EP4177193A1 - Film dispenser with a system for supporting a film roll in a dispenser housing which can be securely rotated - Google Patents

Abstract

The film dispenser comprises a system with two bearing bodies (3) and two pins (2) for the secure, rotatable mounting of a film roll (7) in a dispenser housing (1). Each bearing body (3) comprises a recess (5) which is open at the top and is delimited by an inner edge of the bearing body (3), which defines a bearing area (17) for one of the pins (2) at the bottom. Adjacent to the bearing area (17), the bearing body (3) includes a lateral bulge (19) as a catching space for the pin (2). The bulge (19) and at least part of the bearing area (17) are covered at the top by a section of the inner edge which limits the freedom of movement of the pin (2).

Description

The subject matter of the invention is a film dispenser with a system for the secure, rotatable mounting of a film roll or a sheetlike structure wound onto a core in a dispenser housing.

Cling film, aluminum foil, and parchment paper are examples of sheets that are commonly wound onto a core, which core typically includes a core sleeve. Such rolls of film are stored in dispenser housings, which generally include a removal opening for pulling out an end section of the wound film and means for separating such end sections from the film supply wound onto the core.

In this document, the terms "foil" and "foil roll" are used synonymously for any fabric or roll of fabric, unless otherwise noted.

Foil rolls for household purposes are widely stored in folding boxes which include, for example, a jagged tear-off edge as a separating means. The folding boxes serve as a storage container and as a dispenser housing at the same time. The folding boxes are one-way containers be disposed of as soon as the foil stock is completely used up.

Foil rolls for commercial purposes, for example for use in canteen kitchens, are comparatively large. They comprise foil strips wound onto a core, the length of which can be, for example, of the order of about 100 m to about 600 m, and the width of which is typically in the range of about 30 cm to 60 cm and is in particular 45 cm or 30 cm. Such film rolls are preferably stored at the place of use in stable, refillable dispenser housings.

From the EP3453659A1 a foil dispenser is known which comprises a housing made of metal and is designed to accommodate two rolls of foil in a space-saving manner. The foil rolls each comprise a core sleeve and a foil strip wound onto it. In each roll of film, the core sleeve protrudes axially on both sides of the coiled film strip. The end sections of the core sleeve are rotatably mounted on roller holders in the housing. The roller holders are bearing plates which protrude upwards on the housing floor and have recesses which are open towards the upper end face and are designed to receive one end section of the respective core sleeve. Edge areas of the bearing plates, which delimit the recesses on the side of a removal opening of the housing, act as retaining elements. When pulling out film sections the end portions of the respective core sleeve are pulled against the corresponding retaining elements. Together with the force of gravity acting on the film roll, this has the effect that the ends of the core sleeve remain in the recesses of the bearing plates even when film sections are pulled out through the removal opening. It is implicitly assumed that the film roll is sufficiently heavy. In order to prevent the ends of the core sleeve of a smaller, lighter-weight film roll stored in the front area of the housing from jumping out of the recesses, especially in the case of an unfavorable pulling angle, it is suggested EP3453659A1 before forming a kink or a curvature in the corresponding retaining elements. Even in such embodiments, a sufficiently high tensile force on the end section of the film strip can cause film rolls with relatively low weight in particular to be lifted against the acting force of gravity and/or rolled upwards along retaining elements and jump out of the recesses. To prevent this, beats EP3453659A1 as an alternative measure, load the respective roll of film with the weight of a hold-down device pivotably mounted in the housing.

An object of the present invention is to provide a film dispenser with a system for securely rotatably supporting a roll of film in a dispenser housing create, wherein the film roll comprises a wound onto a core film strip.

This problem is solved by a film dispenser according to the features of patent claim 1.

The system comprises two roll holders, which are arranged at a distance from one another within a dispenser housing and are connected to the dispenser housing, as well as two bearing journals, henceforth referred to as journals for short.

The pins are preferably elements that can be fastened to the end sections of a core of the film roll and, in the fastened state, comprise a bearing section that protrudes beyond the respective end of the core.

In alternative embodiments, the end sections of the core can protrude sufficiently beyond the edge of the coiled film strip so that they can be used as bearing journals.

In particular, the core may be a cylindrical sleeve made of, for example, cardboard. At least a portion of each of the spigots projects axially beyond the adjacent edge of the foil strip wound on the core sleeve when the spigots are located at the ends of the sleeve.

Each roll holder comprises a bearing body with a recess, an open insertion area for inserting a pin or a portion of this pin at the top and a bearing area for supporting and at the bottom includes rotatable bearings of the pin. The recess is delimited by an inner edge of the bearing body. The storage area is essentially defined by the lowest level of the inner edge.

Between the insertion area and the storage area, a section of this inner edge is designed as an insertion ramp with a gradient in the direction of the storage area. When a roll of film is inserted into the dispenser housing, this causes the pins to be deflected laterally into the storage areas due to the force of gravity acting on the roll of film. Without the action of other forces, the film roll then rests in a resting position at the lowest level.

The recess includes a bulge laterally adjacent to the bearing area. This serves as a catching space into which the pin can dip when removing a film section from the film roll. The bulge and at least part of the storage area are covered at the top by a portion of the inner rim. This section of the inner edge is a stop or a retaining element, which prevents the pins from jumping out of the storage area in the direction of the insertion area when a film section is pulled off the film roll.

Preferably, the inner edge of each bearing body has a catching ramp with a slope adjacent to the insertion ramp. Together with the insertion ramp, a lowest level or the storage area for the respective pin and thus also the rest position of the film roll to be stored is defined.

The gradient of the insertion ramp and the gradient of the capture ramp can be constant or locally different. In particular, the inner edge of the recess can be concavely curved in sections or continuously in the insertion ramp, in the storage area and in the catching ramp. This makes it easier for the pegs to roll on the inner edge and reduces frictional forces between the peg and the bearing body when foil sections are pulled off.

When a section of film is pulled out of the dispenser housing, the pull-out force exerted tangentially on the roll of film causes a torque which causes the roll of film to roll. The pins supported by the bearing bodies roll on the lower inner edge section of the respective recess from the bearing area at least partially in the direction of the catching space. The stop or retaining element limits the freedom of movement of the pins upwards, ie against the direction of gravity. Even if a comparatively light roll of film should be lifted by a sufficiently large tensile force when pulling out a film section, this reliably ensures that the pins through the Retaining elements are retained in the area of the catch area including the storage area.

Furthermore, the slope of the inner edge of the catch ramp causes the film roll to be lifted slightly when a section of film is pulled off, thereby exerting a compressive force on the bearing body of the dispenser housing. The inner edge is preferably continuously curved in a concave manner in the area of the catch space. When a section of film is pulled off, this causes the respective pin to roll along this contour and be held securely in the catching space.

As soon as the pull-out force is no longer acting on the film roll, the film roll resumes its resting position.

The rotatable mounting of film rolls in a dispenser housing presupposes that the arrangement and the dimensions of the roll holders, in particular the recesses in the bearing bodies and those of the pins, are matched to one another.

If foil rolls are used in a foil dispenser in which the end sections of the core are used as bearing journals, the options for using different foil rolls are very limited. Pins are therefore preferably not an integral part of core sleeves, but rather separate adapter elements that can be connected to one or more different core sleeves. They include a connecting section, which can be connected to this core sleeve in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting manner, for example by being inserted into the open end of a core sleeve, and a bearing section which protrudes axially on the core sleeve in the connected state.

With such arrangements, it is not necessary, but nevertheless possible, for the core sleeves of film rolls to protrude axially beyond the wound film strip, for example approximately 5 mm on each side of the film strip. The length of a core sleeve can, for example, be approximately the same as the width of the foil strip. Such film rolls can be produced efficiently and easily stored and transported with little space requirement.

For example, spigots can be attached to the ends of the respective core sleeve during production of the film rolls or at a later point in time. In particular, they can be sold separately as accessories or together with foil rolls or foil dispensers.

For use in one or more different dispenser housings, such film rolls can be supplemented with differently designed pins and thereby adapted to differently designed roll holders arranged in these dispenser housings.

Connecting portions of spigots can be used with one or more different types of film rolls. For film rolls with different inside and/or outside diameters of the core sleeve, for example, different pins with correspondingly adapted dimensions in the area of the connecting section can be used. Preferably, such pins are formed in one piece.

Alternatively, pegs in the connecting section can include, for example, elements that can be expanded or exchangeable adapter rings with different outside diameters, which enable adaptation to core sleeves with different inside diameters.

Additionally or alternatively, the bearing sections of pins can also be designed to rotatably mount a film roll in dispenser housings with different roll holders. For example, in certain embodiments, the spigots may comprise bearing portions having a plurality of areas, each of which areas is suitable for rotatably supporting the roll of film in a dispenser housing having a particular type of roll holder. In particular, the outer diameter can be different in each of the areas of a bearing section of the pin.

In an advantageous embodiment of a foil dispenser, the roll holders comprise bearing bodies in the form of rigid plates, such as stainless steel plates, having a portion disposed vertically or orthogonally to a bottom of the dispenser housing. Such plates preferably have a material thickness in the range from about 1 mm to about 4 mm and can be produced inexpensively and with the required precision, for example by punching and/or laser cutting. The foot area of such plates is preferably bent over in an L-shape. Such plates can be easily and precisely connected to the bottom of the housing, particularly in dispenser housings made of steel, for example by screwing, riveting or welding. Each of the plates has a recess which is open towards the upper end face and is delimited by an inner edge of the plate. The area of the bearing section of a pin protruding from the film roll can be inserted from above into this recess. The recess has a clear width that is greater than the outside diameter of the area of the pin to be accommodated. Therefore, the pin can be moved down along the recess into the storage area and into the catching space. At the bottom, the inner edge of the recess is preferably concavely curved from the insertion ramp over the storage area to the catch ramp.

In alternative embodiments, the bearing plates or, in general, the roller holders can comprise more than one such recess. This enables the secured rotatable storage of more than one roll of film in a common dispenser housing.

In particularly preferred embodiments of the foil dispenser, the outside diameter of the pins is smaller than in the area of the connecting section, at least in that part of the bearing section that is guided and displaceable in the recess of the bearing body.

The dimensions of the bearing body and the recess on this bearing body can therefore be comparatively small. The space required for the rotatable storage of foil rolls with such journals is significantly smaller than in the case of foil rolls in which protruding sections of the core sleeve are used as bearing journals. Corresponding dispenser housings can be constructed in a comparatively compact manner.

Figur 1

einen Querschnitt eines mit zwei Folienrollen bestückten Folienspenders gemäss Stand der Technik,

Figur 2

einen aufgeschnittenen Folienspender mit sichtbaren Rollenhaltern,

Figur 3

den Folienspender aus Figur 2 mit einer in den Rollenhaltern gelagerten Folienrolle,

Figur 4

einen Querschnitt der Anordnung aus Figur 3,

Figur 5

eine alternative Ausführungsform eines Lagerzapfens bei einer Folienrolle,

Figur 6

einen aufgeschnittenen Folienspender mit einer Folienrolle, deren Kernhülse mit einem Lagerzapfen gemäss Figur 3 ergänzt ist,

Figur 7

einen Längsschnitt der Anordnung aus Figur 6 im Bereich eines der Rollenhalter,

Figur 8

eine Anordnung mit einem in einem alternativen Rollenhalter gelagerten Folienrolle.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to some figures. show it

figure 1

a cross section of a film dispenser equipped with two film rolls according to the prior art,

figure 2

a cut film dispenser with visible roll holders,

figure 3

the foil dispenser figure 2 with a film roll stored in the roll holders,

figure 4

a cross-section of the assembly figure 3 ,

figure 5

an alternative embodiment of a bearing journal in a film roll,

figure 6

according to a cut-open film dispenser with a film roll, the core sleeve with a bearing pin figure 3 is added,

figure 7

a longitudinal section of the arrangement figure 6 in the area of one of the reel holders,

figure 8

an arrangement with a film roll stored in an alternative roll holder.

figure 1 shows a cross section of a known film dispenser, which comprises a dispenser housing 1 with two axially spaced roll holders, the roll holders each comprising a bearing body 3 with recesses 5 in which two film rolls 7 are rotatably mounted parallel to one another. The dispenser housing 1 includes a hinged cover 9, which can be opened to insert or remove rolls 7 of film. In order to pull out foil sections, the dispenser housing 1 comprises a removal opening 11 for each of the foil rolls 7 , which are arranged opposite the pivot axis 9a of the hinged lid 9 .

The recesses 5 or the delimiting legs of the plate-shaped bearing body 3 are essentially U-shaped. In the pull-out direction A for foil sections In the front recess 5, the adjacent legs of the bearing body 3 are inclined backwards with respect to the vertical direction, and the base of the recess 5 comprises two substantially straight sections arranged in a V-shape. Both film rolls 7 comprise a core sleeve 13 which protrudes axially on both sides beyond the film strip wound thereon. These axially projecting areas of the core sleeves 13 are rotatably mounted in the recesses 5 of the bearing body 3 .

figure 2 shows a perspective view of an open dispenser housing 1 with roll holders designed according to the invention. The front face is not shown for a better view of the dispenser housing 1 . The roll holders are arranged axially spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the dispenser housing 1 near the two end faces of the dispenser housing 1 . They include bearing bodies 3 in the form of L-shaped curved plates, the shanks of which face each other and are connected to the bottom of the housing. In alternative embodiments, the shanks could also be attached to the bottom of the housing with the opposite orientation. In further alternative embodiments, bearing bodies 3 could be connected, for example, to the rear wall of the dispenser housing (not shown). The bearing bodies 3 each comprise a recess 5 with an insertion area 15 which is open towards the upper end face and one on the deepest Storage area 17 arranged at the level of recess 5 and a lateral bulge 19 adjoining it. figure 3 shows the arrangement figure 2 with a film roll 7 mounted in the dispenser housing 1. A pin 2 is arranged at each of the two ends of the core sleeve 13 and is connected to this core sleeve 13 in a rotationally fixed manner. The pin 2 comprises an axially protruding cylindrical section whose outside diameter D1 ( 4 ) is smaller than the clear dimension of the recess 5. The outer diameter D1 can be, for example, of the order of about 10mm to about 25mm and can be, for example, about 20mm, and the length of the axially protruding section is preferably of the order of about 5mm to about 12mm and can be about 9mm, for example. After this section has been inserted through the insertion area 15, the pin 2 is deflected towards the bearing area 17 by an insertion ramp 21 and then rests as in FIG figure 3 shown at the lowest level of the recess 5. The insertion ramp 21 is an inner edge section of the recess 5 which is arranged between the insertion area 15 and the storage area 17 and which has a gradient or an incline towards the storage area 17.

figure 4 shows an end view of the arrangement figure 3 , In addition, a deducted from the film roll 7 end portion of the film strip 7a is shown on a support rod 23 and on the Guide rail 25 of a cutting device on the front upper edge of the dispenser housing 1 rests.

The angle of inclination α of the insertion ramp 21 relative to the horizontal direction is preferably in the range from about 5° to about 45°. Even if the film dispenser rests on a work surface that is not exactly horizontal, this ensures that a film roll 7 assumes a rest position in which each pin 2 is arranged in the bearing area 17 of the respective bearing body 3 .

The section of the inner edge of the recess 5 adjoining the bearing area 17 at the bulge 19 can be designed analogously to the insertion ramp 21 as a catch ramp and have an angle of inclination β relative to the horizontal direction, which is between 0° and about 45°, for example.

The sections of the inner edge in the insertion area 15 are preferably inclined by an angle γ relative to the vertical direction, which can be, for example, on the order of magnitude of 0° to about 30°. Bearing bodies 3 with such inclined insertion areas 15 can be manufactured with comparatively small widths L1. In addition, the insertion areas 15, which are open at the top, are more accessible when the hinged cover 9 is open, which makes it easier to insert and remove film rolls 7. Nevertheless, it is ensured that an upper section of the inner edge in the area of the bulge 19 lies in the bearing area 17 Pin section sufficiently covered, so that this inner edge portion can be used as a retaining element or stop for the pin 2. Preferably, this stop projects beyond at least half of a pin section mounted in the bearing area 17 . He can as in figure 4 shown include a slightly downward curved nose 27 in the end. If the pin 2 is unrolled along the entire inner edge at the bulge 19 as a result of very large pull-out forces at the end section of the film strip 7a, the film roll 7 finally receives an impulse downwards. This makes it even more difficult for the pins 2 to unintentionally jump out of the recesses 5 of the bearing body 3 .

figure 5 shows an axial end of a film roll 7 and another pin 2 as an exploded view. In contrast to in the Figures 3 and 4 illustrated pin 2 includes the pin 2 in figure 5 axially adjacent to the area with the small outside diameter D1 another cylindrical area with a larger outside diameter D2. These two areas together form a bearing portion of the spigot 2 which protrudes from the film roll 7 when the spigot 2 is attached to the core sleeve 13 thereof. For this purpose, the pin 2 comprises a connecting section which can be inserted into the open end area of the core sleeve 13 and whose outer diameter approximately corresponds to the inner diameter of the core sleeve 13 corresponds. It can be, for example, in the range from about 38 mm to about 42 mm and in particular can be about 40 mm. The connecting section can include structures such as protruding ribs 29 for force-fitting connection with the core sleeve 13 . The ribs 29 can be arranged axially and/or radially, as a result of which particularly non-rotatable and/or pull-out-proof connections can be achieved. The connecting section can optionally be slightly conical. This facilitates the insertion and pressing into the respective core sleeve 13 .

The length of the connecting section in the axial direction can be, for example, in the range from about 12 mm to about 20 mm, preferably between 14 mm and 15 mm. In further embodiments, the connecting sections can also be longer. Between the connecting section and the bearing section, the spigot 2 preferably comprises a stop flange 31, the outside diameter of which is larger than the inside diameter of the core sleeve 13 and preferably smaller than the outside diameter D3 of the core sleeve 13. The thickness of the stop flange 31 can range, for example, from about 1 mm to about 3mm lie. When the connecting section is pressed in, the stop flange 31 defines the end position of the pin 2 when it hits the core sleeve 13.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the larger outer diameter D2 corresponds to Storage section the outer diameter D3 of the core sleeve 13. This also enables the rotatable storage of a roll of film 7 equipped with such pins 2 in dispenser housings 1, which are designed with conventional roll holders for rotatably storing axially protruding sections of the core sleeve 13.

figure 6 shows analogous to figure 3 an arrangement with a roll of film 7 mounted in the dispenser housing 1. In contrast, the pins 2 correspond to the embodiment according to FIG figure 5 . In each bearing body 3, the area of the journal 2 with the larger outside diameter D2 is arranged axially on the outside of the bearing body 3. As a result, the film roll 7 is additionally secured against axial displacement.

The axially outer areas of the pins 2 with the larger outside diameters D2 are tubular. They can therefore be used as gripping openings for easy insertion and removal of film rolls 7 in the dispenser housing 1 .

figure 7 shows a longitudinal section of a foil dispenser and a foil roll 7 stored therein according to FIG figure 6 in the area of one of the bearing bodies 3.

figure 8 shows a longitudinal section of a foil dispenser and a foil roll 7 stored therein according to FIG figure 3 in the area of one of the bearing bodies 3.

Claims (10)

Foil dispenser for the secure rotatable mounting of a foil roll (7) with a foil strip (7a) wound onto a core sleeve (13), comprising an elongate dispenser housing (1) and a system with two axially spaced-apart ones in this dispenser housing (1) and with the dispenser housing (1) connected roller holders and two pins (2) which can be attached to the axial ends of the core sleeve (13) or which comprise axial end sections of this core sleeve (13), the roller holders each comprising a bearing body (3) with a recess (5). This recess (5) is delimited by an inner edge of the bearing body (3) and is designed to receive a section of the respective pin (2), characterized in that the recess (5) has an open insertion area (15) at the top for inserting the pin section and at the lowest level a bearing area (17) for supporting and pivoting the pin (2), that a portion of the inner edge between the insertion area (15) and the bearing area (17) as an insertion ramp (21) with a slope towards the Storage area (17) is formed, and that the recess (5) adjacent to the storage area (17) has a lateral bulge (19) as Includes catch space for the pin (2). Foil dispenser according to Claim 1, characterized in that the inner edge of each bearing body (3) adjacent to the insertion ramp (21) comprises a catch ramp with an incline relative to the horizontal direction. Foil dispenser according to Claim 2, characterized in that the inner edge of the recess (5) is concavely curved in sections or continuously at the insertion ramp (21), in the storage area (17) and at the catch ramp. Foil dispenser according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bulge (19) and at least part of the storage area (17) are covered at the top by a section of the inner edge which, as a stop, limits the freedom of movement of the pins (2) in the recess ( 5) limited at the top. Foil dispenser according to Claim 4, characterized in that the stop comprises a downwardly curved nose (27) in the end region. Foil dispenser according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the inner edge sections of the bearing body delimiting the insertion area (15). (3) are inclined at an angle (γ) relative to the vertical direction, so that the access openings of the recess (5) are closer to a removal opening (11) of the bearing housing (1). Foil dispenser according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each pin (2) has a connecting section which can be connected to the core sleeve (13) in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting manner and a bearing section for rotatable bearing in the recess (5) of one of the bearing bodies (3). comprises, and that the bearing section comprises a cylindrical region axially adjacent to the connecting section, the outer diameter (D1) of which is smaller than the outer diameter (D3) of the core sleeve (13). Foil dispenser according to Claim 7, characterized in that the connecting section is cylindrical, the outside diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of the core sleeve (13), and that the connecting section comprises protruding ribs (29) for non-positive connection with the core sleeve (13). Foil dispenser according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the storage portion axially adjacent to the cylindrical portion with the small outer diameter (D1) comprises a further cylindrical area with an outer diameter (D2) which is larger than the outer diameter (D1). Foil dispenser according to one of Claims 7 to 9, characterized in that a stop flange (31) is formed between the connecting section and the bearing section of the pin (2), the outside diameter of which is larger than the inside diameter of the core sleeve (13), but smaller than the outside diameter (D3) of the core sleeve (13).

Images