EP1433409A1 - Device for controlling the drum rotation in a wiping material dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

The control device (20) comprises from a support spindle (14) a pair of freely rotating pulleys, the first pulley receiving the drum driving belt (17). The device comprises from a central sleeve three successive zones, the first zone corresponding to the driving belt receiving pulley and the second zone receiving the reel friction means (18). The intermediate zone between the pulleys has guiding and discharge means (21) able to receive the driving belt.

Description

The invention relates to the technical sector of distribution of wiping papers in cellulose wadding, crepe papers, or similar materials intended more particularly for wiping hands users, distributing toilet paper, distributing paper napkins.

The applicant has developed and perfected a device for controlling rotation of the drum in a wiping material dispenser whose characteristics are defined in French patent n ° 2743057.

We briefly recall the design of the aforementioned device, from Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 in order to highlight and expose the drawbacks relating thereto to achieve the object of the invention.

The dispensing device (1) comprises a casing (2), a cover (3), a drum (4), a cutting device (5) integrated in the drum, a pressing element (6) as well as means for launching and recalling the drum including an eccentric (7) and a spring (8). In its upper part, the housing receives two flanges (2a) capable of receiving a reel holder (9) or end caps for feeding a coil (B) of material wiping.

The drum (4) and the pressing element are also held between flanges (2c-2d) established perpendicular to the rear plane of the housing. The drum has an axis extending at its ends to form, on the one hand, an operating button and, on the other hand, beyond the receiving flange (2c), an eccentric lever (7) capable of receiving the launch and return spring (8). The drum unit (4) element presser (6) allows the passage and training of the paper strip behind the drum for cutting, the pressing element in support on the drum and the assembly rotating like a reverse gear opposite.

A follower roller (10) is arranged in the lower part of the casing having in particular, in a known manner, the protection of the hands the user when it is at the point where the paper exits out of the machine, and guiding the paper outlet.

The claimed spool rotation control device (12) in patent FR 2743057 essentially comprises a bent lever articulated at its base by its small wing (12a) on the lower flange (2c) drum support and pressure roller. This lever is articulated on an axis (11) fixed to the casing against an elastic return means (13) of which one end (13a) is fixed in the bent interior part (12b) of the lever and the other (13b) at the front of the flange (2c). At the upper end (12c) of its arm (12d), the lever is arranged directly by molding with a support axis (14) of two pulleys or rollers (15 and 16) mounted free in rotation on the support axis. A first pulley (15), of small diameter, is likely to be in the plane of a groove (4b) formed on a flange (4c) attached to the opposite end of the drum (4) to allow receiving a drive and connection belt (17). The second pulley or roller (16) has a groove (16a) capable of receiving a rod (18) constituting a means of friction with the coil of material. This second pulley (16) is capable of coming to bear from the rear against the coil of material (B) thus ensuring a braking contact. Both pulleys (15-16) are keyed on the same axis and therefore driven in rotate simultaneously.

The reel of material when presented in the device, comes press the lever (12) by its pulley (16) and drive the rearward tilting of said lever against the return means (13) elastic above. The lever stroke is therefore established over a certain distance corresponding at least to the initial diameter of the coil to be in operation from the time it is put in place until it is exhausted. Pulley (16) forming a follower roller is always in contact with the reel of material due to the return effect of the elastic means. Advantageously, a projecting stop point (12e) is established on the upper edge of the lever for come into abutment on the upper part of the flange (2c).

The device for controlling the rotation of the drum thus described works satisfactorily under normal conditions of use and traction of the strip of material by the user.

However, in practice, it was found that the device was insufficient in at least two specific situations.

First of all, in case of strong user pulls, this can drive an output from the drive belt (17) of the part (15) receptor and fall either into the resulting groove between the parts (15 and 16), There is then blockage of the dispensing device, or the drive belt no longer has its effect.

The second situation results from the great diversity of materials wiping themselves between European paper manufacturers, American and others. Papers are wound up on a reel more or less tense, they are more or less smooth in appearance. Also one dispensing device requires specific arrangements specific to different paper ranges. Thus, the applicant and its partners manufacturers using patent FR 27403057 have found that the device could break down under heavy traction and for very smooth, with an identical effect, i.e. the exhaust of the belt drive its housing causing the device to stop working.

Considering that these types of devices are installed in places public, it is easy to understand that it is necessary to set up a efficient maintenance, intervening very quickly on site.

We are therefore looking for devices with high reliability.

The applicant's approach was therefore to seek a solution to the problem. The whole difficulty lay in the need not to modify the kinematics of the device and the rotation control device of the drum.

One possibility consisted in an arrangement of the apparatus for limit the effects of the strong traction of users, but this did not respond not necessarily to constraints on the quality of paper and its properties.

Another possibility was to introduce a guide controlling the path of the drive belt.

In practice, this situation brought more disadvantages requiring a reorganization of the receiving structure of said control device drum rotation.

From these lines of research, the applicant turned to a other solution that ultimately appears simple to implement, which is 100% efficient and does not affect the design of the device distributor and the very economy of the rotation control device the drum.

The inventive step of the applicant was thus to transpose the concept of the well-known derailment in the design of bicycles which are all equipped with a derailleur to allow positioning suitable for the bicycle chain according to the conditions of use.

Of course, this concept had to be adapted to the specific application of wiping paper dispensing apparatus.

Thus, according to a first characteristic of the invention, the device for controlling the rotation of the drum of a material dispensing device wiper comprising from a support pin (14) a couple of pulleys (15-16) mounted to rotate freely, the first pulley (15) being associated by the drive belt (17) to the drum is remarkable in that the monoblock device (20) comprising from a central sleeve (20a) three successive zones, namely a first zone (Z1) corresponding to the take-up pulley (15) of the drive belt, a second zone (Z2) receiving the friction means (18) of the material reel, and an area (Z3) intermediate to zones (Z1 - Z2). The area (Z3) defined between the said pulleys (15-16) is arranged with a guide means and overflow (21) capable of receiving the drive belt in situation exhaust of it, to train it naturally and by combination of side sliding effects and rotation of pulleys automatically in the receiving groove established in the pulley (15), from so that any exhaust of the belt from the pulley (15) in direction of the pulley (16) causes it to reposition itself in the groove of the pulley (15).

According to another characteristic of the invention, the discharge means is realized in the form of a frustoconical part whose base is located against and from the receiving part of the friction means with the coil of material, and the apex of said frustoconical part is adjacent and opens into the upper part of the belt receiving pulley drive.

These and other characteristics will become apparent from the following the description.

La figure 1 est une vue d'un appareil distributeur de matériau d'essuyage suivant l'art antérieur défini par le brevet FR 2743057.

La figure 2 est une vue en perspective partielle correspondant à la figure 3 du brevet FR 2743057.

La figure 3 est une vue en perspective de l'ensemble poulies décrites dans le brevet précité.

La figure 4 est une vue de face de l'ensemble poulies décrit dans le brevet précité.

La figure 5 est une vue de l'appareil équipé du dispositif selon l'invention permettant de supprimer l'échappement de la courroie d'entraínement.

La figure 6 est une vue en perspective du dispositif selon l'invention dans une première mise en oeuvre sous forme de deux plaquettes profilées de guidage et de déversement. Selon cette vue, le dispositif est montré de manière à visualiser le positionnement de deux plaquettes.

La figure 7 est une vue semblable à la figure 6 du dispositif, mais celui-ci étant orienté à 90° pour montrer la fonction de guidage et de déversement.

La figure 8 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne 8-8 de la figure 7.

La figure 9 est une vue d'une variante dans laquelle le dispositif présente un moyen de guidage et de déversement de la courroie dans une configuration tronconique.

La figure 10 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne 10-10 de la figure 9.

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

FIG. 1 is a view of a device for dispensing wiping material according to the prior art defined by patent FR 2,743,057.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 of patent FR 2743057.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the pulley assembly described in the aforementioned patent.

Figure 4 is a front view of the pulley assembly described in the aforementioned patent.

Figure 5 is a view of the device equipped with the device according to the invention for eliminating the exhaust of the drive belt.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the device according to the invention in a first implementation in the form of two profiled guide and discharge plates. According to this view, the device is shown so as to visualize the positioning of two plates.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 of the device, but it being oriented at 90 ° to show the guidance and dumping function.

Figure 8 is a sectional view along line 8-8 of Figure 7.

FIG. 9 is a view of a variant in which the device has means for guiding and pouring the belt in a frustoconical configuration.

Figure 10 is a sectional view along line 10-10 of Figure 9.

In order to make the object of the invention more concrete, it is described with a non-limiting manner illustrated in the figures of the drawings.

In view of the previous description of the device in its main components, and the drum rotation control device, continued of this description will only relate to the guide device and belt drive spillway referring to Figures 6 to 10.

Thus the device referenced as a whole by (20) is produced monobloc to adjust on the axis (14) of articulation of the bracket (12). he comprises from a central sleeve (20a) three successive zones to know a first zone (Z1) corresponding to the receiving pulley (15) of the drive belt (17) in normal situation, this area (Z1) being defined by the outer flange (20b) and an inner flange (20c) and between both the groove (20d) by said belt. At the other end, the body presents the zone (Z2) receiving the friction means (18) of the coil material, this zone being defined by the end flange (20e) and the inner flange (20f) opposite. The zone (Z3) which is intermediate to zones (Z1-Z2) is thus arranged with a guide means and spillway (21) which is oriented in inclination from the zone (Z2) to the zone (Z1) in a declining dimensional configuration and to reach the level of zone (Z1) at the location of the inner flange (20c) and open out automatically in the throat (20d).

This overflow means therefore has a conical profile and can be produced from different ways as shown in Figures 6 to 10 of the drawings.

In the configuration of FIGS. 6 to 8, the guide means and spillway comprises in the zone (Z3) and on either side of the central sleeve passing through two profiled plates (22) arranged parallel and formed between the inner flanges (20c) and (20f). The ends (22a) of said plates join the flanges (20c) and (20f) and are bevelled in end so as to ramp. The flanges (20c) and (20f) being of different diameter, the one (20f) being larger, the other (20c) being smaller. There is therefore a conical configuration which allows the sliding and the natural spillage of the drive belt if it comes to position yourself in zone (Z3). The assembly can be made in one piece.

In the variant of Figures 9-10, the area (Z3) is closed on the all by a cone shape so that the desired effect is the same. The whole is in one piece.

In another version not shown, the means for guiding and spill can be established from regularly placed spacers between the flanges (20c) and (20f) being arranged on the periphery thereof.

The advantages emerge clearly from the invention. We emphasize the simplicity of the new concept of automatic guidance and dumping device of the drive belt to constantly return it to its position. This is done naturally by the rotating action of the drum, without manual intervention by the operator inside the device.

This improvement is particularly interesting in reliability the device.

Claims (5)

Device for controlling the rotation of the drum of a wiping material dispensing apparatus comprising, from a support axis (14), a pair of pulleys (15-16) mounted to rotate freely, the first pulley (15) being associated by the drive belt (17) with the drum is characterized the one-piece device (20) comprises from a central sleeve (20a) three successive zones, namely a first zone (Z1) corresponding to the receiving pulley (15) of the drive belt, a second zone (Z2) receiving the friction means (18) of the material reel, and a zone (Z3) intermediate to the zones (Z1 - Z2)
and in that the zone (Z3) defined between the aforementioned pulleys (15-16) is arranged with a guide and overflow means (21) capable of receiving the drive belt in an exhaust situation thereof, for drive it naturally and by the combination of lateral sliding effects and the rotation of pulleys automatically in the receiving groove established in the pulley (15), so that any escape of the belt from the pulley (15) towards the pulley (16) causes it to reposition itself in the groove of the pulley (15). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the zone (Z1) is defined by the outer flange (20b) and an inner flange (20c) and between them the groove (20d) for receiving the drive belt,
and in that the zone (Z2) is defined by the end flange (20e) and the internal flange (20f), the intermediate zone (Z3) being arranged with the guide and discharge means (21) oriented in inclination of the zone (Z2) to the zone (Z1) in a decreasing dimensional configuration to end up at the level of the zone (Z1) at the location of the inner flange (20c) and lead into the groove (20d). Device according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the guide and overflow means (21) is produced in the form of a frustoconical part, the base of which is situated against and from the receiving part of the means friction with the material reel, and the top of said frustoconical part is adjacent and overflows in the upper part of the receiving pulley of the drive belt. Device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the guide and overflow means comprises, in the zone (Z3) on either side of the central sleeve, two profiled plates (22) arranged parallel and formed between the inner flanges (20c) and ( 20f), the ends (22a) of said plates joining the flanges (20c) and (20f) and being bevelled at the end. Device according to claim 2 characterized in that the guide and pouring means is established from spacers regularly disposed between the flanges (20c) (20f) being disposed at the periphery thereof.

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