Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a di~pPn~Pr for dispensing a web
of matPri~l from a spirally-~und roll of such m~t~Pri~l.
It is common to ~i~pen~P~ web m~teri~l from a container mounted
at a convenient location such as a wall. The web m~tPri~l may be a paper
towel supplied as a roll and requiring replacement from time to time as the rollof paper towel is used. Such ~ pen~prs must not only be sturdy but must also
be able to dispense the web m~teri~l in a controlled manner to avoid wastage
and offer m~ximum convenience for the users.
There have been a number of approaches to fii~pen~Prs of this
nature but most have utilized relatively complicated mech~ni~m~ to control the
supply of web m~tPri~l from a roll. Others require a relatively complicated
procedure to replace the roll or inhibit access to the ~lispen~p~r during such
replacement.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
novel dispenser which obviates or miti~tPs at least one of the above-identified
disadvantages.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a dispenser to dispense a web of m~tPri~l spirally-wound about a
central bore, said dispenser comprising:
a housing;
a pair of generally cylindrical projections adapted to extend from
and frictionally engage opposite ends of said bore in a manner to inhibit relative
movement between said web of m~tPri~l and said projections; and
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a pair of support members secured to said housing at spaced
locations, each support member having an opening therein with a peripheral
wall to receive a respective one of said projections, and a passageway extendingupwardly from said openillg to the exterior of said support member to permit
insertion of a ~ e one of said projections in said opening, said
passageways being na~r~v~;l than said openings to ",~in~i.in said projections insaid openillgs, said peripheMl walls frictionally eng~ging said projections to
impart drag thereon during movement of said projections relative to said
support members.
PrefeMbly, each of the projections is tubular and passes through
the passageway by flexure of the walls of the support member. This permits
convenient replacement of the web of m~tPri~l while providing for a simple
construction to m~int~in control of the t~i~pencing of the web of m~tlori~l.
It is also pl~rt;lled that each projection is formed on an insert
having a flange to limit movement of the insert into the bore.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described
more fully with reference to the accolllpallying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a geneMI perspective view of a dispenser;
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the dispenser shown in Figure 1
with portions removed for clarity of illustr~tion;
Figure 3 is a view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 with a roll of web
m~teri~l shown in chain dot line for clarity;
Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the dispenser shown
in Figure 3 illustrating ~ ive positions of colllponents of the dispenser;
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Figure 5 is a view of the underside of the dispenser shown in
Figure l;
Figure 6 is a view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the (lispen~pr in
an ~ltPrn~tP, position; and
Figure 8 is a view on the line 8-8 of Figure 4.
RPf-Prlin~ now to Figure 1, a ~ pçn~Pr is shown and is generally
indiç~tPd by reference numeral 10. The dispenser 10 include~ a housing 11
having a base 12 and a lid 14. The base 12 includes a pair of upstanding
sidewalls 16 int~l~o~ P~t~P~ by a rear wall 18 and a floor 20. Projecting
upwardly and îol~d~dly from the floor 20 is a lip 22 forming a front wall.
The lid 14 has an upper curved panel 24 in~Pgr~lly formed with
a pair of side panels 26. The lid 14 is pivotally mounted for movement about
a horizontal axis by pivot pins 28 that extend between the upper rear corners
of the sidewalls 16 and the side panels 26 respectively.
As can best be seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4, a support member 30
is mounted on the interior face of each sidewall 16. The support members 30
are secured to the sidewalls 16 by intPgr~lly molded clips 32 that pass through
apel~ules 34 formed in the sidewalls 16 (see Figure 8). Each support member
30 has a centrally located opening 36 with peripheral sidewalls 38 d~Pfining theopening 36. The openings 36 form the major portion of a circle. A
passageway 40 extends from an upper edge 42 of each support member 30 to
the opening 36 and has a pair of convergent sidewalls 44.
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Each of the support members 30 is adapted to support a
;speclive one of a pair of tubular plastic inserts 46. RPf~prring now to Figures2 and 4, one of the inserts 46 is illll~tr~tP~. As can be seen, each insert has a
cylin-lrit ~l projection 48 encomp~P~ by the peripheral sidewall 38 of one of
S the openillgs 36. The sidewalls 38 and the projections 48 are (1imPn~inned so
that the projections 48 fit tightly within the openings 36 causing the sidewalls38 to engage frictionally the projections 48 and retard, though not inhibit,
rotation of the inserts 46 relative to the support members 30. Each insert 46
also includes a radial flange 60 and a tubular tapered boss 62. Eight ribs 64
project radially from the boss 62. The boss 62 of each insert 46 is adapt_d to
fit tightly into an opposite end of a bore 70 at the core of a spirally-~und roll
of web m~teri~l 72. The bosses 62 engage frictionally the interior of the bore
70 so that they rotate with the roll of web m~tPri~l 72 rather than the roll of
web m~tP.ri~ laling on the inserts 46. The flanges 60 limit axially movement
of the inserts 46 in the bore 70 to ensure an applupliate spacing between the
cylindrical projections 48 at each end of the roll of web m~tPri~l 72. For
convenience, the inserts 46 are supplied with the roll of web m~tPri~l 72.
When the roll of web m~tPri~l 72 is mounted in the housing 11,
the m~tPri~l from the roll passes bt;lween the front panel 24 and the leading
edge of the lip 22. The lower edge 76 of the front panel 24 is serrated to
facilitate separation of portions of m~tPri~l from the roll of web m~tPri~l 72.
The lid 14 is secured in a closed position shown in Figures 1 and
2 by a latch device acting between the lid 14 and the base 12. As may best be
seen in Figure 5, the lower edge of each side panel 26 is formed with an
inwardly projecting tab 80. The tabs 80 are received in recesses 82 formed by
notches in the sidewalls 16 and floor 20. As shown in Figure 6, with the lid
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14 fully lowered, the tabs 80 are engaged in the recesses 82 to prevent upward
mavement of the lid 14 about the pivot pins 28 when m~ter1~l is sep~ P~I along
the SP~tP,d lower edge 76.
S The tabs are also operable to Ill~in~i,in the lid 14 in an open
position by çng~ing the upper edges 88 of the sidewalls 16. In this position,
the lid 14 is held in an elevated open position allowing access to the interior of
the housing 11 (see Figure 7). The side panels 26 are suffl~iPntly flexible to
allow the tabs 80 to be moved out of the recesses 82 in the direction of arrow
90 and pass along the sidewalls 16 when moving the lid 14 belween the closed
and opened positions. The resilience of the side panels 26 causes the tabs 80
to return to a position in which they overlap the upper edges 88 once the tabs
80 have cleared the top of the sidewalls 16.
To load the ~ p~Pn~Pr 10 with a roll of web m~tPri~l 72, the lid
14 is moved to the opened position as shown in Figure 7. The roll of m~tPri~l
72, with the inserts 46 fitted tightly in the ends of the bore 70, is inserted into
the housing 11 with each projection 48 resting on the convergent sidewalls 44
of one of the passageways 40. The roll of m~tPri~l 72 is then pushed down
causing spreading of the sidewalls 44 and entry of the projections 48 into the
openings 36 (see Figure 4). The openings 36 and projections 48 are
~lim~pnsioned so that the peripheral sidewalls 38 of the openings frictionally
engage the projections 48 to impart drag on the projections 48 as the plastic
inserts 46 rotate. l~tPri~l from the roll is then fed over the lip 22 and the lid
14 is moved to the closed position by oulward movement of the side panels 26.
This allows the tabs 80 to (li~Png~ge from the upper edges 88 of the sidewalls
16 and the lid 14 to be returned to the closed position in which the tabs 80
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engage the lccesses 82. Remaval of the roll of web m~tPri~l 72 is simply the
reverse of the aba~e.
In operation, the drag imparted on the inserts 46 permits m~tPri~l
S from the roll of m~tPri~l 72 to be ~ pcn~ in a controlled manner and avoids
the inertia of the roll ~ispPn~ing an excess qu~ltily of m~tPri~l. Remaval of the
inserts 46 from the bore 70 is straight-r~lwd~ and may be accomplished
without any specific tools or skills.
The base 12 and lid 14 may be integrally molded from a plastics
m~tPri~l allowing a very simple and inexpensive mode of construction.
Similarly, the support members 30 and plastic inserts 46 may also be molded
from plastics m~tPri~l to provide the nP~ry control over tolerances and the
friction fit. Typically, an inlclrclellce fit of 0.025 inches is provided bclwcen
the projections 48 and the openillgs 36. The support members are suitably
formed from a plastics m~tPri~l that exhibits high wear char~c~ri~tics such as
nylon.
It will be seen therefore that a dispenser is provided which is
simple to operate and manufacture.
It will be appreciated that the inserts 46 could be replaced with
a tubular roller having an inlc~cnce fit within the bore 70.
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