Holder for paper roll and tamper-proof end piece for paper roll

Abstract

The invention relates to a paper roll dispenser (1), comprising: - a support block (23) for a roll comprising a tube having an axial recess around which a plurality of sheets of paper are wound, - an anti-fraud device (27) comprising a keying device (29) mounted opposite said block (23), said keying device and said block being designed to support said roll and to allow its rotation about an axis of rotation (33), said keying device having a cooperating face intended to cooperate with a keying tip fixed on said roll. According to the invention, the dispenser is notable in that the cooperating face of the keying device is designed to penetrate the axial recess of the tube. The invention also relates to a keying tip for a roll, notable in that its cooperating face is designed to penetrate the axial recess of the tube.The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a dispenser and a nozzle according to the invention and a roll of paper.

Description

[0001] The present invention falls within the field of distribution of consumables in the form of paper rolls, such as hand towel rolls, paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, etc.

[0002] The present invention relates more specifically to a paper roll dispenser, a keying tip for a paper roll intended to be unwound, and an assembly comprising a paper roll, the keying tip according to the invention, and the dispenser according to the invention.

[0003] As is known, a roll of paper, such as a hand towel roll, paper towel roll, or toilet paper roll, generally consists of a plurality of sheets of paper linked together in a breakable manner, wound on a tube having an axial recess that extends along the entire length of the tube.

[0004] The axial recess in the tube allows the paper roll to be mounted on a paper roll dispenser.

[0005] Paper roll dispensers are widely used by individuals and professionals, for example in professional premises open to the public or not.

[0006] It is common for companies that install paper roll dispensers for professionals to offer their clients the supply and installation of one or more dispensers free of charge, in exchange for the sale of an exclusive paper roll supply contract by the company that supplied and installed the dispenser.

[0007] Companies offering this type of service generally equip paper rolls and dispensers with a known anti-fraud device consisting of a known error-proof device, in order to prevent a customer from using on the dispenser a roll of paper that is not the one marketed by the company that installed the dispenser.

[0008] According to a prior art embodiment, a keying device comprises a fixed inside the axial recess made in the roller and having a male end protruding from one end of the roller tube, the male end being able to cooperate with a female end of the reel, usually mounted on an arm of the reel.

[0009] US patent 2007 / 075180 A1 describes a paper roll, a socket for a paper roll, and a combination of a paper roll and a dispenser. The paper roll comprises a hollow paper roll core with two opposing ends. The socket has a cylindrical body that is press-fitted into at least one end of the paper roll core, and the socket further comprises a circular end wall that is frangibly attached to one end of the body and closes off the end of the paper roll core. The end wall has a central hole for receiving pins. The end wall is designed to break when the paper roll is removed from the dispenser. Therefore, the socket cannot be reused.

[0010] The cooperation between the male and female ends is such that only one type of paper roll, the one authorized by the manufacturer who installed the dispenser, can be used with the dispenser.

[0011] While this allows the manufacturer to ensure that the customer actually uses only the type of paper roll covered by the contract, it is common for the male protrusion, whose cooperating face extends outside the axial recess made in the tube, to break, particularly during transport or storage of the paper roll.

[0012] The object of the present invention is to overcome the above disadvantages while preventing the installation on a dispenser of an unauthorized roll of paper.

[0013] The present invention relates to an assembly according to claim 1.

[0014] Thus, by designing a dispenser with a keying feature that has a cooperating face intended to penetrate at least partially into the axial recess of the roll tube when the roll is supported by the support block and the dispenser's keying feature, it is possible to mount a paper roll equipped with a keying tip in the dispenser. The cooperating face of this tip is advantageously positioned inside the axial recess of the roll tube, eliminating the need for a male protrusion, as found in the prior art, which has a cooperating face extending outside the axial recess in the tube. This advantageously overcomes the drawback of the risk of breakage of this protrusion during the transport or storage of the paper roll.According to features of the invention as a whole, the reel comprises an upper edge and a lower edge, the keying device being positioned between said upper and lower edges, and: . The keying device includes a cup having a sliding frustoconical outer wall arranged around the periphery of the cooperation face of said keying device, defining a slope oriented towards said lower edge of the dispenser, so as to drive said roll towards said lower edge when said roll is mounted in the dispenser and when said roll does not have a keying tip or when the keying tip of said roll does not cooperate with the cooperation face of the keying device, and the anti-fraud device includes at least one locking tooth, mounted on the lower edge of the dispenser, extending towards the keying device and arranged to exert a frictional force against a lower wall of the paper roll after said roll has been driven towards said lower edge by said cup.

[0015] This design prevents the paper roll from rotating when the roll lacks a keying feature or when the roll's keying feature does not align with the keying feature's corresponding face. This significantly reduces the risk of fraudulent use of the paper dispenser.

[0016] Depending on optional features of the invention as a whole: the anti-fraud device includes at least one locking pin, arranged to exert a frictional force against a lateral wall of the paper roll after said roll has been driven towards the lower edge of the dispenser by the cup of the key; the dispenser includes two support arms, and the support pin and the key are each mounted on each of said support arms and said at least one locking pin is mounted on at least one of said support arms;The reel comprises a housing and a support base, mounted inside the housing at the lower edge of the reel, and at least one locking tooth is mounted on an upper wall of said support base. Each of the support arms comprises a first end and a second end, said first end being mounted on said upper wall of said support base, and said support stud and said keying device are each mounted at said second end. The cooperating face of the keying device comprises a male keying stud provided to engage a female keying stud arranged on the keying end fixed on said roller when said roller is mounted in the reel.

[0017] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed description that follows, for an understanding of which reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which: [ Fig. 1 ] illustrates the reel according to the invention in isometric view. Fig. 2 ] represents a roll of paper to be unwound. Fig. 3 ] illustrates the reel in a partial longitudinal section centered on the support arms. Fig. 4 ] illustrates the dispenser on which the roll of paper to be unwound is mounted. Fig. 5 ] represents a roll of paper receiving a keying tip according to the invention. Fig. 6 [ ] shows the keying tip of the invention in isometric view. ] Fig. 7 ] illustrates the keying tip in longitudinal section along line VII-VII of the figure 6 . [ Fig. 8 ] is an enlargement of zone VIII of the figure 4 . [ Fig. 9 ] represents a scenario where the dispenser receives a non-compliant roll of paper.

[0018] Throughout the figures, identical or analogous references represent identical or analogous organs or sets of organs.

[0019] We refer to figures 1 et 2 illustrating respectively the dispenser 1 according to the invention and a roll 3 of paper intended to be unwound.

[0020] The reel 1 comprises a housing 5 having a rear face 7 that can be hung on a wall or wall bracket by means of notches 9. The housing 5 also comprises a front face which has been removed from the figure 1 for better visibility.

[0021] The reel 1 has an upper edge 11 and a lower edge 13. The reel 1 has a support base 15 mounted at the lower edge 13 of the reel 1. The support base 15 adopts, for example, a parallelepiped shape having an upper wall 17, for example flat.

[0022] The reel 1 has two support arms 19, 21 each having a first end 19a, 21a and a second end 19b, 21b.

[0023] The first ends 19a, 21a of the arms 19, 21 are mounted on the upper wall 17 of the support base 15.

[0024] The dispenser 1 also includes a support block 23 designed and arranged in the dispenser to support a first end 25 of the roll 3 of paper intended to be unwound (visible at the figure 2 ).

[0025] The support block 23 is mounted at the second end 19b of the arm 19. The dispenser 1 also includes an anti-fraud device 27 implemented in the dispenser to prevent the use of a roll of paper that does not conform to that authorized by the installer of the dispenser.

[0026] The anti-fraud device 27 includes a keying device 29 mounted opposite the support block 23, which is designed and arranged in the dispenser 1 to support a second end 31 of the roll 3 of paper intended to be unwound (visible at the figure 2 ).

[0027] The keying device 29 is mounted at the second end 21b of the arm 21.

[0028] The keying device 29 and the support block 23 are designed and arranged in the reel to support the roll 3 intended to be unwound and to allow its rotation on a rotation axis 33 passing through the support block 23 and through the keying device 29 when the roll 3 is mounted on the reel 1.

[0029] According to an alternative embodiment not shown, the support block 23 and the keying device 29 are mounted on the arms 19, 21 respectively at a location distinct from the second ends 19b, 21b, for example in the middle of the arms 19, 21. According to another alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, the reel 1 has a housing 5 on the inner face of which the support block 23 and the keying device 29 are directly mounted. According to this embodiment, the reel 1 may not have support arms and a support base.

[0030] With reference to the figure 2 The paper roll 3 comprises a tube 35 having an axial recess 37 extending along the entire length of the tube 35, around which are wound a plurality of paper sheets 39 joined together in a separable manner. The paper roll 3 is of the hand towel roll type, paper towel roll, toilet paper roll, etc. The axial recess 37 of the tube 35 allows the paper roll 3 to be mounted on the support block 23 and on the keying device 29, thanks to a keying tip detailed later in the description.

[0031] We refer to figures 3 à 5 illustrating respectively the dispenser 1 in partial longitudinal section centered on the support arms 19, 21, the dispenser on which is mounted the roll 3 of paper intended to be unwound and the roll 3 of paper receiving a keying tip according to the invention.

[0032] The support block 23 has a support face 41 which penetrates the axial recess 37 of the tube 35 of the paper roll 3.

[0033] In a known manner, the support face has a frustoconical portion 43 receiving at its end a shoulder 45 intended to penetrate inside the axial recess 37 of the tube 35 of the paper roll 3, so that the end 25 of the roll 3 is supported by the support face 41 of the support block 23.

[0034] The keying device 29 has a cooperation face 47 intended to cooperate with a keying tip 49 fixed on the roll 3 of paper intended to be unwound when the roll is mounted in the unwinder 1.

[0035] According to the invention, the cooperation face of the keying device is provided to penetrate at least partially into the axial recess 37 of the tube 35 of the roller 3 when the roller is supported by the support block 23 and by the keying device 29.

[0036] Thus, the cooperation face 51 of the keying tip 49 of the roller 3 is advantageously arranged inside the axial recess 37 of the roller tube, thereby eliminating the need for a male protrusion which, as in the prior art, has a cooperation face extending outside the axial recess in the tube. This advantageously overcomes the drawback of the risk of breakage of this protrusion during the transport or storage of the paper roll. Indeed, as illustrated in the figure 5 , when the keying tip 49 is fixed on the roller 3, for example for the purpose of storing or transporting the roller, the cooperation face 51 of the keying tip enters the inside of the axial recess 37 of the tube 35 of the roller.

[0037] The cooperation between the 29 of the dispenser and the 49 of the paper roll 3 is, according to one embodiment, ensured by providing a male 53 of the 49 of the dispenser, intended to penetrate a female 55 of the 49 of the dispenser arranged on the 3 of the paper roll when the roll is mounted in the dispenser 1.

[0038] We refer to figures 6 et 7 illustrating the keying tip respectively in isometric view and in longitudinal section along line VII-VII.

[0039] The keying tip 49 includes a cup 57 having an external wall 58 frustoconical receiving concentrically the female keying pin 55. According to an unrepresented variant, the external wall 58 of the cup 57 adopts a cylindrical rather than frustoconical shape.

[0040] The female keying pin 55 has a frustoconical outer wall 59 extended by an outer edge 61, itself extended by a cavity 63 whose inner edge defines a stop 65 inside which the male keying pin 53 of the key 29 of the reel 1 is received. According to an unshown variant, the outer wall 59 of the female keying pin 55 is cylindrical rather than frustoconical. In one embodiment, the keying tip 49 has a shoulder 67 that extends radially outwards from the cup 57 from the axis of revolution 69 of the keying tip 49. The shoulder is shaped to define a bearing surface against a lateral wall 71 (visible in the figure 5 ) of the paper roll 3 when the keying tip 49 is mounted in the axial recess 37 of the tube 35 of the roll 3. The presence of the shoulder 67 allows the keying tip 49 to be locked in translation along the recess 37 of the tube 35.

[0041] The 49 anti-missing tip can advantageously be made from biodegradable material such as cellulose.

[0042] We refer to the figure 8 which is an expansion of zone VIII of the figure 4 .

[0043] The assembly formed by the outer wall 59 of the female keying stud 55, by the outer edges 61 of the female keying stud 55 and by the cavity 63 of the female keying stud 55 defines the cooperation face 51 of the keying tip 49.

[0044] The cooperation face 51 has a geometry complementary to that of the cooperation face 47 of the ripping device 29 of the reel 1.

[0045] To this end, the male locating pin 53 of the locating pin 29 has a frustoconical outer wall 73 extended at its first end by an outer edge 75 cooperating with the cavity 63 of the female locating pin 55 of the locating tip 49 and at its second end by two cavities 77, 79 whose inner edges define two stops 81, 83 inside which the outer edges 61 of the female locating pin 55 of the locating tip 49 are received. The cavities 77, 79 are themselves extended by a connecting edge 85 ensuring the connection with a cup 87 arranged at the periphery of the cooperation face 47.

[0046] According to an unrepresented variant, the outer wall 73 of the male keying stud 53 adopts a cylindrical rather than a frustoconical shape.

[0047] The assembly formed by the connecting edge 85, by the cavities 77, 79, by the external wall 73 of the male keying stud 53 and by the external edge 75 of the male keying stud 53 defines the cooperation face 47 of the keying 29 of the dispenser 1 whose geometry is complementary to that of the cooperation face 51 of the keying tip 49 of the paper roll 3.

[0048] We refer to the figure 9 illustrating a situation where a roll of non-conforming paper has been mounted on the dispenser 1 of the invention.

[0049] The term "non-compliant" refers to a roll of paper that does not have a keying tip or a roll of paper whose cooperation face of the keying tip of the roll is not shaped to cooperate with the cooperation face of the keying tip of the dispenser.

[0050] To prevent a user from using a non-compliant paper roll on the dispenser, a cup 87 is arranged around the periphery of the cooperation face 47 of the keying device 29. The cup 87 has a frustoconical outer wall 89 defining a slope oriented towards the lower edge of the dispenser. The frustoconical outer wall 89 is made of a sliding material chosen so that if a non-compliant roll is mounted on the keying device, the frictional force resulting from the contact between the recess 37 of the tube 35 of the roll 3 and the frustoconical outer wall 89 of the keying device 29 is such that movement of the roll 3 towards the lower edge of the dispenser is permitted.

[0051] In addition to the truncated conical outer wall 89, the anti-fraud device 27 may include one or more locking teeth 91, mounted on the lower edge of the reel, which may be formed by the support base 15 of the reel.

[0052] The locking teeth 91 extend from the lower edge of the unwinder towards the locating guide 29 and are arranged to exert a frictional force against a lower wall 93 of the paper roll 3, at the level of the area 95 shown in the figure 9 , after a non-conforming roll was driven towards the lower edge 13 of the reel by the cup 87.

[0053] Thus, the use of a non-conforming paper roll is largely impaired by the presence of the locking teeth 91 which prevent the proper rotation of the non-conforming paper roll.

[0054] According to a supplementary or alternative arrangement further intended to prevent the proper rotation of a non-conforming paper roll, the anti-fraud device 27 comprises one or more locking lugs 97 which are arranged in the dispenser so as to exert a frictional force against the lateral wall 71 of the paper roll 3, at the level of the area 99 shown in the figure 9 , after a non-conforming roll has been driven towards the lower edge of the reel by the cup 87. The locking pins 97 are mounted on the support arms 19, 21. When the reel does not have support arms, the locking pins 97 are mounted directly on the inner face of the housing 5.

[0055] As will be understood, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments of this dispenser, this keying tip and this assembly comprising the dispenser and the paper roll equipped with the keying tip, above only by way of illustrative examples, but on the contrary it encompasses all variants involving the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention, the extent of which is defined by the attached claims.

Claims

1. An assembly including: - a paper roll (3) intended to be unwound, said roll (3) being of the type including a tube (35) including an axial recess (37) on which is wound a plurality of paper sheets (39), - a foolproof endpiece (49) which is fixed to the paper roll (3) and which includes a cooperation face (51) penetrating inside the axial recess (37) of the tube (35) of said roll (3), the foolproof endpiece (49) being made of a biodegradable material such as cellulose, - an unwinder (1) including: ∘ a support stud (23) configured to support the paper roll (3), ∘ an anti-fraud device (27) including a foolproof device (29) mounted facing said support stud (23) and positioned between lower and upper edges of the unwinder (1), said foolproof device (29) and said support stud (23) being designed to support said roll (3) and to enable the rotation of said roll (3) on an axis of rotation (33) passing through said support stud (23) and through said foolproof device (29) when said roll (3) is mounted on the unwinder (1), said foolproof device (29) further including a cooperation face (47) cooperating with the foolproof endpiece (49) fastened on said roll (3) when said roll (3) is mounted in the unwinder (1), the cooperation face (47) of the foolproof device (29) is provided for penetrating at least partially inside the axial recess (37) of the tube (35) of said roll (3) and to cooperate with the cooperation face (51) of the foolproof endpiece (49) when said roll (3) is supported by said support stud (23) and by said foolproof device (29), the foolproof device (29) includes a cup (87) including a sliding frustoconical outer wall (89) arranged on the periphery of the cooperation face (47) of said foolproof device (29), defining a slope oriented towards said lower edge (13) of the unwinder (1), so as to drive said roll (3) in the direction of said lower edge (13) when said roll (3) is mounted in the unwinder (1) and when said roll (3) does not include a foolproof endpiece (49) or when the foolproof endpiece (49) of said roll (3) does not cooperate with the cooperation face (47) of the foolproof device (29), the anti-fraud device (27) includes at least one locking step (91), mounted on the lower edge (13) of the unwinder (1), extending in the direction of the foolproof device (29) and being arranged so as to exert a frictional force against a lower wall (93) of the paper roll (3) after said roll (3) has been driven in the direction of said lower edge (13) by said cup (87).

2. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the anti-fraud device (27) includes at least one locking pin (97), arranged so as to exert a frictional force against a lateral wall (71) of the paper roll (3) after said roll (3) has been driven in the direction of the lower edge of the unwinder (1) by the cup (87) of the foolproof device (29).

3. The assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the unwinder (1) includes two support arms (19, 21), the support stud (23) and the foolproof device (29) are each mounted on each of said support arms (19, 21) and in that said at least one locking pin (97) is mounted on at least one of said support arms (19, 21).

4. The assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that the unwinder (1) includes: - a casing (5), - a support base (15), mounted inside the casing (5) at the lower edge (13) of the unwinder (1), said at least one locking step (91) is mounted on an upper wall (17) of said support base (15) and in that each of the support arms (19, 21) includes a first end (19a, 21a) and a second end (19b, 21b), said first end (19a, 21a) being mounted on said upper wall (17) of said support base (15) and said support stud (23) and said foolproof device (29) each being mounted at said second end (19b, 21b).

5. The assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cooperation face (47) of the foolproof device (29) includes a male foolproof stud (53) provided for penetrating a female foolproof stud (55) arranged on the foolproof endpiece (49) fastened on said roll (3) when said roll (3) is mounted in the unwinder (1).

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