LAVATORY-PAPER-ROLL HOLDER

The invention relates to a holder for at least two toilet-paper rolls arranged one on top of the other, which consist of a paper web wound onto a sleeve or shaft, comprising a first and a second wall, which are arranged a distance apart from each other, whereby each of the walls comprises one guide for accommodating one respective end of the shaft or one respective shaft journal that can be inserted in the opening of the sleeve, whereby for feeding a toilet-paper roll the guide comprises a substantially vertically extending feed section, which changes into an unrolling section, which extends inclined to the vertical towards at least one first tear-off element or limit stop, whereby gravity forces the circumferential surface of the lower toilet-paper roll situated in the unrolling section to be in contact with the limit stop, and whereby the paper web can be unrolled from the toilet-paper roll though a dispensing opening and can be tom off at the at least one tear-off element.

A holder for toilet-paper rolls of the above-mentioned type is disclosed in CH 571 994 B. This holder comprises first holding means, to maintain a first toilet-paper roll in a dispensing position, in which a user may withdraw a section of the material web, and to move the journals from a first position, in which

the roll is full, to a second position, in which the roll is at least substantially used up. Further provided are second holding means, to releasably hold at least one second roll in the spare position above the dispensing position, whereby the first and the second holding means are coupled to each other via at least one pivotable lever, which in the first holding means interacts with the journals in the first roll, in order to respond to the latter's position, in order to hold the second roll in the spare position for as long as the journals of the first roll are moving from the first to the second position, and to automatically release the second roll from the spare position when the journals have reached the second position. Finally provided is a guide device, to guide the second roll from the spare position to the dispensing position once the lever has released the second roll. To ensure that the roll is only inserted into the dispensing device with a particular orientation, it is intended that the journals possess different diameters and that the guide channels possess different widths.

In this embodiment as well, a circumferential surface of the paper roll bears upon a front wall that contains the tear-off edge, so that unrolling is only possible in one direction.

DE 2 205 186 A describes a further holder for toilet-paper rolls. The holder consists of a base plate, on which a hood is mounted securable and lockable. From the base plate originate two walls, which are arranged in parallel at some distance from each other. Each of the walls comprises one guide for accommodating the respective end of a shaft that is carrying the paper roll, or for accommodating one of the shaft journals that can be accepted in an opening of a sleeve.

The guide comprises an unrolling section that extends obliquely into the direction towards a withdrawal device, whereby the circumference of a toilet-paper roll presently in use bears upon ribbons of the withdrawal device. In this embodiment known in the art, the withdrawal device is embodied as an automatic device for unrolling and dispensing the paper that is wound onto the rolls. In addition, the guide comprises a feed section, which accommodates a toilet-paper roll as a spare and which extends substantially vertically and changes into the unrolling section.

In this embodiment known in the art, the shaft is guided in slots of two laterally mounted metal sheets, which are attached to the base plate. The guides are open at their upper ends, so that the shafts with the toilet-paper rolls can be inserted from above. A pivotable lever is used to direct a toilet-paper roll that serves as a spare roll and is located in the upper area of the slots to be subsequently transferred into the oblique area of the guides, once the roll that that occupied this position earlier has been consumed and the empty sleeve has been ejected downward. The automatic device for unrolling and dispensing the paper wound onto rolls is susceptible to malfunctions. Furthermore, it is necessary to insert the toilet-paper rolls always with the same specified orientation to facilitate an automatic unrolling.

DE 10 2011 004 511 A1 discloses a holder for toilet-paper rolls that comprises two lateral side elements that are connected via a front wall. In this, the front wall also forms a lower tear-off edge. In each of the side elements is provided a guide to accommodate one respective end of a shaft carrying a toilet-paper roll. The guides comprise a main section that extends approximately in a straight line towards the tear-off edge of the front wall. In order for a proper tear-off edge to be available irrespective of the diameter of the toilet-paper roll, biasing means are provided that shifts the toilet-paper roll in the direction towards the tear-off edge. The biasing means are embodied as a pivotably mounted arm, which due to spring-loading bears upon the ends of the shaft carrying the toilet-paper roll. This embodiment is structurally complicated and consequently susceptible to malfunction. By means of the biasing means, the circumferential surface of the toilet-paper roll is pressed against the inner surface of the front wall, so that it can only be unwound in one direction.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,602 B relates to a dispenser of paper rolls. In this dispenser two paper rolls are arranged on top of each other within a holder, whereby when a lower paper roll has been used up, an upper, spare roll will be supplied via a guide. The end of a lever element, which is mounted rotatable about a journal, engages into the guide. The end of the lever serves to prevent the lower paper roll from being pushed back.

US 2011/0095127 A1 relates to a holder for at least two toilet-paper rolls arranged one on top of the other, which consist of a paper web wound onto a shaft. Each of the shaft ends is supported in a guide, which are accommodated in opposing walls. In order to prevent a spare roll from sliding into the guide track, a retaining element is provided and can be actuated by a sensor element. When the diameter of the paper roll is large, the sensor element keeps the retaining element in a closed position, but switches it to an open position once the diameter of the paper roll falls below a minimum threshold diameter.

WO 2008/004920 A1 describes a paper roll dispenser. The paper rolls are supported on a shaft with shaft ends, whereby the shaft ends are guided in lateral guides arranged in the wall elements. Integrated in the lateral guides is a spring-biased folding mechanism, which in a first state, i.e. when two rolls are present in the holder, extends in a plane parallel to that of the lateral wall, and in a second state, i.e. when no spare role is present in the guide, extends from the plane spanned by the wall element at an angle and blocks the guide channel.

Based on this prior art background, it is the objective of the present invention to further develop a holder of the above-mentioned type for toilet-paper rolls in such a way that the holder possesses a structurally simple design, requires little maintenance, and is operationally reliable.

One of the features of the invention that greatly aids meeting this objective is a holder comprising a locking element, which prevents the lower toilet-paper roll that is in use from being pushed back into the feed section. The locking element preferably is arranged in the guide.

This ensures that the spare toilet paper roll can be held securely in the desired spare section of the guide, even if the lower toilet paper roll is pushed upwards as a result of improper use.

The locking element is embodied as a sliding element, which is mounted slideably transverse relative to the guide in the second guide element, namely in the unrolling section extending inclined to the vertical.

One end of the sliding element preferably bears upon an inner surface of the first guide element as a result of gravity or spring bias.

The end of the sliding element protruding into the guide preferably is embodied wedge-shaped on the infeed side and possesses an oblique surface, so that the sliding element can be pushed into an open position by the shaft end or the shaft journal while the toilet-paper roll passes by, and after the shaft end or shaft journal has passed will be forced into a closed position by either gravity or spring bias.

Further details, advantages, and features of the invention are not only described in the claims and the characteristic features specified therein—individually and/or in combination—but also in the following description of a preferred embodiment example shown in the figures.

The figures show:

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a holder for toilet-paper rolls,

FIG. 2 shows a lateral view of the holder in a sectional view along the section line A-A of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a lateral view of the holder of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the holder in a sectional view along the section line B-B of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a front view of the holder in a sectional view along the section line C-C of FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 shows a mounting for a pivotable lever in a sectional view along a section line D-D of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the wall with the guide for accommodating a shaft end or a shaft journal, and

FIG. 8 shows a front view of the opened toilet-paper roll holder with two toilet-paper rolls arranged on top of each other.

FIG. 1 shows in a front view a holder 10 for at least two toilet-paper rolls 12, 14. The holder comprises a housing 16 with a rear wall 18 for mounting the holder 10 on a wall. Pivotably mounted by means of a hinge 22 at the rear wall 18 is a domed cover 20 that is lockable by means of a fastener 24. Provided in a front side of the domed cover 20 is a viewing port 26, through which the consumption of toilet paper of the toilet-paper roll 14 in use may be assessed.

The holder 10 comprises a first posterior wall 28 which extends in parallel to the rear wall 18 and is connected with the latter. Arranged in parallel and at some distance to the first posterior wall 28 is a second anterior wall 30, whereby the toilet-paper rolls 12, 14 are disposed between the walls 28, 30 in such a manner that a rotational axis 32, 34 extends perpendicular to the rear wall 18. As a result of this, the toilet-paper rolls rotate in a plane that is parallel to the rear wall 18, so that the holder 10 can be built with a low depth when using toilet-paper rolls of large diameter.

On the respective inner sides 36, 38 of the walls 28, 30 that are facing the toilet-paper rolls 12, 14 are provided respective guides 40, 42 with U-shaped cross sections, which accommodate and guide the shaft journals 44, 46, which protrude in the axial direction beyond the ends of the toilet-paper rolls 12, 14. The shaft journals 44, 46 are end sections of a cap 48, 50, which is inserted into the respective end-face opening of a sleeve 52, 54 of the toilet-paper roll 12, 14. But the shaft journals may also be the end sections of a shaft passing through the toilet-paper roll 12, 14.

The usually unperforated paper web 56 of the toilet-paper roll 14 in use is withdrawn from a withdrawal opening 58 on the bottom side and can be severed at the desired length by means of a first and a second tear-off element 60, 62, which laterally border the withdrawal opening. The tear-off elements 60, 62 form lateral connecting elements between the first wall 28 and the second wall 30 and extend perpendicular to the rear wall 18.

FIG. 3 shows a lateral view of the holder with the housing 16 in its closed state.

FIG. 4 shows in a sectional view along the section line B-B of FIG. 3 a front view of the first, posterior wall 28 with the guide 40. The second, posterior wall with the guide 42 is embodied accordingly as a mirror image and consequently is not explained in more detail.

The guide 40 is embodied on a surface of the inner side 36 of the wall 28 and laterally is bordered by a first guide element 64 and a second guide element 66. The guide 40 comprises several sections. Originating from the upper end 68, 70 of the respective first and second guide elements 64, 66 extends a V-shaped first section 40a as a reserve section for accommodating the toilet-paper roll 12 as a spare. The first section 40a is followed by an adjacent second section 40b, which extends vertically top to bottom and forms a feed section, to guide the toilet-paper roll 12 into a position, where it will be available for use by a user.

The second section 40b merges into a third section 40c, which extends obliquely and straight towards the second tear-off edge 62. Consequently, the third section 40c forms an unrolling section, which serves to move the toilet-paper roll 14 in use by means of its own weight towards the lateral limit stop 72, whereby the circumferential surface of the toilet-paper roll 14 in use comes into contact with a surface 73 of the limit stop 72.

The third section 40c merges into a fourth section 40d, which forms a vertical ejection section extending from top to bottom, to eject the empty sleeve 54 when the toilet-paper roll 15 in use has been consumed.

The ejection section is followed by a fifth section 40e, which extends obliquely in the direction towards the first tear-off edge 60 and forms a discharge section, that is embodied to discharge the empty sleeve 54.

Finally, the guide 40 comprises a sixth section 40f, which extends obliquely upward and forms a removal section that allows lateral removal of the empty sleeve 54 from the guide 40.

If an empty sleeve is present at the lowest point of the discharge section 40c, then the preferably colour-highlighted studs 48, 50 are visible from the outside, to serve as visual indication for service personnel to replace the empty sleeve.

The discharge section 40e is bordered in the direction towards the withdrawal opening 58 by the second guide element 66. As upper limit is provided a third guide element 74, which is arranged on the surface 32 of the wall 28 at some distance above the second guide element 58.

The first guide element 64 is embodied as a pivotable lever, which is mounted pivotable around a hinge 76 arranged in the transition region between the feed section 40b and the unrolling section 40c. The pivotable lever 64 comprises a first arm 78, which together with an obliquely extending lateral surface 80 forms a border of the reserve section 40a and together with a straight lateral surface 82 forms a lateral border of the feed section 40b.

Provided in a transition region between the oblique lateral surface 80 and the straight lateral surface 82 is a projection 84, which may be positioned against a lateral surface 86 of the second guide element 66 to block the feed section 40b.

Further, the pivotable lever 64 comprises a second arm 88, which extends from the hinge 76 towards the vertically extending ejection section 40d, and ends at the level of the limit stop 72. A lateral surface 40 of the second arm 88 forms a lateral lower limit of the unrolling section 40c, on which rests the journal 44 of the toilet-paper roll 14 in use, so that the first arm 78 of the pivotable lever 64 together with the projection 84 is pressed against the lateral surface 86 of the second guide element 66, in order to prevent the toilet-paper roll 12 that is blocked in the reserve section 40a from moving into the feed section 40b and consequently into the unrolling section 40c.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of the holder in a sectional view along the section line C-C of FIG. 3, whereby the toilet-paper roll 11 serving as the spare is blocked in the reserve section 40a by the projection 84 of the first arm 78, and whereby the toilet-paper roll 14 in use with its journal 44 is situated in the unrolling section 40c, while the toilet-paper roll 14 along its circumference is in contact with the limit stop 72, and the paper web 56 emerges from the lower dispensing opening 58.

Because of the dead weight of the toilet-paper roll, a force acts upon the second arm 88 of the pivotable lever 64 in such a way that the first arm 78 with the projection 84 is pushed against the inner surface 86 of the second guide element 66, so that the toilet-paper roll 12 intended as the spare roll is blocked in the reserve area 40a.

Continued discharge of the toilet-paper web 56 reduces the diameter of the toilet-paper roll 14 in use, so that as the toilet-paper roll 14 continues to be consumed, it keeps moving towards the ejection section 40d.

When the toilet-paper roll 14 in use has reached a radius that substantially corresponds to the distance A between the end of the second arm 88 or the end of the unrolling section 40c and a surface of the limit stop 72, the sleeve 54 falls into the vertically extending ejection section 40d and is guided through the discharge section 40e into the collection section 36f.

The limit stop 72 of the present invention possesses a convex surface 73 and is embodied as a bolt that extends between the first wall 28 and the second wall 30, whereby a distance between the end of the second arm 28 or the end of the unrolling section 40c and the surface 73 of the bolt 72 corresponds substantially to the radius of the sleeve 54 holding the toilet-paper roll, so that when the toilet-paper web 56 has been consumed, gravity forces the sleeve to fall into the ejection section 40d.

Since this invention's limit stop 72 possesses a convex surface, it can be ensured that the toilet-paper roll 14 in use can be unrolled in both directions. Since the toilet-paper roll 14 can be unrolled in a plane that is parallel to the rear wall, one achieves the further advantage that the paper web 56 can be tom off at the tear-off element 62 if the toilet-paper roll unrolls to the right or at the tear-off element 60 if the toilet-paper roll unrolls to the left. The surface may possess a surface texture in the form of grooving along the transverse or longitudinal direction.

Compared to the prior art, one realizes the advantage that independently of the diameter of the toilet-paper rolls 12, 14, the holder 10 can be realized with a low building depth, whereby the toilet-paper rolls 12, 14 can be inserted independently of their winding direction, which facilitates a particularly simple and error-free servicing, since service-personnel during insertion of the toilet-paper rolls does not have to pay attention to the winding direction.

The holder 10 is further characterized in that the limit stop in the form of the bolt 72 can be arranged in different positions. FIG. 4 shows a bolt 72′ in a position in which the distance between the bolt 72′ and an end of the second arm 88 has been reduced. This creates the option of being able to use paper rolls with sleeves 54′ of a smaller diameter. Embodied in the walls 28, 30 are corresponding recesses, so that depending on the intended use, the holder can either employ the bolt 72 for higher-diameter sleeves 54 or the bolt 72′ for lower-diameter sleeves.

In addition to the invention's embodiment of the limit stop 72 with a convex surface, the construction of the holding device 12 is further characterized by a particularly uncomplicated mechanical design. For example, the walls 28, 30 as well as the first, second, and third guide element each are embodied as identical components, which can be employed on either side. For mounting the first, second, and third guide element, the walls 28, 30 are provided with respective mirror images of studs or nubs 92 for fixing the position of the guide elements 64, 66, 74. In this, the guide elements comprise openings 94, which are first fitted and subsequently welded to the studs or nubs 92, for example by heat application.

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the hinge 76 that secures in position the pivotable lever 64 in a pivotably hinged manner. The hinge 76 comprises a shaft 96 that extends through a recess 98 of the pivotable lever 64 and is fixed in position in a recess 100 of the wall 28.

Provided to establish a spacing between the posterior wall 28 and the anterior wall 30 are spacer elements 102, 104 as well as the sections 106, 108 of the tear-off elements 60, 62, which extend substantially vertical from a marginal section of the posterior wall 28 and can be connected, i.e. welded, to a marginal section of the anterior wall 30.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the opened holder 10 without toilet-paper rolls 12, 14. The guide 40 is mounted to the wall 28. As already explained with respect to FIG. 4, the guide 40 comprises several sections, namely a first section 40a as reserve section for accommodating the spare toilet-paper roll 12, a second, vertically extending section 40b that forms a feed section for delivering the toilet-paper roll into a position where it is available to the user, as well as a third section 40c, which extends inclined relative to the vertical and acts as an unrolling section, which in turn serves to use the weight of the toilet-paper roll 14 to guide the latter to a lateral limit stop 72, whereby the circumference of the toilet-paper roll 14 in use is in contact with the surface 73 of the limit stop 72.

The guide 40 is bordered by the first guide element 64 and the second guide element 66. The guide elements 64, 66 are mounted to the wall 28 and form the substantially U-shaped guide 40.

In an embodiment with its own inventive merit, a locking element 110 is arranged along the extent of the guide 40 to prevent a user's manual action from pushing upward the lower toilet-paper roll 14 that is currently in use, i.e. in the direction of the vertical feed section 40c. The locking element 110 is arranged in the unrolling section 40c that extends inclined to the vertical. In this, the locking element 110 is embodied as a sliding element that is arranged in a section of the second guide element 66 that extends inclined to the vertical. The sliding element 110 is mounted transversely in the guide in the second guide element, slideable along the direction of the arrow 112, whereby in the closed position, one end 114 of the sliding element 110 bears upon the first guide element 64.

The end 114 of the sliding element protruding into the guide is embodied wedge-shaped on its infeed side and possesses an oblique surface 114, so that the end 40 of the shaft or shaft journal of a toilet-paper roll moving from the feed section into the unrolling section causes the sliding element 110 to open.

This ensures that the sliding element will be lifted during the passage of the shaft end or shaft journal and will fall back into its original position, either due to gravity or spring bias, after the shaft end or shaft journal has passed, which prevents the toilet-paper roll from being pushed back.

During a motion in the opposite direction, the end of the shaft or the shaft journal is moved against a straight surface 118 of the sliding element 110, so that the latter remains in the closed position, as is illustrated in FIG. 8. This prevents that pushing back the lower toilet-paper roll 14 can inadvertently release the spare toilet-paper roll 12 from its position in the spare section 40a. The sliding element 110 preferably is supported inclined relative to the vertical, so it falls from its open position into the closed position under the influence of gravity. But it is also possible for the sliding element 100 to be mounted slideable under spring tension in the second guide element 66.

LAVATORY-PAPER-ROLL HOLDER

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