WO2011010927A1

WO2011010927A1 - Paper roll dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2011010927A1
Application number: PCT/NL2010/050480
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mary Dekker; John Richard Verkaik
Original assignee: Mary Dekker Beheer B.V.
Priority date: 2009-07-24
Filing date: 2010-07-23
Publication date: 2011-01-27
Also published as: NL2003280C2

Abstract

A build-in paper roll dispenser (1) is provided comprising a housing (2) arranged for building in a hollow structure, wherein the housing comprises a supply-and- discharge opening (5) for supplying and discharging a paper roll (6). Further, the paper roll dispenser comprises an inner casing (3) adjustable arranged in the supply-and-discharge opening of the housing, for accommodating to installation gaps between the housing and the structure after building in of the housing in the hollow structure and/or different wall thicknesses of the structure.

Description

Title: Paper roll dispenser

The invention relates to a paper roll dispenser. In particular, the invention relates to a build-in paper roll dispenser.

Paper roll dispensers such as toilet paper roll dispensers are commonly known and are frequently used in toilet rooms for storing spare toilet paper rolls. A paper roll dispenser may also be used in the kitchen for storing one or more kitchen rolls.

A toilet paper roll dispenser can be a stand-alone dispenser that can be placed in the toilet room as a single object. Also build-in toilet paper roll dispensers are known. Build-in toilet paper roll dispensers can be built-in in a hollow structure of for example a wall of the toilet room. A drawback of the known stand-alone and/or build-in toilet paper roll dispensers may be that only a limited number of toilet paper rolls can be stored and/or that a complex supplying and/or discharging mechanism may be present for storing the toilet paper rolls. Also, due to a complex supply and/or discharge mechanism, the dispenser may be difficult to install. In particular, the build-in toilet paper roll dispenser may be complex, difficult to install and/or expensive.

An object of the invention is to provide for a paper roll dispenser that obviates at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks.

Thereto, the invention provides for a build-in paper roll dispenser comprising a housing arranged for building in in a hollow structure, wherein the housing comprises a supply- and- discharge opening for supplying and discharging a paper roll, and an inner casing adjustably arranged in the supply-and- discharge opening of the housing, .

By providing a housing that is arranged for building in in a hollow structure, for example of a spare wall of a toilet room, and comprising a supply-and- discharge opening, the paper roll dispenser can be relatively easily built-in in the hollow structure whilst being accessible from the outside for supplying and discharging paper rolls via the supply-and-discharge opening.

By providing the housing with coupling means for coupling with a paper roll reservoir, different types of reservoirs may be coupled to the housing. The reservoir may be large for storing a large amount of paper rolls or may be small for storing less paper rolls. Also, the reservoir may have a shape that may be adapted to the hollow structure between for example a 'double' wall that can be placed in front of a 'real' wall. The reservoir may for example be rectangular or tubular or broad or small, depending on the structure available between the double wall and the real wall.

The coupling means may comprise a single opening in which a paper reservoir may be fitted for passing paper rolls through the opening to the paper reservoir, or may for example comprise an opening with a coupling sleeve, or an opening with other cooperating elements. By providing a coupling sleeve for coupling a paper roll reservoir to the housing, the reservoir can be relatively easily coupled to the housing. For example, the coupling sleeve may enclose an opening in the housing and the reservoir may be loosely or tightly fitted over the coupling sleeve, and thus a relatively easy connection of the reservoir with the housing may be obtained. Paper rolls that are supplied via the supply-and-discharge opening in the housing may be further supplied to the reservoir via the opening. The coupling sleeve may be flexible as to allow positioning of the reservoir with respect to the housing. The coupling sleeve may be provided as a separate part for compact transportation. The coupling sleeve may be transported inside the housing with the inner casing, and upon installation the coupling sleeve may be connected to or fitted in the opening of the coupling means of the housing. Also, the coupling sleeve may provide for a screw connection with the reservoir. Also, other coupling means may be provided, such as for example a pin/hole connection or a click-fit connection or a screw or glue-connection. By providing a single supply-and-discharge opening via which the paper rolls may be supplied to the housing and to the reservoir, and via which the paper rolls may also be dispensed from the reservoir and the housing, only a single opening may have to be made in the hollow structure for installing en accessing the dispenser, thereby making installation relatively easy. Also complex supply and/or discharge mechanisms may be dispensed with, thereby rendering the paper roll dispenser relatively simple. Alternatively and/or additionally, a supply opening may be provided at an other end of the reservoir.

By providing an inner casing that is adjustable in the housing, the inner casing can be easily moved with respect to the housing and installation gaps that may occur after building in of the housing in the hollow structure may be overcome and/or different wall thicknesses of a wall of the hollow structure may be accommodated. Also, transport and/or installation may become relatively simple, because the inner casing may for example be moved approximately entirely in the housing. Preferably, the inner casing is linearly movable in the housing. By linearly adjusting the inner casing with respect to the housing, the position of the inner casing can be easily adapted to a gap - if any - between the outer side, e.g. an outer wall, of the hollow structure that may have occurred during installation of the housing in the hollow structure. Preferably, the inner casing extends over approximately the length of the housing. The inner casing can thus be relatively stable varied and/or positioned in the housing.

The paper roll dispenser may be adapted for dispensing toilet paper rolls or may be adapted for dispensing kitchen paper rolls or other rolls, such as kitchen foil rolls, or drawing rolls.

By providing the inner casing with an outwardly extending flange at an outer end, wherein the flange is arranged for abutting against an outer side of the hollow structure after building in the housing in the hollow structure, a relatively easy and smooth adjustment of the inner casing in the housing after installation can be obtained. After installation, the inner casing only has to be adjusted until the flange abuts the outer side of the hollow structure. Further, by providing a flange that approximately entirely encompasses the outer casing, a relatively easy finishing of the opening in the outer side, e.g. an outer wall of the hollow structure can be obtained. Also, for example tolerances of the opening in the hollow structure with respect to the supply- and- discharge opening, because the opening a wall of the hollow structure may for

installation purposes somewhat wider than the supply-and-discharge opening, can be accommodated by the flange. The edges of the opening in the wall of the hollow structure may be unfinished and the flange may cover the unfinished edges of the opening in the wall of the hollow structure.

For example, when the housing is already built-in in the hollow structure, e.g. between a front wall and a real wall, the inner casing can be easily moved with respect to the housing to enclose the front wall between the flange and the housing. Thus, different thicknesses of different walls of hollow structures can be accommodated by the adjustable inner casing. The flange then provides for a relatively easy, relatively clean and nice finishing of the opening in the front wall corresponding to the supply-and-discharge opening of the housing.

The inner casing may be removable connected to the housing or may be fixedly connected to the housing. Different connection means may be provided, for example a pin/groove connection wherein the pin slidably engages in the groove, or a pin/ratchet connection, wherein the pin ratchedly engages in the groove. For example, the inner casing may be fitted in the supply-and- discharge opening of the housing after installation of the housing in the hollow structure. Through the opening in the wall of the hollow structure, the inner casing may be fitted into the housing. Alternatively, the inner casing may be fixedly connected to the housing and the inner casing together with the housing may be installed in the hollow structure by fitting the housing with the inner casing through the opening of the wall into the hollow structure. An end part of the inner casing, e.g. provided with an outwardly extending flange, may remain at the outside of the hollow structure. After installation, the inner casing may be adjusted with respect to the housing until e.g. the flange abuts against the wall of the hollow structure.

The housing and/or the inner casing may be made of plastics or metal or any other material e.g. Corian®. The flange may have different embodiments, e.g. straight or curled or concave or may be made from different materials, e.g. plastics and/or metal. The flange may be in fact the only element of the build-in paper roll dispenser that may be present at the outer side of the hollow structure. The housing and the reservoir may be placed behind a wall, e.g. a double wall of a hollow structure.

The housing may be arranged for building in in a hollow structure. For example the housing may be provided with mounting brackets or mounting lips or clamps for mounting at a 'real' wall, or the double wall, or for mounting at a water reservoir of a built-in closet. Also, the housing may for example be provided with mounting 'feet' for mounting the housing on the floor. The mounting feet may be adjustable.

In use, the housing can be built-in behind a double wall of e.g. a toilet room or a kitchen and the flange of the inner casing covers the edge of the supply- and- discharge opening. Paper rolls may be supplied manually through the supply- and- discharge opening and may then be passed through the coupling means to the paper reservoir. Alternatively and/or additionally, paper rolls may be supplied through an independent supply opening at an opposite end of the paper roll reservoir. When the paper reservoir may be a standing reservoir, the paper rolls may be pushed one by one upwards in the paper reservoir. When discharging, a paper roll may be taken out of the supply-and- discharge opening and due to gravity, a next paper roll falls from the reservoir into the housing. The location of the paper roll reservoir can be above the housing, such that the paper roll reservoir extends substantially upwards, or can be below the paper roll reservoir, e.g. that the paper roll reservoir extends substantially downwards, or can be behind the paper roll reservoir, e.g. that the paper roll reservoir extends substantially backwards and/or upwards and/or downwards. When the paper roll reservoir extends substantially backwards and/or substantially downwards, paper discharge may be accommodated by a spring mechanism to push the rolls upwards or forwards. Also, the paper roll reservoir may be integrated with the housing.

The paper roll dispenser may be provided with relatively simple mechanical supply means as well. For example, the paper roll dispenser may be provided with a paper roll lift mechanism. The lift mechanism may be provided as an arm that may hold the stack of paper rolls in the reservoir and provides for a structure to put a new toilet paper roll in. Then, the arm may be pivoted towards the wall of the inner casing, may be lowered along the new paper roll and may be pivoted underneath the new paper roll to lift the whole stack of paper rolls to provide a new structure for placing a new paper roll.

By providing engaging means in the inner casing corresponding with the coupling means of the housing, a pathway may be provided through which a paper roll may be passed to the paper roll reservoir. In particular, the inner casing may be provided with an opening as engaging means that corresponds with the opening of the coupling means of the housing. For example, the inner casing may be provided with an elongated opening, to accommodate different positions of the inner casing in the housing while engaging of the opening of the inner casing with the opening of the housing to allow paper rolls to pass through.

By providing indication means, the filler status of the paper reservoir may be indicated and/or observed by a user. The indication means may indicate how many paper rolls still may be in the paper reservoir. For example, the indicator means may be a mechanical counter that counts the paper rolls supplied and discharged to/from the paper roll reservoir. Also, the indicator means may be provided as a rope connected to a platform in the reservoir lifted by the paper rolls. The longer the length of the rope that is visible, the lower the platform in the reservoir, thus indicating the presence of less paper rolls. Also, the indicator means may be coupled to a paper roll lift mechanism for counting the number of paper rolls in the paper roll reservoir.

By providing a substantially rectangular supply-and-discharge opening in the housing, common sizes of e.g. toilet paper rolls may be accommodated, but also the opening may fit relatively easy to e.g. tiles on the double wall of the toilet room. For example, the inner casing with its flanged outer end may have approximately the size of a tile to easily fit between the tiles on the double wall. Also, the internal dimensions of the supply-and- discharge opening, and in particular, of the outer opening of the inner casing, may correspond at least with the external dimensions of a cross-section of a paper roll to easily accommodate a paper roll in the opening and to prevent a paper roll from spontaneously falling out of the opening.

Further, the supply-and-discharge opening may be provided with a holding mechanism for holding a paper roll in use. For example, the supply- and-discharge opening may be provided with a pin that may extend in an inner tube of e.g. a toilet paper roll. The toilet paper roll placed over the pin may be available for use. When the in-use toilet paper roll is empty, it may be replaced with a new toilet paper roll dispensed from the supply-and-discharge opening and the new toilet paper roll may be placed over the pin for use.

The invention further relates to a toilet assembly comprising a build-in closet and a build-in paper roll dispenser.

The invention further relates to a kit of a housing comprising a supply-and-discharge opening for supplying and discharging paper rolls arranged for building in in a hollow structure and an inner casing arranged for being adjustable in the housing. In an advantageous embodiment, the kit comprises installation guidelines for relative easy installation by for example a do-it-yourselfer.

Further advantageous embodiments are represented in the subclaims. The invention will further be elucidated on the basis of an

exemplary embodiment which is represented in a drawing. The exemplary embodiment is given by way of non-limitative illustration of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a paper roll dispenser according to the invention.

It is noted that the figure is only a schematic representation of an embodiment of the invention that is given by way of a non-limiting example.

Fig. 1 shows a paper roll dispenser 1 comprising a housing 2 and an inner casing 3 movably arranged in the housing 2. In this embodiment a toilet paper dispenser 1 is shown, but the dispenser may also be adapted for dispensing other paper rolls.

The housing 2 is arranged and/or adapted for being built-in in a hollow structure. In this embodiment, the housing 2 is adapted for being built - in behind a double wall 4 of e.g. a toilet room. The housing 2 may for example be connected to a toilet water reservoir (not shown) which is usually also built- in behind the double wall 4. The housing 2 may be connected to the water reservoir with e.g. a clamp connection, a screw connection, a snap-fit connection or other connecting means. The hollow structure next to a toilet water reservoir behind a double wall 4 may be used for building in a toilet paper roll dispenser 1.

The housing 2 is provided with a single supply- and- discharge opening 5 through which the toilet paper rolls 6 may be supplied and discharged. Further, the housing 2 may be provided with coupling means 7 for coupling with a toilet paper roll reservoir 8. In this embodiment, the coupling means 7 are provided as an opening enclosed by a coupling sleeve 9. The toilet paper roll reservoir 8 that may be a tubular reservoir 8 may be fitted, either tightly or loosely over the coupling sleeve 9.

A toilet paper roll 6 may be supplied through the supply-and- discharge opening 5 and may then be pushed upwards through the coupling means 7 in the toilet paper roll reservoir 8. Upon removing a toilet paper roll via the supply-and-discharge opening 5, the stack of toilet paper rolls in the toilet paper reservoir 8 falls down due to gravity and a next toilet paper roll 6 fills the housing 2.

The inner casing 3 is adjustable in the housing 2 and extends in this embodiment over approximately the entire length of the housing 2. The inner casing may be loosely mounted in the housing 2, or the inner casing 3 may be e.g. slidably connected to the housing 2. By moving the inner casing 3 with respect to the housing 2 different wall thicknesses of the wall 4 may be accommodated and a gap, e.g. due to the installation, between the wall 4 and the housing 2 may be relatively easily overcome between a flange 10 of the inner casing 3 and the housing 2.

The inner casing 3 may be provided with an elongated opening at an upper side (not shown) to correspond with the opening in the housing 2 enclosed by the coupling sleeve 9. By providing an elongated opening, the opening in the housing 2 remains sufficiently open to allow a paper roll to pass through while the inner casing 3 can be adjusted in the housing 2 to

accommodate different wall thicknesses and/or a gap between the housing 2 and the wall 4.

The inner casing 3 can be provided with a flange 10 at an outer end of the inner casing 3, e.g. on an outer edge of the opening 11 that corresponds with the supply-and-discharge opening 5 of the housing 2. In this embodiment, the flange 10 is provided as a rim on the edge at an outer end of the inner casing. The flange 10 here entirely encompasses the inner casing 3, such that the flange 10 can abut against an outer side of the wall 4 after building in the housing in the hollow structure. After installation of the dispenser 1 the inner casing 3 can be adjusted with respect to the housing 2 until the flange abuts against the wall 4. Possible gaps between the housing 2 and the wall 4 occurred during installation and/or tolerances of the opening in the wall 4 can thus be easily covered. So, an easy finishing of the supply-and-discharge opening may be obtained. Also, different wall thicknesses of the wall 4 of the hollow structure may be accommodated. The flange 10 is in this embodiment rectangular, but may have different forms and/or designs and may provide for a nice finishing of the supply- and- discharge opening 5. The flange 10 may be sufficiently wide to cover e.g. edges of tiles on the wall 4.

Many variants will be apparent to the person skilled in the art. The invention is elucidated by means of an embodiment in which the toilet paper reservoir is a standing reservoir. Off course, the toilet paper reservoir may also be a lying reservoir. The lying reservoir may be provided with a spring actuated mechanism to push a new toilet paper roll towards the housing when a toilet paper roll has been removed from the housing. Those and other variants are understood to be comprised within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A build-in paper roll dispenser comprising

- a housing arranged for building in in a hollow structure, wherein the housing comprises a supply- and- discharge opening for supplying and discharging a paper roll,

- an inner casing adjustable arranged in the supply-and- discharge opening of the housing.

2. The paper roll dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the inner casing comprises an outwardly extending flange at an outer end wherein the flange is arranged for abutting against an outer side of the hollow structure after building in the housing in the hollow structure.

3. The paper roll dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the flange approximately entirely encompasses the inner casing.

4. The paper roll dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner casing extends over approximately the length of the housing.

5. The paper roll dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising coupling means for coupling with a paper roll reservoir.

6. The paper roll dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the coupling means of the housing comprise a coupling sleeve for coupling with a paper roll reservoir.

7. The paper roll dispenser according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the inner casing comprises engaging means corresponding with the coupling means of the housing.

8. The paper roll dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the internal dimension of the supply-and- discharge opening correspond with at least the external dimensions of a cross-section of a paper roll.

9. The paper roll dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising indication means for indicating a filler status of the paper roll reservoir.

10. The paper roll dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supply-and-discharge opening is substantially rectangular.

11. The paper roll dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a paper roll reservoir.

12. The paper roll dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the paper roll reservoir is integrated with the housing.

13. The paper roll dispenser according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the paper roll reservoir is substantially tubular.

14. A toilet assembly comprising a build-in closet and a build-in paper roll dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims.

15. The toilet assembly according to claim 14, comprising a paper roll reservoir.

16. The toilet assembly according to claim 15, wherein the paper roll reservoir extends substantially upwards.

17. A kit of a housing comprising a supply-and-discharge opening for supplying and discharging paper rolls arranged for building in in a hollow structure and an inner casing arranged for being adjustable in the housing.

18. A kit according to claim 17, further comprising installation guide lines.

19. A kit according to claim 17 or 18, further comprising a paper roll reservoir.