JP2002263032A - Paper shortage warning system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To warn paper shortage in advance in contrast to conventional paper holders which often cause a panic through realizing the paper shortage at the time of use when a user is not careful enough. SOLUTION: A shortage detecting means detects the paper shortage and switches a display means on to warn the paper shortage.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to the function of a paper holder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A typical paper which cannot be used is toilet paper. Conventionally, toilet paper is in the form of a roll and is detachably set in a holder. And the holder is fixed in a fixed place in the toilet.
And when you enter a toilet where there is almost no paper available, it is common for you to unknowingly panic. However, some toilet papers are colored so that you can see that the remaining amount is low. Other papers include paper towels,
A holder is sold and is in a usage form similar to toilet paper.

[0003]

When the remaining amount of the conventional toilet paper is low, it can be recognized by coloring or the like, but if the previous user has not replaced the paper,
The next user is unnoticed and makes no sense. It is therefore an issue to be able to warn that paper is running low before entering the toilet and using it.

[0004]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a means for detecting that the paper set in the holder has been used and the remaining amount has been reduced, a power supply and a display means. Then, when the paper shortage is detected, the switch is turned on between the power supply and the display means, and the problem is solved by displaying the paper shortage with sound or light.

The invention according to claim 2 is an invention which is used for shortage detecting means, paying attention to the fact that the inclination of the cover portion of the holder increases according to the amount of paper used. When the cover is inclined at a predetermined angle, the switch is turned on and the display means is activated.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that when the cover part is inclined at a predetermined angle, the ball moves and a new switch mechanism for turning on the switch is used.

The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that when the lever for holding the paper is at a predetermined position, a switch mechanism for turning on a switch installed on the lever or the holder is used.

The invention of claim 5 is characterized in that a sensor for detecting the outer periphery of the paper is provided in the holder, and when the outer periphery is at a predetermined position, a shortage detecting means for detecting a shortage of the paper is used.

The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that a shortage detecting means for measuring the number of rotations when the paper is used and detecting a shortage of the paper when a predetermined number of rotations is reached is used.

The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that the shortage detecting means includes:
This is an apparatus having a display means and a fixing means to be attached to the holder. By attaching to the conventional holder with fixing means,
Function as a paper shortage warning system.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 according to claim 1 will be described with reference to FIG. First, a roll-shaped paper 1 such as toilet paper and a holder 2 for holding the paper 1 are configured. The holder 2 has a holder 3, a cover 4 and a shaft 5.
It consists of. These configurations are the same as those of the conventional paper holder. In the present invention, the holder 2 is provided with a paper shortage detecting means 6, a power supply 7, and a display means 8. The shortage detecting means 6 is a mechanical tact switch, a reed switch that responds to magnetism, an optical sensor that responds to light, or a sensor that measures the number of rotations. The power source 7 is a commercial AC100 for home use.
V is converted into DC voltage by an AC adapter or the like and supplied, or supplied using a battery. The display means 8 displays sound or vibration of a buzzer or the like, or light of an LED or the like. Although FIG. 1 shows the shortage detecting means 6 and the switch 9 separately,
There is no problem even if they are united. That is, shortage detection means 6
Detects that paper 1 is short, power supply 7 and display means 8
The switch 9 is turned on during this period, and a warning such as sounding a buzzer or emitting light is issued to notify the lack of paper.

Next, a second embodiment according to claim 2 will be described with reference to FIG.
Shown in Many conventional holders 2 have a cover 4. Then, the inclination of the cover portion 4 increases in accordance with the change of the paper outer periphery 10 determined by the remaining amount of the paper 1. Therefore, a shortage detecting means 6 for detecting the positions of the power supply 7 and the cover 4, a switch 9 and a display means 8 are provided. When the paper 1 is used, the inclination of the cover 4 increases. Then, as shown by a dashed line in FIG. 2, when the amount of the paper 1 is low and the cover portion 4 is inclined at a predetermined angle, the shortage detecting means 6 detects the paper shortage, the switch 9 is turned on, and the display means 8 is operated. Can warn of paper shortages.

Next, a third embodiment according to claim 3 will be described with reference to FIG.
Shown in In FIG. 3, a novel invention of the structure of the shortage detecting means 6 is used. A ball 12 serving as a weight is placed in a frame 11 installed on the cover portion 4, and a switch 9 is attached to one end of the frame 11.
Insert The bottom 13 of the frame 11 may be flat, but a hurdle 14 may be provided. The switch 9 is installed on the paper cut end side 15 of the cover 4. The ball 12 is made of a conductive material, and the switch 9 fixes the two conductive plates 16-1 and 16-2 to the frame 11 so as not to contact each other. One plate 16-1 is connected to the power supply 7 and the other plate 16-7 is connected to the display means 8. The power source 7 and the display means 8 are also connected. Then, when the cover part 4 is inclined at a predetermined angle, the ball 12 starts rolling and the two plates 16-1
Is brought into contact with the plate 16-2, and the switch 9 is turned on. Then, the display means 8 is activated to warn of paper shortage. Alternatively, the ball 12 may be made of a magnetic material and the switch 9 may be a reed switch. In this case, when the ball 12 rolls and approaches the switch 9, the switch 9 is turned on. By the way, even if the ball 12 is supported in a pendulum state, the gist is the same because it can move downward by gravity.
Although the ball is preferably spherical, it is not necessary that the ball be spherical.

Next, a fourth embodiment according to claim 4 will be described with reference to FIG.
Shown in FIG. 4 mainly applies to a type in which the paper 1 is set in the holder 2 vertically. Provide lever 17 and lever 17
The switch 9 linked to is attached. In addition, a power supply 7 and a display unit 8 are provided. As the amount of paper 1 decreases, the lever 17 also follows the outer periphery 10 of the paper, the switch 9 is turned on at a predetermined position, the display means is activated, and it is possible to warn of paper shortage.

Alternatively, although not particularly shown in the drawings, the cover 4 may also serve as the lever 17. The operation is performed in the fourth embodiment.
Is the same as

Next, a fifth embodiment according to claim 5 will be described with reference to FIG.
Shown in It has a non-contact optical sensor 18 as the shortage detecting means 6. In addition, a power supply 7 and a display unit 8 are provided.
While the paper 1 is present up to the position of the optical sensor 18, the light is reflected or transmitted, and it is determined that the paper 1 is not insufficient, and the switch 9 is kept off. However, when the paper periphery 10 cuts off the position of the optical sensor 18, the reflected light disappears or the transmitted light enters. Then, it is determined that the paper 1 is insufficient, the switch 9 is turned on, and a current is supplied from the power supply 7 to the display means 8 such as a buzzer, and a warning is displayed.

Alternatively, a mark 19 is printed on a portion near the end of the roll of the paper 1 so that the mark 19 is
May be detected by the optical sensor 18 when it appears. If the mark 19 is printed with a magnetic material, the optical sensor 18 can be replaced with a magnetic sensor.

Next, a sixth embodiment according to claim 6 will be described with reference to FIG.
It will be described using. Here, the optical sensor 18 is a tachometer. When the paper 1 is used, the shaft 5 rotates. The number of rotations is counted by the optical sensor, and when the number of rotations reaches a predetermined value, the switch 9 is turned on, so that the display means 8 displays a paper shortage.

Next, a seventh embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The present invention is an apparatus 22 in which the shortage detecting means 6, the battery which is the power source 7, and the display means 8 are put in a case 20, and the case 20 is further provided with fixing means 21 such as a double-sided tape. Attach to the holder 2 already fixed and used by the fixing means 21,
It can be used as a paper shortage warning system.
Of course, the power source may be a household commercial power source converted by an AC adapter or the like and used, so that the power source 7 may not be included in the device 22.

[0020]

According to the conventional paper holder, it is difficult to know if the paper 1 is insufficient, unless the user is conscious of it. Therefore, the user often notices that the paper 1 is insufficient. However, in the first to seventh embodiments, there is a paper shortage warning system in which the shortage detection unit 6 detects a shortage of paper and turns on the switch 9 to connect the power supply 7 to the display unit 8. Therefore, if the paper 1 is insufficient before use, the display means 8 displays and warns the user.

In the third embodiment, if the cover 4 is inclined at a predetermined angle for judging a shortage of paper and the bottom 13 of the frame 11 is kept horizontal, the ball 12 will not move when the cover 4 passes the predetermined inclination. Rolls and comes into contact with the two plates 16-1 and 16-2. Therefore, there is an effect that the predetermined inclination, that is, the point when the paper is insufficient can be easily determined. However, when the cover portion 4 has a predetermined inclination for judging a shortage of paper, the bottom 13 of the paper cut end side 15 needs to be lifted from the cover portion 4 in advance so that the bottom 13 becomes horizontal. . Then, when the hurdle 14 is attached, the hurdle 14 only needs to be horizontal when the cover part 4 is inclined at a predetermined angle, so that there is no need to raise the bottom 13 and the height of the frame 11 can be reduced.
It has the effect of making 22 thin. In general, a certain amount of pressing force is required to turn on the mechanical switch 9, so that it is necessary to increase the weight of the cover unit 4. However, in the third embodiment, the switch 9 can be turned on by using a light force or a magnetic force that the ball 12 pushes.
This has the effect of not affecting the weight of the cover part 4 at all.
In particular, when a reed switch is used as the switch 9, the effect of preventing detection errors due to poor contact is great.

In the invention according to claim 7, the present device 22
By simply attaching the fixing means 21 to a conventional paper holder which has already been used by fixing it, there is an effect that it can be used as a paper shortage warning system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Description of Signs] 1 is paper 3 is holder 4 is cover 6 is shortage detection means 7 is power supply 8 is display means 12 is ball 17 is lever 19 is mark 22 is device 22

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A shortage detecting means for detecting that paper set in a holder has been used and reduced, and when the shortage detecting means detects the paper shortage, turns on a switch between a power supply and a display means. Paper shortage warning system that displays a warning. 2. The paper shortage warning system according to claim 1, wherein a sensor for detecting that the cover of the holder is inclined at a predetermined angle is used as the shortage detection means. 3. The paper shortage warning system according to claim 2, wherein when the predetermined inclination is reached, the ball moves to switch on the circuit. 4. The paper shortage warning system according to claim 1, wherein said switch provided on said holder is turned on when a lever for holding said paper is at a predetermined position. 5. The paper shortage warning system according to claim 1, wherein said shortage detection means detects a paper shortage when an outer periphery of said paper reaches a predetermined position. 6. The paper shortage warning system according to claim 1, wherein the number of rotations when the paper is used is measured, and when the number of rotations reaches a predetermined number, the shortage detection means detects a shortage of paper. 7. An apparatus having the shortage detecting means, the display means, and fixing means for attaching to the holder.