GB2162816A

GB2162816A - Film dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2162816A
Application number: GB08420439A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Denis Rex
Original assignee: SHOREWOOD PACKAGING CO Ltd
Current assignee: SHOREWOOD PACKAGING CO Ltd
Priority date: 1984-08-10
Filing date: 1984-08-10
Publication date: 1986-02-12
Also published as: GB8420439D0

Abstract

The dispenser is in the shape of a box defining an opening (9) for dispensing the film therethrough. The whole dispenser is made entirely of board. One wall (1) of the dispenser has a free edge formed into a tearing portion(s) for tearing thereon the film dispensed from the dispenser. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Film dispenser The invention relates to a dispenser in the form of an elongate box of a substantially uniform rectan ruler cross-section for dispensing a film, e.g. a cling film, from a roll contained therein.

Known film dispensers made of a board have a metal strip with upright teeth in the shape of isosceles triangles for cutting the film- thereon. These known dispensers have the disadvantage that they are expensive and unhygienic, the metal strip tends to rust and can cause cuts and scratches to the user's-hand. The aim of the invention is to avoid, or at least mitigate, these disadvantages.

This is achieved according to the invention by a box-shaped dispenser made entirely of board one wall of which has a substantially saw-tooth-shaped edge-for the tearing of the film dispensed from the dispenser. In a preferred. embodiment the sawtooth-edge is a small distance from the sharp cutting apex portions of the teeth reinforced by a strip of board.

The invention will now-be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a blank of a first embodiment, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the first embodiment before use, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment in use, Figure 4 is a cross-section to Figure 2, Figure 5 is a blank of a second embodiment of the dispenser, Figure 6 is a perspective view of the dispenser before use, Figure 7 is a perspective view of the dispenser in use, and Figure 8 is a cross-section of Figure 7.

Both. the illustrated embodiments of the dispenser are made from a -single piece of board, e.g.

a carton board having good scoring and folding properties. Successful experiments were made with cårton board the grammage of which was 340 glum2 As is apparent from Figure 1, the blank of the first embodiment of the dispenser is divided by longitudinal score lines A and transverse score lines B into a front panel 1, a bottom panel 2, a rear panel 3, a top panel 4, a first front flap 5, a second front flap 6 and end flaps 1',2',3' and 4'.

The longitudinal free edge 7 of the second front flap 6 is rectilinear while the free edge of the front panel 1 has short rectilinear end portions between which extends a cutting portion 8 formed of a row of saw teeth cut in the material of the front panel 1. The top panel 4 is in the middle provided with an elongate rectangular score line defining an elongate longitudinal slot 9. The length of the cutting portion 8 and the length of the slot 9 are somewhat larger than the width of the film 10 (Fig.

3) dispensed from the dispenser.

The term score line as used herein is used in the broadest possible sense to. denote any line on which the panels may hold, such as a crease (indentation), a score (a light cut through the surface of the board), a half-cut score, a perforation score (a line of cuts through the whole thickness of the board alternating with uncut ties), or a cut-crease score (a line formed by alternate cuts and creases).

In the first embodiment a perforation score with about 5 short, easily severed ties is preferred for the score line between the first front flap 5 and the second front flap 6 and for the score line defining the slot 9.

The blank is first folded on the longitudinal score lines A in a manner known per se to produce a hollow body of uniform rectangular cross-section open at both ends. In this process the second front flap 6 is folded parallel to and in contact with the first front flap 5, as is best apparent from Figure 4.

To retain the dispenser in the shape shown in Figure 4 one of the surfaces in mutual contact of the first and second front flaps 5,6 is provided with e.g. three or four spots of glue for spot-g.luing the flaps 5 and 6 together and the surface of the second flap 6 in contact with the adjacent parallel inner surface ofthe front panel 1 (see Figure 4), or possibly the adjacent portion of the inner surface of the front panel 1, is provided with a glue line for firmly attaching the second flap 6 to the front panel 1. As is apparent from Figure 4, the fold (arris) 5A between the top panel 4 and the first front flap 6 is above the top of the cutting portion 8 while the top edge 7 of the second flap 6 is slightly below the top of the cutting portion 8.

In this position a roll of film (not shown)-e.g. a cling film wound on a cylindrical hollow cardboard bobbin, is inserted into the dispenser through one of the open ends, whereupon the end flaps 1' to 4' at both ends are folded and glued together in a manner known per se to close the ends of the dispenser. The dispenser is then in the form illustrated in Figure 2, which is the form in which the dispenser containing the film is sold.

For use the dispenser must first be opened e.g.

by a kitchen knife used to cut through the score line A between the first and second front flaps 5 and 6 and to sever the-glue spots between them, and also to break the ties in the score line defining the slot 9. After this has been done the film 10 can be threaded through the slot 9 and a desired length thereof cut on the cutting portion 8. This is possible because the first front flap 5 connected to the top panel 4 is no longer attached to the second front flap 6, which is firmly glued to the rear face of the front panel 1 with its top edge slightly below the sharp top points of the teeth of the cutting portion 8, so that the fold 5A between the top panel 4 and the first front flap 5 can drop below the tops of the saw teeth of the cutting portion 8 when the film is cut on the latter, as shown in Figure 3.

As is apparent from Figure 5, the blank of the second embodiment of the dispenser is divided by longitudinal score lines A and transverse score lines B into a front flap 11, a bottom panel 12, a rear panel 13, a top panel 14, and a front panel 15 and end flaps 12', 13', 14' and 15'. The panels 14 and 15 are further sub-divided by a substantially U shaped score line C, two parallel rectilinear score lines Dand E and an arcuate score line F into elongate portions 16, 17 and 18 and a segmental por tion 19. The free edge of the front flap 11 1 has short rectilinear end portions between which extends a cutting portion 20 formed by a row of saw teeth cut in the material of the front flap 11.The length of each of the score lines D and E and also the length of the cutting portion 20 are slightly larger than the width of the film 21 (Fig. 7) dispensed from the dispenser.

The blank is first folded on the longitudinal score lines A in a manner known-per se to produce a hollow- body of uniform rectangular cross-section open at both ends. In this process the front flap 11 is folded to be situated in front of, parallel to and in contact with the front panel 15 as is apparent from Figure 6. To retain the dispenser in the shape shown in Figure 6 one of the surfaces in mutual contact of the front flap 11 and front panel 15 is provided with a glue line for firmly attaching the front flap 11 to the front panel 15, or, more cor rectlyto the portion of the front panel 15 between the score line D and the free edge of the front panel 15 parallel thereto.

At this stage the erected dispenser is open at both ends so that a roll of film may be inserted therein, whereupon the end flaps 12' to 15' at both ends are folded and glued together in a manner known per se to close the ends of the dispenser.

The dispenser is then in the form illustrated in Figure 6, which is the form in which it is sold.

For use the dispenser must first be- opened by the user in that the user presses with his thumb the segmental portion 19 inside the dispenser to provide a segmental opening in the portion 18 which enables him to tear away and discard the portions 17 to 19. It will be understood that the score lines F and E and the relevant portion of the score line C are so designed that the parts 17 to 19 can easily be torn away without damaging the rest of the dispenser.

Then the portion 16 is pressed inwardly whereby -the ends of the portion 16 are disconnected from the panel 15, but the portion 16 remains connected to the panel 15 at the fold line extending along the score line D. in this inwardly deflected state, which is beset apparent in Fig. 8;the portion 16 forms a platform which prevents the end .of the film between the roll and the cutting-portion 8 from falling back into the dispenser when the free end of the film is torn off.

As -is -apparent from figures 6 to 8 the front flap 11 and the front panel 15 are so glued together that the score line D, which subsequently forms the fold line mentioned above, is situated slightly below the top of the cutting portion 20 so that the film- 21 can be cut by the tops of the saw teeth as shown in Figure 7, while the teeth remain reinforced by the portion of the front panel 15 glued to the front flap 11 as is shown in Figure 8, In a preferred embodiment the teeth are angled at approximately 90" to the direction of pull of the film when it is torn off, which is a very effective angle to burst the film. The teeth are well supported by the reinforcing strip (flap 6 or panel 15) the upper edge (edge 7 or the edge defined by the score line D) extends to about a half of the height of the teeth. Successful experiments were made with teeth the pitch of which was 10 to 15 mm, preferably 12.5 mm, and, measured on the upper edge of the reinforcing strip, the teeth occupied 60 to 80%, preferably about 70%, and the gap between them 40 to 20%, preferably about-30%.

It will be understood that the above dimensions could be varied according to the type of film dispensed and the board used for the dispenser.

Claims

1. Film dispenser in the shape of a box dimensioned to receive therein a roll of film, the box having an opening, or a portion which on being removed provides an opening, for dispensing the film therethrough, the whole dispenser being made entirely of board and having one wall with a free edge formed into a substantially saw-tooth shaped tearing edge for tearing thereon the film dispensed from the dispenser.

2. Film dispenser according to Claim 1, wherein the tearing edge is below the sharp cutting apex portions bf its teeth reinforced by a reinforcing strip of board.

3. Film dispenser according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcing strip is inside the box.

4. Film. dispenser according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said opening is spaced from the tearing edge.

5. Film dispenser acdording to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein one side of the opening is defined by the tearing edge.

6. Film dispenser according to Claim 1 constructed, arranged and.adapted to operate substan- tially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 to 4-of the accompanying drawings.

7. Film dispenser according to Claim 1 constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 5 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A blank for a film dispenser according to Claim 1 constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A blank for a film dispenser according to Claim 1 constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.