GB2370830A

GB2370830A - Dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll

Info

Publication number: GB2370830A
Application number: GB0100404A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Joseph Walker; John Alexander Clarkson
Original assignee: GLOBAL TRADING U K Ltd
Current assignee: GLOBAL TRADING U K Ltd
Priority date: 2001-01-06
Filing date: 2001-01-06
Publication date: 2002-07-10
Also published as: GB0100404D0

Abstract

A dispenser 1 for dispensing sections of a web material from a roll 6, e.g. plastics bags 7, comprises an opposing pair of track surfaces 10 for mounting the core (16, figure 3) of the roll 6, the track surfaces 10 being inclined so that the core moves under gravity from a first end 11 to a second end 12 of the track surfaces 10 as the plastics bags 7 are dispensed, the dispenser being provided in the region of the second end 12 of at least one track surface 10 with a contact surface 13 arranged so that as the core moves down the track surfaces 10, it becomes pinched between the contact surface 13 and the at least one track surface 10. The contact surface 13 may be a continuation of the track surface 10, with the track surface curving around at its second end 12 and running back towards the first end 11, thereby providing a channel having a curved end in which the core becomes more tightly pinched as it moves closer to the second end 12, the curved channel providing maximum frictional contact between the core and the dispenser 1. The dispenser 1 may have a contact surface 13 on each track surface 10, and may have a further contact surface 14, which may be mounted between the second ends 12 of the opposing track surfaces 10. The dispenser 1 may also have a tongue 9 mounted forward of the roll 6, which engages with and assists in perforating the plastics bags 7 as they are unrolled.

Description

DESCRIPTION DISPENSER The present invention relates to a dispenser, particularly to a dispenser suitable for use in dispensing lengths of a web material from a roll of the material. The dispenser of the invention is particularly useful for dispensing plastic bags from a roll of such bags. Devices for dispensing sheets of a web material from a continuous roll thereof are commonly used in a number of applications, in particular in modem day supermarkets and grocery stores. In such premises, a roll of bags, usually plastic bags, is kept in close proximity to grocery items such as vegetables and are held within a dispenser so that purchasers of such grocery items or staff members can easily remove a desired number of bags from the dispenser and then fill them with groceries.

One problem with prior art dispensers is that as the roll of bags in the dispenser becomes smaller, and therefore lighter, as bags are dispensed there is a risk that a user will pull too hard on a bag and cause a large number of bags to be inadvertently dispensed at once. This"free wheeling"of the bag roll in the dispenser is a problem which has been addressed in EP-A-0505700 and EP-A-0673869. The disclosure of these documents is to provide curved or angled grooves for locating the roll of bags in the dispenser. As the bags are dispensed and the roll of bags becomes smaller, the roll alters

position in the groove. In the case of EP-A-0505700 such alteration of position within the groove causes the roll of bags to maintain frictional contact with a surface of the dispenser. In the case of EP-A-0673869 the groove is curved so that an increased frictional component is exerted on the roll of bags as the size of the bag diminishes. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of dispenser comprising means more effective than those hitherto realised for preventing free wheeling of a roll of articles to be dispensed from the dispenser. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispenser which addresses the problem of free wheeling of a roll of articles to be dispensed from the dispenser but which is simple and economical to manufacture.

According to the present invention there is provided a dispenser for dispensing sections of a web material from a roll of the material comprising an opposing pair of track surfaces for mounting opposing ends of the roll, the track surfaces being oriented in use of the dispenser so that the roll mounted on the track surfaces tends to move under gravity from a first end of the track surfaces to a second end thereof, the dispenser being provided in the region of the second end of at least one of the track surfaces with a contact surface arranged so that in use of the dispenser the roll becomes pinched between the contact surface and the at least one track surface towards the region of the second end thereof. The dispenser according to the invention provides an improved effective means of hindering free wheeling of the roll within the dispenser as the weight of the roll reduces during use. In particular, the dispenser of the invention provides gripping or pinching contact between the contact surface and the at least one track surface and does not therefore rely entirely on the weight of the roll to provide a frictional contact with just one surface. Thus, even as the roll becomes very small good frictional contact between the contact surface and the at least one track surface is maintained thereby preventing free wheeling of the roll within the dispenser.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the relative orientation of the contact surface and the at least one track surface is such that in use of the dispenser the roll becomes more tightly pinched therebetween as it moves closer to the second end of the at least one track surface. This embodiment has the advantage that excessive force applied to the web material being dispensed will cause the roll thereof to become more tightly held between the contact surface and the at least one track surface, thereby preventing free wheeling thereof.

Preferably, the contact surface is shaped to provide increasing surface area contact between the contact surface and the roll as the roll moves, in use of the dispenser towards the second end of the at least one track surface. The contact surface may, for example, overhang the at least one track surface to provide a channel therebetween for pinching the roll. In one embodiment of the invention, the channel is slightly tapered or curved towards the second end of the at least one track surface. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the contact surface is provided as a continuation of the at least one track surface, the at least one track surface curving round at its second end and running back generally towards its first end to provide the contact surface. Thus, when the roll reaches the second end of the at least one track surface, the roll becomes nested in the curvature provided between continuous contact surface and the at least one track surface, thereby providing maximum frictional contact between the roll and the dispenser. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, each track surface is provided with a corresponding contact surface.

In one preferred dispenser according to the invention, a second contact surface is provided for contacting the web material on the roll in use of the dispenser according to the invention. Preferably, the second contact surface is mounted adjacent an area defined between the second ends of the opposing track surfaces. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the dispenser comprises a tongue mounted forward of the roll in use of the dispenser, the tongue being adapted to engage the web material as it is unrolled and assist perforation thereof. The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a dispenser according to the invention with a roll of plastic bags mounted therein; figure 2 shows the dispenser of figure 1 without the roll of bags; figure 3 shows a cross section down the centre line of the dispenser and roll shown in figure 1; and figure 4 shows the same view as figure 3, but with a roll which has been depleted. Referring to figure 1, a dispenser 1 has a body portion comprising side walls 2 and 3, a base wall 4 and a back wall 5. Mounted on dispenser 1 is a roll 6 of plastic bags 7 with perforations 8 therebetween. Tongue 9 is provided on base wall 4 to assist separation of the bags along perforations 8 upon dispensation. To dispense a plastic bag from the dispenser, a user simply pulls on bag 7 so that tongue 9 engages with perforation 8, whereupon continued pulling on bag 7 should achieve separation of bag 7 from roll 6 along perforation 8.

With reference to figure 2, dispenser 1 is provided with two opposing track surfaces 10, of which only one can be seen in figure 2. Track surface 10 extends from a first end 11 to second end 12 and is oriented in use of the dispenser so that track surface 10 slots downwardly towards second end 12 so that a roll mounted on track surface 10 tends to move towards second end 12 under the influence of gravity. Contact surface 13 overhangs track surface 10 and is formed as a continuation of track surface 10 which curves round at its second end 12 to form contact surface 13. Dispenser 1 is further provided with a ledge 14 on which the bags rolled on a roll mounted on track surface 10 sit, thereby creating a further frictional coefficient preventing free wheeling of the roll. Dispenser 1 is further provided with tongue 9 for assisting separation of the bags and with means 15 for mounting dispenser 1 on a suitable surface. Referring to figure 3, roll 6 of plastic bag 7 has at its centre cylinder 16 which has a length slightly greater than the width of bag 7 so that cylinder 16 extends beyond bag 7 and is mounted on track surface 10. When roll 6 has a large volume, as shown in figure 3, cylinder 16 is mounted on track surface 10 towards first end 11 thereof and bags 7 on roll 6 abut ledge 14 to provide a frictional coefficient to prevent free wheeling of cylinder 16. A large volume on roll 6 means that the weight of roll 6 acting on ledge 14 is sufficient to provide an adequate degree of friction. As successive bags 7 are dispensed, the volume of roll 6 depletes and cylinder 16 moves progressively towards second end 12 of track surface under the influence of gravity.

Referring to figure 4, when roll 6 is heavily depleted so that the weight of roll 6 acting on ledge 14 is no longer sufficient to provide adequate frictional contact to prevent free wheeling of cylinder 16, cylinder 16 contacts contact surface 13 and is pinched between contact surface 13 and track surface 10 in the region of the second end 12 thereof. This pinching of cylinder 16 provides a degree of friction during bag dispensing which prevents free wheeling of roll 6 even in its diminished volume.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A dispenser for dispensing sections of a web material from a roll of the material comprising an opposing pair of track surfaces for mounting opposing ends of the roll, the track surfaces being oriented in use of the dispenser so that the roll mounted on the track surfaces tends to move under gravity from a first end of the track surfaces to a second end thereof, the dispenser being provided in the region of the second end of at least one of the track surfaces with a contact surface arranged so that in use of the dispenser the roll becomes pinched between the contact surface and the at least one track surface towards the region of the second end thereof.
2. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the contact surface is shaped to provide increasing surface area contact between the contact surface and the roll as the roll moves, in use of the dispenser, towards the second end of the at least one track surface.
3. A dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the relative orientation of the contact surface and the at least one track surface is such that in use of the dispenser the roll becomes more tightly pinched therebetween as it moves closer to the second end of the at least one track surface.
4. A dispenser according to any one of claims I to
5 wherein the contact surface overhangs the at least one track surface to provide a channel therebetween for pinching the roll. 5. A dispenser according to claim 4 wherein the channel is slightly tapered or curved towards the second end of the at least one track surface
6. A dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the contact surface is provided as a continuation of the at least one track surface, the at least one track surface curving round at its second end and running back generally towards its first end to provide the contact surface.
7. A dispenser according to claim 6 wherein when the roll reaches the second end of the at least one track surface, the roll becomes nested in the curvature provided between continuous contact surface and the at least one track surface, thereby providing maximum frictional contact between the roll and the dispenser.
8. A dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein each track surface is provided with a corresponding contact surface.
9. A dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein a second contact surface is provided for contacting the web material on the roll in use of the dispenser
10. A dispenser according to claim 9 wherein the second contact surface is mounted adjacent an area defined between the second ends of the opposing track surfaces.
11. A dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the dispenser comprises a tongue mounted forward of the roll in use of the dispenser, the tongue being adapted to engage the web material as it is unrolled and assist perforation thereof.
12. A dispenser constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.