfortable. However, that shown in Fig. 2 is most efficient, because it does not involve rotating system 10 from the orientation used to apply the tape. Transitioning from writing to tape dispensing is effortless and very time efficient, as a user merely tilts system 10 from a taping to a marking orientation, without ever having to set system 10 aside as in using conventional tape dispensers and separate marking devices.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description of the invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention.