CA2373647C - Towel dispenser - Google Patents
Towel dispenser Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2373647C CA2373647C CA002373647A CA2373647A CA2373647C CA 2373647 C CA2373647 C CA 2373647C CA 002373647 A CA002373647 A CA 002373647A CA 2373647 A CA2373647 A CA 2373647A CA 2373647 C CA2373647 C CA 2373647C
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- towel
- roller
- hand towel
- dispenser according
- hand
- Prior art date
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- Expired - Fee Related
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Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
- A47K10/00—Body-drying implements; Toilet paper; Holders therefor
- A47K10/24—Towel dispensers, e.g. for piled-up or folded textile towels; Toilet-paper dispensers; Dispensers for piled-up or folded textile towels provided or not with devices for taking-up soiled towels as far as not mechanically driven
- A47K10/28—Towel dispensers, e.g. for piled-up or folded textile towels; Toilet-paper dispensers; Dispensers for piled-up or folded textile towels provided or not with devices for taking-up soiled towels as far as not mechanically driven dispensing a clean part and taking-up a soiled part, e.g. using rolls; with dispensers for soap or other detergents; with disinfecting or heating devices
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
- Confectionery (AREA)
- Winding Of Webs (AREA)
- Unwinding Webs (AREA)
- Body Washing Hand Wipes And Brushes (AREA)
Abstract
A hand towel dispenser is provided with a pivoting module (2), in which a winding roller (5) driven by a friction drive (6) is mounted in such a way that it is easily suspendible. An additional loop is formed in front of the winding roller (5) in the dispenser, this additional loop being tightened in direction +p by a compensator roller (50). When the clean towel (T) is extracted, a part of the used towel (T') serves to form the rear part of a towel loop (T, T') that is used in the front part (HB). The used towel (T') is easy to change and the dispenser easy to reload with clean towel (T') using the pivoting module (2), which is rotated. This process is carried out by opening and closing the top of the dispenser. A path and time-dependent control unit for discharging the hand towel is integrated into the dispenser .
Description
Towol d,i;5pcnser The present invention relates to a towel dispenser.
Known hand towel clitipenticrs (inderulia h;P-AI-0 283 554) rcquit'e the towel to be threaded in and additionally wcwnd arottnd a roller when being put into service. To provont the cnd of a roll of hand towel fronl hcing usah[c scvcral tirne5, it is drawn in as sncn as it wc}uld hang 1iec:ly, that is to say, as sooti as it hati been unrcillcd from the clean hand towc] ro1l.'I'hc force rcquired to draw it in is stot=cd in a spring motor; for that purpose, howcver, t}te energy for drawing in the relevant portion of soiled towcl must first be accumuh{t(;d and nladc available.
Each timc the roll of hand Lc>wel is changed, tlicrcforc, the delivery roller has towel wound arc>unci it manual ly in the correct towel direction, which alone gives rise to frequent problcros.
Once wrapping has bccn cornpleted, for initial charging of the spring st.ore a certain length ol'towel must consequently hc drawn off unused so that the first portion used will be drawn in and no cxccssively long loop hanging out of the dispenser will bc fot-med, ln the event of naa l.funcl.iony in the dispcnscr, the towel that has beeti drawn in cannot be retnovod; it tnust first bc wound complet.eiy otito the soiled roll and is therefore lost.
H xperieiice has shitwn that the conditions mcntioned above for correct loading of a dispenscr with towcl at-c the cause uf numerous=nialfuncticros whicti are a eonsequeTic;e ol' poor iuulerstitndinb, incptitudo, misintcrpretation and frylse a.iarl1ls and which very ofton put a dispenser out of action merely for t.hat reason. Since premature chant;inf; of thc rolls results in the loss ol'tlle towel Lhat hets tiot yet been used and because c-fthe inherent. susceptibility uf'these dispensers to failurc, it has bc.cn proposcd t.hat two hand towel units, in pructicc, howevcr, two crnnplctc hand towel dispensers, be installed side by side ancl mcehanically coupled to each other in order to increase the operating readiness of the systetn as a whole.
An at least partially autotnaled threading-in of' the hand towel is also known (WO-Al-96/32874). It has been I'ound, however, that a dispenser of that kind cithcr nccds auxiliary cncrgy and/or rcguires spcciaà nieasures at the end of the hatld towel which have a dc;trimcntal effect in the laundcrinb process.
It' has furthermore beeti found to be disadvantageous that, in the case of thc dispenser according to 1rP-/\I-0 2,93 554, by pullirrghard on t.herearport.ion cfthe loop the roll of soilcd towel can he unrolled, since the slip clutch rc;ciuircrl for returning used fabric - in order t.o forni a temporary It>oP suflicicnt for dryi ng purposes - canrtot put up a.n adectuatc;ly high resistancc.
A hand towel dispenser is disclosed in T.TS-n-5 244 263; that dispcnscr, however, preferably bcing drivcn hy an electric m<rtor. In ordcr to utilisc the spacc availahle in the appliance, the clean hand towel is accommodated in a tlcxibtc hag; boncath the lattcr, the used hand towel is rolled up in a tnodule that can be pivoted oulwar(i lor removal, Ilie lower, soiled hand towel Occupyinb the upper space with increasing use. The towel is dispen.~ed in a large loop beneath the appliance.
Disadvantages in the case ol'that dispenser are the necessary threading-in of the web of hand towel between two rollers, the subsequently required manual winding of the bogimiing ofthc hand towel around the r=oller that winds t,p the soiled towel, and a perceptible imprecise t,*uidancc ofthc towel on that rollct=. T'hc way in which the towel is dispensed requires a largc loop ot- clsc thcrc is a risk that a towel portinn that has ah=cady hccn soiled will he rc-uscd_ It is therefore the ohject of the invention to provide a compact hand towel dispenser that does not have ttie tlisadvanlages metltioned above. ln particular, with a miriiniuni of ncccssat-y instruction to maintenance pertionnel, it is to, afti)rd the user a very higlt degree of operating reliabilily and liygiene. The di5penseris to makethe r-oll of hand towel at its disposal available in optimtnn portions and prevent botli intentional and unintcntional nuiltiplc use of thc hand towel. In patticular, its roll of ha.nd towel must be easily replaceable, that is to say, it must hc easy to Iciad the diwpenser. In the event of any pren-ritl.ure towel change, no rewinding of thc towel is lo hc rccluircd.
Thc dispcnscr niust furthertttore be suitable for manutacturc nn a I argc scale ancj be economic in tliose terms; for reasons of spacc and cost, appliances aiTangecl one bcsicic anot.her are undcsirable.
'I'he baiid material used as the hand towel shotild not as a rule require any mcasures or alterations to tha1. in existirtg dispenscrs installcct and used in nunierous locations, sincc thc existing inFrastructurc, such as washing machines, nuingles and drying machincs, as well as thc cx ist.i ng logistics will ce>ntinuc to he used. Thc di spenser th3t is tobe providcd should nct, however, be restricted to the use of textile hand matcrial; it is to be capable ofadaptatinn to any cnvironmcntally frietidly, durable material.
The invention therefore prc-vidcs a hand Iowel dispertsrr., .lur planar band material (T, T'), havinga transport mochanisrn for sinlpl iticd threading-in and for t'orming aloop ofclean banci material suitabic for hand drying, wher.ein the transport tnechiuiisni hirs a pivoting niodulc (2) which is rotatable outwards about a stationa.ry sha.ft (11) and is supported in side panels (18, 19), arid that transport inechanism is initiated by closing the dispenscr with a housing covcr (25) and rolls up thc band material ('1','I'') in portions Irom a supply oft;lean material (T), by wtty of a dispensed loop, crnto a rcplaccablc rollcr= (5) carrying used band ttiaterial (T'), chnrtlclerised in th:tt the pivoting modulo (2) viewed in thc opcrating statc has, in its upper region, in two mutually opposing lateral Ilangcs, bearing points (:38) For I.he inseitiun of a removable winding rciller (5), in wliich the winding rollor-(5) romains unchangcd in position during operation, and a verlically displaceable body (15) guided in vertical slot guides (23) is irrrimgecl as the t'abric receptacle for clean two (T) irbove the pivoting module (2), which body (15) carries on its tuiderside a friction roller (6) which is connected to a spring motor gear mechanism (104, 22) and which charges the witiding roller (5) with used towel (T') and drives i(, atid, tor buiding the shati of the friction roller (6), there is fcmted in both side pancls (18, 19) aguiclc groove (20, 39) which ha4, froni top to bottom, first a vertical liortiori (20) and thcn acircular arcuate portion (39), and mutuallyopPnsing hnrir ntal guidc grooves (13) bcing provicicd in the two lateral tlangcs (15) ot'thc body (15) of the titbric rcccptaclc so that, by Ihc; Siniu[t.irtl;outi action uFh<-th guide grooves (20, 39; 13), thC
sh;111. 4-W4.ho fric.t.ii,n ri>lior (6) and the gear mcchanism (22) are positively guided both r:oncentrically with a central wheel (103) of the gear mechanism of the spring motor (104) and in the upward direction, and there is providcd in thc latcral flanges of the pivoting module (2) a recess (10) in wltich a displaceable oscillatinl; rollcr (50) can engage which lurtns an additicfnal, variaiilc loop ol' band tnaterial between thc windi ng roller (5) and a l;uidc; (tS, 9, 4) c>f thc band ntaterial (7', T'), the loop serving ati a reservoir for forming a temporarily returning band portion.
'I'hc a.dditional lool7 is provided as a supplcnicnt to thc loop issuing frorri the dispenser and intcnctcd fnr liand drying, downstrearn ot'the issuing lcrop in the winding dircction and inside the dispenser. With each portion of hand towel dispensed, l.he hand towel already usetl which is present in the additional loop can thcrofore, be utilised in a.
hygienically ut7ol~jectionable tnanner to 1imii the 1curP intended fior hand cirying, without the winding rol ler Iaden with usecl, crumpled and dainp hand towel being rotated first backwar-d and thcn in tho winding directiort again. 't'his results in a saving on hand towel consun'tption ol'zrln-tust.
5()%,, without having to run the risk of nialfuncticmti durint; the winding process etc.. The usc;r is otfored convenient and ergonomically advaiitageous access lo the towel.
'I'he specific lenn "recess" used herein is to be unclerstood in the widest sense of"spacc" for ,uidingan additional loop; the t'onnation ol'that loop can, however, also be acce nplishcd by rotating the pivnting mndulc_ Owing to the givoti width of ihe towel and tl2 e cor1lined spatial ccmditions; that loop will in cacli case he present in the pivoting mndule and upstream of its windint; rollcr for used towel.
A hand towel dispenser according to the invention docs not require, any expenditure nri training per5onnel; siinple pictugrarns and/or directions on tlie dispenser are sutlicienl for perfect set-up and maintonancc. No extcrnal energy is required, and the ncccssaiy forccs for the ccintreyl and operation irre applied by the user without his being conscious of it. All of the operations prcicccct rcprc3ducibly and can he adapted and/or even set tu local rectuirements by suitable nica.sures.
11'rcferahly, pulling taut the inner (additional) loop has lhe el'fact, in addition to the ir)lended rcturilinl; of the used towel to fi>rm the outer loop, ol' smouthing and partially drying the a-umplcd and daTnp towel portion.
Preferably, axially parallel guidance ol'the used tc>wcl cn5ures neat wirlding and thus prevents shifting with respect to the desired sytnnletrical path of the towel. -Advantagcously, 1he guides required filrthis arc fit.ted in the titaticlnarysidc panels ofthe housing ofthc appliatice.
Usitlg cable pulls prcrvidcci with springs, the oscillating rollcr can he controlled during its oscillating travel whicll begins with each dclivciy of towe], withuut the lateral space requirement in the dispenser heing itlcr-ease<i.
Pref4rably, a pr=ccise and slip-free guidance is achieved hy mcans ofthe positive rolling irction of thc oscillating roller.
A preferred construction makcs cspecially sirnple coupling ofthe niovomont tlfthc oscillating roller possible in cc.lnnect.ion with the opening and closing of the eover ol'the dispenser.
Preferably, the clean towel is guided when the cavcr is closed and thc dclivcry roller which extends into the towel path in the front lower portion of the cover. When the hand towel delivery is pulled, owing to that roller's large angle of contact and the rout;h surfaec which is adapted tcz thc t()wcl, it r<lWtc, tiirnul lanc;uusly without slippingand transmits thc movcment of the towel to a control and drive dcvice.
In a prcfcrrcd form oi; coTlstructiotl tltere is allowed an especially simple and, easily distnountable mounting of the pivoting modulc and its asymmctrical drive by way ol' tlle (1pCT11TIg tlTUl closing movement of the cover.
'['hc forttl and vert.ically ittijustitble rnuunting of the fabric receptacle preferably provides a particularly spacC-saving compact dispenser which pcrfarms thc necessary rnovernent.
seyuenc:es when the towel is changed, without Partc cif the aT-T-lianee hzving t.n he mnvod ~lanually. - Furthennore, the transrnission of#ircc by means uf a friction roller resting on thc winding rollcr and arranged on the tabric receptacle makes use of the volume that becotnes available a.s the clean towel unrolls I'or the roll of used towel which is simultaneously increasing in diameter.
'I'he clrive by way of the side panel pref'erubly allows the necessary travcl-depcndetit synchronism betwccn the delivery roller and the winding roller to be control lcci with time and inonitorecl.
The configuration of the guide gruuvc;ti pretcrahly rCsults in a compact constructi<fn anci pcrfcct tra.nsmissioil of fiorce since the curvcti groove a.rranged concentrically with a central gea.rwheel ensures a constant cngabyetnent witti the transmission and driving gcartivheel of the winding rnllcr.
Pins prnjceting nti the fabric receptacle preferably are advantagcous guides in one plane.
Prctcrahly, thc guidance ol'the fabric receptacle in a plano at right angles to the Iirst pliirie is a furthcr imPrnvcmcnt.
Optimum parallel guidance of the fabric reccptacle, and therewith ofthe liriction drive, may be achieved by gcarwheels connected to one another.
l'rel'erably, there is disclosed a very cftcctivo possible mcthod nfraising the fabric receptacle, which is necessary in ordcr to rotate the pivoting module forwards by about 180 and unload it or prcparc it for re-use.
That po5ition, pivoted out of the dispenser, also allows the pivoting module and opf.i0rta.lly fiit-thcr pat=ts of thc hand towel dispenser to be cleaned and/or disinl"ected in a convenient manncr.
Also disclosed is a tircfcrcncc to raise the fabric rcccptaclc F1UtonlzltiC:atly 11~.1(11l oj,lGming.
-fiA-"I'he latem.l arrangemcnt ofthc control and drive cleviceprovides a kinctnaticallya.dvantageous solution and results in a single t'unctional unit that is easy to replace and that is advantageous in terms of production erigineering, "The vertical position of the fabric receptacle is dircctly dcpcndcnt upon the winding diamc,~tcr cC the roll of uscd towcl - since the I"riction roller situated hclow the fabric receptacle rests on the roll - ancà thereforo the preferred iilling-stale indictttor is vcty simplc and efl'ective. In practiec, bcforc the supply of clean towel is used ur, a vertical rec] line appcars in an inspection window in the frottt side of the covor.
A prcfcrrcd, i l lustrati ve enlbodinlent of the invention i5 de5cri hed with referetice to drawings, in which:
Fig. t is a simplificd vicw in perspective of a hand towel dispenser with its c.Sscntial f iinctiunal elements, without timo-dcpandent control and without cover being shown;
Fig. 2 is a schematic diat;ram of thc disrcnscr of Fig_ 1, iti plan view onto a narrow side, with a covcr opcncd by 7";
Hig. 3 shows the dispenser of Fig. 2 a#ter the cover has bc:cn opened by 6i0 ;
Fig. 4 shows the dispenser of Fig. 2 with the cover opened to it maximum extent and with a fabric receptacle held at the top;
Fig. 5 is a view analogous to Fig. 4, but with the pivoting module and the associated transmission elements being shown;
Fig. 6 is a simplified view of the functional elements in the positions shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 during the loading operation;
Fig. 7 shows the dispenser according to Fig. 1 ready for operation after the loading operation, in plan view of a narrow side;
Fig. 8 shows the dispenser according to Fig. 7 after a prolonged period of operation;
Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the mode of operation of the oscillating roller serving for economical dispensing of the hand towel;
Fig. 10 is a further view in perspective of the dispenser with essential slot guides and with the oscillating roller in its two end positions, Fig. 11 is a view in perspective of the time- and travel-dependent control unit of the dispenser according to Figs. 1 to 10 with its gear mechanisms and switching members, and Fig. 12 shows the passage of force between the gearwheels in Fig. 11, with the switching wheel disengaged.
A hand towel dispenser according to the invention is designated 1 in Fig. 1;
the view in perspective shows it without cover (covering) and without a side panel on one face, during hand drying by a user B.
Two basic components, namely a pivoting module 2 with shell-shaped guiding and gripping cavities 3 and, situated compactly above the latter, a fabric receptacle 15 for a roll of clean towel T, are guided by side panels, only the right-hand side panel 18 being visible. The roll of towel rests in a freely movable manner on a shell-shaped trough 17 and does not have a winding spindle. Its band-shaped towel T is guided in the unrolling direction A over an upper deflecting roller 7 onto a lower deflecting roller 4, in the pivoting module 2, and forms a loop that is used at the point marked by parallel lines by the hands HB of the user B for drying in the usual manner. The towel T' that has been used in that way is guided in the direction W over further deflecting rollers 9 and 8 to a winding roller 5.
That winding roller 5 together with clamping spring 5' and bearing pin 5"
serves to roll up the used towel T' in the winding direction W. It is described in all its details in Patent Application PCT/CH99/00197.
The bearing pins 5" are suspended in an insertion point 38, in the upper edge region of the pivoting module 2, where they wedge themselves in an end position in a rotatable manner. The winding roller 5 is driven by a friction roller 6 resting thereon and having a nubbed friction surface 14 which rests directly on the used towel T' and drives it in the direction W, with a time delay, after the hands have been dried. The friction roller 6 is movably guided by shaft pins 12 at its ends in a horizontal guide groove 13 in the lower portion of the fabric receptacle 15, and therefore can adapt to the increasing diameter of the rolled-up towel T'.
The fabric receptacle 15 is for its part movable in the lifting direction H, by means of guide pins 16 projecting outward from its lateral faces, in guide grooves 23 lying opposite each other on both sides, only the one guide groove 23 in the side panel 18 being visible. In addition, a depression 20 which widens towards the top can be seen in the side panel 18, which depression 20 serves to install the fabric receptacle 15 in the dispenser 1 with its projecting shaft pins 12 in a convenient manner.
The pivoting module 2 conceals a gear mechanism for a friction drive and therefore the gear mechanism is shown by broken lines. The gear mechanism 22 is driven by a central gearwheel 103 which projects out of a housing 21.
The pivoting module 2 is rotatable about its two likewise projecting shaft pins 11, that is to say, as described in detail below it can be pivoted outward about those shaft pins so that the roll of used towel T' can be taken out from the front, as viewed from the user B. -The winding roller 5, which remains with the dispenser 1, is withdrawn axially from the roll T' and a new, clean end of a towel T is drawn under the clamping spring 5', the winding roller 5 is re-positioned in the insertion point 38 and the module 2 is pivoted back into the position shown.
In order that the module 2 can be pivoted out, the fabric receptacle 15 has to be moved upward. That is done by means of a pivoting lever 47 which is connected to the cover of the dispenser, see Fig. 5.
In addition, a recess 10 for an oscillating roller is provided in Fig. 1, which oscillating roller has been omitted here for the sake of clarity and only the oscillation directions p thereof have been shown.
The oscillating roller is described in detail in the following Fig. 7 to Fig.
10, but its action can already be explained at this point.
When fresh towel T is pulled down by the hands HB, the oscillating roller, which is in its forward position, is pulled back in the direction -p, with the result that a piece or portion of used towel T' is also released. That piece corresponds to 50% of the overall length of the towel loop consisting of T + T. As a result, the loop becomes larger for convenient drying of the hands, without an unnecessarily large amount of clean towel T
being required.
In Fig. 2, the dispenser 1, mounted by its mounting face M on a vertical wall, is shown in a first arrestable tilting position with the cover 25 inclined at 7 to the vertical V. - That is the first position obtained at the dispenser 1 when the cover 25 is opened.
The cover 25 for its part has on each side a bearing pin 24 which is supported in the respective side panels 18 and 19 indicated. When the cover 25 is tilted as illustrated -after opening of a fastening, not shown - a slide cam 26 presses on a vertically arranged slide 27 provided with sliding faces 29. The slide 27 has guide strips 28 at its sides, which prevent it from tilting, so that the lifting movement H is transmitted via its lifting cam 31 to a projection 32 on the fabric receptacle 15 and lifts the latter also.
The slide 27 has on the side thereof facing the appliance a further ramp-shaped sliding face, which has not been shown for reasons of clarity and on which a driving pin 59 of a gripper-rocker 55, Fig. 9, rests so that the latter is moved together with the slide 27.
In addition, attached to the slide 27 on the inside thereof is a catch-like cam 30 which is engaged by a shoulder 35 of a locking catch 33, which is rotatable on a bearing pin 34, when the slide 27 has been raised sufficiently. To ensure that that takes place, it is drawn in the direction of engagement by a restoring spring 36.
In addition, a delivery roller 37 likewise provided with nubs can be seen at the front in the cover 25.
Figure 3 shows a snapshot at an opening angle of the cover of 60 to the vertical V; the slide cam 26 has already travelled along the lowest portion of the sliding face 29 and is now moving on the upwardly leading portion of the sliding face 29. The cam 30 is just about to engage with the projecting shoulder 35.
In Fig. 4, the cam 30 can be seen in its engaged position on the shoulder 35;
the fabric receptacle 15 has been raised to the maximum height H and can be loaded with a roll of clean towel T.
For reasons of clarity, the movement and the transmission of force from the cover 25 to the pivoting module 2 were omitted in Figs. 3 and 4. For the same considerations the fabric receptacle 15 has not been shown in Fig. 5. When the cover 25 is open to its maximum extent, in the position identical to that shown in Fig. 4, the pivoting module 2 is turned outward, so that it adopts the position shown in Fig. 5. It will be apparent from this how, during the opening movement of the cover 25, the pivoting module is pivoted about its shaft pin 11 by a pivoting lever 47, which is rotatably mounted on the cover on a connecting pin 70, by means of its pin 48 which projects into a straight slot guide 71 in the pivoting module 2. That pivoting movement is controlled by the other end of the shaft stub, which is constructed in the form of a double pin 48, in accordance with the curve of the further slot guide 49 which is provided in the side panel 19, cf.
Fig. 10.
As shown in Fig. 5, it is easy to lift the winding roller 5 out of its bearings, the mutually opposing insertion points 38, and, with it, a full roll of soiled towel T.
The winding roller 5 can be recovered for its next use by simply withdrawing it axially.
For loading, a roll of clean towel T is placed in the fabric receptacle 15 situated in the position shown in Fig. 4, in such a way that the free end of the roll rests on the trough 17.
The winding roller 5 is then inserted into the free end of the towel T from the side, at an angle of 90 to the unrolling direction A, the towel T being clamped in a non-slipping manner between the actual roller 5 and a clamping spring 5' attached thereto.
The actual loading operation is shown in Fig. 6:
The clean towel T is made to hang down from its roll over the forward deflecting roller 9, and the winding roller 5 is pushed into the leading end part of the towel T as described.
For reasons of clarity the cover 25 has been omitted here also, and therefore the delivery roller 37, which is supported laterally therein and is driven by means of a gearwheel, cf.
Fig. 2 to Fig. 5, below the deflecting roller 4, Fig. 1, is likewise absent, as also in the Figures that follow.
The winding roller 5 is then, as shown, suspended in the insertion point 38 in the direction of the arrow, whereupon the manual loading as such is completed; the cover 25 is then merely closed. In the process, a kinematic reversal of the procedures already described with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 takes place; fmally, the appliance appears as shown in Fig. 7.
In that Figure, it is also possible to see the oscillating roller 50 which pulls the towel T' taut since it is rolled in the direction +p by a gripper-rocker 55, Fig. 9.
The towel T takes the path marked by a double line at the lower portion of the pivoting module 2. After pulling vertically downward with both hands HB at the point marked, the oscillating roller 50 adopts its forward end position, as a result of which, at the next hand drying operation, owing to the retraction of the oscillating roller 50 in the direction -p, approximately double the length of fabric delivered over the deflecting rollers 7 and 4 is available.
In all the Figures, the same consistent lettering is applied to the designation of the towel in the dispenser ready for operation: clean towel = T; used towel or towel behind the point marked in Fig. 1(hands HB) = T'.
Whereas in Fig. 7 a fresh roll of towel T is illustrated, in Fig. 8 a major part is already situated as used towel T' on the winding shaft 5. As a consequence, the friction roller 6 resting on the roll T' has shifted to the left in the guide groove 13 and at the same time has been raised, concentrically with a central gearwheel 103, along the path of the curve 39.
Owing to the illustrated path guidance of the friction roller 6, its transmission gear-wheel 22' is in engagement with the central gearwheel 103 irrespective of the current diameter of the winding roller 5 around which the used (soiled) towel T' is being wound, and therefore a slip-free transmission of force is ensured.
The friction between the used towel T' and the friction roller 6 driven in that manner is good, but, in the case of a fresh roll of towel T, almost its entire weight rests by way of the friction surface 14 on the winding roller 5 and the cloth T'. When, during routine operation, the two roll diameters first match each other and then change in the opposite direction, the moments acting on the contact surfaces between the friction roller 5 and the towel T' also remain almost constant.
The practical form of the oscillating roller 50 can be seen in Fig. 9; it has a texture with notches 51 and is provided at the sides with flange-like lateral guides 53 and respective gearwheels 52 used for the parallel guidance. On the left-hand side of the oscillating roller 50, a gripper-rocker 55 engages by its recess 56 over the shaft thereof. The gripper-rocker 55 is arranged on a bearing pin 64 so as to be pivotable in the direction p and has, on an upper side, a tension spring fastening 57 to which a tension spring 58, arranged substantially vertically, is attached. The driving pin 59 is used for the enforced actuation of the oscillating roller 50 by the slide 27, Figs. 2 to 4, in dependence upon the position of a cover not shown here.
Inserted rotatably on the right-hand side of the oscillating roller 50 is a bearing pin 54 to which a traction cable 60 is attached which is guided over a pulley 60' to a winding coil 61 and is wound up and held taut by the latter's integrated spiral spring 63.
A bore 62 in the winding coil 61 is likewise arranged rotatably in a portioning wheel, not shown, for dispensing the towel.
The oscillating roller 50 is shown in Fig. 9 in its rearward position, analogously to Fig.
10, where it has been stopped against travel-limiting elements 50'. It is possible to see here its parallel guide 45 with a parallel set of teeth 46 at the top which guides it in an axially parallel manner into the forward position shown by broken lines. The oscillation path is again designated p.
Figure 10 shows the dispenser 1 partly dismantled. It is possible to see here the rear wa1140 of the appliance housing, which is attached to a vertical wall by its mounting face M in the usual manner.
It is easy to see here that opening of the cover 25 - by means of the slide 27 not visible here - guides both the oscillating roller 50 and the fabric receptacle 15 out of the region of rotation of the pivoting module 2 and pivots the latter into the position shown in Fig. 6 in the manner previously described.
Projecting at a right angle to the rear wall 40 is a side panel 18 which carries a guiding and bearing point 41 for a shaft pin 11 of a pivoting module, not visible.
Behind it, there is a curved slot guide 49 which also guides the pivoting module 2. In the upper region of the side panel 18 a recess can be seen, which is used for the pin guide 42 of a filling indicator for the towel T. Arranged beside it is the above-mentioned tension spring 58 which is attached in the tension spring fastening 57 to the gripper-rocker 55.
In addition, it is possible to see the guide groove 39 which runs concentrically with the central gearwheel, not visible here, and which serves to guide a friction drive intended for winding up the used towel T'; a guide groove 20 that is widened at the top serves to facilitate the installation of that drive.
Other elements, such as a guide groove 23 and a vertical groove 43 that leads into a linear set of teeth 44, are intended for the parallel guidance of a fabric receptacle, likewise not shown here, in which the roll of clean towel T is supported in a vertically displaceable manner.
It can easily be seen from Fig. 10 that the oscillating roller 50, as shown in its rearward position, jams the used towel T' against the travel-limiting elements 50' and, in conjunction with the deflecting roller 9 supported in the pivoting module 2, prevents it from being pulled out. A so-called return lock is thereby obtained.
It is also possible to see here the parallel guide 45 with a parallel set of teeth 46 lying at the top which guide the oscillating roller 50 in an axially parallel manner into the forward position shown by broken lines. The oscillation path is designated p in this case also. A
bearing pin 54 which projects from the front end face of the oscillating roller 50 and to which the traction cable 60 is attached, Fig. 9 and Fig. 11, can also be seen.
For the sake of completeness, a portion of a cover 25 with its bearing pin 24 for initiating further operations is also indicated here.
In Fig. 11, a simplified illustration of a control device is designated 100, the appropriate coverings and protective covers and also any non-functional gearing parts having been removed.
The control and drive device 100 consists substantially of two units, a release and switching rocker 106 and a pivoting gear mechanism 112. The release and switching rocker 106 is mounted on a rotation shaft 107 and is arranged around two wheels 102 and 103. The front wheel 102 is a transmission gearwheel, whereas the rear, concealed, wheel 103 is the central gearwheel already described. Arranged in the interior of the transmission gearwheel 102 is a spiral spring 104 which acts on the common shaft of the two wheels 102, 103 and is tensioned in the anti-clockwise direction.
The spiral spring 104 is situated in a housing, and its state of tension can be monitored through two inspection windows 104'.
Located on the release and switching rocker 106 is the rotation shaft 119, see Fig. 12, of an ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 which, on its major axis, engages by its teeth Z
in the gearwheel 102. The rocker 106 is constructed in the form of a two-armed lever;
the upper lever is designated 106a and the lower lever 106b. Located at the end of the upper lever 106a is a time function element 108; 109 which acts on an abutment 111 and which, according to Fig. 11, is in its closed state c.
After further turning of the gearwheel 102, the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 tilts through 90 ; the release and switching rocker 106 remains in the engaged position until the interval specified by the time function element 108; 109 has elapsed.
A pivoting gear mechanism 112, likewise constructed in the form of a two-armed lever, engages over the release and switching rocker 106 and is pivotally arranged on a further rotation shaft 123 and, with its upper lever portion, engages in the rear wheel, the central gearwheel 103, by way of a spring piece 115 and a gearwheel locking arrangement 116.
The pivoting movement accordingly required is effected by a switching cam 110 attached to the lower lever 106b.
The pivoting gear mechanism 112 is returned by a spring 118. Meshing gearwheels are located on shafts 122, 113 and the rotation shaft 123.
It is also possible to see that the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 has, in addition to complete teeth Z, also flattened teeth Z' and two tooth gaps L. That is expedient in order to enable clean tilting by 90 in the direction of rotation of the gearwheel 105. When the time function element 108; 109 has reached the intended time, the upper lever 106a moves in the direction o, this being assisted by a further spring 117, a conventional helical spring.
Fig. 11 shows the gearing parts and levers that are expedient for complete operation of the device 100 in the hand towel dispenser 1. What is not shown are the necessary coverings and the guide elements that are not essential for operation.
All the parts, including supports, brackets and engagement points 99 for coverings etc., are integrally arranged on a mounting plate 98. Beside the transmission gearwheel 102 there is a reverse stop 130 which engages in or slides over the gearwheel 102 in the manner of a ratchet.
At the front, a feeler 133 can be seen, which, tensioned by a spring 134, is pressed out of the front face of the mounting plate 98 and detects the presence of a closed cover, not shown. When the cover has been pivoted out or removed, the lever guided on a pivot shaft 131, which is likewise a two-armed lever, moves forward with its feeler 133 and, with a switching projection 132, presses the pivoting gear mechanism 112 into its engaged position. In that position, it stops the central gearwheel 103 by way of the spring 115 and the gearwheel locking arrangement 116, with the result that the entire hand towel dispenser is locked.
The practical form of the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 shows how the two leaf springs 121 in the position illustrated only rest on the end faces of the flat portion 120, so that even a slight torque will tilt the gearwheel 105.
The engagement of the switching cam 110 on the pivoting gear mechanism 112 can also be seen clearly, as can the support 99 at the front, which prevents unintentional springing of the cam 110.
In addition, it is possible to see a transmission gearwheel 124 which is present at the end of the delivery roller 37 and which engages in a small intermediate wheel 126 concealed by a large intermediate wheel 127, and also a coupling wheel 128, a tensioning wheel 129 and, lying partly behind the latter, a portioning wheel 137 on which the winding coil 61 with the spiral spring 63 inside it is arranged. The winding coi161 uses the same shaft 141 as the portioning wheel 137; the inner coil of the spiral spring 63 acts against the latter and turns the winding coil 61 clockwise against a sprung pin projecting out of the portioning wheel 137.
From the winding coil 61 spring-loaded in that manner a traction cable 60, which remains taut in every position, leads to the oscillating roller, not visible here, behind a covering 135.
Situated in the rear lower portion of the mounting plate 98 is a further lever 139 which is engaged by a catch, not visible, which serves to unlock the oscillating roller 50, cf. Fig.
9, so that it can be drawn back by means of the spring-loaded traction cable 60.
Figure 12 shows all the gearwheels - with the exception of the central gearwheel 103 situated behind the transmission gearwheel 102 and having the same diameter -in engagement or in their possibilities of engagement.
CWS International AG 23227 PCT
11C:T/CH99/00296 The lowermost transmission gearwheel 124 is driven by the delivery roller 37 which rolls as the fabric is pulled out and which is supported in the pivotable cover, not shown, and from which a torque is transmitted via the gearwheel 124 to an intermediate wheel 126. Arranged in front of that small intermediate wheel 126 and connected to the same shaft 123 is a large intermediate wheel 127.
The latter drives a coupling wheel 128 which in turn engages in a tensioning wheel 129, on the shaft 122 of which a switching wheel 144 rotates concurrently.
After the gear mechanism 112 has been pivoted, by displacement of the io switching cam 110, Fig. 11, in the switching direction S marked by an arrow, the switching wheel 144, Fig. 12, engages in the portioning wheel 137 and drives it as far as is permitted by an annular towel length limiter TL. The towel length limiter TL is constructed in the form of a raised groove with a central angle of 330 , and the travel is limited by a stop pin 145 having an 0-ring, not shown in 1s detail, which serves to damp the stop.
The tensioning wheel 129 is continuously in engagement with the transmission gearwheel 102, since the pivoting gear mechanism 112 undergoes only a$light displacement and since, in addition, the rotation shaft 123 =thereof 'is at a 2o relatively large distance from the gearwheel 102, cf. Fig. 11.
The shaft 113 of the coupling wheel 128 is likewise situated on the pivoting gear mechaniSrn 112, so that the coupling wheel 128 rotates concurrently and changes the direction of rotation at the gearwheel 129.
Accordingly, every hand towel delivery causes the delivery rolier 37 to rotate in the clockwise direction, as a result of which the spiral spring 104, cf. Fig.
11, is ultimately tensioned by an amount until, after about six deliveries of hand towel, it enters into a rigid coupling, in its clockwise direction of rotation, with the central io gearwheel 103 which is likewise fixed to the shaft 101, Fig. 11.
I
The spring motor charged in that manner serves to draw in the end of the hand towel completely when the entire roll of towel has been used; it thereby prevents unhygienic multiple use of the hand towel.
With every rotation of the delivery roller 37, therefore, movement of the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 also takes place, so that, after a quarter rotation, the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 causes the maximum displacement of the release and switching rocker 106 in the direction c shown in Fig. 11 and produces a vacuum in the resilient hollow body 108 (expansion bellows).
Owing to the torque transmitted by the gearwheel 102, the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 then receives an impulse, as a result of which it tilts through 90 owing to the leaf springs 121, cf. Fig. 11, and re-adopts the position shown in Fig. 12 but is not yet in engagement with the gearwheel 102 as shown there.
After air has entered the hollow body 108 by way of the throttle 109, the hollow body 108 separates from its abutment 111; the lever 106a moves in the direction o;
the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 engages by its flattened teeth Z' in the gearwheel 102, thereby producing the starting position again.
The foregoing description explains the simple and reproducing initiation of the time function element and the fundamental movement sequences of the control device.
The intermediate wheel 126, which has been drawn concealed, furthermore contains an annular slip clutch 146 known per se (also called a screen clutch) having cams, not shown in detail, which prevents damage in the dispenser or to the hand towel in the event of excessive pulling on the hand towel.
The portioning wheel 137 has a so-called spring-in point 143, that is to say, a resilient piece in the gear rim, which allows the tensioning wheel 129 to engage even if the teeth of the two gearwheels 144 and 137 happen to be opposite one another. The engagement always takes place at the same region of the portioning wheel 137, and therefore that measure also serves to reduce wear.
If the portioning wheel 137, Fig. 12, is considered in greater detail, the portioning, that is to say, the dispensing of a maximum portion of towel, can be explained:
The travel limiter TL allows rotation of the portioning wheel 137 only by the distance set; consequently, when the switching wheel 144 is in engagement, the resulting rotational movement is restricted to that amount.
At the same time, however, the unrolling distance of the towel is also restricted at the delivery roller 37, since the stopping of the portioning wheel 137 against the stop pin 145 acts on that roller also.
It is easy to see that, by inserting intermediate pieces in the towel length limiter TL or by a second or displaceable stop analogous to the pin 145, the maximum delivery of clean towel can be adjusted from the current 32 cm, that is to say, can be shortened.
The winding coi161, which serves to draw in the traction cable 60 illustrated in Fig. 9, is also seated on the portioning wheel; a spiral spring, designated 63, which acts on the traction cable 60 can also be seen here.
In addition, it is possible to see a further locking lever 138 which is shifted into engagement by the closed cover 25 and which extends into the pivoting module 2 situated behind the mounting plate 98 and fixes it in the operating position or releases it when the cover 25 is opened.
If hand towel is then dispensed - and hence actuation of the control device occurs -, the blocking lever 139 at the bottom of Fig. 11 is raised by the rear end of the lever on the pivoting gear mechanism 112. As a result, the oscillating roller 50 situated behind the covering 135, together with the already used towel guided around it, is unlocked; it is activated by the traction cable 60 and travels in the direction -p, Fig. 2;
that allows the C,'WS International AG 23227 PCT
formation of a loop for drying the hands in a convenient and hygienic manner, without relatively large quantities of unused towel being expended.
The time function element 108; 109 can also be "programmed" by selecting the porosity of the throftle 109 in accordance with the desired falling time of the hollow body 108 and/or optimising it. A hollow body 108 consisting of expansion bellows produces an adequate retaining force by virtue of its springing-in behaviour, permits long switching distances and, owing to its relatively large volume of air, can be returned in a precise and reproducible manner from the lo temporary vacuum to atmospheric pressure by way of the throttle 109.
The subject matter of the invention in its entirety solves the problem set.
Individual functional elements can, of course, also be used for the improvement of other constructions that are already in use.
Known hand towel clitipenticrs (inderulia h;P-AI-0 283 554) rcquit'e the towel to be threaded in and additionally wcwnd arottnd a roller when being put into service. To provont the cnd of a roll of hand towel fronl hcing usah[c scvcral tirne5, it is drawn in as sncn as it wc}uld hang 1iec:ly, that is to say, as sooti as it hati been unrcillcd from the clean hand towc] ro1l.'I'hc force rcquired to draw it in is stot=cd in a spring motor; for that purpose, howcver, t}te energy for drawing in the relevant portion of soiled towcl must first be accumuh{t(;d and nladc available.
Each timc the roll of hand Lc>wel is changed, tlicrcforc, the delivery roller has towel wound arc>unci it manual ly in the correct towel direction, which alone gives rise to frequent problcros.
Once wrapping has bccn cornpleted, for initial charging of the spring st.ore a certain length ol'towel must consequently hc drawn off unused so that the first portion used will be drawn in and no cxccssively long loop hanging out of the dispenser will bc fot-med, ln the event of naa l.funcl.iony in the dispcnscr, the towel that has beeti drawn in cannot be retnovod; it tnust first bc wound complet.eiy otito the soiled roll and is therefore lost.
H xperieiice has shitwn that the conditions mcntioned above for correct loading of a dispenscr with towcl at-c the cause uf numerous=nialfuncticros whicti are a eonsequeTic;e ol' poor iuulerstitndinb, incptitudo, misintcrpretation and frylse a.iarl1ls and which very ofton put a dispenser out of action merely for t.hat reason. Since premature chant;inf; of thc rolls results in the loss ol'tlle towel Lhat hets tiot yet been used and because c-fthe inherent. susceptibility uf'these dispensers to failurc, it has bc.cn proposcd t.hat two hand towel units, in pructicc, howevcr, two crnnplctc hand towel dispensers, be installed side by side ancl mcehanically coupled to each other in order to increase the operating readiness of the systetn as a whole.
An at least partially autotnaled threading-in of' the hand towel is also known (WO-Al-96/32874). It has been I'ound, however, that a dispenser of that kind cithcr nccds auxiliary cncrgy and/or rcguires spcciaà nieasures at the end of the hatld towel which have a dc;trimcntal effect in the laundcrinb process.
It' has furthermore beeti found to be disadvantageous that, in the case of thc dispenser according to 1rP-/\I-0 2,93 554, by pullirrghard on t.herearport.ion cfthe loop the roll of soilcd towel can he unrolled, since the slip clutch rc;ciuircrl for returning used fabric - in order t.o forni a temporary It>oP suflicicnt for dryi ng purposes - canrtot put up a.n adectuatc;ly high resistancc.
A hand towel dispenser is disclosed in T.TS-n-5 244 263; that dispcnscr, however, preferably bcing drivcn hy an electric m<rtor. In ordcr to utilisc the spacc availahle in the appliance, the clean hand towel is accommodated in a tlcxibtc hag; boncath the lattcr, the used hand towel is rolled up in a tnodule that can be pivoted oulwar(i lor removal, Ilie lower, soiled hand towel Occupyinb the upper space with increasing use. The towel is dispen.~ed in a large loop beneath the appliance.
Disadvantages in the case ol'that dispenser are the necessary threading-in of the web of hand towel between two rollers, the subsequently required manual winding of the bogimiing ofthc hand towel around the r=oller that winds t,p the soiled towel, and a perceptible imprecise t,*uidancc ofthc towel on that rollct=. T'hc way in which the towel is dispensed requires a largc loop ot- clsc thcrc is a risk that a towel portinn that has ah=cady hccn soiled will he rc-uscd_ It is therefore the ohject of the invention to provide a compact hand towel dispenser that does not have ttie tlisadvanlages metltioned above. ln particular, with a miriiniuni of ncccssat-y instruction to maintenance pertionnel, it is to, afti)rd the user a very higlt degree of operating reliabilily and liygiene. The di5penseris to makethe r-oll of hand towel at its disposal available in optimtnn portions and prevent botli intentional and unintcntional nuiltiplc use of thc hand towel. In patticular, its roll of ha.nd towel must be easily replaceable, that is to say, it must hc easy to Iciad the diwpenser. In the event of any pren-ritl.ure towel change, no rewinding of thc towel is lo hc rccluircd.
Thc dispcnscr niust furthertttore be suitable for manutacturc nn a I argc scale ancj be economic in tliose terms; for reasons of spacc and cost, appliances aiTangecl one bcsicic anot.her are undcsirable.
'I'he baiid material used as the hand towel shotild not as a rule require any mcasures or alterations to tha1. in existirtg dispenscrs installcct and used in nunierous locations, sincc thc existing inFrastructurc, such as washing machines, nuingles and drying machincs, as well as thc cx ist.i ng logistics will ce>ntinuc to he used. Thc di spenser th3t is tobe providcd should nct, however, be restricted to the use of textile hand matcrial; it is to be capable ofadaptatinn to any cnvironmcntally frietidly, durable material.
The invention therefore prc-vidcs a hand Iowel dispertsrr., .lur planar band material (T, T'), havinga transport mochanisrn for sinlpl iticd threading-in and for t'orming aloop ofclean banci material suitabic for hand drying, wher.ein the transport tnechiuiisni hirs a pivoting niodulc (2) which is rotatable outwards about a stationa.ry sha.ft (11) and is supported in side panels (18, 19), arid that transport inechanism is initiated by closing the dispenscr with a housing covcr (25) and rolls up thc band material ('1','I'') in portions Irom a supply oft;lean material (T), by wtty of a dispensed loop, crnto a rcplaccablc rollcr= (5) carrying used band ttiaterial (T'), chnrtlclerised in th:tt the pivoting modulo (2) viewed in thc opcrating statc has, in its upper region, in two mutually opposing lateral Ilangcs, bearing points (:38) For I.he inseitiun of a removable winding rciller (5), in wliich the winding rollor-(5) romains unchangcd in position during operation, and a verlically displaceable body (15) guided in vertical slot guides (23) is irrrimgecl as the t'abric receptacle for clean two (T) irbove the pivoting module (2), which body (15) carries on its tuiderside a friction roller (6) which is connected to a spring motor gear mechanism (104, 22) and which charges the witiding roller (5) with used towel (T') and drives i(, atid, tor buiding the shati of the friction roller (6), there is fcmted in both side pancls (18, 19) aguiclc groove (20, 39) which ha4, froni top to bottom, first a vertical liortiori (20) and thcn acircular arcuate portion (39), and mutuallyopPnsing hnrir ntal guidc grooves (13) bcing provicicd in the two lateral tlangcs (15) ot'thc body (15) of the titbric rcccptaclc so that, by Ihc; Siniu[t.irtl;outi action uFh<-th guide grooves (20, 39; 13), thC
sh;111. 4-W4.ho fric.t.ii,n ri>lior (6) and the gear mcchanism (22) are positively guided both r:oncentrically with a central wheel (103) of the gear mechanism of the spring motor (104) and in the upward direction, and there is providcd in thc latcral flanges of the pivoting module (2) a recess (10) in wltich a displaceable oscillatinl; rollcr (50) can engage which lurtns an additicfnal, variaiilc loop ol' band tnaterial between thc windi ng roller (5) and a l;uidc; (tS, 9, 4) c>f thc band ntaterial (7', T'), the loop serving ati a reservoir for forming a temporarily returning band portion.
'I'hc a.dditional lool7 is provided as a supplcnicnt to thc loop issuing frorri the dispenser and intcnctcd fnr liand drying, downstrearn ot'the issuing lcrop in the winding dircction and inside the dispenser. With each portion of hand towel dispensed, l.he hand towel already usetl which is present in the additional loop can thcrofore, be utilised in a.
hygienically ut7ol~jectionable tnanner to 1imii the 1curP intended fior hand cirying, without the winding rol ler Iaden with usecl, crumpled and dainp hand towel being rotated first backwar-d and thcn in tho winding directiort again. 't'his results in a saving on hand towel consun'tption ol'zrln-tust.
5()%,, without having to run the risk of nialfuncticmti durint; the winding process etc.. The usc;r is otfored convenient and ergonomically advaiitageous access lo the towel.
'I'he specific lenn "recess" used herein is to be unclerstood in the widest sense of"spacc" for ,uidingan additional loop; the t'onnation ol'that loop can, however, also be acce nplishcd by rotating the pivnting mndulc_ Owing to the givoti width of ihe towel and tl2 e cor1lined spatial ccmditions; that loop will in cacli case he present in the pivoting mndule and upstream of its windint; rollcr for used towel.
A hand towel dispenser according to the invention docs not require, any expenditure nri training per5onnel; siinple pictugrarns and/or directions on tlie dispenser are sutlicienl for perfect set-up and maintonancc. No extcrnal energy is required, and the ncccssaiy forccs for the ccintreyl and operation irre applied by the user without his being conscious of it. All of the operations prcicccct rcprc3ducibly and can he adapted and/or even set tu local rectuirements by suitable nica.sures.
11'rcferahly, pulling taut the inner (additional) loop has lhe el'fact, in addition to the ir)lended rcturilinl; of the used towel to fi>rm the outer loop, ol' smouthing and partially drying the a-umplcd and daTnp towel portion.
Preferably, axially parallel guidance ol'the used tc>wcl cn5ures neat wirlding and thus prevents shifting with respect to the desired sytnnletrical path of the towel. -Advantagcously, 1he guides required filrthis arc fit.ted in the titaticlnarysidc panels ofthe housing ofthc appliatice.
Usitlg cable pulls prcrvidcci with springs, the oscillating rollcr can he controlled during its oscillating travel whicll begins with each dclivciy of towe], withuut the lateral space requirement in the dispenser heing itlcr-ease<i.
Pref4rably, a pr=ccise and slip-free guidance is achieved hy mcans ofthe positive rolling irction of thc oscillating roller.
A preferred construction makcs cspecially sirnple coupling ofthe niovomont tlfthc oscillating roller possible in cc.lnnect.ion with the opening and closing of the eover ol'the dispenser.
Preferably, the clean towel is guided when the cavcr is closed and thc dclivcry roller which extends into the towel path in the front lower portion of the cover. When the hand towel delivery is pulled, owing to that roller's large angle of contact and the rout;h surfaec which is adapted tcz thc t()wcl, it r<lWtc, tiirnul lanc;uusly without slippingand transmits thc movcment of the towel to a control and drive dcvice.
In a prcfcrrcd form oi; coTlstructiotl tltere is allowed an especially simple and, easily distnountable mounting of the pivoting modulc and its asymmctrical drive by way ol' tlle (1pCT11TIg tlTUl closing movement of the cover.
'['hc forttl and vert.ically ittijustitble rnuunting of the fabric receptacle preferably provides a particularly spacC-saving compact dispenser which pcrfarms thc necessary rnovernent.
seyuenc:es when the towel is changed, without Partc cif the aT-T-lianee hzving t.n he mnvod ~lanually. - Furthennore, the transrnission of#ircc by means uf a friction roller resting on thc winding rollcr and arranged on the tabric receptacle makes use of the volume that becotnes available a.s the clean towel unrolls I'or the roll of used towel which is simultaneously increasing in diameter.
'I'he clrive by way of the side panel pref'erubly allows the necessary travcl-depcndetit synchronism betwccn the delivery roller and the winding roller to be control lcci with time and inonitorecl.
The configuration of the guide gruuvc;ti pretcrahly rCsults in a compact constructi<fn anci pcrfcct tra.nsmissioil of fiorce since the curvcti groove a.rranged concentrically with a central gea.rwheel ensures a constant cngabyetnent witti the transmission and driving gcartivheel of the winding rnllcr.
Pins prnjceting nti the fabric receptacle preferably are advantagcous guides in one plane.
Prctcrahly, thc guidance ol'the fabric receptacle in a plano at right angles to the Iirst pliirie is a furthcr imPrnvcmcnt.
Optimum parallel guidance of the fabric reccptacle, and therewith ofthe liriction drive, may be achieved by gcarwheels connected to one another.
l'rel'erably, there is disclosed a very cftcctivo possible mcthod nfraising the fabric receptacle, which is necessary in ordcr to rotate the pivoting module forwards by about 180 and unload it or prcparc it for re-use.
That po5ition, pivoted out of the dispenser, also allows the pivoting module and opf.i0rta.lly fiit-thcr pat=ts of thc hand towel dispenser to be cleaned and/or disinl"ected in a convenient manncr.
Also disclosed is a tircfcrcncc to raise the fabric rcccptaclc F1UtonlzltiC:atly 11~.1(11l oj,lGming.
-fiA-"I'he latem.l arrangemcnt ofthc control and drive cleviceprovides a kinctnaticallya.dvantageous solution and results in a single t'unctional unit that is easy to replace and that is advantageous in terms of production erigineering, "The vertical position of the fabric receptacle is dircctly dcpcndcnt upon the winding diamc,~tcr cC the roll of uscd towcl - since the I"riction roller situated hclow the fabric receptacle rests on the roll - ancà thereforo the preferred iilling-stale indictttor is vcty simplc and efl'ective. In practiec, bcforc the supply of clean towel is used ur, a vertical rec] line appcars in an inspection window in the frottt side of the covor.
A prcfcrrcd, i l lustrati ve enlbodinlent of the invention i5 de5cri hed with referetice to drawings, in which:
Fig. t is a simplificd vicw in perspective of a hand towel dispenser with its c.Sscntial f iinctiunal elements, without timo-dcpandent control and without cover being shown;
Fig. 2 is a schematic diat;ram of thc disrcnscr of Fig_ 1, iti plan view onto a narrow side, with a covcr opcncd by 7";
Hig. 3 shows the dispenser of Fig. 2 a#ter the cover has bc:cn opened by 6i0 ;
Fig. 4 shows the dispenser of Fig. 2 with the cover opened to it maximum extent and with a fabric receptacle held at the top;
Fig. 5 is a view analogous to Fig. 4, but with the pivoting module and the associated transmission elements being shown;
Fig. 6 is a simplified view of the functional elements in the positions shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 during the loading operation;
Fig. 7 shows the dispenser according to Fig. 1 ready for operation after the loading operation, in plan view of a narrow side;
Fig. 8 shows the dispenser according to Fig. 7 after a prolonged period of operation;
Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the mode of operation of the oscillating roller serving for economical dispensing of the hand towel;
Fig. 10 is a further view in perspective of the dispenser with essential slot guides and with the oscillating roller in its two end positions, Fig. 11 is a view in perspective of the time- and travel-dependent control unit of the dispenser according to Figs. 1 to 10 with its gear mechanisms and switching members, and Fig. 12 shows the passage of force between the gearwheels in Fig. 11, with the switching wheel disengaged.
A hand towel dispenser according to the invention is designated 1 in Fig. 1;
the view in perspective shows it without cover (covering) and without a side panel on one face, during hand drying by a user B.
Two basic components, namely a pivoting module 2 with shell-shaped guiding and gripping cavities 3 and, situated compactly above the latter, a fabric receptacle 15 for a roll of clean towel T, are guided by side panels, only the right-hand side panel 18 being visible. The roll of towel rests in a freely movable manner on a shell-shaped trough 17 and does not have a winding spindle. Its band-shaped towel T is guided in the unrolling direction A over an upper deflecting roller 7 onto a lower deflecting roller 4, in the pivoting module 2, and forms a loop that is used at the point marked by parallel lines by the hands HB of the user B for drying in the usual manner. The towel T' that has been used in that way is guided in the direction W over further deflecting rollers 9 and 8 to a winding roller 5.
That winding roller 5 together with clamping spring 5' and bearing pin 5"
serves to roll up the used towel T' in the winding direction W. It is described in all its details in Patent Application PCT/CH99/00197.
The bearing pins 5" are suspended in an insertion point 38, in the upper edge region of the pivoting module 2, where they wedge themselves in an end position in a rotatable manner. The winding roller 5 is driven by a friction roller 6 resting thereon and having a nubbed friction surface 14 which rests directly on the used towel T' and drives it in the direction W, with a time delay, after the hands have been dried. The friction roller 6 is movably guided by shaft pins 12 at its ends in a horizontal guide groove 13 in the lower portion of the fabric receptacle 15, and therefore can adapt to the increasing diameter of the rolled-up towel T'.
The fabric receptacle 15 is for its part movable in the lifting direction H, by means of guide pins 16 projecting outward from its lateral faces, in guide grooves 23 lying opposite each other on both sides, only the one guide groove 23 in the side panel 18 being visible. In addition, a depression 20 which widens towards the top can be seen in the side panel 18, which depression 20 serves to install the fabric receptacle 15 in the dispenser 1 with its projecting shaft pins 12 in a convenient manner.
The pivoting module 2 conceals a gear mechanism for a friction drive and therefore the gear mechanism is shown by broken lines. The gear mechanism 22 is driven by a central gearwheel 103 which projects out of a housing 21.
The pivoting module 2 is rotatable about its two likewise projecting shaft pins 11, that is to say, as described in detail below it can be pivoted outward about those shaft pins so that the roll of used towel T' can be taken out from the front, as viewed from the user B. -The winding roller 5, which remains with the dispenser 1, is withdrawn axially from the roll T' and a new, clean end of a towel T is drawn under the clamping spring 5', the winding roller 5 is re-positioned in the insertion point 38 and the module 2 is pivoted back into the position shown.
In order that the module 2 can be pivoted out, the fabric receptacle 15 has to be moved upward. That is done by means of a pivoting lever 47 which is connected to the cover of the dispenser, see Fig. 5.
In addition, a recess 10 for an oscillating roller is provided in Fig. 1, which oscillating roller has been omitted here for the sake of clarity and only the oscillation directions p thereof have been shown.
The oscillating roller is described in detail in the following Fig. 7 to Fig.
10, but its action can already be explained at this point.
When fresh towel T is pulled down by the hands HB, the oscillating roller, which is in its forward position, is pulled back in the direction -p, with the result that a piece or portion of used towel T' is also released. That piece corresponds to 50% of the overall length of the towel loop consisting of T + T. As a result, the loop becomes larger for convenient drying of the hands, without an unnecessarily large amount of clean towel T
being required.
In Fig. 2, the dispenser 1, mounted by its mounting face M on a vertical wall, is shown in a first arrestable tilting position with the cover 25 inclined at 7 to the vertical V. - That is the first position obtained at the dispenser 1 when the cover 25 is opened.
The cover 25 for its part has on each side a bearing pin 24 which is supported in the respective side panels 18 and 19 indicated. When the cover 25 is tilted as illustrated -after opening of a fastening, not shown - a slide cam 26 presses on a vertically arranged slide 27 provided with sliding faces 29. The slide 27 has guide strips 28 at its sides, which prevent it from tilting, so that the lifting movement H is transmitted via its lifting cam 31 to a projection 32 on the fabric receptacle 15 and lifts the latter also.
The slide 27 has on the side thereof facing the appliance a further ramp-shaped sliding face, which has not been shown for reasons of clarity and on which a driving pin 59 of a gripper-rocker 55, Fig. 9, rests so that the latter is moved together with the slide 27.
In addition, attached to the slide 27 on the inside thereof is a catch-like cam 30 which is engaged by a shoulder 35 of a locking catch 33, which is rotatable on a bearing pin 34, when the slide 27 has been raised sufficiently. To ensure that that takes place, it is drawn in the direction of engagement by a restoring spring 36.
In addition, a delivery roller 37 likewise provided with nubs can be seen at the front in the cover 25.
Figure 3 shows a snapshot at an opening angle of the cover of 60 to the vertical V; the slide cam 26 has already travelled along the lowest portion of the sliding face 29 and is now moving on the upwardly leading portion of the sliding face 29. The cam 30 is just about to engage with the projecting shoulder 35.
In Fig. 4, the cam 30 can be seen in its engaged position on the shoulder 35;
the fabric receptacle 15 has been raised to the maximum height H and can be loaded with a roll of clean towel T.
For reasons of clarity, the movement and the transmission of force from the cover 25 to the pivoting module 2 were omitted in Figs. 3 and 4. For the same considerations the fabric receptacle 15 has not been shown in Fig. 5. When the cover 25 is open to its maximum extent, in the position identical to that shown in Fig. 4, the pivoting module 2 is turned outward, so that it adopts the position shown in Fig. 5. It will be apparent from this how, during the opening movement of the cover 25, the pivoting module is pivoted about its shaft pin 11 by a pivoting lever 47, which is rotatably mounted on the cover on a connecting pin 70, by means of its pin 48 which projects into a straight slot guide 71 in the pivoting module 2. That pivoting movement is controlled by the other end of the shaft stub, which is constructed in the form of a double pin 48, in accordance with the curve of the further slot guide 49 which is provided in the side panel 19, cf.
Fig. 10.
As shown in Fig. 5, it is easy to lift the winding roller 5 out of its bearings, the mutually opposing insertion points 38, and, with it, a full roll of soiled towel T.
The winding roller 5 can be recovered for its next use by simply withdrawing it axially.
For loading, a roll of clean towel T is placed in the fabric receptacle 15 situated in the position shown in Fig. 4, in such a way that the free end of the roll rests on the trough 17.
The winding roller 5 is then inserted into the free end of the towel T from the side, at an angle of 90 to the unrolling direction A, the towel T being clamped in a non-slipping manner between the actual roller 5 and a clamping spring 5' attached thereto.
The actual loading operation is shown in Fig. 6:
The clean towel T is made to hang down from its roll over the forward deflecting roller 9, and the winding roller 5 is pushed into the leading end part of the towel T as described.
For reasons of clarity the cover 25 has been omitted here also, and therefore the delivery roller 37, which is supported laterally therein and is driven by means of a gearwheel, cf.
Fig. 2 to Fig. 5, below the deflecting roller 4, Fig. 1, is likewise absent, as also in the Figures that follow.
The winding roller 5 is then, as shown, suspended in the insertion point 38 in the direction of the arrow, whereupon the manual loading as such is completed; the cover 25 is then merely closed. In the process, a kinematic reversal of the procedures already described with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 takes place; fmally, the appliance appears as shown in Fig. 7.
In that Figure, it is also possible to see the oscillating roller 50 which pulls the towel T' taut since it is rolled in the direction +p by a gripper-rocker 55, Fig. 9.
The towel T takes the path marked by a double line at the lower portion of the pivoting module 2. After pulling vertically downward with both hands HB at the point marked, the oscillating roller 50 adopts its forward end position, as a result of which, at the next hand drying operation, owing to the retraction of the oscillating roller 50 in the direction -p, approximately double the length of fabric delivered over the deflecting rollers 7 and 4 is available.
In all the Figures, the same consistent lettering is applied to the designation of the towel in the dispenser ready for operation: clean towel = T; used towel or towel behind the point marked in Fig. 1(hands HB) = T'.
Whereas in Fig. 7 a fresh roll of towel T is illustrated, in Fig. 8 a major part is already situated as used towel T' on the winding shaft 5. As a consequence, the friction roller 6 resting on the roll T' has shifted to the left in the guide groove 13 and at the same time has been raised, concentrically with a central gearwheel 103, along the path of the curve 39.
Owing to the illustrated path guidance of the friction roller 6, its transmission gear-wheel 22' is in engagement with the central gearwheel 103 irrespective of the current diameter of the winding roller 5 around which the used (soiled) towel T' is being wound, and therefore a slip-free transmission of force is ensured.
The friction between the used towel T' and the friction roller 6 driven in that manner is good, but, in the case of a fresh roll of towel T, almost its entire weight rests by way of the friction surface 14 on the winding roller 5 and the cloth T'. When, during routine operation, the two roll diameters first match each other and then change in the opposite direction, the moments acting on the contact surfaces between the friction roller 5 and the towel T' also remain almost constant.
The practical form of the oscillating roller 50 can be seen in Fig. 9; it has a texture with notches 51 and is provided at the sides with flange-like lateral guides 53 and respective gearwheels 52 used for the parallel guidance. On the left-hand side of the oscillating roller 50, a gripper-rocker 55 engages by its recess 56 over the shaft thereof. The gripper-rocker 55 is arranged on a bearing pin 64 so as to be pivotable in the direction p and has, on an upper side, a tension spring fastening 57 to which a tension spring 58, arranged substantially vertically, is attached. The driving pin 59 is used for the enforced actuation of the oscillating roller 50 by the slide 27, Figs. 2 to 4, in dependence upon the position of a cover not shown here.
Inserted rotatably on the right-hand side of the oscillating roller 50 is a bearing pin 54 to which a traction cable 60 is attached which is guided over a pulley 60' to a winding coil 61 and is wound up and held taut by the latter's integrated spiral spring 63.
A bore 62 in the winding coil 61 is likewise arranged rotatably in a portioning wheel, not shown, for dispensing the towel.
The oscillating roller 50 is shown in Fig. 9 in its rearward position, analogously to Fig.
10, where it has been stopped against travel-limiting elements 50'. It is possible to see here its parallel guide 45 with a parallel set of teeth 46 at the top which guides it in an axially parallel manner into the forward position shown by broken lines. The oscillation path is again designated p.
Figure 10 shows the dispenser 1 partly dismantled. It is possible to see here the rear wa1140 of the appliance housing, which is attached to a vertical wall by its mounting face M in the usual manner.
It is easy to see here that opening of the cover 25 - by means of the slide 27 not visible here - guides both the oscillating roller 50 and the fabric receptacle 15 out of the region of rotation of the pivoting module 2 and pivots the latter into the position shown in Fig. 6 in the manner previously described.
Projecting at a right angle to the rear wall 40 is a side panel 18 which carries a guiding and bearing point 41 for a shaft pin 11 of a pivoting module, not visible.
Behind it, there is a curved slot guide 49 which also guides the pivoting module 2. In the upper region of the side panel 18 a recess can be seen, which is used for the pin guide 42 of a filling indicator for the towel T. Arranged beside it is the above-mentioned tension spring 58 which is attached in the tension spring fastening 57 to the gripper-rocker 55.
In addition, it is possible to see the guide groove 39 which runs concentrically with the central gearwheel, not visible here, and which serves to guide a friction drive intended for winding up the used towel T'; a guide groove 20 that is widened at the top serves to facilitate the installation of that drive.
Other elements, such as a guide groove 23 and a vertical groove 43 that leads into a linear set of teeth 44, are intended for the parallel guidance of a fabric receptacle, likewise not shown here, in which the roll of clean towel T is supported in a vertically displaceable manner.
It can easily be seen from Fig. 10 that the oscillating roller 50, as shown in its rearward position, jams the used towel T' against the travel-limiting elements 50' and, in conjunction with the deflecting roller 9 supported in the pivoting module 2, prevents it from being pulled out. A so-called return lock is thereby obtained.
It is also possible to see here the parallel guide 45 with a parallel set of teeth 46 lying at the top which guide the oscillating roller 50 in an axially parallel manner into the forward position shown by broken lines. The oscillation path is designated p in this case also. A
bearing pin 54 which projects from the front end face of the oscillating roller 50 and to which the traction cable 60 is attached, Fig. 9 and Fig. 11, can also be seen.
For the sake of completeness, a portion of a cover 25 with its bearing pin 24 for initiating further operations is also indicated here.
In Fig. 11, a simplified illustration of a control device is designated 100, the appropriate coverings and protective covers and also any non-functional gearing parts having been removed.
The control and drive device 100 consists substantially of two units, a release and switching rocker 106 and a pivoting gear mechanism 112. The release and switching rocker 106 is mounted on a rotation shaft 107 and is arranged around two wheels 102 and 103. The front wheel 102 is a transmission gearwheel, whereas the rear, concealed, wheel 103 is the central gearwheel already described. Arranged in the interior of the transmission gearwheel 102 is a spiral spring 104 which acts on the common shaft of the two wheels 102, 103 and is tensioned in the anti-clockwise direction.
The spiral spring 104 is situated in a housing, and its state of tension can be monitored through two inspection windows 104'.
Located on the release and switching rocker 106 is the rotation shaft 119, see Fig. 12, of an ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 which, on its major axis, engages by its teeth Z
in the gearwheel 102. The rocker 106 is constructed in the form of a two-armed lever;
the upper lever is designated 106a and the lower lever 106b. Located at the end of the upper lever 106a is a time function element 108; 109 which acts on an abutment 111 and which, according to Fig. 11, is in its closed state c.
After further turning of the gearwheel 102, the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 tilts through 90 ; the release and switching rocker 106 remains in the engaged position until the interval specified by the time function element 108; 109 has elapsed.
A pivoting gear mechanism 112, likewise constructed in the form of a two-armed lever, engages over the release and switching rocker 106 and is pivotally arranged on a further rotation shaft 123 and, with its upper lever portion, engages in the rear wheel, the central gearwheel 103, by way of a spring piece 115 and a gearwheel locking arrangement 116.
The pivoting movement accordingly required is effected by a switching cam 110 attached to the lower lever 106b.
The pivoting gear mechanism 112 is returned by a spring 118. Meshing gearwheels are located on shafts 122, 113 and the rotation shaft 123.
It is also possible to see that the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 has, in addition to complete teeth Z, also flattened teeth Z' and two tooth gaps L. That is expedient in order to enable clean tilting by 90 in the direction of rotation of the gearwheel 105. When the time function element 108; 109 has reached the intended time, the upper lever 106a moves in the direction o, this being assisted by a further spring 117, a conventional helical spring.
Fig. 11 shows the gearing parts and levers that are expedient for complete operation of the device 100 in the hand towel dispenser 1. What is not shown are the necessary coverings and the guide elements that are not essential for operation.
All the parts, including supports, brackets and engagement points 99 for coverings etc., are integrally arranged on a mounting plate 98. Beside the transmission gearwheel 102 there is a reverse stop 130 which engages in or slides over the gearwheel 102 in the manner of a ratchet.
At the front, a feeler 133 can be seen, which, tensioned by a spring 134, is pressed out of the front face of the mounting plate 98 and detects the presence of a closed cover, not shown. When the cover has been pivoted out or removed, the lever guided on a pivot shaft 131, which is likewise a two-armed lever, moves forward with its feeler 133 and, with a switching projection 132, presses the pivoting gear mechanism 112 into its engaged position. In that position, it stops the central gearwheel 103 by way of the spring 115 and the gearwheel locking arrangement 116, with the result that the entire hand towel dispenser is locked.
The practical form of the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 shows how the two leaf springs 121 in the position illustrated only rest on the end faces of the flat portion 120, so that even a slight torque will tilt the gearwheel 105.
The engagement of the switching cam 110 on the pivoting gear mechanism 112 can also be seen clearly, as can the support 99 at the front, which prevents unintentional springing of the cam 110.
In addition, it is possible to see a transmission gearwheel 124 which is present at the end of the delivery roller 37 and which engages in a small intermediate wheel 126 concealed by a large intermediate wheel 127, and also a coupling wheel 128, a tensioning wheel 129 and, lying partly behind the latter, a portioning wheel 137 on which the winding coil 61 with the spiral spring 63 inside it is arranged. The winding coi161 uses the same shaft 141 as the portioning wheel 137; the inner coil of the spiral spring 63 acts against the latter and turns the winding coil 61 clockwise against a sprung pin projecting out of the portioning wheel 137.
From the winding coil 61 spring-loaded in that manner a traction cable 60, which remains taut in every position, leads to the oscillating roller, not visible here, behind a covering 135.
Situated in the rear lower portion of the mounting plate 98 is a further lever 139 which is engaged by a catch, not visible, which serves to unlock the oscillating roller 50, cf. Fig.
9, so that it can be drawn back by means of the spring-loaded traction cable 60.
Figure 12 shows all the gearwheels - with the exception of the central gearwheel 103 situated behind the transmission gearwheel 102 and having the same diameter -in engagement or in their possibilities of engagement.
CWS International AG 23227 PCT
11C:T/CH99/00296 The lowermost transmission gearwheel 124 is driven by the delivery roller 37 which rolls as the fabric is pulled out and which is supported in the pivotable cover, not shown, and from which a torque is transmitted via the gearwheel 124 to an intermediate wheel 126. Arranged in front of that small intermediate wheel 126 and connected to the same shaft 123 is a large intermediate wheel 127.
The latter drives a coupling wheel 128 which in turn engages in a tensioning wheel 129, on the shaft 122 of which a switching wheel 144 rotates concurrently.
After the gear mechanism 112 has been pivoted, by displacement of the io switching cam 110, Fig. 11, in the switching direction S marked by an arrow, the switching wheel 144, Fig. 12, engages in the portioning wheel 137 and drives it as far as is permitted by an annular towel length limiter TL. The towel length limiter TL is constructed in the form of a raised groove with a central angle of 330 , and the travel is limited by a stop pin 145 having an 0-ring, not shown in 1s detail, which serves to damp the stop.
The tensioning wheel 129 is continuously in engagement with the transmission gearwheel 102, since the pivoting gear mechanism 112 undergoes only a$light displacement and since, in addition, the rotation shaft 123 =thereof 'is at a 2o relatively large distance from the gearwheel 102, cf. Fig. 11.
The shaft 113 of the coupling wheel 128 is likewise situated on the pivoting gear mechaniSrn 112, so that the coupling wheel 128 rotates concurrently and changes the direction of rotation at the gearwheel 129.
Accordingly, every hand towel delivery causes the delivery rolier 37 to rotate in the clockwise direction, as a result of which the spiral spring 104, cf. Fig.
11, is ultimately tensioned by an amount until, after about six deliveries of hand towel, it enters into a rigid coupling, in its clockwise direction of rotation, with the central io gearwheel 103 which is likewise fixed to the shaft 101, Fig. 11.
I
The spring motor charged in that manner serves to draw in the end of the hand towel completely when the entire roll of towel has been used; it thereby prevents unhygienic multiple use of the hand towel.
With every rotation of the delivery roller 37, therefore, movement of the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 also takes place, so that, after a quarter rotation, the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 causes the maximum displacement of the release and switching rocker 106 in the direction c shown in Fig. 11 and produces a vacuum in the resilient hollow body 108 (expansion bellows).
Owing to the torque transmitted by the gearwheel 102, the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 then receives an impulse, as a result of which it tilts through 90 owing to the leaf springs 121, cf. Fig. 11, and re-adopts the position shown in Fig. 12 but is not yet in engagement with the gearwheel 102 as shown there.
After air has entered the hollow body 108 by way of the throttle 109, the hollow body 108 separates from its abutment 111; the lever 106a moves in the direction o;
the ellipsoidal gearwheel 105 engages by its flattened teeth Z' in the gearwheel 102, thereby producing the starting position again.
The foregoing description explains the simple and reproducing initiation of the time function element and the fundamental movement sequences of the control device.
The intermediate wheel 126, which has been drawn concealed, furthermore contains an annular slip clutch 146 known per se (also called a screen clutch) having cams, not shown in detail, which prevents damage in the dispenser or to the hand towel in the event of excessive pulling on the hand towel.
The portioning wheel 137 has a so-called spring-in point 143, that is to say, a resilient piece in the gear rim, which allows the tensioning wheel 129 to engage even if the teeth of the two gearwheels 144 and 137 happen to be opposite one another. The engagement always takes place at the same region of the portioning wheel 137, and therefore that measure also serves to reduce wear.
If the portioning wheel 137, Fig. 12, is considered in greater detail, the portioning, that is to say, the dispensing of a maximum portion of towel, can be explained:
The travel limiter TL allows rotation of the portioning wheel 137 only by the distance set; consequently, when the switching wheel 144 is in engagement, the resulting rotational movement is restricted to that amount.
At the same time, however, the unrolling distance of the towel is also restricted at the delivery roller 37, since the stopping of the portioning wheel 137 against the stop pin 145 acts on that roller also.
It is easy to see that, by inserting intermediate pieces in the towel length limiter TL or by a second or displaceable stop analogous to the pin 145, the maximum delivery of clean towel can be adjusted from the current 32 cm, that is to say, can be shortened.
The winding coi161, which serves to draw in the traction cable 60 illustrated in Fig. 9, is also seated on the portioning wheel; a spiral spring, designated 63, which acts on the traction cable 60 can also be seen here.
In addition, it is possible to see a further locking lever 138 which is shifted into engagement by the closed cover 25 and which extends into the pivoting module 2 situated behind the mounting plate 98 and fixes it in the operating position or releases it when the cover 25 is opened.
If hand towel is then dispensed - and hence actuation of the control device occurs -, the blocking lever 139 at the bottom of Fig. 11 is raised by the rear end of the lever on the pivoting gear mechanism 112. As a result, the oscillating roller 50 situated behind the covering 135, together with the already used towel guided around it, is unlocked; it is activated by the traction cable 60 and travels in the direction -p, Fig. 2;
that allows the C,'WS International AG 23227 PCT
formation of a loop for drying the hands in a convenient and hygienic manner, without relatively large quantities of unused towel being expended.
The time function element 108; 109 can also be "programmed" by selecting the porosity of the throftle 109 in accordance with the desired falling time of the hollow body 108 and/or optimising it. A hollow body 108 consisting of expansion bellows produces an adequate retaining force by virtue of its springing-in behaviour, permits long switching distances and, owing to its relatively large volume of air, can be returned in a precise and reproducible manner from the lo temporary vacuum to atmospheric pressure by way of the throttle 109.
The subject matter of the invention in its entirety solves the problem set.
Individual functional elements can, of course, also be used for the improvement of other constructions that are already in use.
Claims (12)
1. Hand towel dispenser for planar band material (T, T'), having a transport mechanism for simplified threading-in and for forming a loop of clean band material suitable for hand drying, wherein the transport mechanism has a pivoting module (2) which is rotatable outwards about a stationary shaft (11) and is supported in side panels (18, 19), and that transport mechanism is initiated by closing the dispenser with a housing cover (25) and rolls up the band material (T, T') in portions from a supply of clean material (T), by way of a dispensed loop, onto a replaceable roller (5) carrying used band material (T'), characterised in that the pivoting module (2) viewed in the operating state has, in its upper region, in two mutually opposing lateral flanges, bearing points (38) for the insertion of a removable winding roller (5), in which the winding roller (5) remains unchanged in position during operation, and a vertically displaceable body (15) guided in vertical slot guides (23) is arranged as the fabric receptacle for clean towel (T) above the pivoting module (2), which body (15) carries on its underside a friction roller (6) which is connected to a spring motor gear mechanism (104, 22) and which charges the winding roller (5) with used towel (T') and drives it, and, for guiding the shaft of the friction roller (6), there is formed in both side panels (18, 19) a guide groove (20, 39) which has, from top to bottom, first a vertical portion (20) and then a circular arcuate portion (39), and mutually opposing horizontal guide grooves (13) being provided in the two lateral flanges (15') of the body (15) of the fabric receptacle so that, by the simultaneous action of both guide grooves (20, 39; 13), the shaft of the friction roller (6) and the gear mechanism (22) are positively guided both concentrically with a central wheel (103) of the gear mechanism of the spring motor (104) and in the upward direction, and there is provided in the lateral flanges of the pivoting module (2) a recess (10) in which a displaceable oscillating roller (50) can engage which forms an additional, variable loop of band material between the winding roller (5) and a guide (8, 9, 4) of the band material (T, T'), the loop serving as a reservoir for forming a temporarily returning band portion.
2. Hand towel dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that an oscillating roller (50) which is spring-loaded by a traction cable (60; 61) temporarily returns the band portion.
3. Hand towel dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that there are provided in lateral guides (45) of the oscillating roller (50) sets of teeth (46) in which gearwheels (52) arranged at both ends engage.
4. Hand towel dispenser according to claim 3, characterised in that a gripper-rocker (55) which is loaded by a spring (58) engages by its recess (56) over one end side of the oscillating roller (50), and the rocker (55) is in operative connection with a cover (25) by way of a stop pin (59).
5. Hand towel dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that the pivoting module (2) has at least one shell-shaped guiding and gripping cavity (3), and at least one freely rotatable roller (4), arranged on the pivoting module (2), projects at the front above that cavity (3).
6. Hand towel dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that vertical guide grooves (23) are formed in the side panels (18, 19), into which vertical guide grooves (23) guide pins (16) protruding in pairs from the lateral flanges of the fabric receptacle (15) project.
7. Hand towel dispenser according to claim 6, characterised in that grooves (43) and linear sets of teeth (44) in which guides on the rear side of the fabric receptacle (15) engage are formed in the rear wall (40) of the dispenser (1).
8. Hand towel dispenser according to claim 7, characterised in that the guides on the rear side of the fabric receptacle (15) are gearwheels projecting from the fabric receptacle (15) which are freely rotatable and coupled to each other.
9. Hand towel dispenser according to claim 6, characterised in that the fabric receptacle (15) can be raised by a lateral projection (32) in a vertical lifting direction (11) by means of a slide (27) having a lifting cam (31).
10. Hand towel dispenser according to claim 9, characterised in that the slide (27) has a base arranged at an oblique angle and having a sliding face (29) which comes into engagement owing to a slide cam which projects from the inside of a cover (25) of the dispenser (1).
11. Hand towel dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that there is attached to one side panel (18) a control and drive device (100) which takes charge of a travel-dependent synchronism between the delivery of clean towel (T) and the winding-up of used towel (T') and also the portioning and time control thereof.
12. Hand towel dispenser according to at least one of claims 6 to 11, characterised in that, on one side panel (18), a bearing (42') is attached and a pin guide (42) for the pivoting lever of a filling state indicator for the supply of towel (T) is formed, which ascertains and displays the height of the fabric receptacle (15).
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CH1999/000296 WO2001001835A1 (en) | 1999-07-05 | 1999-07-05 | Towel dispenser |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2373647A1 CA2373647A1 (en) | 2001-01-11 |
| CA2373647C true CA2373647C (en) | 2007-10-09 |
Family
ID=4551693
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002373647A Expired - Fee Related CA2373647C (en) | 1999-07-05 | 1999-07-05 | Towel dispenser |
Country Status (9)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP1191872B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP4328048B2 (en) |
| AT (1) | ATE247415T1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU4357099A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2373647C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE59906717D1 (en) |
| DK (1) | DK1191872T3 (en) |
| ES (1) | ES2205832T3 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2001001835A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP4013276A1 (en) * | 2019-08-14 | 2022-06-22 | Noventa AG | Hand-towel dispenser |
| EP3838089A1 (en) * | 2019-12-19 | 2021-06-23 | CWS International GmbH | Dispenser, retrofit kit for a dispenser, a method for provision of portions of a tissue web and a method for upgrading a dispenser |
| EP4307973A1 (en) * | 2021-05-04 | 2024-01-24 | Noventa AG | Hand-towel dispenser |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0283544A1 (en) | 1987-03-27 | 1988-09-28 | Ringsdorff-Werke GmbH | Pressure-sintering mould made of graphite |
| GB2242673B (en) * | 1990-04-03 | 1993-12-08 | David Kennedy | Continuous towel cabinets |
| CH689782A5 (en) | 1995-04-19 | 1999-11-15 | Cws Ag | Method and device for threading and / or moving of sheet strip material in a towel dispenser. |
| NL1000524C2 (en) * | 1995-06-08 | 1996-12-10 | Hokatex Nederland B V | Towel dispenser. |
-
1999
- 1999-07-05 DK DK99926223T patent/DK1191872T3/en active
- 1999-07-05 CA CA002373647A patent/CA2373647C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1999-07-05 EP EP99926223A patent/EP1191872B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1999-07-05 AU AU43570/99A patent/AU4357099A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1999-07-05 WO PCT/CH1999/000296 patent/WO2001001835A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1999-07-05 DE DE59906717T patent/DE59906717D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1999-07-05 AT AT99926223T patent/ATE247415T1/en active
- 1999-07-05 JP JP2001507343A patent/JP4328048B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1999-07-05 ES ES99926223T patent/ES2205832T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP1191872B1 (en) | 2003-08-20 |
| DE59906717D1 (en) | 2003-09-25 |
| AU4357099A (en) | 2001-01-22 |
| ATE247415T1 (en) | 2003-09-15 |
| JP4328048B2 (en) | 2009-09-09 |
| EP1191872A1 (en) | 2002-04-03 |
| ES2205832T3 (en) | 2004-05-01 |
| JP2003503131A (en) | 2003-01-28 |
| WO2001001835A1 (en) | 2001-01-11 |
| DK1191872T3 (en) | 2003-11-17 |
| CA2373647A1 (en) | 2001-01-11 |
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| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |
Effective date: 20160705 |