Support strap dispensers and holsters for use with same

Abstract

A dispenser for storing and dispensing a rolled support strap, including but not limited to hanger straps (sometimes referred to as “plumber's tape”) such as those sold under the trade name TAB TAPE®, as well as assemblies that include a dispenser and a rolled support strap therein, and associated methods. A holster for holding the dispenser, as well as a system including a holster and a dispenser, are also disclosed.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A holster for use with a support strap dispenser having an outlet, the holster comprising:
 a plurality of walls that define a storage region for the support strap dispenser and at least one outlet opening which the dispenser outlet will be aligned with when the dispenser is in the storage region; and   a retainer that maintains the dispenser in the storage region.   
     
     
         2 . A holster as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of walls define first and second outlet openings.   
     
     
         3 . A holster as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein
 the holster defines a vertical axis and is symmetric about the vertical axis.   
     
     
         4 . A holster as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one of the walls defines a rear wall, the holster further comprising:
 a resilient clip on the rear wall.   
     
     
         5 . A holster as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the retainer comprises first and second movable tabs.   
     
     
         6 . A holster as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein
 the plurality of walls comprises a front wall, a rear wall, first and side walls that extend from the front wall to the rear wall, and a bottom wall that extends from the front wall to the rear wall; and   the first and second movable tabs are respectively mounted on the first and second side walls.   
     
     
         7 . A holster as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rotation prevention device that prevents rotation of the support strap dispenser relative to the holster as support strap is pulled from the dispenser.   
     
     
         8 . A holster as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein
 the plurality of walls comprises a front wall, a rear wall, first and side walls that extend from the front wall to the rear wall, and a bottom wall that extends from the front wall to the rear wall; and   the rotation prevention device comprises a projection on the bottom wall that extends into the storage region.   
     
     
         9 . A holster as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein
 the rotation prevention device comprises a latch that extends into the storage region.   
     
     
         10 . A system, the dispenser comprising:
 a support strap dispenser including a housing with an internal storage region configured to store a support strap roll and a dispenser outlet; and   a holster including
 a plurality of walls that define a storage region for the support strap dispenser and at least one outlet opening which the dispenser outlet will be aligned with when the support strap dispenser is in the storage region, and 
 a retainer that maintains the support strap dispenser in the storage region. 
   
     
     
         11 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein
 the plurality of holster walls define first and second outlet openings; and   the respective configurations of the support strap dispenser and the holster are such that the dispenser outlet will be aligned with the first outlet opening when the support strap dispenser is within the storage region in a first orientation, and the dispenser outlet will be aligned with the second outlet opening when the support strap dispenser is within the storage region in a second orientation.   
     
     
         12 . A system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein
 the holster defines a vertical axis and is symmetric about the vertical axis.   
     
     
         13 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein
 one of the holster walls defines a rear wall; and   the holster includes a resilient clip on the rear wall.   
     
     
         14 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein
 the retainer comprises first and second movable tabs.   
     
     
         15 . A holster as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein
 the plurality of holster walls comprises a front wall, a rear wall, first and side walls that extend from the front wall to the rear wall, and a bottom wall that extends from the front wall to the rear wall; and   the first and second movable tabs are respectively mounted on the first and second side walls.   
     
     
         16 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein
 the first and second movable tabs define respective free ends that are separated from one another by a distance; and   the support strap dispenser defines a maximum width that is greater than the distance between the free ends of the movable tabs.   
     
     
         17 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein
 the holster and the support strap dispenser are configured to mechanically engage one another when the support strap dispenser is within the storage region such that the support strap dispenser will not rotate relative to the holster as support strap is pulled from the support strap dispenser.   
     
     
         18 . A system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein
 the holster includes a projection;   the support strap dispenser includes an aperture; and   the projection is located within the aperture when the support strap dispenser is within the storage region.   
     
     
         19 . A system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein
 the plurality of holster walls comprises a front wall, a rear wall, first and side walls that extend from the front wall to the rear wall, and a bottom wall that extends from the front wall to the rear wall; and   the projection is on the bottom wall.   
     
     
         20 . A system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein
 the holster includes a latch that extends into the storage region;   the support strap dispenser includes an aperture; and   the latch is located within the aperture when the support strap dispenser is within the storage region.   
     
     
         21 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a support strap roll located within the support strap dispenser.