EP0534792A1 - Handtuchkasten - Google Patents

Handtuchkasten Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0534792A1
EP0534792A1 EP92308784A EP92308784A EP0534792A1 EP 0534792 A1 EP0534792 A1 EP 0534792A1 EP 92308784 A EP92308784 A EP 92308784A EP 92308784 A EP92308784 A EP 92308784A EP 0534792 A1 EP0534792 A1 EP 0534792A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
web
towel
disposition
unit according
dispenser unit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP92308784A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0534792B1 (de
Inventor
Robert M.G. Fielding
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Dudley Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Dudley Industries Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dudley Industries Ltd filed Critical Dudley Industries Ltd
Publication of EP0534792A1 publication Critical patent/EP0534792A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0534792B1 publication Critical patent/EP0534792B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to towel cabinets, and in particular to towel cabinets for holding rolls of towels for washroom use.
  • Known towel cabinets dispense a section of towel from a storage roller within a cabinet.
  • a rewind roller inside the cabinet retrieves the used section of towel.
  • a problem with this arrangement is that a user is always presented with a damp, dirty section of towel left by the previous user. This is unpleasant and unhygienic. It is known to withdraw part of the used towel back into the cabinet after use. However, part of the loop of used material remains exposed to the washroom environment or becomes exposed on withdrawal of clean towel.
  • a high standard of hygiene requires that no part of the used loop of towel can hang from the dispenser when it is not in use or becomes exposed when the clean towel is withdrawn for use. This means that all of the loop of clean towel pulled from the dispenser must be withdrawn into the dispenser after use. Consequently, there is no portion of towel left hanging from the dispenser that a subsequent user can pull on, to pull out a fresh section of towel. This creates the problem of how to release a fresh section of towel from the dispenser.
  • U.S. Patent No: 2 144 087 discloses a dispenser unit for a web of towel material comprising enclosure means containing first and second web storage members, and first means defining a first aperture and second means defining a second aperture, said first and second means being relatively movable between a first disposition, in which they are mutually adjacent, and a second disposition, in which they are relatively remote, a web of material being arranged to pass from said first storage member via said first and second means to said second storage member, and withdrawal means to substantially withdraw a used section of the web into the dispenser after use, wherein relative movement of said means from the first disposition to the second disposition dispenses a length of web material.
  • the front panel is hinged to the top of the dispenser cabinet. When the panel is pivoted a section of towel is released from the dispenser. The panel is releasably latched in a swung out position. When the front panel is returned so that it is flush with the cabinet, movable rollers draw the soiled section of towel into the cabinet. The soiled section is then drawn onto the lower roller when the front panel is next swung outwards.
  • This unit does not dispense a length of towel sufficient for the user to dry his or her hands on, instead the user pulls a further length of towel from the lower part of the front panel. This is inconvenient.
  • a first aspect of the invention provides a dispenser unit for a web of towel material comprising enclosure means containing first and second web storage members, and first means defining a first aperture and second means defining a second aperture, said first and second means being relatively movable between a first disposition, in which they are mutually adjacent, and a second disposition, in which they are relatively remote, a web of material being arranged to pass from said first storage member via said first and second means to said second storage member, and withdrawal means to substantially withdraw a used section of the web into the dispenser after use, wherein relative movement of said means from the first disposition to the second disposition dispenses a length of web material, characterised in that the length of web material is sufficiently long for the user to dry his/her hands on it.
  • the towel is dispensed behind the front panel, at the bottom of the unit. This makes it inconvenient to reach the towel.
  • the unit allows unobstructed access to the dispensed length of web from the front of the unit.
  • relative movement of the first and second means energises the withdrawal means which withdraw the used secton of towel after a predetermined period of time.
  • This arrangement automatically withdraws the used section of towel after use.
  • Swiss Patent No. 0 672 409 discloses a dispenser unit for a web of material comprising enclosure means containing first and second web storage members, and first means defining a first aperture and second means defining a second aperture, said first and second means being relatively movable between a first disposition, and a second disposition, a web of material being arranged to pass from said first storage member via said first and second means to said second storage member, and withdrawal means to substantially withdraw a used section of the web into the dispenser after use, wherein relative movement of said means from the first disposition to the second disposition energises the withdrawal means which substantially withdraw the used section of web after a predetermined period of time.
  • the first and second means are not adjacent when the used length of towel has been withdrawn. This leaves an exposed section of dirty towel. This is unhygienic and means that some dirty towel is withdrawn with the next length of clean towel. As in US-A-2 144 087 the length of towel dispensed by moving the first and second means is too short for the user to dry his/her hands on.
  • a second aspect of the invention provides a dispenser unit for a web of material comprising enclosure means containing first and second web storage members, and first means defining a first aperture and second means defining a second aperture, said first and second means being relatively movable between a first disposition, and a second disposition, a web of material being arranged to pass from said first storage member via said first and second means to said second storage member, and withdrawal means to substantially withdraw a used section of the web into dispenser after use, wherein relative movement of said means from the first disposition to the second disposition energises the withdrawal means which substantially withdraw the used section of web after a predetermined period of time, characterised in that in said first disposition the first and second means are mutually adjacent and in said second position the first and second means are relatively remote, and in that the used section is substantially completely withdrawn into the enclosure means.
  • Fig.1 shows the main features of the first embodiment of the towel cabinet.
  • a housing 10 contains a clean towel roll 20 and a rewind roller 30.
  • a section of towel leads from the clean towel roll to the rewind roller, through rollers 21,22,31,32 and sleeve 40.
  • the towel itself is not shown but its paths are indicated by broken lines.
  • the clean towel roll 20 rests upon a plate 23 and is otherwise unsupported. Towel from the roll 20 passes between an upper drive roller 21 and a pinch roller 22.
  • the drive roller 21 is emery coated so it can grip the towel more effectively.
  • Towel then leaves the housing 10 through a slot 41 and passes into the sleeve 40.
  • the sleeve 40 is rectangular in cross section and pivots about pivot 42.
  • the sleeve has two positions. In position A, as illustrated, the sleeve points upwards. Thus, only a small, unusable portion of the towel is exposed.
  • the sleeve is biased in position A by a spring (not shown). In position B the sleeve points downwards leaving a larger, usable portion of the towel exposed for use.
  • the exposed towel covers recesses 11 and 12 in the housing 10.
  • the towel leads from the sleeve 40, around roller 32 and onto the rewind roller 30.
  • the rewind roller is held in a slot 33.
  • An emery covered lower drive roller 31 abuts the towel covered rewind roller.
  • the towel is tensioned by a known type of tensioner 43.
  • Fig.2 is a section through an end of the cabinet, and shows how the upper and lower drive rollers 21, 31 are connected.
  • An upper toothed belt 24 passes around a pulley 25 on the end of the upper drive roller 21.
  • the other end of the belt 24 passes around a pulley 50 which is attached to a clock spring 51.
  • a pulley 34 on the end of the lower drive roller 31 is linked to a further pulley 52 by a lower toothed belt 35.
  • Pulleys 50 and 52 are concentric and can be engaged by a timer (not shown) within the housing 10.
  • the user places one or both hands on the small portion of towel exposed in front of the recess 12.
  • the towel can be pushed into the recess and gripped against the top edge of sleeve 40.
  • the sleeve and towel are then pivoted/pulled downwards from position A to position B, exposing a length of towel A-B of length sufficient for hand or face drying.
  • the length of towel dispensed is from about 250 mm to 350 mm.
  • This embodiment of the invention has the advantage that used towel is withdrawn completely into the machine after use and is not thereafter exposed again. This is hygienic and tidy. This avoids the need for the next user to pull at the used towel to get to the clean part of the towel.
  • the device requires no further user intervention to operate once the towel has been dispensed.
  • Fig.4 shows a second embodiment of the invention.
  • both the clean towel roller 200 and the rewind roller 130 are positioned above the pivoted sleeve 400.
  • the towel passes from the clean towel roller, between drive roller 121 and pinch roller 122, and out of aperture 141.
  • the towel then passes along the sleeve 400, around roller 132, and onto the rewind roller 130.
  • the second embodiment of the invention has all the advantages of the first embodiment.
  • a further advantage of the second embodiment of the invention is its compactness.
  • the upper and lower drive rollers 21,121,31,131 can be made from any substance that will grip the towel, such as textured plastic.
  • the clock spring 51 can be replaced by any suitable energy store such as an elastic band.
  • Interlocks forming lockable linkages between upper and lower driver rollers may be incorporated which prevent withdrawal of more than one portion of towel before draw-in of the previous portion.
  • the sleeve 40, 400 can be moved by levers to dispense clean towel. This removes the need to touch the towel before use.
  • Sleeve 40,400 may also be openable for towel loading and may be locked shut by the closure of access doors for removal of the soiled towel roll or loading of a clean towel roll 20,200.
  • the sleeve 40,400 can be latched in position B by catches in the sleeve that are released by the timer 51.
  • the positions of the clean towel roller and the rewind roller can be interchanged.
  • Transmission of drive by toothed belts 24,25 could be by other means such as gears, chains or levers.
  • the rewind roller 30,130 can be driven by an outside power source or battery within the housing.
  • clean towel is drawn from the clean towel roll in response to the user pressing a button on the device or on the floor.
  • the sleeve 40 may be biased in position A by a weight or other means.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Unwinding Webs (AREA)
  • Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
EP19920308784 1991-09-25 1992-09-25 Handtuchkasten Expired - Lifetime EP0534792B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB919120361A GB9120361D0 (en) 1991-09-25 1991-09-25 Towel cabinet
GB9120361 1991-09-25

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0534792A1 true EP0534792A1 (de) 1993-03-31
EP0534792B1 EP0534792B1 (de) 1995-12-13

Family

ID=10701920

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19920308784 Expired - Lifetime EP0534792B1 (de) 1991-09-25 1992-09-25 Handtuchkasten

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0534792B1 (de)
DE (1) DE69206738T2 (de)
GB (2) GB9120361D0 (de)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3838089B1 (de) * 2019-12-19 2024-09-18 CWS International GmbH Spender, nachrüstsatz für einen spender, verfahren zur bereitstellung von portionen einer tissuebahn und verfahren zum aufrüsten eines spenders
WO2023167685A1 (en) * 2022-03-04 2023-09-07 Wei Huang Hand drying apparatus with squeezing and dispensing arrangement

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1873139A (en) * 1929-11-11 1932-08-23 Joseph N Borroughs Towel cabinet
US2144087A (en) * 1936-05-26 1939-01-17 Schlegell Frederick Von Towel cabinet
US2172482A (en) * 1935-09-12 1939-09-12 Steiner Sales Co Towel dispensing apparatus
CH672409A5 (de) * 1986-09-26 1989-11-30 Cws Ag

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1873139A (en) * 1929-11-11 1932-08-23 Joseph N Borroughs Towel cabinet
US2172482A (en) * 1935-09-12 1939-09-12 Steiner Sales Co Towel dispensing apparatus
US2144087A (en) * 1936-05-26 1939-01-17 Schlegell Frederick Von Towel cabinet
CH672409A5 (de) * 1986-09-26 1989-11-30 Cws Ag

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9220289D0 (en) 1992-11-11
DE69206738T2 (de) 1996-05-02
DE69206738D1 (de) 1996-01-25
GB9120361D0 (en) 1991-11-06
EP0534792B1 (de) 1995-12-13
GB2259905A (en) 1993-03-31
GB2259905B (en) 1994-12-21

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