U.S. patent application number 10/040588 was filed with the patent office on 2002-10-10 for towel loop formation in a hand towel dispenser.
Invention is credited to Ehrensperger, Marcus, Frei, Christian, Gaide, Albert.
Application Number | 20020145364 10/040588 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8242907 |
Filed Date | 2002-10-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020145364 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gaide, Albert ; et
al. |
October 10, 2002 |
Towel loop formation in a hand towel dispenser
Abstract
A hand towel dispenser of the type that unrolls clean towel from
a roll in metered portions, dispenses the clean towel in the form
of a towel loop, and rolls used towel portions on a takeup roll
utilizes a used towel portion to form a length of the towel loop,
thus conserving clean towel dispensation and use. An oscillating
roller forms an additional loop of used towel within the dispenser.
The roller tracks within the dispenser to allow the formed
additional towel loop to be formed into a part of the main towel
loop.
Inventors: |
Gaide, Albert; (Monnaz,
CH) ; Frei, Christian; (Oberriet, CH) ;
Ehrensperger, Marcus; (Hettlingen, CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Jay A. Bondell, Esq.
SCHWEITZER CORNMAN GROSS & BONDELL LLP
292 Madison Avenue, 19th Floor
New York
NY
10017
US
|
Family ID: |
8242907 |
Appl. No.: |
10/040588 |
Filed: |
January 4, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10040588 |
Jan 4, 2002 |
|
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PCT/CH00/00362 |
Jul 3, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
312/34.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 10/28 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/34.11 |
International
Class: |
B65H 019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 5, 1999 |
EP |
99810590.2 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A hand towel dispenser of the type that unrolls clean towel from
a roll in portions and dispenses the clean towel in the form of a
towel loop for hand drying and winds used towel after use onto a
separate roll, comprising an oscillating roller for forming an
additional loop in the used towel in an interior of the dispenser
and for pulling the towel loop taut, the additional loop partially
forming the towel loop; tracking means associated with the
oscillating roller for forming the towel loop intended for hand
drying, the tracking means comprising parallel-guiding gearwheels
located at opposed ends of the oscillating roller and racks on the
dispenser for engaging the gearwheels.
2. The dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that, at
one end of the oscillating roller, a gripper-rocker loaded by a
spring tensions the oscillating roller in order to form the
additional loop.
3. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that,
at one end of the oscillating roller, a bearing pin is inserted to
which an end of a traction cable is fastened, the traction cable
being loaded by way of a spiral spring and guided over a winding
coil, the traction cable acting on the oscillating roller and
relieves load on the additional loop.
4. The dispenser according to claim 1 to 2, characterised in that
the oscillating roller has a notched towel-engaging surface.
5. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that
the oscillating roller has flange-like lateral guides.
6. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a
groove-like parallel guide is provided to limit an oscillation path
of the oscillating roller at a front of the dispenser, and
impact-absorbing travel-limiting elements are provided on a rear
wall of the dispenser.
7. A method of forming a towel loop suitable for hand drying in a
hand towel dispenser that unrolls clean towel from a towel roll in
portions and winds used towel portions onto a separate roll,
comprising the steps of forming an additional towel loop of used
towel in the interior of the dispenser and dispensing a portion of
the additional loop as a portion of the towel loop.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the additional towel loop is
formed by a roller pulling a portion of used towel taut and
subsequently tracking in the dispenser to form the towel loop.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the roller is an oscillating
roller tensioned by a spring pull.
10. The method of claim 7 or 8 wherein the used towel portion used
to form the towel loop is not more than half a length of the full
towel loop.
Description
[0001] This application is a Continuation of PCT/CH00/00362 Filed
Jul. 3, 2000.
[0002] The invention relates to a hand towel dispenser of the type
which unrolls clean towel from a roll and winds used towel onto a
separate roll.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In commonly known hand towel dispensers, for economical use
of a fabric hand towel web the latter is dispensed in portions;
when a towel loop suitable for hand drying is being formed, a
portion of already used fabric is also rolled back. Hand towel
consumption is thereby reduced by almost half.
[0004] The technical implementation in hand towel dispensers of
such operation presents difficulties, however, since the wound-up
roll of used towel becomes larger in diameter with increasing use
and since, in addition, it is necessary to switch between forward
and backward movements of the winding shaft. Consequently, problems
frequently occur in that region and the dispensers have a tendency
to jam.
[0005] A dispenser of the foregoing type is known from EP-A1-0 309
208, in which the rollers and rolls used to pull the towel loop
taut, which are loaded by gravity, are unsupported or are supported
in lateral guides and easily jam during hand drying and during
their movement.
[0006] Also known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,112 is a hand towel
dispenser driven by an electric motor, having resilient oscillating
arms that serve to hold the fabric web taut. A disadvantage with
that solution is the high frictional resistance of the oscillating
rods against the towel web, which leads to wear of the towel, which
is usually damp or wet and, in the case of manually operated
dispensers, moreover increases the operating force required of the
user.
[0007] It is the object of the present invention to provide a hand
towel dispensing apparatus and method of towel dispensation that do
not have the disadvantages of the prior art, are economic in their
implementation, and do not require any expenditure on
maintenance.
[0008] In accordance with the foregoing, a towel dispenser of the
present invention includes a secondary loop of used towel which
serves to supply a portion of the towel loop used. An oscillating
roller forms the secondary loop, allowing the secondary loop to be
drawn out to form a portion of the towel loop, and provides tension
for the towel loop. Tracking means are provided to allow the roller
to oscillate in a parallel manner.
[0009] The inclusion of the additional loop in the hand towel web
can take place at any point in the dispenser upstream of the roll
for used towel, and is not restricted to a horizontally guided
web.
[0010] The device according to the invention provides precise
parallel guidance of the roller and completely prevents jamming
thereof. Especially efficient is the use of a gripper-rocker to
tension the oscillating roller, as such a construction requires
only few components.
[0011] A resilient return of the used towel portion may be provided
for by a spring-tensioned traction cable connected to the
oscillating roller.
[0012] A notched configuration for the roller produces good contact
with the hand towel and, when the towel is wet, allows drying and
prevents the towel from sticking to the roller surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The subject matter of the invention is described in detail
below with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1a is a schematic illustration of a hand towel
dispenser with its towel guide, before use;
[0015] FIG. 1b shows the dispenser of FIG. 1a with the towel loop
pulled out during use;
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a detail view of an oscillating roller of the
invention with its operating elements; and
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a portion cut out from the dispenser housing,
with the oscillating roller shown in its end travel positions,
integrated into the remainder of the dispenser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] In FIGS. 1a and 1b a dispenser is designated 100. In both
Figures, the guidance of the towel from the roll of clean towel T
until the used towel T' is wound up is shown. It can be seen from
FIG. 1a how an additional loop 1 is formed around a roller 2 in the
interior of the dispenser100.
[0019] When the hands HB of a user pull on the towel loop at the
point marked by two parallel lines in front of gripping cavities 3,
the roller 2 is drawn back in the direction -p and, at the same
time, clean towel T is dispensed from the roll lying at the top of
the dispenser.
[0020] The resulting hand towel loop 4 can be seen in FIG. 1b; it
has been formed without used towel T' having to be unwound from the
corresponding roll.
[0021] The practical form of a roller 2 can be seen in FIG. 2; in
that construction it is identified as an oscillating roller 50.
[0022] The oscillating roller 50 has a structure with notches 51
and is provided at its ends with flange-like lateral guides 53 and
respective gearwheels 52 used for its parallel guidance. On the
left-hand side of the oscillating roller 50, a gripper-rocker 55
engages the roller 50 by its recess 56 over the roller's shaft. The
gripper-rocker 55 is arranged on a bearing pin 64 so as to be
pivotable in the directions p and has, at an upper side, a tension
spring fastening 57 to which a tension spring 58, arranged
substantially vertically, is attached. A stop pin 59 is used for
the enforced actuation of the oscillating roller 50 in dependence
upon the position of a cover, not shown.
[0023] Inserted rotatably at the right-hand side end of the
oscillating roller 50 is a bearing pin 54 to which a traction cable
60 is attached which is guided over a pulley 60' to a winding coil
61 and is wound up and held taut by the latter's integrated spiral
spring 63. A bore 62 in the winding coil 61 is likewise arranged
rotatably in a portioning wheel, not shown, for dispensing the
towel.
[0024] FIG. 3 shows the dispenser 1 partly dismantled. It is
possible to see here the rear wall 40 of the appliance housing,
which is attached to a vertical wall by its mounting face M in the
usual manner.
[0025] Projecting at a right angle to the rear wall 40 is a side
panel 18 which carries a guiding and bearing point 41 for a shaft
pin 11 of a pivoting module, not visible. Behind it, there is a
curved slot guide 49 which also guides the pivoting module. In the
upper region of the side panel 18 a recess 42 can be seen, which is
used for a pin guide of a filling indicator for the towel T.
Arranged beside it is the above-mentioned tension spring 58 which
is attached by the tension spring fastening 57 to the
gripper-rocker 55.
[0026] In addition, it is possible to see a guide groove 39 which
runs concentrically with a central gearwheel, not visible, and
which serves to guide a friction drive intended for winding up the
used towel T'; a guide groove 20 that is widened at the top serves
to facilitate the installation of that drive.
[0027] Other elements, such as a guide groove 23 and a vertical
groove 43 that leads into a linear set of teeth 44, are intended
for the parallel guidance of a fabric receptacle, likewise not
shown, in which the roll of clean towel T is supported in a
vertically displaceable manner.
[0028] The oscillating roller 50 is shown in its rearward position,
analogously to FIG. 1b, and has been stopped against
travel-limiting elements 50'. It is possible to see here its
parallel guide slot 45 in the panel 18 with a parallel rack of
teeth 46 lying at the top which guide the roller in an axially
parallel manner into the forward position shown by broken lines.
The oscillation path is designated p. A similar guide slot is
located on an opposed side panel 18, not shown. For the sake of
completeness, a portion of a cover 25 with its bearing pin 24 for
initiating further operations is also illustrated.
[0029] The subject matter of the invention can easily be adapted to
the desired length of used hand towel T' to be temporarily returned
to the towel loop, by delimiting the oscillation path of the roller
2 or the oscillating roller 50. The control of the gripper-rocker
55 can be accomplished by way of the towel delivery process; it can
also be locked so as not to impede other operations, such as
loading of the dispenser. Preferably, the oscillation path is
chosen such that the returned length of used towel is not more than
half of the chosen loop length.
[0030] It is especially important that the loop according to the
invention is guided at least approximately horizontally, since only
then can compact hand towel dispensers of pleasing overall height
be obtained.
* * * * *