초록 ▼

Various embodiments of an apparatus and method for dispensing elongated material, such as tape, from a spool or roll of such material are disclosed. In one embodiment, a dispenser includes a rotatable spindle for supporting the roll of material and a brake assembly operable to provide a braking forc

Various embodiments of an apparatus and method for dispensing elongated material, such as tape, from a spool or roll of such material are disclosed. In one embodiment, a dispenser includes a rotatable spindle for supporting the roll of material and a brake assembly operable to provide a braking force to the spindle. The brake assembly desirably includes a rotor coupled to the spindle and a caliper configured to apply a braking force to the rotor, thereby slowing or preventing rotation of the spindle. The spindle can include at least one roll retainer projecting radially outwardly from the spindle. The roll retainer is configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of a core of the roll to prevent movement of the roll relative to the spindle when material is being dispensed from the roll, yet allow an operator to remove the core from the spindle.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An apparatus for dispensing elongated material from a roll of material, comprising: a rotatable spindle for supporting the roll of material; a brake assembly comprising a rotor and a caliper, the rotor being coupled to the spindle and being rotatable therewith, the caliper being confi

We claim: 1. An apparatus for dispensing elongated material from a roll of material, comprising: a rotatable spindle for supporting the roll of material; a brake assembly comprising a rotor and a caliper, the rotor being coupled to the spindle and being rotatable therewith, the caliper being configured to apply a braking force to the rotor, thereby slowing or preventing rotation of the spindle; a tension-control mechanism being movably coupled to the material being dispensed from the roll, the tension-control mechanism being mechanically coupled to the brake assembly to control the brake assembly to reduce the braking force when there is an increase in tension in the material being dispensed and to increase the braking force when there is a decrease in tension in the material; wherein the tension-control mechanism defines a portion of the path the elongated material is to follow, the tension-control mechanism being movable in response to increased tension in the material to shorten the path of the material and movable in response to decreased tension in the material to lengthen the path of the material; wherein the tension-control mechanism is operatively coupled to the brake assembly such that the brake assembly reduces the braking force when the tension-control mechanism moves to shorten the path length of the material and to increase the braking force when the tension-control mechanism moves to lengthen the path length; a pivoted lever having first and second end portions; a resilient biasing member coupling the tension-control mechanism to the first end portion of the lever; and an elongated tension member coupling the brake assembly to the second end portion of the lever. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elongated material comprises adhesive tape. 3. The apparatus of claim 1,, wherein the caliper is configured to automatically apply a quiescent braking force to the rotor, and to reduce the braking force in response to an increase in tension in the material being dispensed from the roll. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the brake assembly comprises a brake adjuster configured to adjust the quiescent braking force of the caliper. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one roll-grabbing member protruding from the spindle and configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of a core of the roll, thereby retaining the roll on the spindle and preventing rotation of the roll relative to the spindle. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the spindle has a rotational axis and the at least one roll-grabbing member extends at an angle with respect to the rotational axis. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a stop coupled to the spindle and wherein the at least one roll-grabbing member applies an axially directed force to the core causing the roll to bear against the stop when material is being dispensed from the roll. 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one roll-grabbing member comprises a first roll-grabbing member and a second roll-grabbing member positioned generally on diametrically opposite sides of the spindle. 9. An apparatus for dispensing elongated material from a roll comprising a core and material wrapped around the core, the apparatus comprising: a rotatable spindle for supporting the roll of material, the spindle defining a rotational axis and having an outer surface that contacts an inner surface of the core when the roll is placed on the spindle; and at least one roll retainer projecting radially outwardly from the spindle and being skewed with respect to the rotational axis, the at least one roll retainer being configured to frictionally engage the inner surface of the core to prevent movement of the roll relative to the spindle when material is being dispensed from the roll, yet allow an operator to remove the core from the spindle; wherein the at least one roll retainer applies an axially directed force to the core when material is being dispensed from the roll, the at least one roll retainer comprising a raised ridge formed with a plurality of teeth, defined by a plurality of grooves spaced along the length of the ridge, the teeth being adapted to score the inner surface of the core. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the spindle comprises a stop and said axially directed force to the core causes the core to bear against the stop when material is being dispensed from the roll. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one roll retainer has a core-engaging surface that scores the inner surface of the core when the core is placed on the spindle. 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one roll retainer comprises a first roll retainer and a second roll retainer generally positioned on diametrically opposite sides of the spindle, each roll retainer extending in a straight line that is skewed with respect to the rotational axis of the spindle. 13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a brake assembly for slowing or preventing rotation of the spindle. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the brake assembly comprises a rotor and a caliper, the rotor being coupled to the spindle and being rotatable therewith, the caliper being configured to apply a braking force to the rotor, thereby slowing or preventing rotation of the spindle. 15. An apparatus for dispensing tape from a first roll of tape and then from a second roll of tape, wherein the trailing end portion of the first roll is spliced to the leading end portion of the second roll to provide a continuous feed of tape, the apparatus comprising: a first rotatable spindle for supporting the first roll of tape; a second rotatable spindle for supporting the second roll of tape; a first brake assembly comprising a first rotor and a first caliper, the first rotor being coupled to the first spindle and being rotatable therewith, the first caliper being configured to apply a braking force to the first rotor, thereby retarding rotation of the first spindle; a second brake assembly comprising a second rotor and a second caliper, the second rotor being coupled to the second spindle and being rotatable therewith, the second caliper being configured to apply a braking force to the second rotor, thereby retarding rotation of the second spindle; and a tension-control mechanism being movably coupled to the tape from the first roll when tape is being dispensed from the first roll and to the tape from the second roll when the tape is being dispensed from the second roll, the tension-control mechanism controlling the first brake assembly to change the braking force of the first brake assembly in response to a change in tension in tape being dispensed from the first roll, the tension-control mechanism also controlling the second brake assembly to change the braking force of the second brake assembly in response to a change in tension in tape being dispensed from the second roll. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: the first brake assembly is configured to apply a quiescent braking force to the first spindle, the first brake assembly being adjustable to adjust the quiescent braking force; and the second brake assembly is configured to apply a quiescent braking force to the second spindle, the second brake assembly being adjustable to adjust the quiescent braking force applied to the second spindle independent of adjusting the quiescent braking force applied to the first spindle. 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: the first spindle has at least one roll retainer projecting radially outwardly therefrom and configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of a core of the first roll so as to retain the first roll in a fixed position relative to the first spindle when material is being dispensed from the first roll; the second spindle has at least one roll retainer projecting radially outwardly therefrom and configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of a core of the second roll so as to retain the second roll in a fixed position relative to the second spindle when material is being dispensed from the second roll. 18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising: a pivoted lever having first and second end portions; a biasing member coupling the tension-control mechanism to the first end portion of the lever; a pulley connected to the second end portion of the lever; and an elongated tension member reeved around the pulley and having a first end coupled to the first caliper and a second end coupled to the second caliper. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the tension member comprises a cable. 20. An apparatus for dispensing elongated material, comprising: a frame; a first rotatable spindle for supporting a first roll of material, the first spindle being rotatably coupled to the frame and having at least one roll retainer for frictionally engaging an inner surface of a core of the first roll; a second rotatable spindle for supporting a second roll of material, the second spindle being rotatably coupled to the frame and having at least one roll retainer for frictionally engaging an inner surface of a core of the second roll; a first brake assembly comprising a first rotor and a first caliper, the first rotor being coupled to the first spindle and being rotatable therewith, the first caliper operable to apply a braking force to the first rotor; a second brake assembly comprising a second rotor and a second caliper, the second rotor being coupled to the second spindle and being rotatable therewith, the second caliper operable to apply a braking force to the second rotor; a first heat sink interposed between the first brake assembly and the first spindle, the heat sink operable to dissipate heat generated by the first brake assembly into the surrounding air; a second heat sink interposed between the second brake assembly and the second spindle, the second heat sink operable to dissipate heat generated by the second brake assembly into the surrounding air; a tension-control mechanism for defining a portion of the path the elongated material is to follow when dispensed from either the first or second rolls, the tension-control mechanism being movable in response to increased tension in the material to shorten the path of the material and movable in response to decreased tension in the material to lengthen the path of the material; a pivoted lever having first and second end portions; a biasing member coupling the tension-control mechanism to the first end portion of the lever; a pulley mounted to the second end portion of the lever; and an elongated tension member reeved around the pulley and connected at one end portion to the first caliper and connected at another end portion to the second caliper. 21. An apparatus for dispensing elongated material from a roll comprising a core and material wrapped around the core, the apparatus comprising: a rotatable spindle for supporting the roll of material, the spindle defining a rotational axis and having an outer surface that contacts an inner surface of the core when the roll is placed on the spindle; and at least one roll retainer projecting radially outwardly from the spindle and being skewed with respect to the rotational axis, the at least one roll retainer being configured to frictionally engage the inner surface of the core to prevent movement of the roll relative to the spindle when material is being dispensed from the roll, yet allow an operator to remove the core from the spindle; wherein the spindle comprises at least one flat surface portion, the at least one roll retainer being mounted on the at least one flat surface portion of the spindle. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the spindle comprises a circular cross-section and is formed with at least one recessed portion defining the flat surface portion, the roll retainer being mounted on the flat surface portion within the recess. 23. An apparatus for dispensing elongated material from a roll comprising a core and material wrapped around the core, the apparatus comprising: a rotatable spindle for supporting the roll of material, the spindle defining a rotational axis and having an outer surface that contacts an inner surface of the core when the roll is placed on the spindle; and at least one roll retainer projecting radially outwardly from the spindle and extending at an angle with respect to the rotational axis, the at least one roll retainer being configured to frictionally engage the inner surface of the core to prevent movement of the roll relative to the spindle when material is being dispensed from the roll, yet allow an operator to remove the core from the spindle; wherein the spindle comprises at least one flat surface portion, the at least one roll retainer being mounted on the at least one flat surface portion of the spindle; wherein the spindle comprises a generally square cross-section.