GB2272885A - Thin film dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser for thin film, e.g. a decorative metal-coated polymer film, comprises a one-piece, possibly transparent, moulding 10 mounted on a card base 12. The moulding houses film roll 14 in first portion 13 whose concavities 24 enter and rotatably mount the wound film core. A second moulding portion has depressions 38, 40, 42, 48, 50, 52 whose planar floors form a narrow gap with base 12 through which film can be withdrawn from the roll to an outlet provided at straight edge 53. The base has an aperture below the floor of depression 42 to enable a finger to draw film from the roll. Optional cutting bed 54 has strips 56, 58 enabling film to be cut transversely using a knife housed in depression 32. The moulding and bed may be integral and hinged together. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPENSERS This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to dispensers and is specifically concerned with dispensers for dispensing continuous film-form material.

Dispensers for such materials are known, particularly for film form materials which are used in the domestic environment to seal food. Such materials are intended to be dispensed and ripped from a continuous roll and provision is made on the container of a roll of such material for so doing. The materials so dispensed are cheap and it does not matter if they become stretched or distorted as they are withdrawn from their container.

However, such a container/dispenser would be of little use for dispensing a film form material the surface characteristics of which need to be preserved.

This is true of materials which are intended to be for decorative purposes and which are far more expensive to produce than materials for use in wrapping food, where there is also a requirement to use the material economically due to its cost.

Where the material is also sufficiently thin and has no inherent body or stiffness, it is essential to ensure that the material is supported when unrolled and as it is cut from the roll.

It is to such materials that reference is made herein and which are referred to hereinafter as filmform continuous sheet material of the type hereinbefore defined. Such materials include but are not restricted to materials which are film-form polymeric materials having a metallic coating thereon.

The present invention provides a dispenser for use in dispensing film-form continuous sheet material of the type hereinbefore defined, the dispenser comprising a one-piece moulding arranged to be provided on a base, the one-piece moulding comprising a first portion arranged to house a roll of said material, the first portion including means arranged to engage with ends of the roll to provide means for so entraining the roll as to allow the roll to rotate easily within said first portion, and a second portion providing means for entraining the material, as it is drawn from the roll, so that it can be drawn evenly and transversely of the direction of feed of the roll to be cut from the roll.

Preferably the second portion of the one-piece moulding provides a plurality of planar areas which are arranged, when the one-piece moulding is mounted on the base, to provide a restricted path, through which the material can pass from the roll.

Preferably a cutting bed is provided on the base of the dispenser at which material can be cut from the roll.

Preferably the one-piece moulding comprises means for guiding the edges of the roll as the material is dispensed from the roll.

Preferably the one-piece moulding is formed with a plurality of depressions, the floors of which bear against or are closely spaced from the base of the dispenser to define the restricted path for the material as it is dispensed from the dispenser.

Preferably one or more indentations is/are provided whereby the dispenser may be held in the hand.

Preferably one depression is aligned with an aperture formed in the base whereby a digit may be applied to an undersurface of the material to ease it from the dispenser.

Preferably a depression is provided for the reception of a cutting tool to be used at the cutting bed of the dispenser.

Preferably the one-piece moulding is formed of transparent plastics material.

There now follows a detailed description which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings of a dispenser according to the invention; it is to be clearly understood that this dispenser has been selected for description to illustrate the invention by way of example of the invention and not by way of limitation.

In the accompanying drawings: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the illustrative dispenser; FIGURE 2 is a front view of the illustrative dispenser; and FIGURE 3 is a side view of the illustrative dispenser.

The illustrative dispenser comprises a one-piece moulding indicated generally at 10 and formed of transparent plastics material. The moulding is mounted on a flat base 12 formed of stiff card, and is bonded to the card as hereinafter described.

The one-piece moulding comprises a first portion 13 shaped to house a roll 14 of film form continuous sheet material of the type hereinbefore defined. This first portion 13 is sufficiently large to accommodate the roll without allowing it to move substantially within the first portion. At the rear of the first portion 13 (the top of the Figure) the wall 16 of the first portion extends to form an edge portion 18 which sits on the card base 12. At the front of the first portion, the first portion is integrally joined along a line 20 with a second portion generally indicated at 22.Each end of the first portion is formed to provide an inwardly extending concave portion 24 which is intended to project into the hollow interior of the cardboard tube on which the material is wound to provide means for so entraining the roll as to allow the roll to rotate easily within said first portion 13.

The second portion of the one-piece moulding extends forwardly from the first portion providing a plateau portion 30 which has a depression 32 formed therein which is of sufficient size and shape to accommodate a cutting knife (not shown) therein, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. The plateau portion is integrally formed with -a step 34 below which is an inclined surface portion 36. The inclined surface portion defines two 'cut-away' depressions 38, 40 and a circular depression 42.

'Outside' the plateau portion 30 and the inclined surface portion 36, there are formed two outer portions 44 and 46 each of which slopes downwardly from the plateau portion to lateral edge portions 47 of the moulding. The edge portions 47 are continuous with the edge portion 18 and are bonded to the base by suitable adhesive material. Between the plateau portion, the inclined surface portion and the two peripheral portions are formed two elongate depressions 48 and 50.

Towards the front of each peripheral portion 44 and 46, a substantially hemispherical depression 52 is formed in the upper surface thereof for the purpose of providing a finger grip whereby to hold the dispenser.

Below the depression 42, the base has a circular aperture (not shown) whereby, when the material is required to be drawn from the dispenser, a finger or thumb can be applied to the underside of the material so that it can be drawn out from the dispenser by applying pressure against the floor of the depression and dragging the material against it.

Each of the depressions 38, 40, 42, 48, 50 and 52 has a floor which is coplanar with the peripheral edges of the moulding providing planar areas which are arranged to sit on or be closely spaced from the base on which the moulding sits. When the one-piece moulding is mounted on the base, this arrangement provides a narrow gap through which the material can pass from the roll.

A straight front edge 53 of the moulding provides an outlet for the material between it and the base.

Forward of the front edge of the moulding, the base has a cutting bed 54 (not shown in Figures 2 and 3 provided thereon, the cutting bed comprising a strip 56 of metal bonded to the base and having two spaced strips 58 of a material which are resistant to a cutting knife bonded to the metal strip, the three strips being positioned on the base such that a cut can be made of material fed from the roll, transversely of the direction of travel of the material.

The peripheral edge portion of the moulding provides two guide portions 60 (not shown in Figure 3) forward of the cutting bed under which the edge portions of the material can be guided to ensure proper registration of the material 62 as it is withdrawn off the roll.

As an alternative to the provision of the cutting bed, and provided that either the material to be cut is not noticeably stretchable or can be cut readily by scissors or the like, it may be desirable to omit the cutting bed and use another form of cutting means such as a serrated knife edge or scissors.

In an alternative form of dispenser, the moulding may be formed integrally with the base and joined thereto along a hinge line at the rear or either side edge of the moulding.

Claims (10)

1. A dispenser for use in dispensing film-form continuous sheet material of the type hereinbefore defined, the dispenser comprising a one-piece moulding arranged to be mounted on a base, the one-piece moulding comprising a first portion arranged to house a roll of said material, the first portion including means arranged to engage with ends of the roll to provide means for so entraining the roll as to allow the roll to rotate easily within said first portion, and a second portion providing means for entraining the material, as it is drawn from the roll, so that it can be drawn evenly and transversely of the direction of feed of the roll to be cut from the roll.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the second portion of the one-piece moulding provides a plurality of planar areas which are arranged, when the one-piece moulding is mounted on the base, to provide a restricted path through which the material can pass from the roll.

3. A dispenser according to either one of claims 1 and 2 wherein a cutting bed is provided on the base of the dispenser at which material can be cut from the roll.

4. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the one-piece moulding comprises means for guiding the edges of the roll as the material is dispensed from the roll.

5. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the one-piece moulding is formed with a plurality of depressions, the floors of which bear against or are closely spaced from the base of the dispenser to define the restricted path for the material as it is dispensed from the dispenser.

6. A dispenser according to claim 5 wherein one or more indentations is/are provided whereby the dispenser may be held in the hand.

7. A dispenser according to either one of claims 5 and 6 wherein one depression is aligned with an aperture formed in the base whereby a digit may be applied to an undersurface of the material to ease it from the dispenser.

8. A dispenser according to any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein a depression is provided for the reception of a cutting tool to be used at the cutting bed of the dispenser.

9. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the one-piece moulding is formed of transparent plastics material.

10. A dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.