EP4013276B1 - Hand-towel dispenser - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a towel dispenser according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

A towel dispenser with a height-adjusting holder for the towel roll with fresh towel is shown in the document US 6,267,460 B1 GAIDE ET AL. known. During use of the towel dispenser, the towel provided with fresh towel is unrolled from the towel roll, so that the diameter of the towel roll with fresh towel decreases, while the diameter of the dirty towel roll increases when the used towel is drawn in. In order to keep the volume of the towel dispenser small, the holder with the towel roll containing the fresh towel is moved vertically upwards, so that the dirty towel roll arranged below this holder receives additional space when its diameter increases. A disadvantage of this known towel dispenser, however, is that the dirty towel roll, which increases in diameter when the towel dispenser is used, takes up more and more space against the dispensing opening for the towel provided to the user, and thus requires a relatively large construction height of the towel dispenser. The document also EP 1 191 872 B1 shows a towel dispenser with a vertically movable holder for the towel roll with fresh towel.

This is where the invention aims to remedy the situation. The invention is based on the object of providing a towel dispenser which is compact and has a minimal construction height.

The invention solves the problem with a towel dispenser having the features of claim 1.

The advantage achieved by the invention is essentially to be seen in the fact that, thanks to the towel dispenser according to the invention, the dirty cloth roll, which increases in diameter and is also moved upwards against the fresh cloth roll, which decreases in diameter and also moves upwards, due to the height-adjustable dirty cloth roller, so that a minimal volume of the towel dispenser can be achieved.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention can be commented on as follows:
In a special embodiment, the receiving device is designed as a rocker, which is attached to the support frame so that it can pivot about a first axis of rotation in the vertical direction, and the dirty cloth roller is mounted so that it can rotate about a second axis of rotation on a pivot lever, which is attached to the support frame so that it can pivot about a pivot axis in the vertical direction. This has the advantage that the rocker with the fresh cloth roll that decreases in diameter and the dirty cloth roller with the dirty cloth roll that increases in diameter can be easily pivoted upwards in the vertical direction by the means for lifting, so that the overall height of the towel dispenser can be kept small. In addition, the pivoting rocker and the pivot lever are characterized by significantly lower friction losses compared to devices that can be moved in guides.

In another embodiment, the means for lifting comprise a gear by means of which the pivoting movements of the rocker and the pivot lever are rotationally coupled to one another. In this way, sufficient contact pressure is maintained between the drive roller mounted on the rocker and the dirty cloth roll mounted on the pivot lever via the dirty cloth roller, regardless of the diameter, i.e. also regardless of the weight of the fresh cloth roll. This maintains the rotary frictional connection between the drive roller and the dirty cloth roll in every position of the rocker and/or dirty cloth roll. In conventional systems with a spring motor, the spring motor generally always wants to perform a rotation (feed). However, if no cloth has been dispensed, no cloth can be fed in either. The spring motor is held still due to the prevailing friction. If the contact pressure on the feed roller is high, the friction is high. If the fresh cloth roll is empty, the contact pressure is low and slippage can occur in the system, which can cause the spring motor to discharge. This can lead to a system not functioning correctly. In the towel dispenser according to the invention, sufficient contact pressure is provided by the Gear is always present. Regardless of how many portions of clean cloth are in the cloth bowl or dirty cloth on the winding axis. The entire weight of the cloth roll is always pulled downwards. The force is introduced accordingly through the gear. This means that the discharge of the spring motor can be minimized or prevented in all positions.

In a further embodiment, the means for lifting comprise a bracket which is attached to the support frame so as to be rotatable about the first axis of rotation and is movably connected to the dirty cloth roller.

In a further embodiment, a gear is rotatably attached to the bracket, which engages in a first gear segment attached to the rocker and in a second gear segment attached to the support frame. When the dirty cloth roll gets larger, the rocker is pushed upwards in a vertical direction via the drive roller resting on the dirty cloth roll, whereby the rocker pivoting upwards drives the gear attached to the bracket via the first gear segment, which in turn pivots the bracket and subsequently the pivot lever with the dirty cloth roller upwards via the second gear segment attached to the support frame.

In an alternative embodiment, the means for lifting comprise the pivot lever, which is attached to the support frame so that it can pivot about the pivot axis in the vertical direction, and a support that is fixed relative to the support frame, with the dirty cloth roll rolled up on the dirty cloth roller resting on this support. As an alternative to the gear, the vertical movement of the dirty cloth roll together with the drive roller and the receiving device for the fresh cloth roll can take place via a support for the dirty cloth roll (e.g. one or two rollers) that is fixedly arranged on the underside of the dirty cloth roll on the support frame.

In another embodiment, the drive device comprises a spring-loaded drive.

In a further embodiment, a first guide roller for guiding the fresh cloth is attached to the receiving device, whereby by means of the first Guide roller when unwinding fresh cloth from the fresh cloth roll the spring-loaded drive can be pre-tensioned.

In a further embodiment, the drive device is arranged on the receiving device for the fresh cloth roll.

In yet another embodiment, the towel dispenser comprises a time delay device which is activated when fresh towel is unwound and, after a predetermined period of time, activates the drive device for driving the drive roller.

The invention and further developments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the partially schematic representations of an embodiment.

• Fig. 1 einen Längsschnitt durch eine Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemässen Handtuchspenders ohne Haube;
• Fig. 2 eine Seitenansicht von aussen auf die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemässen Handtuchspenders;
• Fig. 3 einen Längsschnitt durch die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemässen Handtuchspenders;
• Fig. 4 eine perspektivische Ansicht der Aufnahme für die Frischtuchrolle der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemässen Handtuchspenders;
• Fig. 5 eine Seitenansicht von aussen auf die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemässen Handtuchspenders in einer Position der Aufnahme für die Frischtuchrolle bei teilweise verbrauchtem Spendermaterial;
• Fig. 6 einen Längsschnitt durch die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemässen Handtuchspenders in einer Position der Aufnahme für die Frischtuchrolle bei teilweise verbrauchtem Spendermaterial;
• Fig. 7 eine Seitenansicht von aussen auf die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemässen Handtuchspenders in einer Position der Aufnahme für die Frischtuchrolle bei vollständig verbrauchtem Spendermaterial; und
• Fig. 8 einen Längsschnitt durch die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemässen Handtuchspenders in einer Position der Aufnahme für die Frischtuchrolle bei vollständig verbrauchtem Spendermaterial.

They show:

• Fig. 1 a longitudinal section through an embodiment of the towel dispenser according to the invention without a hood;
• Fig. 2 a side view from the outside of the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the towel dispenser according to the invention;
• Fig. 3 a longitudinal section through the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the towel dispenser according to the invention;
• Fig. 4 a perspective view of the holder for the fresh tissue roll of the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the towel dispenser according to the invention;
• Fig. 5 a side view from the outside of the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the towel dispenser according to the invention in a position for receiving the fresh towel roll with partially used dispenser material;
• Fig. 6 a longitudinal section through the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the towel dispenser according to the invention in a position for receiving the fresh towel roll with partially used dispenser material;
• Fig. 7 a side view from the outside of the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the towel dispenser according to the invention in a position of the holder for the fresh towel roll when the dispenser material is completely used up; and
• Fig. 8 a longitudinal section through the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the towel dispenser according to the invention in a position for receiving the fresh towel roll when the dispenser material is completely used up.

The Fig. 1 - 8 The embodiment of the towel dispenser 1 according to the invention shown essentially comprises a support frame 2 which can be fastened to a building wall 19, a receiving device 5 with a tray 7 for inserting a fresh towel roll 8, a dirty towel roller 10 to which one end of the fresh towel can be fastened so that used fresh towel can be wound up into a dirty towel roll 11 when it is pulled in on the dirty towel roller 10, a drive roller 13 mounted on the receiving device 5, a drive device 27 for rotating the drive roller 13, wherein the drive roller 13 can be pressed against the dirty towel roll 11 so that the dirty towel roll 11 can be driven in rotation to wind up and pull in the used fresh towel. The receiving device 5 is fastened to the support frame 2 so that it can move in the vertical direction. If the dirty cloth roll 11 wound on the dirty cloth roller 10 increases in diameter when the used fresh cloth is drawn in, the receiving device 5 is raised in a vertical direction via the drive roller 13 resting on the dirty cloth roll 11. Furthermore, the towel dispenser 1 comprises means 18 arranged on the support frame 2 for lifting the dirty cloth roll 11 when the used fresh cloth is drawn in, so that when the used fresh cloth is drawn in, the dirty cloth roller 10, the drive roller 13 and the receiving device 5 for the fresh cloth roll 8 are raised in a vertical direction.

The support frame 2 comprises a rear side 3 and two side walls 4 and can be fastened with its rear side 3 to a building wall 19 so that the side walls 4 protrude vertically from the building wall 19 and the front side 23 of the side walls 4 are away from the building wall 19. The support frame 2 has a top side 14 and a bottom side 15. Furthermore, a hood (not shown) can be attached to the support frame 2, which extends in the vertical direction from the top side 14 to the bottom side 15 of the support frame 2.

The receiving device 5 is designed as a rocker 22 ( Fig. 4 ), wherein the fresh towel roll 8 is placed in the bowl 7 and the free end of the fresh towel is attached to the drive roller 13. The rocker 22 is attached to the side wall 4 in the area of the front side 23 so that it can pivot about a first axis of rotation 6, so that the rocker 22 with the bowl 7 for the fresh towel roll 8 is attached to the support frame 2 so that it can pivot in the vertical direction, so that - when a fresh towel is unwound from the fresh towel roll 8 when the towel dispenser 1 is used - the rocker 22 is pivoted against the top side 14 of the support frame 2.

A towel guide 24 is arranged below the rocker 22, which is also pivotably attached to the support frame 2. The towel guide 24 protrudes from under the side wall 4 and the hood (not shown) and comprises an area arranged under the side wall 4 and the hood, within which a user can grasp and pull out the fresh towel.

Furthermore, a first guide roller 25 is arranged on the rocker 22 in the region of the first axis of rotation 6, by means of which the fresh towel unwound from the fresh towel roll 8 is transported to the towel guide 24 when the towel dispenser 1 is used, i.e. when the user pulls out fresh towels.

A second guide roller 26 is arranged on the towel guide 24 in the area of the rear side 3 of the support frame 2, by means of which the used fresh cloth is guided to the dirty cloth roller 10.

Also in the vertical direction below the receiving device 5 for the fresh cloth roll 8, the dirty cloth roller 10 is attached to the support frame 2 so that it can rotate about a second axis of rotation 9. The free end of the fresh cloth is attached to the dirty cloth roller 10 so that used fresh cloth is drawn into the dirty cloth roller 10 to form a Dirty cloth roll 11 can be wound up. The dirty cloth roll 10 is mounted so as to be rotatable about the second axis of rotation 9 on a pivot lever 16, which is attached to the support frame 2 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 17 in the vertical direction. The drive roller 13 is mounted so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction below the tray 7 for the fresh cloth roll 8 on the rocker 22 and is driven by a drive device 27 ( Fig. 4 ) powered.

The means 18 for lifting the dirty cloth roller 10 comprise, by way of example and not by way of limitation, a gear 28 ( Fig. 2 ). The pivoting movements of the rocker 22 and the pivot lever 16 are rotationally coupled to one another by this gear 28. The means 18 for lifting the dirty cloth roller 10 also comprise a bracket 29 which is attached to the support frame 2 so as to pivot in the vertical direction about the first axis of rotation 6 and is movably connected to the dirty cloth roller 10 via an arcuate guide slot 33.

• an der Wippe 22 die um eine dritte Drehachse 12 rotierbare Antriebswalze 13 angebracht ist; so dass
• wenn die Schmutztuchrolle 11 grösser wird, die Wippe 22 via die Antriebswalze 13 nach oben gedrückt wird; wobei
• die Wippe 22 via das erste Zahnradsegment 31 das Zahnrad 30 dreht, welches wiederum über das zweite Zahnradsegment 32 den Bügel 29 mit nach oben antreibt; so dass
• der Bügel 29 durch seine Drehung via den Führungsschlitz 33 und die Schmutztuchwalze 10 den Schwenkhebel 16 nach oben schwenkt und damit - beim Aufrollen von gebrauchtem Frischtuch auf der Schmutztuchwalze 10 die Unterkante der Schmutztuchrolle 11 relativ zum Traggestell 2 eine eingestellte Höhe aufweist.

The gear 28 comprises a gear 30 which is rotatably attached to the bracket 29 and which engages in a first gear segment 31 ( Fig. 2 and 4 ) and engages a second gear segment 32 attached to the side walls 4 of the support frame 2, whereby:

• the drive roller 13 rotatable about a third axis of rotation 12 is attached to the rocker 22; so that
• when the dirty cloth roll 11 becomes larger, the rocker 22 is pushed upwards via the drive roller 13;
• the rocker 22 rotates the gear 30 via the first gear segment 31, which in turn drives the bracket 29 upwards via the second gear segment 32; so that
• the bracket 29 pivots the pivot lever 16 upwards via the guide slot 33 and the dirty cloth roller 10 as a result of its rotation and thus - when rolling up used fresh cloth onto the dirty cloth roller 10 - the lower edge of the dirty cloth roll 11 has a set height relative to the support frame 2.

Alternatively - instead of the gear - the vertical movement of the dirty cloth roll 11 together with the drive roller 13 and the receiving device 5 for the fresh cloth roll 8 can be achieved by a support (not shown) for the dirty cloth roll 11 (e.g. one or two rollers) arranged on the underside of the dirty cloth roll 11 and fixed to the support frame 2.

With reference to Fig. 4 It should be added that the Fig. 2 , 5 and 7 shown side views in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 4 form, while those in the Fig. 1 , 3 , 6 and 8 shown longitudinal sections in the direction of arrow B in Fig. 4 are depicted.

• Fig. 3: Die Frischtuchrolle 8 ist in die Schale 7 der Wippe 22 eingelegt und das freie Stofftuchende ist an der Schmutztuchwalze 10 befestigt. Die Wippe 22 ist ganz unten.
• Fig. 6: Der Durchmesser der Schmutztuchrolle 11 wird durch die Benutzung des Handtuchspenders 1 laufend grösser und schiebt die Wippe 22 nach oben. Durch die Mittel 18 zum Anheben wird auch Schmutztuchrolle 11 (mit der Schmutztuchwalze 10) nach oben gefördert. Dadurch ist die Unterkante der Schmutztuchrolle 11 auf einer konstanten Höhe an der Unterseite Handtuchspenders 1.
• Fig. 8: Das Frischtuch ist aufgebraucht und die Schmutztuchrolle 11 hat die Wippe 22 ganz nach oben geschoben.

In the Fig. 2, 3 and 5 - 8 the towel dispenser 1 is shown without towel guide 24, the function of the means 18 for lifting in a first state with a full fresh towel roll 8 ( Fig. 2 and 3 ), a second state with partially unwound fresh cloth roll 8 ( Fig. 5 and 6 ) and in a third state with completely used fresh cloth ( Fig. 7 and 8 ) is shown.

• Fig. 3 : The fresh cloth roll 8 is inserted into the bowl 7 of the rocker 22 and the free cloth end is attached to the dirty cloth roller 10. The rocker 22 is at the bottom.
• Fig. 6 : The diameter of the dirty cloth roll 11 increases continuously through the use of the towel dispenser 1 and pushes the rocker 22 upwards. The dirty cloth roll 11 (with the dirty cloth roller 10) is also moved upwards by the means 18 for lifting. As a result, the lower edge of the dirty cloth roll 11 is at a constant height on the underside of the towel dispenser 1.
• Fig. 8 : The fresh cloth is used up and the dirty cloth roll 11 has pushed the rocker 22 all the way up.

By way of example and not by way of limitation, the drive device 27 for the drive roller 13 comprises a spring-loaded drive ( Fig. 4 ), whereby the spring-loaded drive can be pre-tensioned by means of the first guide roller 25 when unwinding fresh towel from the fresh towel roll 8. The drive device 27 is arranged, for example, on the receiving device 5 for the fresh towel roll 8. Furthermore, the towel dispenser 1 comprises a time delay device (not shown), which is activated when unwinding fresh towel from the fresh towel roll 8 and after a specified period of time, the drive device 27 is activated to drive the drive roller 13.

Although there are various embodiments of the present invention as described above, it is to be understood that the various features can be used both individually and in any combination as long as the combinations fall within the scope of the claims.

This invention is therefore not simply limited to the particularly preferred embodiments mentioned above, but is defined by the scope of the claims.

Claims (10)

1. Towel dispenser (1) comprising:

   a support frame (2) with a rear side (3), which can be fastened to a building wall (19);

   a receiving device (5) with a tray (7) for inserting a fresh towel roll (8), wherein the receiving device (5) is attached to the support frame (2) so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and wherein fresh towel can be unwound from the fresh towel roll (8) when the towel dispenser (1) is in use;

   a dirty cloth roller (10), which is arranged rotatably in the vertical direction below the receiving device (5) for the fresh cloth roll (8) on the support frame (2) and to which one end of the fresh cloth can be fastened, so that used fresh cloth can be wound up on the dirty cloth roller (10) to form a dirty cloth roll (11) when it is drawn in;

   a drive roller (13), wherein the drive roller (13) is rotatably mounted in the vertical direction below the tray (7) for the fresh cloth roll (8) on the receiving device (5) for the fresh cloth roll (8) and can be pressed against the dirty cloth roll (11), so that the dirty cloth roll (11) can be driven in rotation for winding up and drawing in the used fresh cloth; and

   a drive device (27) for rotatively driving the drive roller (13), wherein

   when used fresh cloth is drawn in by the dirty cloth roll (11), which increases in diameter, the receiving device (5) can be lifted in the vertical direction via the drive roller (13) which can be pressed onto the dirty cloth roll (11),

   characterized in that

   the towel dispenser (1) comprises means (18) arranged on the support frame (2) for lifting the dirty cloth roller (10) when used fresh cloth is drawn in, so that the dirty cloth roller (10), the drive roller (13) and the receiving device (5) for the fresh cloth roll (8) are lifted simultaneously in the vertical direction when used fresh cloth is drawn in.
2. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving device (5) is designed as a rocker (22) which is fastened to the support frame (2) so as to be pivotable about a horizontal first axis of rotation (6), and the dirty cloth roller (10) is mounted on a pivot lever (16) so as to be rotatable about a second axis of rotation (9), which pivot lever is fastened to the support frame (2) so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis (17).
3. Towel dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the means (18) for lifting the dirty cloth roller (10) comprise a gear (28) by means of which the pivoting movements of the rocker (22) and of the pivoting lever (16) are coupled to one another in a rotary manner.
4. Towel dispenser according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the means (18) for lifting comprise a bracket (29) which is attached to the support frame (2) so as to be rotatable about the first axis of rotation (6) and is movably connected to the dirty cloth roller (10).
5. Towel dispenser according to claim 4, characterized in that a gear wheel (30) is rotatably fastened to the bracket (29), which engages in a first gear wheel segment (31) fastened to the rocker (22) and in a second gear wheel segment (32) fastened to the support frame (2).
6. Towel dispenser according to claim 2, characterized in that the means (18) for lifting the dirty cloth roller (10) comprise the pivot lever (16), which is fastened to the support frame (2) so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis (17) in the vertical direction, and a support which is fixed relative to the support frame (2), the roll of dirty cloth (11) rolled up on the dirty cloth roller (10) resting on this support.
7. Towel dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the drive device (27) comprises a spring-loaded drive.
8. Towel dispenser according to claim 7, characterized in that a first guide roller (25) for guiding the fresh towel is attached to the receiving device (5) and the spring accumulator drive can be pretensioned by means of the first guide roller (25) when fresh towel is unwound from the fresh towel roll (8).
9. Towel dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the drive device (27) is arranged on the receiving device (5) for the fresh towel roll (8).
10. Towel dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the towel dispenser (1) comprises a time-delay device which is activated when fresh towel is unwound and activates the drive device (27) for driving the drive roller (13) after a fixed period of time has elapsed.

Images