Distributing device for paper tissues

Abstract

 Distributing device for distributing paper tissues, in particular small towels, which device is equipped with a container (2) which is provided with an opening (20) for the tissues at the bottom, characterised in that at least the front wall (7) of the container (2) is at least locally transparent and is provided with securing means (15) on the inside so as to secure a leaf (17) in a removable manner and opposite a transparent part of said front wall (7).

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns a distributing device for distributing paper tissues, in particular small towels, which device is equipped with a container which is provided with an opening for the tissues at the bottom.

[0002] Such distributing devices are suspended in public lavatories or the like. The paper towels make it possible to dry one's hands in a hygienic manner.

[0003] The known distributing devices have a non-transparent container. On the outside may be painted a text and/or an image, but this text or image can only be replaced by a new one by repainting it, which is relatively expensive.

[0004] Naturally, also labels or such can be stuck on the outside, but they are either difficult to remove, which also makes it difficult to replace them, or they are easy to remove, in which case they are often ripped off by visitors.

[0005] The invention aims a distributing device for tissues which does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages and which can be provided with text and/or images in a manner which is vandalism-proof.

[0006] This aim is reached according to the invention in that at least the front wall of the container is at least locally transparent and is provided with securing means on the inside so as to secure a leaf in a removable manner and opposite a transparent part of said front wall.

[0007] Preferably, the entire front wall of the container is transparent.

[0008] The top side of the container may consist of a top wall which is directed slantingly upward from the front to the back, and this top wall also can be at least partially, but preferably entirely transparent and provided with securing means on the inside so as to secure a leaf in a removable manner and opposite a transparent part, possibly the same leaf which is held against the front wall by the above-mentioned securing means.

[0009] Also the side walls of the container may be partially or preferably entirely transparent, and they may also be provided with securing means.

[0010] The securing means may consist of a pair of moulds forming small grooves for the edges of the leaf which are turned to one another, for example L-shaped moulds standing on the wall of the container with one leg and which are directed to one another with the other leg.

[0011] These moulds are preferably provided near the side edges of the wall.

[0012] The front wall and the top wall may form a lid together which is hinge-mounted to the rest at the bottom, for example to side walls. A bolt mechanism can be provided at the top so as to lock this lid when it is closed.

[0013] In an advantageous manner, two bolt mechanisms are provided in both side walls, whereby they may consist of special screws which can only be turned by means of a tool such as a pin, and which are screwed in ears of the top wall, for example through the side wall.

[0014] The tissues may be torn off a roll, whereby the container is provided with a tear-off mechanism at the bottom.

[0015] This tear-off mechanism may consist of a knife which is situated in the opening at the bottom.

[0016] This opening may be formed between the front wall and an upward directed edge of the bottom, whereby the knife of the tear-off mechanism can be rotated in its longitudinal direction around an axis, is provided with a sharp edge at the bottom and with a press-on edge at the top which, when the sharp edge is drawn forward, presses against the edge of the bottom.

[0017] In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiment of a distributing device for paper tissues according to the invention is described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 represents a view in perspective of a distributing device for paper tissues according to the invention;

figure 2 represents a front view of the distributing device according to figure 1;

figure 3 represents a section according to line III-III in figure 2;

figure 4 represents a section according to line IV-IV in figure 2;

figure 5 represents the part which is indicated by F5 in figure 4 to a larger scale;

figure 6 represents a section analogous to that in figure 4, but as the tissue is being ripped off.

[0018] The distributing device for distributing paper tissues which have to be torn off a roll 1, as represented in the figures, contains in a container 2 which is formed of a bottom 3, a back wall 4 connected onto the latter, two standing walls 5 and 6 connecting onto the bottom 3 and the back wall 4, a front wall 7 between these side walls 5 and 6 and a top wall 8 connecting onto the front wall 7 with a rounding and directed slantingly upward towards the back.

[0019] The front wall 7 and the top wall 8 together form a lid of transparent plastic which can be rotated at the bottom of the front wall 7 in relation to the side walls 5 and 6. To this end, this front wall 7 has two ears 9 on the inside near its edges which can rotate around a horizontal shaft 10 on the outer sides of the side walls 5-6, which is stuck in the two side walls 5 and 6 in a rotating manner.

[0020] On its top end, the top wall 8 is also provided with two ears 11 which are situated on the inside of the side walls 5 and 6 and which are fixed to these side walls 5 and 6 respectively by means of bolt mechanisms which each consist of a socket screw 12.

[0021] This socket screw 12 is screwed in a threaded opening 13 in the side wall 5, 6 respectively, and in a treated opening 14 in the ear 11 which is situated against it, and, when it is closed, it is entirely countersunk in the side wall 5 or 6 with its end which is provided with the hexagonal opening.

[0022] Not only the front wall 7 and the top wall 8, but also the back wall 4, the bottom 3 and the side walls 5 and 6 are entirely made of transparent plastic.

[0023] The front wall 7 has two L-shaped moulds 15 on its inside which are situated near the standing edges, which connect onto the back side of the front wall 7 with one leg and which are directed to one another with their other leg, such that two gutters are formed which extend parallel and upward and with their openings directed to one another.

[0024] In an analogous manner, two L-shaped profiles 16 stand on the top wall 8, which thus connect onto the inside of the top wall 8 with one leg and which are directed to one another with the other leg, so that gutters are formed which are directed towards one another. These moulds 16 are situated at exactly the same distance from one another as the moulds 15.

[0025] Said moulds 16 form securing means for a leaf 17 containing text and/or images, for example with publicity. This leaf 17 is pushed with its edges in the gutters, formed by the moulds 15 and 16. For clarity's sake, this leaf 17 is only represented in figure 1.

[0026] Also the two side walls 5 and 6 are provided in a similar manner with two L-shaped moulds 18 on their inside, whereby the mould 18 situated against the back wall 4 is somewhat longer than the mould 18 situated against the front wall 7.

[0027] Also on the inside of each side wall 5 and 6 can be pushed a leaf containing text and/or images with its edges in the gutters formed by the moulds 18.

[0028] The roll 1 is lying loosely on the bottom 4, which forms a sort of tub and which to this end contains a part which is inclined upward at the rear and which has an edge 19 at the front which is folded slantingly upward.

[0029] This edge 19 is situated at a distance from the front wall 7, so that there remains a longitudinal opening 20 between this edge 19 and the front wall 7.

[0030] In this opening 20 is provided a tear-off mechanism which mainly consists of a longitudinal knife 21 which is fixed on the above-mentioned shaft 10 and which can thus be rotated by this shaft 10 in relation to the container 2.

[0031] The part of the knife 21 situated under the shaft 10 extends outside the container 2, and its edge is bevelled so as to form a cutting edge for tearing off a piece of the strip of paper on the roll 1. On the far ends, this cutting edge is knurled.

[0032] On the part which is situated above the shaft 10 and which is narrower than the preceding part, a press-on edge is provided on the back side formed of a strip 22 of antiskid material, for example rubber, elastomer or another soft plastic.

[0033] When the top side of the knife 21 is tilted backward, the edge of the strip 22 will be situated against the edge 19, possibly with the strip of paper in between, right beneath the free end of the latter.

[0034] The device further contains a double-walled panel 23 consisting of a double-folded plate made of transparent plastic, whose rear wall is longer than the front one. The fold where the two walls are connected to one another are placed on top.

[0035] The protruding part of the rear wall is fixed to the back side of the back wall 4, or it is fixed by means of screws 24 with which the back wall 4 is fixed against a wall or such against this same wall.

[0036] Naturally, this back wall of the panel 23 can be made in one piece with the back wall 4.

[0037] The bottom edge of the front wall of the double-walled panel 23 is situated behind the top edge of the top wall 8.

[0038] The working of the device is as follows:

[0039] As the socket screws 12 are unscrewed, the lid formed of the walls 7 and 8 is unlocked, after which this lid is turned open. Figure 6 represents the lid in a partially turned-open position.

[0040] The leaf 17 can now be pushed between the moulds 15 and 16.

[0041] As this leaf 17 is folded between the walls 7 and 8, it will normally be maintained between the moulds 15 and 16, but the lower edge of the leaf 17 is preferably held up by means of a stop 25 provided on the inside against the lower edge of the front wall 7 and which may also be a piece of L-shaped mould.

[0042] In an analogous manner, leaves can be pushed between the moulds 18 of the side walls. Below, these leaves are stopped by the bottom 4.

[0043] The front wall of the double-walled panel 23 is free and can be withdrawn from the rear wall in a springy manner, so as to provide a leaf containing text and/or images between these walls as well.

[0044] If no roll 1 is provided in the container 2 yet, such a roll 1 can be placed on the bottom 3. The strip of paper is guided over the edge 19 and pulled through the opening 20.

[0045] After the lid has been closed and the socket screws 12 have been screwed in, the device is ready for use. The front wall of the panel 23 is fixed behind the edge of the lid. The provided leaves can no longer be reached from the outside, and the lid can only be unlocked by unscrewing the socket screws 12, for which a special pin is required.

[0046] The leaves can be easily replaced however, by a person having such a pin.

[0047] In order to obtain a paper tissue from the roll 1, the user vertically pulls down the paper end hanging in the opening 20. The upper strip 22 of the knife 21 is not pushed against the edge 19, so that the paper can be pulled down. Besides, the centre of gravity of the knife 21 can be situated such that the knife 21 automatically tilts into a position in which there is no contact with the edge 19.

[0048] Next, the user pulls the paper forward, as a result of which the knife 21 is tilted into the position represented in figures 1 to 5, whereby the strip 22 is thus pushed firmly against the edge 19, and the paper is jammed.

[0049] When the user rips off a sheet or tissue, the paper is thus automatically stopped.

[0050] The design of the device is relatively simple. Replaceable advertisements can be easily provided on it in a secure manner.

[0051] Not all the walls have to be transparent. Other securing means than the moulds 15,16,18 are possible to provide a leaf against a wall such that it can be removed.

[0052] The invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a distributing device can be made in all sorts of variants while still remaining within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Distributing device for distributing paper tissues, in particular small towels, which device is equipped with a container (2) which is provided with an opening (20) for the tissues at the bottom, characterised in that at least the front wall (7) of the container (2) is at least locally transparent and is provided with securing means (15) on the inside so as to secure a leaf (17) in a removable manner and opposite a transparent part of said front wall (7).

2. Distributing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the entire front wall (7) of the holder (2) is transparent.

3. Distributing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the top side of the container (2) consists of a top wall (8) which is directed slantingly upward from the front to the back, and in that this top wall (8) as well can be at least partially, but preferably entirely transparent and provided with securing means (16) on the inside so as to secure a leaf in a removable manner and opposite a transparent part, possibly the same leaf (17) which is held against the front wall (7) by the above-mentioned securing means (15).

4. Distributing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the container (2) has side walls (5,6) which are partially or preferably entirely transparent, and which are also provided with securing means (18).

5. Distributing device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the front wall (7), the top wall (8) and the side walls (5,6) of the container (2) are entirely made of transparent plastic.

6. Distributing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the securing means consist of at least a pair of moulds (15,16,18) which form gutters for the edges of the leaf which are turned towards one another.

7. Distributing device according to claim 6, characterised in that the moulds (15,16,18) are L-shaped moulds standing on the wall (7,8,5,6) of the container (2) with one leg and which are directed towards one another with another leg.

8. Distributing device according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the moulds (15,16,18) stand on a wall (7,8,5,6) near the side edges of the wall (7,8,5,6).

9. Distributing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the front wall (7) and the top wall (8) together form a lid which is hinge-mounted to the rest at the bottom, for example to side walls (5,6).

10. Distributing device according to claim 9, characterised in that a bolt mechanism (12) is provided at the top to lock said lid into a closed position.

11. Distributing device according to claim 10, characterised in that two bolt mechanisms are provided, one in each side wall (5,6), whereby these bolt mechanisms consist of special screws (12) which can only be turned by means of a tool such as a pin and which are screwed through the side walls (5,6) in ears (11) of the top wall (8).

12. Distributing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the tissues can be ripped off a roll (1), whereby the container (2) is provided with a tear-off mechanism at the bottom.

13. Distributing device according to claim 12, characterised in that this tear-off mechanism consists of a knife (21) which is situated in the opening (20) at the bottom.

14. Distributing device according to claim 13, characterised in that this opening (20) is formed between the front wall (7) and an upward directed edge (19) of the bottom (3), whereby the knife (21) of the tear-off mechanism can be rotated in its longitudinal direction around a geometric axis, is provided with a sharp edge at the bottom and with a press-on edge at the top which, when the sharp edge is drawn forward, presses against the edge (19) of the bottom (3).

15. Distributing device according to claim 14, characterised in that the press-on edge of the knife (21) is an antiskid strip (22).

16. Distributing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it contains a double-walled panel (23) in the prolongation of the back wall (4) of which at least the front wall is transparent, between the walls of which can be provided a leaf with text and/or images.

17. Distributing device according to claim 16, characterised in that the back wall and the front wall are connected to one another at the top and are pushed towards one another in a springy manner.

18. Distributing device according to any of claims 9 to 11 and claim 16 or 17, characterised in that the back wall of the panel (23) is fixed in relation to the back wall (4) of the container (2), and in that the front wall of the panel (23) reaches behind the lid formed of the front wall (7) and the top wall (8).

Drawing