FR2742737A1 - Paper towel or wipe dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

The dispenser consists of a housing (2) with side panels (2a, 2b) made to receive, at the top, a roller holder or supports (8) for a roll (B) of paper towel or similar material, and at the bottom a receiving drum (4) with a cutter (5) and pressure roller (6) for dispensing the paper in the appropriate lengths. The dispenser incorporates a braking mechanism (12) for the roll, linked to the dispenser's operating cycle. It is situated to one side of the drum and articulated relative to the housing, and is in direct relationship with the rotation or otherwise of the drum, being actuated by a user pulling on the paper towel at the dispenser's outlet end. The braking mechanism comprises an L-shaped pivoted lever with one end in contact with the drum through an intermediate member (9) and the other interacting with a friction zone on the side of the roller.

Description

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING WIPABLE MATERIALS
DISTRIBUTED IN FOLDED OR UNFOLDED FORM
The invention relates to the technical sector of devices for dispensing wiping paper, cellulose wadding, crepe paper, or similar materials intended more particularly for wiping the hands of users, for dispensing toilet paper, for distribution of paper towels.

Many devices of this type have been developed by the
Applicant, and in particular an apparatus including a device for controlling and unwinding the reel of material, has been described in French patent application 95.01693. This patent defined in particular in its main claim a device for braking the material supply coil which was associated with the operating cycle of the device with the rotation on one revolution of the drum, this device being articulated relative to the casing ensuring depending on the operation or non-operation of the device a braking contact on at least one of the lateral sides of the coil and a release of the latter during the rotation of the drum on a cycle.

 As part of his research, the Applicant further improved the operation of the braking device to allow the distribution of any type of material and paper, the characteristics of which are in practice very different according to the paper manufacturers.

 According to a first characteristic of the invention, the braking device comprises a very high lever articulated in its middle part relative to the flange and having, in its upper part, an arm cooperating with a profile forming a ramp of a support plate, said arm receiving a means protruding as a buffer against the side of the coil, and in that, in its lower part, the lever has a hook shape cooperating with a fixed stop disposed in the lower part of the casing, said lever having in addition to a curvilinear profile cooperating with a cam disposed on the flange of the drum, said cam being profiled to allow a trajectory of the lever during the rotation of the drum or its stop to define the braking and non-braking phases of the material reel.

 These characteristics and others will become apparent from the following description.

 Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a dispensing apparatus including the braking device of the invention.

 Figure 2 is a sectional and plan view along line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing at rest (non-operation of the device) the position of the upper part of the lever arm of the braking device.

 Figure 3 is a partial sectional view along line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the position of the rear portion forming the hook of the lever constituting the braking device.

 Figure 4 is a side view showing the operation of the braking device according to the invention during rotation of the drum.

 FIG. 5 is a partial top view of the braking device during intervention and at the end of traction, complementary to FIG. 2.

 Figure 6 is a partial sectional view along line 6-6 of Figure 4 complementary to Figure 3, and wherein the hook portion of the lever is retracted backwards.

 Figure 7 is a partial perspective view of the braking device comprising a lever cooperating with a profiled cam disposed on the drum.

 Figure 8 is a sectional view along line 88 of Figure 7 illustrating the buffer and braking means on the reel of material.

 Figure 9 is a partial and alternative view illustrating the braking means in another embodiment.

 In order to make the object of the invention more concrete, it is now described in a nonlimiting manner illustrated in the figures of the drawings.

 The device is referenced as a whole by (1) and comprises a casing (2), a cover (3), a drum (4), a cutting device (5) integrated in the drum, a pressing element (6) as well as means for launching and returning the drum including an eccentric (7) and a spring (8). All of these elements, except the spring, are made of plastic. In its upper part, the casing receives two flanges (2a 2b) capable of receiving a reel holder (9) or end pieces supporting the supply of a reel (B) of wiping material.

 The drum (4) and the pressing element are also held between flanges (2c - 2d) established perpendicularly to the rear plane (2e) of the casing. The drum comprises an axis (4a) extending at its ends to form, on the one hand, an operating button and, on the other hand, beyond the receiving flange (2c), an eccentric lever (7) capable of receive the launch and return spring (8).

 A follower roller (10) is arranged in the lower part of the casing having, in particular, in a known manner, the protection of the user's hands by being at the point where the paper exits the device, and guiding the paper exit.

 The braking device referenced as a whole by (11) according to the invention is established to come in certain phases of non-operation of the device locked against at least one of the sides (B1) of the coil, the device s 'retracting when the operator acts in traction on the paper causing the rotation of the drum on one revolution.

 To this end, and according to the invention, the braking device shown in particular in Figure 7, comprises a lever (12) of great height having in its upper part a tapered arm (12a) capable of cooperating with the tapered profile (13a ) forming a complementary ramp of a plate (13) attached and secured against one of the upper flanges (2a) of the reel holder established on the casing. This plate can also be shaped directly with the flange during its manufacture by molding.

 In its upper part, said arm has a projecting shape forming a deformable pad (14) projecting internally between the flanges (2a 2b) to come opposite the sides (B1) of the material reel. Said lever (12) is articulated in its middle part (12c) relative to the support flange (2c) of the drum (4) and of the pressing element (6). This articulation is carried out with respect to an opening (12b) or hole receiving a hinge pin (15). In its lower part, said lever (12) is profiled by having a hook-shaped rear shape (12d) capable of passing through a slot (2f) or light established in the lower part of the flange (2c) along the wall of bottom (2g) of the housing. This hook shape (12d) is itself profiled to cooperate with a fixed stop (16) positioned in the bottom wall (2g) of the casing. This fixed stop (16) can be shaped directly during molding with said wall. The internal face (12dl) opposite the hook (12d) has a recess (12d2) which is established in such a way that, in certain operating phases of the device, said recess (12d2) comes to adjust to the stop (16), this phase corresponding to the spacing of the upper arm of the lever (12) and the non-braking of the material reel, and the non-braking of the drum. The recess (12d2) has a "T" profile to allow good attachment to the fixed stop.

 Said lever (12) further has on its lower part before a specific curvilinear profile (12e) and extended in its lower part by a bent shape (12f) to define in cooperation with a profiled cam (17) fixed on the flange (4c) of the drum, a trajectory contributing to implementing the braking device or not. The lever has in its lower lower part a notch (12h) of lightening.

 The hook-shaped part (12d) of the lever advantageously constitutes, by a projecting zone (12d3), the lower attachment point (8a) of the return spring (8) and of the launching of the drum.

 The cam (17) formed on the flange (4c) of the drum has in particular a flared inner zone (17a) against which the bent part (12f) of the braking lever (12) will come to bear, by defining two projecting points ( 17b - 17c). Around one of them (17b), there is provided a molded profiled plate (18) forming additional thickness and forcing the corresponding part of the lever to move apart in the case of certain operating phases. Said cam defines a raceway and movement of the bent part of the lever. Advantageously, the insert plate (18) is located substantially in the extension of the part of the eccentric lever (7) allowing the drum to be launched. Between the projection points (17b - 17c) of the cam, the latter has a zone ( 17d), which can be hollowed out or retracted or otherwise, and which corresponds to a large part of the circumference of the cam. This area (17d) advantageously is not in contact with the lever (12) during the movement of the latter, so that there is no braking force exerted by the lever on the cam, and so the drum.

 The braking device comprises in its upper part as indicated above, a projecting shape forming a buffer (14) projecting internally to come against the side of the reel of material. This projecting shape is established for example as shown in Figure 8 of the drawings. On the face of the branch (12a) of the lever, a V-shaped profile (14a) is fixed by one (14b) of the branches thereof, the other (14c) remaining free. The assembly is surrounded by a rubber gasket (14d) giving a triangular configuration to the assembly. The end of the free arm (14c) of the V-profile offers a certain elasticity and is likely to be opposite the side (B1) of the coil. In a variant illustrated in FIG. 9, the free arm (14c) of the profile in V receives a serrated blade (14e) the end of which is likely in certain circumstances to penetrate into the thickness of the coil and ensure the braking of the latter. The contact of the end of the free branch (14c) on the coil causes said branch to flex and ensure the braking of the coil.

 The components of the invention having now been described, it is then necessary to describe the operation of the braking device.

 In the device's rest phase, that is to say when a strip of paper is not pulled, the device is in the arrangement shown in FIG. 4, namely that the bent part (12f) of the lever ( 12) is located in the notch (17a) formed on the cam (17) and in contact with the lower projection point (17b) established thereon. The upper point of projection (17c) comes to bear on the edge (12g) or thickness of the lever (12). The hook part (12d) of said lever is brought back towards the front of the device and its internal face (12dl) is disposed in abutment along the fixed stop (16) formed on the bottom face of the casing. In its upper part, the arm of the lever (12) is not separated, so that the pad (14) is in contact and presses firmly against the side of the coil. The upper end (12a) of the lever is in the lower part on the ramp profile (13a) of the support plate (13).

 When the operator pulls on the paper, it drives the rotation of the drum and then causes, by the effect of rotation of the cam (17) associated with the drum, a tilting movement of the lever (12). This action immediately causes the lateral withdrawal of the lever (12) by releasing the reel of material. It is the upper point of projection (17c) formed on the cam (17) which acts against the edge (12g) of the lever and causes it to tilt backwards. This operation is carried out for a partial angular rotation of the drum, until the lower hook part (12d) of the lever (12) comes by elasticity itself to hook onto the lower stop (16) formed in the bottom of the casing. The lever (12) is then definitively discarded, its upper end (12a) having moved outwardly along the ramp (13a) of the support plate (13) associated with the upper flange.

 This picking on the fixed stop (16) having resulted in the retraction of the braking device, the drum of the device continues its rotation carrying with it the paper and the movement of the cutting device. The gradual rotation of the drum will cause the corresponding displacement of the plate (18) formed on the flange (4c) thereof at the location of the lower projection (17b) of the cam. At the end of cutting, said plate (18) will gradually come into contact with the edge (12g) opposite the lever, and move it aside again so as to release the lower hook part (12d) from the stop (16 ) and cause a slight tilting of the upper branch of the lever. We then arrive in the phase where the bent part (12f) of the lever will gradually penetrate again into the notch (17a) of the cam and thus through the recess formed, in combination with the elastic return of the launching means (8), the lever will return to its initial position indicated above. The projecting part (14) formed on the arm of the lever returns in pressing contact against the side of the coil.

 The braking device thus described is very simple. n allows in all cases a positioning of the drum always in the same positioning zone thus ensuring a distribution of the paper always regular. The configuration of the braking device (14) causes an output over a determined and constant length of the paper strip.

 The operating lever is thus subjected to a double tilting movement by its upper part and by its lower part, which forms a pendulum ensuring movements in complete safety.

 The positioning of the lever (12) with its hook part allows, without braking, to release any pressure action on the drum.

Claims (7)

-1- Device for dispensing wiping material which can be dispensed in folded or unfolded form, of the type comprising a casing (2), a cover (3), a drum (4), a cutting device (5) integrated in the drum, a pressing element (6) as well as means for launching and returning the drum including an eccentric (7) and a spring (8), in its upper part, the casing receiving two flanges (2a - 2b) capable of receiving a reel (B) of wiping material, said drum (4) and the pressing element being held between flanges (2c - 2d) established perpendicularly to the rear plane (2e) of the casing, the drum comprising an axis (4a) extending at its ends to form, on the one hand, an operating button (4b) and, on the other hand, beyond the receiving flange (2c), an eccentric lever (7) capable of receiving the launch and return spring (8), the apparatus comprising a device for braking the supply coil of the material associated with the operating cycle of the device with the rotation over one revolution of the drum, this device being articulated with respect to the casing ensuring, depending on the operation or non-operation of the device, a braking contact on at least one lateral sides of the reel and a release of the latter during the rotation of the drum on a cycle, the apparatus being characterized in that the braking device comprises a lever (12) of great height articulated in its middle part by relative to the flange (2c) and having, in its upper part, an arm (12a) cooperating with a profile forming a ramp (13a) of a support plate, said arm receiving a means (14) protruding as a buffer against the side of the coil, and in that, in its lower part, the lever has a hook shape (12d) cooperating with a fixed stop (16) disposed in the lower part of the casing, said lever further having a curvilinear profile (12e) cooperating with ec a cam (17) arranged on the flange (4c) of the drum, said cam being profiled to allow a trajectory of the lever during the rotation of the drum or its stop to define the braking and non-braking phases of the material reel , with the release of the drum by absence of friction. -2- Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the lever (12) has, in its rear lower part, a hook shape (12d) capable of passing through a slot (2f) formed on the flange (2c), the hook shape (12d) being profiled to cooperate with the fixed stop (16) and also allow the fixing of the elastic return means (8) for launching the drum. -3- Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the hook shape (12d) has, on its internal face (12dl) a recess (12d2) with sloping profile cooperating, in certain phases, with the stop (16). -4 Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the hook shape (12d) of the lever has a projecting area (12d3) constituting the lower attachment point (8a) of the return spring (8) for launching the drum. -5- Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the lever has, in its lower part, a curvilinear profile (12e) extended by a bent part (12f) to cooperate with the cam (17) integral with the flange of the drum, said lever having a edge (12g) constituting the bearing zone on the cam. -6- Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the projecting shape (14), forming a buffer, established in the upper part of the lever has a V shape (14a) of which one of the branches (14b) is integral of the lever arm and the other free (14c) to present an elasticity and come to bear against the side of the coil, this elasticity contributing to the stopping and braking of the coil. -7- Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the projecting shape (14) receives a gasket (14d) defining a triangular configuration of support.  + Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the free end (14c) of the profile (14a) receives a serrated blade (14e). -9- Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the cam (17) has an inner flared area (17a) with two projection points (17b 17c), and in that, around the lower projection point (17b) , is disposed a plate (18) forming extra thickness, the upper point of projection (17c) being capable of coming into abutment against the edge (12g) of the lever (12) during the rotation of the drum to ensure the spacing of the lever in non-braking phase, said plate (18) being capable of causing the displacement of the lever to ensure its return to the braking position. -10- Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, between the two projection points (17b - 17c), the cam has a zone (17d) which is not in contact with the lever during the movement of the latter- ci around the cam during the rotation of the drum.