GB2218071A

GB2218071A - A roll dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2218071A
Application number: GB8909767A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hassan Dahrouge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-04-28
Filing date: 1989-04-28
Publication date: 1989-11-08
Also published as: GB8909767D0; GB8810028D0

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing sheet material, such as toilet paper, from a roll thereof wound on a tubular former comprises a shaft member (2) dimensioned to be a loose fit within the former, support means (1, 7, 9, 8) arranged to support the member 2 to provide accommodation for a roll (30) and, leg members (14) and (15) defining a first opening (16). The displacement of a free end (25) of member (2) away from the junction of member (2) and the support means (9) is variable and biased towards a maximum. The members (14) (15) are arranged to resist the removal of a roll (30) over the free end (25) until roll (30) is substantially exhausted and to thereafter allow the removal of the former through opening (16) and, when the free end 25 is minimally displaced from means (9), sufficient space is provided between the free end (25) and members (14) (15) (16), for a fresh roll to be engaged over shaft (2) from a side. The end 25 is part of a telescopic member 24 that is spring or gravity biased. The dispenser supports two or more rolls and includes content viewing slots 36. Roll 30 is pushed toward support 9 and against bias of spring 30 to mount a further roll from the side. <IMAGE>

Description

A DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll thereof. In particular, the present invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll wound on a tubular former.

Conventional domestic toilet roll holders are generally arranged to accommodate only one single roll. Toilet paper dispensers for use in offices, factories and other locations where WC cubicles are visited on a frequent basis, are often arranged to accommodate several toilet rolls. However, regardless of the number of rolls initially accommodated in a toilet paper dispenser, because all the rolls are accessible to users, the supply of paper on all the roll tends to become exhausted at about the same time.

In order to overcome this latter problem, multi-roll dispensers have been proposed, in which only one roll is accessible at any one time so as to provide security against theft of unused toilet rolls, such dispensers have been provided with key operated locking means to prevent unauthorised access to any fresh toilet rolls accommodated therein. A disadvantage of these dispensers arrives from the fact that the key is required in order to disengage the locking means, so that fresh rolls may be loaded into the dispenser. If the key cannot be quickly located, as would often be the case in a large commercial organisation, the dispenser inevitably would have to remain inconveniently empty from time to time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispenser for dispensing sheet material, preferably toilet paper, which does not suffer from at least some of the aforementioned disadvantages of known dispensers.

According to the present invention there is provided a dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll wound on a tubular former, comprising a shaft member dimensioned to be a loose fit within the former, support means arranged to be secured to a supporting surface and to support the shaft so as to provide accommodation for a roll and, means defining a first opening, wherein the displacement of a free end of the shaft member away from the junction of the shaft and the support means is variable and biased towards a maximum, the means defining the first opening are arranged to resist the removal of a roll over the free end of the shaft until the roll is substantially exhausted and to thereafter allow the removal of the former through the first opening and, when the free end of the shaft is minimally displaced from the support means, sufficient space is provided between the free end and the means defining the first opening for a fresh roll to be engaged over the shaft.

An advantage of the present invention is that a fresh roll of sheet material may be loaded onto the shaft member, when the free end of the latter is displaced towards the support means, but such a roll may not be removed in its entirety until it has been dispensed by unwinding. It should be understood that once a roll has been placed over the free end of the shaft member, the free end automatically moves to the position of maximum displacement from the support means, to thereby prevent removal of a complete, fresh roll of material.

In an embodiment, the means defining the first opening are arranged so as resist removal of a roll of material, or its former from the shaft without the former being deformed and fed through the first opening. An advantage of this embodiment is that a roll cannot become jammed in the first opening at any time, until it is deliberately forced out through the first opening. Thus the otherwise likely possibility of an almost exhausted roll becoming jammed in the first opening is avoided.

In a further embodiment, the shaft member is of sufficient length to extend through and support a plurality of rolls of sheet material, each roll having a predetermined width, between the support means and the means defining the first opening. Preferably, cover means shroud the shaft member in such a way that the sheet material is dispensable through a second opening, formed through the cover means, only from a roll located immediately adjacent to the means defining the first opening and, the dispenser is arranged so that any roll or rolls supported on the shaft are biased towards the means defining the second opening.

An advantage of this embodiment is that spare rolls of sheet material may be accommodated within the dispenser, in addition to that roll from which material is initially to be dispensed, and the spare rolls may not be tampered with whilst stored in the dispenser.

The biasing of the rolls towards the means defining the first opening allows subsequent rolls to be fed into a dispensing location, after the removal of a previously exhausted roll.

In a preferred embodiment, the second opening is dimensioned to allow a roll of material to be loaded therethrough and onto the shaft member, when the free end of the latter is minimally displaced from the support means, away from the means defining the first opening. Preferably, when the free end of the shaft is minimally displaced from the support means it is sufficiently spaced from the means defining the first opening for only one fresh roll of sheet material to be fed onto. Accordingly, fresh rolls may be loaded into the dispenser without the need for any unlocking and, once loaded, cannot be released unless properly dispensed.

In a further preferred embodiment, the shaft member comprises at least two telescopically inter-engaged shaft portions and spring bias means are provided to bias the free end of the shaft member towards the position where it is maximally displaced from the support means. Preferably further spring bias means are provided to bias rolls of sheet material engaged upon the shaft member towards the means defining the first opening. Alternatively, the dispenser may be arranged so that the free end of the shaft member and any rolls of material located upon the shaft member are urged, under the influence of gravity, towards the means defining the first opening.

Preferably, the first opening is in the form of a slot which opens into the second opening and a third opening is provided in the cover means, to allow rolls on the shaft member, out of a dispensing location, to be visible from without the cover means. Preferably, the means defining the first opening comprise a fork member extending from the support means towards the free end of the shaft member. In a most preferred embodiment, the support member, means defining the first opening and the cover means are integrally formed as a single component.

Although dispensers in accordance with the present invention may be dimensioned for use with any sheet material conventionally supplied upon a tubular former, a most preferred dispenser in accordance with the present invention is dimensioned and arranged for accommodating a roll or rolls of conventional toilet paper.

Particular embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the following drawings: Figure 1 is a section through a dispenser in accordance with the present invention for accommodating two toilet rolls; Figure 2 is section on line XX in figure 1; Figure 3 is front view of the dispenser shown in figure 1; Figure 4 is a side view of the dispenser shown in figure 1; Figure 5 is a side view of a second dispenser, for accommodating three toilet rolls; Figure 6 is a section on the line yy through the dispenser shown in figure 5; Figure 7 is a front view of the dispenser shown in figure 5 and; Figure 8 is a section on the line ZZ in figure 6.

The dispenser shown in figures 1-4 comprises a body 1, a telescopic shaft member 2! a large compression spring 3 and a smaller compression spring 4. The shaft member 2 comprises a larger diameter shaft portion 5 and a smaller diameter shaft portion 6, telescopically engaged within the larger shaft portion 5. Both shaft portions 5 and 6 and the body 1 are moulded from a plastics material such as polystyrene. The larger shaft portion 5 is integrally formed with the body 1.

The body 1 comprises a substantially rectangular and planar backplate 7, a channel-like cover member 8, having a U-shaped cross-section (see figure 2) and a shaft support plate 9. The cover member 8 and backplate 7 cooperate to provide a substantially D-shaped housing extending part way along the backplate 7 from a first end part thereof 10. The shaft support plate 9 is itself supported by the first end part 10 of the backplate 7 and a first end part 11 of the cover member 8. Thus the shaft support plate 9 is D-shaped in outline.

A U-shaped slot 12 is formed in a second end part 13, of the backplate 7, which second end part 13 is remote from the first end part 10. First and second leg members 14 and 15 upstand from the second end part 13 of the backplate 7 and define an opening 16, which is an extension of the U-shaped slot 12.

The larger diameter shaft portion 5 depends from the shaft supporting plate and is hollow and substantially cylindrical. The first end portion 21, of the larger shaft portion 5 is chamfered on its outer surface and defines an annular step 22 on its inner surface, which step 22 faces the shaft supporting plate 9.

The smaller shaft portion 6 has a first end part 23 of a larger diameter, a central portion 24 of a smaller diameter and a second, chamfered end part 25. The larger diameter end part 24 of the smaller shaft portion 6 is dimensioned to be a sliding fit within the main body of the larger shaft portion 5, but to be too large to slide past the annular step 22. The central portion 24 of the smaller shaft portion 6 is dimensioned to be a sliding fit in the narrower part of the larger shaft portion 5, that lies below the annular step 22. The small compression spring 4 acts between a cap 20 engaged in the open end of the large shaft portion 5 at its junction with the shaft supporting plate 9 and the larger diameter end part 23 of the smaller shaft portion 6. The spring 4 acts to urge the larger diameter end part 23 of the smaller shaft portion 5 into contact with the annular step 22.

As can be seen in the drawings, the shaft member 2 is in alignment with the U-shaped slot 12 and opening 16, the larger shaft portion 5 extends the same distance from the shaft support plate 9 as does the cover member 8 and, the entire length of the smaller shaft portion 6 may be pushed into the larger shaft portion 5, against the smaller compression spring 4.

In figure 1, a toilet roll 30 is shown in place on the shaft member 2. The toilet roll 30 is urged into contact with the first and second leg members 14 and 15 by the large diameter compression spring 3, acting between the toilet roll 30 and the shaft support plate 9. The opening 31 defined between the leg members 14 and 15, the backplate 7 and the cover member 8 is dimensioned so that a toilet roll 30 may be passed therethrough. The distance between the first end part 21 of the larger shaft portion 5 and the leg members 14 and 15 is also large enough for a toilet roll 30 to pass between said second end part 21 and the leg members 14 and 15. Clearly, the opening 31 is also of sufficient size for toilet paper to be removed from the roll 30.

In use, the smaller shaft portion 6 is pushed into the larger shaft portion 5 and a toilet roll 30 is fed through the opening 31, so that it adopts the position shown in figure 1. Once the toilet roll 30 is in this position, the smaller shaft portion 6, urged by the smaller compression spring 3, automatically extends into the cylindrical space 32 defined by the toilet roll former. The toilet roll 30 should then be urged up into the housing defined by the backplate 7, cover member 8 and shaft support plate 9, against the force exerted by the larger compression spring 4. The smaller shaft portion 6, should, once again, be pushed into the larger shaft portion 5 and a second toilet roll 30 should then be pushed through the opening 31 into the postion shown in figure 1.Again, the smaller shaft portion 6 will automatically return to the position shown in figure 1 and toilet paper may be unwound from the toilet roll 30 in the opening 31.

When the supply of paper on a roll 30 in the opening 31 is exhausted, the former, which thereafter remains on the smaller shaft portion 6 should be deformed and pulled through the opening 16 between the leg members 14 and 15. As the former is so removed, the large compression spring acts to urge a second toilet roll along the larger shaft portion 5 and into the position illustrated at 30 in figure 1.

Holes 35 are provided through the backplate 7, to allow the latter to be held to a suitable supporting surface by screws passing therethrough. Slots 36 are formed through the cover member 8, in order to allow the visual inspection of the contents of the dispenser body 1. Optionally, a disc having an outer diameter similar to that of the large compression spring and a central hole dimensioned to be a sliding fit on the larger shaft portion may be provided below the larger compression spring. The diameter of the central hole is further selected so as to be smaller than that of a toilet roll former. The purpose of the disc being to prevent the larger compression spring from becoming entangled with an empty toilet roll former, or a substantially exhausted toilet roll.

The embodiments shown in figures 5-8 is similar to that described above, with the exception that the dispenser shown in figures 5-8 is capable of accommodating three toilet rolls, whereas that shown in figures 1-4 may only accommodate two. The same reference numerals have been employed in figures 5-8 in order to identify the components of the dispenser shown therein which correspond to the dispenser shown in figures 1-4. In the dispenser shown in figures 5-8 the housing defined in the body 1, by the backplate 7, cover member 8 and shaft support plate 9 is dimensioned to accommodate two toilet rolls and the larger shaft portion 5 and compression springs 3 and 4 are therefore longer than the corresponding components shown in figures 1-4.

Furthermore there are no compression springs corresponding to springs 3 and 4 in the dispenser shown in figures 5-8. The dispenser should be mounted with the shaft support plate uppermost, so that the smaller shaft portion 6 and the toilet rolls 30 fall downwardly under the influence of gravity. Optionally the dispenser shown in figures 5-8 may be provided with springs similar to springs 3 and 4 in figures 1-4.

Claims

CLAINS

1. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll thereof wound on a tubular former, comprising a shaft member dimensioned to be a loose fit within the former, support means arranged to be secured to a supporting surface and to support the shaft member to provide accommodation for a roll and, means defining a first opening, wherein the displacement of a free end of the shaft member away from the junction of the shaft member and the support means is variable and biased towards a maximum, the means defining the first opening are arranged to resist removal of a roll over the free end of the shaft member until the roll is substantially exhausted and to thereafter allow removal of the former through the first opening and when the free end of the shaft member is minimally displaced from the junction of the shaft member and the support means, sufficient space is provided between the free end and the means defining the first opening, for a fresh roll to be engaged over the shaft.

2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means defining the first opening are arranged so as to resist the removal of a roll of material, or its former from the shaft member unless the former is deformed and fed through the first opening.

3. A dispenser as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the shaft member is of sufficient length to extend through and support a plurality of rolls of sheet material having a predetermined width, between the support means and the means defining the first opening.

4. A dispenser as claimed in claim 3 wherein cover means shroud the shaft member in such a way that sheet material is dispensable through a second opening in the cover means only from a roll located immediately adjacent to the means defining the first opening and, the dispenser is arranged so that any roll or rolls, supported on the shaft member, are biased towards the means defining the first opening.

5. A dispenser as claimed in claim 4 wherein the second opening is dimensioned to allow a roll of material to be loaded therethrough and onto the shaft member, when the free end of the latter is minimally displaced from the support means, away from the means defining the first opening.

6. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein, when the free end of the shaft is minimally displaced from the junction of the shaft member and the support means, the free end is sufficiently spaced from the means defining the first opening for only one fresh roll of sheet material to be fed onto the shaft member at a time.

7. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the shaft member comprises at least two telescopically inter-engaged shaft portions.

8. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein spring biasing means are provided to bias the free end of the shaft member towards the position where it is maximally displaced from the junction of the shaft member and the support means.

9. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein spring biasing means are provided to bias a roll or rolls of sheet material engaged upon the shaft member, towards the means defining the first opening.

10. A dispenser as claimed in any of claims 1-8 arranged so that the free end of the shaft member and any rolls of sheet material on the shaft member are urged by the force of gravity or the like, towards the means defining the first opening.

11. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the first opening is in the form of a slot which opens into the second opening.

12. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein an opening is provided in the cover means to allow any roll of sheet material that is out of a dispensing location, to be visible from without the cover means.

13. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims dimensioned and arranged for accommodating a roll of sheet material in the form of a conventional toilet roll.

14. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll wound on a former substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.