The disclosure relates to a dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing and a spindle intended to rotatably support a roll of web material during dispensing. The spindle is movable between a loading position and a dispensing position.
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. 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 of the dispenser such that the face of the tissue paper roll face the dispensing opening. Typically, the front cover is openable which allows the service personnel to access the spindle for loading the roll of tissue paper.
Sometimes the service personnel load the roll of tissue paper in the wrong orientation such that the paper tail is arranged at the back of the dispenser rather than at the front of the dispenser, which makes dispensing less user-friendly for the end user. Moreover, sometimes the service personnel load the wrong type of roll in the dispenser which also may affect the end user experience. Loading dispensers is an important part of the service personnel's tasks and should therefore preferably be as easy and quick as possible. It is also desired that correct loading of rolls of tissue paper is facilitated in order to make sure tissue paper is readily available for the end user.
The dispenser disclosed herein aims to overcome the above mentioned issues, and aims to fulfill the desires of a functional dispenser that is easy to load correctly. 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 comprises a housing, a spindle intended to rotatably support a roll of web material during dispensing the spindle being movable between a loading position and a dispensing position. The housing defines an interior of the dispenser. The dispenser further comprises a deflecting member which is 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 is 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 dispenser thus provides the service personnel with instant feedback regarding the positioning of the roll in the dispenser, and allows for the service personnel to notice if the roll has not been loaded correctly. This in turn eliminates the risk of an end-user detecting a faulty loaded roll or experiencing a dispenser with reduced dispensing user-friendliness.
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 deflecting member is arranged in the housing in order to receive a first end of the spindle when the spindle is in dispensing position. The dispensing position of the spindle is arranged in the interior of the dispenser housing. The loading position of the spindle is arranged outside of the interior of the housing, thereby allowing the service personnel to load a roll onto the spindle. The loading position, positioning the spindle outside the interior of the dispenser, facilitates easy access to the spindle during loading.
The deflecting member in protruding position engages the first end of the spindle. The deflecting member may comprise a guiding groove adapted to receive the first end of the spindle and guide it into an engaged position in the deflecting member when the spindle 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.
A second end of the spindle may be arranged on an arm attached to the housing, the arm being allowed to pivot outwards from the interior of the housing to put the spindle in loading position, thereby allowing loading of a roll onto the spindle in loading position. The dispenser is provided with a back, and the arm pivots in a direction perpendicular to the back of the dispenser. The spindle is attached perpendicular to the arm thereby extending in horizontal direction parallel to the back of the dispenser. The back of the dispenser is adapted to be fastened to a wall during use of the dispenser. The arm pivoting outwards from the interior of the housing provides access to the first end of the spindle from the side and allows loading easy of the dispenser.
The web material may be tissue paper. In one example the tissue paper is toilet tissue paper. 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 movement of the deflecting member may translate into movement of the blocking member in and out of an engagement slot arranged in the dispenser housing. The blocking member may comprise a blocking position in which the engagement slot is blocked. The blocking position may be reached when the deflecting member is in retracted position.
In one example the housing comprises at least a top wall, side walls and a front cover. The deflecting member is arranged to protrude from a side wall of the dispenser housing, the side wall being a wall adjacent a side of a roll loaded in the dispenser. The front cover allows access to the rolls for loading i.e. refilling the dispenser. The front cover may be hinged, in one example from a lower part of the housing. The front cover may be hinged from the lower part of the side walls, the back wall, or from a bottom wall. The engagement slot, which the blocking member moves in and out of in response to the movement of the deflecting member, may be arranged in the top wall of the dispenser housing.
The front cover may have a closed and opened state, and comprising an engagement member arranged to interact with the engagement slot when the front cover in closed state. The blocking member blocks the engagement slot when the deflecting member is in its retracted position. The interaction between the engagement member and the engagement slot is arranged to keep the front cover closed so if the engagement slot is blocked by the blocking member in blocking position the front cover cannot stay in closed state. The engagement member may be a locking hook. If a roll is faulty positioned in the dispenser or does not fit in the dispenser the blocking member in blocking position will make sure the dispenser front cover is in opened state only. This allows the service personnel to notice their mistake and exchange the faulty roll or change its orientation on the spindle into correct position.
The front cover may have a dispensing opening which provides access to the rolls for dispensing when the front cover is in closed state. The web of paper is dispensed through the dispensing opening. A roll, when arranged on the spindle, is visible through the dispensing opening when the spindle is in dispensing position and the front cover is closed. This allows easy access to the web material for dispensing.
In one non-limiting example the blocking member may be movable in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the deflecting member. The movement may be translated by means of a connection member translating a horizontal movement of the deflecting member into vertical movement of the blocking member. The movement of the blocking member may also be rotational, linear etc. The connection member connects the blocking member to the deflecting member. The blocking member is arranged in 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.
In one example the deflecting member is connected to the blocking member by a rod translating a horizontal movement of the deflecting member into vertical movement of the blocking member.
The dispenser may further comprises an indication window and an indication being visible in the indication window when the blocking member is in the engagement slot, thereby indicating that the front cover can not be left in closed state since the engagement member of the front cover cannot interact with the engagement slot in the housing. The indication is arranged such that it moves in and out of the indication window with the movement of the blocking member in and out of blocking position.
The spindle may be attached perpendicular to the arm, the arm being hinged at a hinge point to a support member, and the arm being allowed to pivot about the hinge point. The arm facilitates the spindle dispensing position in which the spindle is arranged within the housing of the dispenser, and the spindle loading position in which the spindle is arranged outside the housing of the dispenser in order to allow loading of a roll onto the spindle, the arm being pivotable between the two positions. This provides easy access to the spindle in loading position such that loading of a new roll onto the spindle is facilitated.
The deflecting member may have a shape adapted to fit in an indentation in the side of a roll arranged on the spindle. 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.
In one non-limiting example the shape of the deflecting member is at least partly frustoconical. The frustoconical shape may be chamfered at one side to facilitate the edge of a first side of a roll arranged on the spindle to pass the deflecting member during loading.
The dispenser may be a dual dispenser comprising two spindles intended to hold a roll respectively, and wherein the two spindles are movable between loading position and dispensing position independently from each other. The spindles may be arranged side-by-side in the dispenser, parallel to the back wall. The dispensing opening in the front cover of the dispenser is arranged such that is 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 part of the dispensing opening 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 a first of the spindles in dispensing position in its protruding position and the deflecting member retracted into the central side wall 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.
The deflecting member may also be arranged in one of the outer side walls of a dual dispenser, arranged to engage the first end of a spindle in dispensing position. The dual dispenser may further comprise two deflecting members, each arranged in an outer side wall or central side wall depending on how the spindles are arranged in the dual dispenser.
The dispenser may further comprise three or more spindles, and be intended to hold the corresponding number of rolls. The dispenser may also comprise two spindles intended to hold a roll respectively, and wherein the two spindles are movable between loading position and dispensing position simultaneously.
The disclosure also includes a dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing and a front cover having an opened and a closed state, a spindle intended to rotatably support a roll of web material during dispensing, the spindle being movable between a loading position and a dispensing position, a deflecting member resiliently movable between a retracted position in which the deflecting member is retracted in the housing and a protruding position in which the deflecting member is protruding towards the interior of the dispenser, wherein the front cover in its closed state is blocked from interaction with the housing when the deflecting member is in retracted position. The front cover can thereby not stay in closed state. The dispenser may further comprise the features mentioned in the disclosure above.
The disclosure also includes a dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing comprising an engagement slot and a front cover having a closed state and an opened state, the front cover comprising an engagement member arranged to interact with the engagement slot in closed position, a spindle rotatably supporting a roll of web material, the spindle being movable between a loading position and a dispensing position, a deflecting member resiliently movable between a protruding position in which the deflecting member is protruding towards the spindle dispensing position and a retracted position in which the deflecting member is retracted into the housing away from the spindle dispensing position. Moreover, the deflecting member is adapted to be moved into a retracted position by a first side of the roll when the spindle is moved from loading position to dispensing position, wherein the movement of the deflecting member translates into moving a blocking member into the engagement slot in order to hinder interaction between the engagement member and the engagement slot. The dispenser may further comprise the features mentioned in the disclosure above.
The first side of the roll facing the deflecting member is provided with an indentation complementary to the shape of the deflecting member such that the deflecting member is allowed to move back into protruding position and the blocking member moves out of the engagement slot. The roll may be a coreless roll of tissue paper.
The disclosure also discloses a method of loading a dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing and a front cover, a spindle adapted to rotatably support a roll of web material during dispensing, the spindle having a dispensing position and a loading position, a deflecting member having a shape and being movable between a protruding position protruding towards the spindle dispensing position and a retracted position retracted into the housing away from the spindle dispensing position. The method comprises the steps of placing a roll comprising an indentation complementary to the shape of the deflecting member on the spindle in loading position, moving the spindle from the loading position towards the dispensing position, allowing a first side of the roll, comprising the indentation, to push against the deflecting member in order to move it from the protruding position to the retracted position upon moving the spindle from loading position to dispensing position, wherein the movement of the deflecting member translates into movement of a blocking member into a blocking position thereby hindering the front cover from staying in closed state, and allowing the deflecting member to flex back into protruding position once the spindle is in dispensing position in order to move the blocking member out of the blocking position, and moving the front cover to a closed state.
The blocking position of the blocking member blocks an engagement slot arranged in the housing of the dispenser.
At least the first side of the roll comprises the indentation. The roll is placed on the spindle such that the indentation faces the deflecting member.
The method may further include locking the front cover in closed state by allowing an engagement member arranged on the front cover to interact with the engagement slot.
The present disclosure 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 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 28a, 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/EP2019/068088 | 7/5/2019 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2021/004604 | 1/14/2021 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country |
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2021003259 | Sep 2022 | CL |
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Entry |
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Notification of the First Office Action issued on Jul. 27, 2022, by the Chinese Patent Office in corresponding Chinese Patent Application No. 201980096586.7, and an English Translation of the Office Action. (9 pages). |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20220233031 A1 | Jul 2022 | US |