BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Disclosure
The field of representative embodiments of this disclosure relates generally to paper towel dispensers, and in particular, to a folded-sheet paper towel dispenser having a hidden outlet slot, through which a ligature cannot be formed by insertion of an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ligature-resistant design is a requirement in many institutional locations. In particular, in rooms where persons may be left unattended and where there is a risk that fixtures may be used as a support to tie a ligature, such as a belt, rope or a cloth, a way to ensure that the fixtures cannot be used in such a manner is desirable. In general, ligature-resistant design is an issue that exists any height above the floor, since objects above the floor can be used to support a ligature, even if one is not attachable.
Paper towel dispensers having locking features are in common-use in public places and private facilities such as hospitals, mental health facilities and incarceration facilities. In such private facilities it is desirable to secure folded-sheet paper towels for both use conservation and sanitation, as in public facilities. Commercial folded-sheet paper towel dispensers are not suitable ligature-resistant designs and typically provide an outlet slot through which a ligature can be attached and a shape around which a ligature may be formed by looping around the dispenser.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a folded-sheet paper towel dispenser that prevents ligature formation and/or support of such ligatures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objectives, among others, are achieved in a ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser and a method of dispensing paper towels.
The ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser includes a rear housing having a mounting plane surface on a rear face thereof for securing the ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser to a wall, a front cover rotatably coupled to the rear housing, and a paper outlet formed by one of the front cover, the rear housing, or a combination of the front cover and the rear housing. The paper outlet is fed by a paper path having a serpentine segment along which the paper towels are guided and that is defined by curved projections that contact the paper towels on alternating faces as the paper towels are dispensed. The paper path terminates in an outlet slot disposed at a bottom of the towel dispenser for dispensing paper towels from a stack of folded-sheet paper towels. The ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser also includes a locking mechanism for securing the front cover to the rear housing.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives, and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like components, and:
FIG. 1 is an upper left front perspective view of an example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 2 is an upper left front perspective view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, with front cover 16 opened, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 3 is an upper left front perspective view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, with front cover 16 opened and paper towel stack 3 removed, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 4 is a front view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a upper left front perspective view showing details of rear housing 12 of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 6 is an exploded left side rear perspective view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 8A is a side view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 8B is a side cross-section view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B are detailed side cross-section views of FIG. 8B while dispensing folded-sheet paper towels from alternating sides of paper towel stack 3, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are pictorial views illustrating a general principle of operation of towel dispensers as disclosed herein, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 11A is a detailed side cross-section view of an example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10A, in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 11B is a detailed side cross-section view of an example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10B, in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 12A is a detailed side cross-section view of an example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10C, in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 12B is a detailed side cross-section view of an example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10D, in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
The present disclosure illustrates folded-sheet paper towel dispensers that provide ligature-resistant structure and installation. The ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispensers have a front cover that covers a rear housing that holds a paper towel stack. A paper outlet formed by one of the front cover, the rear housing, or a combination of the front cover and the rear housing is fed by a paper path having a serpentine segment along which the paper towels are guided and that is defined by curved projections that contact the paper towels on alternating faces as the paper towels are dispensed. The paper path terminates in an outlet slot disposed at a bottom of the towel dispenser for dispensing paper towels from a stack of folded-sheet paper towels. The ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser also includes a locking mechanism for securing the front cover to the rear housing. The housing may have a curved or inclined shape at the top to which a ligature is not attachable. Ligature-resistance may further be provided by a mounting plane surface at the rear of the housing that may be in the form of a flange that extends around the housing and securely affixes the housing to the wall at the periphery of the housing to prevent insertion of a ligature behind the housing. The illustrated example is an assembly of molded plastic parts, although though the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited as to materials or techniques of fabrication.
Referring now to FIG. 1, an upper left front perspective view of an example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10 is shown, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10 includes a rear housing 12 for mounting to a wall, and a front cover 16 that is secured over the rear housing 12 to enclose a stack of folded-sheet paper towels. The supply amount of folded-sheet paper towels is visible through a transparent window 18 provided on a front surface of front cover 16. A keylock 14 provides for securing front cover 16 in the closed position.
Referring now to FIG. 2, an upper left front perspective view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10 is shown, with front cover 16 in the open position, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. To open ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, keylock 14 is set to an unlocked position with a key and front cover 16 is rotated downward and then slid a small distance away from rear housing 12 via a sliding action of hinges 26A, 26B formed by complementary features provided at lower sides of rear housing 12 and front cover 16, as will be described in further detail below. A stack 3 of folded-sheet paper towels is installed in a volume above a rear shelf portion (not visible) provided on an inside front surface of rear housing 12. A raised lip 21 surrounds the volume on a top and sides of the volume extending down to the rear shelf portion, to guide installation of the folded-sheet paper towel stack 3 and to provide rigidity to rear housing 12. A plurality of ridges 25 are provided on the inner rear surface of front cover 16 to provide rigidity and strength. A raised outer edge 27 and a raised inner edge 28 surrounding the curved top and the sides of rear housing 12 form a blind seam with a rear edge 24 of front cover 16 via a gap 22 formed between the inner and outer edges of rear housing 12, when front cover 16 is closed and secured. A volume 23 provided above the maximum height of stack 3, i.e., above lip 21, allows for a curved (or alternatively inclined) design of the top of rear housing 12 and front cover 16 that prevents formation of a ligature by looping a belt, wire or cord around the top of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10. Rear features of transparent window 18, which may be fastened to front cover 16 with screws, are illustrated.
Referring now to FIG. 3, an upper left front perspective view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10 is shown, with front cover 16 opened as in FIG. 2, but with paper towel stack 3 removed, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Rear shelf portion 30 is visible and provides support for paper towel stack 3. Rear shelf portion 30 also forms the initial portion of the paper path for extracting sheets from paper towel stack 3 around a front edge 32, of shelf 30, as will be described in further detail below.
Referring now to FIG. 4, as a front view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10 is shown, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates an example semi-circular profile in the plane of the mounting plane surface (not shown) of the rear housing 12 and a position of transparent window 18 in the middle of a lower part of front cover 16, so that the bottom portion of paper towel stack 3 will be visible to assess the remaining supply of paper towels within example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10. A recess 40 is formed on the lower surface of front cover 16 to maintain a consistent wall thickness of front cover 16 in the vicinity of an inclined portion of the exit paper path that will be described in further detail below.
FIG. 5 is an upper left front perspective view showing details of rear housing 12 of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Mounting holes 52 are provide for screw mounting of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, which may be performed with wallboard inserts, or into wood structure, or for block or concrete mounting, via appropriate inserts. Details of an aperture 56 that receives a locking tab of keylock 14 are shown, and when front cover 16 is secured and locked to rear housing 12, the locking tab of keylock is retained behind wall 54, which is reinforced with ridges to provide additional strength. Details of slots 50 that provide a portion of hinges 26A, 26B are illustrated. When front cover 16 is mounted to rear housing 12, posts formed on front cover 16 are retained within slots 50 to provided the sliding hinge action described above.
FIG. 6 is an exploded side perspective view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. A rear face of rear housing 12 includes a plane mounting surface, which in the illustrated example, is provided by raised molded projections 60 that extend behind a rear wall 62 of rear housing. Projections 60 have rear surfaces that lie in a plane, for contacting a wall or other mounting surface. Front hinge portions 64 are fastened to rear housing 12 with machine bolts 66 to capture posts 67 formed on lower inner surfaces of front cover 16, and form slots 50 as described above, for permitting cover 16 to both rotate and slide forward from rear housing 12 to access the folded-sheet paper towel stack 3, as described above with reference to FIG. 2. Keylock assembly hardware 14A includes a locking tab 14B, as well as other hardware for securing keylock 14 to front cover 16 and securing locking tab 14B to keylock 14.
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. At the bottom of front cover 16, recess 40 is seen, along with a projection 72 formed along a bottom edge of front cover 16 that forms part of the paper towel exit path and also obscures an outlet slot 70 through which paper towels are extracted by extending beyond and below front edge 32 (not visible) of rear shelf portion 30. At outlet slot 70, the direction of exit of paper towels is both downward and toward rear housing 12 as will be illustrated in further detail below.
FIG. 8A is a side view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10 and FIG. 8B is a side cross-section view of example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. In FIG. 8B, the position of locking tab 14B of keylock 14 is illustrated, along with the depth of ridges 25 formed on the inside of front cover 16. Further detail of the blind seam formed by the rear edge 22 of front cover 16 and raised outer edge 27 and a raised inner edge 28 of rear housing portion is illustrated. Rear shelf portion 30 and the features at the bottom edge of front cover 16 that form the paper path and outlet slot 70 are shown and are described in further detail below with reference to FIGS. 9A-9B.
FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B are detailed side cross-section views of FIG. 8B, while dispensing folded-sheet paper towels from alternating sides of paper towel stack 3, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Paper towel stack 3 is illustrated as two sheets and expanded for the purposes of illustration. In FIG. 9A, extraction of a first paper towel sheet 3A is shown, in which first paper towel sheet 3A exits paper towel stack 3 from rear shelf portion 30 of rear housing 12. A weight of paper towel stack 3 is relieved by an upward incline 94 of front shelf portion 96, formed at the bottom of front cover 16 and that contacts paper towel stack 3 at a front lower surface. An inclined surface 90 of a lower part of front cover 16 guides first paper towel sheet 3A an acute angle α with respect to the vertical at a point of exit at outlet slot 70 and first paper towel sheet 3A is pulled around projection 72 to extract first paper towel sheet 3A. Projection 72 has a rounded profile to ease removal of paper towels and prevent tearing and provides the terminal protrusion of the serpentine exit path. Front edge 32 of rear shelf portion 30 is also a rounded protrusion and forms part of the serpentine paper path. FIG. 9B illustrates extraction of a next paper towel sheet 3B, which is pulled from the front of paper towel stack 3, by the first paper towel sheet 3A, as the direction of sheets in paper towel stack 3 necessarily alternates. Next paper towel sheet 3B is guided along inclined surface 90 and around projection from outlet slot 70. Alternation between the operations illustrated in FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B is performed for successive sheets of paper towel stack 3, as each dispensed paper towel sheet draws the beginning portion of the next sheet through the paper path. In general, the serpentine segment of the paper path in the example embodiments disclosed herein form part of all an “S-shaped” paper path, in which protrusions on opposite sides of the paper path push paper towels in opposing directions across the path, and have sufficient overlap that a direct line-of-sight and line-of-entry is not available for foreign objects being inserted to form ligatures. That feature, in combination with the narrow thickness of the serpentine segment of the paper path are generally sufficient to prevent formation of a ligature below example paper towel dispenser 10.
Referring now to FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, pictorial views illustrating a general principle of operation of towel dispensers as disclosed herein are shown, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. For clarity of illustration in FIG. 10A, a gap between a first protrusion 102B and a second protrusion 102A defining a serpentine segment of the overall paper path is shown as separated from paper towels 3A, 3B, but first protrusions 102A, 102B are spaced to contact paper towels 3A, 3B, respectively in the illustration, and the gap formed between protrusions 102A, 102B may be set to be equal to the thickness of two paper towel sheets, so that paper towels 3A, 3B remain in contact with each other and with protrusions 102A, 102B, and so that a ligature cannot be inserted between paper towels 3A, 3B. In FIG. 10B, paper towel sheet 3B has been pulled through the gap and exits paper towel dispenser 10, and a new paper towel sheet 3C has been pulled into the gap, so that paper towel sheet 3C will be partially extracted once paper towel sheet 3B has been dispensed.
Referring now to FIG. 11A, a detailed side cross-section view of a portion of an example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10A is shown, in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure. Example folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10A is similar to example folded sheet paper towel dispenser 10 as described above, so only differences between them will be described below. Example folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10A, instead of forming a paper outlet between the front cover and rear housing of the dispenser, provides a paper outlet formed between a main body 16A of front cover and an opposing portion 16B of the front cover, with the ends of opposing portion 16B joining main body 16A on either side of the outlet slot, which forms a slit for exit of paper towels 3 at the beginning of the serpentine segment at protrusion 116B formed by opposing portion 16B of the front cover. A second protrusion 116A defines the termination of the paper path, and provides a rounded end similar to protrusion 72 of example paper towel dispenser 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9B.
Referring now to FIG. 11B, a detailed side cross-section view of a portion of an example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10B is shown, in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure. Example folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10B is similar to example folded sheet paper towel dispenser 10 as described above, so only differences between them will be described below. Example folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10B, instead of forming a paper outlet between the front cover and rear housing of the dispenser, provides a paper outlet formed between a main body 12B of the rear housing and an opposing portion 12C of the rear housing, with the ends of opposing portion 12C joining main body 12B on either side of the outlet slot, which forms a slit for exit of paper towels 3 at the beginning of the serpentine segment at protrusion 112A formed by the end of the paper shelf of the rear housing. A second protrusion 112B defines the termination of the paper path, and provides a rounded end similar to protrusion 72 of example paper towel dispenser 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9B.
Referring now to FIG. 12A, a detailed side cross-section view of a portion of an example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10C is shown, in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure. Example folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10C is similar to example folded sheet paper towel dispenser 10A as described above with reference to FIG. 11A, so only differences between them will be described below. Example folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10C, instead of directing the outlet slot toward the rear of rear housing (e.g., at 45 degrees from horizontal), provides a downward directed a paper outlet formed between a main body 16C of front cover and an opposing portion 16B of the front cover, with the ends of opposing portion 16B joining main body 16A on either side of the outlet slot, which forms a downward-directed slit for exit of paper towels 3 at the beginning of the serpentine segment at protrusion 116B formed by opposing portion 16B of the front cover. A second protrusion 116C defines the termination of the paper path, with downward direction of paper towel 3, while still providing overlap that blocks upward sight-line and insertion of ligature, and provides a rounded end similar to protrusion 72 of example paper towel dispenser 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9B.
Referring now to FIG. 12B, a detailed side cross-section view of an example ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10D is shown, in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure. Example folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10D is similar to example folded sheet paper towel dispenser 10 as described above, so only differences between them will be described below. Example folded-sheet paper towel dispenser 10D, instead of directing the outlet slot toward the rear of rear housing (e.g., at 45 degrees from horizontal), provides a downward directed a paper outlet formed between main body 12B of rear housing and an opposing portion 12D of the rear housing, with the ends of opposing portion 12D joining main body 12B on either side of the outlet slot, which forms a downward-directed slit for exit of paper towels 3 at the beginning of the serpentine segment at protrusion 112A formed at the end of the paper shelf of the rear housing. A second protrusion 112C formed on opposing portion 12D of the rear housing defines the termination of the paper path, with downward direction of paper towel 3, while still providing overlap that blocks upward sight-line and insertion of ligature, and provides a rounded end similar to protrusion 72 of example paper towel dispenser 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9B.
In summary, this disclosure shows and describes ligature-resistant paper towel dispensers for dispensing folded-sheet paper towels. The ligature-resistant paper towel dispensers may include a rear housing having a mounting plane surface on a rear face thereof for securing the ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser to a wall, a front cover rotatably coupled to the rear housing, a paper outlet formed by one of the front cover, the rear housing, or a combination of the front cover and the rear housing. The paper outlet may be fed by a paper path having a serpentine segment along which the paper towels are guided and that is defined by curved projections that contact the paper towels on alternating faces as the paper towels are dispensed. The paper path may terminate in an outlet slot disposed at a bottom of the towel dispenser for dispensing paper towels from a stack of folded-sheet paper towels. The ligature-resistant folded-sheet paper towel dispenser may also include a locking mechanism for securing the front cover to the rear housing.
In some example embodiments, the serpentine segment of the paper path may define a gap that is conformed to a thickness of one or two sheets of the paper towels, so that inward insertion of a ligature is prevented, while exit of single sheets of paper towels is permitted. In some example embodiments, the paper path may be inclined so that an exit of the outlet slot is directed toward the rear face of the housing to prevent attempts to insert a ligature upward from the bottom of the housing. In some embodiments, the rear housing may have a rear shelf portion for receiving the stack of folded-sheet paper towels, and the front cover may include a front shelf portion that supports a front edge of the stack of folded-sheet paper towels when the front cover is secured to the rear housing in a closed position. In some embodiments, a front edge of the rear shelf portion and a bottom inner edge of the front cover may form the outlet slot. The bottom inner edge of the front cover may terminate in a projection that overlaps and extends behind and below a front bottom edge of the rear shelf portion to direct the exit of the outlet slot toward the rear face of the housing, so that the outlet slot is not visible from the front or beneath the ligature-resistant towel dispenser. In some embodiments, wherein the front shelf portion may be inclined upward at a front end thereof, whereby the stack of folded-sheet paper towels may be lifted along a front edge of the bottom of the stack of folded-sheet paper towels to reduce downward force of a weight of the stack of folded-sheet paper towels to ease removal of the folded-sheet paper towels through the outlet slot. In some example embodiments, an extension of the front cover in the vicinity of the projection and extending forward and upward from the projection is inclined to direct the paper path rearward at an acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane perpendicular to the mounting plane surface of the rear housing. In some example embodiments, the acute angle may be 45 degrees.
In some example embodiments, the ligature-resistant paper towel may have a top projection having an exterior that is curved or inclined downward from an apex to prevent attachment of a ligature. In some example embodiments, the top projection may be a top projection of the front cover. In some example embodiments, the rear housing may have a rear shelf portion for receiving the stack of folded-sheet paper towels. In some example embodiments, the front cover may be rotatably coupled to the rear housing by a hinge formed by posts formed on inner surfaces of the front cover at opposite sides thereof, and a corresponding pair of slots formed in projections extending from an inner surface of the rear housing, so that the the front cover may be rotated and slid forward with respect to the rear housing to permit access to the rear shelf portion for inserting the stack of folded-sheet paper towels. In some example embodiments, the front cover and the rear housing may join at a blind seam extending around the top and along both sides of the housing to prevent insertion of a ligature when the front cover is secured to the rear housing.
It should be understood, especially by those having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure, that the various operations described herein, particularly in connection with the figures, may be implemented by other components. The order in which each operation of a given method is performed may be changed, and various elements of the devices and systems illustrated herein may be added, reordered, combined, omitted, modified, etc. It is intended that this disclosure embrace all such modifications and changes and, accordingly, the above description should be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. Similarly, although this disclosure makes reference to specific embodiments, certain modifications and changes may be made to those embodiments without departing from the scope and coverage of this disclosure. Moreover, any benefits, advantages, or solutions to problems that are described herein with regard to specific embodiments are not intended to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element.
While the disclosure has shown and described particular embodiments of the techniques disclosed herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form, and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
Patent Application
20240268612
