GB2546595A

GB2546595A - Cling film dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2546595A
Application number: GB1619908.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Elliot Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-11-26
Filing date: 2016-11-24
Publication date: 2017-07-26
Also published as: GB201520892D0; GB201619908D0

Abstract

A cling film dispenser comprises a roll support 45, 49 for rotatably supporting a roll of cling film or the like (not shown), preferably within a dispenser body 48, a cutting bed comprising a cutter guide 51 and a film transporter 28, which may be stored in the dispenser body 48. The transporter 48 has a film contact surface (29 fig. 4 & 5) to which the film inherently tends to adhere and a handle (30 figs. 4, 5) for a user, the film transporter 48 being used to manually draw film from the roll of cling film whereby a required length of film extends beyond the cutter guide 51 with the film positioned in contact with the cutting bed 51 for cutting by a cutter such as a knife (not shown) which may traverse the width of the film along a cutter guide groove (23 fig. 1). Subsequent to cutting of the film the transporter 28 may be used to manually transport the cut length of film to the location at it is to be employed.

Description

CLING FILM DISPENSER

This invention relates to a cling film dispenser and in particular, though not exclusively, to a cling film dispenser which may be of a portable type and which may be suitable for domestic or commercial use.

One common and well known type of cling film dispenser is in the form of a cardboard box which serves both as the packaging for a roll of cling film (known also as “plastic wrap”) at the point of sale and as a dispenser once the box has been opened along a line parallel with the length of a support, typically a cardboard tube, about which the roll of cling film is stored.

When the box is opened one of the edges of the opening serves as a cutter, that edge typically being provided with a thin metal strip having a toothed profile. In use, after a chosen length of film has been pulled through an opening in the box, and with the support roll retained within the box, the drawn film is pulled against the metal edge which thereby effects a cutting action.

Although this design of dispenser can function satisfactorily with careful use, in practice many users encounter one or more difficulties.

One difficulty is that of manoeuvring a length of film immediately after it has been cut to length. That difficulty arises because the user needs to use one hand to hold the box during the cutting stage. In consequence it is necessary for the user to hold the cut length with only one hand until the box has been put down or stowed. When temporarily supported by only one hand the cut length of film is at great risk of folding and clinging to itself, with subsequent unfolding and flattening being most difficult readily to achieve.

The other difficulty is that although the cut end of the roll of film is intended to remain retained against an outer surface of the dispenser box, adjacent the cutting edge of the box, often it does not successfully remain retained in that position. Instead the cut length moves into contact with the surface of that length wrapped around the support roller within the box. Subsequent separation of the cut end from the roll, to withdraw that cut end and a required length of film from the roll, is difficult to achieve, especially for those having impaired manual dexterity. And even for those with unimpaired manual dexterity it is time consuming and a source of annoyance to need to effect that separation.

More complex designs of cling film dispensers have been proposed but they either display at least some of the aforedescribed disadvantages or are unduly expensive or space consuming.

The present invention seeks to provide a cling film dispenser which mitigates or overcomes at least some of the aforedescribed disadvantages.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a cling film dispenser comprises a roll support for rotatably supporting a roll of cling film, a film transporter and a cutting bed, each of said film transporter and cutting bed comprising a contact surface for contact with the film and the contact surface of the transporter being a surface to which the film inherently tends to adhere, the film transporter being manually operable and movable in use to draw film from the roll of cling film whereby a required length extends beyond the cutting bed with the film positioned in contact with the cutting bed, and the transporter being operable subsequent to cutting of the film to transport the cut length to the article to which the film is to be applied. The cutting bed may comprise a cutter guide for contact by the cling film.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a cling film dispenser comprises a roll support for rotatably supporting a roll of cling film, a film transporter and a cutting bed comprising a cutter means such as a cutter guide, each of said cutting bed and film transporter comprising a contact surface for contact with the film and at least the contact surface of the transporter being a surface to which the film inherently tends to adhere, said cutting bed comprising a storage section and a dispensing section, the film transporter being manually operable and movable in use to draw film from the roll of cling film whereby a required length extends beyond the cutter means with the film positioned in contact with the cutter means, and the transporter being operable subsequent to cutting of the film to transport the cut length to the article to which the film is to be applied whist the end of film attached to the roll lies in contact with the storage section.

Preferably the film transporter comprises a first region which provides said contact surface to which film inherently tends to adhere and a second region which, in use, serves as a handle to enable the transporter to be laid on a film extending from the roll of film and to enable the transporter to be separated from a cut length of film.

The transporter preferably is of an elongate shape and has a length substantially equal to but less than the length of the dispensed roll support. The transporter may comprise a contact surface which is substantially flat or which is curved, such as of a part cylindrical or other convex shape, as considered in a plane perpendicular to the length of the transporter.

The first region of an elongate transporter for providing the handle preferably extends along only part of the length of the transporter, more preferably the handle has a length less that half the length of the transporter. Preferably the handle is positioned substantially mid way between the ends of the second region.

The use of a transporter having a handle which is remote from the cling film that is being cut and transported advantageously allows a length of film to be removed from a supply roll without any need for that film to be contacted by hand, at least until a food or other product has been covered by the cut length of film.

Means for cutting the film may comprise a movable cutter which in use is moved across the width of the film or, for example, a serrated edge against which film may be pressed and then cut by drawing the film away from the cut edge.

The cutting bed may comprise a dispenser section adjacent the cutter guide and against which the film may be held, for example manually by finger pressure, during use of a cutter to traverse and cut the film, guided by the cutter guide, to separate the required length from the roll.

The cutting bed may comprise a storage section adjacent the cutter guide and against which the film may be held, for example manually by finger pressure, during use of a cutter to traverse and cut the film, guided by the cutter guide, to separate the required length from the roll.

For a cutting bed having at least one of a storage section and a dispensing section at least one of the sections may have a surface to which cling film inherently does not tend to adhere. Alternatively at least one of the contact surfaces of said sections may have a surface to which cling film does tend to adhere.

The cutter guide preferably but not necessarily comprises at least in part a material to which cling film inherently tends to adhere.

The cutting bed may comprise said two sections spaced apart to define therebetween a cutter guide groove which extends in a direction parallel with the axis about which the roll support rotatably supports a roll of cling film.

The cutter guide may be part of a cutting bed which comprises other regions which are of a material different from that of the cutter guide, for example more resistant to being damaged by a cutter such as a knife.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of cutting a required length of cling film from a roll of cling film, said method comprising use of a dispenser of a type in accordance with the present invention. A method of the present invention may comprise providing a roll support with a roll of cling film, providing a transporter having a contact surface to which cling film inherently tends to adhere, employing the transporter to manually draw an initial length of film from the roll, with a required length extending beyond a cutting bed, positioning the film into contact with the cutting bed, and holding the film in contact with the cutting bed whilst the film is cut and then moving the transporter, with the cut length of film adhered thereto, to the location at which the cut length is to be employed. The film may be cut by a cutter which is drawn across the width of the film, optionally guided by a cutter guide, or it may be cut by use of a serrated, toothed type cutting blade against which the film may be pulled.

For cutting lengths subsequent to that initial length the transporter is placed on the film that has remained extending from the roll, for example at the roll side of a cutter guide such as on the storage section of the cutting bed following a preceding cutting operation, the transporter is then lifted away from the cutting bed, with the film adhered thereto, to draw a required length of film from the roll in readiness for use of a cutter again to perform a cutting operation, optionally employing a movable cutter guided by a cutting guide, and following the cutting of the required length the cut length, whilst adhering to the transporter, is moved to the article to which it is to be applied.

Alternatively, after drawing a required length of film from the roll the transporter may be separated from the end of the required length and repositioned at the other end of that required length, being a position over or adjacent the dispensing section of the cutting bed, to support the film during a cutting operation. Then, as aforedescribed, the transporter may be used to carry that newly cut length of film to the article to which the film is to be applied.

For performing a method as described in the preceding paragraph it is not essential to employ a dispenser having a cutting bed that comprises a cuter guide. Instead an edge of the transporter maybe employed to act as a cutter guide to guide movement of a cutter over the cutting bed.

To assist in enabling the transporter to remove film from the sections of the cutting bed the contact surface of the transporter may be the surface of a material to which cling film inherently tends to adhere more firmly than to the material of the contact surface(s) of the cutting bed. Alternatively or additionally, for a cutting bed having storage and dispensing sections, the transporter may have a contact surface of greater area than that of a storage or dispensing section of the cutting bed. The contact surface(s) of the cutting bed may be textured to reduce the inherent tendency for the film to adhere to that surface as compared with a tendency to adhere to the surface of the transporter.

The dispenser may comprise a dispenser body which is provided with the roll support and cutting bed, and retains them in a required position relative to one another. Other features of the dispenser and dispenser body include one or more of the following features: apertures through which a roll support such a rod may extend, with a roll of cling film rotatably supported by that rod; apertures for roll supports such as stub axles insertable in the apertures to engage with ends of a tube, typically a cardboard tube, about which the cling film is stored; a hinge to allow a part of the dispenser body, such as a part to which the cutting bed is attached, to be folded to reduce the overall space envelope of the dispenser when not in use; anti slip pads or suction pads secured to a base of the dispenser body to inhibit sliding of the dispenser over a work surface; a lid section for the dispenser body, either separable from or hinged to the body; a cutter secured to and movable relative to the transporter or cutting bed; a body constructed from at least one of a plastics material and cardboard; a dispenser comprising a dispenser body comprising a pair of end panels between which a roll of film is supported, and the transporter having a length substantially equal to the spacing of said end panels.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a side view of part of a cling film dispenser in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the dispenser of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view of a component part of the dispenser of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side view of a film transporter for use with the dispenser of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an end view of the transporter of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side view, part in section, of a dispenser in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a dispenser in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views of component parts of a roll support for use with the dispenser of Figure 7, and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the cutter guide of Figure 7.. A dispenser 10 for cling film comprises a dispenser body 11 which comprises a pair of end panels 12 each formed with a slot 13 for location of a support roller 14 which, in use of the dispenser, extends through the conventional cardboard tube of a roll of cling film (not shown).

The support roller 14 has a reduced diameter at ends 15 which locate in the slots and provide a pair of annular abutment faces 16 to retain the roller 14 lengthwise between the end panels 12.

The dispenser body additionally comprises a cutting bed 20 that extends parallel with the roller 14. The cutting bed comprises two surface sections 21, 22 (optionally of a material to which cling film tends to adhere lightly) to which cling film is adherable, and the two surface sections are spaced by a groove 23 that in use serves as a cutter guide and enables a cutter to be guided for movement parallel with the length of the roller, and thus across the width of a length of cling film.

One surface section 21, nearest the slots 12, is a storage section for supporting of the end of cling film extending from the roll after a length has been cut. The other section 23 is a dispensing section from which, as aforedescribed, a cut length of film can be removed.

In this embodiment the cutting bed additionally comprises an auxiliary groove 25 for location of the lip 26 of a lid 27. When the dispenser is not in use the lid can be positioned over the roll of cling film but during use the lid can be hung in front of a work surface, with the lip of the lid engaged in the auxiliary groove 25 to hold the lid in position.

The dispenser 10 additionally comprises a film transporter 28 having a lower contact surface 29 for adhering to cling film and an upper surface from which a handle formation 30 extends. The transporter is of an elongate shape and has a length slightly less than the spacing of the end panels 12 such that it may be stored within the dispenser body when not in use. The transporter can be employed, as aforedescribed, to draw a new length of film from the storage section and to remove a cut length to the location at which it is to be applied to an article.

In a second embodiment of the invention (see Figure 6) a dispenser 35 comprises a dispenser body 36 relative to which two base sections 37, 38 are hinged. One base section 37 is provided with a cutting bed 39 which in use functions in a manner corresponding to that aforedescribed in respect of the first embodiment.

The base section 37 may pivoted to a position at which it acts as a front cover 37a and the section 38 may then be pivoted to act as a lid 38a. Thus the transporter 28 may be stored adjacent the hinge and will be moved to the position 28' when the section 37 is hinged to the position 37a and the cutting bed moves to the position 39'.

In a third embodiment (see Figures 7 to 10) a roll support for a roll of cling film comprises a pair of discs 45 each having prongs 46 whereby each disc may be secured in a respective end of a roll of cling film. With the discs in position the roll of film is then placed between the end panels 47 of the dispenser body 48 and circular plugs 49 are then inserted through apertures 50 in the end panels, from outside of the dispenser body, thereby to secure and rotatably support the roll of cling film.

In this embodiment the cutter guide 51 comprises a pair of inclined surfaces 52 the upper ends of which are spaced apart to define therebetween a longitudinal gap 53 that serves as the guide for a cutter such as a knife. The lower edges of the inclined sides are interconnected by a base section 54.

Having regard to the foregoing it will be appreciated that the present invention facilitates the provision of a cling film dispenser which is reliable and convenient in use and may be produced economically. The dispenser may be used for other purposes than dispensing of cling film. Thus it may be used for dispensing metallic foil, such as aluminium foil for which the transporter would not be required.

Claims

1. A cling film dispenser comprising a roll support for rotatably supporting a roll of cling film, a film transporter and a cutting bed comprising a cutter means, each of said film transporter and cutting bed comprising a contact surface for contact with the film and the contact surface of the transporter being a surface to which the film inherently tends to adhere, the film transporter being manually operable and movable in use to draw film from the roll of cling film whereby a required length extends beyond the cutter means with the film positioned in contact with the cutting bed, and the transporter being operable subsequent to cutting of the film to transport the cut length to the article to which the film is to be applied.

2. A cling film dispenser comprises a roll support for rotatably supporting a roll of cling film, a film transporter and a cutting bed comprising cutter means, each of said cutting bed and film transporter comprising a contact surface for contact with the film and at least the contact surface of the transporter being a surface to which the film inherently tends to adhere, said cutting bed comprising a storage section and a dispensing section, the film transporter being manually operable and movable in use to draw film from the roll of cling film whereby a required length extends beyond the cutter means with the film positioned in contact with the cutter means, and the transporter being operable subsequent to cutting of the film to transport the cut length to the article to which the film is to be applied whist the end of film attached to the roll lies in contact with the storage section.

3. A cling film dispenser according to claim 2 wherein the cutting bed comprises a dispenser section adjacent the cutter means and against which the film may be held during use of a cutter to traverse and cut the film, guided by the cutter means, to separate the required length from the roll.

4. A cling film dispenser according to claim 2, or claim 3 wherein the cutting bed comprises a storage section adjacent the cutter means and against which the film may be held during use of a cutter to traverse and cut the film, guided by the cutter means, to separate the required length from the roll.

5. A cling film dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cutting bed comprises at least one of a storage section and a dispensing section at least one which has a surface to which cling film inherently does not tend to adhere.

6. A cling film dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the cutting bed comprises at least one of a storage section and a dispensing section at least one of which has a surface to which cling film inherently tends to adhere.

7. A cling film dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cutting bed comprises a cutter means which comprises at least in part a material to which cling film inherently tends to adhere.

8. A cling film dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cutting bed comprises two sections spaced apart to define therebetween a cutter guide groove which extends in a direction parallel with the axis about which the roll support rotatably supports a roll of cling film.

9. A cling film dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein cutting bed comprises a cutter guide of a material different from that of other regions of the cutting bed.

10. A cling film dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the dispenser body comprises a pair of end panels between which a roll of film is supported, and the transporter having a length substantially equal to the spacing of said end panels.

11. A cling film dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the film transporter comprises a first region which provides said contact surface to which film inherently tends to adhere and a second region which, in use, serves as a handle to enable the transporter to be laid on a film extending from the roll of film and to enable the transporter to be separated from a cut length of film.

12. A cling film dispenser according to claim 11 wherein transporter is of an elongate shape and the handle extends along only part of the length of the transporter.

13. A cling film dispenser according to claim 12 wherein the handle has a length less than half the length of the transporter.

14. A cling film dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the contact surface of the transporter is substantially flat.

15. A cling film dispenser according to any one claims 1 to 13 wherein the contact surface of the transporter is curved.

16. A cling film dispenser according to claim 15 wherein the contact surface of the transporter is of a part cylindrical shape.

17. A method of cutting a required length of cling film from a roll of cling film, said method comprising use of a dispenser of a type in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

18. A method according to any one of claims 18 to 22 wherein use is made of a transporter according to any one of claims 11 to 16.

18. A method of cutting a required length of cling film from a roll of cling film, said method comprising providing a roll support with a roll of cling film, providing a transporter having a contact surface to which cling film inherently tends to adhere, employing the transporter to manually draw an initial length of film from the roll, with a required length extending beyond a cutting bed, positioning the film into contact with the cutting bed, and holding the film in contact with the cutting bed whilst the film is drawn across the width of the film, and then moving the transporter, with the cut length of film adhered thereto, to the location at which the cut length is to be employed.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the cutter is movable across the width of the film and is guided by a cutter guide as the cutter is drawn across the width of the film.

20. A method according to claim 18 or claim 19 wherein subsequent to cutting said initial length the transporter is placed on the film that has remained extending from the roll, such as at the roll side of a cutter guide such as on the storage section of the cutting bed following a preceding cutting operation, the transporter is then lifted away from the cutting bed, with the film adhered thereto, to draw a required length of film from the roll in readiness for use of a cutter again to perform a cutting operation and, following the cutting of the required length, the cut length, is moved to the article to which it is to be applied whilst adhering to the transporter.

21. A method according to claim 18 or claim 19 wherein subsequent to cutting said initial length the transporter is separated from the end of the required length and repositioned at the other end of that required length, being a position over or adjacent the dispensing section of the cutting bed, to support the film during a cutting operation and then the transporter is used to carry that newly cut length of film to the article to which the film is to be applied.

22. A method according to any one of claims 17 to 21 wherein an edge of the transporter is employed to act as a cutter guide to guide movement of a cutter over the cutting bed.