EP4253282A1 - Film dispenser having a positioning device for film sections to be separated off - Google Patents

Abstract

The film dispenser comprises a dispenser housing (1) with a removal opening (15) for film sections, which are pulled out of the dispenser housing (1) by a film roll rotatably mounted in the dispenser housing (1). A positioning device with a contact profile for supporting film sections is movably mounted in the dispenser housing (1) between a support layer and a release position. A holding device holds the positioning device in the support position when an end portion of the film is pulled out of the dispenser housing and separated.

Description

The subject of the invention is a film dispenser with a positioning device for film sections to be separated. Cling films or generally polymer films, aluminum foils and baking paper are examples of flat structures that are usually wound onto a core, the core generally comprising a core sleeve. Such film rolls can be stored in dispenser housings which include a removal opening for pulling out an end section of the wound film and means for separating such end sections from the film supply wound onto the core.

In this document, the terms “film” and “film roll” are used synonymously for any fabric or fabric roll, unless otherwise noted.

Film rolls for commercial purposes, for example for use in large kitchens, comprise a film strip wound onto a core, the length of which is typically in the order of about 100m to about 600m, and the width of which is typically in the range of about 30cm to 60cm and in particular 45cm or can be 30cm. For baking paper, widths between 50 and 60 cm are common, for example around 53cm. Rolls of foil like that are preferably stored at the point of use in stable, refillable dispenser housings.

From the EP3453659A1 A film dispenser is known which includes a metal housing in which two film rolls can be rotatably stored. Each film roll includes a core sleeve and a film tape wound thereon, the core sleeve protruding axially on both sides of the wound film tape. The end sections of the core sleeve are rotatably mounted on roll holders in the housing. The roll holders are bearing plates which project upwards on the housing base and have recesses which are open towards the upper end face and are designed to accommodate one end section of the respective core sleeve. The film dispenser includes a cutting device with a knife which is slidably mounted along a guide rail attached to the top of the housing front. A rod is attached to the side walls of the housing parallel to the guide rail. Together with the guide rail, this defines a cutting plane and also serves as a stop for a hinged cover of the housing when it is closed. When cutting an end section of the film unwound from the film roll, it rests on the rod and on the top of the guide rail. The rod is arranged relatively close to the guide rail so that it does not hinder the insertion and removal of film rolls from the housing. The front recesses on the roll holders are inclined in such a way that a front roll of film can be brought into a storage position arranged at the front of the housing. With such arrangements, comparatively small and light front rolls of film can be better retained in the recesses when a section of film is pulled out of the housing. Additionally or alternatively, a pivotable hold-down device can be arranged in the housing to load the front film roll. The hold-down device rests on the front film roll and, due to its gravity, ensures that when a film section is pulled out of the housing, the front film roll is not lifted against the force of gravity of the hold-down device and does not jump out of the recesses.

One object of the present invention is to create a film dispenser which is designed to store a roll of film in a space-saving manner and is easy to use. This task is solved by a film dispenser according to the features of patent claim 1.

The film dispenser comprises an elongated dispenser housing with a wall that delimits a receiving space for receiving a film roll, and a storage device with two roll holders arranged axially spaced from one another in this dispenser housing and connected to the dispenser housing or the wall of the dispenser housing.

The roll holders are designed to hold and rotatably store a roll of film in the dispenser housing. They preferably each comprise a bearing body with a recess that is open at the top. These recesses are intended to accommodate protruding end sections of the core or corresponding pins connected to the core at the axial ends of a film roll, so that the film roll is rotatably mounted on the bearing bodies. The lowest level of the recesses where the core or the pins rest on the bearing bodies is also referred to as the bearing level. The film dispenser further comprises a removal opening delimited by sections of the wall of the dispenser housing, through which an end section of the film strip can be pulled out of the dispenser housing, and a separating device for separating such film sections from the wound film supply. The removal opening can, for example, be a free space between wall sections of the dispenser housing, which define a housing body, and a hinged cover of the dispenser housing which is pivotably mounted on this housing body. The separating device preferably comprises a cutting device with a knife which is slidably mounted along a guide rail. The guide rail can in particular be arranged on a longitudinal edge of the housing body, where it acts as a stop for a hinged lid when it is closed. Preferably, the guide rail is designed and am Dispenser housing arranged so that the knife can be moved even when the hinged lid is closed. This has the advantage that a film section to be separated can also be clamped between the guide rail and the hinged lid when cutting.

A positioning device arranged in the dispenser housing ensures that end sections of the film detached from the film roll have a defined position or orientation within the dispenser housing in the area of the removal opening when they are pulled out of the dispenser housing and separated with the separating device. This applies regardless of the remaining amount of film stock wound onto the core or the outside diameter of the film roll. For this purpose, the positioning device comprises a contact profile, for example a rod or a tube, which is held in a support position in the dispenser housing and can be moved between the support position and a release position. The positioning device can, for example, be mounted displaceably or pivotably about a pivot axis aligned parallel to the contact profile on the side walls of the dispenser housing or on the bearing bodies for the film roll in the dispenser housing. In the support layer, the contact profile is arranged between the film roll and the removal opening in such a way that an end section of the film rests on the contact profile when it is pulled out of the dispenser housing and when it is separated. Preferably the investment profile is in the support layer is arranged at approximately the same level as the removal opening above the storage level of the recesses on the roll holders, for example within a tolerance range of 5% to 10%. The contact profile and the edge of the housing body adjacent to the removal opening or a guide rail of a cutting device arranged there define an approximately horizontal pull-out plane in which the film is pulled out of the dispenser housing and, if necessary, cut. This is particularly advantageous in combination with cutting devices in which a blade should be aligned as orthogonally as possible to the film when cutting, ie when moving a knife along the guide rail.

Particularly in compact dispenser housings in which the width of an access opening for inserting and removing a roll of film is only slightly larger than the maximum outside diameter of a roll of film, the contact profile can partially block the access opening when it is in the support position. This can make inserting and removing film rolls difficult or impossible. In the release position, however, the contact profile is arranged in the edge area or outside the access opening of the dispenser housing so that film rolls can be inserted or removed without hindrance. The length of the system profile is usually at least as large as the width of the film sections to be separated, preferably the same size or larger than the distance between the roll holders. Therefore, during cutting, the film can be supported along the entire length of the cutting device or kept in an optimal position for cutting. Preferably, contact profiles have a round cross-sectional shape.

The material of the contact profile or a coating on the surface of the contact profile can be determined according to the desired adhesion or sliding properties for a specific film material. The contact profile preferably comprises a rigid, dimensionally stable tube or a rod, which can be made of steel, for example. If necessary, such contact profiles can have an anti-slip coating, for example made of soft PVC or another material.

The positioning device includes a holding device which ensures that the contact profile is held or locked in the support layer when an end section of the film is pulled out of the dispenser housing and separated.

Preferably, the holding device comprises at least one transmission element connected to the contact profile, which is movably, in particular pivotably, mounted in the dispenser housing. A contact section of this transmission element rests on the core or on a corresponding pin of a film roll when it is on is rotatably mounted on the roll holders. This keeps the contact profile in the support position.

When inserting a roll of film into the roll holder, the core or the pins exert a compressive force on each transfer element and move it from the release position into the support position. As long as the film roll is stored on the roll holders, the contact profile remains held in the support position.

Each transmission element preferably comprises a lever which is pivotably mounted in the dispenser housing and has an active leg and an actuating leg which are connected to one another in an L-shape. The end region of the active leg is connected to the contact profile and the contact section is formed on the actuating leg. In the middle area between these legs, for example, a bolt can protrude, which can be rotatably mounted as a pivot shaft in a corresponding bore in the adjacent roll holder or in the side wall of the dispenser housing. Bolts and bores can also be reversed in alternative designs.

In particularly advantageous embodiments of the positioning device, such a lever is arranged at each of the two ends of the contact profile.

Such positioning devices can be installed simply by slightly elastically spreading or compressing the two levers at corresponding bearing points Roll holders or the side walls of the dispenser housing.

The roll holders can be designed as L-shaped plates, the horizontal shorter legs of which are connected to the bottom of the dispenser housing. The longer vertical sections of these plates are arranged slightly spaced from the side walls of the dispenser housing and have an upwardly open recess for receiving one end section of the core sleeve of a film roll. For example, excellent stop bolts can be designed on this plate as end stops for each of the lever legs. These define the support position and the release position of the system profile.

When the contact profile is in the release position, a section of the actuating leg projects into the storage area for a core section protruding from the film roll. When inserting a roll of film into the roll holder in the dispenser housing, the outstanding core section displaces the actuating leg. The positioning device is thereby pivoted so that the contact profile reaches the support position. Preferably, the gravity of the core alone is sufficient to hold the contact profile in the support position.

The positioning device can be designed so that when the film roll is lifted out of the roll holders, it automatically swings back into the release position as soon as the core is removed from the roll holders. This can be achieved, for example, by arranging the center of gravity of the positioning device laterally offset from its pivot axis when the contact profile is in the support position. The gravitational force causes a torque that automatically pivots the positioning device back into the release position, provided that opposing frictional forces of the bearing are smaller. In some embodiments, these frictional forces are negligibly small. With such devices, film rolls can be changed simply by lifting them out of the roll holders.

In other embodiments, the coefficient of friction between the levers and the roll holders can be sufficiently large so that the positioning device can only be moved from the support position to the release position and vice versa by exerting an additional torque.

Additionally or alternatively, the roll holders and the levers can comprise cooperating holding elements, such as, for example, small dome-like elevations and/or corresponding depressions protruding on the surfaces, which secure the parts to one another in a form-fitting manner in the support position and/or the release position. In order to overcome the retaining force of the holding elements, a sufficiently high torque must be exerted on the levers. As a result, the positioning device is slightly elastically deformed, so that the holding elements are released from their securing position displaced and the positioning device can be moved out of the secured position.

In such embodiments, the investment profile can be kept in the respective position independently of other influencing factors. To change the position, an operator can exert an appropriate pressure force on the contact profile or on the lever(s). This also applies analogously to other embodiments of film dispensers in which transmission elements are not necessarily designed as pivotable levers.

1. a) Mindestens ein Übertragungselement, an dem das Anlageprofil angeordnet ist, ist in der Stützlage durch zusammenwirkende Halteelemente kraftschlüssig und/oder formschlüssig mit dem Spendergehäuse oder dem Rollenhalter verbunden. Durch Einwirkung einer zusätzlichen Kraft kann eine Rückhaltekraft der Verbindung überwunden und die Positioniervorrichtung in die Freigabelage bewegt werden.
2. b) Mindestens ein Übertragungselement, an dem das Anlageprofil angeordnet ist, umfasst einen Kontaktabschnitt, der so im Lagerbereich für den Kern oder einen am Kern befestigten Zapfen einer Folienrolle angeordnet ist, dass die Positioniervorrichtung durch einen solchen Kern oder Zapfen in der Stützlage gehalten wird, wenn die Folienrolle an den Rollenhaltern gelagert ist. Der Kern bzw. der Zapfen wirkt dabei als Anschlag, der den Bewegungsspielraum des Übertragungselements begrenzt.

The holding device, which ensures that the contact profile or the positioning device remains in the support position under the influence of gravity, can have one or more of the following features:

1. a) At least one transmission element, on which the contact profile is arranged, is connected in the support layer in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting manner to the dispenser housing or the roll holder by means of cooperating holding elements. By applying an additional force, a retaining force of the connection can be overcome and the positioning device can be moved into the release position.
2. b) At least one transmission element, on which the contact profile is arranged, comprises a contact section, which is in the storage area for the core or a pin of a film roll attached to the core it is arranged that the positioning device is held in the support position by such a core or pin when the film roll is stored on the roll holders. The core or the pin acts as a stop that limits the range of movement of the transmission element.

In positioning devices with transmission elements in the form of levers, these levers and the bearings for the core on the roll holders can be designed and coordinated with one another in such a way that the ends of the core of a roll of film mounted on the roll holders are non-positively or positively locked between the actuating legs of the levers and the bearings be held when a corresponding torque is exerted on the positioning device. This can be achieved, for example, by the actuating leg and the opposite edge of the recess of the roll holder being designed in the manner of pliers, the jaws of which are curved in such a way that they encompass at least half of the core in cross section when they rest on the core. If a section of film exerts a force on the contact profile when it is pulled out of the dispenser housing, the core is reliably prevented from being pulled upwards from the bearings.

In some embodiments of the film dispenser, the positioning device can alternatively be designed in such a way that that a roll of film stored on the roll holders is lifted by pivoting the positioning device so that it can be grasped more easily from above. This is particularly advantageous if the film roll is difficult to access when it is stored on the roll holders.

Figur 1

einen Folienspender mit einer darin drehbar gelagerten Folienrolle,

Figur 2

die Anordnung aus Figur 1 mit geöffnetem Klappdeckel und ohne Seitenwand, jedoch mit einem herausgezogenen Endabschnitt der Folie,

Figur 3

eine schwenkbar an zwei Rollenhaltern gelagerte Positioniervorrichtung und eine herausgehobene Folienrolle,

Figur 4

einen Querschnitt eines Folienspenders mit einer Anordnung gemäss Figur 3,

Figur 5

einen Querschnitt des Folienspenders aus Figur 4 mit geöffnetem Klappdeckel und mit einer in den Rollenhaltern drehbar gelagerten Folienrolle,

Figur 6

die Anordnung aus Figur 5, jedoch mit geschlossenem Klappdeckel.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below with reference to some figures. Show it

Figure 1

a film dispenser with a film roll rotatably mounted in it,

Figure 2

the arrangement Figure 1 with the hinged lid open and without a side wall, but with one end section of the film pulled out,

Figure 3

a positioning device pivotably mounted on two roll holders and a lifted film roll,

Figure 4

a cross section of a film dispenser with an arrangement according to Figure 3 ,

Figure 5

a cross section of the film dispenser Figure 4 with the hinged lid open and with a film roll rotatably mounted in the roll holders,

Figure 6

the arrangement Figure 5 , but with the hinged lid closed.

Figure 1 shows a film dispenser with an elongated dispenser housing 1, which includes a housing body and a hinged lid 9. The housing body includes a wall with a housing base and four walls, namely a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls. The hinged cover 9 is pivotally mounted on the housing body about a pivot axis A in the area of the rear upper edge and is designed to cover an overhead access opening of the housing body. This is used to insert film rolls into the dispenser housing 1 or to remove them from the dispenser housing 1. Film rolls comprise a core 11 onto which a film 13 or a film strip is wound. After the film supply wound onto the core 11 has been used up, cores 11 without film 13 are also removed from the dispenser housing 1 in an analogous manner.

As a rule, the core 11 is a sleeve, the end regions of which protrude on both sides of the wound film tape and can be used for rotatably storing the film roll on roll holders in the dispenser housing. Alternatively, pins 2 can also be used for this purpose, which are attached to the ends of a core sleeve and protrude axially beyond the wound film strip. In the representations in the Figures 1 to 6 11 pins 2 are arranged at the ends of the cores. Pins 2 are adapters with which film rolls with different core dimensions can be adapted for rotatable storage on the roll holders can. Such pins 2 can in particular include a section with a smaller outside diameter than that of the core sleeve 11. This promotes space-saving storage of the respective film roll in the dispenser housing 1, since the roll holders for storing such pins 2 can have smaller dimensions.

In the dispenser housing 1, two roll holders are connected to the housing body at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction. You can like in Figure 2 illustrated bearing body 3 in the form of L-shaped curved plates, the shorter foot legs of which are preferably aligned outwards towards the adjacent side wall of the dispenser housing 1 and are connected to the housing base, for example by riveting or welding. The longer bearing legs are preferably arranged parallel to the adjacent side wall of the dispenser housing 1 at a small distance, which can be in the order of approximately 1 cm to approximately 4 cm, for example.

Each bearing body 3 comprises a recess 5 on the bearing leg with an insertion area open towards the upper end face and a lower edge section for rotatably supporting one of the end sections of the core 11 or an axially projecting pin 2 attached to it.

An end section of the film 13 can be pulled out of the dispenser housing 1 through a removal opening 15 in the dispenser housing 1 and separated from it by means of a separating device 17 The wound film supply must be separated. In the illustrated embodiment of the film dispenser, the separating device 17 is designed as a cutting device with a guide rail 8 on which a knife 7 is slidably mounted. The guide rail 8 is attached to the front upper edge of the housing body.

The removal opening 15 can be a space between the guide profile 8 of the cutting device and the hinged lid 9, as in the embodiment of the film dispenser in Figure 1 is shown. The hinged lid 9 preferably comprises at least one edge section which rests on the guide rail 8 when the hinged lid 9 is closed or in a closed position. If an end section of the film 13 to be separated rests on the guide rail 8, it can be clamped between the edge section of the hinged lid 9 and the guide rail 8. This makes it more difficult for the film 13 to slip in the area of the guide rail 8 when cutting with the knife 7.

In the illustrated embodiment of the dispenser housing 1, the access opening which can be covered by the hinged lid 9 for inserting and removing film rolls and the removal opening 15 are designed to be connected. In alternative embodiments, the removal opening 15 could also be designed separately from the access opening on the dispenser housing 1 (not shown).

In the dispenser housing 1, a positioning device 21 with a contact profile 23 is movably arranged so that the contact profile 23 can be moved into a support position and into a release position. The support layer is set in such a way that an end section of the film 13 to be separated, regardless of the respective film supply or the outer diameter of the film roll, is in a defined position in the dispenser housing 1 that is suitable for pulling out and separating, based on the pull-out direction in front of the removal opening 15 and the separating device 17 on the contact profile 23 is present. In the support position, the contact profile 23, particularly in separating devices 17 with a displaceable knife 7, is preferably arranged at approximately the same level as the guide rail 8 and together with it defines an approximately horizontal cutting plane. The plane of a blade of the knife 7 is then aligned orthogonally to the cutting plane when cutting. This promotes easy cutting and the formation of perfect cut edges on the film 13.

When the contact profile 23 is in the support position, it usually blocks the access opening of the dispenser housing 1. The insertion or removal of film rolls from the dispenser housing 1 is then hindered or even prevented. In the release position, the contact profile 23 is arranged in the area of the edge or next to the access opening, so that it is possible to insert and remove a roll of film from the dispenser housing 1.

The positioning device 21 comprises two levers 25. Each lever 25 comprises an actuating leg 25a and an active leg 25b, which preferably extend in an L-shape in different directions starting from a common central base area. The ends of the active legs 25b are each connected to one of the ends of the contact profile 23. Each lever 25 is mounted in its base area so that it can pivot about a pivot axis B on the adjacent bearing body 3 in the dispenser housing 1 ( Figure 3 ). For this purpose, for example, excellent bolts 29 can be formed on the bearing bodies 3 parallel to the contact profile 23 and corresponding bores 27 can be formed on the levers 25, or vice versa.

In alternative embodiments of the film dispenser, the levers 25 could be pivotally mounted in an analogous manner on the side walls of the dispenser housing 1 (not shown).

End stops 31 for the actuating leg 25a and/or the active leg 25b of the lever 25 are preferably formed on the bearing body 3 or alternatively on the wall of the dispenser housing 1. These limit the range of motion of the lever 25 and define its end positions in which the contact profile 23 is in the support position or the release position.

In the representations in the Figures 1, 2 , 5 and 6 a roll of film is arranged in the dispenser housing 1, with excellent pins 2 in the ends of the core 11 Recesses 5 of the bearing body 3 are stored. Each actuating leg 25a rests on the adjacent pin 2. The positioning device 21 is held in a pivoting position in which the contact profile 23 is in the support position. In some embodiments of the film dispenser, the weight of the core 11 alone is sufficient to hold the positioning device 21 with the contact profile 23 in the support position. When the film roll or the core 11 or the pins 2 are lifted out of the recesses 5 of the bearing bodies 3, the weight force acting on each of the actuating legs 25a is eliminated. In the support position, the center of gravity of the positioning device 21 is generally offset relative to the pivot axis B in the direction of the separating device 17. When lifting the core 11, the positioning device 21 automatically pivots into the release position according to Figures 3 and 4 . In some embodiments, this can be prevented, if necessary, for example by inhibiting frictional forces between the legs 25 and the bearing bodies 3. In such arrangements, an operator can move the positioning device 21 into the desired position by applying additional force.

In the release position, a section of each actuating leg 25a lies within the storage area for the core 11 or for the pin 2. When a roll of film is inserted into the dispenser housing 1, the pins 2 are inserted the recesses 5 of the bearing bodies 3 are introduced. The pins 2 press on the actuating legs 25a and automatically move the positioning device 21 with the contact profile 23 into the support position. In some embodiments, this can be prevented, for example, by greater frictional forces or by holding elements. An operator can still move the positioning device 21 into the support position by exerting an additional force on the contact profile 23 or on the active leg(s) 25b of the lever 25.

In some embodiments, the bearing bodies 3 can include a nose 33 projecting in the direction of the recess 5. This is a section of the bearing body 3 which projects above the storage area for the core 11 or the pin 2 in the direction of the recess 5. This section and a preferably concavely curved section of the actuating leg 25a are jaws of a pair of pliers which are designed to to retain a pin 2 mounted in the recess 5 of the bearing body 3 in the bearing point when a film section is pulled out of the dispenser housing 1.

When pulled out, the film section resting on the contact profile 23 causes a torque in the positioning device 21, so that the pin 2 is clamped between the jaws of the pliers. This corresponds to the representations in the Figures 2 , 5 and 6 .

The end region of the actuating leg 25a is preferably convexly curved. In the release position, this area of the actuating leg 25a rests on the rear end stop 31.

Claims (10)

Film dispenser comprising a dispenser housing (1) and a storage device with two roll holders arranged axially spaced apart from one another in the dispenser housing (1) and connected to it for rotatably storing a film roll which comprises a film (13) wound on a core (11), the dispenser housing (1) an access opening for inserting and removing the film roll and a removal opening (15) for pulling out end sections of the film (13) from the dispenser housing (1), and wherein the film dispenser comprises a separating device (17) for separating pulled-out end sections of the film (13), characterized in that a positioning device (21) with a contact profile (23) is movably mounted in the dispenser housing (1) between a support layer and a release layer, the support layer being fixed so that the end section of the film (13) when separating with the separating device (17) rests on the contact profile (23), and the release position is determined such that the contact profile (23) is arranged in the edge area or outside the access opening of the dispenser housing (1), so that film rolls at the dispenser housing (1) can be inserted and removed without hindrance, and that the positioning device comprises a holding device, with which it can be maintained in the supporting position. Film dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the roll holders are bearing bodies (3) which are connected to the dispenser housing (1) at a distance from the side walls of the dispenser housing (1) and have recesses (5) open at the top for the insertion and rotatable storage of end sections of the core (11) of a film roll, and that the positioning device comprises levers (25) connected to the contact profile (23), which are pivotally mounted on the bearing bodies (3) or on the side walls of the dispenser housing (1) about a pivot axis (B). are. Film dispenser according to one of claims 1 or 2,
characterized in that the length of the contact profile (23) is at least as large as the distance between the roll holders. Film dispenser according to one of claims 2 or 3,
characterized in that the holding device comprises at least one of the levers (25), and that this lever (25) comprises an actuating leg (25a) and an active leg (25b), which extend from a common base area at the pivot axis (B) into different ones Directions extend, wherein the contact profile (23) is connected to the active leg (25b), and wherein the actuating leg (25a) comprises a contact section which is arranged in the storage area for the core (11) so that it contacts the core (11). The film roll stored in the dispenser housing (1) holds the positioning device (21) in the support position. Film dispenser according to one of claims 2 to 4,
characterized in that at least one end stop (31) protrudes from at least one of the bearing bodies (3) to limit the range of movement of the respective lever (25). Film dispenser according to one of claims 2 to 5,
characterized in that the bearing bodies (3) comprise a nose (33) projecting in the direction of the recess (5). Film dispenser according to one of claims 4 to 6,
characterized in that the actuating leg (25a) comprises a concavely curved section. Film dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the separating device (17) has a cutting device with a guide rail (8) and a guide rail (8) along this movable knife (7). Film dispenser according to claim 8, characterized in that the dispenser housing (1) comprises a housing body with an access opening at the top and a hinged lid (9) which is pivotally mounted on this housing body about an axis (A) to cover the access opening, and that the guide rail (8). the upper edge of the housing body opposite the axis (A) is arranged and, together with the hinged cover (9), delimits the removal opening (15). Film dispenser according to claim 9, characterized in that the contact profile (23) in the support layer is arranged essentially at the same level above a storage level for the core (11) of the film roll predetermined by the roll holders.

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