Multiple roll toilet dispenser

Abstract

 A toilet dispenser (1) for dispensing paper from a paper roll said dispenser comprising a housing (2) enable to hold at least two paper rolls (3a, 3b) located upon each other, the lowest one (3a) being in a dispensing position. The housing (2) is provided with a pair of parallel support elements (4) at distance from each other dividing said housing (2) vertically in a compartment (2a) holding said at least two paper rolls and a stub compartment (2b) into which a paper roll (3a) will fall from said dispensing position during dispensing when its diameter has become smaller than the distance between said support elements (4).

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to paper dispensers. More specifically, the present invention relates to toilet dispensers for dispensing paper from a paper roll and being enable to hold at least two paper rolls.

Prior Art

[0002] It is a well known need concerning public sanitary facilities to prolong service intervals of paper dispensers while still minimizing the risk of running out of paper. To meet this need, solid or coreless rolls have been introduced. A coreless roll substantially comprises only paper material and it does not have a hollow core like conventional paper rolls. As coreless rolls do not have a core through which a spindle can be inserted for supporting the roll, coreless rolls are commonly supported from the lateral surface or by support means engaging to the sides of the roll.

[0003] Another way to prolong the service intervals of a paper dispenser is to enlarge the capacity of the dispenser itself. Several types of dispensers have been constructed to fulfill this purpose. A simple type of a multiple roll dispenser comprises a housing in which paper rolls are fitted on top of each other so that the lowest roll, laying at the bottom of the housing, bears the weight of the supplemental rolls above it. This results in a situation where the weight of the supplemental paper rolls resists the rotation of the lowest paper roll. This effect increases as the diameter of the lowest paper roll decreases, i.e. it becomes depleted, until the point that paper can no longer be dispensed from roll because the pulling force required to rotate the paper roll becomes bigger than the tearing force of the paper web. In the case of coreless rolls this means that a substantial portion of the paper roll can not be dispensed.

[0004] WO 9926521 A1 discloses a paper dispenser which fits two coreless paper roll above each other. Each roll is supported by two adapters engaged to the sides of the roll. The adapters are inserted into slots, so that both paper rolls are permitted vertical and rotational movement. The above mentioned problems, however, are not overcome as the lower roll lies on the bottom of the housing and the upper roll lies on top of the lower roll.

Objects of the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser capable of holding at least two coreless or conventional paper rolls located above each without the problems associated with the dispensers of the prior art. This object is achieved by a dispenser according to the invention as described in the characterizing part of claim 1.

[0006] Further embodiments and objects of the present invention will come apparent from the dependent claims 2 to 4.

[0007] A paper dispenser according to the present invention overcomes the drawbacks without the need for complex and expensive mechanisms.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] The invention is described hereafter with reference to the following figures, where:

Fig.1 - 4 illustrate a section view of a paper dispenser according to the invention in different phases of operation

Fig. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a paper dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figs. 6 - 8 illustrate a perspective view of a paper dispenser according to an embodiment of the invention in different phases of operation, where some components have been removed for the purpose of clarity.

[0009] It should be noted that the above mentioned figures are illustrated in a simplified manner for the purpose of clarity.

A Detailed Description of the Invention

[0010] Fig. 1 shows a paper dispenser 1 having a housing 2. The housing holds two paper rolls 3a, 3b upon each other, the lower one 3 a being supported by a pair of elongate cylindrical support elements 4. In fig. 1 the paper rolls 3a, 3b are both substantially non-depleted. The housing 2 is divided vertically into two compartments 2a, 2b by the support elements 4. The compartment 2a above the support elements 4 holds the paper rolls 3a, 3b, whereas the stub compartment 2b is below the support elements. A paper tail from the lower paper roll 3a travels between the support elements 4, through the stub compartment 2b, and out of the housing 2 through an dispensing slot 10 in the lower section of the stub compartment 2b.

[0011] Fig. 2 illustrates the dispenser of fig. 1 in a different phase of operation. As can be seen, the lower paper roll 3a has been dispensed so as to have a diameter slightly bigger than the distance between the two support elements 4. As a result, the vertical position of the upper paper roll 3b has lowered.

[0012] From fig. 3 it can be seen that the lower roll 3a, previously in a dispensing position, i.e. supported by the support members 4 in compartment 2a, has now fallen between the two support elements 4 into the stub compartment 2b. Consequently, the upper paper roll 3b has fallen into the dispensing position to be supported by the support elements 4, thus leaving the upper section of compartment 2a vacant. In fig. 4, a new paper roll 3c has been inserted into the dispenser 1 above the paper roll 3b in the dispensing position. As shown in fig. 5, the housing 2 has openings 5 located at the stub compartment 2b.

[0013] A separator arm 6 comprising a first branch 7 and a second branch 8, can be seen in fig.6 The first branch is provided with an inclined end portion 7a, whereas the second branch 8 is provided with a flat end portion 8a. For the purpose of clarity, only the part of the housing 2 substantially forming the stub compartment 2b is illustrated. For this reason, the hinged connection of the middle portion 9 of the separator arm 6 and the housing 2 is not illustrated. There is also an opening 5 in the housing 2 at the stub compartment. In fig. 8 a supplemental paper roll 3c has been introduce to the dispenser 1.

[0014] A dispenser 1 according to the present invention comprises a housing 2. The housing 2 is capable of holding at least two paper rolls 3a, 3b above each other. Two parallel support elements 4 are arranged in to the housing 2 at a distance from each other. The support elements 4 vertically divide the housing 2 into a compartment 2a holding the said at least two paper rolls 3a 3b, and a stub compartment 2b. Advantageously, the two support elements 4 are arranged to the housing so as to be parallel with the rotation axis of the paper rolls 3a, 3b. Either one, or both, of the support elements 4 may also be implemented as a part of the inside surface of the housing 2 forming a gap between the two compartments 2a, 2b, i.e. the cross-section of the compartment 2a narrows towards the bottom. It has been discovered that an advantageous distance between the support elements 4 is approximately 50% of the diameter of a full paper roll that the dispenser is configured to dispense.

[0015] A paper roll 3a is inserted into the housing 2 to be rotatably supported by the support elements 4. The tail of the paper roll 3a is led between the support elements 4, via the stub compartment 2b and trough a dispensing slot 10 in the lower section of the stub compartment 2b. Another paper roll 3b is inserted to the housing above the lower paper roll 3a. It should be noted, that depending on the size of the dispenser, any number of additional paper rolls could be inserted above the lower paper roll 3a. In operation, the diameter of the lower paper roll 3b decreases as the paper roll 3b is depleted. When the diameter of the paper roll 3a becomes smaller than the distance between the support elements 4, said paper roll 3a falls between the support elements 4 to the stub compartment 2b. The upper paper roll 3b simultaneously falls to the dispensing position to be supported by the support elements 4. The stub compartment 2b should be sized sufficiently large enough for the lower paper roll 3a to not touch the upper paper roll 3b while said lower paper roll 3a is in the stub compartment 2b and the upper paper roll 3b is in the dispensing position. After the lower paper roll 3a falls into the stub compartment 2b and the upper paper roll 3b falls in to the dispensing position, a supplemental paper roll 3c can be inserted into the housing 2. The paper roll 3a can be substantially fully depleted in the stub compartment, without the problems caused by the weight of the upper paper roll 3b and any possible further paper rolls.

[0016] In an embodiment according to the invention, the two support elements 4 are of an elongated cylindrical shape and rotatably mounted to the housing. Preferably, the support elements 4 have a section of reduced diameter at both of their ends, arranged to be inserted into openings located on both side walls of the housing 2. An arrangement according to this embodiment reduces the pulling force needed to rotate the paper roll in the dispensing position.

[0017] In another embodiment, the housing 2 comprises at least one opening 5 located at the stub compartment 2b for providing a user with access to the paper roll in said dispensing position. The at least one opening 5 should be sized so that a user is able to reach a paper roll in the dispensing position. This is, for example, to start dispensing of a paper roll newly introduced to the dispensing position and also to ensure that the dispensing can be continued, should the web from the paper roll in the dispensing position tear. Preferably, the at least one opening 5 is located at the stub compartment 2b so that the user can access the lateral surface of a paper roll in the dispensing position.

[0018] In a further embodiment the dispenser 1 is equipped with a separator arm 6 for separating the lower paper roll 3a in the dispensing position from the upper paper roll 3b, as seen in fig. 6. The separator arm 6 comprises a first branch 7 provided with an inclined end portion 7a and a second branch 8 with a flat end portion 8a. The separator arm 6 further comprises a middle portion 9 hingedly connected to the housing for allowing the separator arm 6 to pivot around said middle portion 9. In operation the upper paper roll 3b is supported by the inclined end portion 7a of the separator arm 6. Advantageously, the inside of the housing 2 is formed so that only substantially vertical movement of the paper roll 3b is permitted. The edge of the paper roll 3b pushes the inclined end portion 7a of the first branch 7. As the separator arm 6 is hingedly connected at its middle section 9, the pushing force of the paper roll 3b acting on the inclined end portion 7a strives to pivot said end portion 7a away from the edge of the upper paper roll 3b. This pivoting is counteracted by the flat end portion 8a of the separator arm 6 pushing against the end of the lower paper roll 3a.

[0019] When the lower paper roll 3a has been depleted so that its diameter has decreased below the distance between the support elements 4, the lower paper roll 3a subsequently falls between the support elements 4 into the stub compartment 2b. As the end of the lower paper roll 3a no longer prevents pivoting of the separator arm 6, the inclined end portion 7a of the first branch 7 will force the separator arm to pivot away from the edge of the upper paper roll 3b. When the upper paper roll 3b is no longer supported by the inclined end portion 7a, it falls down to the dispensing position, as seen in fig. 7. While the upper paper roll 3b falls, it pushes the second branch 8 away from its path, thus pivoting the separator arm 6 back to the position it was in before the lower paper roll 3a fell between the support elements 4. Thus, a supplementary paper roll 3c, can be introduce to the dispenser immediately after the lower paper roll 3a has fallen to the stub compartment.

Claims

1. A toilet dispenser (1) for dispensing paper from a paper roll, said dispenser comprising a housing (2) enable to hold at least two paper rolls (3a, 3b) located upon each other, the lowest one (3a) being in a dispensing position, characterized in that the housing (2) is provided with a pair of parallel support elements (4) at a distance from each other dividing said housing (2) vertically in a compartment (2a) holding said at least two paper rolls and a stub compartment (2b) into which a paper roll (3a) will fall from said dispensing position during dispensing when its diameter has become smaller than the distance between said support elements (4)

2. A toilet dispenser (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said two supporting elements (4) are of an elongated cylindrical shape and rotatably mounted to the housing (2).

3. A toilet dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in the housing (2) comprises at least one opening (5) located essentially at the stub compartment (2b) for providing a user with access to the paper roll (3a) in said dispensing position.

4. A toilet dispenser according to any of the preceding claims 1 - 3, characterized by a separator arm (6) having a first branch (7) provided with an inclined end portion (7a) supporting a bottom edge of a supplemental paper roll (3b) above the paper roll in said dispensing position (3a), a second branch (8) with a flat end portion (8a) pushing against an end surface of the paper roll (3a) in said dispensing position, and a middle portion (9) being hingedly connected to the housing (2), the separator arm (6) being pivotable around said middle portion (9) enabling said first branch (7) to turn away from the bottom edge of the supplemental paper roll (3b) allowing it to fall down onto the supporting elements (4) when the paper roll (3a) being dispensed falls down into the stub compartment (2b) from said dispensing position.

Drawing