Dispenser for dispensing sheet products

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing sheet products includes a housing configured to accommodate a stack of the sheet products and defines a dispensing opening, the housing having a housing body and a cover movably attached to the housing body so that the cover can be moved between an open refilling position and a closed use position, a support plate reciprocally movable within the housing body and having a support surface for supporting the stack of sheet products at one of opposite faces of the stack, a stop movable between an active position in which the stop cooperates with the support plate limiting the movability of the support plate within the housing in one direction and an inactive position, and a link movably mounted in the housing body and cooperating with the cover and the stop to move the stop into the active position upon moving the cover into the open refilling position.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing sheet products, comprising: a housing configured to accommodate a stack of the sheet products, the housing defining a dispensing opening and comprising a housing body and a cover movably attached to the housing body so that the cover can be moved between an open refilling position and a closed use position; a support plate reciprocally movable within the housing body and having a support surface for supporting the stack of sheet products at one of opposite faces of the stack; a stop movable between an active position in which the stop cooperates with the support plate limiting the movability of the support plate within the housing in one direction and an inactive position; and a link movably mounted in the housing body and cooperating with the cover and the stop to move the stop into the active position upon moving the cover into the open refilling position.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a switch fixed relative to the housing body, wherein the switch is operated by the movement of the link upon moving the cover into the open refilling position.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the support plate has a guide member translationally guided along a guide fixed relative to the housing body, wherein the stop in the active position of the stop cooperates with the guide member to limit the movement of the support plate.

4. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the stop has a projection for limiting the movement of the stop.

5. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the stop and link cooperate by contact of a front face of the link with a counter surface of the stop.

6. The dispenser according to anyone claim 1, wherein the stop is urged into the active position.

7. The dispenser according to preceding claim 1, wherein the link is translationally movable.

8. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the link is urged in a direction away from the stop.

9. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the support plate is urged in a direction toward the dispensing opening.

10. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing opening is defined in the cover.

11. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the link is moved by contact with the cover upon moving the cover into the closed use position.

12. The dispenser according to claim 11, wherein a contact surface of the link facing the cover is curved.

13. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the stop is rotatable about an axis of rotation between the active and inactive position.

14. The dispenser according to claim 13, wherein the stop comprises a lever arm on one side of the axis rotation and configured to cooperate with the link and a stop member on the opposite side of the axis of rotation and configured to cooperate with the support plate for limiting the movement of the support plate in the active position of the stop.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a dispenser according to an embodiment;

(2) FIGS. 2A and 2B show bottom views of the dispenser of FIG. 1 with several parts being removed to reveal the overfilling mechanism, wherein FIG. 2B still shows the side walls and the cover of the casing, whereas these parts have been removed in FIG. 2A;

(3) FIGS. 3A and 3B show top views of the dispenser of FIG. 1 with several parts being removed to reveal the overfilling mechanism, wherein FIG. 3B still shows the side walls and the cover of the casing, whereas these parts have been removed in FIG. 3A;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a perspective bottom view of the overfilling mechanism of FIG. 1; and

(5) FIG. 5 shows a back view of the overfilling mechanism of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals have been used for the same elements.

(7) A particular embodiment of a dispenser 1 is described as an example with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

(8) The dispenser 1 includes a housing 2 having a housing body 3 and a cover 4 (the cover may also be referred to as a door). A dispensing opening 5 is provided at the front of the cover 4. The dispenser 1 is configured for being placed on a horizontal surface as shown in FIG. 1 and with the dispensing opening 5 directed forward. Yet, also other orientations of the dispenser 1 are conceivable such as with the dispensing opening 5 being directed downward or upward. A dispenser 1 having a downwardly oriented dispensing opening is, for example, known from WO 2014/154282 A1.

(9) The cover 4 is hinged to the housing body 3 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis. This has been proven advantageous for refilling the dispenser and the implementation of an automatic dispensing mechanism 6 incorporated into the cover 4. Yet, it is also conceivable that the cover 4 is rotatable about a horizontal axis or to attach the cover so as to be translationally and rotatably movable. In any case, the cover 4 is fixed to the housing body 3 so as to be movable between a closed use position in which the dispenser 1 is ready for dispensing sheet products and an open refilling position (shown in FIG. 1) allowing refilling of the dispenser 1. In the present embodiment, the cover 4 is rotated about the vertical axis for moving the cover 4 between the two positions.

(10) As previously described, a dispensing mechanism 6 is incorporated into the cover 4. The dispensing mechanism 6 is driven by an electric motor for dispensing one or more sheet products at a time. The dispensing mechanism 6 may be triggered by a bottom 7 located on the cover 4. Yet, also other triggering mechanisms known in the art are possible. Further, the overfilling prevention mechanism described in the following is also applicable to pure manual dispensers in which one sheet product at a time is dispensed by being manually pulled out of the dispensing opening 5.

(11) The housing body 3 of the housing 2 defines a compartment 14 for accommodating a stack of sheet products. The housing body 3 has opposite side walls 8, a bottom 9, a back wall 10 and a refilling opening 11 defined in a front wall 12. The cover 4 is hinged to the front wall 12 and configured to cover the refilling opening 11 in the closed use position and to give access to the refilling opening 11 in the open refilling position. Further, the housing body 3 has a removable top 13 which may be removed for easier access to the compartment 14 for refilling.

(12) The compartment 14 is delimited at its lower side by a bottom plate 15 on which a lower edge of the sheet products may rest. Further, two parallel longitudinal guides 16 are provided which extend between the front wall 12 and the back wall 10. A longitudinal opening 17 is provided between the two parallel guides 16.

(13) A support plate 18 (see FIGS. 2 to 5) is provided within the compartment 14. The support plate 18 has a support surface 19 for supporting a back face of the stack of sheet products (a last sheet product in the stack of sheet products contained in the dispenser 1). The support plate 18 is translationally movable along the guides 16. For this purpose, the support plate has a guide member 20 (see FIGS. 2, 4 and 5). The guide member 20 extends through the longitudinal opening 17 between the guides 16 and catches behind the guides 16. In a particular example as shown in the drawings, the guide member 20 is T-shaped in cross section (see FIG. 5), the T being inverted. The vertical leg of the T extends through the opening 17, whereas the horizontal legs of the T catch behind the opposite guides 16.

(14) The support plate 18 is urged toward the refilling opening 11 and hence the dispensing opening 5 of the shown dispenser 1. Accordingly, the support surface 19 of the support plate 18 pushes the stack of sheet products toward the dispensing opening 5. According to an example, this may be achieved by torsion springs 21 on either side of the support plate 18 as seen perpendicular to the direction of movement of the support plate 18. The torsion springs 21 tend to coil about a rotatable axis 22. One end of the longitudinal and sheet shaped torsion springs 21 is attached relative to the housing body 3, whereas the opposite end thereof is attached to the rotatable axis 22. Upon dispensing the sheet products from the dispenser 1, the support plate 18 is pushed by the springs 21 towards the front, wherein the springs 21 coil about the thereby rotating axis 22. Yet, also other mechanisms are conceivable such as a tension spring fixed at one end relative to the support plate 18 and at the other end relative to the housing body 3.

(15) During refilling of the dispenser it may happen, as described in the introductory portion, that too many sheet products are filled into the compartment 14. As a consequence, the pressure between the front face of the stack of sheet products (the first or leading sheet product in the stack of sheet products) may become rather high upon closing of the cover 4. Accordingly, there is a certain risk that the dispensing mechanism 6 cannot properly operate dispensing the wrong number of sheet products or even no sheet product. If a manual dispenser without a dispensing mechanism 6 is employed, problems may occur to the user when withdrawing one sheet product at a time which may lead to too many sheet products being dispensed. In either case, there is a high likelihood that sheet products will be damaged during dispensing. To counteract these disadvantages an overfilling prevention mechanism is suggested, which is described in the following.

(16) The overfilling prevention mechanism includes a link 23 and a stop 29 operated by the link 23.

(17) The link 23 is a rigid and longitudinal bar. Further, the link 23 is translationally guided within the housing body 3. In particular, the link 23 is reciprocally movable in parallel to the longitudinal extension of the guides 16 and the longitudinal opening 17. A front end of the link 23 extends through an opening in the front wall 12 of the housing body 3 and protrudes therefrom as shown in FIG. 1. The front end of the link 23 has a contact surface 24 for cooperation with a counter surface 25 of the cover 4 facing the front wall 12 of the housing body 3. The contact surface 24 is curved whereas the counter surface 25 is planar. In particular, the contact surface 24 slopes in a top or bottom view from a most distanced position relative to the front wall 12 towards the front wall 12 in a direction of the axis of rotation of the cover 4. This is best visible from the FIGS. 2B and 3B. Consequently, a low friction contact can be realized between the contact surface 24 and the counter surface 25 when closing the cover 4.

(18) Furthermore, a compression spring 26 is provided to urge the link toward the cover 4. The compression spring 26 is at one end supported by a shoulder 27 of the link 23 and at the opposite end at a not shown support fixed relative to the housing body 3. Accordingly, the link 3 is pushed by the compression spring 26 away from the back wall 10 in the direction of the cover 4 or the front wall 12. As a result, the link 23 is automatically moved forward when opening the cover 4.

(19) Moreover the link 23 has, as shown in FIG. 4, a cam surface 39 and a return surface 41 in its lower surface. The cam surface 39 is formed by an inclined surface delimiting a recess in the lower surface of the link 23. The return surface 41 is formed by a wall delimiting the recess opposite to the cam surface 39 in a direction of movement of the link 23. Upon movement of the link 23, the cam surface 39/return surface 41 engages with a mechanical switch 40 fixed relative to the housing body 3 whereby the mechanical switch is switched. Thus, a control of the dispenser 1 may conclude on opening of the cover 4 and the link 23 provides for a double function (overfilling prevention and cover sensor).

(20) Moreover, the link 23 has a front face 28 at an end opposite to the contact surface 24. This front face 28 is configured for cooperation with the stop 29.

(21) The stop 29 is in the example rotatably supported relative to the housing body 3 about an axis of rotation 30 (best seen in FIG. 2A). The stop 29 as a lever arm 31 on one side of the axis of rotation 30 and a stop member 32 on the opposite side of the axis of rotation 30.

(22) The lever arm 31 has at its end opposite to the axis of rotation 30 a counter surface 33 for the corporation with the front face 28 of the link 23. The stop 29 and the link 23 are not physically connected but only contact each other at the front face 28 and the counter surface 33. Yet, in other embodiments, the link 23 and the stop 29 may be physically connected by a joint.

(23) The stop member 32 has at its end opposite to the axis of rotation 30 a stop surface 34. The stop surface 34 may engage with a counter stop surface 35 of the guide member 20 of the support plate 18 as will be explained later.

(24) The stop is urged by a tension spring 36 (schematically indicated in FIG. 2A) about the axis of rotation in a counterclockwise direction. For this purpose, the tension spring 36 is attached at one end at an integrally formed hook 37 and at the opposite end relative to the housing body 3.

(25) In order to prevent over-rotation of the stop 29 about the axis of rotation of 30, a projection 38 is provided at the stop member 32, i.e., close to the stop surface 34. The projection 38 comes into engagement with a side surface of one of the guides 16 thereby preventing a further rotation of the stop member 29 about the axis 30.

(26) In the following, the function of the overfilling prevention mechanism is explained.

(27) Once the dispenser 1 requires refilling, a user moves the cover 4 to the open refilling position shown in FIG. 1. Due to the urging force of the compression spring 26, the link 23 moves forward (in a direction from the back wall 10 to the front wall 12). Thereby, the return surface 41 engages with and switches the switch 40. As a result, the control recognizes that the cover 4 is in the open refilling position and may, for example, disable the dispensing mechanism 6.

(28) Because of the movement, the front face 28 of the link 23 moves away from the stop 29 (upward in FIG. 2A). Due to the spring force of the tension spring 36, the stop 29 is rotated about the axis of rotation 30 in a counterclockwise direction. Thereby, the stop member 32, and particularly the stop surface 34, are moved into the movement path of the guide member 20. A further rotation in this state is prevented by the engagement of the projection 38 with one of the guides 16 (the right-hand guide 16 in FIG. 2A).

(29) This state is shown in the drawings and may be referred to as overfilling prevention state. When a user now refills the dispenser with sheet products introduced through the opening 11 and/or the top when the top wall 13 is removed, the support plate 18 will be pushed toward the back wall 10 against the spring force of the torsion springs 21. In this overfilling prevention state, the support plate 18 may only be moved toward the back wall 10 until engagement of the counter stop surface 35 of the guide member 20 with the stop surface 34 of the stop member 32 of the stop 29. In this state, the compartment 14 has a first volume.

(30) If the user feels that enough sheet products have been placed in the dispenser, the cover 4 will be closed and, hence, be rotated (moved) into the closed use position. During this process, the counter surface 25 engages with the contact surface 24, whereby the link 28 is pushed towards the back wall 10 against the spring force of the compression spring 26. Due to the contact between the front face 28 and the counter surface 33, the movement of the link 23 acting on the lever arm 31, the stop 29 is rotated about the axis of rotation 30 in a clockwise direction against the spring force of the tension spring 36. As a result, the stop member 32 and particularly the stop surface 34 are rotated out of the movement path of the guide member 20. As a result, further movement of the support plate 18 to increase the first volume of the compartment 14 to a second volume larger than the first volume is enabled. As a consequence, any pressure which may have occurred due to overfilling of sheet products into the compartment 14 during the overfilling prevention state may be relieved by a further movement of the support plate 18 towards the back wall 10 increasing the volume of the compartment. Consequently, the overfilling prevention mechanism of the present disclosure reliably avoids any risk of a too high pressure between the leading sheet products and/or the leading sheet product and a cover 4. Accordingly, problems when dispensing the sheet products from the dispenser 1 may be avoided or at least be reduced. To use this mechanism, the user merely needs to open the cover 4 so that the mechanism is easy and reliably to use.

(31) Further and upon closing of the cover 4, the cam surface 39 of the link 23 again engages with and switches the switch 40 so that the control can conclude that the cover 4 has been closed and again enable the dispensing mechanism 6.

(32) If one opens the cover 4 in this state, the link 23 cooperating with the switch 40 may still be used to conclude on an open position of the cover. If the stack of sheet products occupies the portion of the second volume used to relieve the pressure as described above, the support plate 18 has passed by the stop 29 and the stop 29 is prevented from rotating into the movement path of the support plate 18 by the guide member 20 (the stop member 32 abuts at a side surface of the guide member 20 and thereby rotation of the stop 29 is prevented). Because the link 23 and the stop 29 are not physically connected (attached to each other) the link 23 still moves forward, the return surface 41 acts on and switches the switch 40, whereby the open position of the cover 4 may be detected.

(33) It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment is a mere example and various modifications are conceivable. As previously described, the dispenser can also be oriented differently with the dispensing opening 5 directed upward or downward. It could as well be a wall-mounted dispenser.

(34) Also, the cover 4 may be rotatably attached to the housing body 3 about a horizontal axis of rotation. According to an alternative embodiment, the cover 4 may also be attached to be rotatably and translationally movable relative to the housing body 3 in order to bring the cover 4 into the open refilling position and the closed use position.

(35) Even further, various different urging mechanisms for urging the separate elements such as the link 23, the stop 29 and the support plate 18 in a specific direction can be implemented instead of the used springs 21, 26 and 36.

(36) Furthermore, the embodiment has been described with respect to an automatic dispenser having a dispensing mechanism 6 driven by an electric motor. Yet, the present disclosure may also be implemented in manual dispensers in which the dispensing mechanism 6 is manually driven (for example, by actuating a lever) or even fully manual dispensers in which the sheet products are dispensed by gripping and pulling the sheet products manually.

(37) Thus, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment but various modifications and alterations are conceivable within the scope of the appended claims.

(38) While the present invention has been illustrated by description of various embodiments and while those embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of Applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such details. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The present invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of Applicants' invention.