WO2006030187A2

WO2006030187A2 - Method and apparatus for dispensing adhesive elements

Info

Publication number: WO2006030187A2
Application number: PCT/GB2005/003507
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Auty; Richard Turner; Peter Viner; Paul Simpson
Original assignee: Fantas-Tak Limited
Priority date: 2004-09-15
Filing date: 2005-09-13
Publication date: 2006-03-23
Also published as: GB0420516D0; WO2006030187A3; WO2006030187A9

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for dispensing adhesive elements mounted on a taps. The device comprises a housing having a first housing portion including a dispensing aperture; and a second housing portion including tape storage means and tape presentation means. The second housing is connected to the first housing portion so as to be reciprocally moveable relative thereto between a first position in which the tape presentation means is retracted within the housing and a second position in which the tape presentation means is located at the dispensing aperture. The device further comprises tape advancement means configured to engage and draw a tape from the tape storage means during movement of the second housing portion from the first to the second position, and to prevent retraction of the tape into the tape storage means during movement of the second housing portion from the second to the first position.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING ADHESIVE ELEMENTS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device and method for dispensing adhesive in the form of adhesive elements such as glue dots or the like. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a handheld device which can dispense adhesive elements which are provided on a carrier tape or the like.

Background to the Invention

There are various types of known apparatus which are used to dispense different types of adhesive elements to a substrate. Such apparatus can be used in various applications for example, to stick samples into magazines or credit cards to a carrier document. The adhesive articles are often loaded on a carrier tape for dispensing.

An example of a known apparatus used to dispense an adhesive dot from a carrier tape to a target item is a stand or housing in which the carrier tape - carrying the adhesive dots- is mounted in roll form. The carrier tape is fed from the stand or housing such that the sequentially arranged adhesive dots may be removed manually by a user - usually one at a time — from the carrier tape. Such stands or housing are often made from cardboard. The dispensing of adhesive dots using this type of apparatus can be very time-consuming, since it involves pulling the carrier strip through by hand in order correctly to position the adhesive dot to be removed for transference to the item to which it is to be attached.

Apparatus are also known which are used in industrial situations to dispense adhesive dots. These apparatus are often heavy and cumbersome to use, especially for everyday use. They are also often made up from multiple components, meaning that they are expensive to produce. A further example of known apparatus is a hand-held device which usually contains a length, of single or double-sided adhesive tape loaded on a carrier tape. The combination of adhesive tape and carrier tape is fed around a roller or similar structure and the adhesive tape is transferred to a target surface by contacting the roller with the target surface and then moving the device backwards or forwards, thus fractionally engaging the roller with the surface. The adhesive tape is pulled from its storage position and subsequently transferred to the surface.

A disadvantage of these devices is that they often require a smooth surface in order to transfer the adhesive tape correctly. Also, they may often be difficult to use in small areas, since they have to be dragged or pushed over a distance of the surface. Another disadvantage of this type of device is that the exact positioning and application of the adhesive element to a predetermined location is difficult to perfect and requires considerable practice.

Thus, there exists a need for a device which may be used to dispense adhesive elements such as adhesive dots quickly and more efficiently. In particular, there exists a need for a device which may be used in household situations, as well as also potentially in industrial situations.

It is therefore an aim of embodiments of the present invention at least partly to mitigate the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Summary of the Invention

In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for dispensing adhesive elements mounted on a tape, the device comprising a housing having: a first housing portion including a dispensing aperture; and a second housing portion including tape storage means and tape presentation means; the second housing being connected to the first housing portion so as to be reciprocally moveable relative thereto between a first position in which the tape presentation means is retracted within the housing and a second position in which the tape presentation means is located at the dispensing aperture; wherein the device further comprises tape advancement means configured to engage and draw a tape from the tape storage means during movement of the second housing portion from the first to toe second position_* and to prevent retraction of fhe tape into the tape storage means during movement of the second housing portion from the second to the first position.

The present invention provides the advantage of being suitable for use in household situations, since it is lightweight and convenient to use. It may be a hand-held device and is therefore easy to operate even for children. The device of the present invention comprises a relatively small number of parts and so is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. This means that it can be manufactured as a "throw-away" item. The _.device is preferably made of plastic, although it may alternatively be made from any other suitable material.

Preferably, the tape advancement means comprises a first tape engaging means arranged to engage the tape during the movement of the second housing portion rrom the first to the second position and a second tape engaging means arranged to engage the tape during movement of the second housing portion from the second to the first position.

Advantageously, the second tape engaging means is integrally formed with the second housing portion. Preferably, the first tape engaging means is configured to engage the tape and draw the tape from the tape storage means to locate an adhesive element at the tape presentation means.

The present invention can be used to transfer adhesive elements to a target location, for example, but not limited to, walls, posters, pictures and photo albums. The present invention is suitable for dispensing adhesive elements to both planar and non- planar surfaces.

Preferably, the second tape engaging means is configured to engage the tape to prevent retraction of the tape into the tape storage means from the tape presentation means. Advantageously, the first tape engaging means and the second tape engaging means are arranged to move relative to each other so as to move apart during movement of the second housing portion from the first to the second position and move together during movement of the second housing portion from the second position to the first position.

Preferably, the device further comprising means for preventing the tape from entering the tape storage means from the tape advancement means when the first tape engaging means and the second tape engaging are moved apart. Advantageously, the device farther comprises a tape with adhesive elements mounted thereon.

Preferably, each of the first tape engaging means and the second tape engaging means comprises a protrusion being arranged to engage the tape. Adva&tageously, the tape comprises indexing means, each of the first tape engaging means and second engaging means being arranged to engage the indexing means.

Preferably, the first housing portion and the second nousing portion are connected by a biasing means which urges the second housing portion into the first position. Advantageously, the biasing means comprises a spring.

Preferably, the tape storage means further comprises a reel for holding tape in a coiled configuration. Preferably, the device further comprising tape cutting means. Advantageously, the tape presentation means includes a resilient surface.

In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of dispensing adhesive elements mounted on a tape to a target location, the method comprising; using a device comprising a housing having a first housing portion including a dispensing aperture; and a second housing portion including tape storage means and tape presentation means; moving the second housing portion relative, to the first housing portion between a first position in which the tape presentation means is retracted within the first housing portion and a second position in which the tape presentation means is located at the dispensing aperture; contacting the target location; and transfening an adhesive element from the tape presentation means to the target location.

Preferably, the method further comprises moving the second housing portion from the second position to the first position, thereby preventing retraction of the tape into the tape storage means.

The tape which carries the adhesive elements preferably has a transverse width of approximately 1 cm. In a preferred embodiment, the tape is 11 mm in width. However, the tape may be of any suitable width, depending on the size and/or shape of the device. Preferably, the tape comprises indexing means. The indexing means may vary. In a particular embodiment, the indexing means may be a single line of register holes or apertures located along a centre, line of the carrier tape. The adhesive elements may be located along the centre line, in between neighbouring register holes. The adhesive elements are equally spaced along the tape.

In an alternative embodiment, the indexing means may comprise cut-outs or indentations equally spaced along one or both edges of the carrier tape, or equally- spaced raised members located along one or more sides of said carrier tape.

The adhesive elements are preferably circular. In alternative embodiments the adhesive elements may be for example triangles, ovals, dots, squares or other suitable shapes, Detailed Description

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only; with reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of the device of an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken along line A-A of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top view of the device of Figure 1, in aa actuated or dispensing position;

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken along line A-A of the device of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side view of the device of Figure 4.

Figure 7a and 7b are together an exploded front perspective view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 8a and 8b are together an exploded front perspective view of the device of

Figure 4. in an actuating position;

Figure 9 is an exploded side perspective view of the device of Figure 1 and shows the relative positioning of the first and second tongues when the device is in a dispensing position;

Figure 10 is an exploded rear perspective view of the device of Figure 1 in a dispensing position;

Figure 11 is an exploded side perspective view of the device of Figure 1 and shows the relative positioning of the first and second tongues when the device is in a non- dispensing position;

Figure 12 is an exploded rear perspective view of the device of Figure 1 in a non- dispensing position;

Figure 13a is an exploded front view of the device of Figure 1 aad shows the relative positioning of the first and second tongues when the device is in a dispensing position;

Figure 13b shows a length of tape for use with the present invention; and Figure 14 is an exploded front view of the device of Figure 1 and shows the relative positioning of the first and second tongues when the device is in. a non-dispensing position.

Throughout the description and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Referring to Figures 1 to 14 of the accompanying drawings, illustrated is an embodiment of the present invention in which there is provided a device 1 for dispensing adhesive elements 2 which are carried on a tape 15.

In the described embodiment, the adhesive elements are in the form of adhesive dots. However, the adhesive elements of the present invention may be in the form, of glue dots, pads or other suitable shapes. Each individual dot, pad or other shape may be made up of a plurality of smaller areas of adhesive. The plurality of smaller areas of adhesive may together make up a shape such as, but not limited to, a star, circle, triangular or square. The adhesive elements may also be any other type of double- sided fixing agent of the type able to hang posters or stick photographs.

The adhesive of the adhesive elements 2 may be a hot melt thermoplastic adhesive or a water-based emulsion adhesive, or indeed any other suitable form of adhesive, and the tape may be a silicon release tape of the type that will facilitate the ready removal of the adhesive elements 2 therefrom.

The tape may comprise a surface which the adhesive elements 2 adhere more strongly to than another surface . The tape further comprises indexing means which assists in the placing of the adhesive elements on the tape during manufacture, and also helps the advancement of the tape within the device, as detailed later. The indexing means in the detailed embodiment comprises sprockets or registration holes 8. The holes 8 are evenly spaced along a centre line of the tape 15. The adhesive elements 2 are evenly spaced between the holes.

Referring to Figure 2, the device 1 has a first housing portion 3 which is used to store the tape 15. A portion of tape 15, loaded with adhesive elements 2 is stored in a coiled configuration in the first housing portion 3 on a reel 5. The reel 5 may be integrally formed within the first housing portion 3 or may alternatively be separately formed from the first housing portion 3. The reel 5 has a lip 7 to secure the tape around the reel and prevent all the tape 15 from being pulled off the reel when being drawn from the reel 5.

As shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3, the first housing portion 3 is generally in the shape of a parallelepiped and has two opposed surfaces 9 and 11 which may be gripped by a user to actuate the device and thus dispense a glue dot, as described later. Surfaces 9 and 11 are connected by a curved surface 13. The curved surface 13 extends into an arcuate corner 30. Either the surfaces 9 and 11 may gripped by a user's thumb and forefinger to actuate the device to dispense the glue dot, or the curved portion 13 may be pressed by a user, as described later,

The device 1 is shaped to fit into a user's hand and thus be comfortable and easy to use.

The device also comprises a second housing portion 19 which is also generally parallelepiped in shape. The second housing portion 19 has a surface 21 which provides a surface contacting the surface or article to which an adhesive element is to be dispensed. A second surface 23 also contacts the target surface or article. An aperture 50 is located in between these surfaces 21, 23, which to enable a glue dot carried on the tape to be dispensed. The second housing comprises a, part circular cut- out 40 which enable easy visualization of the glue dot to be dispensed. Alternative embodiments need not contain the cut-out 40. The second housing 19 is hollow, as shown in Figures 7b and 8b. Held within a seat 25 (shown in Figure 8b and Figure 9b) is biasing means such as a helical spring 27. The spring 27 abuts a lower surface 29 of the first housing 3 and therefore urges the first housing 3 away from the second housing 19 such, that the first and second housings are in a biased relationship. The first housing 3 is dimensioned to enable sliding movement of the first housing 3 within the second housing 19, as described later,

As shown in Figure 2, a lower portion 17 of the first housing 3 extends downwardly from the main section of the first housing and thus fits inside the housing 19 when the device is in a non-dispensing position. Within the second housing 19, the lower portion 17 of the first housing 3 is situated adjacent to the seat 25.

As shown In Figure 7a and Figure 8a, the lower portion 17 of the first housing portion 3 is provided with an arcuate flange 31 dimensioned to fit within the aperture

50 and which provides a surface 32, The -surface 32 allows a portion of the tape carrying a glue dot 2 to be suitably located and positioned for the dispensing of that glue dot 2 to a target surface. The surface 32 has a width that is sufficient to ensure that substantially all of the glue dot 2 contacts the target surface and is therefore successfully dispensed to the target surface and is not carried on the tape 15 away firom the arcuate flange 31. In alternative embodiments, the device may be provided with alternative suitable tape presentation means, such as a roller fixed to opposing sides of the lower portion 17 of the housing 3. The arcuate flange 31 is resiliently attached to the lower portion 17 of the first housing and the resilient nature of the arcuate flange 31 facilitates the removal of the glue dot 2 onto a surface and also reduces the likelihood of the surface being damaged when the glue dot 2 is being transferred.

Figure 10 and 11 illustrated that the device comprises a first tongue 45 which engages the tape to then draw the tape 15 from the first housing 3 and thereby locating a glue dot 2 at the arcuate flange 31 for dispensing. The device also comprises a second tongue 10 which is able to engage the tape 15 to prevent movement of the tape 15 from the arcuate flange 31 back into the first housing 3.

The first tongue 45 is carried on a panel 47. The panel 47 is substantially flat and iectangdar in shape. The panel 47 is not integrally formed with, either the second housing 19 or the first housing 3. It is envisaged that in alternative embodiments the panel 47 may be integrally formed with the second housing 19, The panel 47 includes two opposed short walls 53 and 55 which extend along a portion, of the panel. Each of the walls 53 and 55 comprises a clip. The wall 53 has a clip 59 whicli engages the narrow side 33 of the second housing 19 to fix the panel 47 to the housing 19. Similarly, the wall 55 has a clip 57 which engages, the narrow side 33 of the housing 19 to engage the housing to secure the panel 47 to the housing 19. The short walls 53 and 55 also extend to each provide a lip which overlaps the housing 3 and therefore abut the surfaces 9 and 11 of the housing 3. Figure 9 illustrates the panel 47.

The first tongue 45 is resilientIy attached to the panel 47 and has a protrusion 49 at its free end 51. The protrusion 49 projects outwardly from the tongue 45, The protrusion 49 has a chamfered surface to facilitate the engagement of the tape 15 and subsequent disengagement of the tape 15, as described later. Thus, the protrusion 49 has a sloping surface 14 which faces the direction of movement of the tape 15 during use and also a surface 16 which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the tongue 45 and panel 47.

The panel 47 further includes a pair of legs 4 and 6 extending from, a lower edge of the panel. The legs 4 and 6 are substantially parallel to each other and act to prevent tape from which glue dots have been dispensed from concertinaing in the area between the first and second tongue, and re-entering the housing 3.

The second tongue 10 engages the tape 15 to inhibit movement of the tape, once the glue dot has been dispensed, from the arcuate flange back into either the first housing

3 or the second housing 19. The second tongue 10 is carried on, and is integrally formed with, the lower portion 17 of the housing 3. The second tongue 10 is longitudinally aligned with the first tongue 45 and also comprises a protrusion 12 which projects from a fires end 18 of the tongue 10. The protrusion 12 has a chamfered surface to facilitate the engagement and disengagement of the tape 15. Thus, the protrusion 12 has a sloped surface 20 which faces towards the direction of travel of the tape 15 once the glue dot has been dispensed and a surface 22 which is generally perpendicular to the tongue 10.

The legs 14 and 16 of the panel 47 are positioned on either side of, but do not touch, the tongue 10. The panel 47 is separate from, and does not impinge on, the tongue 10.

One of the narrow sides 33 of the second housing 19 extends upwardly so as to form a leg, as shown in Figure 7b and 9b. As illustrated in Figure 10 and 12, the internal surface of the first narrow side 33 of the housing 19 lias two opposed ridges 35 and 37 which contact the lower portion 17 of the first housing 3. The ridges 35 and 37 in turn connect to two steps 39 and 41. The steps 39 and 41 and ridges 35 and 37 together result in the internal surface of the naitow side 33 providing guide rails which directs the tape 15 from which glue dots have been dispensed and provides a channel 43 in which the tapel5 can travel. The first narrow side 33 of the housing 19 is stepped in this way to further ensure that the side of the housing 19 does not contact the first tongue or the second tongue, which would thus prevent tape from moving over the first tongue and second tongue and engaging with the first and second tongues .

The device also provides a triangular shaped extension 24 which is used to cut the tape 15 which has exited the device 1 once the glue dots have been dispensed therefrom_* The extension 24 is integral with the panel 47 and is able to engage a registration hole of the tape. The extension 24 is angled away from the device 1 in order to be able to tear the tape without drawing out from the housing 3 the tape 15 held in a coiled configuration. When the device 1 is not in. use, the first housing 3 is urged against the bias of the spring 27 and therefore is held in a non-dispensing position. In this position, the top portion of the housing 3 (excluding the lower portion 17) is located adjacent to the body portion, but not overlapping tie body portion i.e. the top portion of the housing is not telescoped -within the second housing 19. The arcuate flange 31 is therefore held in a position away from the surface on which the adhesive element 2 is to be transferred.

The tape 15 is held within the housing 3 on the reel 5, A free end 28 of the tape 15 feeds from the reel 5 into the lower portion 17 of the housing 3 and around the arcuate flange 31. The tape 15 contacts the lower surface 32 of the arcuate flange 31 adjacent to which a glue dot 2 may be dispensed. The tape 15 runs up through the channel 43 and to enable the device to successfully dispense the glue dots, a registration hole Sa of a free end 28 of the tape 15 should be engaged by the protrusion 49 of the first tongue 45, thus holding the tape 15.

During use, a user actuates the device 1 by pushing on the housing 3 in a downward direction. The user can either grip the opposing surfaces 9 and 11 of the housing 3 ox can press down on me curved upper surface 13 of the housing. Downward pressure on the housing 3 causes it to move downwards against the bias of the spring 27. The housing 3 slides within the second housing 19. This, sliding movement may also be considered to be telescopic movement of the first housing 3 relative to the second housing 19.

As the first housing 3 slides within the second housing, the tower portion 17, and therefore also the arcuate flange 31, and the second tongue 10 move in a downward direction, since they are all integrally connected. This movement is away from the first tongue 45 and so causes the distance between me first tongue 45 and second tongue 10 to increase. This results in the distance between the arcuate flange 31 and the first tongue 45 also increasing. The registration hole 8a of the free end 28 of the tape 15 is held by the perpendicular surface 16 of the protrusion 49 of the first tongue 45 and, when the housing 3 moves away from the first tongue 45, a top surface of the registration hole 8a abuts and is secured on the surface 16 of the protrusion 49. This engagement of the protrusion 49 within the registration hole 8a secures the tape 15 to the first tongue 45.

Since the registration hole Sa of the free end 28 of the tape is secured on protrusion 49 of the first tongue 45, the downward movement of the housing 3 results in the tape 15 being drawn from the reel 5- The tape 15 is drawn from the reel 5 to the arcuate flange 31 and thereby locates an adhesive element 2 adjacent to the lower surface 32 of the arcuate flange, ready for dispensing. The adhesive element 2 is located adjacent to the lower surface 32 of the arcuate flange 31 when tibte user has pushed the housing 3 against the bias of the spring 27 to its full extent Thus, the dispensing of the adhesive element occurs when the housing 3 is at its lowest position within ifce second housing 19 and the arcnate flange 31 moves down to a position whereby its lower surface 32 is in substantially the same plane as the surfaces 21 and 23 of the second housing. This enables the glue dot 2 located adjacent to the lower surface 32 of the arcuate flange 31 to contact a target surface and be transfeired thereto .

Whilst the tape 15 is being drawn from the reel by the movement of the housing 3 away from the first tongue 45, the tape moves over the sloped surface 20 of the protrusion 12 of second tongue 10 and does not engage with the second tongue 10.

When the first housing is at its lowest position, and the adhesive element is located for transfer to a surface, the tape has been drawn in sufficient amount such that a registration hole 8b further along the tape relative to the registration hole 8a is adjacent to the protrusion 12 of the second tongue 10.

The adhesive element 2 located at the lower surface 32 of the arcuate flange 31 is then transferred to the target surface or article. Once the adhesive element has been transferred from the tape 15, the user releases the downward pressure on the housing 3. This release causes the spring 27 to urge the housing 3 upwards, back towards its starting position, so resulting in the housing 3 sliding out of the second housing 19. The movement of the housing 3 upwards results in the first tongue 45 and the second tongue 10 moving towards each other. As stated above, a further registration, hole 8b of the tape 15 is situated adjacent to, but not securely engaged with, the protrusion 12 of the second tongue 10. Movement of the housing 3 upwards will tend to push the tape 15 from which adhesive elements have been dispensed back towards the arcuate flange 31 and the rest of the housing 3, due, in part, to a degree of friction between the tape 15 and the panel 47.

Further movement of the tape back to the arcuate flange 31 and the first housing 3 is inhibited by the engagement of the registration hole 8b with the protrusion 12 of the second tongue 10. Slight movement of the tape downwards from the first tongue 45, caused by the relative movement of the second, tongue 45 and the housing 3, results in the perpendicular surface 22 of the protrusion 12 engaging with a top surface of the registration hole 8b. The engagement of registration hole 8b with the protrusion 12 stops the backward movement of the tape 15. As a result of the tape being secured by the protrusion of the second tongue 10, together with the continued upward movement of the housing 3, the tape 15 becomes disengaged from the first tongue 45. This is due to the relative movement of the tape over the sloped surface of the protrusion of the first tongue 45, The tape slips over the sloped surface of the protrusion of the first tongue and advances towards the exterior of the device 1. The housing ceases its upward movement and returns to its resting, non dispensing position. The relative positions of the first tongue and the second tongue in a dispensing and non-dispensing position can be seen from Figure 13 and Figure 14 of the accompanying drawings.

The waste end of the tape 15, which advances to a position outside the device 1, may then be torn off using the triangular shaped extension 24. The sise of the device may vary according to its purpose. Accordingly, the size of the adhesive elements and carrier tape may also differ. In one embodiment, the adhesive elements are 5mm in diameter, and the carrier tape has a width of 11mm.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing adhesive elements mounted on a tape, the device comprising a housing having: a first housing portion including a dispensing aperture and; a second housing portion including tape storage means and tape presentation means; the second housing being comected to the first housing portion so as to be reciprocally moveable relative thereto between a first position in which the tape presentation means is retracted within the housing and a second position in which the tape presentation means is located at the dispensing aperture; wherein the device further comprises tape advancement means configured to engage and draw a tape rrom the tape storage means during movement of the second housing portion from the first to the second position, and to prevent redaction of the tape into the tape storage means during movement of the second housing portion from the second to the first position.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the tape advancement means comprises a first tape engaging means arranged to engage the tape during the movement of the second housing portion from the first to the second position and a second tape engaging means arranged to engage the tape during movement of the second housing portion from the second to the first position.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the second tape engaging means is integrally formed with the second housing portion.

4. The device of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the first tape engaging means is configured to engage the tape and draw the tape from the tape storage means to locate an adhesive element at the tape presentation means.

5. The device of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the second tape engaging means is configured to engage the tape to prevent retraction of the tape into the tape storage means from the tape presentation means.

6. The device of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the first tape engaging means and the second tape engaging means are arranged to move relative to each other so as to move apart during movement of the second housing portion from the first to the second position and move together during movement of the second housing portion from the second position to the first position,

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising means for preventing the tape from entering the tape storage means from the tape advancement means wihen the first tape engaging means and the second tape engaging are moved apart.

8. The device of any preceding claim, further comprising a tape with adhesive elements mounted thereon.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein each of the first tape engaging means and the second tape engaging means comprises a protrusion being arranged to engage the tape.

10. The device of claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the tape comprises indexing means, each of the first tape engaging means and second engaging means being arranged to engage the indexing means.

11. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the first housing portion and the second housing portion are connected by a biasing means which urges the second housing portion into the first position.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring.

13. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the tape storage means further comprises a reel for holding tape in a coiled configuration.

14. The device of any preceding claim, further comprising tape cutting means.

15. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the tape presentation means includes a resilient surface.

16. A method of dispensing adhesive elements mounted on a tape to a target location, the method comprising; using a device comprising a housing having a first housing portion including a dispensing aperture; and a second housing portion including tape storage means and tape presentation means; moving the second housing portion relative to the first housing portion between a first position in which the tape presentation means is retracted within the first housing portion and a second position in which the tape, presentation means is located at the dispensing aperture; contacting the target location; and transferring an adhesive element from the tape presentation means to the target location.

17 . The method of claim 16, further comprising moving the second housing portion from the second position to the first position, thereby preventing retraction of the tape into the tape storage means.

I8. A device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. A method substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.