NZ248560A

NZ248560A - Towel dispenser with a slit and an aperture spaced from the slit for a towel to pass through

Info

Publication number: NZ248560A
Application number: NZ248560A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Roger Basil Lawson Scheepers
Original assignee: Inhouse Products Cc
Priority date: 1992-09-02
Filing date: 1993-09-01
Publication date: 1996-06-25
Also published as: GB2270299A; ZA936399B; GB9318091D0; AU4601293A; GB2270299B

Description

24^560 Priority Dale<s): Complete Specification Filed: Class: {SJl .ftAO.UkA.«.|.3.« • Publication Data: .Z.S..JUM..1996..

P.O. Journal No: - !.SH5S.

Patents Form No. 5 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A TOWEL DISPENSER WE, INHODSE PRODUCTS CC, a close corporation registered according to the laws of The Republic of South Africa of 55 Mulbarton Road, Beverley, Sandton, Transvaal, SOUTH AFRICA hereby declare the invention, for which We pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 24 85^0 This invention relates to a towel dispenser.

Dispensers for tissues or towels, wet or dry, usually contain some form of housing with an opening therein through which the towel is dispensed from a roll. The opening is either flush with the base of the housing or has some form of dispensing nozzle.

The disadvantage with these dispensers is that it is often difficult to sever a selected length of material from the roll. Even if there are weakened areas or perforations along the roll, two or more lines of perforation usually pass through the opening before the material tears. This is not only inconvenient but it also results in wastage as a longer than necessary piece of towel or tissue is dispensed. The excess piece of material may remain attached to the roll but if it is impregnated with some form of liquid, it tends to dry out. ;v f-2 NOV 1993"! 24 8 5 6 0 j n.z. patent office" 1 7 MAY 1996 received , According to the invention a towel dispenser comprises a towel dispenser comprising a housing, a dispensing nozzle projecting from the housing and towel gripping means spaced apart from the dispensing nozzle, the dispensing nozzle defining an aperture having an inwardly extending lip about it through which a leading edge of a roll of towel of the type having spaced apart, parallel lines of weakness defined at intervals along its length at which it is tearable to produce single, discrete towels, can exit from the housing, the towel gripping means defining a slit therein through which the leading edge of the roll of towel passes before it passes through the aperture so that a resistance exerted by the slit in the towel gripping means, together with a resistance provided by the lip, assists a user in tearing a piece of towel of a desired length from the roll.

Towel in this specification means a woven or non-woven synthetic or natural substrate.

The towel gripping means preferably also comprises a diaphragm with a cross-shaped slit defined therein through which the leading edge of the towel passes before it passes through the aperture and which is adapted to grip the towel, making it easier to tear off a piece of towel at the line of weakness intermediate the cross-shaped slit and the aperture.

The dispensing nozzle preferably depends from an operatively lower end of the housing, and the gripping means is preferably a diaphragm sized to fit snugly within the housing, between the roll of towel and the dispensing nozzle.

The roll of towel is preferably impregnated with a liquid, for example an antiseptic liquid.

The slit is preferably a cruciform slit. The cruciform slit may be raised and the periphery of the gripping means 24 8 5 60 4 may be upturned so that between the upturned periphery and the raised cruciform slit an annular drip tray is defined to catch liquid from the roll of towel.

The edge of the inwardly extending lip may be serrated. The dispenser preferably also comprises a bracket for mounting it on a wall.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded pictorial view of a dispenser of the The dispenser 10 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is for dispensing one or more sanitising towels or wipes from a roll 14 of continuous towel material. In this particular application it is for dispensing towels for use in wiping toilet seats prior to use. (It should be mentioned that any type of towel or wipe to be dispensed from a continuous roll can be dispensed from the dispenser 10.) The non-woven towel substrate material is impregnated with a deodorised, invention; and Figure 2 is a cross-section through the dispenser of Figure 1. 24 8 5 60 antiseptic fluid. The roll of towel material has spaced apart, parallel lines of weakness, in the form of perforations, (not shown) defined at predetermined intervals along its length, at which it is tearable to produce single, discrete towels. (It is to be noted, however, that the towel substrate material can be another material, for example paper, can be non-perforated and can be dry.) The dispenser 10 comprises a plastics, cylindrical housing 12, within which the roll 14 of towel material is accommodated. A tapered, dispensing nozzle 16, which has a central aperture 26 with a diameter of 9mm defined therein, depends from the housing 12. The leading edge 15 of the roll 14 extends through the aperture 26 and the size of the aperture 26 may vary with the thickness of the towel material. At the end of the nozzle 16 an inwardly extending lip 18, the edges of which may be slightly angled and/or serrated, is defined. It surrounds the aperture 26 in the nozzle 16 and defines a travel path for the leading edge 15 when it is pulled. It ensures that it is easier to tear a towel from the roll 14 at a particular perforation line.

The housing 12 is open-ended. Flexible, transparent, plastics caps 22 and 24 are press-fitted onto its opposed, operatively upper and lower ends 19 and 20 respectively. The nozzle 16 is moulded integrally with the cap 24 and depends vertically downwardly, for about 2 cm beyond the cap 24. When the caps 22 and 24 are fitted to the housing 12, and a roll 14 of wipe material is in place, the interior of the housing 12 is relatively air tight. This, together with the compactness of the roll 14 prevents evaporation of the antiseptic liquid from the roll 14.

A towel gripping means in the form a disc-shaped diaphragm 28 is accommodated within the housing 12 near its end 20. The diaphragm 28 is sized to fit snugly within the housing 12 and this also helps to keep the interior of the housing 12 relatively air tight. A raised, N.Z. PATENT OFFICE 3- MAY 1996 RECEIVED 248560 cruciform slit 32, through which the leading edge 15 passes before exiting through the aperture 26, is defined in the centre of the diaphragm 28. In use, the slit 32 helps to grip the material from the roll 14 while the edge 15 is being pulled by a user. In this way it co-operates with the inwardly extending lip 18 to sever a towel at the perforation line intermediate the leading edge 15 and the slit 32 by creating a tension along this perforation line. The distance between the slit 32 and the inwardly extending lip 18 is important for ensuring that the appropriate amount of tension is exerted on the perforation line to create a tear and also for ensuring that only a small length of the towel, after the tear, extends through the aperture 26. This helps to limit evaporation and drying.

The periphery of the diaphragm 28 is upturned and between this periphery and the raised cross-slit 32 an annular drip tray is defined for liquid which drips from the roll 14. This prevents dripping onto the floor underneath the dispenser 10.

A U-shaped bracket 40 with apertures 42 defined in its base fits around the dispenser 10 and is for mounting it on a wall adjacent a toilet seat. The dispenser 10 should be mounted at a suitable height so that when the leading edge 15 is gripped and pulled by a user, it will be pulled laterally or slightly upwardly relative to the nozzle 16 and towels will thus tear reliably at consecutive rows of perforations. One arm of the bracket 40 fits into a groove 44 defined in the cap 22. It is attached to the cap 22 by a screw 48. The other arm has an aperture 50 defined therein which fits over the nozzle 16. The bracket 40 ensures that the housing 12 is difficult to tamper with. It prevents unauthorised access to the roll of towel 14 and the housing 12 therefore remains sealed until serviced by service personnel.

The dispensers of the invention ensure that towels or wipes are easily and -• • • ■ " >7 OPFfCCj 3 - MAY 1996 riECEIVED ^85Q0 7 consistently severed from a continuous roll at consecutive lines of perforations. This prevents waste and allows towels and wipes to be torn off the roll with one hand and with minimum effort. 248 56 0

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: NPATENT Of^fCE 1 7 MAY 1996 :.£iVED

1. A towel dispenser comprising a housing, a dispensing nozzle projecting from the housing and towel gripping means spaced apart from the dispensing nozzle, the dispensing nozzle defining an aperture having an inwardly extending lip about it through which a leading edge of a roll of towel of the type having spaced apart, parallel lines of weakness defined at intervals along its length at which it is tearable to produce single, discrete towels, can exit from the housing, the towel gripping means defining a slit therein through which the leading edge of the roll of towel can pass before it passes through the aperture so that a resistance exerted by the slit in the towel gripping means, together with a resistance provided by the lip, will assist a user in tearing a piece of towel of a desired length from the roll.

2. A towel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the slit is a cruciform slit.

3. A towel dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the dispensing nozzle depends from an operatively lower end of the housing. ;

4. A towel dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the towel gripping means is a diaphragm which is sized to fit snugly within the housing, between a roll of towel and the dispensing nozzle.

5. A towel dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 4, including a roll of towel impregnated with a liquid.

6. A towel dispenser according to claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 5 when dependent upon claim 2, wherein the cruciform slit is raised and the periphery of the towel gripping means is upturned so that between the upturned -9- 248560 periphery and the raised cruciform slit an annular drip tray is defined to catch liquid which drips from a roll of towel.

7. A towel dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dispensing nozzle is moulded integrally with a cap which fits over the operatively lower end of the dispenser.

8. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims which comprises a U-shaped bracket, having two arms and a base, for mounting it on a wall and for preventing unauthorised access to the roll of towel, the respective arms fitting over an operatively upper and lower end of the dispenser and the base being adapted to be mounted on the wall,

9. A dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. E PRODUCTS CC ,ei ttorneys ftIK ON & CAREY »j.TPMT OfFtCfc 17 KAY 19® RECRV'D