GB2372736A

GB2372736A - A dispenser for material on a roll

Info

Publication number: GB2372736A
Application number: GB0203715A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Beardsley
Original assignee: BUNZI RETAIL SUPPLIES Ltd
Current assignee: BUNZI RETAIL SUPPLIES Ltd
Priority date: 2001-02-23
Filing date: 2002-02-18
Publication date: 2002-09-04
Also published as: GB0203715D0

Abstract

A dispenser 1 contains at least one member which apples friction to a web of rolled material 6 mounted thereupon so as to prevent overrun. The friction may be applied whatever the amount of material wound upon the roll. The member may comprise an exterior or support surface of the dispenser 4 or a pivotally-mounted arm or plate 11 which acts upon the roll. The core 5 of the roll may follow at least one groove 9 in the dispenser so as to ensure the exterior of the roll is kept in contact with the member as the rolled material is dispensed and the remaining roll decreases in diameter. The dispenser may be adapted to cut or tear the free end of the rolled material so that it may be dispensed in portions. The rolled material may be a continuous web, which may be provided with perforations and the like. The web may comprise a plurality of bags which may have handles. The web may be cored or coreless. In use the dispenser is particularly suited for use with shopping or carrier bags and acts to ensure that the free and of the web is always presented to the user by preventing free-wheeling or overrunning of the web.

Description

DISPENSER The present invention relates to a dispenser of rolled material.

In the grocery departments of supermarkets, rolls of plastic bags are provided in dispensers for detachment one-by-one.

However, a difficulty exists in that the roll of bags can free-wheel after a bag is detached from the roll, thereby making it inconvenient for detachment of the next bag, especially if the free end of the next bag is not exposed but rather hidden within the dispenser.

The present invention provides a dispenser of rolled material comprising means to apply friction forces on the rolled material against withdrawal of the material. Preferably, the friction means acts on the rolled material whatever the amount of rolled material held in the dispenser.

Preferably, the friction means comprises means to contact an exterior surface of the rolled material.

In one form, the friction means comprises a member located above the rolled material and to lie against the rolled material.

The member may comprise at least one arm, the or each of which contacts the rolled material at a point. Alternatively or additionally, the member comprises at least one plate, the or each of which contacts the rolled material along a line or area. Preferably, the member is pivotable about an axis above the rolled material.

In another form, the friction means comprises a support surface for the rolled material. The dispenser comprises a holder for rolled material and

means to move the holder within the dispenser as the amount of rolled material reduces, thereby to maintain friction between the rolled material and the support surface. Preferably, the holder is movable to follow at least one cam follower or groove in the dispenser, thereby to maintain contact at

(or adjacent) a given point, line or area of the support surface.

In any form of the present invention, the rolled material may be a continuous web and the dispenser may comprise means to tear or cut the material. Additionally or alternatively, the rolled material comprises sections with perforations or weakened portions therebetween for easy detachment. The rolled material may comprise a plurality of sections as bags, and the bag shapes may include handle portions.

In order that the invention may more readily be understood, a description is now given, by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the dispenser with a full roll of bags; Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the dispenser with a partial roll of bags ; Figure 4 is a front view of the dispenser with a bag prior to being held in the gripping arms ; Figure 5 is a front view of the dispenser with a bag being held in the gripping arms; and Figures 6 and 7 are views of another embodiment of dispenser.

A dispenser, generally designated as 1, for holding and dispensing bags of plastics material has two side plates 2 and 3, a back 4 and a holder 5 on

which there is a roll of bags 6 on a single continuous web of material but with perforations between individual bag elements. Holder 5 is of cylindrical shape of a length greater than the width separating plates 2 and 3 and a diameter less than the width of grooves 9 and 10 in plates 2 and 3, such that holder 5 is movable downwardly along grooves 9 and 10 until it comes to rest with the bags against back 4.

Dispenser 1 also has a friction plate 11 which pivots about a shaft 12 between plates 2 and 3 such that, for all amounts of bags rolled on holder 5, plate 11 always contacts the outer-most bag (see, and compare, Figure 2 and 3) rolled up on holder 5.

Thus the contact between the outer-most bag and plate 11, and also the contact between the outer-most bags and back 4, provides friction forces which inhibit free-wheeling of holder 5 and the bags. Each of these friction effects operates regardless of the number of bags rolled up on holder 5. The shape of slots 9 and 10 in the region between a"full"holder 5 (i. e. the position of Figure 2) and an empty holder 5 (i. e. with no bags) ensures that the contact line between the exterior of the uppermost bag on holder 5 and back 4 remains constant for all amounts of bag on holder 5.

A bag 20 is unwound from holder 20 (see Figure 4). Outlet 13 of dispenser 1 has two side sections 14,15 and a central finger 16 all of which are inclined forwardly by about 70 from the vertical, so that the base of a bag 21 still partially on the roll can be entrapped between finger 16 and respective side sections 14 or 15, thereby allowing the bag already unwound from the dispenser to be detached from the web along the perforations by a brief pull (see Figure 5).

Bag 21 is in the position shown in Figure 5 enabling one comer of the base to be readily gripped by someone and released from engagement with side sections 14,15 and finger 16, until the next bag is entrapped and the perforations broken between bag 21 and the next bag.

The bags on holder 5 may be with or without handles. The bags shown in Figures 4 and 5 have handles. If the bags do not incorporate handles, then when the bag portions are on holder 5 the central part between adjacent bag portions has a continuous slit, rather than perforations, allowing engagement with finger 16.

Figures 6 and 7 shows the front and sides views of another embodiment of a dispenser 40, which differs in having a front plate 41 (see shaded area) with a central tooth 42 and side guides 43 and 44. The elements of the front plate 41 act to ensure that, even when a bag is pulled at an angle to the symmetrical axis of the front plate, the configuration of the front plate 41 acts to self-correct the forces on the bag and the plate allowing readily a clean tearing along the perforations between bags. In order to achieve this, the gaps 45 and 46 between tooth 42 and respective side guides 43 and 44 are increased compared to the first embodiment, and the side guides present to the bags an angled profile in the range 5 to 75 (preferably about 45 ) with the symmetrical axis. Thus, even if a bag is pulled out from the dispenser at a significant angle to the left or right, the plate 41 acts to draw it out centrally.

Gaps 45 and 46 act to retain the next bag still on the roll. Central tooth 42 is enlarged in length and width compared to the previous embodiment to enhance capture of the next bag.

The present invention may include a number of variations and modifications to the illustrated embodiment. Thus, for example, the friction plate 11 may be replaced by one or more plates and/or one or more arms, any of which contact the rolled bags or bag portions at points, lines or areas.

Also the dispenser may include only a friction member of the form of plate, or only a friction member of the form of the base, rather than both such members.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A dispenser of rolled material comprising means to apply friction forces on the rolled material against withdrawal of the material.
2. A dispenser according to Claim 1 wherein the friction means acts on the rolled material whatever the amount of rolled material in the dispenser.
3. A dispenser according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the friction means comprises means to contact an exterior surface of the rolled material.
4. A dispenser according to any preceding claim wherein the friction means comprises a member located above the rolled material and to lie against the rolled material.
5. A dispenser according to Claim 4 wherein the member comprises at least one arm, the or each of which contacts the rolled material at a point.
6. A dispenser according to Claim 4 or 5 wherein the member comprises at least one plate, the or each of which contacts the rolled material along a line or area.
7. A dispenser according to any of Claims 4 to 6 wherein the member is pivotable about an axis above the rolled material.
8. A dispenser according to any preceding claim wherein the friction means comprises a support surface for the rolled material.
9. A dispenser to any preceding claim wherein the friction means comprises a secondary means to provide a friction force to further reduce free-wheeling.
10. A dispenser according to any proceeding claim wherein the friction means is located in an enclosure.
11. A dispenser according to any preceding claim having a holder for rolled material and means to move the holder within the dispenser as the amount of rolled material reduces, thereby to maintain friction between the rolled material and the support surface.
12. A dispenser according to Claim 11 wherein the holder is movable to follow at least one groove in the dispenser, thereby to maintain contact at a given point, line or area of the support surface.
13. A dispenser according to any preceding claim wherein the rolled material is a continuous web and the dispenser comprises means to tear or cut the material.
14. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the rolled material comprises sections with perforations or weakened portions therebetween for easy detachment.
15. A dispenser according to any preceding claim wherein the rolled material comprises a plurality of sections shaped as bags.
16. A dispenser according to Claim 15 wherein the bag shapes include handle portions.
17. A dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as illustrated in, any one or more of the accompanying figures.
18. A dispenser according to any preceding claim including a holder containing rolled material.