EP1076505B1 - Automatic or semi-automatic wiping material and toilet paper dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a dispenser comprising a device for lock-stopping the drum (6) arranged in the form of a shaped hook (18) mounted in free articulation on the pressing roll (11) shaft, said hook (18) being provided with a lower portion forming an arm (18b) capable of being arranged opposite and resting on the belt (16) in the shaped groove (6g), said arm (18b) end having a projecting form designed to be in contact with the belt (16) and prevent the drum (6) from rotating backwards after the material strip has been cut.

Description

The invention relates to the technical sector of distribution devices cellulose wiping paper, crepe paper, and the like intended more particularly for wiping the hands of paper users toilet.

There are very many functioning wipers automatic and the applicant has developed several devices of this type allowing the distribution of strips of folded or unfolded material. These devices which are subject to satisfactory operation are of the type comprising a casing molded in plastic material receiving in the upper part a supply coil wiping material, a drum containing a blade cutter serrated, as well as a pressing means ensuring the supply of the strip of paper to the drum, and tensioning the paper. The cutting blade is articulated in the drum being set in motion by the cooperation of a toothed heel associated with the axis of the cutting blade and cooperating with a means to rack fixedly positioned and internally on one of the housing wings. The end of this drum is also associated with a mechanism for launch with eccentric and return spring described and illustrated in the patent FR 76.04664.

A dispensing device of the prior art according to the preamble of independent claim 1 is described in WO-A-97/24970.

To respond to certain cutting difficulties encountered for papers recycled, in particular wide unfolded paper, or folded paper comprising several thicknesses juxtaposed, the applicant has developed a new specific arrangement of the drum by modifying the circular section initial of the latter by a variation of its external profile by the formation an extra thickness on part of its periphery. This improvement has notably described in French patent n ° 2777770 filed on April 24 1998. This modification of the circular section makes it possible to act in certain appliance operating phases and strip cutting distribution of paper, ensuring the best possible tension of the strip of material. More particularly, according to this French patent application, the drum has an oversized area on an angular sector of its periphery defined between the edge of the cutting blade passage opening and a line corresponding to the axial end plane of the connecting and attachment axis in end of the eccentric, allowing the drum to be launched for cutting, said complementary zone being in contact with the pressing means substantially retractable in position in a floating assembly to absorb changes in the thickness of the drum during the traction phase of the strip of stretched paper and then cutting said paper.

Taking into account the extra thickness area established on the drum on a angular sector given and corresponding to the drum launch phase for cutting, the applicant noted that a minimum pressure appeared on the strip of paper after cutting and this after passing the extra thickness area. The plaintiff has therefore found that, by the reaction of the spring eccentric drum launch, the latter had a tendency to return backwards against its normal direction of rotation, thereby causing the strip of paper in a partial withdrawal movement, said strip not overflowing no longer enough, and can no longer be entered by the operator.

The applicant's approach was therefore to eliminate this drawback by the addition of a device for controlling the position of the drum in the device and avoiding the backward movement of said drum, depending on the part Characterizing the independent claim 1.

These characteristics and others will become clear from the rest of the description.

• la figure 1 est une vue de coté de l'appareil distributeur selon l'invention
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective illustrant un premier mode de mise en oeuvre du dispositif de contrôle en position du tambour.
• la figure 3 est une vue de face et en coupe partielle de l'appareil distributeur
• Les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues partielles illustrant le positionnement du dispositif de contrôle de la rotation du tambour par une seconde mise en oeuvre de réalisation, et ce dans les phases de non fonctionnement (figure 4) et de fonctionnement (figure 5).

To fix the subject of the invention illustrated in a nonlimiting manner in the figures of the drawings where:

• Figure 1 is a side view of the dispensing apparatus according to the invention
• Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a first embodiment of the control device in the drum position.
• Figure 3 is a front view in partial section of the dispensing apparatus
• Figures 4 and 5 are partial views illustrating the positioning of the device for controlling the rotation of the drum by a second embodiment, and this in the non-operating (Figure 4) and operating (Figure 5) phases.

In order to make the object of the invention more concrete, it is now described in a nonlimiting manner illustrated in the figures of the drawings.

We quickly and succinctly recall the design of a device dispenser for hand towels and toilet paper referenced as a whole by (1). It comprises a casing (2) molded in plastic material capable of receiving in its upper part a reel (3) for supplying wiping material or toilet paper held between upper flanges (4) attached to the assembly fast, on the bottom of the housing or otherwise. Lower flanges (5) are attached and fastened or otherwise mounted on the bottom face (2a) of the housing and are fitted with notches allowing fast fixing and mounting drum (6), which includes a cutting device (7) with a serrated blade (7a). This cutting device is particular in the manner described above with a serrated heel mechanism (8) associated with the cutting blade which cooperates with a fixed rack (9) established on the inner blank (5b) of said flange (5) of the casing. The drum has a longitudinal opening (6f) allowing passage and exit of the cutting blade. The drum is arranged in a known manner corresponding to the teaching of the French patent 76.04664. One end is positioned centered on one of the housing flanges while the other end has an axis (6a) projecting outside the other flange, engaging and anchoring in a corresponding notch on the flange. Said axis (6a) has an eccentric shape (6b) whose end (6c) forming a finger constitutes the point of attachment of one end (10a) of a return spring and launch (10), the latter having its other end (10b) fixed to the casing the back of the flange facing. The pressing means (11) in the form of a cylinder is of length corresponding to that of the drum and is likely to be in support thereon, being positioned between the aforementioned flanges (5).

The dispensing apparatus further comprises a non-return device (12) for the reel of wiping material comprising a roller (13) bearing on the reel wiping material; this roller is positioned between the flanges of the housing or on a bent lever (14) subject to an elastic return means (15) fixed to the flange (5) of the housing. A belt (16) is capable of surrounding the drum (6) and the anti-loop roller (13). The drum is also arranged at one of its ends with a groove allowing the positioning of the belt (16) above training.

The drum has on a part of its periphery a zone in allowance previously described. The receiving groove (6g) of the strap drive (16) with the roller (13) bearing against the roller of the strip paper having an anti-loop function, is defined in a manner known by the side wall of the drum (6h) and a flange (17) mounted axially and parallel on the shaft of said drum. The throat (6g) is of an appropriate section corresponding to the reception of the drive belt (16) and connection.

It is therefore necessary to describe the device which is the subject of the invention which has as its purpose of controlling the position of the drum and avoiding the return effect of the latter in the expansion phase of the elastic return means (10) and corresponding to the drum return phase after passing by the eccentric lever (6b) its neutral point corresponding to the maximum extension of the return spring (10) of the last.

The device according to the invention aims to introduce a device (18) for blocking when the drum stops, this device being established in the form of a hook profile mounted on the axis of the pressure roller (11) with free rotation relative to this one. Said hook (18) thus has a central hub shape (18a) positioning on the axis of the pressure roller (11) overflowing thereof, in a position such that the profiled lower part (18b) forming the hook arm is likely to be arranged facing and bearing on the connecting belt (16) connecting the drum (5) and the support roller (13) against the paper roll, in the profiled groove (6g) described above.

This hook (18) has in this regard on its lower arm (18b) including one end is curved to match the profile of the drum (5) and surround substantially the corresponding belt part (16). The free end (18c) said hook (18) internally has roughness (18d) or notching which are profiled, and do not prevent the rotation of the drum during traction of the paper strip by the spacing of said hook as will be specified by the following.

Said hook present in its upper part (18d) beyond its hub a profiled elastic tongue (18th) whose end has a beak (12f) in return which is likely to bear on the flange (5) opposite the device housing. This beak (18f) is constantly in abutment on said flange (5).

The assembly of the assembly gives the hook a certain elasticity in allowing significant elastic deformation of its lower arm (18b) when the rotation of the drum. During the drum launch position which corresponds to the traction of the paper by the user, the belt connecting the roller (13) pressing against the paper roll and the drum (6) tends to cause the spacing of the of said arm (18b) of said hook. This situation corresponds to the pressure roller bearing area (11) on the excess portion formed on the drum. When the drum is in a launch situation maximum before cutting corresponding to the maximum extension of the spring (10) linked to the eccentric (6c), there then occurs the final rotation phase of the drum with cutting of the strip of material; the pressure roller (11) exerts much less pressure on the drum due to the exhaust bearing on the extra thickness zone, the spout (18f) and the tongue (18e) formed in part upper hook (18) have less stress, and by elastic relaxation will allow the repositioning of the lower part of said hook against the aforementioned belt (16) ensuring contact by the notched or projecting part of the free end of the hook on said belt and thus avoiding the return in back of the drum.

In addition, an area (19) can be made at the bottom of the gorge. forming a belt blocking plate (16), this plate being located substantially in alignment of the eccentric dead center. The belt (16) will likely apply to the aforementioned dish by being pressed itself by the notched end of the above hook.

In an alternative embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the hook (18) control of the rotation of the drum does not have in its upper part elastic tongue. By cons, in this embodiment the lower part (18b) said hook is profiled so that it can come in its front part (18m) against a protective flap (20) fixedly fixed by snap-fastening between the wings or flanges (5) receiving the drum. This component has a certain elasticity of deformation.

In this situation, with reference to Figures 4 and 5, the initial rotation of the drum during the pulling phase of the paper strip causes the unrolling the paper strip and moving the connecting belt between the support roller (13) against the paper roll and the drum (6). The belt (16) causes disengagement of the notched or protruding end (18d) of the hook (18) and a front support of the front part (18m) of said hook against the flap (20). In the maximum drum launch phase, said hook is in pressing against said flap with an elastic deformation in its upper part. During the drum return phase corresponding to the cutting area, the pressure reduction between the pressure roller (11) and the drum (6), said hook (18) is returned to the initial position under the relaxation effect of the deformation of the flap (20) and the hook (18) returns to its initial position coming from especially in the area corresponding to the blocking plate (19) corresponding to stopping said drum in position.

By the device of the invention, the blocking in total position is ensured drum. This prevents the latter from going back so that the strip of paper that is intended to be pulled by the user comes out properly the dispensing device.

The advantages emerge clearly from the invention.

Claims (7)

1. Automatic or semi-automatic dispensing machine for wipe material and toilet paper of the type comprising a housing (2) accommodating, in its upper part, a supply reel (3) of wipe material, a support drum (6) mounted between the fixed internal end shields (5a) of said housing, said drum (6) having a slit (6f) in order to position and articulate a cutting device (7) with a toothed blade (7a), a pressure means (11) which pushes against drum (6) to ensure the strip of paper which passes between them is transported and tensioned, said cutting blade being articulated inside the drum and being moved through cooperation of a toothed heel (8) associated with the cutting blade and cooperating with a rack gear (9) in a fixed position on one of the end shields of the housing, said drum (6) being associated with a means of starting with a cam (6b) and a return spring (10), the dispensing machine also comprising a wipe reel non-return device and a roller (13) which presses against the reel, a belt (16) which goes round said roller in order to produce a non-return effect, the drum being designed with a profiled groove (6g) which accommodates said belt,
      characterised in that drum (6) has, over an angular sector (α) of its periphery, an extra thick area (17) capable of being in contact with pressure means (11) and in that the dispensing machine comprises a drum stop locking device in the form of a shaped hook (18) mounted so that it is freely articulated around the axis of the pressure roller (11), said hook being designed with its lower part forming an arm (18b) capable of being opposite and pressing against belt (16) in the profiled groove, the end of said arm having a protruding shape intended to be in contact with the belt and prevent backward rotation of the drum after the strip of material has been cut.
2. Dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the hook has a central hub shape (18a) which positions itself on the shaft of pressure roller (11) and protrudes beyond the latter in a position where the lower shaped part (18b) forming the arm of said hook is capable of being opposite and pressing the belt (16) which connects the drum and the pressure roller which presses against the roll of paper.
3. Dispensing machine as claimed in any of claims 1 and 2 characterised in that the upper part of the hook beyond its hub has an elastic shaped tab (18e) the end of which has an angled tip (18f) capable of pressing against the opposite-facing end shield (5) of the housing of the dispensing machine, said tip (18f) pressing against the end shield continuously.
4. Dispensing machine as claimed in any of claims 2 and 3 characterised in that the hook has a certain degree of elasticity which allows elastic deformation of its lower arm (18b) due to a counterthrust exerted by the part forming the tip (18f) on end shield (5) so that it is released when belt (16) which connects pressure roller (13) and drum (6) moves normally when the paper is pulled.
5. Dispensing machine as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that when the pressure roller exerts pressure on the drum because said pressure roller is no longer in contact with the extra thick area, tip (18f) and tab (18e) formed on the upper part of the hook once again enable contact between the protruding part of the free end of the hook and the belt because of elastic deformation, thereby providing a braking function.
6. Dispensing machine as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that there is an area (19) forming a locking flat at the bottom of groove (6g), said locking flat being located essentially in line with the dead centre of the cam, belt (16) being capable of applying itself underneath the aforementioned flat and itself being pressed by the toothed or protruding end of above mentioned hook.
7. Dispensing machine as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that the hook has a lower part (18b) shaped so that its front part (18m) moves against a protective flap (20) permanently clicked in on end shield (5) which accommodates the drum, said flap being sufficiently elastically deformable and being actuated when the toothed or protruding part of the hook is released during the phase when the drum is started.

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