Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This a~-1ication is a division of application
~erlal ,~o. 4~7,3U3 filed Septembex 22, 1983.
This invention relates to a packet of zigzag folded
continuous web product, which is particularly adapted
for hygienic use (such as toweling). This packet is
especially adapted for use in an apparatus for
dispensing a continuous web of product and particularly
that apparatus described and claimed in co-pending
Canadian Patent Application 437,303, the apparatus
having a supply chamber for one or more such packets of
unused product, from which the web is brought to a
dispensing space, accessible from outside the apparatus
for drying hands and the like, and rolling up means for
the used web, which stores the used web as a roll
without the users having to perform any operation
themselves.
Apparatus of this general sort without the used web
storing facility are well known, see for example US
patent 2,809,082 to Marcuse, and are especially used in
spaces, such as lavatories, washrooms, changing-rooms,
etc. These machines use 2igzag folded continuous web
products comprising paper, which the user can draw off a
towel length each time from the packet, tear if off and
use it.
These known apparatus, and consequently their
continuous web packets have the disadvantage that used
web materials have to be thrown by the users into a bin
or basket, which is emptied by special service
personnel. While service personnel usually work at
night, but the users use the towels especially during
the day and also at other times, there are sometimes
periods during the day or night, in which the users find
an overflowing bin or basket, so that these towels get
onto the floor. This situation is unhygienic and
therefor undesirable.
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The object of this invention is to provide a packet
a~apted to a dlspensing apparatus, in which the used web
is removed by rolling up into a roll, without the users
having to perform any operation themselves. The stored
used web roll can be removed quickly from the dispensing
apparatus.
This object is achieved according to the invention
by providing a packet of continuous web product, adapted
to be rolled up and stored in a dispensing apparatus.
More particularly, there is provided in a accordance
with this invention, a packet of zigzag folded,
continuous web of product, capable of hygienic use, such
as towels or the like, wherein the continuous web
comprises paper material having a reinforcement for
enhancing this tensile strength, and in which the outer
end layers are provided with coupling means which are
adapted for coupling with a counter coupling means of a
similar packet.
By application of the invention there are provided
zigzag folded continuous web packets as unused product,
which form rolls after use, which can be removed quickly
by service personnel.
The invention relates to a packet of continuous web
product, especially adapted for hygienic use, such as
towels, which continuous web is zigzag folded to a
packet. If this packet consists of paper having
insufficient tensile strength, which could lead to
undesired tearing off, according to another embodiment
of the invention a reinforcement is applied, which
consists for e~ample of synthetic material, such as a
fabric or fleece of filaments, or of a thin layer or
film of synthetic material which is provided with
perforations.
In order to roll up the web material after use,
sufficient tensile strength must be present for this to
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be possible. Thus an enhancement of tensile strength of
the material is required for operability, compared to
some of the flimsier web materials available, such as
ordinary tissue products. This enhallcement is provided
by the applied reinforcement.
According to another embodiment of the invention
the outer end layers of the packet of product is
provided with coupling means, which are adapted to be
coupled to the counter coupling means of a similar
packet.
According to yet another embodiment of the
invention the coupling means consists of two sided
adhesive strip with a removable cover strip on the side
that is to be coupled with the counter coupling means.
This has as a result, that the packet which is
being used does not need to be completely used before
the beginning layer of the next packet can be brought
into the dispensing position. Thus regular lengthening
of the web is possible by providing multiple coupled
packets so that the amount of unused product can vary
between wide limits. The supply chamber can contain a
serial working supply of unused packets, preventing
exhaustion of the entire supply. This guarantees that
the user can get always a length of unused towel.
The invention is now described and elucidated
referring to the accompanying schematic drawing, which
shows a cross section of a continuous web dispensing
apparatus (described and claimed in co-pending Canadian
Patent Application 437,3033, of the type which the
packe-t of the invention is specially adapted therefor.
In the drawing an embodiment is shown of an
apparatus for dispensing a web of product, particularly
adapted for hygienic use, such as towels r which is
adapted for placing in a lavatory, washing or changing
room and such. The apparatus comprises a bod~ that is
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partly enclosed by a (not shown) removable hoodO The
body has a back wall 1, with which the apparatus can be
mounted on a (not illustrated) wall of, for instance, a
lavatory space at the average shoulder height. The body
comprises two side walls, of which only the further side
wall 2 is shown. On the front side wall 2 has a
substantially vertical front edge 3, which has on the
upper and lower side a preferably backward sloping part
4 and 5 respectively. The lower side oE the body is
provided with a bottom 6, which has a strip 6A that
slopes upwardly consonant with front edge part 5.
setween the upper lip of this bottom part 6A and the
front 3 an opening 7 is left free. At the back of the
body between the bottom 6 and the lower edge of the back
wall 1 the opening 8 is left free.
The top of the body between the top of the back
wall 1 and the top of the front edge part 4 the opening
9 is left free. This opening 9 gives access to the
supply chamber 10 for clean (unused) product, which is
in the form of one or more packets llA, llB, etc. The
cross section of the opening 9 to the supply chamber 10
is at least as great as the cross section of this supply
chamber. This supply chamber 10 is formed by the front
wall 12, side walls of which only one side wall 13 is
shown in the drawing, and the bottom 14. This bottom 14
is provided with an outlet slit 15, which is located
rearwardly of the centerline of the bottom 14 and which
runs along substantially the entire length of the supply
chamber. This outlet slit 15 has an outlet funnel 16
for guiding the web of product 17.
The web of product llA, that rests on the lower
side of the supply chamber 10 on the bottom 14,
comprises a zigzag folded web of product. From the
lower side this product 17 runs through the slit 15 to
the bottom of guide roll 13, thence upward to the upper
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guide roller 19, in order to then run downward behind
the (not shown) hood and the front 3. The product web
17 leaves the front of the housing through the opening 7
and forms a downward loop 20 in the dispensing space and
reenters via the opening 8.
Above the opening 8 the web 20 runs between a guide
plate 21, which flattens material, if creased, and the
back wall 1, to be guided over the rounded top of the
guide plate 21 to the pressure roller 22. This pressure
roller 22 presses against the roller 23, on which the
used product 20 is collected as a roll. The part 24
between the top of the guide plate 21 and the pressure
roller 22 is kept pressed against the pressure roller 22
by the guide plate 25, which is pivotly fastened above
the guide plate 21 to the inside of the back wall 1 and
keeps the part 24 taut. Thus return of the product web
is not possible. So to adapt to the variable diameter
of the used material roller 23 the pressure roller is
furthermore movable in a slanting upward and downward
direction in the guides 26, which are fastened to the
side wall of the body. Furthermore the guide 27 ensures
that the web 2~ cannot get any transverse deviations.
The guide roller 19 on the upper side of the
apparatus is also vertically movable in the guide 28.
The upper side of the product packet llA is
provided with a two sided adhesive strip 29 r as is the
lower side of the higher packet llB. By removing the
cover strip from the adhesive outside of this adhesive
strip and pressing both packets together, the coupling
between the upper end layer of the bottom packet llA and
the lower beginning layer oE the top packet lls is
formed. This ensures that the user always gets an
uninterrupted supply of unused or clean product 17.
After product 17 has moved into the loop 20 and has been
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used for drying the hands, the product is rolled up into
the roller 23 which is interconnected with roller 18 so
that rotation of roller 18 causes a corresponding
rotation of roller 23. When this roll on roller 23 has
reached suitable dimensions it can be removed from the
apparatus via opening 7 or removable bottom 6 by service
personnel. Service personnel can also add through the
inlet opening 9 one or more additional packets 11 and
couple these to a packet already present. The inlet
opening 9 can suitably be provided with a (not shown~
removable lid or be closed off by the (not shown) hood.
A web of product paper can be used which is
reinforced with a fabric or fleece of synthetic
material. It is however also possible to use a textile
fabric from natural or synthetic fibers or of mixtures
thereof. When the web of product paper has been used,
the collected roll 23 will normally be thrown away.
When textile material is used~ this will in most cases,
be used after washing.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows: the
user pulls with both hands on the web 17, where this
leaves the opening 7 of the body and obtains a length of
clean unused towel 20. As the rollers 18 and 23 are
rotatably inter-connected by (not shown) means, the
used, dirty web 20 is automatically rolled up on the
roller 23 by this pull. Furthermore (not shown)
optionally adjustable means are present for adjusting
the length of the towel and blocking a new dispensing
during an adjustable time after the last dispensin~.
Although this invention is described in terms of
specific embodiments, as is apparent to those s~illed in
the art, numerous variations and modifications of the
invention are possible other than those described
without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
