Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02326872 2000-11-24
STACKABLE CORELESS ROLL CARRIAGE UNIT ADAPTER FOR DISPENSERS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to adapters for rolled material
dispensers, and more particularly to adapters for rolled material dispensers
which
permit a dispenser of cored rolls of material to dispense coreless rolls of
material.
BACKGROUND
Commercial and consumer absorbent paper products such as toilet tissue and
paper towels are typically distributed and dispensed in roli form, and nearly
always
include a hollow cylindrical core that the product is wrapped about. While the
core
may be formed of many different materials, the core is frequently formed of
some type
of cardboard, which may be glued togethet- and to the product so that the core
stays
intact and the product does not separate from the core. The product is then
dispensed by mounting the roll on a spindle, such as can be found on the
common
bathroom toilet roll dispenser, that passes through or otherwise penetrates
the inner
space of the core. Some dispensers include pegs that penetrate the hollow
space
within the core for only a limited extent, as demonstrated in U.S. Patents
390,084 and
2,905,404 to Lane and Simmons, respectively.
Dispensers for multiple cored rolls of paper material, such as rolls of
bathroom
tissue, are also well known in the art. With typical conventional dispensers
of this
type, two rolls of tissue are vertically oriented within the dispenser so that
the top roll
falls into a dispensing position when the bottom roll is depleted. Generally,
these
dispensers are configured for conventional cored rolls incorporating a hollow
core or
spindle which extends through the roll, the ends of the spindle engaging slots
or
pathways which are defined in the interior surfaces of the dispensers.
A recent development in the industry of rolled paper products is solid or
"coreless" rolls of material, such as, for example, bathroom tissue paper.
These solid
or coreless rolls do not contain a hollow spindle or hollow core of any type.
In many
instances, these solid or coreless rolls are formed of material which is wound
throughout the diameter of the roll. In such rolls, a divot, recess or detent
may be
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CA 02326872 2000-11-24
formed in each side of the paper roll which define a rotational axis for the
roll.
As used herein, the term "coreless roll" further includes those rolls which
are
formed from material which is wound substantially, but not entirely,
throughout the
diameter of the roll. A coreless roll which is wound substantially throughout
its
diameter would lack a conventional cardboard or plastic core but would still
incorporate a central aperture through the roll at the center of the roll
along the length
of the winding axis. Coreless rolls of this type are disclosed in, for
example, U.S.
Patent Nos. 5,669,576; 5,467,936; 5,387,284; 5,281,386; 5,271,575; and
5,271,137.
Coreless rolls disclosed by these patents are formectby winding the material
about a mandrel and then removing the roll from the mandrel so that the roll
includes
a central aperture which extends entirely through the width of the roll along
the
winding axis. The central aperture may generally serve as a mounting divot,
recess or
detent although its depth will be the entire length of the central aperture
along the
winding axis. Accordingly, the depth of such a mounting hole would be equal to
the
entire width of the coreless roll.
As used herein, the "width" of the roll refers to the distance between a first
flat
end of the coreless roll that defines a mounting hole and a second flat end of
the
coreless roll that defines a mounting hole. Desirably, each flat end of the
coreless roll
defines a mounting hole at substantially the center of the winding axis of the
roll and
at least one, and desirably each, mounting hole has a depth and has sides
generally
perpendicular to the end of the roll, the sides being separated by a distance
that is
less than the depth of the hole.
There are advantages and disadvantages associated with the coreless rolls.
Coreless rolls are ecologically superior to cored rolls because no adhesives
or
throwaway materials are used to make the product. In addition, more product
can be
provided in the space that would otherwise have been occupied by the core.
Cored
rolls are more expensive to manufacture than coreless rolls because of the
expense
of making the cores and joining the cores to the product. In addition,
coreless rolls
have the advantage of being subject to less pilferage in commercial locations
because
of their inherent incompatibility with conventional dispensers.
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CA 02326872 2000-11-24
A disadvantage of coreless rolls is that conventional dispensers are unable to
dispense multiple solid or coreless rolls because they do not hold the
coreless rolls
within the dispensers and maintain the rolls in proper alignment. Thus, when a
user
desires to switch from conventional rolls incorporating a hollow core or
spindle to
coreless rolls, a new dispenser must be purchased and installed. To avoid this
additional cost and labor, an adapter is needed which enables a user to easily
and
inexpensively adapt a conventional roll dispenser to dispense coreless rolls
of
material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an adapter for a dual roll, vertically
stacked
dispenser. The adapter includes, in selected embodiments, a frame which fits
within
a dispenser of conventional cored rolls of material. In selected embodiments,
the
frame may include a base and a pair of spaced apart side rails, each side rail
extending upwardly from the base. In such an embodiment, a rear support may
also
be provided which extends upwardly from the base and may be positioned with
respect to the side rails so as to form a channel. In some embodiments, an
upper rail
may be provided which extends between and is attached to an upper portion of
each
of the spaced apart side rails and the rear support.
At least one carriage unit is provided in the present invention, each carriage
unit
having a pair of spaced apart arms. In certain embodiments, a crossbar may be
provided which may extend between the spaced apart arms. Each arm may include
an outboard surface and an inboard surface. An outboard pin may be disposed on
the outboard surface of each arm, the outboard pin being configured to
slidably
engage the dispenser. In certain embodiments, the outboard pin may engage a
channel within the dispenser. An inboard pin may be provided, the inboard pin
being
rotatably attached to the inboard surface of each arm. The inboard pin is also
adapted to engage a coreless roll of material.
A locking mechanism may further be provided which releasably locks the
carriage unit to the frame. In particular embodiments of the present
invention, the
locking mechanism may include a flexible locking finger disposed upon each
arm. In
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CA 02326872 2000-11-24
such an embodiment, the carriage unit may be inserted into the frame until the
crossbar is positioned proximate to the rear support and the locking finger on
each
arm engages one of the side rails of the frame, re(easabiy locking the
carriage unit to
the frame. Thus, the carriage unit is slidably retained within the channel of
the frame.
The carriage unit may further include two brackets, each bracket slidably
attached to one of the arms of the carriage unit so that the motion of each
bracket
along the arm of the carriage unit is substantially perpendicular to the
motion of the
carriage unit along the frame.
The present invention further encompasses a carriage unit adapter for solid or
coreless rolls of paper material that are dispensed in a roli dispenser having
slots
defined on inner surfaces of side wail members thereof for receipt of said
adapter and
a back wall positioned a distance from the slots that is slightly greater than
the radius
of a solid or coreless roll, the solid or coreless rolls having recesses
defined in sides
thereof defining a rotating axis for said solid or coreless rolls.
According to the invention, the carriage unit adapter includes a pair of
spaced
apart arms joined by a connecting member having a front surface and a back
surface,
each arm having an outboard surface and an inboard surface including: (i) an
outboard pin disposed on the outboard surface, the outboard pin configured to
slidably engage a slot on an inner surface of a side wall member of the
dispenser;
and (ii) an inboard pin attached to the inboard surface, the inboard pin
configured to
engage a coreless roll of material. Each arm has a length measured from the
back
surface of the connecting member to the center of the outboard pin that is
greater
than the distance between the slots and the back wall of the dispenser so that
the
back surface of the connecting member contacts the back wall of the dispenser
to
force the connecting member out of the same planar dimension as the outboard
pins
as they engage the slots. This permits the carriage unit to hold said roll
within the roll
dispenser while allowing said carriage unit to move along the slots defined in
said roll
dispenser to a dispensing position without interfering with the positioning of
subsequent rolls.
In an aspect of the invention, each spaced apart arm can be offset to orient
to
connecting member out of the same planar dimension as the outboard pins as
they
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CA 02326872 2000-11-24
engage the slots. For example, each spaced apart arm may be offset at an angle
ranging from about 10 degrees to about 75 degrees. As another example, each
spaced apart arm may be offset at an angle ranging from about 30 degrees to
about
50 degrees. As yet another example, each spaced apart arm may be offset at an
angle of about 40 degrees.
The carriage unit adapter may also include finger placement indicia and thumb
placement indicia on separate spaced apart arms. I
Another aspect of the present invention encompasses a stackable carriage unit
adapter for solid or coreless rolls of paper material that any dispensed in a
roll
dispenser having slots defined on inner surfaces of side wall members thereof
for
receipt of said adapter and a back wall positioned a distance from the slots
that is
slightly greater than the radius of a solid or coreless roll, the solid or
coreless rolls
having recesses defined in sides thereof defining a rotating axis for said
solid or
coreless rolls, the carriage unit adapter. In this aspect of the invention,
the stackable
carriage unit adapted includes a pair of spaced apart arms joined by a
connecting
member having a front surface and a back surface, each arm having an outboard
surface and an inboard surface including: (i) an outboard pin disposed on the
outboard surface, the outboard pin configured to slidably engage a slot on an
inner
surface of a side wall member of the dispenser; and (ii) an inboard pin
attached to the
inboard surface, the inboard pin configured to engage a coreless roll of
material. Each
arm has a length measured from the back surface of the connecting member to
the
center of the outboard pin that is greater than the distance between the slots
and the
back wall of the dispenser so that the back surface of the connecting member
contacts the back wall of the dispenser to force the connecting member out of
the
same planar dimension as the outboard pins as they engage the slots. This
configuration permits the stackable carriage unit hold the roll within the
roll dispenser
while allowing the carriage unit to move along the slots defined in the roll
dispenser to
a dispensing position.
Each arm of the stackable carriage unit also includes an upper surface and a
lower surface and a vertical separation element located on at least a portion
of the
upper surface of each of the spaced apart arms.
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According to the invention, the vertical separation elements each may have a
vertical height that is approximately the same as the radius of a full roll of
paper
material to be dispensed. This height may be adjusted for several factors
including,
but not limited to, the dimensions of the dispenser.
Generally speaking, the vertical separation element of a first stackable
carriage
unit is adapted to contact or engage at least a portion of the lower surfaces
of the
spaced apart arms of a second stackable carriage unit when the second carriage
unit
is positioned directly on top of the first carriage unit.
Desirably, the vertical separation element of the first stackable carriage
unit is
adapted to contact or engage at least a portion of the lower surfaces of the
spaced
apart arms of the second stackable carriage unit when the second carriage unit
is
positioned directly on top of the first carriage unit and when the roll of
paper product
held in the first carriage unit is substantialfy depleted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an adapter according to the
present invention.
Figure 2 is a front view of an adapter according to the present invention, the
adapter utilizing two carriage units.
Figure 3 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the adapter including a frame
and a carriage unit.
Figure 4 is a top view of an adapter according to the present invention,
illustrating the carriage unit engaging the frame.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a dispenser including an adapter according
to
the present invention.
Figure 6 is a side view of an adapter according to the present invention, the
adapter utilizing two carriage units.
Figure 7 is a rear view of an embodiment of the adapter.
Figure 8 is a view of a dispenser which may be utilized with the adapters of
the
present invention.
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CA 02326872 2000-11-24
Figure 9 is a left perspective view of an exemplary carriage unit adapter.
Figure 10 is a right perspective view of an exemplary carriage unit adapter.
Figure 11 is an enlarged view of a side wall of an exemplary dispenser
illustrating an arrangement of multiple carriage unit adapters and coreless
rolls.
Figure 12 is an enlarged view of a side wall of an exemplary dispenser
illustrating an arrangement in which a second carriage unit adapter and
coreless roll
has dropped into dispensing position.
Figure 13 is a perspective view of an exemplary dispenser and further
illustrates
exemplary carriage unit adapters and coreless rolls.
Figure 14 is a left perspective view of an exemplary stackable carriage unit
adapter.
Figure 15 is a right perspective view of an exemplary stackable carriage unit
adapter.
Figure 16 is an enlarged view of a side wall of an exemplary dispenser
illustrating an arrangement in which a second stackable carriage unit adapter
and
coreless roll has dropped into dispensing position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The adapter of the present invention permits multiple solid or coreless rolls
of
material to be dispensed from dispensers originally configured to dispense
conventional rolls of material, each such roll having a hollow tube or core
through
which a spindle may be inserted. It is contemplated that configurations of the
adapters may work with both hollow core rolls and solid or coreless rolls.
Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention,
one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is
provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not meant as a limitation
of the
invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one
embodiment
can be used in another embodiment to yield still a further embodiment. It is
intended
that the present invention cover such modifications and variations coming
within the
scope and spirit of the invention.
7
CA 02326872 2000-11-24
The present invention is illustrated and described in relation to a dispenser
for
bathroom tissue only for illustrative purposes, and this should not be
interpreted as a
limitation of the invention. It should be understood and appreciated that the
present
invention has uses in any application wherein coreless rolls of material, and
not
necessarily paper material, are to be dispensed from a dispensing device. Some
other materials include, for example, non-woven fabrics, films, textiles,
screens,
meshes, and composites or laminates including one or more of the above.
As used herein, the term "coreless" refers to rolls which do not include a
hollqw
tube or hollow core through which a spindle device may be inserted. Thus, a
roll of
material having a solid or non-hollow core is referred to herein as a coreless
roll of
material. Additionally, a roll of material which is wound substantially
through its
diameter and having a central aperture which extends along the winding axis is
also
considered to be a coreless roll of material.
The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached
figures. An adapter for a dual roll, vertically stacked dispenser is
illustrated in Figure 1
at 10. Selected embodiments of the adapter include a frame 14. Although the
frame
14 may have many configurations, the frame 14 of the embodiment shown in
Figure 1
is approximately C-shaped. The frame 14 may be a single piece, unitary
construction,
or may be comprised of a plurality of interconnected members.
In the embodiment depicted in Figure 1, the frame 14 includes an upper portion
16 and a lower portion 18. A base 20 is provided, the base 20 including a pair
of side
edges 22 and 24, a front edge 26 and a rear edge 28. A pair of spaced apart
side
rails 30 and 32 extend upwardly from the base 20 proximate to the side edges
22 and
24, respectively. A rear support 40 may be provided which extends upwardly
from the
base 20 proximate to the rear edge 28. The rear support 40 may include an
inboard
surface 42. As illustrated in Figure 2, the side rails 30 and 32 may include
the inboard
surfaces 34 and 36, respectively. An upper rail 44 may also be included in the
frame
14. The upper rail 44 may be attached to and extend between the upper portion
46 of
the side rail 30, the upper portion 48 of the side rail 32, and the upper
portion 50 of
the rear support 40: As best shown in Figures 3 and 4, the frame 14 forms a
channel
.38 extending along at least a portion of the length of the frame 14.
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The frame 14 may be formed as a single unitary construction or multiple
sections of interconnected materials. In some embodiments, the frame 14 may be
substantially solid. In such embodiments, a plurality of grooves, apertures,
and raised
surfaces may be formed in the frame to enable the frame to properly engage the
carriage units and dispense coreless rolls of material. -
The frame and carriage units of the present invention may be formed from a
variety of materials, such as, for example, metals, ceramics, plastics, and
combinations of such and similar materials.
In the embodiment depicted in Figure 1, a single carriage unit 52 is shown.
The
carriage unit 52 depicted therein is adapted to carry a single roll of
material which is
shown at 13 in Figure 5. As best depicted in Figures 2, 6 and 7, multiple
carriage
units may be utilized within the frame 14 so that multiple rolls of material
13 may be
dispensed therefrom. Additionally, a single carriage unit 52 may be configured
to
carry a plurality of rolls of material. Selected embodiments of the carriage
unit 52 may
be configured to fit directly into a dispenser, eliminating the need for a
frame.
The embodiment of the carriage unit 52 depicted in Figure 3 includes a
crossbar
54 having an outboard surface 56. The carriage unit 52 may further include a
pair of
arms 58 and 60, each arm extending from and attached to the crossbar 54. The
arms
58 and 60 are spaced apart from each other and, in selected embodiments, are
parallel to each other. In other embodiments, the arms 58 and 60 may be
variously
angled with respect to one another. Each arm 58 and 60 includes an inboard
surface
62 and 64, respectively, as well as an outboard surface 66 and 68,
respectively.
As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, each carriage unit 52 may be inserted into the
channel 38 formed by the frame 14. The carriage unit 52 may be releasably
locked to
the frame 14 so that the carriage unit is slidable along the channel 38 of the
frame 14,
but does not slide out of the channel 38 and disengage the frame 14. In such
embodiments, a locking mechanism may be provided which releasably locks the
carriage unit 52 to the frame 14. Numerous locking mechanisms may be utilized
in the
present invention to releasably locking the carriage unit 52 to the frame 14.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, locking mechanisms 71 and 73,
respectively, are disposed on arms 58 and 60, respectively, of the carriage
unit 52. As
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CA 02326872 2000-11-24
best shown in Figures 1 and 6, the locking mechanisms 71 and 73 include the
apertures 74 and 76 which are formed in the arms 58 and 60, respectively.
Disposed
within each of the apertures 74 and 76 are the flexible locking fingers 78 and
80,
respectively. As best illustrated in Figure 3, each locking finger includes a
locking
shoulder 82 and a ramp 84. As the carriage unit 52 slides into engagement with
the
frame 14, the ramp 84 of each locking finger contacts the side rail 30 or 32.
As the
carriage unit 52 is further inserted into the channel 38, the locking fingers
78 and 80
are flexed inboard and away from the respective side rail of the frame 14.
After the
carriage unit 52 has been sufficiently seated into the charinel 38 so that the
outboard
surface 56 of the crossbar 54 is as close as desired to the inboard surface 42
of the
rear support 40, best shown in Figure 1, the end of each ramp 84 is reached.
The
locking fingers 78 and 80 are then able to flex outwardly to their unbiased
positions.
The shoulder 82 of each locking finger 78 and 80 prevent the carriage unit 52
from
withdrawing from the channel 38, as the shoulder 82 engages the back surface
of the
respective side rail. Thus, the locking fingers 78 and 80 maintain the
carriage unit in
engagement with the frame 14 while permitting the carriage unit 52 to freely
slide
within the channel 38 of the frame 14.
In certain embodiments and as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6, each arm 58 and 60
may include a bracket 86 and 88, respectively. Each bracket 86 and 88 may be
slidably or fixedly attached to the arms 58 and 60, respectively, of each
carriage unit
52. The brackets 86 and 88 each include an outboard surface 90 and 92,
respectively,
and an inboard surface 94 and 96, respectively. In embodiments which do not
include
a bracket 86 or 88, the inboard surfaces 94 and 96 and outboard surfaces 90
and 92
are formed on the arms 58 and 60, respectively.
Inboard pins 104 and 106 are disposed on the inboard surfaces 94 and 96,
respectively. Each inboard pin 104 and 106 is adapted to engage solid or
coreless
rolls which have recesses or divots defined in the vertical sides thereof that
also may
define a rotating axis for the solid or coreless rolls. Specifically, the
inboard pins 104
and 106 engage the recesses, divots, detents or aperture of the roll of
material.
Alternate embodiments of the inboard pins 104 and 106 may be configured to
engage
rolls of materials having solid or hollow cores. In the embodiments depicted
in Figures
CA 02326872 2000-11-24
3 and 4, each inboard pin 104 and 106 is rotatable with respect to the inboard
surfaces 94 and 96, respectively, so that, when the inboard pin 104 or 106
engages
the coreless roll, the roll rotates and material may be removed therefrom.
Various
configurations of the inboard pins may accomplish this.
In some embodiments, the inboard pins 104 and 106 and outboard pins 98 and
100 may be removably attached to their respective surfaces so that a user may
install
inboard pins configured for a particular type of rolled material and outboard
pins
configured for a particular dispenser. In such embodiments, the user may
remove the
pins and install differently configured pins which may be adapted for a
different
purpose. Additionally, pins which are removably attached enable a user to
easily
replace worn or broken pins. As shown in Figure 7, the outboard pins may be
configured so that the outermost portion of the pin is spaced apart from the
arms 58
and 60. The distance by which the outermost portion of the pin is spaced from
the
arms may be varied to meet the requirements of a particular dispenser.
In selected embodiments, the brackets 86 and 88 are slidably attached to the
arms 58 and 60. In some embodiments, this will permit a roll of material 13 to
be
loaded onto the brackets 86 and 88 without necessitating removal of the
carriage unit
52 from the frame 14. In selected embodiments, the direction of motion of the
brackets 86 and 88 along the arms 58 and. 60, respectively, of the carriage
unit 52 is
substantially normal to the direction of motion of the carriage unit 52 within
the
channel 38 of the frame 14.
The adapter 10 of the present invention is useful with a variety of dispensers
for
storing and dispensing multiple rolls of a solid or coreless rolled material.
Many such
dispensers includes a dispenser frame having side wall members, a front cover,
and a
dispensing opening on a front side thereof. The side wall members may have
generally vertically oriented and oppositely facing slots or pathways defined
on inside
surfaces thereof.
One such dispenser 110 is shown in Figure 8 which is formed of a dispenser
frame 112 having side walls 114. The side walls 114 include an inner surface
116.
The dispenser 110 also may include a front cover member 118 that pivots away
from
the dispenser frame 112 at pivot points 120. The cover 118 may also include an
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CA 02326872 2000-11-24
opening defining the dispensing position of the lowermost roll and may further
include
vertical arms 122 that attach to the dispenser frame 112 at the pivot point
120.
Alternatively, a bottom portion of the dispenser may contain an opening that
defines
the dispensing position for the lowermost roll. A rocker arm 124 is
illustrated as
housed within the structure 126 defining a slot 128. The operation of rocker
arm 124
is also understood by those skilled'in the art and generally serves to hold an
upper roll
of material above the dispensing position of a lower roll untit the lower roll
has been
depleted. When such a dispenser is used with the adapter 10 of the present
invention, the outboard pins 98 and 100, shown in Figure 1, engage the slots
128.
Once the lower roll has been depleted, a carriage unit 52 carrying the lower
roll slides
downward to a lowermost position in the slots 128, which allows the rocker arm
124 to
pivot and permit the upper roll of material to fall into the dispensing
position.
A more detailed explanation of the dispenser frame and components is not
necessary for purposes 6f the present disclosure. Such conventional dispensers
have typically been used to dispense multiple vertical rolls of tissue paper
having
hollow cores.
In selected embodiments, the inboard pins 104 and 106 of the carriage unit 52
may extend at least partially into the divot or recess defined in the side of
the roll and
also may include a rolling surface against which the additional vertically
disposed roll
may rest and rolls within the dispenser once the first solid core roll held by
the
adapters has been used. In other words, once a first roll of material is
depleted,
desirably the second vertically oriented roll will fall into a dispensing
position within the
dispenser and the carriage unit will fall to the bottom of the dispenser slots
and be
retained therein until the dispenser is opened for replacement of the rolls.
When the
second roll falls into its dispensing position, the circumference of the
second roll will
rest on and roll against the inboard pins 104 and 106, particularly on the
rolling
surface defined by the inboard pins. In one embodiment, the rolling surface
may be
generally horizontal. In an alternative embodiment, the rolling surface may be
conical
in shape. Any number of various shapes and configurations may be used to
define
such rolling surfaces.
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The adapter may be secured to the dispenser in a variety of ways, including
using mechanical fasteners, adhesive or the like. In selected embodiments, it
may be
desirable to releasably secure the adapter to the dispenser, as this permits
the
adapter to be easily removed so that the dispenser may be quickly converted to
dispense cored rolls of material or coreless rolls of material.
Referring now to Figure 9, there is shown not necessarily to scale, a
perspective
view of an exemplary carriage unit adapter 200. The carriage unit adapter 200
is for
solid or coreless rolls of paper material that are dispensed in a roll
dispenser 110 of
the type shown in Figure 8 having side walls 114 having slots 128 on inner
surfaces
116 thereof for receipt of said adapter and a back wall 300 positioned a
distance from
the slots that is slightly greater than the radius of a solid or coreless
roll, the solid or
coreless rolls having recesses defined in sides thereof defining a rotating
axis for said
solid or coreless rolls.
According to the invention, the carriage unit adapter 200 includes a pair of
spaced apart arms 202 joined by a connecting member 204 having a front surface
206 and a back surface 208. Each arm has an outboard surface 210 and an
inboard
surface 212. An outboard pin 214 is disposed on the outboard surface 210, the
outboard pin is configured to slidably engage a slot 128 on an inner surface
116 of a
side wall 114 of the dispenser 110 (see Figure 8). An inboard pin 216 attached
to the
inboard surface 212, the inboard pin 216 is configured to engage a coreless
roll of
material. The outboard pin 214 and/or the inboard pin 216 may be fixed or
configured
to rotate.
Each arm 202 has a length "L" measured from the back surface 208 of the
connecting member 204 to the center of the outboard pin 214 that is greater
than a
distance "D" between the slots 128 and the back wall 300 of the dispenser 110
(see
Figure 8) so that the back surface 208 of the connecting member 204 contacts
the
back wall 300 of the dispenser 110 to force the connecting member 204 out of
the
same planar dimension "P" as the outboard pins 214 as they engage the slots
128.
This permits the carriage unit 200 to hold the roll within the roll dispenser
110 while
allowing said carriage unit to move along the slots 128 of the roll dispenser
to a
dispensing position without interfering with the positioning of subsequent
rolls.
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This is shown in greater detail in Figures 11 and 12. In Figure 11, two
coreless
rolls of product are held in separate carriage units 200. The outboard pin 214
engages
the slot 128. As can been seen, the length "L" is greater than the distance
"D". This
causes the connecting member 204 to be positioned in planar dimension "C" that
is
not the same as planar dimension "P" in which the outboard pin 214 is located.
In
Figure 12, it can be seen that one of the coreless rolls is depleted and a
carriage unit
200 had dropped to the bottom of the dispenser and a second or reserve roll
and its
corresponding carriage unit adapter has dropped down to a dispensing position.
Figure 13 gives a overall perspective view of how the coreless rolls and
carriage
unit adapters 200 are fitted into the dispenser 110.
Referring now to Figure 10, there is shown a perspective view of a carriage
unit
adapter. Each spaced apart arm 202 can be offset to orient to connecting
member
204 so it is out of the same planar dimension "P" as the outboard pins 214 as
the pins
engage the slots 128. For example, each spaced apart arm may be offset at an
angle 0 ranging from about 10 degrees to about 75 degrees. As another example,
each spaced apart arm may be offset at an angle 0 ranging from about 30
degrees
to about 50 degrees. As yet another example, each spaced apart arm may be
offset
at an angle (P of about 40 degrees.
The carriage unit adapter 200 may also include finger placement indicia 250
and
thumb placement indicia 252 (see Figure 9) on separate spaced apart arms. In
this
particular configuration, the finger and thumb placement indicia are position
for the
carriage unit adapter to be gripped by an individual's right hand. These
indicia help an
individual gripping the carriage unit adapter to hold it properly so that the
connecting
member is oriented upward (i.e., toward the top of a dispenser) so the
carriage unit
holds the roll within said roll dispenser while allowing said carriage unit to
move along
said slots defined in said roll dispenser to a dispensing position.
Importantly, if the
carriage unit adapter was gripped incorrectly and installed upside down, the
roll would
not dispense properly.
The finger placement indicia 250 may have a smaller area than the thumb
placement indicia 252 to generally correspond to the contact area of the
respective
14
CA 02326872 2000-11-24
finger and thumb on the carriage unit when gripped correctly. It may be
desirable to
use different textures or patterns for each indicia. For example, the finger
placement
indicia 250 may be a series of insets or grooves and the thumb placement
indicia 252
may be a series of bumps or ridges to provide different tactile properties to
help an
individual identify the proper grip points that produce to the correct
installation
position.
Referring now to Figure 14, there is shown not necessarily to scale, a
perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the carriage unit adapter 200
which
is configured or adapted to be stackable. The carriage unit is essentially the
same as
the unit shown in Figure 9. However, the stackable unit also includes vertical
separation elements.
In particular, each spaced apart arm 202 further includes an upper surface 400
and a lower surface 402. A vertical separation element 404 is located on at
least a
portion of the upper surface 400 of each of the spaced apart arms 202.
Generally speaking, the vertical separation elements 404 each may have a
vertical height "H" that is approximately the same as the radius of a full
roll of paper
material to be dispensed. This height may be adjusted for several factors
including,
but not limited to, the dimensions of the dispenser.
During conventional operation, as shown for example in Figure 11, a dispensing
roll and a reserve roll are held in place. As the lower dispensing roll
becomes
depleted, the roll and carriage unit drops down or slides down the slots in
the inner
surfaces of the dispenser.
However, in some situations, as the lower dispensing roll becomes
substantially
depleted, the reserve roll drops down on top of the dispensing roll.
According to an embodiment of the invention shown at, for example in Figure
16,
the vertical separation element 404 of a first carriage unit 200 is adapted to
contact or
engage at least a portion of the lower surfaces 402 of the spaced apart arms
202 of a
second carriage unit 200' when the second carriage unit is positioned directly
on top
of the first carriage unit.
Desirably, the vertical separation element 404 of the first carriage unit 200
is
adapted to contact or engage at least a portion of the lower surfaces 402 of
the
CA 02326872 2000-11-24
spaced apart arms 202 of the second carriage unit 200' when the roll of paper
product
held in the first carriage unit is substantially depleted.
The vertical separation elements 404 of the lower or bottom carriage unit 200
should have sufficient height "H" so that when they contact at least a portion
of the
lower surfaces 402 of the upper or second carriage unit 200' holding a reserve
roll,
sufficient separation exists to create a gap 406 between the substantially
depleted
dispensing roll and the reserve roll held by the upper or second carriage
unit. The
gap 406 need only have sufficient dimension to prevent the reserve roll from
interfering with easy and reliable dispensing of the substantially depleted
dispensing
roll. For example, the gap 406 may be one or two millimeters. Desirably, the
gap 406
- may be about five millimeters. It is contemplated that the gap 406 may be
greater than
five millimeters, such as ten, fifteen or twenty millimeters or greater.
It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the particular
dimensions
of the adapters of the present invention will vary depending on the type of
dispenser
used. It is well within the purview of one skilled in the art to determine the
optimal
dimensions for these adapters depending on the type of dispenser the adapters
are
intended to be used with. It should also be appreciated by those skilled in
the art that
various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. The
present inventive adapters are described and illustrated as utilized in
dispensers. It is
within the scope and spirit of the invention that the adapters be used with
any type of
dispenser wherein multiple rolls of solid or coreless material are housed and
moved
therein to a dispensing position. The adapters are not limited to use with
dispensers.
It is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and
variations as
come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents.
16
