DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING WEB MATERIAL FROM A ROLL

Abstract

Dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll, the dispenser including 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 includes a spindle attached perpendicular to the arm. The spindle is 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.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll, the dispenser comprising: a housing defining an interior of the dispenser, said housing comprising a back wall and at least two side walls, an arm hinged at a hinge point on the support member, said arm being adapted to pivot about said hinge point, said arm comprising a spindle attached perpendicular to said arm, said spindle being adapted to rotatably support a roll during dispensing, and wherein said arm is pivotable about said hinge point between a first position in which said spindle is arranged in a dispensing position within the housing of the dispenser, and a second position in which said spindle is arranged in a loading position outside the housing of the dispenser in order to allow loading of a roll onto said spindle, wherein said spindle, when in dispensing position, is arranged closer to the back wall of the dispenser housing than the hinge point of the arm.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said arm is folded over said support member in first position, and said arm is folded away from the support member in second position.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said arm is pivotable from said first position within the interior of the dispenser into said second position.

4. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said support member is attached to the dispenser at a side wall of the dispenser.

5. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said support member and said arm extend in a direction perpendicular from the back wall of the dispenser, and wherein said arm is adapted to pivot in the same direction.

6. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the angle between said spindle in loading position and said spindle in dispensing position is at least 90 degrees, preferably at least 110 degrees and more preferably at least 130 degrees.

7. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein a deflecting member is arranged in the dispenser housing, said deflecting member being arranged to receive a first end of said spindle when said spindle is in dispensing position.

8. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said deflecting member comprises a guiding groove adapted to receive said first end of the spindle and guide it into an engaged position when the arm is in dispensing position.

9. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said deflecting member being movable between a protruding position protruding towards said spindle in dispensing position and a retracted position retracted into the housing away from the spindle in dispensing position; and wherein the deflecting member is connected to a blocking member moving in response to the movement of the deflecting member.

10. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said deflecting member interacts with a resilient member arranged to allow the deflecting member to flex back into protruding position from retracted position.

11. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said deflecting member has a shape adapted to fit in a complementary indentation in the side of a roll arranged on the spindle.

12. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser comprises a front cover and said front cover is hinged to the dispenser housing below the hinge point of the arm and movable between an opened and closed state, and wherein the front cover, upon being moved from opened to closed state, is adapted to abut against said arm if said arm is in second position and push said arm towards the first position with the movement of the front cover.

13. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the arm comprises an overload mechanism allowing said 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.

14. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said arm partly encompasses part of the support member when the arm is in first position.

15. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said arm comprises two bearing surfaces, said bearing surfaces bear against the outer side surfaces of the support member such that said 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.

16. The dispenser according to claim 15, wherein at least one outer side surface of the support member is provided with a knob or recess and at least the corresponding bearing surfaces of said arm is provided with a complementary recess or knob, wherein said knob is allowed to slide along said recess as the arm moves between first position and second position.

17. The dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the knob(s) 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.

18. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser is 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.

19. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser is a dual dispenser comprising a support member, an arm and two spindles adapted to hold a roll respectively, and wherein the two spindles are attached perpendicular to said arm.

20. A method of loading a dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll, the dispenser comprising a housing, said housing comprising a back wall and at least two side walls, an arm hinged at a hinge point on the support member, said arm being allowed to pivot about said hinge point, and the dispenser further comprising a spindle attached perpendicular to said arm, said spindle being adapted to rotatably support a roll during dispensing, and the method of loading comprises: pivoting said arm about said hinge point 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 said spindle, placing a roll on said spindle, and pivoting said arm about said hinge point back into a first position, in which the spindle is arranged in a dispensing position within the housing of the dispenser, wherein said spindle, when in the dispensing position, is arranged closer to the back wall of the dispenser housing than the hinge point of the arm.

21. The method of loading a dispenser according to claim 20, wherein said arm is folded away from the support member when pivoted to said second position, and said arm is folded back towards the support member when pivoted into said first position.

22. The method of loading a dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the dispenser further comprises a front cover hinged to the dispenser housing below the hinge point of the arm and arranged to be movable between an opened and closed state, wherein the method further comprises: moving the front cover to said opened state before pivoting the arm into second position, moving the front cover from said opened state to said closed state after a roll has been placed on said spindle, and pushing the front cover against said arm in second position, said arm thereby being urged to fold towards the first position with the movement of the front cover.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0033] The disclosure herein presented is illustrated by way of examples and not limited to the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements:

[0034] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the dispenser disclosed herein, with both spindles in dispensing position;

[0035] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the dispenser disclosed herein, with a first spindle in dispensing position and a second spindle in loading position;

[0036] FIGS. 2A-E is a perspective view of the first arm in first, second and third position respectively;

[0037] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the deflecting member in protruding position;

[0038] FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the deflecting member in retracted position:

[0039] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the central side wall;

[0040] FIGS. 5A-B is a partly cross-sectional view of the central side wall with the deflecting member in protruding position and retracted position respectively; and

[0041] FIGS. 6A-B is a perspective view of the deflecting member and resilient member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] 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.

[0043] FIG. 1A shows a dual dispenser 11 comprising a housing 12 defining an interior. The housing 12 comprises a back wall 37, a top wall 21, two outer side walls 221, 223 and a central side wall 222. A first and a second arm 26a, 26b is hinged at a respective hinge point 27 to a respective support member 28a, 28b, and the arms 26a, 26b are adapted to pivot about the hinge points 27. The first arm 26a is hinged at a first support member 28a arranged close to the first side wall 221, at the lower part of the back wall 37. The second arm 26b is hinged to a second support member 28b arranged at the lower part of the central side wall 222. The support members 28a, 28b and the arms 26a, 26b extend in a direction perpendicular from the back wall 37 of the dispenser 12, and the arms 26a, 26b are adapted to pivot in same direction. Each arm 26a, 26b is provided with a spindle 13a, 13b, the spindles 13a, 13b being attached perpendicular to respective arm 26a, 26b, and the spindles 13a, 13b being adapted to rotatably support a roll during dispensing. Each spindle 13a, 13b is provided with a rotatable sleeve 32. In FIG. 1A, the rotatable sleeves 32 are intended to interact with rolls disposed on the spindles 13a, 13b, allowing the rolls to rotate during dispensing of the web material from the roll.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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 FIG. 1A, and a spindle loading position in which the spindle 13a, 13b is arranged outside the housing 12 of the dispenser 11 in order to allow loading of a roll onto the spindle 13a, 13b, shown in FIG. 1B (second spindle 13b). The arms 26a, 26b are pivotable to place each respective spindle 13a, 13b in the two positions respectively, and the arms 26a, 26b are pivotable independently from each other, as shown in FIG. 1B. Hence, the spindles 13a, 13b are movable between loading position and dispensing position independent from each other.

[0046] 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 FIGS. 1A and 1B, and a closed state (not shown). An engagement member 24 in the shape of a locking hook is arranged at the top of the front cover 23 in a central position corresponding to the central side wall 222 when the front cover 23 is in closed state. The front cover 23 has a dispensing opening 46 and a slidable lid 47 covering one half of the dispensing opening 46 at the time. The slidable lid 47 is slidable between two positions so that one roll at the time, arranged on the spindles 13a, 13b, are available for dispensing when the front cover 23 is in closed state.

[0047] If the front cover 23 is closed with the second arm 26b in loading position, as shown in FIG. 1B, the front cover will abut the arm 26b and push it upwards and inwards such that it folds over the support member 28b from a first position into a second position; placing the spindle 13b in dispensing position within the interior of the housing 12.

[0048] FIGS. 2A-C and 2E shows the first arm 26a attached to a first support member 28a at a pivot point. The pivot point 27 is arranged at a first end 44 of the first arm 26a. In FIG. 2A the arm is folded at the pivot point 27 such that it partly encompasses the first support member 28a, i.e. the first arm 26a is in its first position and the first spindle 13a is in dispensing position. The first arm 26a comprises two legs 43 with a respective inner bearing surface 39. The two legs 43 are attached at the pivot point 27 to outer side surfaces 38 of the support member 28a, such that the bearing surfaces 39 of the first arm 26a bear against the outer side surfaces 38 of the support member 28. The first spindle 13a is attached at a second end 45 of the first arm 26a opposite the first end 44 comprising the legs 43 and pivot point 27. When the arm 26a is in its first position the spindle 13a in its dispensing position is arranged closer to the back wall 37 of the dispenser 11 than the hinge point 27 of the first arm 26a. In other words, the first arm 26a has been folded backwards over the first support member 28a and into the housing 12.

[0049] 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 FIG. 2B the arm is in motion between its first and second position. Each recess 41 has an extension with closed end positions 42, and the knobs 40 slide in the recesses 41 between the closed end positions 42. The knobs 40 arranged in the closed end positions 42 of the recesses 41 corresponds to the first and second position of the first arm 26a, thereby positioning the first spindle 13a in dispensing and loading position respectively.

[0050] In FIG. 2C the first arm 26a is in its second position, folded outwards from the dispenser 11 interior, and the first spindle 13a is arranged in loading position.

[0051] In FIG. 2E the first arm 26a is positioned in a third position hanging downwards. The third position is reached by an overload mechanism allowing the knobs 40 to snap out of the recesses 41 if a force above a predetermined release force is placed on the first spindle 13a. The snap out is shown in FIG. 2D, illustrating the legs 43 flexing outwards to allow the knobs 40 to pass the edge of the recesses 41. In FIG. 2E the knobs 40 has completely snapped out of the recesses 41 such that the first arm 26a has left its second position and rotated further about the hinge point 27 into its third position.

[0052] The second arm 26b and second support member 28b, not shown in FIGS. 2A-E, comprises the same elements as the first arm 26a and first support member 28a, and facilitate pivoting between first and second position in the same way. The overload mechanism may be present also between the second arm 26b and support member 28b.

[0053] 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 FIG. 3A, and a retracted position retracted into the central side wall 222 of the housing 12 away from the spindle 13a in dispensing position, shown in FIG. 3B.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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 FIG. 3A a roll 30 having an indentation 29 at a first side 31 positioned at the first end 17 of the first spindle 13a is provided on the first spindle 13a. The indentation 29 is complementary to the frustoconical shape of the deflecting member 14 thereby allowing the deflecting member 14 to protrude into the indentation 29. No force is exerted on the deflecting member 14 and the resilient arm 16 is in relaxed state. The deflecting member 14 is in protruding position and the first spindle 13a is in the dispensing position. The first end 17 of the first spindle 13a is engaged in the deflecting member 14.

[0056] 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 FIG. 3B. This happens for example when the spindle 13a holding the roll 30 moves from loading to dispensing position and the side 31 of the roll 30 abuts the deflecting member 14. Once the spindle 13a is in dispensing position the force is removed due to the indentation 29 arranged adjacent the through hole in the side 31 of the roll 30, i.e. the tension on the resilient arm 16 is released and the deflecting member 14 flexes back into protruding position, shown in FIG. 3A.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] The central side wall 222 of FIGS. 1A-B is shown in FIGS. 4-5. Shown in FIG. 4; the deflecting member 14 is connected to a blocking member 15 by a rod 19 translating a horizontal movement of the deflecting member 14, between protruding position and retracted position in the central side wall 222, into vertical movement of the blocking member 15 moving it in and out of an engagement slot 20 in the central side wall 222 at the top wall 21.

[0060] In FIG. 5A the deflecting member 14 is in protruding position, and the blocking member 15 is out of blocking position thereby not blocking the engagement slot 20 (seen in FIG. 4). The engagement slot 20 is thus available for the locking hook 24 of the front cover 23 to engage with, and the front cover 23 can thus be maintained and locked in closed position. In FIG. 5B the deflecting member 14 is pushed into retracted position, the resilient member 16 is tensed, the blocking member 15 is pushed upwards into the engagement slot 20 by the rod 19 and the engagement slot 20 is thereby blocked. The front cover 23 is unable to stay in closed position since the locking hook 24 cannot engage with the blocked engagement slot 20.

[0061] A color indication 36 is visible in an indication window 25, shown in FIGS. 1A-B, when the blocking member 15 is blocking the engagement slot 20. The indication 36 moves in and out of the indication window 25 with the movement of the blocking member 15 in and out of blocking position in the engagement slot 20. The indication 36 indicates to the service personnel if it is possible to lock the front cover 23 in closed state or not, thereby indicating if the roll 30 is correctly loaded or not.

[0062] FIG. 6A shows a deflecting member 14 of truncated frustoconical shape comprising a guiding groove 18. The guiding groove 18 is adapted to receive the first end 17 of the first spindle 13a and guide it into an engaged position in the deflecting member 14 when the first spindle 13a is in dispensing position. In FIG. 6B the frustoconical shape is chamfered at one side to facilitate the edge of the first side 31 of the roll arranged on the spindle 13a to pass the deflecting member 14 when moved to dispensing position. The chamfered surface 35 is facing outwards from the interior of the housing 12, thereby facing the first end 17 of the first spindle 13a as it moves from loading position to dispensing position.