MXPA00009986A - Automatic or semiautomatic wiping material and toilet paper dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns an apparatus characterised in that the drum (6) has on an angular sector (&agr;) of itsperiphery a zone (17) with increased thickness capable of being in contact with the pressing means (11) substantially retractable in position through a float mounting to absorb the drum thickness modifications, in rotating phase when the material strip is pulled up to its cutting line.

Description

DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING MATERIALS FOR DRYING AND HYGIENIC PAPER, AUTOMATIC OR SEMIAUTOMATIC OPERATION DESCRIPTION The invention relates to the technical sector of the apparatus for distributing papers for drying, cellulose wadding, curled papers or similar materials, intended more particularly to dry the hands of users, and for toilet paper. There are many devices for drying hands of automatic operation and the Applicant developed several devices of this type of automatic or semi-automatic operation that allows the distribution of strips of material bent or not bent. These apparatuses that form the object of successful operations are of the type comprising a molded plastic box, which receives in the upper part, a reel for feeding material for drying hands, a drum containing a device for cutting toothed blade, as well as a pressing means that ensures the feeding of the paper strip towards the drum and the tensioning of the paper. The cutting blade is articulated with the drum and is set in motion by the cooperation of a notched bead, associated with the axis of the cutting blade, and which cooperates with a rack means fixedly positioned internally on one of the wings of the blade. box. This drum is associated, moreover, with a throwing mechanism with an eccentric and a return spring which is described and illustrated in the French patent of the Applicant. A cover ensures the protection of the mechanisms. It is known from the patent US 4441392, the arrangement of the drum in a cutting distributor apparatus with points in projection disposed at the ends of the drum, to allow the paper to be peeled off at the moment of the rotation of the drum, and to facilitate cutting. It is also known from the French patent No. 2555975 in the name of the Applicant, the arrangement of the drum on its periphery with ridges in the form of tips or picks intended to prevent the slipping of one in relation to the other, of the strips of paper pulled on two rollers at a time. If those apparatuses of the aforementioned type, which are widely exploited, have a very reliable operation for the papers to dry the hands that come from new manufacture, one is found on the contrary, with certain difficulties of cutting for the recirculated papers, for the papers of thick thickness not folded, for folded papers comprising several thicknesses that are juxtaposed. This is due to the fact that the tensioning of the paper before cutting, is not always constant depending on the nature and characteristics of the material, the conditions of pulling the end of the paper strip by the user. Therefore the user was interested in solving this problem by first trying to improve the conditions of pressure by means of a press on the drum, looking for the most appropriate tare of the means of elastic recoil. Since the results are not constant in practice, the Applicant was guided in an unexpected way, about the operating conditions of the receiving drum of the cutting device. Thus, according to the invention, the originality consisted in modifying the initial constant circular section of the drum, by a variation of its outer profile on a part of its periphery, so that it can act in certain phases of operation of the apparatus and distribution of Cutting a strip of paper, ensuring the best possible tension of this strip.

According to the invention, the drum has on an angular sector of its periphery, an area of over thickness defined between the edge of the passage opening of the cutting blade and a line corresponding to the axial end plane of the connecting and coupling shaft at the end of the eccentric that allows the release of the drum for cutting; that zone of complementary thickness is in contact with the pressing means practically concealable in position according to a floating assembly to absorb the modifications of the thickness of the drum at the moment of the pulling phase of the stretched paper strip, and then the cut of that paper. These characteristics and others, will be revealed after the description. To fix the object of the invention that is illustrated in a non-limiting manner, in the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the drum object of the invention that can be inserted in the dispensing device of material for drying hands , of the aforementioned type, represented without its paper hook coating; Figure 2 is a profile view of the dispensing apparatus for drying hands with the cover removed, illustrating the different components of the apparatus, and in particular the drum and the floating assembly of the pressing means; Figures 3, 4 and 5 are schematic views illustrating the position of the drum at the moment of the cutting phase, and in particular the successive positions of the zone of over thickness established on the drum as well as the relative position of the pressing means . In order to further concretize the object of the invention, it is now described in a non-limiting manner, illustrated by the figures of the drawings. The apparatus according to the invention including the improved drum and the floating assembly of the pressing means on the drum, which helps to ensure a constant tensioning of the strip of material for drying hands, is adapted for the distribution of the automatic or semi-automatic cut of material to be dried, made of any suitable material: cellulose wadding, curled and sanitary paper, in bent or unfolded situation, to dry hands or for the distribution of toilet paper. It is quickly remembered and summarized, the concept of a dispensing device for drying hands and for toilet paper, which carries the reference (1) as a whole.

It comprises a box (2) molded of plastic material that can receive in its upper part, a reel (3) for feeding material to dry hands or toilet paper held between the sides (4) added top, quick assembly on the bottom of the box or otherwise. The lower sides (5) are added and fixed to the quick mounting or otherwise, on the bottom face (2a) and are provided with the notches (5a) that authorize the fast mounting and mounting of the drum (6) including its cutting device (7) with serrated blade (7a). This cutting device is articulated, in the manner described above, with a bead mechanism (8) associated with the cutting blade that cooperates with a fixed rack (9) established on the inner side (b) from one of the added sides (5) of the box. The drum has a longitudinal opening (6f) that allows the passage and exit of the cutting blade. The drum is arranged in a manner corresponding to the teachings of French Patent No. 7604664. One end is placed and centered on one of the added sides of the box (5), while the other end has an axis (6a) in outer overflow of the other side added by inserting and anchoring in a notch (5a) corresponding to that added side. The shaft (6a) has an eccentric shape (6b) whose end (6c) forming a finger, constitutes the point of attachment of an end (10a) of a return spring and launch (10); the latter has its other end (10b) fixed to the box behind the added side (5) in front. A pressing means (11) in the form of a cylinder is of a length corresponding to that of the drum, and can be supported on it by being placed between the added sides (5) mentioned. As illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, the dispenser apparatus known in this way can be arranged as an accessory but not necessarily with an anti-return device (12) of the strip of material for drying the hands, thereby comprising a slice (13) in support on the spool of drying material; that slice is placed between the added sides (5) of the box on a cocked lever (14) fastened to a means of elastic recoil (15) fixed to the sides added (5) from the box. A belt (16) can surround the drum (6) and the anticircular slice. Since then it is convenient to expose the invention. The drum (6) which is constituted in the form of a cylinder, hollow for example, has on a part of its outer periphery and according to a determined angular sector (alpha), a continuous inflation area (17) which has the purpose of being , in certain phases of operation of the apparatus, in contact with the pressure medium (11), requesting the displacement of the latter according to a floating assembly in relation to receiving ovalized openings (18) formed on the added sides (5) of the ends of the pressing means (11). This zone of over thickness (17) probably continues in the order of 0.7 mm to 1.4 mm depending on your needs. Referring to Figure 3 illustrating the apparatus in the non-operating phase, the zone of over thickness is established between the edge (19) of the longitudinal opening (6f) of the cutting blade of the cutting device and line AA materializing a plane between the coupling axis (6a) at the eccentric end (6b) and the recoil and launch spring (10), with an angular sector (alpha) of the order of 120 ° to 139 ° . This area of over thickness (17) can be constituted by an added wall established or directly formed over the entire length (alpha) of the drum in the sector under consideration. FIG. 1 of the drawings shows an embodiment of a drum (6) comprising, from its central shaft (6d), a plurality of radial discs (6e) which thus allow a lightening of the drum. In this case, the wall (17) of extra thickness is extended as shown in the drawings, on a part of the periphery (6el) of the radial discs (6e) until practically arriving in the axial plane of the line AA described in the following. that precedes For the understanding of the drawings, the hooking liner (frosted cloth) partially covering the drum was removed. Thus, according to the invention, the angular sector (alpha) corresponding to this area in excess thickness is of the order of 110 ° to 140 °. According to another complementary arrangement of the invention, the openings (18) on the sides added and allowing the reception of the pressing means (11), are ovalized to allow a floating assembly of the pressing means (11). The depth of these ovalized openings is such that they absorb the displacement of the presser means (11) in contact with the drum (6) when this presser means (11) is in support and rolling over the area of excess thickness established on that drum . Advantageously, these sides (5) can be arranged with several copies (18) of ovalized holes, to allow a placement of drums of different diameters. Now we have to refer to figures 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings that illustrate in a schematic way, the rotation of the drum (6) at the moment of the effect of pulling the end of the strip of material by the user and in that way the Cut the paper strip according to the pre-established format. According to FIG. 3, which corresponds to the initial phase of non-operation, the area of excess thickness (17) of the drum is in its low position without contact with the pressing means (11). In figure 4, according to the arrow (F), the traction of the end of the paper strip partially caused the rotation of the drum (6) and the contacting of the pressing means (11) with the area of over thickness (17) while the cutting blade (7a) comes to be at the level of the taut strip of paper located at the exit of the contact and support area of the pressing means (11) and the drum (6). Figure 5 corresponds to the maximum release phase of the drum (6) with recoil effect, which corresponds to the situation in which the spring (10) associated with the eccentric (6b) is in position of maximum solicitation. In this phase, the cutting blade (7a) is in the exit position in the cutting phase, while the pressing means (11) is in contact with the end of the oversize zone (17) established on the drum, (6) ). The way of operation described in this way allows the desired effect to be valued on the basis of the invention, that is to say, a constant tension exerted on the stretched paper strip of distribution and then of cutting. After the passage of the sector, the suppression of this pressure allows the very free exit of the strip of material without any braking. In this way, the invention allows using the improved drum (6) and the floating assembly of the pressure medium (11) to authorize the cutting of any material for drying hands or folded or unfolded toilet paper of any material. The internal characteristics of the drum are any. The example shown in Figure 1 of the drawings is illustrated as a possible execution. The originality in the formation on an angular sector (alpha) of the periphery of the drum of a zone of thickness (17) on a sector corresponding to the contacting of the cutting blade with the strip of paper to dry the hands that it will be trimmed after the support between the pressing means and the drum until the final phase of the cut. The advantages are very clear from the description.

Claims (7)

1. CLAIMS 1.- Dispensing device for drying hands and toilet paper, automatic or semiautomatic operation, the type comprising a plastic molded box that receives in its upper part, a reel of material feed to dry hands , a support drum that is mounted between the interior added sides of that box; said drum has a slit for positioning the joint of a toothed blade cutting device, a pressing means resting on the drum that ensures the feeding and tensioning of the paper strip passing between them; said cutting blade is articulated in the drum and is set in motion by the cooperation of a notched bead associated with the cutting blade and cooperating with a rack means fixedly placed on one of the sides of the box; that drum is associated with a launching means with the eccentric and the return spring, characterized in that the drum has on an angular sector of its periphery, an area in over thickness that can be in contact with the pressing means practically hidden in position according to a floating assembly to absorb the modifications of the thickness of the drum, in the phase of rotation at the moment of pulling the strip of material until its cutting.
2. 2. Distributor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the area of excess thickness is established between the edge of the longitudinal opening of the passage of the cutting blade of the cutting device and a line that materializes a plane between the axis of attachment of hook on the end of the eccentric and the recoil spring and launch, with an angular sector of the order of 120 ° to 130 °. This area of extra thickness may be constituted by a wall added or directly formed over the entire length of the drum in the sector under consideration.
3. 3. Distributor device according to any of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the zone of continuous thickness, is of the order of 0.7 mm to 1.5 mm.
4. 4. - Distributor device according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the thickness zone is constituted by a wall added on the periphery of the drum, according to an angular section.
5. 5. Distributor device according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the angular sector of the over-thickness zone is of the order of 110 ° to 140 °.
6. 6. - Distributor device according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said drum comprises, from a central shaft, a plurality of radial discs; the wall in excess thickness extends over a part of the periphery of those discs.
7. 7. Distributor device according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the presser means is placed in the ovalized openings established on the added carrier sides and that allow a floating assembly depending on the rotation of the drum. 1 . - Distributor device according to claim 7, characterized in that the added sides have a plurality of ovalized openings for the placement of drums of different diameters.