Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DISPENSER
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a dispenser for tissue paper.
BACKGROUND
A dispenser for tissue paper may typically be arranged in a washroom. The
tissue paper
may be provided in rolls of tissue paper or in stacks of tissue paper. A
dispenser
arranged in a public or commercial facility which is highly frequented may be
provided
with a large reserve of tissue paper. For instance, the tissue paper may be
provided from
two seats, or positions, inside the dispenser.
US 6364245 discloses a dispenser for selectively dispensing first and second
rolls of
sheet material respectively wrapped around first and second cores. The
dispenser
includes a housing defining a storage compartment for the first and second
rolls and an
opening, a first and second core support structures disposed in the housing
for
respectively supporting differently sized first and second cores and a divider
slidably
carried by the housing and covering a portion of the opening. The divider is
movable
between a first dispensing position, wherein a first portion of the opening is
uncovered to
allow access to the first roll and a second portion of the opening is covered
to prevent
access to the second roll, and a second position, wherein the first portion of
the opening
is covered and the second portion the opening is uncovered to allow access to
the
second roll. The divider includes an adjustable blocking plate for preventing
movement
of the divider from the first dispensing position to the second dispensing
portion until
substantially all the sheet material has been exhausted from the first roll.
A dispenser for tissue paper has to be replenished more or less regularly. An
indication
of a tissue paper filling state of a dispenser may facilitate the work of
service personnel
responsible for replenishing the dispenser with tissue paper.
WO 2005/065509 discloses a system and method for measuring, monitoring and
controlling washroom dispensers and products. An apparatus for the dispensing
of
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product is provided. The apparatus includes a dispenser sensor unit. The
dispenser
sensor unit is configured for detecting information about the product and for
varying a
dispensing parameter of the dispenser. A data communications unit in
communication
with the dispenser sensor unit is provided and is configured for receiving
information
from the dispenser sensor unit. A washroom monitoring station in communication
with
the data communications unit may be present and may be configured for
receiving
information from the data communications unit. The dispenser sensor unit may
be
configured for receiving a communication so as to vary a dispensing parameter
of the
dispenser.
WO 2012/034590 SCA discloses a solution for detecting a level of a consumable
tissue
product in a tissue dispenser located in a washroom. This is provided in a
number of
aspects such as a tissue dispenser, a method, system, and a sensor unit
utilizing two
sensor elements each arranged to measure light reflected from a reflection
field located
on the tissue product itself, and arranged to measure absence of the tissue
product.
Data from the sensor elements are wirelessly transmitted to a server for
further handling,
such as for instance notification to a janitor in charge of service of the
washroom.
A dispenser comprising two seats, or positions, from which tissue paper may be
dispensed may be provided with a blocking arrangement. The blocking
arrangement
blocks access to one of the two seats such that dispensing of tissue paper
takes place
from only one of the seats until that particular seat is empty. Only then the
blocking
arrangement may be manipulated to provide access to the other seat for
dispensing
tissue paper therefrom.
SUMMARY
An object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser for tissue paper
with an
alternative arrangement for assisting service personnel in replenishing the
dispenser.
According to an aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a dispenser
for tissue
paper comprising a housing. The housing comprises a first seat for a first
roll or a first
stack of tissue paper and a second seat for a second roll or a second stack of
tissue
paper. The housing is provided with a first dispensing position and a second
dispensing
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position, from which first and second dispensing positions tissue paper is
graspable for
dispensing thereof. The dispenser comprises a blocking arrangement for
selectively
blocking either the first dispensing position or the second dispensing
position. The
dispenser comprises a sensor device arranged to sense at least one position of
the
blocking arrangement. The sensor device is connected to a control unit
arranged to
indicate a tissue paper filling state of the dispenser based on the sensed at
least one
position of the blocking arrangement.
Since the sensed at least one position of the blocking arrangement is utilized
by the
control unit to indicate a tissue paper filling state of the dispenser,
service personnel are
able to utilize the tissue paper filling state as a basis for planning
replenishing of the
dispenser with tissue paper. As a result, the above mentioned object is
achieved.
The dispenser may be adapted to be arranged in a washroom. The dispenser may
be
arranged to be attached to a structure such as a wall or a door. The housing
may
comprise one compartment, inside which the first and second seats are
provided.
Alternatively the dispenser may comprise two compartments, one for each of the
first
and second seats. The term "seat" is herein to be interpreted as any structure
or
arrangement suitable for supporting a roll of tissue paper or a stack of
tissue paper. An
example of a seat for a roll of tissue paper is a peg, which fits into a core
of the roll and
about which the roll may pivot. An example of a seat for a stack of tissue
paper is a
frame provided with a dispensing opening. The frame is sized such that the
stack abuts
against the frame around the dispensing opening. The term "dispensing
position" is
intended to define a portion of the housing from which a user is intended to
dispense
tissue paper. Accordingly, the blocking arrangement prevents dispensing of
tissue paper
from either the first dispensing position or the second dispensing position.
For each
dispensing position there may be provided a separate dispensing opening.
Alternatively,
there may be provided one dispensing opening for both dispensing positions.
According to embodiments, the blocking arrangement may comprise a movable lid
arranged to be positioned in a first blocking position and in a second
blocking position,
wherein in the first blocking position the movable lid prevents access to the
first
dispensing position and permits access the second dispensing position, and
wherein in
the second blocking position the movable lid prevents access to the second
dispensing
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position and provides access to the first dispensing position. The lid may be
arranged to
slide between the first and second blocking positions.
According to embodiments, the blocking arrangement may prevent the movable lid
from
being moved from the first blocking position to the second blocking position
unless the
second seat is substantially empty. In this manner it may be ensured that the
movable lid
is only movable to the second blocking position when the second seat is empty,
i.e. all
tissue paper in the second seat has been used. Thus, the second seat is
emptied before
access is provided to the first seat for dispensing tissue paper therefrom.
Replenishing of
the dispenser may thus be performed of a completely empty second seat.
According to embodiments, the blocking arrangement may prevent the movable lid
from
being moved from the second blocking position to the first blocking position
unless the
first seat is substantially empty. In this manner it may be ensured that the
movable lid is
only movable to the first blocking position when the first seat is empty, i.e.
all tissue
paper in the first seat has been used. Thus, the first seat is emptied before
access is
provided to the second seat for dispensing tissue paper therefrom.
Replenishing of the
dispenser may thus be performed of a completely empty first seat.
According to embodiments, the blocking arrangement may comprise a lever
mechanism
adapted to bear against rolls or stacks of tissue paper arranged in the first
and second
seats. The lever mechanism may be arranged to engage and release the movable
lid.
Thus, a level of tissue paper in the first and/or second seats may affect the
movable lid
and its movability between the first and second blocking positions.
According to embodiments, the lever mechanism may comprise a first linkage
arranged
to bear against the first roll or stack of tissue paper and a second linkage
arranged to
bear against the second roll or stack of tissue paper. In this manner a level
of tissue
paper in the first seat and the second seat may be detected.
According to embodiments, the at least one position of the blocking
arrangement sensed
by the sensor device may relate to one position of the lever mechanism.
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According to embodiments, the at least one position of the blocking
arrangement sensed
by the sensor device may relate to one position of the movable lid.
According to embodiments, the dispenser may comprise a sensing unit arranged
to
5 acknowledge replenishing of the dispenser with tissue paper. In this
manner a tissue
paper filling state of the dispenser may be reset to a state representing
filled first and
second seats. The sensing unit may be connected to the control unit.
According to embodiments, the sensor device may comprise an optical sensor
device.
According to embodiments, the optical sensor device may comprise a light
source and a
photosensitive element. Several alternative operations of the optical sensor
and the
control unit are envisaged. Depending on how the optical sensor is arranged in
relation
to the blocking arrangement, either light sensed by the optical sensor
indicates a filled
seat and absence of light indicates an empty seat, or light sensed by the
optical sensor
indicates an empty seat and absence of light indicates a filled seat.
Alternatively,
difference in light sensed by the optical sensor indicates a filled or an
empty seat. A
change in intensity of light from the light source received by the
photosensitive element
indicates that a seat has been emptied, either an increase in light intensity
or a decrease
in light intensity.
According to embodiments, the blocking arrangement may comprise a light
reflecting
surface arranged to reflect light from the light source towards the
photosensitive
element. In this manner reliability of the sensor device may be ensured by the
light being
reflected from the light source towards the photosensitive element.
According to embodiments, the sensor device and at least part of the blocking
arrangement may be arranged in an enclosure separate from the first and second
seats.
In this manner the sensor device may be protected from damage, e.g. when the
dispenser is replenished. Moreover, if the sensor device is an optical sensor
device, the
sensor device is not accidentally affected by light nor related to the sensor.
According to embodiments, the sensor device may be arranged to sense at least
two
positions of the blocking arrangement, and the control unit may be arranged to
indicate a
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tissue paper filling state of the dispenser based on the sensed at least two
positions of
the blocking arrangement.
According to embodiments, the control unit may be arranged to indicate a first
tissue
paper filling state indicating either an empty first seat or an empty second
seat, and a
second tissue paper filling state indicating empty first and second seats.
According to embodiments, the control unit may be arranged to indicate a third
tissue
paper filling state indicating at least partially filled first and second
seats.
The control unit may be arranged to indicate a fourth tissue paper filling
state indicating
filled first and second seats.
According to embodiments, the control unit may be arranged separate from the
dispenser and the sensor device may be arranged to communicate with the
control unit.
For instance, the sensor device may communicate wirelessly with the control
unit.
According to embodiments, the control unit may be arranged in the dispenser.
In this
manner a tissue paper filling state of the dispenser may be indicated directly
on the
dispenser, e.g. by one or more light sources indicating different tissue paper
filling
states.
According to embodiments, the control unit may communicate with, or may form
part of,
a data collection system configured for communicating tissue paper filling
states of the
dispenser to an operator. In this manner the operator may be informed of
tissue paper
filling states of the dispenser. The data collection system configured for
communicating
tissue paper filling states may for instance comprise a visual indication of a
relevant
tissue paper filling state of the dispenser. The data collection system may be
provided on
the dispenser itself or remote from the dispenser. In these embodiments the
data
collection system need not necessarily have any data storage capacity. The
data
collection system may only have the possibility to indicate a current tissue
paper filling
state of the dispenser.
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According to embodiments, the data collection system may be configured to
store data
for communicating tissue paper filling states of the dispenser to an operator.
In this
manner the operator may be informed of tissue paper filling states of the
dispenser in a
location remote from the dispenser, e.g. via message from the data collection
system to
a handheld device used by the operator. The operator may for instance upon
demand
retrieve the tissue paper filling state of the dispenser. The data collection
system
configured to store data may for instance be a data server.
Further features of, and advantages with, the present invention will become
apparent
when studying the appended claims and the following detailed description.
Those skilled
in the art will realize that different features of the present invention may
be combined to
create embodiments other than those described in the following, without
departing from
the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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:
Fig. 1 illustrates a dispenser for tissue paper according to embodiments,
Fig. 2 illustrates schematically a sensor device and a portion of the
dispenser illustrated
in Fig. 1, and
Figs. 3 and 4 each illustrates a dispenser for tissue paper according to
different
embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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. Well-known functions or constructions will not
necessarily be
described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.
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Fig. 1 illustrates a dispenser 2 for tissue paper according to embodiments.
The
dispenser 2 comprises a housing 4. The housing 4 comprises a first seat 6 for
a first roll
8 of tissue paper and a second seat 10 for a second roll 11 of tissue paper.
The housing
4 is provided with a first dispensing position 12 and a second dispensing
position 14. A
user may grasp tissue paper from the first and second dispensing positions 12,
14 for
dispensing tissue paper.
The dispenser 2 comprises a blocking arrangement 16 for selectively blocking
either the
first dispensing position 12 or the second dispensing position 14. The
blocking
arrangement 16 comprises a movable lid 18 arranged to be positioned in a first
blocking
position and in a second blocking position. In the first blocking position the
movable lid
18 prevents access to the first dispensing position 12 and permits access the
second
dispensing position 14. In the second blocking position the movable lid 18
prevents
access to the second dispensing position 14 and provides access to the first
dispensing
position 12. In Fig. 1 the movable lid 18 is illustrated in the first blocking
position. The
movable lid 18 is slidably attached to the housing 4 for sliding between the
first and
second blocking positions. The blocking arrangement 16 is arranged to prevent
the
movable lid 18 from being moved from the first blocking position to the second
blocking
position unless the second seat 11 is substantially empty. That is, when
substantially all
tissue paper has been dispensed from the second roll 11 of tissue paper the
movable lid
18 may be moved to the second blocking position. Conversely, should the
movable lid
18 be in the second blocking position then the blocking arrangement 16
prevents the
movable lid 18 from being moved from the second blocking position to the first
blocking
position unless the first seat is substantially empty.
The blocking arrangement 16 comprises a lever mechanism 20 adapted to bear
against
the first and second rolls 8, 11 of tissue paper. The lever mechanism 20 of
the blocking
arrangement 16 is arranged to engage and release the movable lid 18. Thus,
when
engaged, the movable lid 18 is prevented from being moved from the first
blocking
position to the second blocking position, or vice versa. Conversely, when
released, the
movable lid 18 may be moved from the first blocking position to the second
blocking
position, or vice versa.
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The lever mechanism 20 comprises a first linkage 22 arranged to bear against
the first
roll 8 and a second linkage 24 arranged to bear against the second roll 11.
The first and
second linkages 22, 24 are identical. In the following the function of the
first and second
linkages will be discussed, primarily with reference to the second linkage 24.
The second
linkage 24 comprises a first arm 26 arranged to bear against the second roll
11 of tissue
paper. The first arm 26 is pivotably and slidably connected to the housing 4
at a pivot
point 27. The second linkage 24 further comprises a second arm 28. The second
arm 28
is connected to the first arm 26 at a first end portion 30 of the first arm 26
and is
arranged to engage with the movable lid 18 at a second end portion 32 of the
second
arm 28. The second end portion 28 engages with the movable lid 18 by the
second arm
28 being immovable in a direction along the movable lid 18 and its sliding
direction 33.
Thus, a straight edge 35 of the second end 32 abutting against a straight
edged recess
37 of the movable lid 18 prevents the movable lid 18 from being moved to the
second
blocking position.
The second arm 28 is slidably connected to the housing 4. The second arm 28 is
slidable along a longitudinal direction of the second arm 28, substantially
perpendicularly
to the sliding direction 33 of the movable lid 18. The connection between the
second arm
28 and the first arm 26 at the first end portion 30 is a sliding connection.
For instance,
the first end portion 30 may be provided with a pin 34 and the first arm 26
may be
provided with a slot 36 such that the pin 34, arranged in the slot 36, may
slide along the
slot 36.
As tissue paper is dispensed from the second roll 11, the first arm 26 bearing
against the
second roll 11 is displaced by the diameter of the second roll 11 decreasing.
During the
displacing, the first arm 26 pivots and slides in relation to the housing 4 at
the pivot point
27. As the first arm 26 is displaced in this manner, the first arm 26 slides
with its slot 36
along the pin 34 from a first slot end 38 to a second slot end 40. The second
arm 28
thus, remains immovable until the pin 34 reaches the second slot end 40. The
length of
the slot 36 is adapted to the diameter of the second roll 11. Thus, when
substantially all
tissue paper has been dispensed from the second roll 11, the second slot end
40
reaches the pin 34. Upon a further decrease of the diameter of the second roll
11, the
first arm 26 engages with the pin 34 in the slot 36 and slides the second arm
28 away
from the movable lid 18. The movable lid 18 is thus released from the
engagement with
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the second arm 28 and may be moved to the second blocking position to provide
access
to the first dispensing position 12.
Since in the illustrated example a first roll 8 of tissue paper is provided in
the first seat 6,
5 a corresponding second arm 28' of the first linkage 22 is in a position
to engage with the
movable lid 18. However, the second arms 28, 28' are each provided with a
slanted
edge 42, 42' opposite to the straight edge 35, 35'. Thus, as the movable lid
18 being
moved to the second blocking position pushes against the slanted edge 42', the
second
arm 28' slides away from the lid 18 in a direct substantially perpendicularly
to the sliding
10 direct 33 of the lid 18. When the movable lid 18 has reached the second
blocking
position, the straight edge 35' of the second arm 28' of the first linkage 22
engages with
a straight edged recess 37' at an opposite end of the movable lid 18.
The dispenser 2 comprises a sensor device 50 arranged to sense at least one
position
of the blocking arrangement 16. The sensor device 50 is connected to a control
unit (not
shown) arranged to indicate a tissue paper filling state of the dispenser 2
based on the
sensed at least one position of the blocking arrangement 16.
Fig. 2 illustrates schematically the sensor device 50 and a portion of the
dispenser 2
illustrated in Fig. 1. The movable lid 18 is illustrated in the second
blocking position in
Fig. 2. The sensor device 50 is arranged to sense at least one position of the
blocking
arrangement 16. In these embodiments, the at least one position of the
blocking
arrangement 16 sensed by the sensor device 50 relates to one position of the
lever
mechanism 20. The sensor device 50 is arranged in a vicinity of the first and
second
linkages 22, 24 more particularly in a vicinity of the second arms 28, 28'of
the two
linkages 22, 24. The sensor device 50 and the second arms 28, 28' are arranged
in an
enclosure 52 separate from the first and second seats 6, 10 of the first and
second rolls
8, 11 of tissue paper. The enclosure 52 is attached to the housing 4 of the
dispenser 2.
In these embodiments the sensor device 50 is separate from the first and
second seats
6, 10 in the sense that the enclosure 52 delimits the sensor device 50 from
the housing 4
of the dispenser 2.
The sensor device 50 comprises an optical sensor device. The optical sensor
device
comprises a light source 54 and a photosensitive element 56. The second arm 28
of the
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second linkage 24 of the blocking arrangement 16 comprises a light reflecting
surface 58
arranged to reflect light from the light source 54 towards the photosensitive
element 56.
The light reflecting surface 58 may be constituted by any kind of surface
having reflective
properties, at least to some degree.
When the second arm 28 of the second linkage 24 is in a position in which the
second
arm 28 may engage with the movable lid 18 in the first blocking position, the
light from
the light source 56 is reflected by light reflecting surface 58 towards the
photosensitive
element 56. This is the situation illustrated in both Figs. 1 and 2, i.e. when
there is tissue
paper on the second roll 11 in the second seat 10. The sensor device 50 thus,
senses at
least one position of the blocking arrangement 16.
The sensor device 50 is connected to a control unit 60. The control unit 60 is
arranged
separate from the dispenser 2. The sensor device 50 is arranged to communicate
with
the control unit 60. For instance, the sensor device 50 may communicate
wirelessly with
the control unit 60. In these embodiments the control unit 60 is provided in a
data server
62. The data server 62 forms an example of a data collection system configured
to store
data. The data server 62 may e.g. be arranged for communicating tissue paper
filling
states of the dispenser to an operator. The control unit 60 may be a dedicated
control
unit provided separately in the server, e.g. on a PCI card inserted in the
data server 62.
Alternatively, the control unit 60 may be implemented as a computer program
executed
by a processor of the data server 62. However, the control unit 60 may
alternatively be
provided in a separate device, which separate device in turn may communicate
with the
data server 62.
In any event, the control unit 60 is arranged to indicate a tissue paper
filling state of the
dispenser 2. The tissue paper filling state is based on the sensed at least
one position of
the blocking arrangement 16. Accordingly, in the dispenser illustrated in
Figs. 1 and 2
the tissue paper filling state of the dispenser 2 may e.g. be that the second
seat 10 of
the dispenser 2 is not empty.
As mentioned above, when all tissue paper of the second roll 11 in the second
seat 10
has been dispensed, the second arm 28 of the second linkage 24 moves away from
the
movable lid 18, i.e. upwardly in Figs. 1 and 2. The light reflecting surface
58 is thus
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moved away from the sensor device 50. No light, or light at a lower intensity,
from the
light source 54 is now received by the photosensitive element 56. The control
unit 60
now indicates a different tissue paper filling state of the dispenser 2, e.g.
that the second
seat 10 of the dispenser 2 is empty, or that one of the first and second seats
6, 10 is
empty. Thus, in these embodiments the sensor device 50 is arranged to sense at
least
two positions of the blocking arrangement 16, and the control unit 50 is
arranged to
indicate a tissue paper filling state of the dispenser 2 based on the sensed
at least two
positions of the blocking arrangement 16.
The sensor arrangement 50 may comprise a further light source and a further
photosensitive element. The second arm 28 of the first linkage 22 may also be
provided
with a light reflecting surface. Thus, a tissue paper filling state of the
dispenser 2 may
also indicate whether the first roll 8 in the first seat 6 comprises tissue
paper or is empty.
Thus, also in this sense the sensor device 50 of these embodiments is arranged
to
sense at least two positions of the blocking arrangement 16, and the control
unit 50 is
arranged to indicate a tissue paper filling state of the dispenser 2 based on
the sensed
at least two positions of the blocking arrangement 16.
Fig. 3 illustrates a dispenser 2 for tissue paper according to embodiments.
The
dispenser 2 comprises a housing 4. The housing 4 comprises a first seat 6 for
a first
stack of tissue paper and a second seat 10 for a second stack 70 of tissue
paper. The
first seat 6 is empty, i.e. the first stack of tissue paper has been
dispensed. The housing
4 is provided with a first dispensing position 12 and a second dispensing
position 14. A
user may grasp tissue paper from the first and second dispensing positions 12,
14 for
dispensing tissue paper.
Other than being adapted for dispensing of tissue paper from a stack of tissue
paper, the
dispenser 2 of these embodiments works in the same manner as the dispenser 2
of the
Fig. 1 and 2 embodiments. To avoid repetition, elements have been omitted in
Fig. 3.
The lever mechanism 20 of the blocking arrangement 16 is adapted to bear
against the
first and second stacks of tissue paper. The first linkage 22 of the lever
mechanism 20 is
illustrated in Fig. 3 in a position where the first arm 26' has followed the
now empty first
stack. The second arm 28' has thus been slid upwardly in Fig. 3 and permitted
the
movable lid 18 to be moved from the second blocking position to the first
blocking
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position. Dispensing of the tissue paper may now be performed from the second
stack
70 at the second dispensing position 14.
For a further description of the dispenser 2 reference is made to the
description relating
to Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 illustrates a dispenser 2 for tissue paper according to embodiments.
The
dispenser 2 comprises a housing 4. The housing 4 comprises a first seat 6 for
a first roll
8 of tissue paper and a second seat 10 for a second roll 11 of tissue paper.
The housing
4 is provided with a first dispensing position 12 and a second dispensing
position 14. A
user may grasp tissue paper from the first and second dispensing positions 12,
14 for
dispensing tissue paper.
The dispenser 2 comprises a blocking arrangement 16 for selectively blocking
either the
first dispensing position 12 or the second dispensing position 14. The
blocking
arrangement 16 comprises a movable lid 18 arranged to be positioned in a first
blocking
position and in a second blocking position. In the first blocking position the
movable lid
18 prevents access to the first dispensing position 12 and permits access the
second
dispensing position 14. In the second blocking position the movable lid 18
prevents
access to the second dispensing position 14 and provides access to the first
dispensing
position 12. In Fig. 4 the movable lid 18 is illustrated in the second
blocking position. The
movable lid 18 is slidably attached to the housing 4 for sliding between the
first and
second blocking positions. The blocking arrangement 16 is arranged to prevent
the
movable lid 18 from being moved from the second blocking position to the first
blocking
position unless the first seat 6 is substantially empty. That is, when
substantially all
tissue paper has been dispensed from the first roll 8 of tissue paper the
movable lid 18
may be moved to the first blocking position. Conversely, should the movable
lid 18 be in
the first blocking position then the blocking arrangement 16 prevents the
movable lid 18
from being moved from the first blocking position to the second blocking
position unless
the second seat 10 is substantially empty.
The blocking arrangement 16 comprises a stud 80 adapted to bear against the
first roll 8
of tissue paper or the second roll 11 of tissue paper. The stud 80 extends
from the
movable lid 18 in a direction perpendicularly to a sliding direction 33 of the
movable lid
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18. The stud 80 has a length such that it will bear against the tissue paper
of the first roll
8. When the first roll 8 of tissue paper has been dispensed, the stud 80 has a
length
such that it will pass the first seat 6. Thus, the movable lid 18 is prevented
from being
moved from the second blocking position to the first blocking position until
the first roll 8
of tissue paper is substantially empty.
The stud 80 is attached to a first socket 82 provided at one end portion of
the movable
lid 18. The stud 80 may be removed from the first socket 82 and may be place
in a
second socket 83 provided at an opposite end portion of the movable lid 18. An
operator
may do so when the first seat 6 has been replenished with a roll of tissue
paper while
dispensing of tissue paper takes place from the second roll 11. Thus, the
movable lid 18
will be prevented from being moved from the first blocking position until the
second seat
10 is empty. Accordingly, tissue paper from one roll at a time will be
dispensed from the
dispenser 2.
The dispenser 2 comprises a sensor device 50 arranged to sense at least one
position
of the blocking arrangement 16. The sensor device 50 is connected to a control
unit 60
arranged to indicate a tissue paper filling state of the dispenser 2 based on
the sensed
at least one position of the blocking arrangement 16. The control unit 60 is
arranged in
the dispenser 2.
The sensor device 50 is arranged to sense at least one position of the
blocking
arrangement 16. In these embodiments, the at least one position of the
blocking
arrangement 16 sensed by the sensor device 50 relates to one position of the
movable
lid 18. The sensor device 50 comprises a Hall Effect sensor 85 attached to the
housing 4
and a first magnet 84 and a second magnet 86 attached to opposite end portions
of the
movable lid 18. The Hall Effect sensor 85 is arranged to sense the first or
the second
magnet 84, 86. Sensing of the first or the second magnet 84, 86 allows the
control unit
60 to indicate a paper tissue filling state of the dispenser 2 based on at
least one
position of the movable lid 18.
The sensor device 50 is connected to the control unit 60. The sensor device 50
is
arranged to communicate with the control unit 60. The control unit 60 is
arranged to
indicate a tissue paper filling state of the dispenser 2. The control unit 60
is connected to
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two light sources such as two LEDs 87 for indicating a tissue paper filling
state of the
dispenser 2. The control unit 60 may thus, be referred to as forming part of a
data
collection system configured for communicating tissue paper filling states of
the
dispenser 2 to an operator. A sensing unit 88 is positioned in the housing 4
and
5 arranged to acknowledge replenishing of the dispenser 2 with tissue
paper. The sensing
unit 88 is connected to the control unit 60. For instance, the sensing unit 88
may sense
the opening and/or closing of a replenishing lid (not shown) of the dispenser
2. It is
assumed that the dispenser 2 is replenished when the replenishing lid is
opened. Thus,
the control unit 60 may reset the tissue paper filling state of the dispenser
2 based on
10 input from the sensing unit 88.
Purely provided as an example of indication of tissue paper filling states of
the dispenser
2, the following example is provided:
- Tissue paper is dispensed from the first roll 8 by users until the first
seat 6 is
15 empty.
- A user desiring to dispense tissue paper moves the movable lid 18 from
the
illustrated second blocking position to the first blocking position in order
to
dispense tissue paper form the second roll 11.
- Thus, the sensor device 50 senses the first magnet 84 being moved away
from
the Hall Effect sensor 85 and the second magnet 86 is moved to the Hall Effect
sensor 85, which in turn is sensed by the Hall effect sensor 85.
- The control unit 60 thus lights one of the LEDs 87 to indicate that one
of the
seats 6, 10 is empty.
- When all tissue paper has been dispensed from the second roll 11, a
user will
move the movable lid 18 to the second blocking position in an attempt to find
tissue paper at the first dispensing position 12.
- Again, the sensor device 50 senses a magnet being moved away from the
Hall
Effect sensor 85 and a magnet being moved to the Hall Effect sensor 85.
- In response thereto the control unit 60 lights also the other LED 87 to
indicate
that both seats 6, 10 are empty.
An operator responsible for replenishing the dispenser 2 will see one or two
lit LEDs 87
and in response thereto may replenish the dispenser 2, in one or both seats 6,
10,
respectively. Upon opening the dispenser 2, the sensing unit 88 resets the
control unit
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16
60, which in turn shuts off the one or two LEDs 87. The control unit 60 may
communicate
with a remotely located data server 62. The data server 62 is an example of a
data
collection system configured to store data.
The following may relate to all embodiments disclosed herein:
The control unit 60 may be arranged to indicate a first tissue paper filling
state indicating
either an empty first seat 6 or an empty second seat 10, and a second tissue
paper filling
state indicating empty first and second seats 6, 10. Thus, in the first tissue
paper filling
state it is recommended to replenish the dispenser 2 with tissue paper. In the
second
tissue paper filling state it is required that the dispenser 2 is replenished
with tissue
paper. The control unit 60 may be arranged to indicate a third tissue paper
filling state
indicating at least partially filled first and second seats 6, 10. Thus, it is
verified that no
immediate replenishing of the dispenser 2 is required.
The data server 62 may be arranged for communicating tissue paper filling
states of the
dispenser 2 to an operator. The tissue paper filling states may be presented
on a display
screen of the data server 62. In addition thereto, or alternatively, the data
server 62 may
present the tissue paper filling states of the dispenser 2 in a location
remote from the
data server 62, e.g. via messages from the data server 62 to a handheld device
used by
the operator.
The data server 62 has been described to be a remotely located data server 62,
which
encompasses a data server 62 located outside a facility, such as a restroom,
wherein
the dispenser 2 is located, as well as a data server 62 located in a different
building than
wherein the dispenser 2 is located. Alternatively, the data server 62 may be
locally
arranged, i.e. in the facility, such as a restroom, wherein the dispenser 2 is
located. The
data server 2 may thus form a locally arranged information system for
providing an
operator with paper tissue filling states of the dispenser 2.
Example embodiments described above may be combined as understood by a person
skilled in the art. For example, the Fig. 4 embodiments may be provided with
an optical
sensor instead of the Hall Effect sensor. 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. The light reflecting
surface 58 may
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alternatively be positioned to reflect light onto the photosensitive element
56 when a seat
is empty. The second arms 28, 28' may be shaped such that light from the light
source
54 does not hit the second arms 28, 28' in one position thereof, i.e. in which
one position
light will not be reflected from the light reflecting surface 58 to the
photosensitive element
56. Parts of the lever mechanism 20 may be provided on a rear side of the
dispenser 2,
e.g. the second arms 28, 28'. Accordingly, also the enclosure 52 and the
sensor device
50 may be provided on the rear side of the dispenser 2. Therefore, it is to be
understood
that the foregoing is illustrative of various example embodiments and that the
invention is
defined only the appended claims.
