Compaction and shredding device

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a compacting and comminuting device for integration into a hygiene station for human hand hygiene.

[0002] It is known from practice that, particularly in public toilet facilities such as those at rest areas, in addition to hot air hand dryers, there are also dispensers for towels, usually single-use cellulose wipes, available for customers to dry their hands after washing. A distinction must be made here between dispensers that provide individual compacted towels, i.e. folded or united towels, and those that provide towels in the form of endless rolls. In the latter case, the towels must be separated by the user, either by cutting them off along a prepared tear-off line, which determines the surface area of the towel, or at the user's discretion, i.e. in the size they deem necessary to dry their hands sufficiently.It can also be observed that the majority of users use, or have to use, more than one of the provided towels to dry their hands sufficiently. After drying their hands, the used towel(s) are manually compressed only slightly by the user for disposal, which takes up a lot of space in the designated disposal or collection container. This often results in the collection containers overflowing between scheduled emptyings, and the used towels falling out, which also soils or even contaminates the area surrounding the collection container. "Towels" refers to paper towels.

[0003] From DE 2 307 194 A1 an apparatus with a grinding funnel and a grinding cone is known, which shreds paper and transports the residues through a suction line into a separator or another corresponding end station.

[0004] Furthermore, DE 20 2007 000 842 U1 discloses a washing system with a sink, a towel dispenser for dispensing towels, and a towel disposal device. The disposal device of the washing system is equipped with a shredder for the towel. A liquid-floodable collecting arrangement is provided below the shredding device, and the collecting arrangement is connected to a wastewater drainage device.

[0005] WO 00 / 18284 A1 discloses a hand washing and drying device comprising a washing and drying chamber having at least one access opening providing access for inserting at least one hand to be washed, and a washing liquid dispenser in fluid communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for dispensing washing liquid within the washing and drying chamber. Furthermore, the hand washing and drying device comprises a blower dryer in fluid communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for providing a directed supply of drying air within the washing and drying chamber, and a towel dispenser in communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for dispensing a towel, e.g., a disposable paper towel, within the chamber.Furthermore, the hand washing and drying device comprises a waste disposal unit for shredding a used towel dispensed from the towel dispenser and for discharging the shredded waste through a drain. DE 203 10 218 U1 discloses a waste collector having at least one attachment that can be detachably attached to the housing and includes a paper shredding function.

[0006] A compacting and shredding device is also known, for example, from DE 27 18 145 A1.

[0007] The aforementioned devices for pressing and / or shredding paper towels are either very complex in their design and / or unsuitable for compact, modular construction. Furthermore, either an additional connection to a suction or drainage line is required, or the pressing and shredding results are inadequate.

[0008] It is therefore the object of the present invention to advantageously further develop a device of the type mentioned at the outset, in particular to the extent that a compact design for integrating the device into a hygiene station and a high compaction and comminution performance are made possible without having to forego safety aspects.

[0009] This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. The subject matter of subclaims 2 to 14 are advantageous developments of the subject matter of the invention of claim 1.

[0010] According to the invention, a compacting and shredding device is provided for integration into a hygiene station for human hand hygiene, which is designed to compact and shred towels, in particular used and moist disposable cellulose wipes. The compacting and shredding device comprises: at least one receiving container with a feed opening and an interior space for receiving compressed and shredded towels; at least one compacting and / or shredding unit for compacting and shredding towels, which is arranged at the feed opening of the receiving container; and at least one drive unit for driving the compacting and / or comminution unit, wherein the compaction and / or comminution unit has at least two rollers arranged parallel to one another and rotating in opposite directions about their axes.

[0011] The invention is based on the fundamental idea that hand-drying towels, particularly disposable cellulose towels, are advantageously processed by the compacting and shredding device in such a way that the capacity of the disposal or collection container is extended by compacting and shredding used and damp disposable towels, thereby, among other things, preventing the collection container from overflowing. Extending the capacity of the collection container also results in a longer interval between emptyings.

[0012] The compacting and / or shredding unit is designed in such a way that it can compact and / or shred dry, wet and / or semi-wet or moist, but also soiled (paper) towels.

[0013] In particular, the hygiene station has no supply or drainage lines. Rather, it is a self-contained station, with the sole exception of a power connection to drive the compaction and / or shredding unit.

[0014] The receptacle is preferably cuboid or approximately cuboid-shaped, but may also have another shape, such as a cylindrical shape. The receptacle has a feed opening on its top side, which may also encompass the entire surface of the top side of the receptacle. The receptacle may be made of plastic and / or a stainless metal so that the used towels introduced or supplied, which have a certain moisture content, do not impair the surface of the interior of the receptacle.

[0015] The compaction and / or shredding unit is arranged in the area of the feed opening. The unit can either be located entirely above the feed opening or at least partially protrude into it. However, it is also conceivable for the compaction and / or shredding unit to be arranged entirely within the receiving container, although this would reduce the container's capacity.

[0016] The compaction and / or shredding unit is driven by at least one drive unit, whose drive torque is transmitted to all elements to be moved for compaction and shredding. However, multiple drive units can also be provided, each driving different moving elements of the compaction and / or shredding unit.

[0017] The compacting and comminuting device according to the invention is provided as part of a hygiene station for human hand hygiene, which further comprises a towel dispensing device, a disinfectant dispensing device and optionally a display and input device and a room fragrance dispensing device.

[0018] Such a hygiene station can be mounted on a wall and powered directly by the building's electrical system. However, the hygiene station can also be designed as a mobile, freestanding hygiene station, in which case it has a sufficiently long electrical cable, such as a power cable, to connect it to a power grid or generator.

[0019] The disinfectant dispenser is arranged below the towel dispenser so that disinfectant can be dispensed into the hands of a user held below the disinfectant dispenser.

[0020] The display and input device is arranged at approximately eye level of a user on the front, i.e. on the outer surface opposite the installation side of the hygiene station. The display and input device can show a user, for example, advertising or a suggestion for carrying out hand hygiene for the duration of their hand hygiene. In addition, it can be provided that the user can use the display and input device, for example, to portion out the amount of disinfectant dispensed by the disinfectant dispensing device and / or to specify the number of towels dispensed by the towel dispensing device for drying hands. It is also conceivable that the user can use the display and input device, for example, to enter an assessment of their satisfaction with the condition and equipment of the sanitary facility in the vicinity of which the hygiene station is set up or installed.

[0021] The room fragrance dispenser can be located above the towel dispenser, allowing it to fill the hygiene station's location with a room fragrance as much as possible. The room fragrance can be released either at set intervals or via a sensor assigned to the room fragrance dispenser, which detects the number of users and / or their length of stay in the vicinity of the hygiene station and regulates the room fragrance release accordingly.

[0022] The compacting and / or shredding device according to the invention can be arranged below the disinfectant dispensing device, into which the user can throw in or feed used towels.

[0023] The housing of the towel dispenser is preferably located between the disinfectant dispenser and the room fragrance dispenser, wherein the dispensing opening of the towel dispenser is arranged at the level of the outlet of the disinfectant dispenser and opposite the insertion opening of the compacting and / or shredding device.

[0024] The compaction and / or shredding unit has at least two rollers arranged parallel to each other and rotating in opposite directions.

[0025] The counter-rotating rollers or cylinders arranged parallel to each other rotate in such a way that a towel thrown in from the outside or above or brought in and used is conveyed between the rollers into the interior of the receiving container.

[0026] The rollers are preferably the same length and have the same diameter. However, it is also possible that the diameters of the two rollers are different.

[0027] The rollers are made of a rigid or difficult to deform material, such as stainless steel or ceramic.

[0028] Furthermore, it can be provided that the rollers have a plurality of circumferential rings and / or grooves and / or knobs.

[0029] The rings or also the grooves and / or knobs of a roller can be machined, so that the rings and roller consist of one workpiece.

[0030] The rings can also be slid onto the roller and secured at a predetermined position along the roller's longitudinal axis. Separate rings can be made of either the same material as the roller or a different material.

[0031] Preferably the rings have the same diameter.

[0032] In one possible embodiment, the rings are arranged uniformly and equidistantly.

[0033] In order to achieve optimal compaction and shredding performance along the entire longitudinal extension of the rollers, the rings are spaced equidistantly along the longitudinal axis of the rollers.

[0034] However, it is also conceivable that the rings have a smaller distance in a middle section of the rollers, provided that the design of the feed area of the compacting and shredding device increases the probability that the used towels fed in will reach the rollers first in this area.

[0035] In another possible embodiment, the rings are integrally formed on the respective roller.

[0036] This has the advantage that the rollers do not have any weak points along their circumference that could give way during compaction and shredding.

[0037] Furthermore, it can be provided that the rings of the rollers are arranged in such a way that one ring of one roller is opposite a space between two rings of the other roller.

[0038] This ensures that there are no large gaps along the longitudinal axis of the rolls through which larger pieces of the used towels are conveyed.

[0039] It may also be provided that the rings of the rollers engage with each other.

[0040] By arranging the rings in the spaces between the rings of the other roller, optimal compaction and shredding performance is ensured. The rollers are arranged in such a way that they neither touch the roller body of the opposite roller nor its rings, thus preventing wear on the rollers and rings.

[0041] The depth of engagement of the rollers in the spaces between the rings of the opposite roller can be adjustable to suit the nature of the towels provided, ensuring that the rollers do not become blocked during compaction and shredding.

[0042] In one possible embodiment, the rollers have circular blades arranged on the outer periphery.

[0043] The circular blades or cutting edges on the outer perimeter of the rings improve the shredding result of the used towels to be shredded.

[0044] Furthermore, it can be provided that the device has a cover element with a releasable and resealable insertion opening, and wherein the cover element covers the feed opening of the collecting container and accommodates the compacting and / or shredding unit.

[0045] The cover element prevents accidental access to the compacting and / or shredding unit, especially by children. This means that a used manual can only be fed in once the feed opening has been cleared. At the same time, the cover element prevents shredded towels from overflowing, provided the compacting and / or shredding unit does not fill the entire feed opening of the container.

[0046] To open and close the insertion opening, at least one sliding or hinged cover element can be provided on the top side of the cover element, inside or outside. This at least one cover element is movable via an additional drive unit. In the case of a sliding cover element, it is guided on rails on two sides, along which it can open and close the insertion opening.

[0047] The cover element preferably comprises slats which are pivotally connected to adjacent slats on the long sides and guided in rails on the narrow sides. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the rails extend in a first region near the insertion opening in a direction which forms an angle of less than 45° to a horizontal plane, with lower ends of the rails in particular facing the position of a person using the hygiene station. In a second region of the rails, these preferably extend in a direction which forms an angle of less than 15°, in particular 0°, to a vertical plane. The two regions of each rail are connected to one another via a curved region. When the insertion opening is closed, the slats are located in the first region of the rails and when the insertion opening is open, they are located in the second region.By using slats and rails with the two described areas, the required area of the cover element for closing and opening can be kept small, in particular only slightly larger than the insertion opening. This allows the horizontal space requirement of the hygiene station to be kept small.

[0048] The cover element and the receiving container preferably have the same shape along the contacting edges, wherein the cover element rests on the receiving container in the region of the feed opening of the latter in such a way that the interior is sealed or substantially enclosed.

[0049] However, the cover element can also be pushed on in the area of the feed opening of the receiving container along two rails provided there, wherein the pushed-on cover element can be locked or arrested in its position above the feed opening of the receiving container.

[0050] In a further possible embodiment, the cover element has a funnel element arranged below the insertion opening, which is designed to guide introduced towels to the compacting and / or shredding unit.

[0051] This has the advantage that used towels are fed to the compacting and / or shredding unit in such a way that no towels can reach a dead area below the feed opening of the cover element or even reach the receiving container uncompacted and unshredded, provided that the compacting and / or shredding unit does not fill the entire feed opening of the receiving container.

[0052] Furthermore, cleaning elements can be provided on the side of the compacting and / or shredding unit facing the interior of the receiving container, which cleaning elements free the compacting and / or shredding unit of adhering residues of the towels.

[0053] The cleaning elements can be strips that extend along the longitudinal axis of the rollers and are positioned a short distance below the rollers so that they scrape or remove any residue of the compressed and shredded towels that has stuck to the rollers. These strips are aligned so that the scraped or removed residue can also reach the receiving container. The strips can be made of plastic, metal, or any other suitable material.

[0054] In a further possible embodiment, the device comprises a sensor and a controller which is connected to the sensor and controls the opening and closing of the insertion opening.

[0055] The sensor detects that a used towel needs to be added and forwards the detected feed request to the control system, which then activates the lid element's drive unit so that the insertion opening can be opened. After the used towel(s) have been inserted or inserted by the user, the control system activates the lid element's drive unit again to close the insertion opening. The control system is configured to open the insertion opening either for a specific duration or until it receives another signal from the sensor.

[0056] Furthermore, it can be provided that the sensor is arranged on an outer surface of the device.

[0057] This allows a user's movements and / or inputs with their hand and / or foot to be detected, subsequently unlocking the mail slot. Therefore, it is possible to provide a contactless or a touch-sensitive sensor. However, more than one sensor, preferably two different sensor types, can also be provided, both to offer the user more than one way to unlock the mail slot and to provide redundancy in the event of a sensor failure.

[0058] The sensor can be provided as an optical sensor.

[0059] An optical sensor, such as a light sensor or optical detector, is a simple option for detecting a user's intention to deposit a used towel and forwarding it to the control system. A light barrier can also be implemented as an optical sensor, which transmits an electrical signal to the control system when the light beam is interrupted and another signal to the control system as soon as the light beam is received again.

[0060] The towels that enter the compacting and / or shredding unit through the inlet opening can have a wide variety of shapes. They can be barely deformed and thus essentially flat, or they can be formed into a compressed ball of paper. Their moisture content can also range from completely dry to dripping wet. Tests have shown that these significant differences also lead to very different entry behavior into the compacting and / or shredding unit, resulting in varying degrees of contamination of the compacting and / or shredding unit, or even impairments to its function.

[0061] In a particularly advantageous compacting and shredding device, the compacting and / or shredding unit is assigned a pressing device, which can be moved by a pressing drive unit between two end positions at different distances from the compacting and / or shredding unit. The pressing device enables towels to be pressed against the compacting and / or shredding unit. This pressing is important for particularly dry, ball-shaped, or flat towels, because without pressing, they will not get between the rollers despite the rotating rollers. The pressing device is important for trouble-free operation of the compacting and shredding device.

[0062] In another particularly advantageous compacting and shredding device, the rollers comprise a plurality of circumferential, radially protruding rings. The rings are arranged or configured on the rollers in such a way that a ring of one roller engages in a free space next to a ring of the other roller. The directly adjacent rings of two cooperating rollers overlap, so that the mutually associated edges of the rings cut the towel material in the overlapping area.

[0063] A gap or free spaces are formed between the protruding circumferential surfaces of the rings and the areas of the rollers opposite these circumferential surfaces, in which material from the towels is conveyed between the rollers towards the receiving container. To ensure that material from the towels is well drawn into the free spaces and conveyed through these towards the receiving container and, when the receiving container is already loosely filled, is compacted therein, the rings have a rough surface on the radial outside. The rough surface is preferably in the form of knurling. An advantageous knurling comprises grooves that extend along the axes of the rollers. The rough surface orThe knurling ensures that dry and wet, ball-shaped or flat towels are drawn into the compacting and / or shredding unit with good contact with the inlet area of the rollers and that the shredded material of the towels is conveyed into the receiving container even against great resistance.

[0064] In a preferred embodiment, the fill level of the receiving container is displayed. This allows service personnel to empty the receiving container in good time. The fill level can be indicated via a viewing window if desired. Because the shredded material from the towels can essentially fill the entire receiving container even when loose, information dependent on the overall density of the material in the receiving container is preferably displayed as the fill level. Accordingly, the maximum fill level is assigned to a maximum permissible material density in the receiving container. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, at least one pressure or force detection device is arranged on the receiving container, which makes the fill level detectable and, in particular, displayable.

[0065] For example, a force absorbed by a partial edge surface of the receiving container can be detected and displayed, depending on the fill level or the pressure in the receiving container. For this purpose, for example, a pressure detected on the partial edge surface, or a deformation of the edge surface, or the deflection of the partial edge surface caused by a prestress is detected. Preferably, at least one pressure sensor is arranged on the receiving container. It is advantageous if a pressure sensor is arranged on at least a partial surface of the base of the receiving container. If appropriate, the at least one pressure sensor is arranged on a wall of the receiving container or, if appropriate, on the shredding unit, for example near the rollers.

[0066] The fill level detected by the pressure or force sensing device is displayed and / or transmitted to the control system. The display can be provided via LEDs, particularly flashing LEDs, or on a screen. The control system can also forward the fill level information to a central location. The service personnel will empty the receiving container according to the display or the information received by the central location.

[0067] Embodiments of the invention will now be described below with reference to the drawings. These are not necessarily intended to depict the embodiments to scale; rather, the drawings are presented in a schematic and / or slightly distorted form where this is useful for explanation. For supplements to the teachings immediately apparent from the drawings, reference is made to the relevant prior art.

[0068] It should be noted that various modifications and changes can be made to the form and detail of an embodiment without deviating from the general idea of the invention. The features of the invention disclosed in the description, the drawings and the claims can be essential for further development of the invention both individually and in any combination. Furthermore, all combinations of at least two of the features disclosed in the description, the drawings and / or the claims fall within the scope of the invention. The general idea of the invention is not limited to the exact form or detail of the preferred embodiments shown and described below or limited to an object that would be limited compared to the object claimed in the claims.For specified design ranges, values within the specified limits are also intended to be disclosed as limit values and can be used and stressed as required. For the sake of simplicity, the same reference symbols are used below for identical or similar parts or parts with identical or similar functions.

[0069] Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments and from the drawings, which show: Fig. 1 an embodiment of a hygiene station for human hand hygiene; Fig. 2 an embodiment of a compacting and comminuting device according to the invention in an isometric view; Fig. 3 the embodiment from Fig. 2 without receptacle and with open opening; Fig. 4 the embodiment from Fig. 2 without receptacle and with closed insertion opening; Fig. 5 the embodiment from Fig. 3 in a top view; Fig. 6 another embodiment of a cover element and a drive unit in a side view; Fig. 7 a compression and / or crushing unit with a pressing device at a first end position; Fig. 8 an excerpt from Fig. 7 ; Fig. 9 a compression and / or crushing unit with a pressing device at a second end position; Fig. 10 an excerpt from Fig. 9 ; Fig. 11 a compression and / or crushing unit with a cover element made of slats; Fig. 12 a compaction and / or crushing unit with three drive units; Fig. 13 a compaction and / or crushing unit with three drive units; Fig. 14 a compaction and / or crushing unit in a view from below.

[0070] Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a hygiene station for human hand hygiene 10.

[0071] The hygiene station 10 has a compacting and / or comminuting device 100 according to the invention.

[0072] In addition, the hygiene station 10 has a towel dispensing device 200.

[0073] Furthermore, a disinfectant dispensing device 300 is part of the hygiene station 10.

[0074] Furthermore, a display and input device 400 and a room fragrance dispensing device 500 are elements of the hygiene station 10.

[0075] Hygiene station 10 is in Fig. 1 mounted on a wall, with the hygiene station 10 being electrically supplied directly via the building's power supply. However, the hygiene station 10 can also be designed as a mobile, i.e., freestanding, hygiene station, and then has a sufficiently long electrical cable, such as a power cable, with which it can be connected to a power grid or a generator.

[0076] Additional connecting lines, supply lines or drainage lines such as a drainage shaft for used paper towels are not required and are not provided.

[0077] The Hygiene Station 10 is therefore a so-called stand-alone system, which is completely self-sufficient with the exception of the power supply.

[0078] In principle, it would also be possible to provide the power supply in the form of a rechargeable battery or a battery. However, this is not required, as a power connection is generally available at typical installation locations such as a restroom (e.g., in a restaurant, motorway service station, train station, etc.).

[0079] The disinfectant dispenser 300 is arranged below the towel dispenser 200 so that disinfectant can be dispensed into the hands of a user held below the disinfectant dispenser 300.

[0080] The display and input device 400 is arranged at approximately eye level of a user on the front, i.e. on the outer surface opposite the mounting side of the hygiene station 10. The display and input device 50 can show a user, for example, advertising or a suggestion for performing hand hygiene for the duration of their hand hygiene. In addition, the user can use the display and input device 400 to portion out the dispensed quantity of disinfectant from the disinfectant dispensing device 300 and / or to specify the number of towels dispensed from the towel dispensing device 200 for drying hands. Furthermore, the user can use the display and input device 400 to enter, for example, an assessment of their satisfaction with the condition and equipment of the sanitary facility in the vicinity of which the hygiene station is set up or mounted.

[0081] The room fragrance dispensing device 500 is arranged above the towel dispenser 200 so that it can supply or fill the installation location of the hygiene station 10 with a room fragrance as much as possible. The room fragrance dispensing can occur either at set intervals or via a sensor assigned to the room fragrance dispensing device 500, which detects the number of users and / or their length of stay in the vicinity of the hygiene station 10 and regulates the room fragrance dispensing accordingly.

[0082] Below the disinfectant dispensing device 300, the compacting and / or shredding device 100 according to the invention is arranged, into which the user can throw in or feed used towels.

[0083] The housing of the towel dispenser 200 is located between the disinfectant dispenser 300 and the room fragrance dispenser 500, wherein the dispensing opening of the towel dispenser 200 is arranged at the level of the dispensing of the disinfectant dispenser 300 and opposite the insertion opening 116 of the compacting and / or shredding device 100.

[0084] An embodiment of a compacting and / or comminuting device 100 according to the invention is shown in Fig. 2 shown in an isometric view and comprises a receiving container 102, a compacting and / or shredding unit 104, a drive unit 106, a cover element 108 and cleaning elements 110.

[0085] The receiving container 102 comprises a feed opening 112 and an interior space 114 (not visible).

[0086] The cover element 108 comprises a releasable and resealable insertion opening 116, a funnel element 118, a lid element 120, a sensor 122 and a controller 124 (not shown).

[0087] In the Fig. 2 In the exemplary embodiment of a compacting and / or shredding device 100 shown, the cover element 108, the compacting and / or shredding unit 104, the drive unit 106 and the cleaning elements 110 are arranged and fastened on a carrier unit 126, which is pushed along two rails on the upper side of the receiving container 102 in such a way that in its final position it completely covers the feed opening 112 of the receiving container, so that no compacted and shredded towels can fall out of the interior 114 of the receiving container 102 after the maximum receiving volume of the receiving container 102 has been reached.

[0088] In the pushed-on end position of the carrier unit 126, the compacting and / or comminuting unit 104 is located at least approximately in a central region above the receiving container 102.

[0089] The sensor 122 of the cover element 108 is arranged above the lid element 120 so that it can detect the feeding request, i.e., a hand approaching with a used towel, and then transmits a signal to the controller 124. The controller 124 then activates, on the one hand, the lid element 120, which exposes the insertion opening 116, and, on the other hand, the drive unit 106, which drives the rollers or cylinders 128 of the compacting and / or shredding unit 104.

[0090] As soon as the insertion opening 116 has been released by the lid element 120, the user can dispose of or insert the used towel into the insertion opening 116.

[0091] The used towel is then fed via the funnel element 118 to the compacting and / or shredding unit 104, which compacts and shreds it and conveys it towards the interior 114 of the receiving container.

[0092] The compacted and shredded remains of the used towel, which adhere to the rollers 128 due to the static charge resulting from the compaction and shredding process or due to the moisture content contained in the used towel, are stripped off by the cleaning elements 110 on the underside of the rollers 128 so that they fall into the interior 114 of the receiving container 102.

[0093] After a specified time interval or after a further signal from the sensor 122, the controller activates the drive module (not shown) of the cover element 120 so that the cover element 120 closes the insertion opening 116 again.

[0094] In a further embodiment of the cover element 108, the lid element 120 can additionally or alternatively be manually pushed open by a user and closed again after the used towel has been inserted. For this purpose, a handling element is formed in the area of the front edge of the lid element 120, pointing upwards, which the user can grasp to slide the lid element 120. The lid element 120 can be held in the closed position by springs. The user must then move the lid element 120 against the spring force to release the insertion opening 116. By releasing the lid element 120, it springs back into the closed position due to the spring force, thus closing the insertion opening 116 again.

[0095] In the Fig. 3 und Fig. 4 the compacting and / or comminuting device 100 is made of Fig. 1 shown without receiving container 102.

[0096] In Fig. 3 the cover element 120 is moved backwards and thereby releases the insertion opening 116, while in Fig. 4 the cover element 120 closes the insertion opening 116.

[0097] On the inside of each side wall of the cover element 108, a guide rail 130 is mounted, along which the cover element 120 can be moved. The cover element 120 has a rolling element 132 on each side at the level of its front edge and its rear edge. The rolling elements 132 engage in the respective guide rails 130 and enable the cover element 120 to slide or slide along the guide rails 130.

[0098] In Fig. 5 is the top view of the compacting and comminuting device according to the invention from Fig. 2 shown.

[0099] The top view shows the design of the rollers 128, which have rings or rollers 134 spaced equidistantly in the longitudinal direction. The rings 134 can be turned from a roller 128 with an original diameter corresponding to the diameter of the rings 134, so that the respective roller 128 and its rings 134 are integral. However, the rings 134 can also be pushed onto the respective roller 128 and secured in a predetermined position.

[0100] Due to the equidistant spacing of the rings 134 along the longitudinal axis of the rollers 128, gaps 136 are formed between each two rings 134.

[0101] The two roles 128 in Fig. 5 are arranged so that the rings 134 engage in the spaces 136 of the opposite roller 128 without touching the opposite roller 128 or its rings 134.

[0102] Advantageously, the engagement depth of the rings 134 in the gaps 136 is adjustable so that the compacting and / or shredding unit 104 can be adjusted to the nature of the towels to be compacted and shredded.

[0103] Furthermore, Fig. 5 It can be seen that the drive unit 106 drives the rollers 128 via a gear arrangement 138 in such a way that they rotate in opposite directions about their longitudinal axes.

[0104] Furthermore, it can be seen that the design of the funnel 118 over the entire width of the compacting and / or shredding unit 104 ensures that all used towels thrown in are fed to the compacting and / or shredding unit 104 without isolated used towels getting into a dead area and thus cannot reach the receiving container 102 in a compacted and shredded state.

[0105] In Fig. 6 A side view of another embodiment of a cover element 108 and a drive unit is shown. In this alternative embodiment, the rollers 128 are not driven by a gear arrangement 138, but rather by a belt 140.

[0106] The side view also shows the profile of the cleaning elements 110, which have a first section for attachment to the carrier unit 126 and a second section which is set or angled at a certain angle to the first section and thus points to a lower part of the rollers 128.

[0107] The edge of a cleaning element 110 facing the respective roller 128 can either be designed such that it has a continuous course along the longitudinal axis with a small distance to the rings 134.

[0108] Alternatively, the edge is formed as a negative of the outer contour along the longitudinal axis of the respective roller 134 and consequently engages in the gaps 136 in a lower region of the rollers with equidistant and uniform projections made along the edge. This achieves a more optimal cleaning result of the rollers 128.

[0109] In the Fig. 7 bis 10 a compacting and / or comminuting unit 104 is shown together with a pressing device 142. The pressing device 142 is Fig. 12 bis 14 The pressing drive unit 144 shown can be moved between two end positions with different distances from the compacting and / or shredding unit 104. The drive is transmitted via a pressing gear 145. When the insertion opening 116 is released by the cover element 120, the pressing device 142 is simultaneously in the Fig. 7 und 8 shown first end position with a large distance to the rollers 128. The large distance is selected so that the area between the insertion opening 116 and the rollers 128 is free and towels can reach the rollers 128 unhindered through the insertion opening 116. If the insertion opening 116 is closed by the cover element 120 after the insertion of at least one towel, the pressing device 142 is moved into the Fig. 9 und 10 shown second end position, in which the distance to the rollers 128 is so small that towels in the area between the rollers 128 are pressed against the compacting and / or shredding unit. At the same time, the rollers 128 are set into counter-rotation by the shredding drive unit 106 via a shredding gear 107.

[0110] In the Fig. 8 and 10The rollers 128 are clearly shown with the rings 134 and the spaces 136 between the rings 134. To ensure that the towel material is well drawn into the spaces of the spaces 136 and conveyed through them toward the receiving container, the rings 134 have a rough surface on their radial outside. In the illustrated embodiment, the rough surface is designed as knurling in the form of grooves 158, with the grooves 158 extending along the axes of the rollers 128.

[0111] In Fig. 11 a cover element 148 is shown which comprises slats 152 which are pivotally connected to adjacent slats 152 on the long sides and guided in guide rails 130 on the narrow sides. In the embodiment shown, the guide rails 130 extend in a first region at the insertion opening 116 in a direction which forms an angle of less than 45° to a horizontal plane, with lower ends of the guide rails 130 facing the position of a person using the hygiene station. In a second region of the guide rails 130, these preferably extend essentially vertically. The two regions of each guide rail 130 are connected to one another via a curved region. When the insertion opening 116 is closed, the slats 152 are located in the first region of the guide rails 130 and when the insertion opening 116 is open, they are located in the second region.The slats 152 are moved by a cover drive unit 150 in the guide rails 130, wherein the drive transmission from the cover drive unit 150 to the slats 152 takes place via drive belts 154 and two drivers 156 fastened to the drive belts 154 and a slat 152.

[0112] In the Fig. 7 and 9 the slats 152 are not shown. In the Fig. 13 only one slat 152 is shown. In Fig. 14 the cleaning elements 110 are clearly visible.

Claims

1. A compressing and shredding device (100) for integration in a hygiene station (10) for human hand hygiene, said device being designed to compress and shred hand towels, in particular used and wet disposable paper towels, the compressing and shredding device (100) comprising: - at least one receiving container (102) having a feed opening (112) and having an interior (114) for receiving compressed and shredded hand towels; - at least one compressing and / or shredding unit (104) for compressing and shredding hand towels, said unit being located at the feed opening (112) of the receiving container (102); and - at least one shredding drive unit (106) for driving the compressing and / or shredding unit (104), the compressing and / or shredding unit (104) having at least two rollers (128) which are arranged in parallel with one another and rotate in opposite directions about the axes thereof, characterized in that the compressing and / or shredding unit (104) is associated with a pressing device (142) which, by means of a pressing drive unit (144), is movable between two end positions at different distances from the compressing and / or shredding unit (104) and allows hand towels to be pressed against the compressing and / or shredding unit (104).

2. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the rollers (128) have a plurality of circumferential rings (134) and / or channels.

3. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the rings (134) are of the same shape and arranged equidistantly from one another.

4. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the rings (134) are integrally formed on the particular roller (128).

5. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the rings (134) of the rollers (128) are arranged in such a way that a given ring (134) of one roller (128) is opposite an intermediate space (136) between two rings (128) of the other roller (128).

6. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the rings (134) of the rollers (128) mesh with one another.

7. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to any one of Claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the rings (134) radially externally have a rough surface, preferably in the form of knurling, in particular having grooves (158) which extend along the axes of the rollers (128).

8. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a cover element (108) having an openable and reclosable insertion opening (116) covers the feed opening (112) of the collection container (102) and accommodates the compressing and / or shredding unit (104).

9. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to Claim 8, characterized in that, in order to open and reclose the insertion opening (116), the cover element (108) has at least one cover element (148) and a cover drive unit (150), the cover element (148) preferably being composed of slats (152) which are pivotally connected to adjacent slats (152) at the longitudinal sides and are guided in guide rails (130) at the short sides.

10. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the cover element (108) has a hopper element (118) which is located below the insertion opening (116) and which is configured to guide inserted hand towels to the compressing and / or shredding device (104).

11. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressing device (142) has at least one projection (146) which, during a movement of the pressing device (142) towards the compressing and / or shredding unit (104), is movable towards a region between two of the rollers (128).

12. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressing device (142) is pivotable about a pressing axis which is aligned in parallel with the axes of the rollers (128).

13. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, on the side of the compressing and / or shredding unit (104) facing the interior (114) of the receiving container (102), cleaning elements (110) are provided, which release jammed remnants of hand towels from the compressing and / or shredding unit (104), and / or in that a pressure and / or force detection device is located on the receiving container (102), said pressure and / or force detection device allowing the detection, and in particular the display, of a fill level of the material of the hand towels in the receiving container (102).

14. The compressing and shredding device (100) according to any one of Claims 7 to 12, characterized in that, in order to open and reclose the insertion opening (116) and, independently thereof, to rotate the rollers (128) and move the pressing device (142), the compressing and shredding device (100) comprises a sensor (122) and an associated controller (124), the sensor (122) preferably being located on an outer surface of the device (100) and in particular being an optical sensor.