DISPENSER FOR A ROLL OF PAPER TISSUE OR NONWOVEN MATERIAL

Abstract

A dispenser for web of absorbent paper, tissue or nonwoven material in the form of a roll is provided. The dispenser has a housing with a first dispensing opening for the web and a drive roller extending along a longitudinal axis. The drive roller is arranged in the housing in, or at, the first dispensing opening. The roll is arranged to abut the drive roller to be frictionally engaged with the drive roller. The dispenser has a feeding mechanism for rotating the roll to feed the web in a direction from the roll towards the first dispensing opening. The feeding mechanism has a bar extending at least partially along the drive roller. When the bar is pushed from a start position to rotate about the pivot axis, the drive roller and the roll are caused to rotate. The bar is biased towards the start position.

Claims

1. A dispenser for web of absorbent paper, tissue or nonwoven material in the form of a roll having a centre axis, said dispenser comprising a housing with a first dispensing opening for said web and a drive roller extending along a longitudinal axis, said drive roller being arranged in said housing in, or at, said first dispensing opening with said longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to said centre axis, wherein said roll is arranged to abut said drive roller to be frictionally engaged with said drive roller, said dispenser further comprising a feeding mechanism for rotating said roll to feed said web in a direction from said roll towards said first dispensing opening, wherein said dispenser is adapted for a user to grasp, and pull on, a dispensing end of said web to dispense a length of web from said roll, wherein said feeding mechanism comprises a bar extending at least partially along said drive roller and at a first end being pivotably attached to said housing to pivot about a pivot axis and at a second end being provided with a gear rack, wherein said drive roller is at one end provided with a cog wheel, wherein said gear rack and said cog wheel are engaged such that when said bar is pushed from a start position to rotate about said pivot axis said drive roller and said roll are caused to rotate, and wherein said bar is biased towards said start position such that when pushing said bar to rotate about said pivot axis towards an end position and subsequently releasing said bar, said bar pivots back to said start position.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to said centre axis of said roll.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said drive roller is provided with a one-way bearing between said cog wheel and said drive roller, said one-way bearing being arranged such that said drive roller is rotated when said bar is moved from said start position and said drive roller remains stationary when said bar returns back to said start position.

4. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said bar is provided with a push surface to be pressed by a user when moving said bar from said start position towards said end position, and wherein said push surface is arranged in a vicinity of said first dispensing opening.

5. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said bar is provided with a push surface to be pressed by a user when moving said bar from said start position towards said end position, and wherein said housing comprises an outer dispensing opening arranged at a distance from said first dispensing opening and said push surface is arranged in a vicinity of said outer dispensing opening.

6. The dispenser according to claim 4, wherein said push surface is arranged approximately at a middle portion of said bar.

7. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises an engaging roller in, or at, said first dispensing opening, an outer peripheral surface portion of said engaging roller being frictionally engaged only with said dispensing end of said web.

8. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said drive roller and said engaging roller form a friction nip adapted to frictionally engage with said dispensing end of said web.

9. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said roll is biased against said drive roller.

10. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said dispenser is a portable dispenser.

11. The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein said push surface is arranged approximately at a middle portion of said bar.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The various aspects of the invention, including its particular features and advantages, will be readily understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a cross section of a dispenser for a roll of absorbent paper, tissue or nonwoven material according to example embodiments, and

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a feeding mechanism for a drive roller of a dispenser according to example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments are shown. However, this invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Disclosed features of example embodiments may be combined as readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0023] Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.

[0024] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a cross section of a dispenser 2 for a roll 4 of absorbent paper, tissue or nonwoven material according to example embodiments. The absorbent paper, tissue or nonwoven material is provided in the form of a web on the roll 4. The dispenser 2 is portable and is provided with a handle 6 to facilitate carrying or suspending the dispenser 2. The dispenser 2 comprises a housing 8 with an upper housing portion 10 and a lower housing portion 12, which are shown in a closed position. In the closed position the upper housing portion 10 extends partially around the roll 4 (at least when it is full with web). The lower housing portion 12 may be adapted to be placed on a surface. The housing portions 10, 12 are connected to each other at one end by means of a first hinge 14. Opposite to the first hinge 10 there is formed a first dispensing opening 16 for a dispensing end 18 of the web between the upper and lower housing portions 10, 12. The housing further comprises a lid 20 which is foldable about a second hinge 22. One purpose of the lid 20 may be to protect the first dispensing opening 16. The lid 20 is provided with an outer dispensing opening 24 for the dispensing end 18 of the web.

[0025] The housing 8 is provided with a holder arrangement 26 for the roll 4. The holder arrangement 26 comprises an arm 28 with a seat 30 for an axle 32 about which the roll 4 rotates. The arm 28 is pivotally connected with the housing 8 at an end of the arm 28 opposite to the seat 30. A spring 34 biases the arm 28 and the roll 4 towards the first dispensing opening 16. At an opposite end of the roll 4 (not shown in FIG. 1) the holder arrangement 26 is provided with a corresponding arm/spring system, a pivotable arm only or other devices for moving the axle 32 towards the dispensing opening 16. A roll rotational, or centre, axis of the roll 4 coincides with the axle 32.

[0026] The dispenser 2 further comprises a drive roller 36 and an engaging roller 38 arranged in the housing 8 in close proximity to the first dispensing opening 16. Between the drive roller 36 and the engaging roller 38 there is defined a dispensing passage through which web from the roll 4 may be dispensed by a user. The rollers 36, 38 are arranged such that the dispensing end 18 of the web from the roll 4 is in contact with both rollers 36, 38. The rollers 36, 38 suitably have an outer surface with a high friction coefficient, e.g. made from a rubber or rubberlike material. The roll 4, by means of the arm 28 and the spring 34, is biased against the drive roller 36. The drive roller 36 is thus frictionally engaged with the roll 4. Accordingly, when a user grasps and pulls on the dispensing end 18 of the web, the rotation of the drive roller 36 is transferred to the roll 4. Thus, the peripheral speed of the drive roller 36 and the roll 4 is the same.

[0027] The drive roller 36 may be attached to the lower housing portion 12 and the engaging roller 38 may be attached to the upper housing portion 10. Accordingly, when the upper housing portion 10 is opened, the rollers 36, 38 are separated and a dispensing end 18 of the web from a roll is easily placed in the dispensing passage between the rollers 36, 38 as well as in the first dispensing opening 16.

[0028] The drive roller 36 and the engaging roller 38 may each be provided with sections of small diameters and sections with large diameters as indicated by the broken lines in FIG. 1. The drive roller 36 and the engaging roller 38 are in this case arranged in relation to each other such that a small diameter longitudinal section of the drive roller 36 is opposite to a large diameter longitudinal section of the engaging roller 38, and a large diameter longitudinal section of the drive roller 36 is opposite to a small diameter longitudinal section of the engaging roller 38. As mentioned above the dispensing passage is defined between the rollers 36, 38. The rollers 36, 38 are arranged at such a distance from each other that the outer portions of the large diameter sections of the rollers 36, 38 overlap seen in a direction along the axes of the rollers 36, 38 (i.e. a direction perpendicular to the view presented in FIG. 1). Due to this overlapping of the rollers 36, 38, the dispensing passage is undulated.

[0029] In such an undulated dispensing passage, the dispensing end 18 of the web is in contact with both the drive roller 36 and the engaging roller 38. The drive roller 36 and the engaging roller 38 have an outer surface with a high coefficient of friction. Accordingly, as the web is dispensed, both the drive roller 36 and the engaging roller 38 will be rotated by the web. Since the web is in contact with both the drive roller 36 and the engaging roller 38 and due to the high coefficient of friction, the dispensing passage is a friction nip.

[0030] A bar 40 of a feeding mechanism 42 for rotating the drive roller 36 is arranged in a vicinity of the first and outer dispensing openings 16, 24. The bar 40 is provided with a push surface 44 to be pressed by a user to cause the drive roller 36 and the roll 4 to rotate.

[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a feeding mechanism 42 for a drive roller 36 of a dispenser according to example embodiments. A first dispensing opening 16 of the housing is illustrated by a broken line and an outer dispensing opening 24 of the housing is illustrated by a dash-dotted line. The drive roller 36 is rotatably suspended at both its ends in posts 46 of a housing of the dispenser. The drive roller 36 is substantially parallel to a not-shown roll of absorbent paper, tissue or nonwoven material. As described above, the drive roller 36 is provided with sections of small diameters and sections with large diameters. The sections having a large diameter are arranged to abut, and frictionally engage, with the not-shown roll.

[0032] The feeding mechanism 42 comprises a bar 40 which at one end is pivotable about a pivot axis 48. The bar 40 is biased by means of a spring 50 towards a start position such that it will return to the start position from an end position. At its other end the bar 40 is provided with a gear rack 52 which engages with a cog wheel 54 arranged at one end of the drive roller 36. The cog wheel 54 is mounted on the drive roller 36 by means of a not-shown one-way bearing, such as the INA Drawn cup roller clutches HF0612. The one-way bearing is arranged such that the gear rack 52 drives the cog wheel 54 and the drive roller 36 when the bar 40 is moved from the start position towards the end position. When the bar 40 pivots back from the end position to the start position, the one-way bearing freewheels and the drive roller 36 remains stationary.

[0033] In FIG. 2 the pivot axis 48 is substantially perpendicular to the drive roller 36 and the not-shown roll. Further, the bar 40 is illustrated in the start position as biased by the spring 50 when not pressed by a user. Accordingly, in FIG. 2 the end position is below the start position. The push surface is arranged substantially at a middle portion of the bar 40 and in the first and outer dispensing openings 16, 24.

[0034] Example embodiments may be combined as understood by a person skilled in the art. Although the invention has been described with reference to example embodiments, many different alterations, modifications and the like will become apparent for those skilled in the art. For instance may a dispenser be provided with only one dispensing opening.

[0035] Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of various example embodiments and the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications to the disclosed embodiments, combinations of features of disclosed embodiments as well as other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

[0036] As used herein, the term comprising or comprises is open-ended, and includes one or more stated features, elements, steps, components or functions but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, steps, components, functions or groups thereof.

[0037] As used herein, the term and/or includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0038] As used herein, the common abbreviation e.g., which derives from the Latin phrase exempli gratia, may be used to introduce or specify a general example or examples of a previously mentioned item, and is not intended to be limiting of such item. If used herein, the common abbreviation i.e., which derives from the Latin phrase id est, may be used to specify a particular item from a more general recitation.

[0039] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms a, an and the are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0040] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0041] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being coupled or connected to another element, it can be directly coupled or connected to the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being directly coupled or directly connected to another element, there are no intervening elements present.