Tape canister

Claim 2

A canister for storing a tape reel of the type including spaced circular flanges interconnected by a hollow central hub, said canister comprising A. a first, unitary member including 1. a generally circular base portion, 2. an annular rim portion upstanding from one side of said base portion and extending around the outer periphery of said base portion, and 3. hub support means upstanding from one side of said base portion within said rim portion and adjacent the center of said base portion to define an annular cavity between the hub support means and said rim portion for receipt of a reel; and B. annular, resilient sealing means on the inner periphery of said rim portion having a normal inner diameter slightly less than that of said flanges and being resiliently expandable to a diameter to allow passage of said flanges, whereby said sealing means may expand to allow insertion of said reel into said annular cavity and may thereafter contract toward its normal diameter to sealingly hold said reel within said cavity.

Claim 3

an annular rim portion upstanding from one side of said base portion and extending around the outer periphery of said base portion, and

Claim 4

an annular rim portion upstanding from one side of said base portion and extending around the outer periphery of said base portion, and

Claim 5

A canister according to claim 1 wherein said sealing means comprises a strip of flexible material fixedly secured to the inner periphery of said rim portion and presenting a resilient material at its inner periphery capable of resilient outward deflection to allow passage of said reel.

Claim 6

an annular lip portion extending radially inwardly from said main body portion.

Claim 7

an annular lip portion extending radially inwardly from said main body portion.

Claim 8

an annular rim portion upstanding from one side of said base portion and extending around the outer periphery of said base portion, and

Claim 9

an annular rim portion upstanding from one side of said base portion and extending around the outer periphery of said base portion, and

Claim 10

a second portion extending radially outwardly from said rim portion at a location thereon circumferentially spaced from said first portion; and

Claim 11

a second portion extending radially outwardly from said rim portion at a location thereon circumferentially spaced from said first portion; and

Claim 12

a second portion extending generally parallel to and in spaced relation to said rim portion from said first portion in said one circumferential direction.

Claim 13

a second portion extending generally parallel to and in spaced relation to said rim portion from said first portion in said one circumferential direction.

Claim 14

an annular rim portion upstanding from one side of said base portion and defining an annular surface facing, and lying in a plane generally parallel to, said base portion; and B. ring means mounted on the inner periphery of said rim portion for movement relative to said rim portion between a contracted condition, in which the effective ring means diameter is slightly less than that of said flanges, and an expanded condition in which the effective ring means diameter is greater than that of said flanges; C. said ring means including a guide portion having parallel, axially spaced annular surfaces; D. said rim portion annular surface comprising one side surface of a radially inwardly opening groove extending around said rim portion and having an axial width slightly greater than the axial thickness of said ring means guide portion; E. said ring means guide portion being slideably received in said groove and expansively guiding in said groove upon movement of said ring means between said contracted and expanded conditions.

Claim 15

an annular rim portion upstanding from one side of said base portion and defining an annular surface facing, and lying in a plane generally parallel to, said base portion; and B. ring means mounted on the inner periphery of said rim portion for movement relative to said rim portion between a contracted condition, in which the effective ring means diameter is slightly less than that of said flanges, and an expanded condition in which the effective ring means diameter is greater than that of said flanges; C. said ring means including a guide portion having parallel, axially spaced annular surfaces; D. said rim portion annular surface comprising one side surface of a radially inwardly opening groove extending around said rim portion and having an axial width slightly greater than the axial thickness of said ring means guide portion; E. said ring means guide portion being slideably received in said groove and expansively guiding in said groove upon movement of said ring means between said contracted and expanded conditions.

Claim 16

an annular rim portion upstanding from one side of said base portion and extending around the outer periphery of said base portion; B. ring means mounted on the inner periphery of said rim portion for movement relative to said rim portion between a contracted condition in which the effective ring means diameter is slightly less than that of said flanges and an expanded condition in which the effective ring means diameter is greater than that of said flanges; C. a handle member fixedly positioned on the outer periphery of said rim portion; and D. means, including an actuator member disposed adjacent the outer periphery of said rim portion adjacent said handle member and operable by an operator''s hand grasping said handle member, operative in response to such operation of said actuator member to selectively move said ring means between its contracted and expanded conditions, whereby said ring means may be moved to its expanded condition to allow insertion of said reel and may thereafter contract toward its contracted condition to engage the periphery of the reel within the canister.

Claim 17

an annular rim portion upstanding from one side of said base portion and extending around the outer periphery of said base portion; B. ring means mounted on the inner periphery of said rim portion for movement relative to said rim portion between a contracted condition in which the effective ring means diameter is slightly less than that of said flanges and an expanded condition in which the effective ring means diameter is greater than that of said flanges; C. a handle member fixedly positioned on the outer periphery of said rim portion; and D. means, including an actuator member disposed adjacent the outer periphery of said rim portion adjacent said handle member and operable by an operator''s hand grasping said handle member, operative in response to such operation of said actuator member to selectively move said ring means between its contracted and expanded conditions, whereby said ring means may be moved to its expanded condition to allow insertion of said reel and may thereafter contract toward its contracted condition to engage the periphery of the reel within the canister.

Claim 18

a third portion interconnecting the radially outer ends of said first and second portions and spaced outwardly from said rim portion to define an opening therebetween for accommodating the fingers of the hand of an operator whereby to position the thumb of that hand for convenient manipulation of said ring handle portion.

Claim 19

a third portion interconnecting the radially outer ends of said first and second portions and spaced outwardly from said rim portion to define an opening therebetween for accommodating the fingers of the hand of an operator whereby to position the thumb of that hand for convenient manipulation of said ring handle portion.

Claim 20

hub support means upstanding from one side of said base portion within said rim portion and adjacent the center of said base portion to define an annular cavity between the hub support means and said rim portion for receipt of a reel; and B. annular, resilient sealing means on the inner periphery of said rim portion having a normal inner diameter slightly less than that of said flanges and being resiliently expandable to a diameter to allow passage of said flanges, whereby said sealing means may expand to allow insertion of said reel into said annular cavity and may thereafter contract toward its normal diameter to sealingly hold said reel within said cavity.

Claim 21

hub support means upstanding from one side of said base portion within said rim portion and adjacent the center of said base portion to define an annular cavity between the hub support means and said rim portion for receipt of a reel; and B. annular, resilient sealing means on the inner periphery of said rim portion having a normal inner diameter slightly less than that of said flanges and being resiliently expandable to a diameter to allow passage of said flanges, whereby said sealing means may expand to allow insertion of said reel into said annular cavity and may thereafter contract toward its normal diameter to sealingly hold said reel within said cavity.

Claim 22

hub support means upstanding from said one side of said base portion within said rim portion and adjacent the center of said base portion to define an annular cavity between the hub support means and said rim portion for receipt of a reel; B. ring means mounted on the inner periphery of said rim portion for movement relative to said rim portion between a contracted condition in which the effective ring means diameter is slightly less than that of said flanges and an expanded condition in which the effective ring means diameter is greater than that of said flanges; and C. means, including an actuator member disposed adjacent the outer periphery of said rim portion, operative in response to operator finger manipulation of said actuator member to selectively move said ring means between its contracted and expanded conditions, whereby said ring means may be moved to its expanded condition to allow insertion of said reel and may thereafter contract toward its contracted condition to engage the periphery of the reel and sealingly hold the reel within the canister.

Claim 23

hub support means upstanding from said one side of said base portion within said rim portion and adjacent the center of said base portion to define an annular cavity between the hub support means and said rim portion for receipt of a reel; B. ring means mounted on the inner periphery of said rim portion for movement relative to said rim portion between a contracted condition in which the effective ring means diameter is slightly less than that of said flanges and an expanded condition in which the effective ring means diameter is greater than that of said flanges; and C. means, including an actuator member disposed adjacent the outer periphery of said rim portion, operative in response to operator finger manipulation of said actuator member to selectively move said ring means between its contracted and expanded conditions, whereby said ring means may be moved to its expanded condition to allow insertion of said reel and may thereafter contract toward its contracted condition to engage the periphery of the reel and sealingly hold the reel within the canister.

Claim 24

A canister according to claim 2 wherein said strip comprises a backing strip and said resilient material comprises bristles secured to and upstanding from said backing strip to resiliently engage and sealingly coact with the peripheries of the flanges of said reel.

Claim 25

A canister for storing a tape reel of the type including spaced circular flanges interconnected by a hollow central hub, said canister comprising A. a first unitary member including

Claim 26

A canister for storing a tape reel of the type including spaced circular flanges interconnected by a hollow central hub, said canister comprising A. a first unitary member including

Claim 27

A canister according to claim 4 wherein D. said ring means comprises a resilient split ring positioned around the inner periphery of said rim portion; and E. said portion includes means mounting said ring thereon for resilient, expansible movement relative to said rim portion to a diameter to allow passage of at least oNe of said reel flanges.

Claim 28

A canister according to claim 5 wherein F. said mounting means includes a radially inwardly opening annular groove around the inner periphery of said rim portion expansibly receiving said ring.

Claim 29

A canister according to claim 6 wherein G. said ring includes

Claim 30

A canister according to claim 7 wherein H. said lip portion is adjacent the outer axial edge of said main body portion and said peripheral flange portion is adjacent the inner axial edge of said main body portion.

Claim 31

A canister according to claim 5 wherein F. one end of said split ring is inhibited against circumferential movement of that end relative to said rim portion, and G. said actuator member comprises a handle portion extending outwardly from the other end of said ring for manipulation by an operator so that the effective diameter of said ring may be selectively varied by selective movement of said handle portion.

Claim 32

A canister according to claim 9 and further including H. a spring member adapted to be stressed upon increase in diameter of said ring and operative upon release of said handle portion to return said ring to its normal diameter.

Claim 33

A canister according to claim 9 wherein H. said ring and an adjacent portion of said rim portion define cam faces which coact upon movement of said handle portion in a diameter-enlarging direction to positively move said ring radially outwardly with respect to said rim portion adjacent said cam faces to control the diameter-enlarging movement of said ring.

Claim 34

A canister according to claim 11 wherein I. said coacting cam faces are defined on said ring adjacent said handle portion and on the adjacent portion of said rim portion.

Claim 35

A canister according to claim 9 wherein H. said handle portion extends radially outwardly from said ring other end through an oversized opening in said rim portion to a location radially outwardly of said rim portion.

Claim 36

A canister according to claim 13 and further including I. a canister handle defined at the outer periphery of said rim portion at a circumferential location thereon adjacent said ring handle portion.

Claim 37

A canister according to claim 14 wherein J. said canister handle comprises a carrying handle for said canister having a generally U-shaped configuration and including

Claim 38

A canister according to claim 14 and further including J. a hook member positioned on the external periphery of said rim portion at a location thereon circumferentially spaced from said canister handle portion.

Claim 39

A canister according to claim 9 wherein H. coacting cam faces are provided on said one ring end and the receiving portion of said rim portion; and I. the interface of said cam faces lies in a plane which passes to one side of the central axis of said canister so that pressure of said one ring end against said rim portion cam face in response to diameter enlarging movement of said ring generates a radially outward force component urging said one ring end radially outwardly.

Claim 40

A canister according to claim 15 wherein K. means are provided at the outer face of said third canister handle portion defining a holder for receipt of a label to identify the contents of the reel to be stored in said canister.

Claim 41

A canister according to claim 4 wherein D. said hub support means comprises a central hollow hub portion concentric with said rim portion.

Claim 42

A canister for storing a tape reel of the type including spaced circular flanges interconnected by a central hub, said canister comprising A. a first unitary member including

Claim 43

A canister for storing a tape reel of the type including spaced circular flanges interconnected by a central hub, said canister comprising A. a first unitary member including

Claim 44

A canister according to claim 20 wherein E. said ring means comprises a split ring; F. said actuator member comprises a handle portion extending radially outwardly from one end of said ring through an oversize aperture in said rim portion to a location radially outwardly of said rim portion; and G. said handle member includes

Claim 45

A canister according to claim 21 and further including H. a hook member extending outwardly from said rim portion at a location thereon spaced circumferentially in the opposite direction from said split ring handle portion, and opening away from said split ring handle portion.

Claim 46

A canister for storing a tape reel of the type including spaced circular flanges interconnected by a central hub, said canister comprising A. a first unitary member including

Claim 47

A canister for storing a tape reel of the type including spaced circular flanges interconnected by a central hub, said canister comprising A. a first unitary member including