Dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing defining an interior of the dispenser and an arm hinged at a hinge point to a support member. The arm is adapted to pivot about the hinge point. The dispenser further comprises a spindle attached perpendicular to the arm. The spindle is adapted to rotatably support a roll during dispensing.
Various types of dispensers for dispensing tissue paper from rolls are known in the art. In public restrooms the roll dispensers commonly comprise a housing to protect the roll from contamination and the tissue paper is accessible through a dispensing opening in housing. Typically, a front cover is openable which allows the service personnel to access the interior of the dispenser for loading the roll of tissue paper. Dispensers intended for coreless roll dispensing comprise a spindle for holding the roll during dispensing. In one common type of dispenser the dispensing opening is arranged in the front cover of the dispenser, and the spindle is arranged parallel to the back wall of the dispenser such that the face of the tissue paper roll face the dispensing opening. Such dispensers are sometimes large and bulky in order to allow access to the spindle when the front cover is opened to allow loading of new refills.
Loading dispensers is an important part of the maintenance personnel's tasks but is sometimes cumbersome and requires many steps. In addition, correct loading of rolls of tissue paper in order to make sure tissue paper is readily available for the end-user is not always easily achieved.
The dispenser disclosed herein aim to overcome the above mentioned issues with existing dispensers, and aims to fulfill the desires of a functional dispenser that is easy to load without being too bulky. The disclosure further provides a method of loading a roll onto such a dispenser.
Further advantages are achieved by implementing one or several of the features described herein.
The disclosure relates to a dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing defining an interior of the dispenser, an arm hinged at a hinge point to a support member, the arm being adapted to pivot about the hinge point and a spindle attached perpendicular to the arm, the spindle being adapted to rotatably support a roll during dispensing. The arm is pivotable between a first position, in which the spindle is arranged in a dispensing position within the housing of the dispenser, and a second position, in which the spindle is arranged in a loading position outside the housing of the dispenser in order to allow loading of a roll onto the spindle. The hinge point allows the arm to pivot between the first and second position, thereby moving the spindle between loading and dispensing position.
The roll may be a coreless roll. The spindle may be provided with a sleeve facilitating the coreless roll to rotate about the spindle. The web material may be tissue paper. In one example the tissue paper is toilet tissue paper.
The arm may be folded over the support member in first position, and folded away from the support member in second position. The arm may comprise one or more spindles.
Folding of the arm over the support member in first position and folding it out to a second position for loading saves space and the dispenser may be made more compact.
The arm may be pivotable from the first position within the interior of the dispenser into the second position allowing loading of a roll onto the spindle. The second position is placing the spindle in loading position outside of the interior of the dispenser such that the service personnel is able to load a new refill roll onto the spindle. The first end of the spindle, being the non-attached end, should thus be accessible for receiving a refill roll in loading position.
The housing may further comprise a back wall and at least two side walls. The back wall of the dispenser is adapted to be fastened to a wall during use of the dispenser.
Since the spindle is attached perpendicular to the arm it extends in horizontal direction parallel to the back wall of the dispenser.
The support member may be attached to the dispenser at a side wall of the dispenser. The support member and the arm extend in a direction perpendicular from the back wall of the dispenser, and the arm is configured to pivot in same direction. The arm thus pivots outwards from the interior of the housing providing access to a first end of the spindle from the side which facilitates loading of the dispenser.
The spindle in dispensing position is arranged closer to the back wall of the dispenser housing than the hinge point, i.e. the axis of rotation of the arm. This means that the arm is folded over the hinge point into its first position so that the spindle, when in dispensing position, is arranged closer to the back wall of the dispenser than the hinge point itself. The attraction of gravity of the arm in first position and spindle in dispensing position is located beyond the axis of rotation, towards the back of the dispenser, thereby allowing the spindle to rest in dispensing position. The spindle will only move towards loading position upon an action from the service personnel; i.e. folding the arm forward towards its second position. The hinge point is hence arranged closer to the back wall of the dispenser than the spindle in loading position with the arm folded outwards in its second position.
The angle between the spindle in loading position and the spindle in dispensing position may be at least 90 degrees, preferably at least 110 degrees and more preferably at least 130 degrees.
A deflecting member is arranged in the dispenser housing, the deflecting member being arranged to receive a first end of the spindle when the spindle is in dispensing position. The deflecting member may comprise a guiding groove adapted to receive the first end of the spindle and guide it into an engaged position when the arm is in dispensing position. The guiding groove thereby stabilizes the spindle in dispensing position during dispensing of web material from a roll disposed on the spindle. The deflecting member may be arranged closer to the back wall of the dispenser housing than the hinge point and axis of rotation of the arm.
The deflecting member may be movable between a protruding position in which the deflecting member is protruding towards the spindle in dispensing position and a retracted position in which the deflecting member is retracted into the housing away from the spindle in dispensing position. The deflecting member may be connected to a blocking member moving in response to the movement of the deflecting member.
The deflecting member may be movable between its two positions in response to a roll being loaded in the dispenser on the movable spindle. The deflecting member may move into retracted position when a force is applied to it and may be arranged such as to come into contact with a roll arranged on the spindle as the spindle moves between loading and dispensing position. The deflecting member may stay in retracted position as long as a roll arranged on the spindle in dispensing position exerts a force onto the deflecting member.
The deflecting member may interact with a resilient member arranged to allow the deflecting member to flex back into protruding position from retracted position. The resilient member is in relaxed state when the deflecting member is in its protruding position. The deflecting member moves into retracted position when a force is applied to it, thereby forcing the resilient member to tense state. Once the tension applied to the deflecting member is removed the resilient member relaxes and moves the deflecting member back into protruding position. The resilient member connects the deflecting member to the housing of the dispenser.
The blocking member may be movable in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the deflecting member. The movement is translated by means of a connection member translating a horizontal movement of the deflecting member into vertical movement of the blocking member. The connection member connects the blocking member to the deflecting member. The blocking member is arranged in a blocking position when the deflecting member is in its retracted position. The blocking member in blocking position hinders the dispenser from functioning as intended, i.e. it hinders proper loading and dispensing.
The deflecting member may have a shape adapted to fit in a complementary indentation in the side of a roll arranged on the spindle. The shape may be at least partly frustoconical. The deflecting member is adapted to be pushed into the retracted position in the dispenser housing when coming into contact with a side of a roll comprising an indentation complementary to the shape of the deflecting member as the spindle is moved into dispensing position, and the deflecting member being adapted to flex back into protruding position when the spindle reaches dispensing position in which the first end of the spindle is in engaged position. As a result, only rolls with an indentation having a shape which is complementary to the shape of the deflecting member allows the deflecting member to flex back into protruding position and subsequently moves the blocking member out of blocking position. If a roll which does not have an indentation of complementary shape is placed in dispensing position the deflecting member remains in retracted position, and the blocking member remains in blocking position. The front cover of the dispenser can not stay in closed state with such a roll in dispensing position. Hence, this allows the service personnel to detect that a roll is faulty loaded before walking away from the dispenser, and the issue can be corrected before it affects the end-user of the dispenser.
The dispenser may comprise a front cover and the front cover is hinged to the dispenser housing below the hinge point of the arm and movable between an opened and closed state, the front cover being adapted to be opened forward downwards when the dispenser is mounted on a wall and wherein the front cover, upon being moved from opened to closed state, is adapted to abut against the arm if the arm is in second position and push the arm towards the first position with the movement of the front cover. Hence, the arm is moved from second position to first position upon closing the front cover so that the user, after loading a new roll onto the spindle in dispensing position, does not have to first fold the arm and spindle and then close the front cover in two separate actions. The positioning of the spindle in dispensing position may be done by simply closing the front cover.
The arm may comprise an overload mechanism allowing the arm to snap out of second position and rotate further about the hinge point if a force above a predetermined release force is applied to the spindle when the arm is in second position. The release force is a vertical force measured at the second end of the spindle, where the spindle is attached to the arm. The release force is set such that the overload mechanism is triggered before the force needed to break the spindle from arm is reached, i.e. the overload mechanism allows the arm to snap out of second position, into a third position, instead of the spindle breaking off from the attachment to the arm when a force above a predetermined release force is applied to it. The overload mechanism thus minimizes the risk of the spindle being unusable if a force above the predetermined release force is applied to the arm or spindle, e.g. during movement of the arm between first and second position or during loading of the spindle. The arm is allowed to snap back into second position again once the force is removed, without any parts of the dispenser being damaged.
The arm may partly encompass part of the support member when the arm is in first position. This enables the arm to fold over the support member and overlap it in first position. The arm may comprise two bearing surfaces, the bearing surfaces bear against the outer side surfaces of the support member such that the bearing surfaces are allowed to slide against the outer side surfaces of the support member when the arm moves between first position and second position. The surfaces bearing against each other as the arm folds between its two positions provides stability during the fold movement, and also allows the arm to encompass part of the support member in its first, folded over, position. At least one outer side surface of the support member may be provided with a knob or recess and at least the corresponding bearing surfaces of the arm is provided with a complementary recess or knob, wherein the knob is allowed to slide along the recess as the arm moves between first position and second position.
This further stabilizes the movement between first and second position. The recess(es) may comprise closed end positions between which the knob(s) are allowed to move, the closed end points defining the first and second position of the arm. The knob(s) are intended to snap out of the recess(es) if a force above a predetermined release force is applied to the spindle when the arm is in second position. This overload mechanism hinders the arm in second position to break off from the support member, or the spindle to break off from the arm if heavy weight is placed on it.
The dispenser may be a dual dispenser comprising two support members, two arms and two spindles adapted to hold a roll respectively, and wherein the two arms are movable between first position and second position independent of each other. Each of the two spindles are attached to an arm respectively. Hence, the two spindles are movable between loading position and dispensing position independently from each other so that loading of a new roll on one spindle can be done irrespective of the other spindles position which allows for loading flexibility.
The two spindles of the dual dispenser may be arranged side-by-side in the dispenser. The dispensing opening in the front cover of the dispenser is arranged such that it provides access to both spindles in dispensing position, i.e. access to both rolls when arranged in the dispenser, and may be provided with a lid movable between two positions such as to cover either one of the rolls arranged on the spindles in dispensing position so that only one roll at the time is accessible for dispensing.
The housing of the dual dispenser may comprise a central side wall arranged between the two spindles, a deflecting member being arranged in the central side wall protruding from the central side wall towards one of the spindles in dispensing position in its protruding position and the deflecting member retracted into the housing away from the spindle in dispensing position in its retracted position. A first spindle is arranged to protrude from a first side wall, via an arm, such that the first end of the first spindle interacts with a deflecting member arranged in the central side wall. The second spindle is arranged to extend from the central side wall, via an arm, such that the first end of the second spindle interacts with a receiving part at the second side wall opposite the first side wall. The receiving part may or may not comprise a deflecting member. The receiving part may have the same shape as the deflecting member such that the receiving part fits in an indentation in a roll, the indentation being complementary to the shape of the deflecting member.
In another non-limiting example the dispenser may be a dual dispenser comprising a support member, an arm and two spindles adapted to hold a roll respectively; the two spindles being attached perpendicular to the same arm. The two spindles may either be arranged to extend in opposite direction in respect to each other from the outer non-hinged end of the arm, allowing side-by-side positioning of two rolls, or extend parallel in respect to each other along the extension of the arm. Hence, the two spindles are movable between loading position and dispensing position simultaneously.
The disclosure also discloses a method of loading a dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing, an arm hinged at a hinge point to a support member, the arm being allowed to pivot about the hinge point and the dispenser further comprising a spindle attached perpendicular to the arm, the spindle being adapted to rotatably support a roll during dispensing. The method of loading comprises the steps of pivoting the arm to a second position in which the spindle is arranged in a loading position outside the housing of the dispenser thereby allowing loading of a roll onto the spindle, placing a roll on the spindle, and pivoting the arm back into a first position in which the spindle is arranged in a dispensing position within the housing of the dispenser.
The arm may be folded away from the support member when pivoted to the second position, and the arm is folded back towards the support member when pivoted into the first position.
The method may further comprise moving the front cover to the opened state before pivoting the arm into a loading position, moving the front cover from the opened state to the closed state after a roll has been placed on the spindle, and pushing the front cover against the arm in second position, the arm thereby being urged to fold towards the first position with the movement of the front cover.
The disclosure herein presented is illustrated by way of examples and not limited to the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements:
It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the following is a description of exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present disclosure.
The first spindle 13a, being attached to the first arm 26a, has a first end 17 directed towards the central side wall 222, and a second end 33 attached to the first arm 26a. The second spindle 13b, being attached to the second arm 26b, has a first end 17 directed towards the second side wall 223 and a second end 33 attached to the second arm 26b.
The spindles 13a, 13b are movable between a dispensing position and a loading position respectively by means of the arms 26a, 26b. Each respective arm 26a, 26b has a spindle dispensing position in which the spindle 13a, 13b is arranged within the housing 12 of the dispenser 11, shown in
A front cover 23 is hinged at to the lower parts of the outer side walls 221, 223, i.e. at the lower part of the dispenser 11. The front cover 23 is movable between an opened state, shown in
If the front cover 23 is closed with the second arm 26b in loading position, as shown in
The two outer side surfaces 38 of the support member 28a each comprises a recess 41 and the bearing surfaces 39 of the first arm 26a each comprises a knob 40. The recess 41 is an area extending in a semi-circular manner from the top front to the lower back of the outer side surface. The bearing surfaces 39 bear against the outer side surfaces 38 as the arm 26a is moved between first and second position, and the knobs 40 slide in the complementary recesses 41 in order to guide the movement. In
In
In
The second arm 26b and second support member 28b, not shown in
A deflecting member 14 is arranged in the central side wall 222 of the housing 12. The deflecting member 14 is movable between a protruding position protruding towards the first spindle 13a in dispensing position, shown in
A receiving part 34 is arranged at the second side wall 223 and interacts with the first end 17 of the second spindle 13b in dispensing position. The receiving part 34 have the same frustoconical shape as the deflecting member 14.
The deflecting member 14 is connected to a resilient arm 16 connecting the deflecting member 14 to the central side wall 222 of the housing 12. In protruding position the deflecting member 14 is protruding from the side surface of the central side wall 222, protruding into the interior of the housing 12. In
If a force is applied to the deflecting member 14 the resilient arm 16 bends and the deflecting member 14 moves into its retracted position inside the central side wall 222, shown in
If the roll 30 does not have a complementary shape indentation 29, or if the roll 30 is placed with the indentation 29 facing the second end 33 of the spindle 13a, the deflecting member will stay in retracted position.
The receiving part 34 having the same shape as the deflecting member 14 fits in an indentation 29 in a roll 30 being complementary to the shape of the deflecting member 14. It is movable between a protruding position and a retracted position.
The central side wall 222 of
In
A color indication 36 is visible in an indication window 25, shown in
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2019/068083 | 7/5/2019 | WO | 00 |