LOCATION ARRANGEMENTS
A dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll. The roll has a location arrangement for releasably mounting the roll between a spigot and an oppositely facing support element for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the dispenser. The arrangement includes: a core around which the sheet material is wrapped, one end of the core being mounted or mountable relative to the support element, the other end having a wall region defining a generally hollow cylindrical portion projecting from the wrapped material, a generally axial slot being provided in the wall region extending to the free edge thereof; and a fixing provided on the cylindrical portion. The fixing has a bearing surface for rotatably engaging the spigot for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis, and a radial path to the bearing surface, the path being radially aligned with the slot in the core, whereby the end of the core may be laterally engaged with the spigot support element.
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This invention relates to location arrangements for releasably mounting a roll of sheet material and in particular, but not exclusively, to such arrangements for use in dispensers for dispensing sheet material. The invention also extends to rolls of sheet material adapted for use in such arrangements as well as cores and fixings therefor.
There are numerous applications where it is required to be able to remove and replace a roll of sheet material from suitable mountings. For example in the catering industry aluminium foil, cling film, baking parchment are all commonly supplied as a roll of sheet material in a dispenser which stores, cuts and dispenses the material. It is important in some applications to ensure that the dispenser is only used with refill rolls that are designed for use with a given dispenser.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides a location arrangement for releasably mounting a roll of sheet material between a spigot and an oppositely facing support element for rotation about a longitudinal axis, the arrangement comprising: a core around which the sheet material is wrapped, one end of said core being mounted or mountable relative to said support element for rotation, the other end of the core having a wall region defining a generally hollow cylindrical portion projecting from the wrapped material, a generally axial slot being provided in the wall region extending to the free edge thereof; and a fixing provided on said cylindrical portion, the fixing having a bearing surface for rotatably engaging said spigot for rotational movement about said longitudinal axis, the fixing having a radial path to said bearing surface, the path being radially aligned with the slot in said core, whereby the end of the core may be laterally engaged with said spigot support element.
Although different methods of attachment are possible, said fixing preferably comprises a generally cylindrical inner portion for being push-fitted into the end of the cylindrical portion of said core.
To resist deformation or splaying of the core the fixing includes preferably one or more external constraining elements that fit around at least part of the outer surface of the cylindrical portion of the core. The external constraining element conveniently comprises an external skirt extending around said fitting but interrupted adjacent the radial path. The fixing preferably includes means for resiliently and releasably trapping said spigot into engagement with an arcuate bearing surface of the fixing. The means for trapping may comprise at least one flexible finger adapted to snap around said spigot in use.
The invention also extends to a dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll, incorporating a location arrangement as set out above. To facilitate removal of a spent core a guide surface is provided adjacent said spigot onto which an external surface of the fixing and/or core may be pushed when the spigot is moved along said radial path in use. The guide surface is preferably curved to assist the user to manipulate the core of the roll clear of the spigot, at least when the roll is empty.
The invention also extends to a roll of sheet material wrapped around a core, one end of said core having a wall region defining a generally hollow cylindrical portion projecting from the wrapped material, there being a generally axial slot provided in the wall region extending to the free edge thereof, and a fixing fitted into said cylindrical portion, the fixing having an arcuate bearing surface for rotatably engaging, in use, a spigot, the fixing having a radial path to said bearing surface, with the path being radially aligned with the slot in said core.
The invention also extends to a fixing for use in a roll or arrangement as described above.
The invention also extends to a core for a roll of sheet material, the core being provided at one end with a wall region defining a generally hollow cylindrical portion, and carrying a generally axial slot extending from the free edge thereof.
Whilst the invention has been described above, it extends to any inventive combination or sub-combination of the features disclosed in the following description, claims or drawings.
The invention may be performed in various ways, and, by way of example only, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the following drawings, in which:
The arrangement illustrated in the drawings is designed to allow a roll 10 of material to be fitted into a dispenser 12. The roll of material comprises a hollow core 11 of cardboard or the like on which is wrapped the sheet material. One end of the arrangement (the upper end as viewed) is supported for rotation in the dispenser in any suitable conventional means. In this example the core simply rests on an outwardly facing U-shaped semi-circular cup surface (38
At the other end of the roll 10, a location arrangement 5 is provided, having the following features. A strip of the core material has been cutaway to provide a slot 14 (see in particular
The fixing 16 is fitted onto the core 12 by aligning the entrance 23 of the fixing with the slot 14 on the core and then pushing the fitting home so that the free edge of the core 12 is received in the channel 22 between the skirt 20 and the sleeve 18.
As seen in
The operation of loading a refill roll and removing an empty roll will now be described. Referring to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Another important advantage of the described embodiments is that they provide a ‘push to fit’ and a ‘push to release’ action for the rolls. This makes it easier to unload as the user does not have to pull on the roll whilst pushing on the dispenser; for both actions the user can use both hands to click or unclick the fitting. Also the ‘push to release’ feature means that the user can visually align the spigot with the slot. Thus, the invention provides a dispenser and roll of material to be dispensed from the dispenser, supported or supportable in the dispenser for rotation about an axis, said roll including a location arrangement adjacent at least at one end of the roll for releasably capturing a receiving arrangement of the dispenser, wherein the roll is, at least at one end, inserted into the dispenser in a radial direction to capture said receiving arrangement and allow said rotation.
Referring to
A restriction 54 prevents to core 11 from slipping out of the support 50 in use, but allows the introduction and forced removal of the a roll which is full or partially used, should it be necessary to remove the roll for exchange with a different roll.
Claims
1. A location arrangement for releasably mounting a roll of sheet material between a spigot and an oppositely facing support element for rotation about a longitudinal axis, the arrangement comprising: a core around which the sheet material is wrapped, one end of said core being mounted or mountable relative to said support element for rotation, the other end of the core having a wall region defining a generally hollow cylindrical portion projecting from the wrapped material, a generally axial slot being provided in the wall region extending to the free edge thereof; and a fixing provided on said cylindrical portion, the fixing having a bearing surface for rotatably engaging said spigot for rotational movement about said longitudinal axis, the fixing having a radial path to said bearing surface, the path being radially aligned with the slot in said core, whereby the end of the core may be laterally engaged with said spigot support element.
2. A location arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing comprises a generally cylindrical inner portion for being push-fitted into the end of the cylindrical portion of said core.
3. A location arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing includes one or more external constraining elements that fit around at least part of the outer surface of the cylindrical portion of the core.
4. A location arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fixing includes one or more external constraining elements that fit around at least part of the outer surface of the cylindrical portion of the core.
5. A location arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the external constraining element comprises an external skirt extending around said fitting but interrupted adjacent the radial path.
6. A location arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing includes at least one elements for resiliently and releasably trapping said spigot into engagement with an arcuate bearing surface of the fixing.
7. A location arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein said at least one element for trapping comprises at least one flexible finger adapted to snap around said spigot in use.
8. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll, comprising a spigot and an oppositely facing support element, and comprising a location arrangement for releasably mounting a roll of sheet material between the spigot and the oppositely facing support element for rotation about a longitudinal axis, the arrangement comprising: a core around which the sheet material is wrapped, one end of said core being mounted or mountable relative to said support element for rotation, the other end of the core having a wall region defining a generally hollow cylindrical portion projecting from the wrapped material, a generally axial slot being provided in the wall region extending to the free edge thereof; and a fixing provided on said cylindrical portion, the fixing having a bearing surface for rotatably engaging said spigot for rotational movement about said longitudinal axis, the fixing having a radial path to said bearing surface, the path being radially aligned with the slot in said core, whereby the end of the core may be laterally engaged with said spigot support element.
9. A dispenser as claimed in claim 8, further including a guide surface provided adjacent said spigot onto which an external surface of the fixing and/or core may be pushed when the spigot is moved, relative to the fixing, along said radial path in use.
10. A dispenser as claimed in claim 9, wherein the guide surface is curved to assist the user to manipulate the core of the roll clear of the spigot, at least when the roll is empty.
11. A dispenser as claimed in claim 8, wherein the oppositely facing support element includes a U shaped formation having a edge facing the roll for abuting the material on the roll, and for allowing disengaging axial movement of the core away from the spigot when the core is spent.
12. A dispenser as claimed in claim 11, wherein said support element further includes a restriction allowing forced removal of the core radially, when the roll is not spent.
13. A roll of sheet material wrapped around a core, one end of said core having a wall region defining a generally hollow cylindrical portion projecting from the wrapped material, there being a generally axial slot provided in the wall region extending to the free edge thereof, and a fixing fitted into said cylindrical portion, the fixing having an arcuate bearing surface for rotatably engaging, in use, a spigot, the fixing having a radial path to said bearing surface, with the path being radially aligned with the slot in said core.
14. A dispenser as claimed in claim 9, wherein the oppositely facing support element includes a U shaped formation having a edge facing the roll for abuting the material on the roll, and for allowing disengaging axial movement of the core away from the spigot when the core is spent.
15. A dispenser as claimed in claim 10, wherein the oppositely facing support element includes a U shaped formation having a edge facing the roll for abuting the material on the roll, and for allowing disengaging axial movement of the core away from the spigot when the core is spent.
16. A dispenser as claimed in claim 14, wherein said support element further includes a restriction allowing forced removal of the core radially, when the roll is not spent.
17. A dispenser as claimed in claim 15, wherein said support element further includes a restriction allowing forced removal of the core radially, when the roll is not spent.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 14, 2010
Publication Date: Dec 16, 2010
Applicant: OWEN GREENINGS AND MUMFORD LIMITED (Oxford)
Inventor: Paul Wightman (Oxford)
Application Number: 12/814,663
International Classification: B65H 49/26 (20060101); B65H 16/06 (20060101);