Sheet dispenser with manual actuator

Abstract

A sheet dispenser comprising a housing and a dispensing mechanism arranged within the housing, wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a frame, a manual drive mechanism and a rotatable drum for frictionally engaging a sheet to be dispensed, wherein the manual drive mechanism comprises a releasable drum engagement mechanism, an actuator for the drum engagement mechanism and a handle for manually manipulating the actuator, wherein the actuator is movably mounted to the frame and manually movable by an operating area from an idle position to a stressed position, wherein a wall of the housing covers the operating area, wherein the wall comprises an aperture, wherein the handle is arranged outside the wall and comprises a keying portion extending through the aperture and releasably connected to the actuator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet dispenser with a manual actuator, particularly but not exclusively used as a tissue dispenser. Background Technology

[0002] Tissue dispensers come in various forms, ranging from simple housings from which pre-cut tissues can be pulled out to more complex mechanisms that cut tissues from rolls of tissue material. One issue with the former type is the energy and resources required to manufacture the tissues to be dispensed. The tissues are cut and folded during manufacturing, then stacked and packaged for placement in the dispenser. For the latter type of dispenser, manufacturing costs are lower because rolls of tissue material are easier to produce.

[0003] There are many known types of dispensers, some of which incorporate integrated cutting mechanisms. In particular, rotating rollers are used to cut tissues and eject them from the dispenser in a single motion. A roll of tissue is arranged in a compartment above the roller, which is positioned in the path from the compartment to the dispenser outlet. The roller has a surface that frictionally engages with the paper, so the rotation of the roller pulls the paper out of the roll and ejects it from the outlet. The roller includes some type of cutter that enters the path of the sheet at the roller's cutting angle, thus cutting a tissue from the roll. In one version of this product, the roller includes a spring-loaded drive mechanism that rotates a portion of its 360-degree rotation from the ejection angle to the starting position. In use, the user pulls a section of tissue material extending from the outlet, which, due to the frictional engagement of the paper on the roller surface, rotates the roller from the starting position to the ejection angle. Once the ejection angle is reached, the roller is then driven about its remaining rotation, during which time it cuts the paper to deliver a tissue to the user. After this, the drive mechanism continues to rotate the roller, so a section of tissue material extends from the outlet.

[0004] This type of tissue dispenser can malfunction, for example, if the control spring driving the roller fails, or if a paper jam occurs somewhere in the mechanism. Therefore, it is known to provide an over-control device in the form of a manual actuator, pressing which directly rotates the roller. This feature only ensures proper paper feeding if the roller can still rotate and / or the paper jam or other malfunction can be cleared. Otherwise, the manual actuator will create resistance when pressed, in which case an alternative solution must be found.

[0005] However, in practice, users are often ordinary people or people who are not familiar with how dispensers work. If there is resistance when pressing the manual actuator, they may keep trying to press with more and more force, usually until they cause further damage to the dispensing mechanism.

[0006] The applicant's GB2552993 discloses a sheet dispenser comprising a manual actuator in the form of an operating trigger and a rotatable roller for frictionally engaging the sheet to be dispensed. The operating trigger is manually movable from a standby position to a pressed position in a first direction, wherein the dispenser includes a return spring that drives the operating trigger from the pressed position to the standby position in a second direction, and wherein the operating trigger includes a releasable engagement mechanism that engages and rotates the roller only when the operating trigger moves in the second direction. Thus, a manual over-control feature is provided, which actuates the dispensing mechanism only during the return movement of the operating trigger. This means that the strength of the manual over-control can be controlled by selecting the strength of the return spring, particularly to a level below which could cause greater damage to the dispenser. This also means that the user will not be able to apply increasingly greater force to the operating trigger as with known dispensers used in the manner described above.

[0007] However, in practice, it has been found that if the operating trigger remains in the compressed position due to a paper jam that the return spring cannot overcome, the user of the above design will still attempt to pull the operating trigger back to the standby position. This results in damage to the dispenser.

[0008] Furthermore, the operating trigger in GB2552993 is small and located only on one side of the dispenser. This is not a very robust or user-friendly arrangement. Additionally, it has been found that the force provided by a single return coil spring is insufficient to resolve paper jams. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention aims to overcome some of the above-mentioned problems.

[0010] Therefore, according to the present invention, the sheet dispenser includes a housing and a dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing, wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a frame, a manual drive mechanism, and a rotatable roller for frictionally engaging the sheet to be dispensed, wherein the manual drive mechanism includes a releasable roller engagement mechanism, an actuator for the roller engagement mechanism, and a handle for manually operating the actuator, wherein the actuator is movably mounted on the frame and can be manually moved from an idle position to a pressed position via an operating area, wherein a wall of the housing covers the operating area, wherein the wall includes a hole, wherein the handle is disposed on the outside of the wall and includes a bonding portion extending through the hole and releasably connected to the actuator.

[0011] Therefore, the present invention includes a detachable handle for operating the manual drive mechanism, which can be separated from the sheet dispenser during use, so that the manual drive mechanism is inaccessible to the average user in the event of a paper jam. The aperture can be sized such that the user cannot manually approach the actuator when the handle is not present. Instead, a technician can access the handle and can temporarily deploy it using the manual drive mechanism to resolve the paper jam.

[0012] The actuator can move along a first direction from an idle position through the operating area to a pressurized position, and the releasable roller engagement mechanism can engage and rotate the roller only when the actuator moves along the first direction. Therefore, the user controls the magnitude of the force applied to the manual drive mechanism and can apply sufficient force to resolve any paper jams.

[0013] A return spring can be installed between the actuator and the frame, and can bias the actuator from the compressed position to the idle position in a second direction. Therefore, the function of the return spring is simply to bring the actuator back to the idle position and hold it there. This ensures that the actuator is in the correct position when needed.

[0014] The releasable roller engagement mechanism can be any known mechanical mechanism that drives the roller in only one direction, including any known type of rack and pinion, ratchet, or friction engagement. However, in one embodiment, the roller engagement mechanism may include a ratchet connected to an actuator and a gear whose rotation causes the roller to rotate. The ratchet may be rotatably mounted to the actuator and may rotate about an axis between an engaged position and a deflected position. A ratchet spring may be mounted between the ratchet and the actuator to bias the ratchet to the engaged position. The ratchet may include a rack with helical teeth that engage the gear in the engaged position and rotate the gear when the actuator moves in a first direction. When the actuator moves in a second direction, the ratchet may rotate about an axis and deflect from the gear.

[0015] Gears can be rotatably connected to a drum via a gear train that converts the rotational motion of the gears into the rotational motion of the drum. That is, the gear train can include a drive gear that is axially aligned and rotatably fixed to the gear shaft, and a driven gear that is axially aligned and rotatably fixed to the drum shaft. The transmission ratio between the drive gear and the driven gear can be very small.

[0016] When the actuator moves from the idle position to the pressurized position, the gear train ensures that sufficient rotational motion is applied to the roller to rotate it from its initial position to its firing angle. The drive gear can have a larger diameter than the gear to increase gear transmission, and the drive gear can be a planetary gear that drives the driven gear to rotate to the desired angle.

[0017] The handle can be releasably attached to the actuator in any known manner. However, preferably, the actuator may include a socket, and the engagement portion may include a locking portion that releasably engages with a first side of the socket and is rotatable about a locking axis between a released position and a locked position. The engagement portion may also include a latching portion, and rotation of the engagement portion about the locking axis in a first direction may bias the latching portion to releasably engage with a second side of the socket. Rotation of the engagement portion about the locking axis in a second direction may disengage the latching portion from the second side of the socket and allow the locking portion to be in a released position. Thus, the engagement portion is releasably attached to the actuator by inserting the locking portion into the socket and applying the locking portion to the first side of the socket before the engagement portion is rotated about the locking axis to engage the latching portion with the second side of the socket. To release the handle, simply rotate the handle in the opposite direction to force the latching portion away from the second side of the socket.

[0018] Preferably, the walls of the hole may include a pair of laterally spaced holes, the actuator may include a pair of laterally spaced sockets, each socket aligned with one of the holes, and the engagement portion may include a pair of laterally spaced key arms. Each key arm may be similar to the engagement portion described above, having a locking portion and a snap-fit ​​portion, and each of them can be releasably mounted in one of the laterally spaced sockets as described above. This provides a secure and safe attachment between the handle and the actuator.

[0019] The key arm can be configured such that the force manually applied to the handle to push the actuator in a first direction also acts on the key arm to bias the latch into engagement with the second side of the corresponding socket. Therefore, the force applied by the user rotating the roller is opposite to the force required to release the handle. This arrangement also means that if the actuator jams anywhere other than the idle position, any significant force applied to the handle to move it back to the idle position will cause the handle to release from the actuator. Therefore, in the event of such a malfunction, the handle cannot be used to prevent further damage.

[0020] The handle can be located anywhere outside the housing, where it is easily accessible to the user, and it can act on the rollers, for example, above or beside them. However, preferably, the outer wall where the handle is located can be the bottom wall of the housing. This is suitable because the dispensing mechanism is traditionally located at the bottom of the housing, where the paper is dispensed.

[0021] The actuator can be mounted on a track, and the return spring can include multiple helical springs mounted between the actuator and the frame, which can be extended when the actuator moves in a first direction. Mounting the actuator on a track ensures smooth back-and-forth movement within the operating area.

[0022] This invention can be applied to any type of automatic tissue dispenser utilizing a dispensing roller. However, preferably, the rotatable roller can rotate 360 ​​degrees and may include a spring-loaded drive mechanism that rotates a portion of the roller 360 degrees from the dispensing angle to the starting position. The roller can be manually rotated from the starting position to the dispensing angle, and the movement of the actuator from the idle position to the pressed position can rotate the roller from the starting position to the dispensing angle. With this configuration, the actuator only needs to act on the roller to rotate a portion of the roller 360 degrees from the starting position to the dispensing angle so that the roller subsequently performs a full 360-degree rotation. This means that the linear movement of the handle from the idle position to the pressed position can be very short.

[0023] The dispenser may also include a support for rotatably supporting the roll of sheet to be dispensed, and a sheet path from the support to the outlet. A roller may be arranged in this path such that it frictionally engages the sheet used with the dispenser, and that the roller can be manually rotated from a starting position to a firing angle by manually manipulating the sheet extending from the outlet. The roller may include radially extending cutting blades that enter the path at a cutting angle on the roller. This feature allows the dispenser to dispense cut and measured sheets from the roll. As mentioned above, such rolls of material are cheaper and easier to manufacture than cut and folded sheets. The cutting angle of the roller can be set by a technician, but is typically a distance after the firing angle and before the starting position. Therefore, the user can pull a section of sheet extending from the outlet to rotate the roller from the starting position to the firing angle due to frictional engagement of the sheet on the roller's surface. Once the firing angle is reached, the roller is then driven for the remainder of its rotation, during which the blades cut the sheet, thus delivering a sheet to the user. The roller then drives the sheet further through its remaining rotational motion until another section of sheet extends out from the exit, so that the same action can be performed again. Attached Figure Description

[0024] This invention can be implemented in various ways, but an embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the sheet dispenser of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the dispensing mechanism of the sheet dispenser shown; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The bottom view of the distribution mechanism is shown, with its actuator in the idle position; Figure 4 yes Figure 2 The shown is a cross-sectional side view of the dispensing mechanism with its actuator in the idle position; Figure 5 yes Figure 2 The shown is a cross-sectional side view of the dispensing mechanism with its actuator in the idle position; Figure 6 yes Figure 2 The shown is a cross-sectional side view of the dispensing mechanism, with its actuator positioned between the idle and pressurized positions. Figure 7 yes Figure 2 The shown is a cross-sectional side view of the dispensing mechanism, with its actuator positioned between the idle and pressurized positions. Figure 8 yes Figure 2 The shown is a cross-sectional side view of the dispensing mechanism, with its actuator in a compressed position; Figure 9 yes Figure 2 The bottom view of the distribution mechanism is shown, with its actuator in the pressurized position; Figure 10 yes Figure 2 The shown is a cross-sectional side view of the dispensing mechanism, with the actuator in an intermediate position between the pressurized and idle positions; and Figure 11 yes Figure 1 The sheet dispenser shown is in a partial cross-sectional side view with its handle in the partially released position. Detailed Implementation

[0025] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the sheet dispenser 1 includes a housing 2 and a dispensing mechanism 3 disposed within the housing 2. The dispensing mechanism 3 includes a frame 4, a manual drive mechanism 5, and a rotatable roller 6 for frictionally engaging the sheet to be dispensed (not shown). The manual drive mechanism 5 includes a releasable roller engagement mechanism 7, an actuator 8 for the roller engagement mechanism 7, and a handle 9 for manually operating the actuator 8. As further explained below, the actuator 8 is movably mounted on the frame 4 and can be operated from the operating area 10. Figure 3 Manually move the empty position shown to, as indicated Figure 9 The pressure position is shown. The wall of the housing 2, namely the bottom wall 11, covers the operating area 10, and the bottom wall 11 includes a hole in the form of a parallel elongated hole 12. The handle 9 is disposed on the outside of the wall 11 and includes a bonding portion in the form of a key arm 13, which extends through the hole 12 and is releasably connected to the actuator 8.

[0026] Dispenser 1 is a tissue dispenser, a commonly known type, which uses roller 6 to cut tissues and eject them in a single motion. It is operated by the user pulling a section of paper extending from the dispenser (not shown), which causes roller 6 to rotate and initiate the automatic dispensing and cutting action. Dispenser 1 includes compartment areas 14 (in... Figure 11As can be seen in the image, a roll of paper (not shown) is rotatably supported between a pair of arms (not shown). The paper path extends downward from compartment area 14 to exit 15. Roller 6 is arranged in the paper path such that the paper is fed onto roller 6, guided rearward around roller 6, and then forward out of exit 15. Feed roller (not shown) is arranged in front of roller 6 to guide the paper onto roller 6. Exit roller (not shown) is arranged below roller 6 to guide the paper to exit 15. The paper remains in contact with roller 6 between the feed roller and the exit roller. The outer surface 16 of roller 6 includes a friction-bonding material 17, which facilitates frictional bonding between roller 6 and the paper.

[0027] The drum 6 is rotatable 360 ​​degrees and includes a spring-loaded drive mechanism (not visible) of a known type, which rotates a portion of it 360 degrees from the launch angle to the starting position. The spring-loaded drive mechanism is located at the opposite end of the drum 6 to the generally visible end in the figure and includes a radial arm extending from the drum 6 and a control helical spring. The outer end of the radial arm is mounted to a first end of the control helical spring, and the second end of the control helical spring is statically mounted to the frame 4. Figure 4 In the initial position of the roller 6 shown, the radial arm extends downwards, and the control helical spring is set essentially horizontally in a slightly extended state. As further described below, when the roller 6 rotates in use, the outer end of the radial arm follows a planetary path around the axis of the roller 6, causing the control helical spring to rotate around its second end and gradually increase its extension. This rotation continues for approximately 80-90 degrees until the radial arm and the control helical spring are aligned, and the outer end of the radial arm passes the center. This is the launch angle of the roller 6. Beyond this angle, the control helical spring contracts and pulls the outer end of the radial arm further along its planetary path.

[0028] This continues for 180 degrees until the angles of the radial arm and the control helical spring are aligned again in the opposite direction. At this point, the momentum of roller 6 means it continues to rotate approximately 90-100 degrees back to the starting position. Therefore, to allow roller 6 to perform a full 360-degree rotation, it is only necessary to manually rotate it 80-90 degrees from the starting position to the launch angle (depending on the exact position where the radial arm stopped in the previous operation). The remaining work is then done by the spring-loaded drive mechanism. Roller 6 can be manually rotated from the starting position to the launch angle by the user pulling a section of paper extending from outlet 15. This causes roller 6 to rotate due to the frictional engagement between the paper and the friction material 17 on the outer surface 16 of roller 6.

[0029] The drum 6 is connected to the first ratchet gear 18 at the opposite end of the spring-loaded drive mechanism. This first ratchet gear 18 is controlled by a pawl 19, so it can only rotate clockwise. This means that during the initial 80-90 degree rotation of the drum 6 from its starting position to the launch angle, the ratchet mechanism provided by the first ratchet gear 18 and the pawl 19 prevents the drum 6 from rotating counterclockwise under the force of the control helical spring, as the control helical spring is in a gradually increasing extension state.

[0030] Roller 6 includes radially extending cutting blades (not visible) that enter the paper's path at the cutting angle of roller 6. This occurs near the launch angle, but the cutting action only occurs after that point. This is necessary to ensure that as the user pulls the paper extending from outlet 15 and thereby rotates roller 6, the user can continue doing so until at least the launch angle is reached. Otherwise, a sheet of paper would be cut and dispensed from dispenser 1 before the launch angle is reached, and the spring-loaded drive mechanism would not operate to deliver another piece of paper from outlet 15 for the next dispensing action. Thus, the user can pull a piece of sheet extending from outlet 15 to rotate roller 6 from its starting position to the launch angle, and once the launch angle is reached, roller 6 is then driven about its remaining rotation, during which the blades cut the sheet, thus delivering a sheet to the user. Roller 6 then further drives the sheet to complete its remaining rotational motion until another portion of the sheet extends from outlet 15 to perform the same action again.

[0031] This invention relates to a manual over-control system for rotating roller 6 in case of paper jams or other malfunctions, or when loading paper into the dispensing mechanism 3 from above. Specifically, the manual drive mechanism 5 includes a releasable roller engagement mechanism 7, which rotates when the handle 9 is removed from the control unit. Figures 3 to 5 The indicated free position is moved to Figure 8 and 9 When in the pressure position shown, the roller engagement mechanism rotates roller 6.

[0032] To facilitate this, the frame 4 includes an operating area 10, which is a rectangular recess formed in the lower side 20 of the frame 4, in which the actuator 8 is disposed for reciprocating motion. Figure 4As can be clearly seen, the actuator 8 is typically a rectangular component, slightly narrower than the operating area 10, with a similar depth. The operating area 10 includes a track in the form of a parallel support rod 21 integrally formed therein, and the actuator 8 includes corresponding holes (not visible) fitted onto the support rod 21. This arrangement ensures that the actuator 8 moves uniformly back and forth within the operating area 10 without twisting or jamming. Three return coil springs 22 are mounted between the actuator 8 and the frame 4. Their first ends 23 are received in a first retaining groove 24 provided in the front wall 25 of the operating area 10, and their second ends 26 are received in a second retaining groove 27 provided in the rear wall 28 of the actuator 8. When the actuator 8 moves in a first direction, i.e. in... Figure 3 When the actuator moves downwards, the return coil spring 22 is in the extended state. The three return coil springs 23 provided in the spaced-out configuration shown in the figure ensure that the actuator 8 is biased to the idle position in a balanced and controlled manner, and that they do not cause the actuator 8 to twist or jam on the support rod 21. The function of the three return coil springs 23 is to bring the actuator 8 back to the idle position and hold it there. This ensures that the actuator is in the correct position when needed.

[0033] Frame 4 also includes a drive region 29, in which the roller engagement mechanism 7 and the check system of the first ratchet gear 18 and pawl 19 are housed. (See reference...) Figure 5 The components obscured by overlapping parts are shown in dashed lines. The roller engagement mechanism 7 includes a ratchet member 30 and a second ratchet gear 31. The ratchet member 30 includes three first inclined teeth 32 and is rotatably mounted to the support plate 33 at a pivot point 34, thus allowing it to... Figure 5 The joint position shown and as Figure 10 The ratchet spring 35 is mounted between the ratchet member 30 and the support plate 33, and the ratchet spring 35 biases the ratchet member 30 about the pivot point 34 to the engaged position. A slot 36 is formed in the frame 4 between the operating area 10 and the drive area 29, and the support plate 33 is connected to the actuator 8 through the slot 36, so it moves in unison with the actuator 8.

[0034] The second ratchet gear 31 includes a second inclined tooth 37 and is rotatably mounted to the frame 4 along the path of the ratchet member 30. When the ratchet member 30... Figure 5 When the empty position shown moves to the compressed position, it Figure 6 The intermediate position shown is in contact with the second ratchet gear 31. Further movement of the ratchet member 30 toward the compressed position causes the first inclined tooth 32 to rotate into contact with the second inclined tooth 37, which in turn causes the second ratchet gear 31 to rotate, as... Figure 7 As shown. This rotation continues until... Figure 8 The pressure position is shown.

[0035] When the ratchet component 30 is released by the three return coil springs 22 Figure 8 The pressure position shown is towards Figure 5 When the ratchet moves to the idle position shown, the rear surface 38 of the first inclined tooth 32 is driven to contact the rear surface 39 of the second inclined tooth 37, and this interaction causes the ratchet member 30 to rotate about the pivot point 34. Figure 10 The deflection position is shown. This is because the pawl 19 prevents the first ratchet gear 18 from rotating in the opposite direction, and due to the mechanical interconnection between these components described below, the pawl 19 also prevents the second ratchet gear 31 from rotating in the opposite direction. Therefore, the movement of the ratchet member 30 from the pressed position back to the idle position does not rotate the second ratchet gear 31.

[0036] Thus, the releasable roller engagement mechanism 7 engages the roller 6 and rotates the roller 6 only when the actuator 8 moves in the first direction. Therefore, the user controls the magnitude of the force applied to the manual drive mechanism 5 and can apply sufficient force to resolve any paper jam problem.

[0037] The second ratchet gear 31 is rotatably connected to the drum 6 via a gear train 40. The gear train 40 includes a drive gear 41 rotatably fixed and axially aligned with the second ratchet gear 31, and a driven gear 42 rotatably fixed and axially aligned with the drum 6. The driven gear 42 is integrally formed with the first ratchet gear 18, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown. These two features are opposite sides of the same element. The transmission ratio between the drive gear 41 and the driven gear 42 is very small; in this sense, the diameter of the driven gear 42 is larger than the diameter of the drive gear 41, and therefore it rotates less than the drive gear 41.

[0038] As described above, the gear train 40 is configured to ensure that the correct amount of rotational motion is applied to the roller 6 when the actuator 8 moves from the idle position to the pressed position to rotate the roller 6 from its starting position to its firing angle. Therefore, pressing the handle 8 from the idle position to the pressed position rotates the roller 6 by approximately 80-90 degrees to move it from its starting position to its firing angle, and the spring-loaded drive mechanism completes the remaining work, as described above.

[0039] Actuator 8 in such Figure 6 The first engagement point between the ratchet member 30 and the second ratchet gear 31 shown is... Figure 8 The linear motion distance between the pressure points shown is converted into the same distance of rotational motion of the second ratchet gear 31. The drive gear 41 has a larger circumference than the second ratchet gear 31, thus the rotational motion of the second ratchet gear 31 is "accelerated" after transmission, resulting in a greater rotational distance for the drive gear 41. The driven gear 42 has a larger circumference than the drive gear 41, therefore the driven gear 42 rotates less than the drive gear 41.

[0040] The handle 9 is releasably connected to the actuator 8. That is, the bottom wall 11 of the housing 2 includes a pair of laterally spaced holes 12, and the actuator 8 includes a pair of laterally spaced sockets 43, each socket aligned with one of the holes 12. The handle 9 includes a pair of laterally spaced key arms 13 that pass through the holes 12 and connect to the upper sockets 43. Figure 1 It can be clearly seen that the hole 12 is elongated and provides enough space for the handle 9 to move together with the actuator 8 from its idle position to its pressed position.

[0041] Reference Figure 4 Each key arm 13 includes a locking portion 45 and a latching portion 46. The key arm 13 is made of a resilient material, and a recess 44 formed in the key arm 13 allows the locking portion 45 and the latching portion 46 to move a short distance toward each other. Each socket 43 includes a first lateral sidewall 47 and a second lateral sidewall 48. The locking portion 45 is releasably engaged with the first lateral sidewall 47 and is movable about a locking axis. Figure 4 The locking position shown and as Figure 11 Rotation between the shown release positions. The latch 46 is positioned such that rotation of the key arm 13 about the locking axis in a counter-clockwise direction in the figure moves the latch 46 to releasably engage with the second transverse sidewall 48. The latch 46 crosses over and engages with the second transverse sidewall 48. Each key arm 13 also includes a stop wall 49 that abuts against the second transverse sidewall 48 in the locked position to prevent further rotation of the key arm 13. The stop wall 49 also ensures that when manual force is applied to the handle 9 to move the actuator 8 from the idle position to the pressed position in the first direction, any rotational force applied to the key arm 13 prevents any rotation of the handle 9, and all manual force is transmitted to the actuator 8.

[0042] Rotation of the key arm 13 about the locking axis in the second direction causes the latch 46 to disengage from the second transverse sidewall 48. For example... Figure 11 As shown, as the locking part 45 rotates to the released position, the latching part 46 crosses the second transverse sidewall 48 and deforms, allowing the key arm 13 to be released from the socket 43. Therefore, the key arm 13 is configured such that the force manually applied to the handle 9 to push the actuator 8 in the first direction also acts on the key arm 13 to bias them into the locked position. Thus, the force applied by the user rotating the roller 6 is opposite to the force required to release the handle 9. This arrangement means that if the actuator 8 is stuck anywhere other than in the idle position, any significant force applied to the handle 9 to move it to the idle position will cause the handle 9 to release from the actuator 8. Therefore, in such a failure scenario, the handle cannot be used to cause further damage.

[0043] The key point is that actuator 8 can only be moved manually using the releasable handle 9, as the bottom wall 11 covers actuator 8 and prevents any direct manual access. Therefore, in use, handle 9 can remain separate from dispenser 1 to prevent ordinary users from accessing the manual drive mechanism 5 in the event of a paper jam. This prevents untrained users from accidentally damaging the dispenser 3. Conversely, a technician can access handle 9 and can temporarily deploy it in the manner described above to resolve a paper jam using the manual drive mechanism 5.

[0044] In use, dispenser 1 operates as follows: Dispenser 1 is loaded with a roll of paper to be dispensed, and the paper is fed onto roller 6 in a known manner and discharged from outlet 15. To obtain a tissue, the user pulls the paper extending from outlet 15, which rotates roller 6 from its initial position to the dispensing angle. Once the dispensing angle is reached, a spring-loaded drive mechanism automatically rotates roller 6 to complete its remaining rotational motion. After reaching the dispensing angle, the paper is cut by a cutting blade to form a sheet of paper, which is then dispensed to the user. As roller 6 continues to rotate, it feeds more paper to outlet 15, leaving another sheet for another user to pull.

[0045] In the event of a malfunction or paper jam, dispenser 1 may cease normal operation. No paper may extend from outlet 15, or if it does, it may become stuck. In this situation, no action can be taken without handle 9, as actuator 8 cannot be accessed from the outside. This prevents unauthorized users from accessing the manual drive mechanism 5 and potentially causing damage.

[0046] Then, a technician with handle 9 can apply it to actuator 8 through hole 12. It is applied at an angle such that the locking part 45 of key arm 13 can engage with the first lateral sidewall 47 of socket 43 before handle 9 is rotated about the locking axis to engage latch 46 with second lateral sidewall 48. Handle 9 can then be pressed to drive actuator 8 from idle position to press position. This forces ratchet member 30 to engage second ratchet gear 31, which then rotates to drive gear train 40 to rotate roller 6 from its starting position to its firing angle. If a paper jam is present, applying this manual force should remove or clear it by pushing the paper jam out of dispensing mechanism 3. Roller 6 should then rotate to complete its remaining action to reset dispensing mechanism 3, and actuator 8 will return to idle position individually via three return coil springs 22. When this occurs, ratchet member 30 rotates about pivot point 34 and deflects from second ratchet gear 31, so no rotational force is transmitted to second ratchet gear.

[0047] In cases where the paper jam is too severe and the handle 9 cannot be fully pressed down, further important remedial measures are required. When the handle 9 is stuck in an intermediate position between the idle and compressed positions, the user cannot pull the handle 9 towards them unless it is released from the socket 43. This prevents further damage caused by the force applied to the dispensing mechanism 3.

[0048] The invention can be implemented in various other ways that fall within the scope of the invention. For example, in an alternative embodiment (not shown), the actuator is disposed on the side of the frame, and a handle is applied to the side wall of the dispenser to manually operate the actuator.

[0049] In another alternative embodiment (not shown), the actuator return spring is mounted between the actuator and the rear wall of the frame, so that they are compressed when the actuator moves from the idle position to the compressed position.

[0050] Therefore, the present invention provides a detachable handle for operating a manual drive mechanism, which can be stored separately from the dispenser during use, so that the manual drive mechanism cannot be accessed by an ordinary user in the event of a paper jam. Furthermore, the present invention provides various technical solutions required to achieve this arrangement in an efficient and robust manner, including the size, shape, and construction of the actuator in the operating area, and a roller engagement mechanism with a rotating ratchet member and a gear train.

Claims

1. A sheet dispenser comprising a housing and a dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing, wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a frame, a manual drive mechanism, and a rotatable roller for frictionally engaging a sheet to be dispensed, wherein the manual drive mechanism includes a releasable roller engagement mechanism, an actuator for the roller engagement mechanism, and a handle for manually operating the actuator, wherein the actuator is movably mounted to the frame and is manually movable from an idle position to a pressed position via an operating area, wherein a wall of the housing covers the operating area, wherein the wall includes a hole, wherein the handle is disposed outside the wall and includes a key portion extending through the hole and releasably connected to the actuator.

2. The sheet dispenser according to claim 1, wherein, The actuator is movable along a first direction through the operating area from the idle position to the pressurized position, and wherein the releasable roller engagement mechanism engages the roller and rotates the roller only when the actuator moves along the first direction.

3. The sheet dispenser according to claim 2, wherein, A return spring is installed between the actuator and the frame, and biases the actuator from the compressed position to the idle position along a second direction.

4. The sheet dispenser according to claim 3, wherein, The releasable roller engagement mechanism includes a ratchet and a gear, the ratchet being connected to the actuator, and rotation of the gear causing the roller to rotate; The ratchet is rotatably mounted to the actuator and is rotatable about an axis between an engaged position and a deflected position. A ratchet spring is mounted between the ratchet and the actuator, and biases the ratchet to the engaged position; wherein the ratchet includes a rack with inclined teeth that engage the gear at the engaged position and rotate the gear when the actuator moves in the first direction; and wherein the ratchet rotates about the axis and deflects from the gear when the actuator moves in the second direction.

5. The sheet dispenser according to claim 4, wherein, The gear is rotatably connected to the drum via a gear train, which converts the rotational motion of the gear into the rotational motion of the drum.

6. The sheet dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the gear train comprises a drive gear rotatably fixed and aligned with the gear axis and a driven gear rotatably fixed and aligned with the roller axis, and wherein the transmission ratio between the drive gear and the driven gear is very small.

7. The sheet dispenser of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a socket, wherein the bonding portion includes a locking portion releasably engaged with a first side of the socket and rotatable about a locking axis between a released position and a locked position, wherein the bonding portion further includes a latching portion, wherein rotation of the bonding portion about the locking axis in a first direction biases the latching portion to releasably engage with a second side of the socket, and wherein rotation of the bonding portion about the locking axis in a second direction disengages the latching portion from the second side of the socket and allows the locking portion to be in the released position.

8. The sheet dispenser according to claim 1, wherein, The orifice includes a pair of laterally spaced orifices, wherein the actuator includes a pair of laterally spaced recesses, each recess being aligned with one of the orifices, wherein the engagement portion includes a pair of laterally spaced key arms; wherein each key arm includes a locking portion that is releasably engaged with a first side of one of the recesses and is rotatable about a locking axis between a released position and a locked position; wherein each key arm also includes a latching portion; wherein rotation of the key arm about the locking axis in a first direction biases each latching portion to releasably engage with a second side of the recess; And wherein the rotation of the key arm about the locking axis in a second direction disengages each of the latches from the second side of the socket and allows the locking portion to be in the released position.

9. The sheet dispenser according to claim 1, wherein, The wall is the bottom wall of the shell.

10. The sheet dispenser according to claim 3, wherein, The actuator is mounted on a track, and the return spring includes a plurality of helical springs mounted between the actuator and the frame, wherein the helical springs are in an extended state when the actuator moves in a first direction.

11. The sheet dispenser according to claim 1, wherein, The rotatable roller is capable of rotating 360 degrees, wherein the roller includes a spring-loaded drive mechanism that rotates a portion of the 360 ​​degrees from the launch angle to the starting position, wherein the roller is manually rotated from the starting position to the launch angle, and wherein the movement of the actuator from the idle position to the pressurized position rotates the roller from the starting position to the launch angle.

12. The sheet dispenser of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes a support for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet to be dispensed, and a sheet path from the support to an outlet, wherein a roller is arranged in the path such that the roller frictionally engages a sheet used with the dispenser, and such that the roller can be manually rotated from the starting position to the firing angle by manually manipulating the sheet extending from the outlet, wherein the roller includes a radially extending cutting blade that enters the path at a cutting angle of the roller.

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