EP1535559A1 - Roll paper feeder - Google Patents
Roll paper feeder Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1535559A1 EP1535559A1 EP03730493A EP03730493A EP1535559A1 EP 1535559 A1 EP1535559 A1 EP 1535559A1 EP 03730493 A EP03730493 A EP 03730493A EP 03730493 A EP03730493 A EP 03730493A EP 1535559 A1 EP1535559 A1 EP 1535559A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- paper
- roll
- user
- feeder
- sensor
- 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.)
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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
- A47K10/32—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
- A47K10/34—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a web, e.g. with mechanical dispensing means
- A47K10/36—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a web, e.g. with mechanical dispensing means with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
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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
- A47K10/32—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
- A47K10/34—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a web, e.g. with mechanical dispensing means
- A47K10/36—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a web, e.g. with mechanical dispensing means with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
- A47K10/3631—The cutting devices being driven manually
- A47K10/3643—The cutting devices being driven manually by pulling the paper
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a roll paper feeder that enables a handicapped user such as a one-armed, blind or aged person or young child, too, to easily pull out paper from a paper roll, e. g., a roll of toilet paper, cooking paper or paper towel, and to have the paper safely cut or severed, with one hand. And, it relates to a roll paper feeder that need not be operated by the user consciously with a switch or switches.
- a paper holder has been proposed and commercialized in which the cover having the cutting means has an accessory such as a spring added thereto such that the cutting edge of the cover can be resiliently pressed against the paper roll with a force not much impeding the paper from being pulled out to allow the paper to be pulled out and cut one-handed. Even then, however, paper cannot be either pulled out or cut without fail unless the direction in which and the speed at which the paper is to be pulled out and the direction in which, the speed at which and the force with which the paper is to be pulled for its cutting are properly adjusted.
- a paper holder for supporting a paper roll rotatably, an automatic paper feeding device, a feed length adjusting device, a feed length selection switch, an automatic paper cutting device, a part for receiving a sheet of paper cut and separated from the paper roll, an automatic paper feeding device for feeding a length of paper after cutting, switches for actuating these devices, respectively, a control unit for operating each of these devices under a preestablished program, sensors aimed to ensure that these control units operate without fail, timers aimed to ensure that these control units operate without fail, a casing main body for accommodating these devices and units, and a cover for an open space of the casing.
- a roll paper feeder according to the present invention is characterized by its capability of reading the will of a user through a movement of paper.
- a roll paper feeder according to the present invention therefore, need not be operated by the user consciously with a switch or switches, and the user then can easily pull out paper from a paper roll, e. g., a roll of toilet paper, cooking paper or paper towel, with one hand and can then have the paper cut or severed safely.
- a roll paper feeder according to the present invention can be used readily by a person physically or mentally handicapped, a person who is one-armed due to such as injury, a young child or infant, a very aged person or a person who is lost of vision, too, in a manner as well accustomed in the past and without any sense of incompatibility even at its first use.
- paper is not fed or dispensed altogether by motor driving as in the known automatic roll paper feeders and in an embodiment thereof can be dispensed only by a length of paper about 10 cm by motor driving.
- a paper roll feeder (hereinafter referred to also as "apparatus") as an implementation of the present invention designed to be safe and trouble-free is shown in Fig. 1 in its perspective view.
- a casing 1 forming a main body of the roll paper feeder has a pair of holders 2a and 2b on which a roll of paper or paper role is rotatably supported, an exit slit 4 for a cutting edge in an automatic paper cutter or cutting device and a pair of locking projections 7a and 7b each containing a spring and, and is furnished with a drive roller 3 in an automatic paper feeding or dispensing device or dispenser for feeding or dispensing a certain length of paper after it is cut, a pair of paper pressers or presser feet 5a and 5b as an accessories of the automatic cutting device, and a sensor 6 for reading or sensing the paper starting and ceasing to move.
- a cover 8 that can be turned up to open a space in the main body in which to set a paper roll is furnished with a sensor reception or driven roller 9 to operate the sensor 6 normally, a passive or driven roller 10 to operate the paper dispensing device normally and a pair of locking recesses 11a and 11b to fit with the locking projections 7a and 7b in the main body when the cover 8 is turned on fulcrums 12a and 12b into its close position.
- Fig. 1 shows the cover 8 in its open position to allow the paper roll to be set. In the state shown in Fig. 1, the holders 2a and 2b are held to protrude inwards from the inner wall of the main body and as they are cannot accept the paper roll.
- the holders 2a and 2b are so designed as in a knock-type ball-point pen that when pushed once from outside they together project inwards and when pushed once again they are withdrawn. Therefore, in order to set the paper roll and bring it into the state that it is rotatably supported by the holders 2a and 2b, they can once be withdrawn from the inner wall of the main body to allow the paper roll to be accepted in the space between them and set there with its center hole or core cylinder aligned with them and they can then be projected into the paper roll core cylinder.
- Fig. 2 is a schematic structural and explanatory view of the roll paper feeder of Fig. 1 embodying the present invention, illustrating the roll paper feeder shown with the paper roll set, with the cover in its close position and with an end portion 60 of the paper somewhat protruding from the lower end of the feeder.
- the lower part of the feeder is shown in Fig. 2 as somewhat lengthened longitudinally over that in Fig. 1.
- Reference characters used in Fig. 2 correspond to those in Fig. 1.
- Fig. 3 is a schematic structural and explanatory view of the sensor and automatic paper dispenser systems with them in part omitted for illustrating a cyclic operation of the automatic paper cutting device with the paper pressers inclusive. The fingers seizing the end of paper are shown ceasing to pull out the paper.
- Means for supporting a paper roll rotatably may be other than that which with holders 2a and 2b utilizes a core cylinder of roll as shown in Fig. 1. It may then be one as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 in which a paper roll is supported rotatably from below with paper supports 20 and 21 one of which 21 may be part of a paper support roll 22 mounted so as to allow paper to be smoothly pulled out from the paper roll as shown and the other of which 20 may also be likewise part of another support roll, although one or both of these support rolls can also be omitted as being not essential.
- the holder 2a or 2b shown in Fig. 1 may have a sensor of this type to read rotation of the core cylinder of the paper roll. It is also effective if the rotary shaft of the paper support roll 22 in Fig. 6 has such a sensor. Alternatively, the rotary shaft of the drive roller 3 or the driven roller 10 may have such a sensor to read the paper starting and ceasing to move.
- light rays from an emitter 23 are passed as indicated by the arrow 24 through paper made of fibers to enter a photodetector sensor 25.
- the photodetector sensor 25 issues a signal corresponding to the intensity of the light rays it receives and this signal is transmitted to the control unit.
- the control unit judges the paper as moving as long as the signal it receives is changing and judges that the paper has completely ceased to move in response to the signal that is unchanging after a preset lapse of time.
- Fig. 7 light rays from an emitter 26 runs as indicated by the arrow 27 and is reflected by the surface of paper of fibers as indicated by the arrow 28 to enter a photodetector sensor 29.
- the photodetector sensor 29 issues a signal corresponding to the intensity of the light rays it receives and this signal is transmitted to the control unit.
- the control unit judges the paper as moving as long as the signal it receives is changing and judges that the paper has completely ceased to move in response to the signal that is unchanging after a preset lapse of time. Any such sensor having the same functional level as that which is utilized in an image sensor mouse for a personal computer is capable of completely reading even a slight movement of paper and its ceasing.
- Fig. 8 is a schematic structural and explanatory view illustrating a modified embodiment in which the cover 8 for opening the main body in Fig. 1 is divided at a position somewhat above the sensor driven roller 9 into an upper and a lower cover 30 and 32.
- the upper cover 30 is configured so that it can be turned up as indicated by the arrow 31 to open the space below it, thereby enabling a paper roll to be set therein whereas the lower cover 32 receiving the sensor driven roller 9 and the driven roller 10 is configured so that it can be opened laterally.
- This is one of the possible embodiments not provided with the holders 2a and 2b utilizing the core cylinder of a paper roll to support it rotatably.
- the lower cover 32 is attached to a casing main body 34 with a vertical hinge 33 about which it can be turned to its open and closed positions, and is provided with a locking hook 35.
- the locking hook 35 is also shown with dotted lines to indicate its position for reference when the lower cover 32 is closed.
- the upper cover 30 is provided with a locking hook 36, too, and the casing main body 36 is provided in its inner walls with an upper and a lower locking element 37 and 38 for safety.
- the control unit in the safety device causes the upper and lower cover locking elements 37 and 38 to move in the directions of arrows 40 and 41, respectively, whereby the upper and lower covers 30 and 32 are kept clamped until a series of automatic cycles, namely the automatic paper cutting and dispensing cycles after the user ceases pulling out the paper are accomplished.
- the control unit in the safety device returns the upper and lower cover locking elements 37 and 38 to their initial position where one can, if necessary, exchange the paper roll and clean the entire apparatus.
- a recess 42 is shown provided in which to accept the cutting edge.
- Figs. 10 and 11 show an embodiment according to claim 5 in particular and are cross sectional views thereof in a region of the paper outlet port.
- the spacing between the inner wall 43 of the casing main body and the inner wall 44 of the cover is about 2 mm to 3 mm, and the cover has an outer covering member 45 having a swing member 47 attached thereto via a fulcrum shaft 46.
- the swing member 47 works better if it is wider in breadth than paper, it still functions enough if its breadth is as narrower as 3 cm to 5 cm when it is centered about paper.
- paper 48 is shown suspended spontaneously along midway between the inner wall 43 of the casing main body and the inner wall 44 of the cover.
- Fig. 11 shows the state that the 48 is pulled in the direction of arrow 49.
- the swing member 47 is turned about the fulcrum shaft 46 in the direction of arrow 50 to bring a metal piece 51 into engagement with a projection on a metal piece 52.
- Contacting the metal piece 51 with the metal piece 52 passes a trigger current in an overall control unit for the apparatus, which causes a power supply for each other sensor to be turned and held on to make and hold it operative.
- This also causes a power supply for each of the respective control units for the automatic paper dispensing device, automatic paper cutting device and safety device to be turned and held on to make and hold them operative to work under a program.
- the metal pieces 51 and 52 may as a matter of course be replaced with a micro-switch product available in the market.
- the trigger switch is shown in the embodiment of Figs. 10 and 11 as disposed in a region of the exit of the paper path, where the trigger switch could be directly touched with a finger of a user, however.
- a trigger switch is so subtly made up and generally is set up in a manner such that it is sensitive to even a slight movement of paper and it could be a cause of the apparatus malfunctioning if a user's finger touches any of its delicate parts.
- the trigger switch is preferably disposed in the paper path somewhat distant from its exit.
- the inner wall 43 of the casing main body may in part be concaved in a smooth doglegged form and the swing member 47 in part deformed to correspond thereto so that paper can pass between them (with a spacing of 2 mm to 3 mm) while being suspended by gravity in such a doglegged form.
- the trigger switch is sensitive, it can be set so it does not react to such a low force of gravity.
- Fig. 12 shows a state that paper 53 is put between the drive roller 3 and the driven roller 10 in Figs 1 and 2 and is pulled in the direction of arrow 54.
- the shaft of the drive roller 3 is equipped with a one-way clutch to allow the drive roller 3 to rotate unaffected by the motor 14 and the power transmission belt 15 but following the movement of paper 53.
- a gear wheel 55 attached to the drive roller 3 engages with a pinion 56 to provide a speed increasing gear, and an centrifugal switch 57 attached to the shaft of the pinion 56 can acquire enough torque and be turned on in response to even a slight movement of paper 53.
- a trigger current is passed from the centrifugal switch into its control unit to cause a power supply for each other sensor to be turned and held on to make and hold it operative. This also causes a power supply for each of the respective control units for the automatic paper dispensing device, automatic paper cutting device and safety device to be turned and held on to make and hold them operative to work under a program.
- a trigger switch working equally to those shown in Figs. 10 and 12 can be produced by utilizing a permanent magnet to indirectly make an electrical contact.
- the centrifugal switch can be enough of an inner structure that has been well known with a certain light emitting toy.
- centrifugal switch horizontally by utilizing a bevel gear is also effective to enhance the sensitivity of a sensor.
- other than usual centrifugal switches internally equipped with a spring, weight and electrical contact there may be used one that utilizes mercury charged with a metallic ball.
- a trigger switch first acting and adapted to be operated when paper begins to be pulled out to turn on the power supply for a sensor for reading or sensing the paper starting and ceasing to move, thereby making the sensor then first operative provides the energy-saving effect to make power consumption by the roll paper feeder not in use completely zero.
- This and other sensors then actuated to electrically control devices are thereafter held energized electrically to continue monitoring constantly. If an optical stimulus or electrical or physical stimulus is applied to each sensor, then the control unit connected to the sensor compares states before and after the stimulus is applied and reads a change between them to operate and control operations of respective devices connected to such control units under a preestablished program.
- a trigger switch in providing a roll paper feeder of independent type when it is to be fed with a dry battery as a source of limited energy, where it is not profitable at all to keep a sensor energized even with small current for 24 hours a day, the use of a trigger switch is extremely effective to enhance the effect of power saving.
- a household power supply that can be used exclusively for the roll paper feeder is prepared in a place, such as a toilet room, in which it is to be installed, it is needless to say that there can then be used a standard electrical, optical or physical sensor that needs to be continuously fed with electric power for 24 hours a day.
- the term "trigger switch” used here means nothing but a sensor means that physically detects or is responsive to the movement of paper which begins when the user commences pulling out paper upon seizing its end to generate an electric signal indicative of it. Mention is next made of embodiments which start a program running for control units in response to a signal from a sensor (including a trigger switch) that reads an instant at which paper begins to be pulled out from a movement of the paper to cyclically operate the automatic paper dispensing and cutting devices. While an automatic paper dispensing and cutting apparatus has been known that requires a switch, e. g.
- the invention in the form of a push button, on its face to start its operation, is designed to eliminate and get rid of such an externally mounted switch (including any proximity switch as a substitute for such switch as the bush-button, positioned so as to be visible to the user) in the prior art and instead to exploit a sensor (including trigger switch) designed to sense the user's will by monitoring movement of paper to start the apparatus by starting a program to run for its required cyclic operations in response to a signal from the sensor.
- a sensor including trigger switch
- a trigger switch to constitute a sensor may be disposed anywhere in the paper path or on any shaft rotating in relation to movement of roll paper.
- the paper must begin to be automatically dispensed forcibly instantaneously when the switch is pushed down (or when the proximity switch utilizing infrared rays is reacted), requiring that the user quickly grasp the end of paper with the one hand used to depress the switch. It is then altogether possible that while the user is trying to grasp, a given length of paper may have already been dispensed and cut, then falling on the floor. This situation is very likely to occur if the user is a physically or mentally handicapped person.
- this novel roll paper feeder according to the invention if replaced suddenly one day, e. g., in a home for such persons, for the paper holder so far well accustomed for them to use can smoothly be introduced there, where users will have no sense of incompatibility except that they might only feel that the paper holder may have been something renewed.
- a user in using the roll paper feeder might once or twice feel such a surprise that "There, paper's coming out!”, but since he/she has already seized the end of paper to pull it out and noting that the paper is being dispensed, will no longer be confused if the paper is automatically cur, and will soon have an agreeable sense of use of the apparatus.
- the present invention in its implementation relates primarily to how a sensor, among others, may be mounted for reading or sensing paper starting and ceasing to move and operated, explanations in further detail of the power supply, wiring, electronic control system, centrifugal switch and so on can be omitted.
- the present invention is not limited to the embodiments so far described and its form of implementation may be varied depending on modifications of components and the manner in which they are mounted.
- the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 9 may be modified to eliminate the upper cover 30 having the locking hook 36 together with the upper cover locking element 37 to provide a modification, referred to as Modification A. It omits a cover and a cover locking means which are provided to ensure safety of and to make trouble-free the apparatus.
- a user's hand may touch and hold down a paper roll while paper is being dispensed from it. Then, the paper might be torn off on the paper roll if the pulling force by the dispensing device exceeds the paper's strength. Or, an excess load may be imposed on the dispensing device that is not enough in durability and a repetition of this may result in a gear damaging and a dispensing roll being worn away to an extent that paper cannot be well dispensed and/or to an extent that the motor and circuit boards get heated and out of order.
- the apparatus is not allowed to start operation simply if the use's hand is approached or if paper is only lightly touched. It judges that "the user has pulled paper or needs a sheet of paper” first and only when the paper has been grasped and begun to be pulled out. By monitoring a movement of the paper, the apparatus precisely reads the user's will. Any action of bringing the hand near to the apparatus or touching the paper lightly with no intent to pull out the paper is not regarded as an action done requiring a sheet of paper. Accordingly, the present invention provides a roll paper feeder that is capable of operation upon precisely reading the user's will.
- the present invention provides a roll paper feeder characterized by precisely reading a user's will through a movement of paper. Therefore, it does not require a user to consciously operate it with any switch and allows toilet paper, cooking paper and paper towel to be easily pulled out of a roll by the user one-handed and to be automatically cut safely.
- the apparatus can be used easily by a mentally or physically handicapped person, a person one-armed for any reason such as injury, a young child, an aged person or a person lost of vision without much a sense of incompatibility even at its first use and in a manner as accustomed as one has been.
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Replacement Of Web Rolls (AREA)
- Toilet Supplies (AREA)
- Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
Abstract
Disclosed is an automatic roll paper feeder that has no switch
on its face to be operated by a user and includes a sensor that reads
the user starting or ceasing to pull out paper from the roll by monitoring
movement of the paper. A signal from the sensor triggers a
control program and causes the feeder to automatically cut and dispense
the paper under the control program, thus eliminating the need
for a user to act on any switch to operate the feeder. The feeder
through movement of paper can read out the user's will precisely. The
invention enables a handicapped user (e. g., one-armed, blind, aged or
very young) to easily pull out and sever paper with one hand from a
paper roll such as a toilet paper, cooking paper or paper towel in the
form of a roll.
Description
The present invention relates to a roll paper feeder that enables
a handicapped user such as a one-armed, blind or aged person
or young child, too, to easily pull out paper from a paper roll, e. g., a
roll of toilet paper, cooking paper or paper towel, and to have the paper
safely cut or severed, with one hand. And, it relates to a roll paper
feeder that need not be operated by the user consciously with a switch
or switches.
In the use of a paper holder that has come into wide use in
general in utilizing paper from a paper roll, the user holds down a
holder's cover having a blade or cutting edge with one of its hands
and seizes the end of paper with the other hand and then pulls the
paper forcibly to cut it with the blade. Such a series of operations requires
the user to use its both hands at the same time and are arduous
to persons who are handicapped with the hand, the vision or
otherwise the age and to young children. Accordingly, intended to
lessen this difficulty even slightly, a paper holder has been proposed
and commercialized in which the cover having the cutting means has
an accessory such as a spring added thereto such that the cutting
edge of the cover can be resiliently pressed against the paper roll with
a force not much impeding the paper from being pulled out to allow
the paper to be pulled out and cut one-handed. Even then, however,
paper cannot be either pulled out or cut without fail unless the
direction in which and the speed at which the paper is to be pulled
out and the direction in which, the speed at which and the force with
which the paper is to be pulled for its cutting are properly adjusted.
Above all, however, irrespective of whether or not the cover having
the cutting edge has a spring or the like, in either case the end paper
left on the side of a paper roll after the paper is cut is left on the
hidden side of the cutting edge and is made invisible. For this reason,
the cutting edge and is made invisible. For this reason, a next user is
required first to rotate the paper roll with the hand in the paper-pullout
direction to an extent where the user can see and touch
the end of paper. The user is then required to use fingers and nails to
tear off the paper end which when cut was pressed and has then stuck
fast to the paper roll. Such an operation is extremely hard to do for a
person who is poor in or completely lost of vision and further has one
arm lost and the other, skillful arm injured and bandaged on its fingers.
Aimed to resolve these inconveniences, inventions relating to
a manually or electrically operated automatic roll paper feeder have
come to appear increasingly in published patent applications in recent
years. Although the applicant at the date of the present patent application
has never seen any automatic roll paper feeder made concrete
and commercialized, the automatic roll paper feeders known as disclosed
in these patent applications generally have the components
mentioned below. These components are: a paper holder for supporting
a paper roll rotatably, an automatic paper feeding device, a feed
length adjusting device, a feed length selection switch, an automatic
paper cutting device, a part for receiving a sheet of paper cut and
separated from the paper roll, an automatic paper feeding device for
feeding a length of paper after cutting, switches for actuating these
devices, respectively, a control unit for operating each of these devices
under a preestablished program, sensors aimed to ensure that these
control units operate without fail, timers aimed to ensure that these
control units operate without fail, a casing main body for accommodating
these devices and units, and a cover for an open space of the
casing. These are the basic components of the known automatic roll
paper feeders. Many of the inventions and utility models disclosed in
the published patent and registration applications recombine these
basic components with one another, improve them individually, devise
manners of their arrangement and mounting, devise manners of control
and programming, and incorporate elements in combination with
these basic components in an effort to eliminate the deficiencies of the
prior inventions and utility models. However, many of them leave
much to be desired in detail and apparently can hardly be utilized in
actuality.
In particular, as what becomes an obstacle in the actual use,
there is a problem concerning the presence of a switch or switches. All
these inventions and utility models in the past require the user to
operate a switch such as a standard push-button switch or foot switch
or otherwise an infrared detector or sensor switch, where it would be
an exceedingly hard task for a person whose vision becomes extremely
weak or completely lost to find the presence of a switch and to understand
its function, let alone to operate switches for different functions
allocated to them, respectively. Also, because of differences in the
manner to use of such a conventional automatic roll paper feeder from
the paper holder well accustomed in the past, when the accustomed
paper holder is, suddenly one day, replaced with the automatic roll
paper feeder there will arise the need that a note of operating instructions
to explain the manner to operate it be stuck on somewhere
on this new apparatus itself or its nearby place, but this should come
to merely force further inconvenience on such a visibly handicapped
person or a very aged person whose vision has become so weak as to
be unable to read the operating instructions. And, it will be in general
that such operating instructions must also be of contents that are
hard to understand for young children, and that any such new automatic
roll paper feeder requiring a switch or switches to be operated
must therefore be one hardly acceptable to young children, too. Further,
to a person who in mental functions is even slightly sunk, even
the presence of only one switch that need be operated may invite a
feeling of uneasiness in advance that "How? Something to do? Getting
something beyond if it's pushed down?" It is well imaginable that the
user cannot even depress a switch and may be totally at a loss about
how to use it.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide
a roll paper feeder that enables any user, e. g., a one-armed user or a
user handicapped in vision, too, to readily pull out paper from a paper
roll and then to have the paper cut safely, with one hand and which is
capable of reading the user's will through a movement of the paper
and which need not be operated by the user consciously with a switch
or switches.
A roll paper feeder according to the present invention is characterized
by its capability of reading the will of a user through a
movement of paper. A roll paper feeder according to the present invention,
therefore, need not be operated by the user consciously with
a switch or switches, and the user then can easily pull out paper from
a paper roll, e. g., a roll of toilet paper, cooking paper or paper towel,
with one hand and can then have the paper cut or severed safely. In
the absence of any particular switch or switches that must be operated
unlike in the prior art, a roll paper feeder according to the present
invention can be used readily by a person physically or mentally
handicapped, a person who is one-armed due to such as injury, a
young child or infant, a very aged person or a person who is lost of vision,
too, in a manner as well accustomed in the past and without any
sense of incompatibility even at its first use. Also, in a roll paper
feeder according to the present invention paper is not fed or dispensed
altogether by motor driving as in the known automatic roll paper
feeders and in an embodiment thereof can be dispensed only by a
length of paper about 10 cm by motor driving. Then, if a length of paper
of 1 m to 2 m is pulled out by the user, no electric power is consumed
at all for the time interval in which that length of paper is
pulled out, meaning that power consumption is reduced to about 1/10
or less of that in the prior-art technique. Thus, if the present invention
is commercialized into an independent-type roll paper feeder
product powered by a dry battery, the dry battery for the product
lasts about 10 times longer, in terms of time of exchange, than a battery
of the same time for an automatic roll paper feeder product according
to the prior art. A markedly increased energy-saving effect of
a roll paper feeder according to the present invention that requires
much less power consumption is therefore evident.
In the drawings,
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A paper roll feeder (hereinafter referred to also as "apparatus")
as an implementation of the present invention designed to be
safe and trouble-free is shown in Fig. 1 in its perspective view. A casing
1 forming a main body of the roll paper feeder has a pair of holders
2a and 2b on which a roll of paper or paper role is rotatably supported,
an exit slit 4 for a cutting edge in an automatic paper cutter
or cutting device and a pair of locking projections 7a and 7b each
containing a spring and, and is furnished with a drive roller 3 in an
automatic paper feeding or dispensing device or dispenser for feeding
or dispensing a certain length of paper after it is cut, a pair of paper
pressers or presser feet 5a and 5b as an accessories of the automatic
cutting device, and a sensor 6 for reading or sensing the paper starting
and ceasing to move. A cover 8 that can be turned up to open a
space in the main body in which to set a paper roll is furnished with a
sensor reception or driven roller 9 to operate the sensor 6 normally, a
passive or driven roller 10 to operate the paper dispensing device
normally and a pair of locking recesses 11a and 11b to fit with the
locking projections 7a and 7b in the main body when the cover 8 is
turned on fulcrums 12a and 12b into its close position. Fig. 1 shows
the cover 8 in its open position to allow the paper roll to be set. In the
state shown in Fig. 1, the holders 2a and 2b are held to protrude inwards
from the inner wall of the main body and as they are cannot
accept the paper roll. The holders 2a and 2b are so designed as in a
knock-type ball-point pen that when pushed once from outside they
together project inwards and when pushed once again they are withdrawn.
Therefore, in order to set the paper roll and bring it into the
state that it is rotatably supported by the holders 2a and 2b, they can
once be withdrawn from the inner wall of the main body to allow the
paper roll to be accepted in the space between them and set there
with its center hole or core cylinder aligned with them and they can
then be projected into the paper roll core cylinder.
Fig. 2 is a schematic structural and explanatory view of the
roll paper feeder of Fig. 1 embodying the present invention, illustrating
the roll paper feeder shown with the paper roll set, with the cover
in its close position and with an end portion 60 of the paper somewhat
protruding from the lower end of the feeder. For the sake of facilitating
the illustration, the lower part of the feeder is shown in Fig. 2 as
somewhat lengthened longitudinally over that in Fig. 1. Reference
characters used in Fig. 2 correspond to those in Fig. 1.
Mention is made below specifically of steps in the use of the
apparatus implemented and operations of devices and units making
up the apparatus for each of these steps.
Fig. 3 is a schematic structural and explanatory view of the
sensor and automatic paper dispenser systems with them in part
omitted for illustrating a cyclic operation of the automatic paper
cutting device with the paper pressers inclusive. The fingers seizing
the end of paper are shown ceasing to pull out the paper.
Mention is next made of other embodiments of the present invention.
Means for supporting a paper roll rotatably may be other than
that which with holders 2a and 2b utilizes a core cylinder of roll as
shown in Fig. 1. It may then be one as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 in which
a paper roll is supported rotatably from below with paper supports 20
and 21 one of which 21 may be part of a paper support roll 22
mounted so as to allow paper to be smoothly pulled out from the paper
roll as shown and the other of which 20 may also be likewise part of
another support roll, although one or both of these support rolls can
also be omitted as being not essential.
As to the sensor for reading the paper starting and ceasing to
move, a choice may be made among a variety of alternatives in its
kinds and methods of mounting.
The holder 2a or 2b shown in Fig. 1 may have a sensor of this
type to read rotation of the core cylinder of the paper roll. It is also
effective if the rotary shaft of the paper support roll 22 in Fig. 6 has
such a sensor. Alternatively, the rotary shaft of the drive roller 3 or
the driven roller 10 may have such a sensor to read the paper starting
and ceasing to move.
As shown in Fig. 6 light rays from an emitter 23 are passed as
indicated by the arrow 24 through paper made of fibers to enter a
photodetector sensor 25. As the paper begins to move, the paper fibers
ahead of the sensor change in their state, changing the intensity of
light rays that enter the photodetector sensor 25 past interstices of
paper fibers. The photodetector sensor 25 issues a signal corresponding
to the intensity of the light rays it receives and this signal is
transmitted to the control unit. The control unit judges the paper as
moving as long as the signal it receives is changing and judges that
the paper has completely ceased to move in response to the signal
that is unchanging after a preset lapse of time.
As shown in Fig. 7 light rays from an emitter 26 runs as indicated
by the arrow 27 and is reflected by the surface of paper of fibers
as indicated by the arrow 28 to enter a photodetector sensor 29. As
the paper begins to move, the paper fibers ahead of the sensor change
in their state, changing the intensity of light rays that enter the
photodetector sensor 29 upon reflection by the surface of paper fibers.
The photodetector sensor 29 issues a signal corresponding to the intensity
of the light rays it receives and this signal is transmitted to
the control unit. The control unit judges the paper as moving as long
as the signal it receives is changing and judges that the paper has
completely ceased to move in response to the signal that is unchanging
after a preset lapse of time. Any such sensor having the same
functional level as that which is utilized in an image sensor mouse for
a personal computer is capable of completely reading even a slight
movement of paper and its ceasing.
Fig. 8 is a schematic structural and explanatory view illustrating
a modified embodiment in which the cover 8 for opening the
main body in Fig. 1 is divided at a position somewhat above the sensor
driven roller 9 into an upper and a lower cover 30 and 32. The
upper cover 30 is configured so that it can be turned up as indicated
by the arrow 31 to open the space below it, thereby enabling a paper
roll to be set therein whereas the lower cover 32 receiving the sensor
driven roller 9 and the driven roller 10 is configured so that it can be
opened laterally. This is one of the possible embodiments not provided
with the holders 2a and 2b utilizing the core cylinder of a paper roll
to support it rotatably. The lower cover 32 is attached to a casing
main body 34 with a vertical hinge 33 about which it can be turned to
its open and closed positions, and is provided with a locking hook 35.
The locking hook 35 is also shown with dotted lines to indicate its position
for reference when the lower cover 32 is closed. The upper cover
30 is provided with a locking hook 36, too, and the casing main body
36 is provided in its inner walls with an upper and a lower locking
element 37 and 38 for safety. With the paper roll set as shown in Fig.
8, when the user begins to pull paper in the direction of the arrow 39
as shown in Fig. 9, the sensor 9 reads movement of the paper caught
between the sensor 9 and the sensor driven roller to send a signal to
the control unit in the safety device. Then, the control unit in the
safety device causes the upper and lower cover locking elements 37
and 38 to move in the directions of arrows 40 and 41, respectively,
whereby the upper and lower covers 30 and 32 are kept clamped until
a series of automatic cycles, namely the automatic paper cutting and
dispensing cycles after the user ceases pulling out the paper are accomplished.
When these automatic cycles are completed, the control
unit in the safety device returns the upper and lower cover locking
elements 37 and 38 to their initial position where one can, if necessary,
exchange the paper roll and clean the entire apparatus. In the
apparatus shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a recess 42 is shown provided in
which to accept the cutting edge.
Figs. 10 and 11 show an embodiment according to claim 5 in
particular and are cross sectional views thereof in a region of the paper
outlet port. Referring to Fig. 10, the spacing between the inner
wall 43 of the casing main body and the inner wall 44 of the cover is
about 2 mm to 3 mm, and the cover has an outer covering member 45
having a swing member 47 attached thereto via a fulcrum shaft 46.
Although the swing member 47 works better if it is wider in breadth
than paper, it still functions enough if its breadth is as narrower as 3
cm to 5 cm when it is centered about paper. Having been dispensed by
the automatic dispensing device, paper 48 is shown suspended spontaneously
along midway between the inner wall 43 of the casing main
body and the inner wall 44 of the cover.
Fig. 11 shows the state that the 48 is pulled in the direction of
arrow 49. When paper 48 is pulled in the direction of arrow 49, the
swing member 47 is turned about the fulcrum shaft 46 in the direction
of arrow 50 to bring a metal piece 51 into engagement with a projection
on a metal piece 52. Contacting the metal piece 51 with the metal
piece 52 passes a trigger current in an overall control unit for the apparatus,
which causes a power supply for each other sensor to be
turned and held on to make and hold it operative. This also causes a
power supply for each of the respective control units for the automatic
paper dispensing device, automatic paper cutting device and safety
device to be turned and held on to make and hold them operative to
work under a program. Serving thus as a trigger switch, the metal
pieces 51 and 52 may as a matter of course be replaced with a micro-switch
product available in the market. To facilitate its understanding,
the trigger switch is shown in the embodiment of Figs. 10
and 11 as disposed in a region of the exit of the paper path, where the
trigger switch could be directly touched with a finger of a user, however.
A trigger switch is so subtly made up and generally is set up in
a manner such that it is sensitive to even a slight movement of paper
and it could be a cause of the apparatus malfunctioning if a user's
finger touches any of its delicate parts. In such consideration, the
trigger switch is preferably disposed in the paper path somewhat distant
from its exit. Then, the inner wall 43 of the casing main body
may in part be concaved in a smooth doglegged form and the swing
member 47 in part deformed to correspond thereto so that paper can
pass between them (with a spacing of 2 mm to 3 mm) while being
suspended by gravity in such a doglegged form. While the trigger
switch is sensitive, it can be set so it does not react to such a low
force of gravity. When a user is going to pull out paper in such a state,
the paper deformed by gravity into the smooth doglegged form is
straightened taut by tension and then forces the convexed swing
member 47 to turn, thereby bringing the metal piece 51 into contact
and electrical contact with the metal piece 52.
As regards other possible forms of the trigger switch, shown
next is a specific embodiment that uses a switch utilizing a centrifugal
force. Fig. 12 shows a state that paper 53 is put between the drive
roller 3 and the driven roller 10 in Figs 1 and 2 and is pulled in the
direction of arrow 54. The shaft of the drive roller 3 is equipped with
a one-way clutch to allow the drive roller 3 to rotate unaffected by the
motor 14 and the power transmission belt 15 but following the movement
of paper 53. A gear wheel 55 attached to the drive roller 3 engages
with a pinion 56 to provide a speed increasing gear, and an
centrifugal switch 57 attached to the shaft of the pinion 56 can acquire
enough torque and be turned on in response to even a slight
movement of paper 53. A trigger current is passed from the centrifugal
switch into its control unit to cause a power supply for each other
sensor to be turned and held on to make and hold it operative. This
also causes a power supply for each of the respective control units for
the automatic paper dispensing device, automatic paper cutting device
and safety device to be turned and held on to make and hold them
operative to work under a program. A trigger switch working equally
to those shown in Figs. 10 and 12 can be produced by utilizing a permanent
magnet to indirectly make an electrical contact. The centrifugal
switch can be enough of an inner structure that has been well
known with a certain light emitting toy.
Turning a centrifugal switch horizontally by utilizing a bevel
gear is also effective to enhance the sensitivity of a sensor. Further,
other than usual centrifugal switches internally equipped with a
spring, weight and electrical contact, there may be used one that utilizes
mercury charged with a metallic ball. As mentioned above, using
a trigger switch first acting and adapted to be operated when paper
begins to be pulled out to turn on the power supply for a sensor for
reading or sensing the paper starting and ceasing to move, thereby
making the sensor then first operative, provides the energy-saving
effect to make power consumption by the roll paper feeder not in use
completely zero. This and other sensors then actuated to electrically
control devices are thereafter held energized electrically to continue
monitoring constantly. If an optical stimulus or electrical or physical
stimulus is applied to each sensor, then the control unit connected to
the sensor compares states before and after the stimulus is applied
and reads a change between them to operate and control operations of
respective devices connected to such control units under a preestablished
program.
Therefore, in providing a roll paper feeder of independent type
when it is to be fed with a dry battery as a source of limited energy,
where it is not profitable at all to keep a sensor energized even with
small current for 24 hours a day, the use of a trigger switch is extremely
effective to enhance the effect of power saving. Of course, if a
household power supply that can be used exclusively for the roll paper
feeder is prepared in a place, such as a toilet room, in which it is to be
installed, it is needless to say that there can then be used a standard
electrical, optical or physical sensor that needs to be continuously fed
with electric power for 24 hours a day. Although several form of the
trigger switch are shown in and described in connection with Figs. 11
and 12 together with possible manners in which to power on the sensors
utilizing the trigger current, the term "trigger switch" used here
means nothing but a sensor means that physically detects or is responsive
to the movement of paper which begins when the user commences
pulling out paper upon seizing its end to generate an electric
signal indicative of it. Mention is next made of embodiments which
start a program running for control units in response to a signal from
a sensor (including a trigger switch) that reads an instant at which
paper begins to be pulled out from a movement of the paper to cyclically
operate the automatic paper dispensing and cutting devices.
While an automatic paper dispensing and cutting apparatus has been
known that requires a switch, e. g. in the form of a push button, on its
face to start its operation, the invention is designed to eliminate and
get rid of such an externally mounted switch (including any proximity
switch as a substitute for such switch as the bush-button, positioned
so as to be visible to the user) in the prior art and instead to exploit a
sensor (including trigger switch) designed to sense the user's will by
monitoring movement of paper to start the apparatus by starting a
program to run for its required cyclic operations in response to a signal
from the sensor. Starting such a program to run allows the automatic
paper dispensing device to operate by dispensing a length of
paper set to be suitable for use and then the automatic paper cutting
device to operate by cutting paper and thereafter the automatic paper
dispensing device to operate again by dispensing paper to an extent
that a length of paper suitable for the user to hold with fingers is suspended
from the paper exit port, namely to where the initial state of
the cycle is restored to wait for a next user pulling out the paper.
Thus, even in case a user is one-armed for any reason whatsoever to
use the apparatus, unlike in the prior art the end of paper comes to be
firmly held with its fingers before the paper begins to be dispensed, so
there could be no unsanitary situation brought about as might be the
case in the prior art that paper forcibly dispensed after the switch is
turned on is suddenly cut out of the user's hand and a cut of paper
fails to be grasped by the user and comes to eventually fall on the
floor. It should be noted here that a trigger switch to constitute a
sensor as mentioned above may be disposed anywhere in the paper
path or on any shaft rotating in relation to movement of roll paper. If
the known automatic roll paper feeding and cutting apparatus with
the externally mounted start switch is used one-handed, then the paper
must begin to be automatically dispensed forcibly instantaneously
when the switch is pushed down (or when the proximity switch utilizing
infrared rays is reacted), requiring that the user quickly grasp the
end of paper with the one hand used to depress the switch. It is then
altogether possible that while the user is trying to grasp, a given
length of paper may have already been dispensed and cut, then falling
on the floor. This situation is very likely to occur if the user is a
physically or mentally handicapped person. Also, if a blind person is
utilizing an automatic roll paper dispensing and cutting apparatus
according to the prior art, a first problem will be to find if and where
the start switch is, and also as can readily be imagined it will not be
working well for some time at the beginning to aptly grasp paper
unless there is something to catch the paper. According to the present
invention, no such difficulty can be met since the apparatus is allowed
to start operations only after the user has firmly grasp the end of paper
and begins to pull it out.
Thus, a blind person as a user can use this novel roll paper
feeder according to the invention in the same sense as that in which
the user uses the conventional paper holder well accustomed to use.
Further, with no vision switch (no push button which it is instructed
by vision to depress and no proximity switch which it is instructed by
vision to bring a hand near) and with no instructions to use required,
this novel roll paper feeder according to the present invention if replaced
suddenly one day, e. g., in a home for such persons, for the paper
holder so far well accustomed for them to use can smoothly be introduced
there, where users will have no sense of incompatibility except
that they might only feel that the paper holder may have been
something renewed. A user in using the roll paper feeder might once
or twice feel such a surprise that "There, paper's coming out!", but
since he/she has already seized the end of paper to pull it out and
noting that the paper is being dispensed, will no longer be confused if
the paper is automatically cur, and will soon have an agreeable sense
of use of the apparatus.
Since the present invention in its implementation relates primarily
to how a sensor, among others, may be mounted for reading or
sensing paper starting and ceasing to move and operated, explanations
in further detail of the power supply, wiring, electronic control
system, centrifugal switch and so on can be omitted. It should be appreciated
that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments
so far described and its form of implementation may be varied
depending on modifications of components and the manner in which
they are mounted. For example, the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and
9 may be modified to eliminate the upper cover 30 having the locking
hook 36 together with the upper cover locking element 37 to provide a
modification, referred to as Modification A. It omits a cover and a
cover locking means which are provided to ensure safety of and to
make trouble-free the apparatus. In Modification A where the cover is
omitted, a user's hand may touch and hold down a paper roll while
paper is being dispensed from it. Then, the paper might be torn off on
the paper roll if the pulling force by the dispensing device exceeds the
paper's strength. Or, an excess load may be imposed on the dispensing
device that is not enough in durability and a repetition of this may
result in a gear damaging and a dispensing roll being worn away to
an extent that paper cannot be well dispensed and/or to an extent
that the motor and circuit boards get heated and out of order. This
modification, which thus makes the apparatus less complete in its integrity
and the elimination of possible troubles, will yet be a useful
product that can be marketed at a reduced price by cost reduction and
which if broken can encourage re-purchasing, thus still opening a new
valuable business opportunity to the consumer market.
An example of application of Modification A in which it is
mounted beneath a paper holder that has already been installed in a
toilet room in a house in general will be described below as Application
A. In the existing paper holder unlike the embodiment shown in
Figs. 8 and 9, a paper roll is set by axially supporting its core cylinder
so the roll can be rotated about its axis. In this application, Application
A, therefore, a roll of paper is so set by utilizing the existing paper
holder, and then paper is pulled out a little longer so that paper
can be caught by Modification A. A yardstick is to extend paper so its
end reaches a position shown in Fig. 8. So doing enables a user to pull
out paper one-handed easily to allow it to be cut safely. With the
locking hook 35 brought into engagement with the locking element 38
to prevent the lower cover 32 from opening, the cutting edge is protected
against exposure and the user against injury, so due safety is
ensured. Although there exists the fear that the paper roll may be
touched and pushed down, possibly causing a trouble, one may aptly
say that this is not bad as it is. In the present invention designed to
precisely read the user's will and allow paper to be pulled out with
one hand and then to be automatically cut, such components as a
cover, a cover locking means and a means to support a paper roll rotatably
can be included to make the apparatus easy to use, safe, free
of trouble and high in quality but are not components absolutely essential.
In Application A, the user need not detach and dispose of the
existing paper holder already installed and simply need to purchase
and install a Modification A product reduced in price by omitting several
components. Viewed from the standpoints of less expensiveness,
less laboriousness and less waste emission, the modification A
thought to be less complete in integrity and durability becomes an
embodiment that is gentle to people of standard and lower income
levels and that is gentle to the environments. Reading an instant at
which paper begins to be pulled out is to precisely read the user's will
or wish to "begin to pull out paper now", and reading an instant at
which paper has ceased to be pulled out is to precisely read the user's
will or wish "to cut paper around here because such length is enough".
In the present invention, the apparatus is not allowed to start operation
simply if the use's hand is approached or if paper is only lightly
touched. It judges that "the user has pulled paper or needs a sheet of
paper" first and only when the paper has been grasped and begun to
be pulled out. By monitoring a movement of the paper, the apparatus
precisely reads the user's will. Any action of bringing the hand near
to the apparatus or touching the paper lightly with no intent to pull
out the paper is not regarded as an action done requiring a sheet of
paper. Accordingly, the present invention provides a roll paper feeder
that is capable of operation upon precisely reading the user's will.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the present invention
provides a roll paper feeder characterized by precisely reading
a user's will through a movement of paper. Therefore, it does not
require a user to consciously operate it with any switch and allows
toilet paper, cooking paper and paper towel to be easily pulled out of a
roll by the user one-handed and to be automatically cut safely. In the
absence of any particular switch required to operate, the apparatus
can be used easily by a mentally or physically handicapped person, a
person one-armed for any reason such as injury, a young child, an
aged person or a person lost of vision without much a sense of
incompatibility even at its first use and in a manner as accustomed as
one has been.
Claims (6)
- A roll paper feeder for feeding paper from a paper roll, comprising a sensor means for sensing an instant at which a user begins to pull out the paper from a movement of the paper; an automatic paper dispensing means adapted to operate automatically under control of a control program; and an automatic paper cutting means adapted to operate automatically under control of the control program.
- A roll paper feeder for feeding paper from a paper roll, comprising a sensor means for sensing an instant at which a user ceases pulling out the paper from a movement of the paper ceasing; an automatic paper dispensing means adapted to operate automatically under control of a control program; and an automatic paper cutting means adapted to operate automatically under control of the control program.
- A roll paper feeder as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises a safety means having a controller operablein response to a signal from said sensor means monitoring movement of the paper by sensing either an instant at which the user begins to pull out paper from a movement of the paper or an instant at which the user ceases pulling out the paper from a movement of the paper ceasingto actuate said safety means so as to maintain the width of a paper passage port in direction of paper thickness to a size sufficient to reject entry of an infant's finger (specifically to 3 mm or less) at least during a paper cutting operation by said automatic paper cutting means.
- A roll paper feeder as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it further comprisesa cover means that can be opened to set a paper roll in a main body of the feeder anda safety means having a controller operablein response to a signal from said sensor means monitoring movement of the paper by sensing either an instant at which the user begins to pull out paper from a movement of the paper or an instant at which the user ceases pulling out the paper from a movement of the paper ceasingto actuate said safety means so as to maintain said cover means in the state that the user cannot open it at least during a paper cutting operation by said automatic paper cutting means.
- A roll paper feeder as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that it further comprisesa trigger switch for sensing an instant at which a user begins to pull out the paper from a movement of the paper to provide a signal, anda power supply circuit for the roll paper feeder, said power supply circuit being adapted to be turned on in response to said signal from said trigger switch, thereby rendering said sensor for monitoring movement of the paper first operative
- A roll paper feeder as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that it comprisesa sensor for sensing an instant at which a user begins to pull out the paper from a movement of the paper to produce a trigger signal, anda control unit having said control program installed therein, said control unit being operative in response to said trigger signal to causesaid automatic paper dispensing means to be operated to dispense the paper by a length preset to be suitable for use, thensaid automatic paper cutting means to be operated to cut the paper; and thensaid automatic paper dispensing means to be again operated to dispense the paper to an extent that a length of the paper that is easy to take up between user's fingers is suspended from a paper exit port of the roll paper feeder whereby an initial state is restored to wait for a next user to pull out the paper.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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JP2002155671 | 2002-05-29 | ||
JP2002155671A JP3456649B1 (en) | 2002-05-29 | 2002-05-29 | Roll paper feeder |
PCT/JP2003/005999 WO2003099090A1 (en) | 2002-05-29 | 2003-05-14 | Roll paper feeder |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP1535559A1 true EP1535559A1 (en) | 2005-06-01 |
EP1535559A4 EP1535559A4 (en) | 2008-04-23 |
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP03730493A Withdrawn EP1535559A4 (en) | 2002-05-29 | 2003-05-14 | Roll paper feeder |
Country Status (7)
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EP (1) | EP1535559A4 (en) |
JP (1) | JP3456649B1 (en) |
KR (1) | KR100832977B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN100593996C (en) |
AU (1) | AU2003242295A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2487025C (en) |
WO (1) | WO2003099090A1 (en) |
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JPH045275Y2 (en) * | 1987-05-29 | 1992-02-14 | ||
JPH0984718A (en) * | 1995-09-21 | 1997-03-31 | Kyoei Kinzoku Kogeisha:Kk | Flexible sheet cutting device |
KR200144554Y1 (en) * | 1996-10-24 | 1999-06-15 | 박성준 | Toilet paper automatic taking out device |
KR200220259Y1 (en) * | 2000-09-29 | 2001-04-16 | 김현진 | Apparatus for Auto-dispensing Tissue from Toilet Roll |
-
2002
- 2002-05-29 JP JP2002155671A patent/JP3456649B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2003
- 2003-05-14 KR KR1020047019405A patent/KR100832977B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2003-05-14 CA CA2487025A patent/CA2487025C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2003-05-14 CN CN03812358A patent/CN100593996C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2003-05-14 AU AU2003242295A patent/AU2003242295A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2003-05-14 EP EP03730493A patent/EP1535559A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2003-05-14 WO PCT/JP2003/005999 patent/WO2003099090A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US3730409A (en) * | 1970-03-28 | 1973-05-01 | Steiner Co Lausanne Sa | Dispensing apparatus |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
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See also references of WO03099090A1 * |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP2229087A4 (en) * | 2007-12-21 | 2016-03-23 | Sca Hygiene Prod Ab | Hands-free paper towel dispenser |
CN102846262A (en) * | 2012-09-17 | 2013-01-02 | 吴江市聚力机械有限公司 | Automatic toilet roll box |
WO2021086378A1 (en) | 2019-10-31 | 2021-05-06 | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. | Electronic towel dispenser with low power mode |
US20220346606A1 (en) * | 2019-10-31 | 2022-11-03 | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. | Electronic towel dispenser with low power mode |
EP4051069A4 (en) * | 2019-10-31 | 2023-07-12 | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. | Electronic towel dispenser with low power mode |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
KR20050004895A (en) | 2005-01-12 |
CA2487025C (en) | 2010-08-10 |
WO2003099090A1 (en) | 2003-12-04 |
CA2487025A1 (en) | 2003-12-04 |
CN100593996C (en) | 2010-03-17 |
JP2003339571A (en) | 2003-12-02 |
AU2003242295A1 (en) | 2003-12-12 |
EP1535559A4 (en) | 2008-04-23 |
CN1655710A (en) | 2005-08-17 |
JP3456649B1 (en) | 2003-10-14 |
KR100832977B1 (en) | 2008-05-27 |
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