Integral anti-rollback for injection molded tape dispensers
View Patent ↗A tape dispenser system includes a monolithic plastic injection molded frame with an integral anti-reverse rotation pawl. To help prevent the free end of a roll of tape from accidentally retracting, falling back, and frustratingly bonding onto the coiled portion of the tape, the pawl engages the inner diameter of a cardboard spool that holds the roll of tape. Strategically located mold parting lines and certain air gaps allow injection molding of a dispenser frame that has two spool-supporting sidewalls plus the integral pawl.
1. A tape dispenser method involving the use of at least one of a first mold block, a second mold block and a plastic material, the tape dispenser method comprising:
the first mold block defining a first cavity system;
the second mold block defining a second cavity system;
forcing the first mold block and the second mold block together such that the first mold block and the second mold block engage each other at a mold interface;
upon forcing the first mold block and the second mold block together, the first cavity system and the second cavity system creating a total cavity;
injecting the plastic material into the total cavity;
solidifying the plastic material in the total cavity, thereby creating a tape dispenser frame comprising a first sidewall, a first flange on the first sidewall, a second sidewall, a second flange on the second sidewall, a bridge extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and a first pawl extending from at least one of the first sidewall and the first flange;
the first sidewall at least momentarily extending into both the first cavity system and the second cavity system;
the second sidewall at least momentarily extending into both the first cavity system and the second cavity system;
removing the tape dispenser frame from the total cavity;
resiliently splaying the first sidewall and the second sidewall to widen a spool- receiving chamber between the first sidewall and the second sidewall;
inserting the spool into the spool-receiving chamber;
at least one of the first sidewall and the second sidewall flexing toward the spool;
the first flange and the second flange supporting the spool;
the first pawl engaging an inner diameter of the spool such that the spool can rotate more freely in one direction than in an opposite direction; and
the mold interface creating a parting line on the first pawl at a point where the first pawl engages the inner diameter of the spool.
2. The tape dispenser method of claim 1 , wherein the plastic material includes a first base material and a second softer material, and the tape dispenser method further comprising:
injecting the first base material to create at least part of the first sidewall; and
injecting the second softer material to create at least part of the first pawl.