Roll paper holder and roll paper holder system

Abstract

To provide a user-friendly roll paper holder from which toilet paper can be surely pulled out without being cut in the middle.SOLUTION: The roll paper holder 1 is provided with a pair of core rod supporting members 3, a core rod 4 supported by the pair of core rod supporting members 3, and a lid for suppressing the upper surface of the roll paper 10 in which the core rod 4 is inserted into a center hole, and is provided with a torque detection sensor for detecting a drawing-out force when the roll paper 10 is drawn out, and a rotation assist means 11 for applying an assist rotation force to the roll paper 10 according to the drawing-out force detected by the torque detection sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a roll paper holder and a roll paper holder system that rotatably supports toilet paper or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional roll paper holder includes a pair of core rod support members, a core rod supported between the pair of core rod support members, and a lid that holds down the top surface of the roll of toilet paper (toilet paper) with the core rod inserted into the center hole. The toilet paper is rotatably attached to the core rod.

[0003] When a user grabs the tip of the toilet paper and tries to pull it out of the roll holder, the toilet paper may break. This can be due to the following reasons:

[0004] There are variations in strength between different thicknesses of toilet paper, such as single and double, and it is thought that weaker toilet paper may break. It is thought that the lid that holds the toilet paper down from above is holding it down too tightly, causing a lot of tension to act on the toilet paper. It is thought that the user simply pulls out the toilet paper with too much force, causing a lot of tension to act on the toilet paper.

[0005] Furthermore, the following roll paper holder has been proposed in the past. The roll paper holder in Patent Document 1 listed below has a switch and a drive roller that is attached to the inside of the lid and abuts against the outermost surface of the toilet paper. When the switch is turned on, the motor rotates, causing the drive roller to rotate, and the toilet paper is then rotated by the rotational force of the drive roller, and the toilet paper is pulled out.

[0006] The roll paper holder in Patent Document 2 below has a switch and two pairs of rollers that hold the tip of the rolled toilet paper. When the switch is turned on, the motor rotates each pair of rollers, and the toilet paper moves between the rollers and is pulled out. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 3-48588 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3456649 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, in each of the above-mentioned conventional examples, to use the roll paper holder, the user must operate a switch and wait for the toilet paper to be automatically dispensed, which is different from the way a general-purpose roll paper holder is used and makes it less convenient to use.

[0009] Furthermore, in each of the above-mentioned conventional examples, when the toilet paper is pulled out, tension is applied to the toilet paper due to frictional forces from the drive roller or pair of rollers. This tension is the same as the tension that acts when a user grips and pulls out the toilet paper. Therefore, if the toilet paper is weak, there is a risk that the toilet paper will break, just as when a user grips and pulls out the toilet paper.

[0010] However, if the frictional force acting on the toilet paper is set too weak, there is a risk that the toilet paper will not be pulled out properly. As a result, there is a problem that the toilet paper cannot be pulled out reliably without breaking.

[0011] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a roll paper holder and a roll paper holder system that are easy to use and allow toilet paper to be pulled out reliably without breaking midway. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and is characterized in that it is a roll paper holder comprising: (1) a core rod support member, a core rod supported by the core rod support member, and a cover that holds down the top surface of the roll paper when the core rod is inserted into a central hole, and is characterized in that it is equipped with a paper pull-out force detection means that detects the pull-out force when the roll paper is pulled out, and a rotation assist means that applies an assist rotational force to the roll paper in accordance with the pull-out force detected by the paper pull-out force detection means.

[0013] (2) In the above (1), when the stop of the pull-out of the roll paper is detected, the rotation assist means is driven after a predetermined time has elapsed to feed the tip of the roll paper by a predetermined amount from the tip of the lid.

[0014] (3) In the above (1) or (2), the paper-pulling-out force detection means is characterized by having a torque detection sensor that detects the torque when the roll paper is pulled out.

[0015] (4) In the above (1), the rotation assist means is characterized by comprising a locking means for locking the inner surface of the roll paper, a drive source for applying an assist rotational force to the roll paper via the locking means, and a control unit for controlling the rotation of the drive source in accordance with the pull-out force detected by the paper pull-out force detection means.

[0016] (5) In the above (1), the paper pull-out force detection means and the rotation assist means are provided on the core rod.

[0017] (6) In the above (4), the paper pull-out force detecting means and the rotation assisting means excluding the locking means are provided on the core rod supporting member.

[0018] (7) A roll paper holder system having a communication unit, comprising the roll paper holder described in (1) above, and an operation terminal capable of exchanging data with the roll paper holder via the communication unit, and characterized in that instructions can be sent from the operation terminal to the roll paper holder. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, the user grasps the tip of the roll of paper, pulls it out, and then cuts off the pulled portion for use, which is similar to how a general-purpose toilet paper dispenser works, making it easy to use. Furthermore, because the roll of paper is pulled out with an assisting rotational force that corresponds to the user's pulling force, only a small amount of tension acts on the roll. As a result, the toilet paper dispenser is easy to use and can be reliably pulled out without breaking. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] The drawings illustrate specific embodiments of the invention according to the present disclosure, including essential features of the invention as well as alternative and preferred embodiments. [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of the roll paper holder according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the roll paper holder according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B show a first embodiment, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a roll paper, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a core rod. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the roll paper holder according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of the roll paper holder according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6]5 is a control flowchart of the roll paper holder according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a circuit block diagram of a roll paper holder system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is an overall perspective view of the roll paper holder according to the third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of the roll paper holder according to the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Each embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these embodiments, a description of already known technologies will be omitted. Furthermore, the following merely illustrates devices and methods for embodying the technical concept of the invention, and the technical concept of the present invention is not limited to the following. Various modifications can be made to the technical concept of the present invention within the scope of the claims. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic and may differ from the actual product.

[0022] (First embodiment) Figures 1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the roll paper holder 1 includes a back plate 2, a pair of core rod support members 3 protruding forward from both sides of the back plate 2, a core rod 4 supported by the pair of core rod support members 3, and a lid 5 attached to the top surface of the back plate 2.

[0023] The back panel 2 is fixed to a wall (not shown). A pair of core rod support members 3 are arranged at a fixed distance. Each of the pair of core rod support members 3 is provided with a shaft support portion 3a, and both ends of the core rod 4 are rotatably supported by the pair of shaft support portions 3a. Each shaft support portion 3a and the end of the core rod 4 are rotatably supported by a seal, magnet, clasp, or the like. A roll of paper (toilet paper, etc.) 10 is inserted into the core rod 4 with a gap in its central hole 10a. The roll of paper 10 is a long piece of paper tightly wound around the central hole 10a. The roll of paper 10 is fixed to the core rod 4 by a locking means 12 (see Figure 4), and rotates as the core rod 4 rotates.

[0024] Specifically, the outer diameter D1 (shown in Figure 3(b)) of the core rod 4 is set to be sufficiently smaller than the diameter D2 (shown in Figure 3(a)) of the central hole 10a of the paper roll 10. The width W1 (shown in Figure 3(b)) of the core rod 4 is set to be larger than the width W2 (shown in Figure 3(a)) of the paper roll 10.

[0025] The base end of the lid 5 is rotatably supported on the upper end of the back panel 2. The tip end of the lid 5 rests on the outermost paper portion of the paper roll 10. This causes the weight of the lid 5 to act on the outermost paper portion of the paper roll 10, preventing the paper roll 10 from rotating naturally due to vibrations, minute rotational forces, etc.

[0026] As shown in detail in Figure 4, a locking device 12 is provided on the outer periphery of the core rod 4, which can lock the paper roll 10 by pressing against the inner periphery of the paper roll 10. The locking device 12 is provided at two or more locations around the circumference and has multiple pressing portions 12a that can protrude radially from the core rod 4, and biasing means (e.g., springs) that bias each pressing portion 12a to its protruding position. The locking device 12 locks the paper roll 10 by having the two or more pressing portions 12a press against the inner periphery of the center hole 10a of the paper roll 10. The locking device 12 releases the pressure on the paper roll 10 by having the radially protruding pressing portions 12a retract in the radial direction, allowing the paper roll 10 to be removed from the core rod 4. Note that Figure 4 shows the state in which the pressing portions 12a press against the inner periphery of the center hole 10a of the paper roll 10, locking the paper roll 10.

[0027] The locking means 12 is also configured to rotate together with the core rod 4, which rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the output rod 19, described below. In other words, when the paper roll 10 is locked by the locking means 12, it rotates integrally with the core rod 4 (locking means 12) as it rotates.

[0028] Inside the core rod 4, there are arranged a battery 15, a sensor and substrate part 16, a motor 17 which serves as a driving source, a gearbox 18 which reduces the rotation of the motor 17, and an output rod 19 which transmits the rotational output of the gearbox 18 to the core rod 4.

[0029] As shown in detail in Figure 5, the sensor and board unit 16 is equipped with a torque detection sensor 20, which serves as a paper-pulling force detection means, a rotation speed detection sensor 21, and a circuit board (not shown) on which electronic components are mounted. The torque detection sensor 20 detects the rotational torque acting on the paper roll 10. The rotation speed detection sensor 21 detects the rotation speed of the paper roll 10.

[0030] A circuit board (not shown) on which electronic components are mounted constitutes a control system including the control unit 30. This control system will be described in detail below.

[0031] The core rod 4 is configured with the above-mentioned components and other components to form a rotation assist means 11 that applies an assist rotational force to the roll paper 10 in accordance with the pulling force detected by the torque detection sensor (paper pulling force detection means) 20.

[0032] The rotation assist means 11 is composed of the locking means 12 mentioned above, a motor 17 that applies an assisting rotational force to the paper roll 10 via the locking means 12, a gearbox 18 that adjusts the rotation speed and rotational torque of the motor 17 and transmits them to the output rod 19 (and thus the core rod 4), and a control unit 30 that controls the rotation of the motor 17 in accordance with the pull-out force detected by a torque detection sensor 20. The control unit 30 controls the motor 17 to output an assisting rotational torque that is, for example, half the torque value detected to act on the paper roll 10. The control unit 30 is capable of freely adjusting the assisting rotational torque.

[0033] Next, we will explain the control system of the roll paper holder 1. The control unit 30 includes a processor, RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 30 executes a control program stored in the memory unit 31 using the processor.

[0034] The control unit 30 is responsible for overall control of the roll paper holder 1. The outputs of the torque detection sensor 20, rotation speed detection sensor 21, and operation unit 22 are input to the control unit 30, which controls the operation of the locking means 12, motor 17, and gearbox 18. Data can be exchanged between the control unit 30 and the operation unit 22 via signal lines, etc. The operation unit 22 can input various commands to the control unit 30, and is provided, for example, on the outer surface of the core rod 4, together with a speaker 33 and a signal lamp 34.

[0035] Additionally, the control unit 30 controls the operation of the paper pull-out amount calculation unit 32, speaker 33, and signal lamp 34 based on commands from the operation unit 22. The paper pull-out amount calculation unit 32 calculates the approximate distance from the center of rotation of the paper roll 10 to the outermost periphery of the paper roll 10 from the detected torque value, and calculates the approximate paper pull-out amount (2πR×N) from the approximate distance R and the number of rotations N detected by the rotation speed detection sensor.

[0036] Here, when the diameter of the paper roll 10 is large (when the paper roll 10 is just starting to be used), the torque detection sensor 20 detects a large torque value, and the rotation speed detection sensor 21 detects a small rotation speed. Conversely, when the diameter of the paper roll 10 is small (when the paper roll 10 is finished being used), the torque detection sensor 20 detects a small torque value, and the rotation speed detection sensor 21 detects a large rotation speed. Therefore, a more accurate value can be calculated for the approximate distance R from the center of rotation of the paper roll 10 to the outermost circumference of the paper roll 10 by using this relationship between the detected torque value and the detected rotation speed value as a determining factor.

[0037] Next, the operation of the paper roll holder 1 will be described with reference to the control flowchart in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 6, the control unit 30 constantly checks, based on the torque value detected by the torque detection sensor 20, whether or not the user has started to pull out the paper roll 10 (step S1).

[0038] When the control unit 30 detects a torque value (other than zero) detected by the torque detection sensor 20, it determines that the user has started to pull out the roll paper 10, and controls the drive of the motor 17 to apply an assist rotational torque corresponding to the detected torque value to the roll paper 10 (step S2).

[0039] The control unit 30 drives the motor 17 using, for example, half of the detected torque value as the assist rotational torque. As a result, only the torque acting on the paper roll 10 is the rotational torque value caused by the user's pulling action minus the assist rotational torque, so the tension acting on the paper roll 10 is small and problems such as the paper roll 10 breaking do not occur.

[0040] The control unit 30 checks whether the detected torque value of the torque detection sensor 20 has dropped to the same value as the assist rotation torque value (step S3), and if it has not dropped, it determines that the user is continuing to pull out the roll paper 10, and continues to output the assist rotation torque according to the detected torque value (step S2).

[0041] When the control unit 30 detects that the torque value detected by the torque detection sensor 20 has dropped to the same value as the assist rotation torque value, it determines that the user has stopped pulling out the paper roll 10 (step S3) and stops driving the motor 17 (step S4). Note that the drive shaft of the motor 17 may be locked so that it does not move from the stopped state.

[0042] Next, the control unit 30 checks whether a specified time has passed since the motor 17 was stopped (step S5). The specified time is the grace period (for example, about one minute) for the user to finish cutting the paper roll 10. When the control unit 30 detects that the specified time has passed since the motor 17 was stopped, it drives the motor 17 for a fixed time and feeds out a fixed amount of paper roll 10 (step S6). This stops the leading edge of the paper roll 10 at a position that extends a fixed amount beyond the leading edge of the lid 5. Therefore, the leading edge of the paper roll 10 can be easily picked up the next time it is used.

[0043] As described above, the roll paper holder 1 is equipped with a torque detection sensor (paper pull-out force detection means) 20 that detects the pull-out force when the roll paper 10 is pulled out, and a rotation assist means 11 that applies an assist rotational force to the roll paper 10 in accordance with the pull-out force detected by the torque detection sensor (paper pull-out force detection means) 20.

[0044] Therefore, the user of the paper roll holder 1 grasps the leading edge of the paper roll 10 to pull it out, then cuts off the pulled-out portion and uses the paper roll 10, which is the same as using a general-purpose paper roll holder and is easy to use. Also, because an assisting rotational force is applied in accordance with the user's pulling force as the paper roll 10 is pulled out, only a small tension, minus the assisting rotational force, acts on the paper roll 10. As a result, it is easy to use and the paper roll 10 can be pulled out reliably without breaking.

[0045] When it detects that the user has stopped pulling out the paper roll 10, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the rotation assist means 11 is driven to feed a predetermined amount of the leading edge of the paper roll 10 beyond the leading edge of the lid 5. Therefore, the next time the paper roll 10 is used, the leading edge can be easily grasped, making it easy to use. In other words, if the leading edge of the paper roll 10 is flush with the leading edge surface of the lid 5, the user cannot easily grasp the leading edge of the paper roll 10, but if the leading edge of the paper roll 10 is positioned beyond the leading edge surface of the lid 5, the leading edge of the paper roll 10 can be easily grasped.

[0046] The torque detection sensor 20, which detects the paper pulling force, and the rotation assist means 11 are provided on the core rod 4. Therefore, when changing the design from a general-purpose paper roll holder to this embodiment, it is only necessary to replace the core rod 4. The torque detection sensor 20, which detects the paper pulling force, and the rotation assist means 11 do not have to be provided only on the core rod 4, but may also be distributed to parts other than the core rod 4 and designed as an integral part of the paper roll holder 1. Examples of an integrated design with the paper roll holder 1 are shown in the third and fourth embodiments described below. The operating unit 22, speaker 33, and signal lamp 34 may also be provided on the paper roll holder 1 rather than on the core rod 4.

[0047] (Second embodiment) Figure 7 shows a second embodiment. The roll paper holder system of the second embodiment includes a roll paper holder 1A and an operation terminal (e.g., a smartphone) 40. The roll paper holder 1A of the second embodiment has almost the same configuration as the first embodiment, so duplicated explanations of the same components will be omitted and only the different components will be explained. Note that in Figure 7, the same components as the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals to clarify the configuration.

[0048] That is, in the roll paper holder 1A of the second embodiment, the control unit 30 is connected to a communication unit 35. The control unit 30 of the roll paper holder 1A is configured to be able to exchange data with an operating terminal (e.g., a smartphone) 40 via a network or the like using the communication unit 35.

[0049] The operation terminal 40 can send various commands to the roll paper holder 1 A. When the control unit 30 receives a command from the operation terminal 40, it controls each unit to execute the command.

[0050] The commands sent by the operation terminal 40 to the paper roll holder 1A include whether or not the user sets the pull-out force of the paper roll 10, whether or not the assist rotational force is set, and whether or not the pull-out amount (amount used) of the paper roll 10. When the user sets the pull-out force of the paper roll 10, the user can specify the set value. When the user sets the assist rotational force, the user can specify the set value. When the user sets the pull-out amount (amount used) of the paper roll 10, the user can specify the set value.

[0051] The commands sent by the operating terminal 40 to the roll paper holder 1A also include whether or not to make an announcement through the speaker 33, and the content of the announcement through the speaker 33. When set to make an announcement through the speaker 33, the announcement content includes information such as that the amount of the roll paper 10 pulled out has reached the set amount, that pulling will stop, or that the device will rotate in the reverse direction to assist in cutting.

[0052] The commands sent by the operation terminal 40 to the roll paper holder 1A may include the following: whether to automatically dispense a predetermined set amount when a certain amount has been withdrawn; whether to issue a speaker warning, stop assist, or reverse rotation (including cutting assistance) as an action to take when the set amount used in one go is exceeded; whether to announce whether to continue feeding, the amount fed out, and the amount used as an action to take after cutting is determined; whether to include a battery warning in the announcements made by the speaker 33 and signal lamp 34; etc. Although these are settings on the operation terminal 40, they may also include graphing the amount used and warnings when the stock runs out based on the accumulated amount used.

[0053] When the user sets the pull-out force for the paper roll 10, the assist rotational force is adjusted so that the pull-out force acting on the user to pull out the paper roll 10 is the set value. Therefore, when the user pulls out the paper roll 10, the user can always pull out the paper roll 10 with a constant pull-out force.

[0054] When the assist torque is set, the assist torque from the motor 17 is always adjusted to a constant set value. Therefore, when the user pulls out the paper roll 10, the user can always receive a constant assist torque to pull out the paper roll 10.

[0055] When the amount of paper roll 10 to be pulled out (amount used) is set, paper pull-out amount calculation unit 32 calculates an approximate amount of paper to be pulled out from the detected torque value and rotation speed detection sensor 21. Then, when this approximate amount of paper pulled out reaches the set amount of paper to be pulled out, speaker 33 announces that the amount of paper roll 10 to be pulled out has reached the set amount, and that the user should stop pulling out the paper roll 10. This allows the user to stop pulling out the paper roll 10 and obtain the set length of paper roll 10.

[0056] In other words, if the amount of paper roll 10 to be pulled out (amount used) is not set (see the operation flow in Figure 6), the user can freely pull out only the length of paper roll 10 that they currently deem necessary. If the amount of paper roll 10 to be pulled out (amount used) is set, the user can pull out only the length of paper roll 10 that they deem necessary in advance. This helps prevent waste of paper roll 10.

[0057] As described above, the paper roll holder system of the second embodiment has the same configuration as the first embodiment, and includes a paper roll holder 1A with a communications unit 35 and an operation terminal 40 that can send and receive data to the paper roll holder 1A via the communications unit 35, allowing instructions to be sent to the paper roll holder 1A from the operation terminal 40. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, various commands can be remotely issued to the paper roll holder 1A using the operation terminal 40, making it easy to use.

[0058] (Third embodiment) The roll paper holder system of the third embodiment, like the second embodiment, comprises a roll paper holder 1B having a communication unit (not shown), and an operation terminal (not shown).

[0059] As shown in Figure 8, the roll paper holder 1B of the third embodiment differs from that of the second embodiment in the following configuration: One of the core rod support members 3 houses a battery 15, a sensor and board unit 16, and a communication unit 35. One of the core rod support members 3 also has an input gear 18a that transmits rotation from the motor 17 and an output gear 18b that meshes with the input gear 18a. The output gear 18b is integral with a shaft support portion (not shown) of the core rod support member 3. Unlike the second embodiment, the shaft support portion is supported rotatably relative to the core rod support member 3.

[0060] The other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment, so the same components are given the same reference numerals and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0061] In the third embodiment, rotation from the motor 17 is transmitted to the shaft support portion (not shown) and the core rod 4 via the input side gear 18a and the output side gear 18b, and the core rod 4 rotates integrally with the locking means (not shown).

[0062] As described above, the paper roll holder system of the third embodiment, like the second embodiment, comprises a paper roll holder 1B with a communications unit (not shown) and an operation terminal (not shown) that can send and receive data to the paper roll holder 1B via the communications unit (not shown), and instructions can be sent from the operation terminal to the paper roll holder 1B. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, various commands can be remotely issued to the paper roll holder 1B from the operation terminal, making it easy to use.

[0063] A torque detection sensor (not shown), which is the means for detecting the paper pulling force, and a rotation assist means (not shown) excluding the locking means, are provided in the core rod support member 3. The core rod support member 3 can secure a larger storage space than the storage space inside the core rod 4, so there is a high degree of freedom in component placement and component selection.

[0064] (Fourth embodiment) The roll paper holder system of the fourth embodiment, like the second embodiment, comprises a roll paper holder 1C having a communication unit (not shown), and an operation terminal (not shown).

[0065] As shown in Figure 9, the roll paper holder 1C of the fourth embodiment differs from that of the third embodiment in that a speaker 33 and a signal lamp 34 are provided on the core rod support member 3. The signal lamp 34 is positioned so that it can be easily seen by the user.

[0066] In the fourth embodiment, a battery 15 is disposed between the pair of core rod support members 3 and in the space on the inner surface side of the lid 5. While the battery 15 in the third embodiment is flat (e.g., a button battery), the battery 15 in the fourth embodiment is a large battery such as a dry cell battery. As in the third embodiment, the core rod 4 is provided with a locking means (not shown) that rotates integrally with the core rod 4.

[0067] The other configurations are the same as those of the third embodiment, so the same components are given the same reference numerals and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0068] In the fourth embodiment, rotation from the motor 17 is transmitted to the shaft support portion (not shown) and the core rod 4 via the input side gear 18a and the output side gear 18b, and the core rod 4 rotates integrally with the locking means (not shown).

[0069] As described above, the roll paper holder system of the fourth embodiment, like the third embodiment, comprises a roll paper holder 1C with a communications unit (not shown) and an operation terminal (not shown) that can send and receive data to the roll paper holder 1C via the communications unit (not shown), and instructions can be sent from the operation terminal to the roll paper holder 1C. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, various commands can be remotely issued to the roll paper holder 1C from the operation terminal, making it easy to use.

[0070] A torque detection sensor (not shown), which is the means for detecting the paper pulling force, and a rotation assist means (not shown) excluding the locking means, are provided in the core rod support member 3. The core rod support member 3 can secure a larger storage space than the storage space inside the core rod 4, so there is a high degree of freedom in component placement and component selection.

[0071] (Variations, etc.) In each of the above embodiments, the control unit 30 controlled the motor 17 to set the assist rotational torque to, for example, half the torque value of the detected torque acting on the roll paper 10, but the value of the assist rotational torque may be any value that is less than the detected torque value acting on the roll paper 10.

[0072] In each of the above embodiments, the paper-pulling-amount calculation unit 32 calculates the approximate distance R from the center of rotation of the paper roll 10 to the outermost periphery of the paper roll 10 from the detected torque value, and then calculates the approximate paper-pulling amount (2πR × N) from the approximate distance R and the number of rotations N detected by the rotation speed detection sensor 21. However, the distance from the center of rotation of the paper roll 10 to the outermost periphery of the paper roll 10 varies depending on the usage of the paper roll 10. Therefore, by providing distance detection means that detects the distance from the center of rotation of the paper roll 10 to the outermost periphery of the paper roll 10 and calculating the paper-pulling amount (2πR' × N) from the detected distance R' detected by the distance detection means and the number of rotations N detected by the rotation speed detection sensor 21, the paper-pulling amount can be calculated accurately. Also, by providing a sensor or the like on the paper roll holder 1 that directly detects the amount of paper roll 10 fed out, the paper-pulling amount can be calculated accurately.

[0073] In each of the above-described embodiments, the start and stop of the paper roll 10 being pulled out are detected by the value detected by the torque detection sensor 20, which reduces the number of parts and simplifies the configuration.

[0074] In the first and second embodiments, the rotation assist means 11 is composed of the locking means 12, the motor 17 as the drive source, the gearbox 18, and the control unit 30, but it is also possible to transmit the rotation of the high-torque motor 17 directly to the output rod 19 (and thus the core rod 4) without providing the gearbox 18.

[0075] In each of the above embodiments, the usability can be further improved by using the speaker 33 to make all or part of the announcements described above.The usability can be further improved by using the signal lamp 34 to make all or part of the announcements described above.

[0076] In each of the above embodiments, after all of the roll paper 10 has been fed out (for example, after the leading end of the roll paper 10 has been fed out a certain amount from the leading end of the lid 5 (for example, after step S6 in Figure 6), if the rotation of the roll paper 10 is locked by locking the rotation of the core rod 4, the roll paper 10 becomes easier to cut and can be cut with one hand.

[0077] In each of the above-described embodiments, if the electromagnetic force acting on the locking means 12 is lost, for example because the battery 15 is depleted, the pressing portion 12a retracts in the radial direction, releasing the pressure on the inner circumferential surface of the paper roll 10. In this case, the paper roll holder 1, 1A to 1C according to the present invention can be used like a normal paper roll holder.

[0078] In each of the above embodiments, the core rod 4 and the locking means 12 are configured to rotate together when the motor 17 rotates, but the locking means 12 provided on the core rod 4 may also be configured to rotate around the core rod 4.

[0079] As a variation of the above embodiment, a catch for the paper roll 10 can be provided on the inside of the lid 5, so that after the user has finished pulling out the paper roll 10, when a predetermined amount of paper roll 10 is dispensed, the portion of the paper roll 10 dispensed from the tip of the lid 5 will be slightly turned up due to friction from the catch. In this way, the tip of the paper roll 10 can be more easily gripped the next time it is used, making it even more convenient to use.

[0080] Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims. Furthermore, it is also possible to combine all or a plurality of the components of the above-described embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1, 1A~1C Roll paper holder 3 Core rod support member 4 core rod 5 Lid 10 rolls of paper 10a center hole 11 Rotation assist means 12 Locking means 17 Motor (drive source) 20 Torque detection sensor (paper pull-out force detection means) 30 Control Unit

Claims

1. A roll paper holder comprising a core rod support member, a core rod supported by the core rod support member, and a lid that holds down the top surface of the roll paper when the core rod is inserted into a center hole, a paper-pulling-out force detecting means for detecting the pulling-out force when the roll paper is pulled out; a rotation assist means for applying an assist rotation force to the paper roll in accordance with the pull-out force detected by the paper pull-out force detection means.

2. 2. The roll paper holder according to claim 1, wherein when the stop of the pull-out of the roll paper is detected, the rotation assist means is driven after a predetermined time has elapsed to feed a predetermined amount of the tip of the roll paper from the tip of the lid.

3. 3. The paper roll holder according to claim 1, wherein the paper pull-out force detection means includes a torque detection sensor that detects the torque when the paper roll is pulled out.

4. The roll paper holder of claim 1, characterized in that the rotation assist means comprises a locking means for locking the inner surface of the roll paper, a drive source for applying an assist rotational force to the roll paper via the locking means, and a control unit for controlling the rotation of the drive source in accordance with the pull-out force detected by the paper pull-out force detection means.

5. 2. The roll paper holder according to claim 1, wherein the paper pull-out force detection means and the rotation assist means are provided on the core rod.

6. 5. The roll paper holder according to claim 4, wherein the paper pull-out force detecting means and the rotation assisting means excluding the locking means are provided on the core rod supporting member.

7. The roll paper holder according to claim 1, which has a communication unit; A roll paper holder system comprising an operation terminal capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the roll paper holder via the communication unit, wherein instructions can be sent from the operation terminal to the roll paper holder.

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