EP1925578A1

EP1925578A1 - Dispenser of thin elements in sheets

Info

Publication number: EP1925578A1
Application number: EP07121492A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christian Remonato; Roberto Remonato
Original assignee: Peter Pan Plast Srl
Current assignee: Peter Pan Plast Srl
Priority date: 2006-11-27
Filing date: 2007-11-26
Publication date: 2008-05-28
Also published as: ITVI20060044U1

Abstract

The invention is a dispenser (1) of flexible thin elements (4) for domestic or similar use, arranged as a sheet (3) and separated from one another by tear-off lines (5) arranged across the sheet. The dispenser (1) comprises a container (2) for the sheet (3) provided with a slit (6) for extracting it and with a projecting body (7) arranged downstream of the slit (6) according to the direction of extraction of the sheet (3), suited to be fitted in a through opening (5b) present in each flexible thin element (4) to allow it to be easily detached from the sheet (3) during extraction.

Description

The invention concerns a dispenser for flexible thin elements arranged as a sheet and separated from one another by tear-off lines, particularly suited to be used with sheets made up of plastic bags for domestic or similar use.
The invention also concerns a sheet suited to be housed in the above mentioned dispenser.
Several types of flexible thin elements arranged as a sheet are known, mainly for domestic use, like for example plastic bags for food or refuse, which are torn off one by one and detached from the sheet at the level of the above mentioned tear-off lines.
According to a known embodiment, the sheet is packaged in a roll inside a container or a pack, from which it is withdrawn when it is necessary to tear off the thin elements.
This embodiment's drawback lies in that it is not very practical, since it is necessary to handle the sheet in order to find its end and to tear off the thin elements, while also running the risk of causing it to fall down and be unrolled.
In addition to that, in the case of thin elements for use with food, the need to handle the sheet affects the hygiene of the operation.
Moreover, the lack of practicality described above often leads the user to avoid putting the sheet back into the container and to leave it exposed to external agents, thus affecting hygiene even more, especially in the most common case of plastic bags that, due to electrostatic charges, are more likely to attract dust. According to the construction variant described above, used mainly in supermarkets to dispense plastic bags for fruit and vegetables, the sheet is placed in an open container provided with a shaped edge suited to fit in the opening defined between the handles of each bag, in order to allow it to be torn off without problems.
This construction variant does not solve the problem represented by insufficient hygiene, since the sheet is not protected in any way.
Furthermore, it still is rather unpractical, since in any case it is necessary to handle the sheet in order to find its end and to position it correctly before tearing it off.
Furthermore, since the sheet is relatively free to move in the container, tearing off the thin element is not simple and this operation must be performed resolutely, so much that users often need to use both hands.
In a further construction variant, the sheet is placed in a container provided with a slit, from which its edge can be pulled out with no need for the user to handle the rest of the sheet.
However, this solution does not eliminate all the drawbacks described above, either, since the sheet must in any case be kept still with one hand while tearing off the thin element and the tearing operation thus lacks in practicality and hygiene.
The present invention aims to overcome all the drawbacks mentioned above, occurring in the packages of flexible thin elements of known type.
In particular, it is a first object of the invention to construct a dispenser of flexible thin elements that allows individual elements to be extracted more easily compared to known systems.
It is a further object of the invention to ensure satisfying hygienic conditions for the thin elements, without making it necessary to touch the sheet in order to tear off the elements.
The objects described above have been achieved through the construction of a dispenser for flexible thin elements arranged as a sheet according to the contents of the main claim, to which the reader should refer for the sake of brevity.
The same objects have been achieved also through the use of a sheet constituted by flexible thin elements suited to be housed in the dispenser mentioned above.
Other details of the dispenser and of the sheet of the invention are described in the corresponding dependent claims.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention described below, the dispenser that is the subject of the invention comprises a container for flexible thin elements as a sheet, separated from one another by tear-off lines arranged across the sheet, provided with a slit for extracting the sheet and with a projecting body positioned downstream of the slit according to the direction of extraction and suited to facilitate the detachment of the thin element from the sheet during extraction of the latter.
To advantage, since the projecting body stops the sheet while it is being torn off, tearing itself is simpler and more practical than in the known systems and does not require the sheet to be held with the hands.
Furthermore, to advantage, owing to the position of the projecting body, after each individual element has been torn off, one end of the sheet still projects from the slit and can thus be easily grasped in order to tear off the successive element.
Still to advantage, the container protects the sheet from dust and from contact with the users' hands.
Furthermore, advantageously, the dispenser that is the subject of the invention can be fixed to a support surface in an easily accessible position, thus allowing the user to tear off the thin elements with one hand only, which makes the operation even more practical.
Still advantageously, the dispenser can be equipped with a cover that can be opened to insert a new sheet when the previous one has run out, in such a way as to use the same container more than once.
Besides, still advantageously, the dispenser can be produced in a shape suited to facilitate storage in warehouses or on supermarket counters, or in an ergonomic shape suited for domestic use.
A further advantage lies in the possibility to use the same container for sheets of different size, which can be made by properly shaping the container.
The above-mentioned objects and advantages will be highlighted in greater detail in the description that follows, which is provided as an example without limitation, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows an axonometric view of the dispenser that is the subject of the invention;
Figure 2 shows the sheet contained in the container shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows an axonometric view of the dispenser of Figure 1 when open;
Figure 4 shows a cross section of the dispenser of Figure 1 along plane IV-IV;
Figure 5 shows an enlarged detail of Figure 4;
Figure 6 shows an axonometric view of the dispenser of Figure 1 during use.

The dispenser subject of the invention is shown in Figure 1, where it is indicated as a whole by 1.
It comprises a container 2 that houses the sheet 3, provided with a slit 6 through which one end 3a of the sheet 3 projects, thus allowing said sheet to be extracted from the container 2.
As shown in Figure 2, the sheet 3 consists of a plurality of flexible thin elements 4, separated from one another by tear-off lines 5 arranged across the sheet 3 that are preferably constituted by cuts 5a.
It is arranged in the container 2 preferably rolled up, but in construction variants of the invention it can also be arranged, for example, in overlapping layers.
According to the invention, the container 2 comprises a projecting body 7 positioned downstream of the slit 6 according to the direction of extraction Ve of the sheet 3, suited to be fitted in a through opening 5b made in each thin element 4 to make it easier to detach it from the sheet 3 while this is being extracted.
Clearly, the projecting body 7 and the through opening 5b may have any shape and size, provided that the former can be housed in the latter and is also strong enough to hold the sheet 3 during tearing without being deformed.
Furthermore, the above mentioned through opening 5b is preferably arranged at the level of the tear-off line 5 and appears as a rectilinear cut larger than the cuts 5a.
As regards the projecting body 7, this is arranged at the centre of the slit 6 in order to advantageously facilitate tearing of the sheet 3.
Obviously, in construction variants of the invention suited for example to be used with rather wide sheets 3, the container 2 may comprise several projecting bodies 7, each one of them associated with a corresponding through opening 5b.
The container 2 defines a longitudinal axis X along which it maintains a substantially constant cross section with triangular profile.
It is evident, however, that in construction variants of the invention the container 2 may have a different section, for example cylindrical or rectangular, provided that it is suitable for containing the sheet 3.
As regards the slit 6, this is preferably parallel to the above mentioned longitudinal axis X to facilitate, advantageously, the extraction and tearing of the sheet 3.
Furthermore, the container 2 is constituted by a base 9 and by a cover 10 mutually connected along part of their edges 9a, 10a via joining means 11.
Preferably, the projecting body 7 belongs to the cover 10 of the container 2, even if it is clear that in other embodiments of the invention it may belong to the base 9, or even be a third part connected to the container 2 by suitable joining means like, for example, welds or bonding agents.
As to the joining means 11, they comprise a thin body 12 carried out in a single piece with the base 9 and the cover 10 and arranged on a rectilinear section of their edges 9a, 10a.
The thin body 12 advantageously allows the container 2 to be made in one piece only, with consequent savings in production and assembly times, however it may be replaced by other joining means 11 suited to achieve connection of the cover 10 to the base 9 at the level of the edges 9a, 10a.
The joining means 11 also comprise a first shaped profile 13 belonging to the base 9 and a second shaped profile 14 belonging to the cover 10 that snap together, for example through undercut surfaces.
According to construction variants of the invention not illustrated herein, more than one thin body 12 may be provided and, furthermore, the shaped profiles 13, 14 can be replaced or accompanied by other joining means, like for example adhesive tape or a layer of bonding agent interposed between the edges 9a, 10a of the base 9 and of the cover 10, which advantageously can work as a sealing agent.
The slit 6 is defined between the edges 9a, 10a of the base 9 and of the cover 10 along a section of their perimeter without the above mentioned joining means 11.
Obviously, in construction variants of the invention, the joining means 11 may be arranged on the entire edge 9a, 10a of the base 9 and of the cover 10 rather than just on a part of it, in which case the slit 6 will be created in the body of the base 9 or of the cover 10.
Advantageously, as can be seen in the section shown in Figure 4 and in the corresponding detail of Figure 5, the shaped profiles 13, 14 have conjugate sections that are such as to define, at the level of the slit 6, a winding path that limits the penetration of dust into the container 2.
Furthermore, advantageously, the base 9 is provided with a substantially plane support surface 2a to ensure the stability of the dispenser 1 during use.
Advantageously, the container 2 is made of a transparent plastic material, so that it is possible to see the quantity of sheet 3 that is still available inside it.
It is evident, however, that in construction variants of the invention the container 2 may be made of a material other than plastic, for example cardboard or another sufficiently strong material.
Preferably, the container 2 comprises stiffening ribs 8 that are arranged across its longitudinal axis X and that, advantageously, allow it to be thinner, which consequently reduces its cost.
The dispenser 1 of the invention is particularly suited to be used with flexible thin elements 4 consisting of plastic bags for food.
However, it may also be used with thin elements 4 of any type, provided that they are arranged as a sheet 3, separated by tear-off lines 5 and provided with through holes 5b at the level of each projecting body 7, as described above.
In practice, as shown in Figure 6, the thin element 4 is extracted by grasping the free end 3a of the sheet 3 and pulling it outwards, following a sliding plane that intersects the projecting body 7.
When the through opening 5b of the thin element 4 is at the level of the projecting body 7, the latter is inserted therein owing to the direction of extraction of the sheet 3 described above.
Therefore, the sheet 3 is held by the projecting body 7 and a further pulling action causes it to be completely torn off along the tear-off line 5, thus causing the thin element 4 to be detached downstream of the slit 6, that is, at the level of the projecting body 7.
Figure 6 shows the sheet 3 just before being completely torn off along the tear-off line 5, that is, only partially torn off.
As explained above and as shown in Figure 1, after tearing the end 3a of the sheet 3 will project from the slit 6 and will thus be able to be grasped when the successive thin element 4 must be torn off.
It is clear that, in the case of dispensers 1 provided with several projecting bodies 7, the tearing operation will be performed more or less as described above, except for the fact that the sheet 3 will be held in several points, corresponding to each one of the projecting bodies 7.
Preferably, if the dispenser 1 is used with food bags, these are arranged in such a way as to have the bottom 4a facing the free end 3a of the sheet 3.
Advantageously, this ensures maximum hygiene during use, since the free end 3a that projects from the container 2 is closed, thus preventing the penetration of dirt in the bag and any contact of the hands with the bag on the open side of the latter.
In the light of the above considerations, the invention achieves all the previously-stated objects.
In particular, the presence of the projecting body that fits in the through opening of each thin element allows the latter to be torn off the sheet in a practical and safe manner.
Furthermore, since the container is closed and need not be opened to extract the thin elements, the object to ensure the optimal hygienic conditions of the thin elements is also achieved.
On implementation, the dispenser that is the subject of the invention may undergo changes that, though not illustrated or described herein, shall nonetheless be covered by the present patent, provided that they come within the scope of the following claims.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference sings have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

Dispenser (1) of flexible thin elements (4) for domestic or similar use, arranged as a sheet (3) and separated from one another by tear-off lines (5) arranged across said sheet (3), characterised in that it comprises a container (2) for said sheet (3) provided with a slit (6) for extracting it and with at least one projecting body (7) arranged downstream of said slit (6) according to the direction of extraction of said sheet (3), suited to be fitted in a through opening (5b) present in each one of said flexible thin elements (4) to allow them to be easily detached from said sheet (3) during extraction.
Dispenser (1) according to claim 1), characterised in that said projecting body (7) is arranged at the level of the centre of said slit (6).
Dispenser (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that said container (2) consists of a base (9) and of a cover (10) connected along at least one section of their edges (9a, 10a) via joining means (11).
Dispenser (1) according to claim 3), characterised in that said projecting body (7) belongs to said cover (10).
Dispenser (1) according to any of claims 3) and 4), characterised in that said slit (6) is defined between said edges (9a, 10a) of said base (9) and of said cover (10).
Dispenser (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that said container (2) defines a longitudinal axis (X) along which it has a substantially constant cross section.
Dispenser (1) according to claim 6), characterised in that said slit (6) is parallel to said longitudinal axis (X).
Dispenser (1) according to any of claims 6) and 7), characterised in that said base (9) presents at least one substantially plane support surface (2a).
Dispenser (1) according to any of the claims from 3) to 8), characterised in that said joining means (11) comprise at least one thin body (12) that connects said base (9) to said cover (10) and is carried out in a single piece with them.
Dispenser (1) according to claim 9), characterised in that said joining means (11) also comprise adhesive tape.
Dispenser (1) according to any of claims 9) and 10), characterised in that said joining means (11) comprise also a first shaped profile (13) belonging to said base (9) and a second shaped profile (14) belonging to said cover (10) that snap together.
Dispenser (1) according to any of the claims from 9) to 11), characterised in that said joining means (11) also comprise a layer of a bonding agent interposed between at least one section of said edges (9a, 10a) of said base (9) and of said cover (10).
Dispenser (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that said container (2) is made of a plastic material.
Dispenser (1) according to claim 13), characterised in that said plastic material is transparent.
Dispenser (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that said container (2) houses said sheet (3) wound in a roll.
Dispenser (1) according to any of the claims from 1) to 14), characterised in that said container (2) houses said sheet (3) arranged in overlapping layers.
Sheet (3) comprising a plurality of flexible thin elements (4) separated from one another by tear-off lines (5) arranged across said sheet (3) and suited to be housed in a container (2) provided with a slit (6) for the extraction of said sheet (3), characterised in that each one of said flexible thin elements (4) comprises at least one through opening (5b) suited for the insertion of a projecting body (7) belonging to said container (2) to facilitate the detachment of said flexible element (4) from said sheet (3) during extraction.
Sheet (3) according to claim 17), characterised in that said at least one through opening (5b) is positioned on said tear-off line (5).
Sheet (3) according to any of claims 17) and 18), characterised in that said thin elements (4) are plastic bags.