Fabric distributor with fabric changing device

Abstract

The invention relates to a fabric distributor with a fabric replacing device. The fabric distributor comprises a shell with a containing room, an old cloth roll supporting shaft, a distributing roller, a driving assembly, a plurality of guiding components and the fabric replacing device. The old cloth roll supporting shaft extends perpendicular to the wall surface of the installation shell and is used for supporting used fabric pieces. The fabric replacement device includes a support plate capable of switching operation between a locking mode in which the support plate is firmly connected to the old cloth roll support shaft and defines a position of the old cloth roll support shaft in the storage room, and a release mode in which the support plate is unlocked from the old cloth roll support shaft and releases the old cloth roll support shaft in the storage room. Therefore, the used fabric towel can be processed conveniently.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fabric dispenser, and more particularly to a fabric dispenser including a fabric changing device that can quickly and conveniently dispense, recycle and process used and unused fabric towels while saving space and making the machine sufficiently compact. Background Art

[0002] Conventional fabric dispensers for dispensing towel rings generally include a housing having a dispensing opening and a plurality of rollers mounted in the housing for driving the towel sheet to move through the dispensing opening. The towel sheet is configured as a towel roll and is operably supported by support rollers. These support rollers are driven to rotate so that the towel sheet is driven to move accordingly until a portion of the towel sheet passes through the dispensing opening and exposes the housing. The user can then use the exposed portion of the towel sheet to absorb moisture from his or her hands. Afterwards, the drive roller rotates again to retract the used portion of the towel sheet and dispense a new, unused towel sheet to the next user through the dispensing opening. The used towel cloth is then continuously recycled and rolled into an old cloth roll in the housing.

[0003] One major drawback of the above conventional fabric dispensers is that it is very inconvenient to open the housing and replace the old roll with a new one. In addition, almost all conventional fabric dispensers use rollers parallel to the wall to which the housing is mounted, which is ergonomically undesirable and causes the housing to take up too much space in the bathroom and makes the replacement of towels inconvenient.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to develop a fabric dispenser that facilitates quick and easy dispensing, recycling and disposal of used towel rolls, and the use and replacement of new towel rolls in an ergonomic manner. Summary of the invention

[0005] Certain variations of the present invention provide a fabric dispenser including a fabric changing device that can conveniently and quickly dispense recycled and disposed of used and unused fabric towel rolls in an ergonomic manner.

[0006] Certain variations of the present invention provide a fabric dispenser including a fabric changing device configured to save bathroom space while allowing old fabric rolls to be quickly and easily replaced with new ones.

[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fabric dispenser mounted on a wall surface, comprising:

[0008] A fabric dispenser mounted on a wall, comprising:

[0009] A housing is mounted on the wall and has a storage compartment and a dispensing opening, the dispensing opening is substantially perpendicular to the wall and communicates with the storage compartment, the storage compartment is suitable for receiving a roll of unused towel cloth, the new cloth roll is substantially perpendicular to the wall;

[0010] An old cloth roll supporting shaft is perpendicular to the wall and is detachably or fixedly installed in the housing for supporting an old cloth roll;

[0011] a dispensing roller supported in the housing and used to drive a new cloth to be dispensed out of the dispensing opening;

[0012] A driving assembly, installed in the storage room, connected to the old cloth roll support shaft and the distribution roller, used to sequentially drive the new cloth towels to pass through the distribution opening for distribution, and drive the old cloth towels to be recovered and collected by the old cloth roll support shaft;

[0013] A plurality of guide members installed in the storage compartment for guiding the new cloth rolls to sequentially pass through the dispensing opening and be collected by the old cloth roll support shaft; and

[0014] A set of fabric changing equipment includes a support plate, which is supported in a storage room and connected to a used cloth roll support shaft so that the support plate can switch between a locking mode and a release mode, wherein in the locking mode, the support plate is firmly connected to the used cloth roll support shaft to lock the position of the used cloth roll support shaft in the storage room, wherein in the release mode, the support plate is configured to be unlocked from the used cloth roll support shaft to facilitate the disposal of these used cloth rolls.

[0015] The above summary is provided merely to introduce certain concepts and is not intended to identify any key or essential features of the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the internal structure of the fabric dispenser.

[0018] Figure 3 is a front view of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 is a side view of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of a used cloth roll supporting shaft of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6is a block diagram of the electrical components of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7 is a first alternative form of the fabric dispenser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 8 is a side view of a fabric dispenser according to a first alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Fig. 9 This is a second alternative to the fabric dispenser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Fig.10 is a side view of a fabric dispenser according to a second alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Fig.11 This is a third alternative to the fabric dispenser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Fig.12 is a front view of a third alternative form of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Fig.13 is a side view of a third alternative form of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Fig.14 This is a fourth alternative to the fabric dispenser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Fig.15 is a front view of a fourth alternative form of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Fig.16 is a side view of a fourth alternative form of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Fig.17 This is a fifth alternative of the fabric dispenser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Fig.18 This is a sixth alternative embodiment of the fabric dispenser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is a preferred mode for implementing the present invention. This description is not intended to be limiting. It is provided to illustrate the general principles of the present invention.

[0035] It should be understood that, in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, the terms "installed", "connected", "coupled" and "installed" in the following description refer to the connection relationship in the drawings. For example, "connected" may refer to a permanent connection or a detachable connection. In addition, "connected" may also refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection, or a connection through other auxiliary components. Therefore, the above terms should not be a limitation on the actual connection of the elements of the present invention.

[0036] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "top", "bottom", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "outer" and "inner" refer to the orientation or positioning relationship in the drawings to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and do not limit the actual position or orientation of the present invention. Therefore, the above terms should not be a limitation on the actual position of the elements of the present invention.

[0037] It should be understood that the terms "first", "second", "one", "an", and "an" in the following description refer to "at least one" or "one or more" in the embodiments. In particular, the term "one" may refer to "one" in one embodiment and to "more than one" in another embodiment. Therefore, the above terms should not be regarded as actual numerical limitations on the elements of the present invention.

[0038] Reference Figures 1 to 6 , shows a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In general, the fabric dispenser may include a housing 10 having a dispensing port 12, a used cloth roll support shaft 20, a dispensing roller 30, a drive assembly 40, a plurality of guide members 50, and a fabric changing device 60. The fabric dispenser is configured to be used with a fabric sheet 100 for absorbing moisture from a user's hands. The fabric dispenser of the present invention may be mounted on a substantially vertical wall surface. This is a typical environment for using the present invention.

[0039] The fabric piece 100 can be a piece of paper towel or a piece of fabric towel. The fabric piece 100 can be configured to form a roll so that it can be stored in the shell 10. The fabric piece 100 can be divided into an unused portion (new cloth towel) and a used portion (old cloth towel). Initially, the whole roll of fabric pieces 100 is all new cloth towels that have not been used. A roll of new cloth towels 100 (hereinafter referred to as "new cloth roll 101") can be continuously driven to first be distributed through the distribution port 12 to absorb moisture. After absorbing moisture, the new cloth towel just becomes an old cloth towel. Then, the used part can be recovered and finally rolled up and recycled by the old cloth roll support shaft 20 to become a roll of old cloth towels 100 (hereinafter referred to as "old cloth roll 102"). Therefore, when more old cloth towels 100 are recycled and collected, the diameter or size of the old cloth roll 102 may gradually increase, while the diameter or size of the new cloth roll 101 may gradually decrease.

[0040] The housing 10 may be mounted on a wall surface and may have a storage compartment 11 and a dispensing port 12 communicating the storage compartment 11 with the exterior of the housing 10. The storage compartment 11 may be adapted to accommodate new or old cloth rolls and all other components of the present invention.

[0041] The old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be perpendicular to the installation wall surface and can be detachably installed in the housing 10 for supporting a roll of old cloth towels 100 (ie, the old cloth roll 102).

[0042] A dispensing roller 30 may be supported in the housing 10 for driving a new cloth towel 100 to be dispensed from the dispensing opening 12 .

[0043] The driving assembly 40 may be installed in the storage chamber 11 and connected to the old cloth roll support shaft 20 and the dispensing roller 30 , for sequentially driving the new cloth towels 100 to pass through the dispensing opening 11 and be recovered and collected by the old cloth roll support shaft 20 .

[0044] The partition member 16 is disposed between the new cloth roll 101 and the old cloth roll support shaft 20 in the storage room 11 , and the partition member 16 may be configured to be movable and / or deformable in the storage room to correspond to changes in diameter of the new cloth roll 101 and the old cloth roll 102 .

[0045] A plurality of guide members 50 may be installed in the storage compartment 11 for guiding the new cloth towels 100 to pass through the dispensing opening 12 and finally be recovered and collected by the old cloth roll supporting shaft 20 .

[0046] The fabric changing device 60 may include a support plate 61, which may be supported in the storage room 11 and detachably connected to the old cloth roll support shaft 20 so that the support plate 61 can switch between a locking mode and a release mode, wherein in the locking mode, the support plate 61 is firmly connected to the old cloth roll support shaft 20, thereby locking the position of the old cloth roll support shaft 20 in the storage room 11, wherein in the release mode, the support plate 61 can be set to be unlocked between the old cloth roll support shaft 20 to facilitate the removal of the old cloth roll 100.

[0047] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing 10 can be installed on the surface of a vertical wall so that the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can extend vertically relative to the wall surface and along the depth of the housing 10. Figure 1 and Figure 2, the housing 10 can be configured to have a substantially vertical height structure in the vertical direction. Therefore, the vertical length of the housing 10 can be substantially greater than its left and right width, thereby forming a rectangular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the front. In addition, the depth of the housing 10 is such that it can accommodate the length of the new cloth roll 101 in a substantially horizontal direction, in which direction the longitudinal direction of the new cloth roll 101 can also extend vertically relative to the installation wall surface. Therefore, the depth of the housing 10 must be longer than the longitudinal length of the new cloth roll 101.

[0048] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing 10 can be divided into an upper portion 13 and a lower portion 14, wherein the new cloth roll 101 can be supported on a support groove 17 in the lower portion 14 of the housing 10. In addition, the housing 10 can also include a front panel 15, which can be selectively opened to expose the storage room 11 to the surrounding environment. The user can open the front panel 15 and reach into the storage room 11. The support groove 17 can be made of a rigid or flexible material such as metal or plastic. The support groove 17 can have a curved profile.

[0049] The dispensing opening 12 may be disposed at the lower portion 14 of the housing 10 and disposed adjacent to the new cloth roll 101. Thus, the unused portion of the fabric sheet 100 may be disposed to be first dispensed from the housing 10 through the dispensing opening 12, such as Figure 2 As shown. The allocated fabric sheet 100 can form a towel ring, which is arranged outside the housing 10. The towel ring can be used to absorb moisture on the user's hands.

[0050] The dispensing roller 30 may be mounted in the housing 10 near the dispensing opening 12. Figure 4 As shown, the dispensing roller 30 may be configured as a roller perpendicular to the mounting wall surface and extending along the depth of the housing 10. Therefore, the dispensing roller 30 may be substantially parallel to the used cloth roll support shaft 20.

[0051] The drive assembly 40 may include a dispensing motor 41 installed in the storage chamber 11 and operably connected to the dispensing roller 30. The dispensing motor 41 may be configured to drive the dispensing roller 30 to rotate, thereby driving the new cloth towel 100 to be dispensed out of the housing 10 through the dispensing opening 12.

[0052] The old cloth roll support shaft 20 may be supported on the upper portion 13 of the housing 10. The old cloth roll support shaft 20 may have a connecting end 21 and a locking end 22. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as described above, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 may extend in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the installation wall so that it is substantially parallel to the dispensing roller 30.

[0053] The drive assembly 40 may also include a fabric drive motor 42, which is installed in the housing 10 and operably connected to the connection end 21 of the old cloth roll support shaft 20. The fabric drive motor 42 can drive the old cloth roll support shaft 20 to rotate, wherein the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be attached with a fabric sheet 100, so that when the old cloth roll support shaft 20 is driven to rotate, the fabric sheet 100 is wound and rolled up thereon. The old cloth roll support shaft 20 is used to retract the used portion of the fabric sheet 100 from the dispensing port 12 to form an old cloth roll 102. Figure 4 As shown, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 is elongated in structure and extends along the depth of the housing 10. Therefore, the new cloth roll 101 and the old cloth roll 102 can be arranged and supported along the up and down vertical direction of the housing 10. This up and down arrangement saves considerable space on the wall surface where the fabric dispenser of the present invention is installed.

[0054] The guide members 50 may be installed and distributed in the storage room 11 for guiding the fabric piece 100 to move therein. Each guide member 50 may be configured as a guide rod and may be fixed or rotatable. When the fabric piece 100 moves from the new cloth roll 101 to the dispensing port 12 and from the dispensing port 12 to the old cloth roll support shaft 20 to form the old cloth roll 102, the fabric piece 100 may be supported by a plurality of guide members 50. The exact number and position of the guide members 50 may vary depending on the situation in which the fabric piece 100 is installed in the storage room 11. The guide members 50 may also be arranged according to the path of travel of the fabric piece 100.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support plate 61 of the fabric changing device 60 is pivotally mounted in the storage room 11 and is detachably connected to the locking end 22 of the old fabric roll support shaft 20. Therefore, the connecting end 21 of the old fabric roll support shaft 20 can be connected to the fabric driving motor 42, and the locking end 22 on the old fabric roll support shaft 20 can be detachably connected to the support plate 61.

[0056] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the support plate 61 can be installed in the upper part 13 of the housing 10 at a position corresponding to the old cloth roll support shaft 20, so that the support plate 61 can be selectively flipped downward to be connected to the old cloth roll support shaft 20. As described above, the support plate 61 can switch between a locking mode and a release mode. When the support plate 61 is in the locking mode, the support plate 61 pivots downward and flips and is connected to the old cloth roll support shaft 20, so that the support plate 61 can provide physical support for the old cloth roll support shaft 20.

[0057] On the other hand, Figure 5As shown, when the support plate 61 is in the release mode, the support plate 61 is turned upward and pivotally away from the old cloth roll support shaft 20 to allow the old cloth roll support shaft 20 and the old cloth roll 102 to move longitudinally. Therefore, the user can take out the old cloth roll 102 from the storage room 11 for easy disposal. In addition, the user can then put the brand new cloth roll 101 back into the storage room 11. Please note that when replacing the old cloth roll 102, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 may need to be taken out of the storage room 11, or it may not need to be taken out of the storage room 11.

[0058] The fabric dispenser of the present invention may further include a central processing unit 80, which is disposed in the storage room 11 and electrically connected to the drive assembly 40 to control its operation, and a motion sensor 81 for detecting the movement of a user in a designated sensing area may be disposed on the housing 10, or an operation button 82 for providing a signal to the central processing unit 80 may be disposed on the housing 10.

[0059] The housing 10 may further include a partition member 16, which may be movably disposed in the storage room 11, at a position above or below the old cloth roll support shaft 20. For hygienic purposes, the partition member 16 may be arranged to separate the new cloth roll 101 from the old cloth roll 102. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the partition member 16 may be pivotally moved upward or downward relative to the longitudinal direction of the housing 10. When the diameter of the old cloth roll 102 gradually increases, the partition member 16 may gradually move downward corresponding to the change in the size of the old cloth roll 102. In other words, the partition member 16 may be moved accordingly according to the relative size of the new cloth roll 101 and the old cloth roll 102. The partition member may be made of a rigid or deformable material such as metal, plastic or fabric.

[0060] The operation of the present invention is as follows: a new fabric sheet 100 may first be installed in the storage room 11 of the housing 10 to form a new cloth roll 101, which may be disposed in the lower portion 14 of the housing. Some portions of the fabric sheet 100 may be pre-installed and supported by the guide member 50 and the dispensing roller 30, and may be initially attached to the old cloth roll support shaft 20 to allow the fabric sheet 100 to be driven in the storage room 11 to move on a set path supported and guided by the guide member 50.

[0061] When the hand is in the sensing area or the actuation button is pressed, the dispensing roller 30 can be activated to dispense the fabric sheet 100 to be dispensed from the dispensing opening 12, so that the fabric sheet 100 forms a towel ring outside the housing. Therefore, a section of the unused portion of the fabric sheet 100 can be driven to move downward relative to the housing 10 and pass through the dispensing opening 12 to form a towel ring, such as Figure 2As shown. The user can then use the towel ring to wipe his hands to allow the moisture on his hands to be absorbed. When the hand-wiping is completed, the hands can be moved out of the sensing area, and the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be driven to rotate to retract the towel ring. Then, the used fabric sheet 100 can be driven to move upward along the housing 10, and it can be retracted and collected on the old cloth roll support shaft 20 to gradually form an old cloth roll 102. The old cloth roll 102 can be supported on the old cloth roll support shaft 20 until it is removed and replaced.

[0062] When it is necessary to take out the old cloth roll 102, the user can open the front panel 15 of the housing 10, unlock the support plate 61, and turn the support plate 61 into the release mode. The user can pivotally rotate the support plate 61 to allow the old cloth roll support shaft 20 to be taken out of the storage room 11. Alternatively, the old cloth roll 102 can be taken out of the storage room without moving the old cloth roll support shaft 20. Therefore, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be taken out of the storage room 11 or not.

[0063] When the old cloth roll 102 has been taken out, the user may place the new cloth roll 101 on the support groove 17 in the lower portion 14 of the housing 10 and pull out a portion of the unused fabric sheet 100 to attach to each guide member 50 and the old cloth roll support shaft 20 .

[0064] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the preferred embodiment of the hand drying device described above may have a variety of alternatives and variations and may be protected. Some of these alternatives and variations will be described below.

[0065] Reference Figures 7 and 8 , shows a first alternative of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The first alternative is basically similar to the above Figures 1 to 6 The preferred embodiment of the present invention is different in that the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be installed on the lower part 14 of the housing 10, so that the new cloth roll 101 can be supported on the upper part 13 of the housing.

[0066] Therefore, the shell 10 can also include a support groove 17, which can also be used as a partition member 16, and the partition member 16 is arranged at a position above the old cloth roll support shaft 20 in the storage room 11, wherein the new cloth roll 101 can be supported on the partition member 16, and the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be horizontally supported in the storage room 11 at a position below the partition member 16.

[0067] In addition, the support plate 61 of the fabric changing device 60 can be supported in the storage room 11 at a position corresponding to the old cloth roll support shaft 20 (now located in the lower part 14 of the housing 10). When the support plate 61 is in the locked position, the support plate 61 can be flipped upward and pivotally to connect and reinforce the old cloth roll support shaft 20. When the support plate 61 is in the released position, the support plate 61 can be flipped downward and pivotally to allow the old cloth roll support shaft 20 and / or the old cloth roll 102 to be taken out of the storage room 11 for disposal. When replacing the old cloth roll 102, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 may need to be taken out of the storage room 11 or may not need to be taken out of the storage room 11.

[0068] In a first alternative, a dispensing roller 30 may be installed in the housing 10 near the dispensing opening 12 to dispense the unused fabric sheet 100 from the dispensing opening 12 to form a towel ring. This is structurally the same as the preferred embodiment described above. The old cloth roll support shaft 20 may extend vertically from the wall surface on which the housing 10 is installed and may be parallel to the dispensing roller 30.

[0069] In a first alternative, for hygienic purposes, the partition member 16 may be arranged to separate the new cloth roll 101 from the old cloth roll 102. In addition, the partition member 16 may be movably or / and deformably installed in the storage room 11 so that it can move upward or downward or / and deform relative to the longitudinal direction of the housing 10. When the diameter of the old cloth roll 102 gradually increases, the partition member 16 may gradually move upward or / and deform as the size of the old cloth roll 102 changes. In other words, the partition member 16 may move or / and deform according to the relative sizes of the new cloth roll 101 and the old cloth roll 102.

[0070] The partition member 16 may be made of a rigid or deformable material (such as metal or plastic, etc.). The partition member 16 may have a curved profile. The partition member 16 may move or / and deform in accordance with the relative sizes of the new cloth roll 101 and the old cloth roll 102. The partition member 16 may be used to support the new cloth roll 101. Therefore, the partition member 16 may be made of a material that may deform or / and move in accordance with the relative sizes of the new cloth roll 101 and the old cloth roll 102 in the storage room 11.

[0071] Reference Fig. 9 and Fig.10 , showing a second alternative of the fabric dispenser according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The second alternative is substantially similar to the preferred embodiment described above, except that the fabric dispenser may further include a recovery roller 90 installed in the storage chamber 11 and used to drive the fabric piece 100 to be retracted and collected on the old cloth roll support shaft 20, wherein the fabric drive motor 42 may be connected to the recovery roller 90 for driving the recovery roller 90 to rotate.

[0072] In addition, the support plate 61 may also have a guide groove 611, and the inner side of the housing 10 may have a guide groove 613 symmetrical in shape and position, wherein the old cloth roll support shaft 20 may be movably engaged with the guide grooves 611 and 613, so that the old cloth roll support shaft 20 may move linearly along the guide grooves 611 and 613. Fig. 9 As shown, the guide groove 611 may have a curved profile and may be formed on the support plate 61 along the longitudinal direction of the support plate 61. The used cloth roll support shaft 20 may be horizontally moved upward or downward along the guide grooves 611 and 613.

[0073] The recovery roller 90 can be in frictional contact with the fabric sheet 100, and the fabric sheet 100 is also arranged to engage with the old cloth roll support shaft 20. When the recovery roller 90 is driven to rotate by the fabric drive motor 42, the fabric sheet 100 can be driven to move and roll and recover on the old cloth roll support shaft 20 to form an old cloth roll 102. When more and more used fabric sheets 100 are wound, the diameter of the old cloth roll 102 will gradually increase. In this way, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be forced to move upward along the guide groove 611 to make room for accommodating the old cloth roll 102.

[0074] In a second alternative embodiment, the housing 10 may further include a partition member 16, which is arranged at a position below the old cloth roll support shaft 20 in the storage room 11, wherein the recovery roller 90 can be supported on the partition member 16, and the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be horizontally supported in the storage room 11 at a position above the partition member 16.

[0075] In addition, the support plate 61 is pivotally mounted on the partition member 16 to switch the operation between the locking mode and the release mode. In the locking mode, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 is locked on the support plate 61 at the guide groove 611, so that the old cloth roll support shaft 20 is retained in the storage room 11. In the release mode, the connection between the support plate 61 and the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be unlocked, and the support plate 61 can be pivotally moved downward to separate from the old cloth roll support shaft 20, thereby allowing the old cloth roll support shaft 20 and the old cloth roll 102 to be removed from the storage room 11. Then the old cloth roll 102 can be taken out and replaced by the new cloth roll 101 installed below the partition member 16.

[0076] Reference Figures 11 to 13 , shows a third alternative of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The third alternative is substantially similar to the first alternative described above. The old fabric roll support shaft 20 is disposed at the lower portion 14 of the housing 10 in the storage compartment 11 .

[0077] In addition, the fabric dispenser may further include a reinforcing member 71 and a new fabric roll support shaft 70, all of which are mounted on the upper portion 13 of the housing 10 in the storage room 11. The new fabric roll support shaft 70 may be arranged to support the new fabric roll 101 at the upper portion 13 of the housing 10. One end of the new fabric roll support shaft 70 is supported by the housing 10, and the other end is detachably mounted on the reinforcing member 71. Fig.13 As shown, the reinforcement member 71 can be pivotally mounted on the upper portion 13 of the housing 10, so that the reinforcement member 71 can be pivotally moved downward to lock the position of the new cloth roll support shaft 70, or pivotally moved upward to open its movement path, thereby allowing the user to remove or install a new cloth roll support shaft 70 from the storage room 11.

[0078] like Fig.11 As shown, the reinforcing member 71 can be pivotally moved toward the new cloth roll 101 and can be detachably connected to the new cloth roll support shaft 70 to keep the new cloth roll support shaft 70 and the new cloth roll 101 in proper positions in the storage room 11. Fig.13 As shown, the reinforcing member 71 may be pivotally moved away from the new cloth roll supporting shaft 70 to allow a user to take out the new cloth roll supporting shaft 70 or install an unused fabric sheet 100 in the storage compartment 11 .

[0079] The housing 10 may further include a partition member 16 movably installed at a position above the used cloth roll support shaft 20 in the storage room 11 , wherein the used cloth roll support shaft 20 is horizontally supported in the storage room 11 at a position below the partition member 16 .

[0080] like Fig.12 As shown, the partition member 16 can be installed in the storage room 11 in a pivotally movable manner so that the partition member 16 can be initially placed on the old cloth roll support shaft 20. When the old cloth roll support shaft 20 recovers the used fabric sheet 100 and the size of the old cloth roll 102 gradually increases, the partition member 16 can be arranged to pivotally move upward in the storage room 11 to correspond to the size change of the old cloth roll 102. For hygienic purposes, the partition member 16 can be arranged to separate the new cloth roll 101 and the old cloth roll 102. The partition member can be composed of a rigid or deformable material such as metal, plastic or fabric.

[0081] Reference Figures 14 to 16 , shows a fourth alternative of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The fourth alternative is similar to the third alternative ( Fig. 9 ), the difference is that the recovery roller 90 is arranged at the lower part 14 of the housing 10. In addition, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 and the support plate 61 can also be arranged at the lower part 14 of the housing 10 in the storage room 11.

[0082] According to a fourth alternative embodiment of the present invention, a recovery roller 90 may be installed in the storage chamber 11 to drive the fabric piece 100 to be recovered and collected on the old cloth roll support shaft 20, wherein a fabric drive motor 42 may be connected to the recovery roller 90 to drive the recovery roller 90 to rotate.

[0083] In addition, the support plate 61 may also have a guide groove 611, and a guide groove 613 symmetrical in shape and position is provided on the inner side of the housing 10, wherein the old cloth roll support shaft 20 may be movably and rotatably engaged with the guide grooves 611 and 613, so that the old cloth roll support shaft 20 may move along the guide grooves 611 and 613. Figure 14-16 As shown, the guide groove 611 may have a curved profile and may be formed on the support plate 61 along the longitudinal direction of the support plate 61. The used cloth roll support shaft 20 may be moved upward or downward along the guide grooves 611 and 613.

[0084] The recovery roller 90 can be in frictional contact with the fabric sheet 100, and the fabric sheet 100 is also arranged to engage with the old cloth roll support shaft 20. When the recovery roller 90 is driven to rotate by the fabric drive motor 42, the fabric sheet 100 can be driven to move and roll and recover on the old cloth roll support shaft 20 to form an old cloth roll 102. When more and more used fabric sheets 100 are wound, the diameter of the old cloth roll 102 will gradually increase. In this way, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be forced to move upward along the guide groove 611 to make room for accommodating the old cloth roll 102.

[0085] The support plate 61 is pivotally mounted on the lower part 14 of the housing 10 to switch the operation between the locking mode and the release mode. In the locking mode, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 is locked at the guide groove 611 of the support plate 61, so that the old cloth roll support shaft 20 is retained in the storage room 11. In the release mode, the connection between the support plate 61 and the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be unlocked, and the support plate 61 can be pivotally moved to separate from the old cloth roll support shaft 20, thereby allowing the old cloth roll support shaft 20 and the old cloth roll 102 to be removed from the storage room 11. Then the old cloth roll 102 can be taken out, and the new cloth roll 101 can be installed above the partition member 16. When replacing the old cloth roll 102, the old cloth roll support shaft 20 may need to be taken out from the storage room 11, or it may not need to be taken out from the storage room 11.

[0086] like Fig.14 and Fig.15As shown, the housing 10 may further include a partition member 16, which is movably or / and deformably mounted in the storage room 11 at a position above the old cloth roll support shaft 20, wherein the old cloth roll support shaft 20 is horizontally supported in the storage room 11 at a position below the partition member 16. The partition member 16 can be mounted in the storage room 11 in a pivotally movable manner so that the partition member 16 can initially rest on the support plate 61 or the old cloth roll 102. When the old cloth roll support shaft 20 continuously collects the used fabric pieces 100 and the size of the old cloth roll 102 gradually increases, the partition member 16 can be arranged to pivotally move upward in the storage room 11 to correspond to the size of the old cloth roll 102. For hygienic purposes, the partition member 16 can be arranged to separate the new cloth roll 101 from the old cloth roll 102. The partition member can be made of a rigid or deformable material such as metal, plastic or fabric.

[0087] like Figure 15 to Figure 16 As shown, the fabric dispenser may further include a new fabric roll support shaft 70 mounted on the upper portion 13 of the housing in the storage room 11. The new fabric roll support shaft 70 may extend in a direction perpendicular to the wall surface on which the housing 10 is mounted, and may be arranged to support the new fabric roll 101 in a rotatable manner. The new fabric roll 101 may be supported by the new fabric roll support shaft 70. The new fabric roll support shaft 70 may be configured to have an elongated structure and extend along the depth of the housing 10.

[0088] In addition, the fabric dispenser may further include a reinforcing member 71, which is mounted on the upper portion 13 of the housing 10 in the storage room 11. One end of the new cloth roll support shaft 70 is supported by the housing 10, and the other end is detachably mounted on the reinforcing member 71. The reinforcing member 71 is pivotally mounted on the upper portion 13 of the housing 10, so that the reinforcing member 71 can be pivotally moved to lock the position of the new cloth roll support shaft 70, or pivotally moved to open its moving path, thereby allowing the user to remove or install the new cloth roll support shaft 70 from the storage room 11.

[0089] It is worth mentioning that the first to fourth alternatives are only several examples of alternatives to the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art will understand that the features described in the first to fourth alternatives may be combined or interchanged without violating the spirit of the present invention.

[0090] Reference Fig.17 , shows a fifth alternative of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The fifth alternative shows another possibility of the fabric changing device 60 in the first to fourth alternatives described above. In the fifth alternative, the support plate 61 of the fabric changing device 60 is immovably mounted on the housing 10 in the storage room 11.

[0091] According to a fifth alternative of the present invention, the support plate 61 of the fabric changing device 60 is securely mounted in the housing 10 at a position corresponding to the old fabric roll support shaft 20. When the support plate 61 is in the locking mode, the locking end 62 of the old fabric roll support shaft 20 is locked to the support plate 61, so that the old fabric roll support shaft 20 is securely held in the storage room 11. Fig.17 As shown, the support plate 61 may have a through hole 612, wherein the old cloth roll support shaft 20 may pass through the through hole 61 and be locked on the support plate 61 by the locking end 62. Preferably, a method of fixing and disassembling may be used by forming an offset on the old cloth roll support shaft 20 using a multi-tooth baffle, a thread or other arrangement.

[0092] When the support plate 61 is in the release mode, the locking end 62 of the old cloth roll support shaft 20 can be unlocked and preferably taken out of the support plate 61 through the through hole 612, so that the old cloth roll 102 falls into the housing 10. In combination with the use of a deformable partition member, there will be sufficient space to take out the old cloth roll 102 from the storage room 11.

[0093] This structure of the support plate 61 may be used in the preferred embodiment or any one of the first to fourth alternatives described above.

[0094] See attached Fig.18 , showing a sixth alternative of a fabric dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The sixth alternative shows another possibility on the reinforcing member 71 among the first to fifth alternatives described above. In the sixth alternative, the reinforcing member 71 installed in the housing 10 can be a deformable and / or movable component, thereby allowing the user to conveniently move the new fabric roll support shaft 70 by deforming and / or moving the reinforcing member 71.

[0095] According to a sixth alternative, the reinforcing member 71 may be deformable and / or movable, and may take several physical forms. For example, the reinforcing member 71 may be constructed as a deformable panel, a rope, a braided belt, a chain, a flexible plate, etc. The reinforcing member 71 may be made of a metal material, a fabric, or a soft material such as rubber. When the new cloth roll 101 is stored in the storage room 11, the inner end 701 of the new cloth roll support shaft 70 may be connected to the outer shell 10, and the outer end 702 of the new cloth roll support shaft 70 may be connected to the reinforcing member 71. When the old cloth roll 102 is to be removed, the reinforcing member 71 may be deformed and / or moved to provide more space for the old cloth roll 102 to be taken out from the storage room 11. Fig.18 As shown, the reinforcing member 71 may include an elongated belt 711 mounted on the housing 10 to form a loop for hanging and supporting the outer end 702 of the new cloth roll support shaft 70. Therefore, the elongated belt 711 can be deformed to allow the user to have more space to take out the old cloth roll 102 from the storage compartment 11.

[0096] It is worth mentioning that the reinforcing member 71 described in the sixth alternative can be used to modify the reinforcing element 71 described in the preferred embodiment, the third alternative and the fourth alternative. The support plate 61 of the fabric changing device 60 can be fixedly or movably installed in the housing 10 at a position corresponding to the old cloth roll support shaft 20.

[0097] It is worth mentioning that although the present invention is illustrated and described according to a preferred embodiment and several alternatives, the present invention is not limited to the specific description contained in this specification. Other alternative or equivalent components can also be used to implement the present invention.

Claims

1. A fabric dispenser mounted on a wall surface, comprising: a housing, the housing being mounted on the wall surface and having a storage compartment and a dispensing opening, the dispensing opening being substantially perpendicular to the wall surface, the storage compartment being suitable for storing new cloth rolls and old cloth rolls, the new cloth rolls and old cloth rolls being both axially perpendicular to the wall surface; An old cloth roll support shaft, perpendicular to the wall surface and installed in the housing for supporting a roll of old cloth towels; a dispensing roller supported in the housing and used for dispensing new cloth towels from the dispensing opening; A driving assembly, installed in the storage room and connected to the old cloth roll support shaft and the distribution roller, for driving the new cloth towels to pass through the distribution opening in sequence for distribution, and then the old cloth roll support shaft drives the old cloth towels to be recycled and collected; a plurality of guide members installed in the storage room for guiding the fabric towels to sequentially pass through the dispensing opening and be collected by the used cloth roll support shaft; and A partition member is movably disposed in the storage room, and the partition member can move as the diameters of the old cloth roll and the new cloth roll change; The fabric changing device comprises a support plate, which is pivotally supported in the storage room and connected to the old cloth roll support shaft so that the support plate can switch between a locking mode and a release mode. In the locking mode, the support plate is firmly connected to the old cloth roll support shaft to lock the position of the old cloth roll support shaft in the storage room. In the release mode, the support plate and the old cloth roll support shaft are unlocked to facilitate the processing of the old cloth roll.

2. The fabric dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the housing has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the used cloth roll support shaft is horizontally supported in the upper portion of the housing.

3. The fabric dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the dispensing roller is installed at a position near the dispensing port in the lower portion of the housing, and the driving assembly includes a dispensing motor, which is installed in the storage room and is operably connected to the dispensing roller to drive the dispensing roller to rotate, thereby driving the new cloth towel to be dispensed out of the housing through the dispensing port.

4. The fabric dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the drive assembly further comprises a fabric drive motor, the fabric drive motor being mounted in the housing and operably connected to the used cloth roll support shaft for driving the used cloth roll support shaft to rotate to recycle the used cloth towels.

5. The fabric dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the support plate is pivotally mounted on the upper portion of the housing at a position corresponding to the old cloth roll support shaft, so that the support plate can be selectively flipped downward to be connected to the old cloth roll support shaft and be in a locking mode, and when the support plate is in a release mode, the support plate can be pivotally flipped upward to leave the old cloth roll support shaft to facilitate the removal of the old cloth roll.

6. The fabric dispenser with a fabric changing device according to claim 5, wherein the partition member is deformable.

7. The fabric dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the housing has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the used cloth roll support shaft horizontally supports the lower portion of the housing in the storage room.

8. The fabric dispenser of claim 7, wherein: The dispensing roller is installed at a lower portion of the shell near the dispensing opening, and the driving assembly includes a dispensing motor, which is installed in the storage room and is operably connected to the dispensing roller to drive the dispensing roller to rotate, thereby driving new cloth towels to be dispensed out of the shell through the dispensing opening.

9. The fabric dispenser of claim 8, wherein: The drive assembly further comprises a fabric drive motor, which is mounted in the housing and operably connected to the used cloth roll support shaft for driving the used cloth roll support shaft to rotate so as to recycle the used cloth towels.

10. The fabric dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the support plate is pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the shell at a position corresponding to the old cloth roll support shaft, and when the support plate is in the locking mode, the support plate can be pivotally flipped upward to firmly connect the old cloth roll support shaft, and when the support plate is in the release mode, the support plate can be pivotally flipped downward to allow the old cloth roll to be taken out of the storage room.

11. The fabric towel dispenser of claim 10, wherein the dividing member is deformable.

12. The fabric dispenser according to claim 10 further includes a reinforcement and a new cloth roll support shaft, wherein the new cloth roll support shaft is installed on the upper part of the shell to support the new cloth roll, wherein the reinforcement is pivotally installed on the upper part of the shell, and can be pivotally flipped downward to lock the position of the new cloth roll support shaft, and can also be pivotally flipped upward to open a path for moving the new cloth roll.

13. The fabric dispenser according to claim 9, further comprising a reinforcing member and a new fabric roll support shaft, wherein the new fabric roll support shaft is mounted on an upper portion of the housing, wherein the reinforcing member is deformable and movable so as to reserve additional space required to remove the old fabric roll support shaft from the storage compartment.

14. The fabric dispenser according to claim 1 further comprises a recovery roller installed in the storage compartment and arranged to be in frictional contact with the fabric towel to drive the fabric towel to be recovered and collected on the old cloth roll support shaft, wherein a fabric drive motor is connected to the recovery roller to drive the recovery roller to rotate.

15. The fabric dispenser according to claim 14, further comprising a guide groove on the support plate, wherein the old cloth roll support shaft is movably and rotatably engaged with the guide groove, so that the old cloth roll support shaft is configured to move smoothly along the guide groove, and the guide groove has a curved profile and is formed on the support plate along its longitudinal direction, so that the old cloth roll support shaft can move up and down along the corresponding direction of the guide groove.

16. The fabric dispenser according to claim 15, wherein a dispensing roller is mounted at a position adjacent to a dispensing opening at a lower portion of the housing, and a driving assembly comprises a dispensing motor, wherein the dispensing motor is mounted in the storage compartment and operably connected to the dispensing roller to drive the dispensing roller to rotate, thereby driving new cloth towels to be dispensed out of the housing through the dispensing opening.

17. The fabric dispenser according to claim 16, the driving assembly further comprising a fabric driving motor, the fabric driving motor being installed in the housing and operably connected to the used cloth roll supporting shaft for driving the used cloth roll supporting shaft to rotate to recycle the used cloth towels.

18. The fabric dispenser according to claim 17, wherein the support plate of the fabric changing device is supported at the lower portion of the housing and is positioned at a position corresponding to the old fabric roll support shaft, wherein: When the support plate is in a locking mode, the support plate can be pivotally flipped upward to connect and fix the old cloth roll support shaft, and when the support plate is in a releasing mode, the support plate can be pivotally flipped downward to allow the old cloth roll support shaft and the old cloth roll to be taken out of the storage room.

19. The fabric dispenser according to claim 18 further includes a reinforcement and a new cloth roll support shaft, wherein the new cloth roll support shaft is installed on the upper part of the shell to support the new cloth roll, wherein the reinforcement is pivotally installed on the upper part of the shell, and can be pivotally flipped downward to lock the position of the new cloth roll support shaft, and can also be pivotally flipped upward to open a path for moving the new cloth roll.

20. The fabric dispenser of claim 19, wherein the dividing member is deformable.

21. The fabric dispenser according to claim 17, further comprising a reinforcing member and a new fabric roll support shaft, wherein the new fabric roll support shaft is mounted on an upper portion of the housing, wherein the reinforcing member is deformable and movable so as to reserve additional space required to remove the old fabric roll support shaft from the storage compartment.

22. The fabric dispenser of claim 21, wherein the dividing member is deformable.

23. A fabric dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the support plate has a through hole and is firmly and immovably mounted in the main shell, corresponding to the position of the old cloth roll support shaft, wherein when the support plate is in a locking mode, the old cloth roll support shaft is inserted into the through hole and connected to the drive motor, and is locked to the support plate at the through hole, so that the old cloth roll support shaft is firmly held and strengthened in the receiving cavity; when the support plate is in a release mode, the old cloth roll support shaft is unlocked from the support plate, so that the old cloth roll support shaft can be taken out through the through hole, so that the old cloth roll is released from the old cloth roll support shaft and can be taken out from the main shell.

24. The fabric dispenser with fabric changing device according to claim 23, wherein the dividing member is deformable.

25. A fabric dispenser mounted on a wall surface, comprising: A housing, the housing is mounted on the wall surface and has a storage room and a dispensing port, the dispensing port is substantially perpendicular to the wall surface, the storage room is suitable for storing new cloth rolls and old cloth rolls, the new cloth rolls and old cloth rolls are both axially perpendicular to the wall surface, and the housing has an upper part and a lower part; An old cloth roll support shaft, perpendicular to the wall surface and horizontally installed in the housing for supporting a roll of old cloth towels; A dispensing roller is installed at a position adjacent to the dispensing opening at the lower part of the housing, and is used to drive the new cloth towel to be dispensed out of the dispensing opening; The drive assembly is installed in the storage room and connected to the old cloth roll support shaft and the distribution roller, and is used to sequentially drive the new cloth towels to pass through the distribution port for distribution, and then the old cloth towels are driven by the old cloth roll support shaft to be recovered and collected. The drive assembly includes a distribution motor, which is installed in the storage room and operably connected to the distribution roller to drive the distribution roller to rotate so as to drive the new cloth towels to be distributed to leave the housing through the distribution port, and a fabric drive motor, which is installed in the housing and operably connected to the old cloth roll support shaft, and is used to drive the old cloth roll support shaft to rotate to recover the used old cloth towels; A plurality of guide members installed in the storage room, for guiding the new towels to pass through the dispensing opening in sequence and be collected by the old towel roll support shaft; and A partition member is disposed in the storage room to separate the new cloth roll from the old cloth roll; The fabric changing device comprises a support plate, which is supported in the storage room and connected to the old cloth roll support shaft, so that the support plate can switch between a locking mode and a release mode, wherein in the locking mode, the support plate is firmly connected to the old cloth roll support shaft to lock the position of the old cloth roll support shaft in the storage room, wherein in the release mode, the support plate and the old cloth roll support shaft are unlocked to facilitate the disposal of the old cloth roll.

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