Patents by Inventor James D. Ramacier

James D. Ramacier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5759342
    Abstract: A hand-held tape dispenser has a tape support hub and a support frame. A brake assembly is pivotally mounted on the frame, and has a curved brake actuator and flat brake plate. The brake plate is aligned to engage a tape roll mounted on the tape support hub and inhibit its free rotation (and dispensing) according to an operator's selection of applied pressure. The brake plate bends about the tape roll as pressure is increased to facilitate tape cutting or tape stretching (in the case of stretchable tape in the dispenser).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Luhman, James D. Ramacier, Craig D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5491956
    Abstract: A dispenser apparatus comprised of a stretchable adhesive tape which is detackified when stretched longitudinally. The tape is advanced through a stretching station to an array of articles to be unitized. Tension rollers are utilized on either side of the stretching station to ensure that the tape advances evenly and does not recoil. The dispenser apparatus also includes a first prime mover which advances the tape through the tension rollers and stretching station at a rate which ensures proper stretching (at predetermined intervals) and proper feeding of the tape to the array of boxed items. A controller simultaneously controls the z-axis motion (of the dispenser and rotation of the articles to be unitized. Therefore, both the number of wraps about the articles and the location of the wraps between the base of the articles and the top of the articles may be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Craig S. Donnelly, Daniel G. Michalski, David W. Carroll, Robert L. Cahlander, Thomas E. Jung, James D. Ramacier
  • Patent number: 5352320
    Abstract: The present invention is a portable manual tape dispensing apparatus for use with a stretchable adhesive tape such as of the type that progressively detackifies when stretched. The apparatus has a supply spool for carrying a supply of the tape and a handle connected to the supply spool for manually grasping and manipulating the apparatus. A mechanism for stretching the tape is arranged and configured to receive the tape from the supply spool. The stretching mechanism has a stretching zone defined between first and second engagement surfaces. The first and second engagement surfaces frictionally engage the tape and move at disparate longitudinal speeds to stretch the tape when the stretching mechanism is activated. A manually operative mechanism is provided for selectively activating the stretching mechanism so an operator can remove the tape from the supply in a substantially detackified stretched condition when the stretching mechanism is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Mark E. Schwartz, James D. Ramacier, Robert A. Luhman, Raymond D. Zachrison
  • Patent number: 5227002
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying an L-clip of pressure sensitive tape to each of a series of objects driven past the apparatus. The apparatus includes a tape applying device including an application member for applying and a cutting member for severing a piece of pressure sensitive adhesive tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Faust, James D. Ramacier