IES78618B2

IES78618B2 - Improvements in and relating to inserts for use with compressed core wound paper products

Info

Publication number: IES78618B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Mcgrath Brendan
Original assignee: Amakane Ltd
Priority date: 1997-02-06
Filing date: 1997-02-06
Publication date: 1998-02-25
Also published as: GB2321894A; IE980089A1; GB9802651D0; IES970080A2

Abstract

An insert 101 for a wound paper product with a compressed core is placed inside the core and thus causes the core to assume a generally circular cross-section to enable the paper product to be placed on a spindle (not shown) for subsequent dispensing. The insert may comprise a flat sheet which includes a plurality of segments 4-9 which are joined together by continuous hinges 54-58, or a plurality of discrete hinges (Fig 2d), provided along the length of the segment. Interlocking means may be provided (Figs 3-5) to lock the insert in a position where it assumes a circular cross-section. The sheet may be formed with apertures (Figs 6-8) or longitudinal slits (Fig 9) which produce a spring-like action. The insert may alternatively be a flexible plastic disc (Fig 10) or formed from two crossing elliptical loops (Fig 11).

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO INSERTS FOR USE WITH COMPRESSED CORE WOUND PAPER PRODUCTS The present invention relates to inserts for use with compressed core wound paper products.

Core wound paper products comprise a roll of toilet tissue or a roll of paper towels would in a spiral around a hollow centre core. The hollow centre core has a volume which is not used until a spindle is inserted into the product for dispensing by the consumer.

To reduce the cost associated with this unused volume, the cores of core wound paper products can be compressed.

Such compression reduces, or eliminates, the volume of the core prior to use and thereby decreases the overall volume of the entire core wound paper product. Reducing the volume of the entire core wound paper product favourably affects the price and cost of transportation, storage and shelving for such products.

However, when the compressed core wound paper product is to be used by the consumer, it must be re-rounded to a generally cylindrical shape having a generally circular cross section. When the consumer attempts to re-round the core, problems emerge since it is difficult to restore the round shape of the paper product. Generally, the core does not return to a circular cross-section and is mis-shaped. Therefore, when the core is placed on a toilet roll dispenser spindle or a paper towel dispenser spindle, the core does not turn smoothly on the spindle.

The present invention seeks to overcome the disadvantages associated with the prior art. - 2 S78618 The present invention accordingly provides an insert for a compressed core wound paper product, adapted so that when the insert is placed inside the core of the compressed paper product, the insert causes the core to assume a circular cross-section and thereby enables the paper product to be placed on a spindle of a paper product dispenser for subsequent dispensing.

Advantageously, the insert may comprise a flat sheet 10 including at least one segment, the flat sheet being capable of being rolled so as to define a generally circular cross section.

An end of the insert may be slightly tapered so as to 15 guide the insert into the core.

The insert may comprise a plurality of segments which may be joined together by a continuous hinge or a plurality of discrete hinges provided along the length of the segment. Furthermore, the insert may include interlocking means so as to lock the insert in a closed position in which it assumes the circular cross-section.

The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings in which are shown several embodiments of the device according to the invention.

In the drawings: Figures 1(a) and (b) are perspective views of the insert of the invention in a first embodiment of the invention in an open position and a closed position respectively; Figure 2(a) is a perspective view of the insert in a second embodiment; Figures 2(b) and (c) are end views of two alternative hinge configurations which may be used in the insert of the first or second embodiments; Figure 2(d) is an plan view of a discontinuous hinge joining adjacent segments of the insert in the second embodiment; Figure 2(e),(f),(g),(h),(i) and (j) are plan view showing the insert having alternative numbers of segments comprising the insert body; Figures 3(a),(b) and (c) are perspective views of interlocking plastics moulding in an alternative embodiment; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative interlocking arrangement; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further alternative interlocking arrangement; Figure 6 (a) and (b) are further alternative embodiments of the insert in which (a) a single aperture is made across several segments of the insert and (b) individual apertures are made in each segment; Figure 7(a) and (b) is a perspective view and a side view respectively of an alternative embodiment of the insert of the invention; ) Figure 8^is a perspective view and a side view respectively of another alternative embodiment of the insert of the invention; Figure 9^is a perspective view and a side view respectively of a further alternative embodiment of the insert of the invention; Figure WJzs a perspective view and a side view respectively of a further alternative embodiment of the insert of the invention; Figure 11 (a) and (b) are perspective views, respectively, of a first component having an internal slot and a second component having an external slot; Figure 11(c) is a side view of the first and second components interengaged and Figure 11(d) is a plan view showing the circular cross section of the insert when the first and second components are interengaged.

Referring to Figure 1(a) and (b) of the drawings, the insert of the invention is indicated generally by reference numeral 100 and comprises two segments 2,3 hingedly connected together by a hinge 50 which extends continuously between the two segments 2,3. The segments 2,3 are moveable between an open position as shown in Figure 1(a) and a closed position as shown in Figure 1(b). When folded in the closed position, the insert 100 may be pushed into the collapsed core of a wound paper product so that the core will assume the shape and circular cross section of the insert. The inside of the insert 100 is smooth so that the insert will turn smoothly in the toilet roll dispenser spindle or paper towel dispenser spindle.

Referring now to Figure 2(a), an alternative embodiment of the insert is shown and is indicated generally by reference numeral 101. Insert 101 has a plurality of segments 4,5,6,7,8 and 9, each of which is hingedly connected to an adjacent segment by respective continuous hinges 54,55,56,57 and 58. The respective configurations of two alternative hinge arrangements are shown in Figures 2(b) and (c). Furthermore, the hinge may be discontinuous i.e. it may comprises discrete smaller hinges disposed along the length of the segments as shown in Figure 2(d). The insert 101 may comprise any number of segments, including only one segment, as shown in Figures 2(e) to (j) inclusive.

Referring now to Figure 3, the inserts 100,101 may include an interlocking means 20. The interlocking means comprises a key member 21 and a keyhole member 22. The key member 21 includes a tapered surface which engages in the keyhole 23 when pushed into engagement with the keyhole member 22. The interlocking means is integrally formed with the insert 100,101. In this alternative embodiment the interlocking means is provided at four locations along the length of the insert whereby the insert may be folded from its flat, open position to its closed position in which it assumes a circular cross section and the segments 4,5,6,7,8,9 can then be locked in the closed position.

Referring now to Figure 4, an alternative interlocking means 25 will be described. Interlocking means 25 comprises hook members 26,28,30 located along the side of the two end segments 4 and 9 of the insert 101. The interlocking means 25 also includes slots 27,29,31.

Slot 27 and hook members 26,28 are provided on end segment 4 and slots 29 and 31 and hook member 30 are located on end segment 9 of insert 101.

Referring to Figure 5, an alternative embodiment is shown which comprises only one segment and which includes an alternative interlocking means 25 therein, with hook members 32,34,36 provides at one end of the segment and slots 37 (only one slot visible) provided at the other end of the segment.

Referring to Figures 6(a) and (b), the insert may be formed with apertures provided therein so as to save on the material required and also to produce an extremely lightweight insert. The aperture may be provided as a single aperture taken out of the insert as shown in Figure 6(a) or as a plurality of apertures with one aperture being provided in each segment of the insert as shown in Figure 6b.

Referring now to Figure 7(a) and (b), an alternative embodiment of an insert in accordance with the invention is shown. The insert is indicated generally by reference numeral 110. The insert 110 is pre-formed in the cylindrical shape and has a circular cross-section. Apertures 111 are provided along the length of the insert 110 so as to save on material requirements.

Referring to Figures 8(a) and (b), an insert 112 in a further alternative embodiment is shown.

An insert 114 in a further alternative embodiment is shown in Figures 9(a) and (b). The insert 114 comprises fingers 115 which are resilient and which can spring open to adapt to fit inside several different paper product cores.

Figures 10(a) and (b) show a further alternative embodiment of the insert indicated generally by reference numeral 118. Insert 118 comprises a pressed or moulded flexible disc made of plastics material. When the disc is rolled up and inserted into a core, the disc exerts an evenly distributed pressure around the core interior. The disc is shown in the rolled position in Figure 10b in which it can exert a uniform cylinder of pressure inside the code. It should be noted that the ends of the disc do not overlap as shown in Figure 10b.

Referring now to Figures 11(a)(b)(c) and (d), a further alternative embodiment of the insert is indicated generally by reference numeral 120. Inset 120 comprises two generally elliptical shaped members 121,122. Member 121 has two internal grooves 123 and member 122 has two correspondingly shaped external grooves 124. The respective internal and external grooves 123,124 extend at an angle as shown in Figures 11(a) and (b). When the members 121,122 are interengaged so that they form an X shape as shown in Figure 11c, the external grooves 124 interengage in the internal grooves 123 thereby forming a rigid shape which when viewed along its central axis has a circular cross-section. The combined, interengaged members can then be inserted in a core to re-store the core to a circular cross-section.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An insert for a compressed core wound paper product, adapted so that when the insert is placed inside the core of the compressed paper product, the insert causes the core to assume a circular cross-section and thereby enables the paper product to be placed on a spindle of a paper product dispenser for subsequent dispensing.

2. An insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insert comprises a flat sheet including at least one segment, the flat sheet being capable of being rolled so as to define a generally circular cross section.

3. An insert as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the insert comprises a plurality of segments which are joined together by a continuous hinge or a plurality of discrete hinges provided along the length of the segment.

4. An insert as claimed in claim 3, wherein the insert includes interlocking means so as to lock the insert in a closed position in which it assumes the circular cross-section. •

5. An insert as claimed in claim 1, substantially in accordance with any of the embodiments herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.