GB2241938A

GB2241938A - Dispensing aid for rolled sheet material

Info

Publication number: GB2241938A
Application number: GB9005267A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Francis Daly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-03-08
Filing date: 1990-03-08
Publication date: 1991-09-18
Also published as: GB9005267D0

Abstract

A dispensing aid 10, Fig. 2, for rolled sheet material 20 mounted on a holder 27 comprises a tubular pan 12 slit at 14 so as to be expandable into engagement with core 17 to rotate with roll 15. An axial projection 24 of part 12 is normally spaced from side arm 25 of holder 27, but engages the side arm, Fig. 3, upon unwinding of the roll 15. The hub 29 of holder 27 then rests on resilient means 26 deflected from one end of part 12 and radial spiral ramp 28 at the other end of part 12. Further partial rotation pushes the resilient means outwards until the material tears, when means 26 back-rotates the roll. Means 26 may have a spike engageable with core 17. Projection 24 may contain a perfumed substance, which may be released when the projection strikes arm 25. Member 12 may comprise spaces from which scent is released. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPENSING AID FOR ROLLED SHEET MATERIAL This invention relates to a dispensing aid for rolled sheet material, particularly (but not excluively) for perforated sheets, e.g. toilet tissues, kitchen "towelling" and the like.

Conventional roll holders comprise a x-all-mounted bracket (e.g. a generally U-shaped bracket) ha-ring at least one side arm locating a roll support member in spaced relation parallel to the wall. In use, the support member extends loosely through the roll's tubular cardboard core or former on which the (perforated) sheet-material of the roll is tightly wound.

A common problem arising with such rolls is that individual sheets are often not readily removed and a sudden tug, intended to remove ,ust one or two sheets, results in a considerable length of sheet material becoming unwound.

With a view to overcoming or at least reducing this problem the present invention, in one aspect, E*rovides a dispensing aid for rolled sheet material comprisinc: a first part for engagement of the roll's core such as to be stubstantially fast therewith as the roll is rotated, a projection to extend laterally of the roll and to be normally spaced from a side arm of the holder yet engage the side arm upon angular movement of e roll, and resilient means to permit further regular movement of the roll - after engagement of the lateral projection and the said side arm - against the return force of the resilient means.

Preferably said first part is adapted for insertion internally of the core.

Advantageously in this case, the first part engages the core frictionally.

Preferably the first part, the lateral projection and the resilient means are all molded integrally with one another of plastics material.

By way of non-limiting example, one embodiment of a dispensing aid according to this invention will now be described wth reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the embodiment within a roll of transversely perforated toilet tissues (shown in chain-dot outline), and Figures 2, 3 and 4 are similar end views of the embodiment in a said roll and in respectively a rest position, an unstressed end position, and a stressed final position, the said roll being mounted on a toilet roll holder.

The illustrated dispensing aid 10 is molded of plastics material to provide a substantially cylindrical or frustoconical member 12. The member 12 has a longitudinal slot 14 therethrough which, at one side has a tapered, almost knifelike edge 16. The slot 14 enables the member 12 to be resiliently compressed in a radial direction in use and permit the member 12 to be inserted into the cardboard core or former 17 of a roll 15 of toiler paper. The paper of roll 15 is transversely perforated at spaced intervals 19 to permit separation into individual sheets 20.The radial resiliency of the member 12 provided by the slot 14, as well as the latter's tapered edge 16 (which cuts in somewhat into the interior cylindrical surface of the core 17), ensure that the member 12 and roll 15 are firmly engaged and fast with one another so as to move angularly together when an end sheet 20 is pulled out of the roll.

The dispensing aid 10 is provided with an end stop 22 to limit insertion of member 12 into the core 17 of the roll, and also with a longitudinally extending limb 24 projecting outwardly therefrom. The projecting limb 24 is arranged such that, upon angular rotational movement of the roll 15, it will engage with the side arm 25 of a wall-mounted toilet roll holder 27 having a roll support member 29 extending through member 12 and core 17.

Within the core 15, the member 12 is slit to provide an integral resilient strip 26 that curves inwardly, in a somewhat spiral fashion, towards the central axis of member 12. When the member within a core 17 is mounted on the rodlike support member 29 of a toilet roll holder 27, the roll 15 is supported by strip 26 and by a rigid spiral member 28 spaced therefrom longitudinaily of the member 12 and integral with member 12.

In use, the roll 15 of toilet paper will hang from the support rod 29 with the latter engaged by the arcuate strip 26 of the member 12 and with the member's longitudinal projection 24 in a lower disposition. Generally; with the roll 15 in this position, one end sheet 20 will descend vertically from the roll. This rest position is illustrated in Fig. 2. As the end sheet 20 is pulled to be further unwound from off the roll 15, the roll is thereby moved angularly until the projection 24 engages the underside of the holder's side arm 25, as shown in Fig. 3. However this does not fully limit angular movement of the roll 19 since the roll can move angularly still further against the resiliency of the arcuate strip 26.This strip 26 is pushed, progressively, radially outwards against its inherent resiliency as the roll is moved on angularly - as shown in Fig 4 - until ultimately the pulling force on the end sheet 20 is sufficient to tear that sheet from the next adjacent one - across a transverse perforation 19 (where provided). Thereafter, the roll 15 returns to the rest positon of Fig 1 under the released resiliency of the strip 26 and by gravity.

It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment described above. For example it is envisaged that the invention need not be restricted to use with transversely perforated sheets and may be applied to a roll of continuous sheet material.

Further it is considered that such material need not be paper but may be of any other tearable or appropriately frangible sheet material.

Moreover, the resilient means (provided in the illustrated embodiment by the strip 26 located internally of the roll's core 17) may be located externally of the core, e.g.

provided by a resiliently movable, external projection which serves both as the part to engage the holder's side arm and as the resilient means. Other modifications and embodiments will be apparent to the skilled reader and all such modifications and embodiments are to be deemed within the scope of the present invention.

Furthermore, the member 12 may be modified by the provision of a longitudinal slit adjacent to edge 16 to leave an elongate resilient strip of material which is directed radially outwardly as it extends towards the end stop 22 (the latter being formed at the end of the strip). This resilient strip thus serves to accomodate the member 12 for tight retention within any one of a range of toilet roll cores 17 of different sizes.

In yet another modification, the projecting limb 24 may be of circular or part-circular cross-section. Where the limb is formed as a tube, the latter may contain a wick-like material impregnated with (or having adsorbed therein) a volatile aromatic or perfumed substance to provide a pleasant scent within the toilet or bathroom. A possible construction is envisaged whereby release of the aromatic or perfumed substance is activated or increased by striking of the projecting limb 24 against the roll holder's side arm 25.

In still a further embodiment, the member 12 may be of grid- like contruction, a wick-like material impregnated with (or having adsorbed therein) a volatile aromatic or perfumed substance being attached to the member 12 such as to provide a pleasant scent within the toilet or bathroom by releasing said substance through the spaces in the grid-like member 12.

In yet another possible modification, the strip 26 may be provided with an outwardly directed spike which, when the strip 26 attains its stressed condition (as shown in Fig 4), digs into the internal surface of the roll 15 core 17 to prevent slippage between the core and the member 12 of the dispensing aid 10.

Claims

1. A dispensing aid for rolled sheet material mounted on holder, said dispensing aid comprising: a first part for engagement of the roll's core such es to be stubstantially fast therewith as the roll is rotated, a projection to extend laterally of the roll and to lt normally spaced from a side arm of the holder yet engage the side arm upon angular movement of the roll, and resilient means to permit further angular movement of the roll - after engagement of the lateral projection and the said side arm - against the return force of the resilient means.

2. A dispensing aid according to Claim 1, wherein sail' first part is adapted for insertion internally of the core.

3. A dispensing aid according to Claim 2, wherein the sai(- first part engages the core frictionally.

4. A dispensing aid according to any preceding Claim, wherein the said first part, the said lateral projection and the said resilient means are all molded integrally with one another of plastics material.

5. A dispensing aid according to any preceding Claim wherein the said resilient means comprises a curved strip having a contact region for engagement of the holder's rolJ support member when the said lateral projection engages tls: holder's sails side arm, the strip's contact region having a radius of curvature less than that of the roll's core.

6. A dispensing aid according to Claim 5, wherein the said strip is provided with an outwardly directed spike to dig into the internal surface of the roll's core when the strip is stressed.

7. A dispensing aid for rolled sheet material mounted on a holder, said dispensing aid being substantially as herei described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.