EP1398287A2

EP1398287A2 - A dispenser for abrasive paper

Info

Publication number: EP1398287A2
Application number: EP20030255096
Authority: EP
Inventors: Raymond Wells
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-08-17
Filing date: 2003-08-18
Publication date: 2004-03-17
Also published as: EP1398287A3; GB2391854A; GB0219234D0

Abstract

A dispenser (20) for dispensing abrasive paper from a roll can be held in a user's hand. The dispenser has a body (5) for receiving a roll of abrasive paper, and the body has an aperture (8) to allow a free end (10) of a roll of abrasive paper to pass out of the body (5). The aperture (8) is biased closed over at least part of its length by means (12) that also serve to attach the ends caps (2,13) to the body (5), so as to prevent the roll of abrasive paper moving through the aperture unless the user deliberately pulls the roll of abrasive paper.

A tearing edge (6) for tearing a desired length of abrasive paper from a roll is provided. The tearing edge (6) is preferably spaced from the aperture (8) so that after a piece of abrasive paper is torn from the roll the new free end of the roll protrudes from the dispenser.

Description

The present invention relates to a dispenser, that may be held in a hand of a user, for dispensing abrasive paper from a roll.
Abrasive paper such as, for example, sandpaper, is used for rubbing down and preparing surfaces in many applications, such as marine, domestic or industrial use. Abrasive paper such as sandpaper is often sold in rolls of up to 25 metres, and this presents a number of problems for a user.
Firstly, it is necessary to detach a piece of abrasive paper from the roll in order to use it. Abrasive papers generally consist of abrasive particles, such as grit, attached to one side of a backing sheet using, for example, a suitable adhesive. It is not possible to cut abrasive paper using a knife or a pair of scissors, since the abrasive particles will quickly blunt the knife blade or the scissors. It is therefore conventional for a user to detach a working length of abrasive paper from a roll by tearing it off. However, this is wasteful because it is very difficult to make a tear that is perpendicular to the length of the roll. Tearing a piece of abrasive paper from a roll normally results in the abrasive paper tearing at an angle of around 45° to the length of the roll, whereas a user generally desires a piece of abrasive paper that is approximately rectangular.
A further problem is that a roll of abrasive paper tends to unroll and be blown around if there is any wind. If the abrasive face of the paper is blown against the surface being worked on this can lead to damage of the surface. Furthermore, when the sandpaper is being used in a marine environment it is possible for the roll to be blown into the sea and be ruined. It is therefore normal practice to place some form of tie around the roll of sandpaper to prevent it unravelling, but this is inconvenient since it is necessary to remove the tie every time it is desired to detach a further working length from the roll. Furthermore, this will not prevent the roll from being blown about in very strong winds.
Abrasive paper must be kept dry, since it is rendered useless if it becomes saturated with water. This means that a roll of abrasive paper that is exposed to bad weather is normally completely ruined within a few minutes.
A final problem is that it is difficult to use a roll of abrasive paper when working above ground level, for example on a raised platform, or scaffolding.
The present invention provides a hand-holdable dispenser for dispensing abrasive paper from a roll. A dispenser of the invention overcomes many of the disadvantages of a loose roll of abrasive paper.
The dispenser comprises: a body for receiving a roll of abrasive paper, the body having an aperture to allow one end of a roll of sandpaper to pass out of the body; wherein the aperture is normally closed over at least part of its length thereby to grip the one end of the roll of abrasive paper. When a user has pulled out a desired length of abrasive paper the grip exerted on the abrasive paper prevents any further length of abrasive paper from coming out of the body, so that it is easy for a user to tear off a desired length of abrasive paper (if necessary, the user may apply pressure to the body by gripping it in a hand so as to increase the grip on the abrasive paper while tearing off the desired length of paper, to ensure that no further paper comes out of the body). The grip exerted on the abrasive paper further prevents the free end of the roll of abrasive paper from unwantedly disappearing back into the dispenser. Furthermore, since the aperture is normally closed over at least part of its length it is harder for water to penetrate into the interior of the dispenser.
In a preferred embodiment the aperture is defined between a first edge of the body and a second edge of the body, and the body of the dispenser is normally biased so as to urge the first edge towards the second edge so as to substantially close the aperture.
In a preferred embodiment the body of the dispenser is normally biased so that the aperture is not completely closed whereby a user may extract abrasive paper from the dispenser, and wherein the dispenser comprises means for applying a closing force to the aperture over at least part of its length against the bias of the body of the dispenser. Removing the closure means, or otherwise rendering them ineffective, will cause the aperture to open as a result of the natural bias of the body of the dispenser; this allows easy leading of a replacement roll of abrasive paper into the dispenser.
In a preferred embodiment, the dispenser comprises an end cap secured to the body of the dispenser. The end cap may be secured, in use, to the body of the dispenser by the means for closing the aperture.
In a preferred embodiment the dispenser further comprising a tearing edge for tearing a desired length of abrasive paper from a roll. Compared to using a knife blade or other sharp edge that cuts the abrasive paper, a tearing edge will not go blunt and does not present a safety hazard.
In a preferred embodiment the tearing edge is spaced from the aperture in the body. For example, it may be located approximately 1cm from the aperture. Thus once a portion of abrasive paper has been torn off the roll, the new free end of the roll will protrude from the body of the dispenser.
In a preferred embodiment the dispenser is adapted to substantially enclose a roll of abrasive paper. This provides the greatest protection against the weather.
In a preferred embodiment the dispenser further comprises an indicator for indicating a grade of abrasive paper. This informs a user which grade of sandpaper is contained in the dispenser.
In a preferred embodiment the dispenser further comprises a measuring means for measuring a length of abrasive paper extracted from the body. In a particularly preferred embodiment the dispenser comprises a first measuring means substantially at one end of the body of the dispenser and a second measuring means substantially at the other end of the body of the dispenser. This allows a user to measure how much abrasive paper has been withdrawn from the dispenser, regardless of which way up the user is holding the dispenser.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of illustrative example with reference to the accompanying figures in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of a dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the dispenser of Figure 1;
Figure 3 illustrates the dispenser of Figure 1 being loaded with a roll of sandpaper;
Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of the spring-loaded nature of the body of the dispenser of Figure 1;
Figures 5(a), 5(b) and 5(c) illustrate the attachment of the end caps; and
Figures 6(a), 6(b) and 6(c) illustrate an alternative attachment of the end caps.
Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a dispenser 18 according to the present invention. The invention will be described with reference to a dispenser for sandpaper, but the dispenser is not limited to use with sandpaper and may be used for other types of abrasive paper.
The dispenser has an enclosure for receiving a roll of sandpaper, and in the embodiment of Figure 1 this enclosure is formed by a body portion 5 and upper and lower end caps 2, 13. The enclosure of the dispenser preferably encloses a roll of sandpaper to the maximum extent possible, so as to provide the greatest protection against bad weather.
It is preferable that at least part of the body of the dispenser is transparent, so that a user can see how much sandpaper is left in the dispenser. For example, the upper end cap 2 may be transparent (or may have a transparent part), but one or more other components of the body could be transparent instead of or in addition to the upper end cap 2.
The internal cross-section of the body portion 5 is preferably chosen to be circular, to complement the shape of a roll of sandpaper. In principle, however, the body 5 could have a cross section that is not circular.
The body portion 5 is provided with an aperture 8, which is dimensioned so that the free end of a roll of sandpaper 10 within the dispenser is able to pass through the aperture 8 to the exterior of the dispenser. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the aperture 8 is a slot that extends over the entire height of the body 5.
Upper and lower collars 17 are secured to the upper and lower circumferential edges of the main body 5, for example using a suitable adhesive. The size, shape and material of the collars 17 are selected so that the effect of securing the collars 17 to the main body 5 is to spring-load the main body 5 so that the slot 8 is normally open as shown in Figure 2. Alternatively, the main body portion could be made so as to be naturally spring-loaded, for example by making the main body 5 of a suitable resilient material, such as a resilient plastics material, for example PVC. The collars 17 may also be made of a plastics material, and again PVC is one example of a suitable material.
As is shown in the figures, the upper and lower collars 17,17 are not complete annulae. Each of the collars is provided with a slot 7, and the collars are secured to the body 5 so that the slot 7 in each collar is aligned with the aperture 8 in the body 5. This means that the slots 7 in the collars 17 can close up when pressure is applied to the body 5 or to the collars.
The collars 17,17 may alternatively be integral with the main body 5. For example, the main body 5 and collars 17,17 could be moulded as one component that is naturally spring-loaded so that the slot 8 in the body and the slots 7 in each collar are normally open. The main body 5 and collars 17,17 could be moulded as one component using a resilient plastics material such as, for example PVC.
The upper and lower caps 2, 13 are connected to the respective collar 17 by means of a retaining ring 12, and this is described in more detail below. As well as securing the end cap to its respective collar, each retaining ring 12 exerts a compressive force on its associated collar and so tend to close the collar thereby also closing the aperture 8 in the main body 5, against the natural spring-loading of the main body or of the main body 5 and the collars 17. A free end of a roll of sandpaper that protrudes from the main body 5 through the aperture 8 is therefore gripped, as a result of the retaining rings tending to close the aperture 8.
Preferably, the natural bias of the body of the dispenser is such that the sandpaper is lightly gripped by the two edges of the body that define the slot 8 in the body. This ensures that there is little or no gap between the edges of the aperture and the sandpaper so that the aperture is substantially closed, thereby minimising entry of water into the body of the dispenser. It also ensures that the free end 10 of the sandpaper is held in the aperture so that sandpaper will not unwantedly come out of the body of the dispenser. In order to withdraw sandpaper from the dispenser, the user holds the free end 10 of the sandpaper in one hand and applies sufficient pulling force to the free end 10 of the sandpaper to pull sandpaper out of the dispenser against the gripping force exerted on the sandpaper by the edges of the aperture. When a user has pulled out a desired length of sandpaper paper they stop applying the pulling force to the sandpaper paper, and tear off the desired length of sandpaper. The user may grip the body 5 of the dispenser, so as to apply a compressive force to the body 5 thereby to further close the aperture 8 by bringing the two edges of the aperture towards one another and thus increase the grip exerted on the sandpaper paper, while tearing off the desired length of sandpaper. This should ensure that the tearing operation does not pull further sandpaper from the dispenser (although applying a compressive force to the body 5 might not be necessary, if the grip normally exerted on the abrasive paper is sufficient to prevent the tearing operation from pulling further sandpaper from the dispenser). Thus, it is easy for a user to tear off a desired length of sandpaper paper.
The grip normally exerted on the abrasive paper further prevents the free end of the roll of abrasive paper from unwantedly disappearing back into the dispenser. Furthermore, since the aperture is normally closed over at least part of its length it is harder for water to penetrate into the interior of the dispenser.
The grip exerted by the edges of the main body 5 on the sandpaper will be greatest near the upper and lower collars 17,17, since the compressive force exerted by each retaining ring acts on its associated collar. The gripping force is likely to decrease away from the collars, since the main body will not be completely rigid but will have some flexibility - and the more flexible is the main body, the more the gripping force will decrease away from the collars. Depending on the choice of materials and dimensions for the main body, and on the force exerted by the retaining rings, the edges of the main body may grip the sandpaper over their entire length or they may grip the sandpaper only over the parts of their length near each collar 17,17. Provided that sufficient force is exerted on the sandpaper to prevent it from moving through the aperture unless the user deliberately pulls the free end 10 of the sandpaper, it is largely immaterial whether the edges of the main body grip the sandpaper over their entire length or only over part of their length.
The retaining rings may be made of any durable resilient material that allows the retaining rings to stretch sufficiently to fit over the projections 14,21 (described in more detail below) while allowing the rings to provide, when in place in the groove 9 (also described in more detail below), sufficient compressive force to close the gap 7 in the collar. In particular the retaining rings may be made of an elastic material, for example a rubber material. A conventional rubber sealing ring, such as an "O-ring", of the correct dimensions may be used.
It should be noted that the compressive force exerted by the retaining means 12 should not be so great that it becomes too difficult for a user to remove sandpaper from the dispenser.
Figure 3 illustrates a roll of sandpaper being loaded into the dispenser from the top, with the one retaining ring 12 and the associated cap (in this case the upper retaining ring and the upper cap) not assembled. Removing one retaining ring and the associated cap from one end of the dispenser allows the body to open at that end under its natural spring loading, thereby opening the aperture 8, as also shown in Figure 4. This makes it easy to load a roll of sandpaper into the dispenser. Once the roll of sandpaper has been loaded into the dispenser, the upper cap 2 is placed in position, and the upper retaining ring 12 is put in position to attach the upper cap 2 to the main body.
When a dispenser is initially loaded with a roll of sandpaper one end cap may be in position, as shown in Figure 3. Alternatively, the dispenser may be loaded with a roll of sandpaper before either end cap has been attached to the main body 5. When it is desired subsequently to remove a roll of sandpaper from the dispenser and replace it with another roll - for example, if it desired to load a different grade of sandpaper or if an existing roll has almost been used up - it is necessary simply to remove one end cap so that the aperture 8 in the body may open at one end (although, in principle, both end caps could be removed).
Figures 5(a), 5(b) and 5(c) illustrate one way of securing the end caps 2, 13 to the main body. These figures show the upper end cap 2, but the lower end cap 13 is similar. The main body 5 is omitted from Figure 5(a) for clarity.
The upper end cap 2 has the generally shape of a cylinder with a height that is small compared to its diameter, and has an upper face, a lower face and a curved circumferential face 19. It is provided with a number of projecting portions 21. Each projecting portion is disposed on the curved face 19 of the end cap, such that the lower edge of the projection is spaced from the lower face of the end cap (by the distance h indicated in Figure 5(a)).
The collar 17 has an inside diameter that, when the collar is closed up, is slightly greater than the external diameter d of the end cap. However, the inside diameter of the collar, when closed up, is less than the sum of the external diameter d of the end cap and the thickness t of a projection 21. The end cap thus fits inside the collar, with the lower face 21a of each projection 21 bearing against the upper face 17a of the collar between two of the projections 14 on the collar so as to locate the end cap within the collar.
The collar 17 is also provided with projections 14, and these are so provided and are so dimensioned that, when the end cap is placed in position in the collar, the projections 14 on the collar interleave with the projections 21 on the end cap. Preferably, when the gap 7 in the collar is closed there is no significant gap between a projection 14 on the collar and the neighbouring projections 21 on the end cap.
There may be, for example, four projections 14 on the collar and four projections 21 on the end cap, but the invention is not limited to these particular numbers. The projections on the collar may have approximately the same length as the projections on the end cap, but the invention is not limited to this.
Each projection 21 on the end cap 2 has a groove 9 provided in its external circumferential surface. Each projection 14 on the collar also has a groove 9 provided in its external circumferential surface. Thus, when the end cap is placed in position in the collar 17 a continuous groove is defined by the external circumferential surfaces of the projections 14 on the collar and the external circumferential surfaces of the projections 21 on the end cap. The retaining ring is received in, and is retained in, this groove, as illustrated in Figure 1. The retaining ring thus secures the end cap 2 to the main body 5. Furthermore, the force exerted by the retaining ring seals the joint between the end cap and the body 5, thereby preventing admission of water to the interior of the dispenser.
The end cap 2 is provided with a flange 22 that extends over the projections 21 and that, when the end cap is attached to the collar 17, also extends over the projections 14 on the collar. Providing the flange 22 allows the retaining ring 12 to provide a good seal between the end cap and the body, so preventing admission of water into the body of the dispenser. This provides improved protection for the sandpaper contained in the dispenser against rain or accidental immersion of the dispenser in water. Furthermore, the flange 22 provides a continuous flat surface on which markers indicating the grade of sandpaper contained in the dispenser (these markers are described in more detail below) may be provided.
Figures 5(b) and 5(c) are partial cross-sections illustrating the end cap 2 in position in the collar 17. Figure 5(b) is a cross-section along the line B-B of Figure 5(a) showing a projection 21 in the end cap 2, and Figure 5(c) is a cross-section along the line C-C of Figure 5(a) showing a projection 14 on the collar 17. The gap between the end cap and the collar is exaggerated for clarity.
In Figure 5(a) the inner face of the collar 17 is provided with a recess 20, to accommodate the main body 5 as shown in Figures 5(b) and 5(c). The body 5 may be attached to the collar 17 in any suitable way, for example using an adhesive. Alternatively, as noted above, one or both collars 17 could be made integral with the body 5.
Abrasive paper comes in a number of different grades, from coarse to fine. If the wrong grade of paper is used it is possible to damage the surface being worked on. In a preferred embodiment, therefore, the dispenser is provided with an indicator for indicating the grade of sandpaper contained therein. In the embodiment of Figure 1, this indicator is provided by placing markers indicative of a type of sandpaper on the dispenser. In the embodiment of Figure 1 the markers are numbers (80, 120, 140... 280) that indicate a grade of sandpaper, and are placed on the upper face of the flange 22 of the upper collar 17. Alternatively, the markers could be other symbols such as, for example, "F" for "fine", "M" for medium and "C" for "coarse". The upper cap 2 is provided with a pointer 3, that is mounted for rotation about an axis that is generally coincident with the longitudinal axis of the dispenser. When a roll of sandpaper has been loaded into the dispenser, the pointer can be rotated, relative to the upper cap, until the pointer 3 is adjacent the marker indicating the grade of abrasive paper that has been loaded into the dispenser.
The external diameter of the body 5 is chosen to fit conveniently in a person's hand. In operation, the user would hold the dispenser in one hand, normally by holding the body portion 5. Using their other hand, the user would then pull out the free end 10 of the roll of abrasive paper, against the grip exerted on the sandpaper as a result of the compressive force exerted by the retaining rings 12, until a desired length of sandpaper had been withdrawn. The user can then tear the portion of the abrasive paper that has been withdrawn from the dispenser, against a tearing edge 6 provided on the exterior of the dispenser. Because the abrasive paper is trapped in the aperture during the tearing operation, as a result of the compressive force exerted by the retaining rings 12, it is possible to achieve a tear that is substantially at 90° to the roll of the paper, so that waste of the abrasive paper is greatly eliminated.
In principle, it would be possible to eliminate the tearing edge 6, and simply tear the sandpaper against the edge of the body portion 5 adjacent the aperture 19. This would however, have the disadvantage that the torn off edge of the roll of sandpaper would not then protrude from the body 5 of the dispenser. It would therefore be difficult for the user to withdraw more sandpaper from the dispenser.
In the dispenser shown in Figures 1 to 4, the tearing edge 6 is not located immediately adjacent the aperture 8, but is spaced from the aperture 8. Thus, after the extracted portion of the roll has been torn off against the tearing edge 6, the new free end of the roll of abrasive paper will protrude from the body 5 of the dispenser, by an amount equal to the separation between the tearing edge 6 and the body portion 5, as shown schematically in Figure 1. When the user next desires to withdraw more sandpaper from the dispenser, it is straightforward for them to grasp the protruding free end of the roll of sandpaper. It has been found that placing the tearing edge 6 approximately 1cm from the body 5 is convenient, since this results in 1cm of abrasive paper protruding from the body 5 after the tearing operation. A user is easily able to grasp hold of this.
The dispenser is preferably provided with a carrying eye 1, for example attached to the upper cap 2. A user is able to attach the dispenser to, for example, their belt, when they do not require to use the dispenser, and this allows them to have both hands free. When the user desires to extract more sandpaper from the dispenser, they simply unfasten clip the dispenser from their belt, and tear off a piece of sandpaper in the manner described above. Alternatively, it may be possible for a user to tear off a piece of sandpaper from the roll while the dispenser is still fastened to their belt.
In the embodiment shown in the figures, the tearing edge 6 is provided by, for example, one comer edge of a bar 6a that is attached to the main body 5 adjacent one edge of the aperture 19. The bar may be metallic or of a hard-wearing plastics material. The tearing edge 6 does not need to be a knife-edge and can be made relatively blunt. This means that the user will not cut themselves if they rub part of their body against the tearing edge 6, so that a dispenser of the invention is safe to use. Furthermore, the tearing edge will not be abraded significantly, particularly if the roll of abrasive paper is loaded into the dispenser so that it is the smooth backing surface which makes contact with tearing edge 6. This means that the tearing edge 6 will last for a long time without needing attention. The disadvantages involved with cutting abrasive paper using a knife edge or scissors are therefore avoided.
When sandpaper is pulled out of the dispenser, the abrasive side of the paper may abrade the body adjacent one edge of the aperture 8. For example, if the roll of sandpaper has been loaded with its the abrasive side inwards, as shown in Figure 3, then it is possible that the body portion at and near the edge 15 of the aperture (located on the other side of the aperture from the tearing edge) will be abraded as sandpaper is pulled out of the dispenser. To prevent this, a suitable cover 16 can be placed over the edge 15. For example, a cover 16 having a U-shape cross section can be placed over the edge 15. The cover 16 may be fastened to the main body, for example using a suitable adhesive, or it may be designed to be a clip-fit onto the main body. The cover 18 may be metallic, or it may be made of a hard-wearing plastics material.
It is preferable for the dispenser 18 to be provided with an indicator for indicating to the user how much sandpaper has been withdrawn from the dispenser. This enables the user to tear off the desired amount, and avoids waste of the abrasive paper. This is of particular benefit if a specific length of abrasive paper is required, for example for insertion into a sanding machine.
In the embodiment of Figure 1, a series of measuring marks 11 are provided on the outside face of the upper collar 17, spaced at intervals of, for example, 1cm. A user is able to measure the length of sandpaper extracted from the dispenser against the marks 11. The measuring marks 21 could alternatively be provided on the main body 5 or on the lower collar 17.
Preferably, a further series of measuring marks 11' are provided on the outside face of the lower collar 17, spaced at intervals of, for example, 1cm. A user is able to measure the length of sandpaper extracted from the dispenser against the marks 11'. The further measuring marks 21 could alternatively be provided on the main body 5.
Providing two indicators for indicating how much sandpaper has been withdrawn from the dispenser allows a user to measure how much sandpaper has been withdrawn from the dispenser, regardless of which way up the user is holding the dispenser or of whether the user is holding the dispenser in their left hand or in their right hand.
The components of a dispenser may be made from any suitable material. Most, if not all, components can be made from durable plastics materials, for example by injection moulding.
In the above embodiment the rings 12 have been used as the retaining means. The invention is not limited to this however, and any suitable retaining means could be used. For example a spring clip in the shape of a horseshoe, or an arc of a circle that extends for more than 180°, could be used.
Figures 6(a) to 6(c) show a modification of Figures 5(a) to 5(c) in which the flange 22 is not present. Apart from the absence of the flange 22, figures 6(a) to 6(c) correspond to Figures 5(a) to 5(c) respectively. If markers for indicating the grade of sandpaper in the dispenser are provided in this embodiment, these may be disposed on the upper faces of projections 21 and/or on the upper faces of projections 14.

Claims

A dispenser for abrasive paper, the dispenser comprising: a body for receiving a roll of abrasive paper, the body having an aperture to allow one end of a roll of sandpaper to pass out of the body; wherein the aperture is normally closed or substantially closed over at least part of its length thereby to grip the one end of the roll of abrasive paper.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the aperture is defined between a first edge of the body and a second edge of the body, and wherein the body of the dispenser is normally biased so as to urge the first edge towards the second edge so as to substantially close the aperture.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein the body of the dispenser is normally biased so that the aperture is not completely closed whereby a user may extract abrasive paper from the dispenser, and wherein the dispenser comprises means for applying a closing force to the aperture over at least part of its length against the bias of the body of the dispenser.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 and further comprising an end cap secured to the body of the dispenser.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 4 when dependent from claim 3 wherein the end cap is secured, in use, to the body of the dispenser by the means for closing the aperture.
A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim and further comprising a tearing edge for tearing a desired length of abrasive paper from a roll.
A dispenser as claimed in claim 5 wherein the tearing edge is not located immediately adjacent the aperture in the body.
A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the body is adapted to substantially enclose a roll of abrasive paper.
A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim and further comprising an indicator for indicating a grade of abrasive paper.
A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim and further comprising a measuring means for measuring a length of abrasive paper extracted from the body.
A dispenser as claimed in any preceding claims and comprising a first measuring means provided substantially at one end of the body of the dispenser and a second measuring means provided substantially at the other end of the body of the dispenser.