WO1997012536A1

WO1997012536A1 - Roll or band-shaped paper material wound round a hollow, cylindrical core

Info

Publication number: WO1997012536A1
Application number: PCT/NL1996/000391
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marinus Giovanni Poortvliet; Johannis Henricus Maria Catharina Van Erven
Original assignee: Vendor BV
Current assignee: Vendor BV
Priority date: 1995-10-06
Filing date: 1996-10-07
Publication date: 1997-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 1998-04-06
Also published as: NL1001373C2; AU2012897A

Abstract

A roll (1) of band-shaped paper material, such as toilet paper and towel material, wound round a hollow, cylindrical core (12) of a readily degradable material, such as cardboard, paper pulp, starch or wood pulp, or another recyclable material, wherein at least one rib (5) is located adjacent one of the ends of the roll, which rib extends from the inside surface of the hollow core in the hollow core space bounded thereby, while such a rib is absent at the other end of the roll. A holder (20) for including such a roll and comprising a housing (20) having roll-supporting means (23), which reach into the cylindrical core and on the side where one or more ribs are located in the hollow cylindrical core consist of a wing fitting diametrically in that core with play, which wing is mounted for rotation relative to the housing and can come into striking contact with a rib.

Description

Title: Roll of band-shaped paper material wound round a hollow, cylindrical core

The invention relates to a roll of band-shaped paper material, such as toilet paper and towel material, wound round a hollow, cylindrical core of a readily degradable material, such as cardboard, paper pulp, starch or wood pulp, or another recyclable material, wherein the roll comprises two ends, each being of a different design.

Through the use of two differently designed roll ends, it is provided that the roll can be placed in a dispensing device adapted thereto in one orientation only. This has the advantage that after the roll has been placed in the dispensing device, band-shaped paper material unwound from the roll will always be situated at the front side of that device relative to the user, i.e. spaced from a wall on which that dispensing device is typically mounted. In this manner, this unwound band-shaped paper material is optimally accessible to the user, and spacing the material from the wall promotes hygiene.

For achieving this effect, use can be made of caps which are insertable into the roll core and which have journals of different outside diameters and extending from that roll core, as known from US-A-3, 438, 589. The caps cooperate with guideways provided in the housing of the dispensing device, which guideways have a cross dimension adapted to the journals. Thus, the journal of the larger diameter should always be inserted into the guideway of the larger cross dimension, and the journal of the smaller diameter should always be inserted into the guideway of the smaller cross dimension. The caps are manufactured from plastic and are thrown away together with the roll core after exhaustion of the wound-up paper. On the one hand, this means throwing away a product composed of cardboard and plastic, which because of that composition and the plastic component therein means a burden to the environment; on the other hand, the plastic caps, which are to be manufactured separately, constitute a cost-increasing factor, while the large numbers in which such rolls are used constitutes an important factor.

US-A-2, 380, 644 demonstrates another possibility of rendering the ends of the roll of different design. In that known product, on one side of the roll, one or a number of grooves are provided in the roll core and the band-shaped paper material wound thereon. The dispensing device comprises rotatable roll supports engaging the role core from either side, one of the roll supports having at least one projection capable of engaging a groove provided in the roll core and the paper wound thereon. To enable placing a new roll, the roll supports should be swivelled outside the dispensing device. If the roll is installed the other way round, the projection presses the roll supports apart so far that the roll supports cannot be swivelled back into the dispensing device again. The provision of a groove in the wound-up band-shaped paper material has the drawback that during the unwinding of the band-shaped paper material, serrated recesses appear one- sidedly in an edge area, with the distance between two serrated recesses becoming smaller according as the roll becomes more exhausted. On the one hand, this has as a consequence that the band-shaped paper material may tear in undesired and/or unintended places and even on a part of the roll not yet unwound, and on the other, the visual aspect of such a notched band of paper is extremely unattractive, if not annoying.

The object of the invention is to provide a roll of the type referred to in the opening paragraph, wherein the above- described drawbacks do not occur.

In accordance with the invention, this object is realized in that located adjacent one of the ends of the roll is at least one rib extending from the inside surface of the hollow core in the hollow core space bounded thereby, while such a rib is absent at the other end of the roll. Through these features, a roll is obtained which can only cooperate with a dispensing device of which one of the roll supports has provisions for being able to engage the hollow roll core inspite of the presence of the rib(s); the other roll support can be provided with a usual stub shaft, extending into the hollow core with play. These provisions on one roll support can have many forms. For instance, the roll support may have the form of a stub shaft with a slot dimensioned according to a rib, to a relatively thin wing diametrically fitting in the roll core. In this manner, it can be provided with relatively simple and virtually minimal means that the roll be designed so that it can be placed in a dispensing device in one orientation only. Not only does it suffice to use relatively little material, the material used can also be chosen so that the environment is burdened as little as possible, for instance by manufacturing the rib(s) from the same readily degradable material as the core of the roll or from another recylclable material. Further, it will need no further explanation that the band-shaped paper material wound on the core need not be processed for the purpose of providing a rib in the hollow core.

The rib provided in the hollow core can have any desired shape. However, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, a rib extending radially in the hollow core is preferred. The desired result can then be reached in a compact manner with relatively little material.

As mentioned, the roll support on the side of the rib can consist of a relatively thin wing fitting diametrically in the roll core. With such or a similar construction, in order to support the roll in a symmetrical manner also during rotation, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention it is preferred that at the end referred to, two ribs are provided in a diametrical plane of the core of the roll. The wing or a similar member of the roll support can then engage the two ribs and thus optimally support and guide the roll during the rotation for the purpose of withdrawing wound-up, band-shaped paper material. For fixing the rib, it can reach from the outside through the wall of the roll core and be secured on the outside surface of the roll core by means of lateral wings. However, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, it is preferred that a rib is formed by, starting from an annular sleeve having a length smaller than that of the hollow core and an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter of the hollow core, pressing a part of the sleeve inwards while reducing the outside diameter thereof, the resulting sleeve having an outside diameter so that it can be slid into the core with a sliding fit or with friction, and can be secured in the core in that slid-in position, for instance through glueing. In this manner, a known roll can quickly and simply be changed, without orientation means, into a roll with advantageous positioning orientation.

Such a rib can be formed in a simple manner if, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the inwardly pressed sleeve part has a V-shape, with the legs of the V-shape being pressed together facewise and thus fixed relative to each other, for instance through glueing.

As mentioned, it is preferred that the rib be manufactured from the same material as the roll core or from another recyclable material. Accordingly, for that reason, the sleeve part is preferably manufactured from the same material as the roll core, for instance a readily degradable material, such as cardboard, paper pulp, starch or wood pulp, or another recylcable material. This is possible without any problem, because the sleeve part has the same starting form as the roll core.

As mentioned, the one-sided provision of a rib gives a positioning orientation. However, because the rib is substantially located in the hollow cylindrical core, that positioning orientation is not always directly perceptible, more particularly so if the roll is held in such a manner that one cannot look into the core. Under certain conditions, this may be considered less desirable. In that case, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, it is preferred that on one side of the roll, the cylindrical core or an element fixed therein or thereon extends some distance beyond the end of the roll. Through these features, the positioning orientation is in each case directly clear, so that the chance of mistakes during the placing of a roll in a holder is further reduced.

Such a construction can be realized in a simple manner if the annular sleeve bearing the rib or ribs extends some distance beyond the hollow cylindrical core. Such a construction has the further advantage that when a number of rolls are packed, the part projecting on one side of a roll can reach into the end of an adjacent roll that does not have a projecting part, so that an optimally dense packing can be realized. As observed above, for attaining an opi um effect, a roll according to the invention should be combined with a holder adapted thereto. In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, it is therefore preferred that in a holder comprising a housing with roll-supporting means, as is for instance known from US-A-3 ,438, 589, it be provided that the roll-supporting means reach into the cylindrical core, wherein the roll-supporting means on the side where one or more ribs are located in the hollow cylindrical core consist of a wing fitting diametrically in that core, which wing is mounted for rotation relative to the housing and can come into striking contact with a rib. The other roll support can consist of a well-known stub shaft engaging the hollow roll core with play, around which stub shaft the roll can rotate, which then, on account of the wing striking a rib, causes that wing to rotate as well. This last effect can be used in a further advantageous manner if the rotatably arranged wing comprises a brake mechanism of variable brake powei . In this manner, the roll can be prevented from spontaneously unrolling further in an uncontrolled manner and unintentionally during the withdrawal of paper through pulling at it. In addition, with the varying brake power the tearing of the paper band at the desired location, typically a perforation, can be promoted in that an increasing brake power facilitates the start of the tearing. To optimize this effect, it may further be provided that the brake power builds up from a minimum to a maximum and, after the maximum has been reached, runs down again to the minimum, with the building up and/or running down of the brake force preferably taking place stepwise.

Such a brake mechanism can be realized in a relatively simple manner, if it consists of a springing plate which is rotatable together with the wing and provided with at least one recess, into which recess a projection connected to the housing can reach, and the plate can spring outwards so that it is rotatable if a projection does not reach into a recess, while for obtaining a supple running, it is preferred that each projection consist of a ball partly mounted in a part connected to the housing. To spare the bearing of the rotatable wing as much as possible, it is further preferred that the springing plate be provided with at least one pair of diametrically opposite recesses capable of cooperating with one pair of diametrically opposite projections. Through these features, the springing plate will bend outwards symmetrically and, accordingly, not tend to swivel in a plane through the axis of rotation, which prevents a moment load on the bearing. Hereinafter, the roll according to the invention will be specified with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a roll with core in side elevation; Fig. 2 shows a section taken on the line II-II in Fig. 1; Figs. 3-5 each show a core with a rib of different design;

Fig. 6 schematically shows, in cross section, a roll included in a holder;

Fig. 7 shows a cross section taken on the line VII-VII in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 shows a roll support with wing in elevation; and Fig. 9 shows a cross section taken on the line IX-IX in Fig. 8.

The roll 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a hollow cylindrical core 2 manufactured from a readily degradable material, such as cardboard, paper pulp, starch or wood pulp, or another recyclable material. On the core 2, a long strip of band-shaped paper material is wound into a cylinder 3. On one side of the core 2, an annular sleeve part 4 is inserted and fixed therein. This sleeve part 4 is preferably likewise manufactured from a readily degradable material, such as cardboard, paper pulp, starch or wood pulp, or another recyclable material. The sleeve part 4 projects from the core 2 through a short distance, so that it is directly clear on which side of the core 2 the sleeve part 4 has been provided. The sleeve part 4 comprises two inwardly extending ribs 5 which, starting from a sleeve part of larger diameter than sleeve part 4, are formed by pressing, at two diametrically opposite areas, parts of the circumference of that greater sleeve part inwards in the form of a V, until the legs of the V-form abut against each other, to form two radial ribs 5, as shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3-5 show a number of other structural variants for forming ribs. In Fig. 3, a strip-shaped part is started from whose central part is pressed inwards in the form of a V, until the legs of the V-form abut against each other. The thus formed rib 6 is passed through a slot provided in the core 7, after which the remaining flaps 8 are fastened to the outside surface of the core 7. In Fig. 4, a sleeve part 9 is provided in the core 10, again in the manner of Fig. 1. Presently, however, the legs of the V-form are not pressed against each other, so that these two ribs 11 form a V-shaped projection. In Fig. 5, a sleeve part 12 is fitted in the core 13, which sleeve part has a rib 14 having the shape of a trapezoidal projection. It is observed that the sleeve parts 9 and 12, like the sleeve part 4, for that matter, need not extend beyond the core, but may also be entirely included therein. This last is shown in Fig. 6, where the outer end of the sleeve part 15 coincides with the outer end of the core 16 and the end face of the band-shaped paper material 17 wound on the core. The sleeve part 15 is provided, in the manner of Fig. 1, with two diametrically opposite ribs 18. The thus designed roll 19 is included in a holder 20 comprising sidewalls 21 and a rear wall 22. Reaching into the core 16 are roll supports 23 and 24. The roll support 23 has the shape of a stub shaft reaching with play into the core 16. The roll support 23 is mounted on an inner flange 25 which, via a shaft 26 bearing- mounted in the sidewall 21, is connected to an outer flange 27. The roll support 24 has the shape of a wing, which reaches into the core 16 with play and can strike the ribs 18, as may appear most clearly from Fig. 7, wherein the walls of the housing 20 are left out. The wing-shaped roll support 24 is rotatably bearing-mounted in the housing wall 21 in the same manner as the stub shaft-shaped roll support 23, by means of an inner flange 25, a shaft 26 and an outer flange 21. It is observed that the roll support 23 may also have many embodiments other than a wing. For instance, that roll support may be constructed so as to be stub shaft-shaped, in the manner of roll support 23, with recesses being provided in that stub shaft, into which recesses the ribs 18 can reach. Any other shape between this modified stub shaft-shape and the wing is likewise possible.

As may appear from Fig. 7, when the roll 19 is rotated during the withdrawal of paper, the ribs 18 will drive the wing-shaped roll support 24 in rotation. This drive can be utilized in an advantageous manner to provide a brake possibility which prevents the roll 19 from unrolling in an uncontrolled manner further than is desired when the free end of the paper band is pulled at. This possibility is shown in Figs. 8 and 9, showing a wing-shaped roll support 28, albeit in changed form. As may appear from Fig. 8, the wing-shaped roll support 28 is of a slightly Z-shaped design, causing the wing ends to strike the ribs in the core of the roll face-shaped. The roll support 28 is fitted on an inner flange 29 which, via a shaft 31 bearing- mounted in the housing wall 30, is connected to a springing plate 32 acting as outer flange. Provided in the springing plate 32 so as to be rotationally-symmetrically distributed around the center line of the shaft 33 are four hemispherical recesses 33, while at the same radial distance from the center line of the shaft 33, diametrically opposite each other, two balls 34 are secured in the housing wall 30 so that approximately half the spherical surface of those balls projects from the housing wall 30. The balls 34 have a diameter such that they fit in the recesses 33, as is shown in Fig. 9. If the paper band sitting on the core is pulled at, the roll support 28 and, accordingly, the roll of paper itself cannot start rotating until the springing plate 32 bends outwards so far that the balls 34 can leave the recesses 33. Rotation suchwise takes place with braking, because the springing plate 32 continues to press against the balls 34. At the moment when, during that rotation, the balls 34 end up in a recess 33 again, the rotation of the roll support 28 and the roll instantaneously proceeds in a considerably easier manner. This slipping through, as it were, and the counterforce subsequently generated again through braking, can conveniently be utilized for introducing the tearing of the paper band, at the perforations that are typically present therefor, whereupon the further tearing takes place without undesired and uncontrolled unrolling of the roll of band-shaped paper.

It is readily understood that many modifications and variants are possible within the framework of the invention as laid down in the appended claims. Various embodiments of the ribs have already been discussed and shown, which ribs may further occur in any desired number other than one or two. Although there has been discussed the bearing-mounting of the roll supports in the housing walls, this may just as well take place in parts hinged to those housing walls. This may have its advantages during the replacement of an empty core by a fresh roll of paper. In Fig. 6, a housing having one roll is shown. However, the invention can likewise be used with housings which, in addition to a roll in the dispensing position, further have one or more rolls in stock. It will further be understood that a brake mechanism to be incorporated into a roll support can be of a construction other than shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this connection, one may for instance think of rising cam faces sliding along each other. Further, it is also possible to manufacture the rib or ribs directly from the material of the core, although in that case, that rib has to be removed on one side of the core.

Claims

1. A roll of band-shaped paper material, such as toilet paper and towel material, wound round a hollow, cylindrical core of a readily degradable material, such as cardboard, paper pulp, starch or wood pulp, or another recyclable material, wherein the roll comprises two ends, each being of a different design, characterized in that located adjacent one of the ends of the roll is at least one rib extending from the inside surface of the hollow core in the hollow core space bounded thereby, while such a rib is absent at the other end of the roll.

2. A roll according to claim 1, characterized in that the rib extends radially in the hollow core.

3. A roll according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at said end, two ribs are provided in a diametrical plane of the core of the roll.

4. A roll according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a rib is formed by, starting from an annular sleeve having a length smaller than that of the hollow core and an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter of the hollow core, pressing a part of the sleeve inwards while reducing the outside diameter thereof, the resulting sleeve having an outside diameter so that it can be slid into the core with a sliding fit or with friction, and can be secured in the core in said slid-in position, for instance through glueing.

5. A roll according to claim 4, characterized in that the inwardly pressed sleeve part has a V-shape, with the legs of the V-shape being pressed together facewise and thus fixed relative to each other, for instance through glueing.

6. A roll according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the sleeve part is manufactured from the same material as the roll core, for instance a readily degradable material, such as cardboard, paper pulp, starch or wood pulp, or another recyclable material.

7. A roll according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on one side of the roll, the cylindrical core or an element fixed therein or thereon extends some distance beyond the end plane of the roll.

8. A roll according to claim 7 and any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that the annular sleeve extends some distance beyond the hollow cylindrical core.

9. A holder for including a roll according to any one of the preceding claims and comprising a housing having roll- supporting means, characterized in that the roll-supporting means reach into the cylindrical core, wherein the roll- supporting means on the side where one or more ribs are located in the hollow cylindrical core consist of a wing fitting diametrically in said core, which wing is mounted for rotation relative to the housing and can come into striking contact with a rib.

10. A holder according to claim 9, characterized in that the rotatably arranged wing comprises a brake mechanism of variable brake power.

11. A holder according to claim 10, characterized in that the brake power builds up from a minimum to a maximum and, after the maximum has been reached, runs down again to the minimum.

12. A holder according to claim 11, characterized in that the building up and/or running down of the brake force takes place stepwise.

13. A holder according to claim 12, characterized in that the brake mechanism consists of a springing plate which is rotatable together with the wing and provided with at least one recess, into which recess a projection connected to the housing can reach, and the plate can spring outwards so that it is rotatable if a projection does not reach into a recess.

14. A holder according to claim 13, characterized in that each projection consists of a ball partly mounted in a part connected to the housing.

15. A holder according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the springing plate is provided with at least one pair of diametrically opposite recesses capable of cooperating with one pair of diametrically opposite projections.