Dispenser for Coreless Tissue Paper Rolls or the Like

The present invention relates to the field of dispensers for tissue paper products. More specifically, a dispenser for tissue paper rolls and the like, for example rolls of toilet paper or kitchen towels, is disclosed herein.

Tissue paper, for instance toilet paper, kitchen towel and the like, is usually packed in rolls intended for consumption. The rolls are usually arranged in a dispenser, from which the user can take the paper. Many different types of dispensers have been designed for domestic and industrial use, to be used in workplaces, public premises and the like.

One of the problems of these dispensers, above all when used in workplaces or public premises, where the consumption is significant, is the need of promptly replacing the exhausted rolls. Dispensers have been developed, adapted to contain more rolls in order to prolong the interval between replenishment.

Some dispensers of this type are particularly complex and expensive. Others cause an excessive consumption of material, above all when used in public premises, where many people use the dispensers.

The tissue paper rolls are usually produced by winding a tissue paper web around a tubular winding core. The tubular winding core forms a central hole in the roll, allowing the roll to be arranged in a dispenser having a support pin that can be inserted inside the tubular winding core.

Coreless tissue paper rolls are also produced, i.e. rolls without a tubular winding core but provided with a central hole. The coreless rolls are usually produced by winding a continuous web material around a winding mandrel, which is then removed from the formed roll.

In both cases, the rolls feature a central hole, whose diameter is sufficient for inserting into it (with clearance) a central support, with which the dispenser where the roll shall be housed is provided.

These types of rolls with a central hole (formed by means of a tubular winding core that is left in the roll or by means of a removable mandrel) have an overall volume that is only partially filled with useful material, i.e., tissue paper. A relatively large central volume of the roll is empty. This adversely affects the costs, for example for transporting the rolls from the production plant to the shops.

WO2023186310 discloses a dispenser for rolls wound around a tubular winding core, or anyway featuring a large central hole. The dispenser has two compartments for accommodating two rolls. A peripheral support surface and a central support pin for the respective roll are provided in each compartment. The pin has a smaller diameter than the hole in the roll, so that the roll can rest on the pin.

Recently, rolls have been marketed devoid of tubular winding core and also devoid of central hole. These rolls, referred to in the industry as “solid rolls”, have many advantages as they avoid the need for using cardboard for producing the winding cores. In addition, these rolls contain, given the same overall space, a larger quantity of useful paper. This is an advantage compared not only to the rolls wound around a tubular winding core, but also to the rolls wound around removable mandrels.

However, there are some difficulties in dispensing the solid rolls devoid of tubular winding core and central hole. In fact, it is not possible to use dispensers designed for rolls provided with a through axial hole.

Therefore, dispensers especially suitable for solid rolls have been developed. EP3697277 discloses an example of a dispenser for coreless solid rolls. This dispenser is particularly efficient for use with coreless solid rolls, but can be further improved, for example as regards the way the roll is held within the dispenser.

To solve the drawbacks and overcome the limitations of prior art dispensers, a system is disclosed herein, comprising a dispenser and at least one roll of wound web material, typically tissue paper. The dispenser comprises an openable housing. A first seat for a roll is provided in the housing. The first seat comprises a first central pin protruding from a first wall of the housing toward the inside of the housing. The first seat also comprises a first guide extending around, and spaced from, the first pin, and adapted to guide the insertion of the roll into the first seat, keeping the roll centered relative to the first pin. The dispenser also comprises a first exit hole provided in a second wall of the housing. When the housing is closed, the second wall faces the first wall, and the exit hole is advantageously approximately coaxial with the pin.

The roll is made of cellulose web material; the cellulose web material comprises a plurality of perforation lines defining sheets that are separately detachable from the roll. The roll comprises a solid central portion, consisting of coils of web material. The central pin of the dispenser is configured to be inserted into the roll of web material and to push the solid central portion of the roll out of the roll when the latter, guided along the first guide, is inserted in the dispenser.

The dispenser has preferably two equal seats that are adjacent to each other, for example arranged one over, or on the side of, the other, to increase the capacity of the dispenser, thus allowing less replenishment interventions by the relevant personnel. This is especially useful if the dispenser is intended for public premises, offices or other workplaces.

Further advantageous features of the system are described below and defined in the attached claims.

In the illustrated embodiment, the dispensercomprises a housing, in which two seats are provided for two rolls of tissue paper. The housingcomprises two portionsA andB constrained to each other so as to allow opening and closing the housing. Here below, the portionA is also referred to as “back portion”, and the portionB is also referred to as “front portion” of the housing.

In the illustrated embodiment, the portionsA andB of the housingare hinged together around a vertical axis of rotation. In other embodiments, the portions of the housing are hinged to each other around a horizontal axis.

In the present description and the attached claims, the term “vertical” refers to a direction parallel to the direction of the force of gravity, and the term “horizontal” refers to a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. Unless otherwise indicated, the terms “vertical direction” and “horizontal direction” refer to the position of the dispenser when in use. Unless otherwise indicated, also the terms “front”, “back” and the like refer to the position of the dispenser when in use.

In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical axis of rotation (indicated with A-A in) of the two portionsA,B of the housingis defined by hinges, for example, three hingesA,B,C.

In the illustrated embodiment, the portionA of the housingcomprises a first wall, also referred to hereafter as “back wall”, through which the dispenseris fastened to a bearing structure, for example a vertical wall. The back wallcomprises attaching members for attaching to the bearing structure. In the illustrated embodiment, the attaching members comprise shaped holesfor screws or other fasteners for fastening to the bearing structure. In the illustrated embodiment, four pairs of holesare provided, but the number of holes may be different and may depend, for example, on the overall weight of the dispenserwhen filled with rolls.

In the illustrated embodiment, the back portionA is approximately semi-cylindrical with upper and lower horizontal closing wallsand, and the back wallis basically flat in order to rest on a vertical wall or other vertical bearing structure.

In the back portion, two seatsA andB are provided for two rolls of tissue paper, for example rolls of toilet paper. In the illustrated embodiment, the two seatsA,B are arranged over each other.

Each seatA,B is formed by the combination of a central pin and a guide arranged around the pin. Specifically, the central pin is indicated with reference numberA for the seatA and with the reference numberB for the seatB. Each pin is surrounded by a respective guideA,B. Each guideA,B is formed by portions,A,B respectively, of cylindrical walls. In the illustrated embodiment, the guideA is formed by two portionsA of cylindrical walls put over one another. Similarly, the guideB is formed by two portionsB of cylindrical walls put over one another. The cylindrical wall portions define concave surfaces with circular cross section coaxial with the respective pinsA,B.

The portions of concave cylindrical wall of each seatA,B substantially define cylindrical surfaces for guiding and supporting the roll inserted in each seat and centered on the respective pinA,B. The diameter of the concave cylindrical walls is essentially approximately equal to the outer diameter of the paper rolls that can be used in the dispenser.

The concave cylindrical surfaces defined by the cylindrical wall portionsA,B are useful for centering the roll relative to the seatA,B when the roll is inserted into the dispenser, and to support and hold it peripherally. In fact, as it will be described in more detail below, each roll is unwound from the center, that is, the paper sheets are extracted from the center of the roll and not from the periphery thereof. Therefore, in use, the approximately cylindrical side surface of the roll remains essentially unchanged and the roll is held in the seatA,B by the contact between its outer surface and the concave cylindrical surface defined by the cylindrical wall portionsA,B.

In the illustrated embodiment, each pinA,B has a cross section substantially constant along its longitudinal extension.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cross section of each pinA,B is in the shape of a cross. This shape of the pin cross section is advantageous because it reduces the force required to insert a roll into the seat, an operation during which the pin must be inserted into the central portion of the coreless solid roll, pushing the central coils of the roll outward. This shape of the pin cross section ensures high mechanical strength and a reduced surface of contact with the paper material forming the roll, thus reducing the friction that acts against the pin entering into the roll when it is inserted into the dispenser.

Each pinA,B extends orthogonally from the back walltoward the inside of the housing. In some embodiments, each pinA,B is spaced from the back wallby means of an approximately cylindrical spacerA,B, so that the roll inserted into the seat does not touch the back walland is not damaged, for example, by the contact with the heads of the screws fastening the dispenserto the bearing structure.

The front portionB of the housinghas a shape approximately symmetrical to the shape of the back portionA relative to a vertical plane, along which the two portionsA,B couple together when the dispenseris closed. In particular, the front portionB has a second wall, here below referred to as front wall, which faces the back wallwhen the housingis closed.

The front wallhas, for each seatA,B provided in the housing, a hole or nozzle, through which the web material, wound on each roll arranged in the respective seatA,B, is dispensed.

In, the holes or nozzles are indicated with the reference numbersA,B for the seatA and for the seatB, respectively. In advantageous embodiments, each holeA,B has, for example, a diameter comprised between 5 mm and 10 mm, preferably between 6 mm and 8 mm, and is arranged in a position coaxial with the respective pinA,B when the housingis closed.

In advantageous embodiments, each holeA,B is formed in an insertA,B (see), which is locked in an openingA,B provided in the front wall.

In advantageous embodiments, for each seatA,B the front wallhas a windowA,B that preferably has an elongated shape, i.e. extends radially relative to the axis of the central pinA,B defining the center of the respective seatA,B. The windowsA,B allow to check the quantity of web material wound in roll in each seatA,B, allowing the relevant personnel to refill the dispenser with new rolls when the paper material is finished.

In some embodiments, each windowA,B is formed by an elongated openingA,B formed in the front walland closed by a plateA,B made of a transparent material, e.g., a polymer material, as shown in the exploded view of.

In some embodiments, the dispenseris provided with a lock closure. This is especially useful if the dispenser shall be installed in public premises, workplaces, or other non-private places. Ina lockis shown, that enters, from inside the housing, into a seatformed, for example, in the front portionB of the housing. The lockhas teethA that engage a gripping element, not shown, integral with the portionA of the housing.

The dispenseris configured to accommodate, in the respective seatsA,B, a coreless solid roll, i.e. a roll entirely consisting of wound web material, i.e., without a central hole. A coreless solid roll is shown schematically in, and indicated with the reference R. In, two rolls RA and RB are shown in dotted line, arranged in the two seatsA,B.

Each roll R has an inner or central portion Rn that does not consist of a hole of a winding core or of the empty volume left by a winding mandrel removed after the roll has been wound, as is the case with conventional rolls.

In practice, the central portion Rn of the roll is formed starting from a leading edge of the web material that is coiled with neither winding core nor winding mandrel.

The roll R therefore comprises a central portion formed by coils of wound web material. In some embodiments, the central portion Rn is formed by coils that are wound less tightly than the coils forming the outer part of the roll, i.e. the part surrounding the central portion Rn. This can be done during roll winding, by appropriately adjusting the rewinder producing the roll R.

Each roll R is unwound from the center, by initially extracting the inner end of the web material forming the roll, that is, the portion consisting of the innermost coils, as schematically indicated with SI in.

Each roll RA, RB is inserted into the respective seatA,B of the housingby guiding it along the respective concave cylindrical surface defined by the cylindrical wall portionsA,B, which facilitates the centering of the roll relative to the pinA,B. The roll is pressed against the pinA,B, which penetrates the central portion Rn causing the innermost coils of the roll to be pushed out of the flat face of the roll opposite the face into which the pinA,B enters. In practice, when the roll RA, RB is put into the dispenser, the pinA,B is brought into contact with the flat face of the roll facing the inside of the dispenser, in correspondence of the central portion Rn of the roll. By pushing the roll RA, RB against the pinA,B, the latter penetrates the central part of the roll and pushes the innermost coils, causing them to be pushed out of the flat face of the roll RA, RB opposite the face into which the pinA,B has penetrated the roll.

The leading edge, formed by the initial coils extracted from the center of the roll RA, RB pushed by the pinA,B, is inserted into the respective holeA,B from the inward-facing side of the housing, so as to bring the leading edge Lt () outside the housing. Then, the housingis closed by rotating the front portionB around the A-A axis toward the back portionB. Now, the user can take the cellulose material contained in the dispenserby pulling the free edge that comes out of either holeA,B.

The roll is unwound from the inside, by gradually extracting the coils from the center thereof, and is held properly centered in its seatA,B by the concave cylindrical surfacesA,B of the guide wallsA,B.

The personnel in charge of replenishing the dispenser can check, through the windowsA,B, whether the roll is exhausted and shall be replaced.

The dispenser configured in this way allows to dispense properly cellulose web material from solid rolls, i.e. rolls with neither central winding core nor axial cavities. The roll is properly held in its seat until it is completely exhausted. The use of two (or more) seats in the same dispenser allows to reduce the number of interventions by the relevant personnel thanks to the large quantity of cellulose material accumulated in the dispenser. It is also possible to realize a dispenser with only one seat for a single roll, still having the same advantages disclosed above in terms of correct positioning and holding of the roll during the unwinding thereof.