Paper holder

Abstract

To provide a convenient paper holder to be operated by one hand.SOLUTION: A paper holder includes three components, which are a holder body 3, a slider 5, and a flap 6. The holder body 3 includes a rail part 3a to be a guide for vertically moving the slider 5. The slider 5 is pivotally connected to the flap 6 so as to rotate the flap 6. The flap 6 includes a paper presser 6j for pressing an upper part of rolled paper 2. A blade 6a for cutting the pulled-out rolled paper 2a is arranged before the paper presser 6j of the flap 6. The pulled-out rolled paper 2a is pressed by the blade 6a so that the upper part of the rolled paper 2 is pressed by the paper presser 6j of the flap 6. When the flap 6 is rotated with the paper presser 6j as a fulcrum while the upper part of the rolled paper 2 is pressed, a stopper 6g is abutted to a stopper abutment surface 5d of the slider 5, so as to cause the slider 5 to stop moving upward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a paper holder.

Background Art

[0002] There is a paper holder that holds roll paper such as toilet paper and has a blade for cutting it to an appropriate length.

[0003] A general paper holder (for example, FIG. 8 of Patent Document 3) has a flap shaft provided near the upper part of the back of the holder body, and the front tip of the flap is used as a blade. While pressing the upper surface of the flap with one hand, the other hand pulls up the roll paper pulled out to perform cutting.

[0004] Such a paper holder requires both hands to cut the pulled-out roll paper, and the tip of the remaining roll paper after cutting is hidden behind the flap. Therefore, when using it continuously, an operation of pulling out the tip of the roll paper is separately required.

[0005] Therefore, a configuration has been proposed in which a through-hole for the roll paper is provided in the flap, and the roll paper up to the blade part at the tip of the flap is exposed on the front side to facilitate continuous pulling, and when cutting the pulled-out roll paper downward, the rotation is suppressed by pressing the roll paper on the back side of the flap. (See, for example, Patent Document 1)

[0006] Also, a configuration has been proposed in which a flap shaft is provided on a lid that slides up and down, a blade is provided in front of the flap shaft, and a paper pressing part is provided behind the flap shaft. When cutting the pulled-out roll paper upward, the rotation of the roll paper is suppressed by the paper pressing part pressing the roll paper. (See, for example, Patent Document 2)

[0007] The configurations in Patent Document 1 or 2 allow for one-handed cutting. Furthermore, the design makes it easier to remove the remaining end of the roll of paper compared to typical paper holders. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-141921 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3149487 Gazette [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-287875 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] However, in the paper holder described in Patent Document 1, the axis of the flap (described as a cover in the document) is fixed to the holder body, so when the amount of roll paper remaining is low, the tip of the flap will move downward. Also, the part on the back of the flap that holds down the roll paper will shift towards the tip of the flap as the amount of remaining paper decreases. Consequently, when cutting the pulled-out roll paper and pulling the pulled-out roll paper straight down at the cutting point, the component of the force that holds down the roll paper on the back of the flap will be smaller than when there is a lot of roll paper remaining. Therefore, it is difficult to stably suppress the rotation of the roll paper regardless of the amount of roll paper remaining.

[0010] Furthermore, in the proposal shown in Patent Document 2, when the pulled-out roll paper is cut, the rotation axis of the flap (described as a cutting plate in the document) rises, causing the lid to rise as well, and insufficient force is obtained to hold the roll paper down behind the flap. It is stated that friction is used to stop the lid from rising, but in the shape shown in Patent Document 2, the force applied perpendicular to the friction surface is small, and in order to prevent it from rising, the frictional force must be made particularly strong, but the lid needs to rise smoothly when lowering or when changing the roll paper, and there is no description of a method to achieve these conflicting effects. Also, since paper holders are usually used repeatedly over a long period of time, a friction-dependent configuration may deteriorate and become unable to perform the intended operation. For this reason, it is desirable that the shape of the sliding part be set so that the lid stops rising without the need for surface treatment to make the frictional force particularly strong. In the proposal shown in Figure 3 of Patent Document 2, there is a structure that suppresses the rising of the lid, but the lid is pivotally attached, and it is not a structure that allows for stable cutting regardless of the remaining amount of roll paper.

[0011] Furthermore, in the configuration of Patent Document 1 or 2, the structure does not involve sandwiching the roll paper during cutting, so it may tear instead of being cut all the way through at the blade.

[0012] Furthermore, in a typical paper holder like Figure 8 of Patent Document 3, the perforations are not visible unless the paper is pulled out past the cutting blade at the front of the roll. In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the perforations come into view before reaching the blade, but even when roll paper is perforated, the perforations are generally difficult to see because they are not made by punching holes like a postage stamp.

[0013] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a paper holder that can stably suppress the rotation of the roll paper regardless of the remaining amount of roll paper, with minimal deterioration over time, and that makes it easier to grasp the tip of the roll paper, allowing for easy cutting of the pulled-out roll paper with one hand. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The paper holder according to an embodiment of the present invention has at least three parts: a holder body, a slider, and a flap. The holder body has a rail that guides the slider as it moves up and down. The slider and flap are pivotally connected to allow the flap to rotate. A paper retainer is provided in front of the flap's axis to hold down the top of the roll paper. A blade for cutting the roll paper is provided in front of the flap's paper retainer. The cutting direction of the pulled-out roll paper is downward. By pressing the pulled-out roll paper against the blade to cut it, the flap's paper retainer holds down the top of the roll paper. As the flap attempts to rotate around the paper retainer as a pivot point, a stopper, located behind and below the flap's axis, abuts against the slider's abutment surface, thereby stopping the slider from moving upward.

[0015] Furthermore, the blade on the flap is designed to cut the pulled-out roll paper by pulling it downwards. The flap has a cover portion that covers the top of the roll paper, spaced apart from the blade in the front-to-back direction, and the blade and the cover portion are connected by a curved connecting portion.

[0016] Furthermore, the device has a configuration in which a dark-colored, rotatable plate is provided on the roll paper body side and on the underside of the pulled-out roll paper, relative to the blade that cuts the roll paper.

[0017] Furthermore, the blade used to cut the roll paper has a configuration consisting of multiple claw-shaped protrusions that curve upwards towards the tip. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] In the paper holder of the present invention, by pulling in the direction of cutting the drawn roll paper, it is possible to suppress the rotation of the roll paper. Regardless of the remaining amount of the roll paper, the angle formed by the roll paper drawn before and after the blade is constant. Therefore, it is possible to stably cut the roll paper drawn with one hand. Even with a structure that does not sandwich the cutting portion of the roll paper, it is less likely to tear halfway and can be cut with the blade part until the end.

[0019] Also, in order not to reach a state where the force to hold the roll paper cannot be sufficiently obtained as the slider rises, the slider is suppressed from rising by the abutting structure of a plurality of parts, so that functional deterioration over time is unlikely to occur.

[0020] Also, after cutting the drawn roll paper, sufficient space for pinching with one hand can be provided near the tip of the roll paper.

[0021] Also, when pulling out the roll paper, the visibility of the perforations applied to the roll paper is excellent.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] Perspective view of the paper holder of the first embodiment [Figure 2] Perspective view of the holder body of the first embodiment [Figure 3] Perspective view of the assembled state of the slider and the flap of the first embodiment [Figure 4] Front view of the paper holder of the first embodiment in the normal state [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view of the paper holder of the first embodiment taken along line A-A in FIG. 4 [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view of the paper holder of the first embodiment taken along line B-B in FIG. 4 [Figure 7] Cross-sectional view of the paper holder of the first embodiment taken along line C-C in FIG. 4 [Figure 8] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the blade provided on the flap of the first embodiment and the blade mounting portion [Figure 9] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the blade and blade mounting portion on the flap when the roll paper is pulled out in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the blade and blade mounting portion provided on the flap during roll paper cutting in the first embodiment. [Figure 11] Cross-sectional view of the flap in the first embodiment, with the front of the flap raised to its maximum extent. [Figure 12] Perspective view of a paper holder according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the blade and blade mounting portion on the flap when the roll paper is pulled out in the second embodiment. [Figure 14] Perspective view of the paper holder of the second embodiment as shown in Figure 13. [Figure 15] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the blade and blade mounting portion provided on the flap during roll paper cutting in the second embodiment. [Figure 16] Enlarged perspective view of the blade tip projection on the flap in Figure 12. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 shows the appearance of a paper holder 1, which is one of the first embodiments of the present invention. In this embodiment, a roll of toilet paper is assumed to be the roll paper 2, and the holder has the function of holding the roll paper 2 and pulling out and cutting the outermost part of the roll paper 2 through operation.

[0025] In describing this embodiment, the definition of orientation is as follows: In this embodiment, when attaching to a wall such as a toilet (not shown), the side 3c that contacts the wall of the installation room is considered the rear or back side, and the side facing the wall is considered the front. Left and right are also defined as facing the wall.

[0026] The paper holder 1 consists mainly of the holder body 3, slider 5, and flap 6.

[0027] Figure 2 shows the holder body 3. The holder body 3 is equipped with roll paper supports 4 on the left and right sides, which are pivotally mounted so as to rotate only upwards, thereby supporting the inside of the roll paper core 2c from both sides. In addition, the holder body 3 is provided with groove-shaped rail sections 3a at the two corners where the back wall 3b and the left and right sides intersect, allowing the slider 5 (described later) to move only in the vertical direction. By placing the rail sections 3a at the corners, the overall size of the paper holder 1 can be reduced.

[0028] Figure 3 shows the assembled slider 5 and flap 6 viewed from a diagonal angle below. The front of the vertical plate 5a of the slider 5 has shaft supports 5b protruding to the left and right, and flap shafts 5c are provided at the tips of the shaft supports 5b. The left and right ends of the vertical plate 5a of the slider 5 are inserted into the rail portion 3a of the holder body 3, and movement in the forward, backward, left and right directions is restricted except for a small gap necessary for sliding, so that it can only slide up and down. The center of the vertical plate 5a of the slider 5 protrudes forward, and the front surface of the protruding part faces diagonally downward, forming a stopper abutment surface 5d.

[0029] The flap 6 mainly consists of a cover 6e, a blade 6a, a blade mounting section 6b, and a connecting section 6k that connects them. The cover 6e is the part that covers the top of the roll paper 2 after assembly, and flap bearings 6h are provided on the left and right sides of the back. The flap 6 rotates when the flap shaft 5c of the slider 5 is pivotally attached to the flap bearings 6h. The front of the cover 6e near the center in the left-right direction has a recessed shape 6f to widen the distance from the blade mounting section 6b, making it easier to remove the tip 2b of the roll paper when replacing the roll paper 2. This recessed shape 6f is also effective in quickly recognizing the perforations 2d when pulling out the roll paper 2 and aligning the perforations 2d with the blade 6a. Furthermore, when folding the pulled-out roll paper 2a while placing it on the cover 6e with one hand, the recessed shape 6f makes it easier to pinch and pull it out.

[0030] Multiple ribs 6i are provided on the underside of the cover 6e of the flap 6, elongated in the front-to-back direction. The ribs 6i prevent deformation of the flap 6 due to the force applied during the roll paper 2 cutting operation, and during the roll paper 2 pulling operation, each rib 6i contacts the area near the top of the roll paper 2, distributing the pressure on the flap 6 due to gravity. For this reason, the height of the part of each rib 6i that contacts the roll paper 2 is set to be the same. In addition, the spacing between the ribs 6i is approximately 15 mm, and the direction of movement of the roll paper 2 during pulling coincides with the direction of the ribs 6i, thus preventing paper sagging caused by misalignment between the outermost edge of the roll paper 2 and the paper immediately inside, and allowing it to be pulled out straight and smoothly across its entire width.

[0031] On the back surface of the cover 6e, paper retainers 6j are provided at the left and right edges near the top of the roll paper 2. The height of the paper retainers 6j, i.e., the distance from the back surface of the cover 6e, is set to be slightly lower than that of the ribs 6i. This ensures that the paper retainers 6j do not contact the roll paper 2 during the pulling operation, but when the roll paper 2 is cut, the roll paper 2 is pressed and crushed by the ribs 6i, causing the paper retainers 6j to press against the roll paper 2. This increases the pressing area, preventing the ribs 6i from excessively digging into the roll paper 2 while suppressing the rotation of the roll paper 2. The operation of rotation suppression will be described in detail later. Depending on the tightness of the roll paper 2's winding, the paper retainers 6j may not contact the roll paper 2 when it is cut. In this case, the rotation of the roll paper 2 is suppressed by the multiple ribs 6i alone. Therefore, in this case, the paper retainers 6j described in the claim refer to the portions of each rib 6i that are in contact with the roll paper 2.

[0032] A stopper 6g is provided between the left and right flap bearings 6h on the underside of the flap 6. The stopper 6g abuts against the stopper abutment surface 5d of the slider 5 when the roll paper 2 is cut, thereby stopping the rotation of the flap 6.

[0033] Figures 5 to 7 show cross-sections of the paper holder 1 in this embodiment under normal conditions. The positions of the cross-sections are as follows: cross-section AA in the front view shown in Figure 4 is in Figure 5, where the cross-section of the stopper 6g is visible in the left-right direction; cross-section BB is in Figure 6, where the flap shaft 5c is visible; and cross-section CC is in Figure 7, where the cross-section of the paper retainer 6j is visible near the left end of the roll paper 2. In Figure 5, the flap shaft 5c is hidden by the rib 6i, so it is shown with a dashed line. "Normal conditions" refers to the state when the paper holder 1 and roll paper 2 are not being held by hand, i.e., the state other than when the roll paper 2 is being pulled out or cut, or when the roll paper 2 is being replaced. Also, in the figures showing the normal conditions, the tip 2b of the roll paper is not pulled out and is located at the top of the roll paper 2 in order to make the structure easier to understand.

[0034] The assembled slider 5 and flap 6 shown in Figure 3 is inserted into the rail section 3a of the holder body 3, and is lowered by its own weight until the rib 6i of the flap 6 touches the roll paper 2 supported by the roll paper support 4.

[0035] The flap 6 is heavier in front of the flap bearing 6h, and the flap 6 rotates clockwise in Figure 5 and stops until the stopper 6g hits the stopper abutment surface 5d of the slider 5. However, due to friction and the weight of the slider 5, the stopper 6g does not necessarily always hit the stopper abutment surface 5d of the slider 5.

[0036] The front tip of the flap 6 has a blade 6a for cutting the roll paper 2, and the blade 6a is connected to the back of the cover 6e via a blade mounting part 6b and a curved connecting part 6k. The pulled-out roll paper 2a passes over the blade 6a and is pulled downward when cut, so the cut end of the pulled-out roll paper 2a abuts against the top of the blade 6a. This applies a downward force to the blade 6a, causing the flap 6 to rotate until the stopper 6g reliably hits the stopper abutment surface 5d of the slider 5. Since the flap shaft 5c is located behind the point where the roll paper 2 contacts the rib 6i, the flap shaft 5c rises when the flap 6 rotates with the point where the rib 6i contacts the roll paper 2 as the pivot point. Consequently, the slider 5 also rises along the rail part 3a. Then, when the stopper 6g contacts the stopper abutment surface 5d of the slider 5, the relative positional relationship between the flap 6 and the slider 5 is fixed at the point where the gap around the flap axis 5c is eliminated. In other words, while a downward force is applied to the blade 6a, they can be considered as a morphologically integrated part.

[0037] If the holder body 3 did not have the rail section 3a, the slider 5 would not be inserted into the rail, and the slider 5 would be lifted by the stopper 6g of the flap 6 and rotate together with the flap 6. However, because the slider 5 is inserted into the rail section 3a, movement in directions other than vertical is suppressed, and it does not rotate. The flap 6 and slider 5 move together until the small gap in the rail section 3a disappears, and then they become unable to move. The flap 6 then attempts to start rotating with the tip of the stopper 6g as the pivot point, but in reality, movement is suppressed except for the crushing of the roll paper 2 and the deformation of the parts. As a result, the force with which the pulled-out roll paper 2a pushes down the blade 6a is compensated for by the force with which the rib 6i on the back of the cover 6e and the paper presser 6j press down on the roll paper 2.

[0038] During the cutting of the extended roll of paper 2a, the force acting on the blade 6a, the force of the roll of paper 2 resisting it, and the force acting around the flap axis 5c are balanced around the stopper 6g relative to the flap 6, and the extended roll of paper 2a is cut as a result. However, because the vertical distance between the flap axis 5c and the stopper 6g is shorter than the front-to-back distance, and because the slider 5 is easily moved up and down, the moment at the flap axis 5c around the tip of the stopper 6g is considered to be small.

[0039] In Figure 5, the tip of the stopper 6g is positioned towards the rear and below the flap axis 5c. When the flap 6 rotates around the flap axis 5c, the tip of the stopper 6g moves slightly backward while rising. Furthermore, the stopper abutment surface 5d on the slider 5 is angled so that the top part protrudes forward. As a result, the stopper 6g strikes the abutment surface at an angle nearly perpendicular to it, ensuring that the rotation of the flap 6 around the flap axis 5c is stopped without slipping, and the rotation transitions to the tip of the stopper 6g. The stopper abutment surface 5d is angled approximately 30 degrees from the vertical. Therefore, the slider 5 receives a force in the rear direction greater than the upward force on the stopper abutment surface 5d, which becomes a force pressing down on the rail section 3a, increasing the frictional resistance for sliding. Moreover, since the slider 5 and flap 6 are integrated, and the external forces in the vertical direction are gravity and the downward force and reaction force acting on the blade 6a, it does not rise.

[0040] The part of the roll paper 2 that is held down is between the stopper 6g and the blade 6a in the front-to-back direction. Due to the lever principle, the force holding down the roll paper 2 is greater than the force pushing the blade 6a to cut the pulled-out roll paper 2a. When a downward force is applied to the blade 6a when the pulled-out roll paper 2a is cut, the flap 6 will hold down the roll paper 2 at a ratio equal to the horizontal distance between the stopper 6g and the paper holder 6j and the horizontal distance between the stopper 6g and the blade 6a. If this ratio is too small, the roll paper 2 will not be held down sufficiently during cutting and will be pulled out. If it is too large, the force on the stopper 6g will be too great, causing deformation of the surrounding area and crushing of the roll paper 2, resulting in a decrease in robustness and increased rebound after the pulled-out roll paper 2a is cut. Therefore, a ratio of 3 to 4 is desirable.

[0041] For example, even if the vertical plate 5a of the slider 5 is partially cut out so that the stopper 6g directly abuts the back wall 3b of the holder body 3, it is still possible to stop the slider 5 from rising. However, it is difficult to set the ratio of the horizontal distance between the stopper 6g and the paper press 6j to the horizontal distance between the stopper 6g and the blade 6a from 3 to 4, and the value becomes smaller. Therefore, configuring it as in this embodiment is extremely effective for stable cutting operations.

[0042] As described above, since the rotation of the roll paper 2 is suppressed during cutting, the roll paper 2a pulled out at the blade 6a does not shift, and it can be easily cut at the blade 6a by simply holding the tip 2b of the roll paper with one hand and pulling.

[0043] Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the blade 6a and blade mounting portion 6b provided on the flap 6. As shown in Figure 3, the blade 6a has a fine shape with many pointed protrusions 6c that protrude diagonally upward and forward. Therefore, when the tip 2b of the roll paper is pulled straight down, the tips of the protrusions 6c come into contact with the roll paper 2a that has been pulled out, making it easy for the tips of the protrusions 6c to pierce the pulled-out roll paper 2a and cut it easily. Also, as shown in Figure 1, each protrusion 6c is a triangular pyramid with a flat surface on the upper side. When the tip 2b of the roll paper is pulled downward, the tips of the protrusions 6c pierce the roll paper 2a and then cut it while making contact with the roll paper 2a at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the pulled-out roll paper 2a. Since the paper fibers of ordinary toilet paper run in the longitudinal direction, cutting at an angle to the fibers allows it to be cut with less force. Furthermore, the angle 8 that the upper surface of the protrusion makes with the horizontal plane is small, approximately 30 degrees. This angle makes it less likely for the paper to tear even if there is some contact between the pulled-out roll paper 2a and the blade 6a when the roll paper 2 is pulled out. In particular, with thin roll paper 2, this reduces the possibility of the roll paper 2a tearing when pulled out in an unintended location.

[0044] In this embodiment, the blade 6a is integrated with the blade mounting part 6b, but a structure may be used in which a separate material such as elastomer is attached to reduce the possibility of snagging on the blade 6a and damaging clothing or skin. When cutting the roll paper 2 at the perforations 2d, the protrusions 6c of the blade 6a are unnecessary, so by making the blade 6a a separate part, it is possible to remove and use the blade 6a. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, guard walls 6m are erected on both the left and right ends of the blade mounting part 6b so as to sandwich the blade 6a, and as shown in Figure 5, the blade 6a is completely hidden by the guard walls 6m when viewed from the side, making it safer as it is less likely for clothing or skin to come into contact with the protrusions 6c at both ends of the blade 6a. The guard walls 6m also serve as a guide to pull out the roll paper 2a straight when it is pulled out.

[0045] Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the blade 6a and blade mounting portion 6b on the flap 6 when the roll paper 2 is pulled out, and Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the blade 6a and blade mounting portion 6b on the flap 6 when the pulled-out roll paper 2a is cut. In this embodiment, the direction 9 for pulling out the required length of roll paper 2 is approximately 12 degrees upward, and is set so that it will not tear even if pulled almost horizontally towards the user. Because the blade 6a is above the top of the roll paper 2, when the tip 2b of the roll paper is pulled straight down during the cutting operation, the angle 10 formed by the pulled-out roll paper 2a in front of and behind the blade 6a becomes acute, preventing the roll paper 2a pulled out on the hand side of the blade 6a from tearing during cutting, resulting in a clean cut. Also, depending on the installation location of the paper holder 1, even if one hand is occupied, it is easy to place the pulled-out roll paper on the lap, so the operation up to cutting can be performed smoothly.

[0046] Because the tip of the projection 6c of the blade 6a is positioned slightly below the extension of the flat surface 6d located on the rear side of the blade 6a, the roll paper 2 is less likely to hit the blade 6a when pulled out. Even if the roll paper 2a is pulled out in a direction that would hit the blade 6a, the force is buffered by hitting the flat surface 6d first, preventing downward force from being applied to the tip of the projection 6c of the blade 6a. Furthermore, when cutting the pulled-out roll paper 2a at the perforations 2d, by positioning the pulling direction of the roll paper tip 2b diagonally downward and pulling the pulled-out roll paper 2a towards the front while applying downward force to the flat surface 6d, it is possible to cut the pulled-out roll paper 2a at the perforations 2d even if the perforations 2d of the pulled-out roll paper 2a are slightly misaligned with the tip of the projection 6c of the blade 6a.

[0047] When the pulled-out roll paper 2a is cut, it is desirable that the surface of the flat part 6d not be smooth in order to prevent the cut end 2b of the roll paper from slipping off the blade mounting part 6b. However, friction that would cause the roll paper to tear when it is pulled out is undesirable.

[0048] As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, the blade mounting portion 6b has a shape that protrudes only towards the cover 6e near the center. This ensures space 7 for gripping the tip of the roll paper while preventing the tip 2b of the roll paper from slipping off.

[0049] The cover 6e of the flap 6 and the blade 6a are connected by a curved connecting part 6k. This allows the user to easily grasp the pulled-out roll paper 2a by inserting their fingers into the space 7 between the back of the pulled-out roll paper 2a and the connecting part 6k, making it easy to pull out the roll paper 2a. Since the cutting operation of the pulled-out roll paper 2a can be performed continuously without touching anything other than the pulled-out roll paper 2a, it is hygienic.

[0050] By positioning the tip of the blade 6a above the upper end of the roll paper 2, even without setting the blade 6a significantly in front of the roll paper 2, the overlapping portion between the curved connecting part 6k and the roll paper 2 when viewed from the side is reduced, thus ensuring sufficient space 7 for grasping the tip of the roll paper.

[0051] The connecting portion 6k between the cover 6e and the blade 6a of the flap 6 overlaps with the rib 6i provided on the back side of the cover 6e of the flap 6 when viewed from the side. Therefore, when force is applied to the blade 6a, there is no area where stress concentrates on the cover 6e, effectively preventing deformation of the flap 6.

[0052] When this invention is used with roll paper 2, such as kitchen paper, which is normally cut along perforations 2d, the absence of fine protrusions 6c on the tip of the blade 6a ensures reliable cutting along the perforations 2d. Furthermore, although the invention is titled "Paper Holder," its use is not limited to roll paper; it can be used to cut various roll-shaped products such as roll-shaped resin film and plastic bags.

[0053] Regarding the shaft of flap 6, the choice of whether to place the bearing on flap 6 or slider 5 is a design matter, and the more convenient option should be chosen for various reasons. Furthermore, the shafts and bearings of rail section 3a and flap 6 may be fitted with parts made of a different material to reduce friction and extend their lifespan.

[0054] Because the top surface 4a of the roll paper support 4 is flat, when viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the roll paper 2, the roll paper 2 is supported at two points. This stabilizes the front-to-back position of the roll paper 2, and the paper presser 6j of the flap 6 can always press slightly behind the top of the roll paper 2. Since the paper presser 6j of the flap 6 is located near the point where the roll paper support 4 contacts the roll paper 2, deformation of the roll paper core 2c can be prevented, especially when the remaining amount of roll paper 2 is low. In addition, by providing a slanted portion 4b at the tip of the top surface 4a of the roll paper support 4, the flap 6 can be smoothly lifted while the roll paper support 4 is flipped up from below when the roll paper 2 is replaced.

[0055] In this embodiment, the curved connecting portion 6k grips the tip 2b of the roll paper, and when pulling out the roll paper 2, it is necessary to lift the tip 2b of the roll paper to avoid the blade mounting portion 6b. At this time, the roll paper 2 lifts the frontmost part of the cover 6e, causing the flap 6 to rotate, which smoothly releases the force that the back of the cover 6e is applying to the roll paper 2, making it easier to pull out the roll paper 2. At the same time, the force that the stopper 6g is applying to the slider abutment portion 5d is also released when the roll paper 2 lifts the frontmost part of the cover 6e, so even if it is stuck due to friction or deformation, problems are less likely to occur when pulling out the roll paper 2.

[0056] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the flap 6 in its fully raised position. When lifting the frontmost part of the flap 6's cover 6e, tilting it by approximately 5 degrees causes the rear of the flap 6 to interfere with the slider 5. When pulling out the roll paper 2, the fingers gripping the roll paper 2 need to move forward while overcoming the blade 6a. However, if the roll paper 2 continues to lift the flap 6 indefinitely, the blade 6a will also continue to rise, making this overcoming motion difficult. Therefore, it is desirable that the upward tilt angle of the flap 6 stops at approximately 10 degrees. Also, when the rear of the flap 6 interferes with the slider 5, the stopper 6g of the flap 6 does not reach the roll paper 2. In other words, the stopper 6g does not hit the roll paper 2 and prevent it from rotating.

[0057] In the case of a structure that cuts the pulled-out roll paper 2a from bottom to top, as shown in Patent Document 2, the flap shaft 5c is positioned between the paper presser 6j and the blade 6a. To increase the force that holds the roll paper 2, the flap shaft 5c is positioned closer to the paper presser 6j. As a result, the center of gravity of the flap 6 tends to be in front of the flap shaft 5c, and the blade 6a hangs down in the normal state, and is lifted when cutting the pulled-out roll paper 2a. Therefore, when cutting, the blade 6a moves by the amount of the lifting stroke from the time the pulled-out roll paper 2a hits the blade 6a until the force required for cutting is applied to the blade 6a, making the cutting operation difficult. In addition, there is always a force acting on the blade 6a to return it to its original position, and the pulled-out roll paper 2a may lose to the downward force of the blade 6a during the cutting process, causing it to tear in a part other than the blade 6a. In the embodiment of the present invention, where the pulled-out roll paper 2a is pulled downwards to cut it, the direction of gravity acting on the blade 6a and the direction of the force received from the pulled-out roll paper 2a during cutting are approximately the same, enabling stable cutting.

[0058] The cutting direction 11 of the roll paper is downward, the opposite of the upward cutting direction of a typical paper holder. However, the shape shown in the embodiment of the present invention is common for adhesive tape holder cutters, and even first-time users can use it without any difficulty. Furthermore, unlike typical paper holders, pressing down on the flap 6 with one hand does not cause any problems, thus accommodating a variety of user preferences.

[0059] As described above, the paper holder 1 of the present invention has a rail portion 3a in the holder body 3 that serves as a guide for the slider 5 to move up and down, a pivot connection between the slider 5 and the flap 6 to allow the flap 6 to rotate, a paper presser 6j on the flap 6 that holds down the upper part of the roll paper 2, a blade 6a that cuts the roll paper 2a that has been pulled out in front of the paper presser 6j on the flap 6, the cutting direction 11 of the roll paper is downward, and by pressing the pulled-out roll paper 2a against the blade 6a in order to cut the pulled-out roll paper 2a, the paper presser 6j on the flap 6 holds down the upper part of the roll paper 2, and when the flap 6 attempts to rotate with the paper presser 6j as a pivot point, a stopper 6g provided as part of the flap 6 behind and below the flap axis 5c abuts against the stopper abutment surface 5d of the slider 5, thereby stopping the slider 5 from moving upward, making it possible to cut the pulled-out roll paper 2a with one hand.

[0060] When there is a large amount of roll paper 2 remaining, that is, when the diameter of roll paper 2 is large, the torque that the pulled-out roll paper 2a exerts to rotate the entire roll paper 2 is large, and when there is little remaining, it is small. However, because the paper presser 6j presses down on the outer circumference, the force that the paper presser 6j exerts on roll paper 2 to suppress its rotation remains constant regardless of the amount of roll paper 2 remaining. In other words, it is possible to suppress the rotation of roll paper 2 more stably than by pressing down on the inside of the core 2c of the roll paper.

[0061] Furthermore, because the axis of the flap 6 moves up and down by the slider 5, the paper presser 6j can always hold down the area near the top of the roll paper 2. In addition, the direction 9 in which the roll paper is pulled out 9 and the angle 10 formed by the pulled-out roll paper 2a in front of and behind the blade 6a during cutting can be kept constant, so that the pulled-out roll paper 2a can be reliably cut with the same operation regardless of the remaining amount of roll paper 2. Since the cover 6e always remains in a nearly horizontal position, it is also possible to place the pulled-out roll paper 2a on the cover 6e and fold it while pulling it out with one hand.

[0062] Slider 5 lowers as the amount of roll paper 2 is used, making it easy to check the remaining amount. By installing position detection means such as scales, tact switches, and photo interrupters around Slider 5, it becomes possible to further improve visual inspection and to build a system to check the remaining amount remotely.

[0063] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the only additional part compared to a typical paper holder is the slider 5, and since it does not use a spring to hold down the roll of paper 2 and is easy to assemble, it can be manufactured at low cost.

[0064] Figure 12 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The basic configuration is the same as the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, but a plate piece 6n is pivotally attached to the rear of the blade mounting portion 6b. The plate piece 6n has a bearing near the blade mounting portion 6b and is pivotally attached to a plate piece shaft 6q provided on the blade mounting portion 6b, and rotates when lifted from below. By rotating it, the operation of feeding the leading edge 2b of the roll paper upward from between the cover 6e and the plate piece 6n when replacing the roll paper 2 becomes easier.

[0065] Figure 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the blade 6a and blade mounting portion 6b provided on the flap 6 when the roll paper 2 is pulled out in the second embodiment. The roll paper 2 is set so that when the tip is lowered while being pulled out, it first makes contact with the far end of the plate piece 6n. As a result, the flap 6 is subjected to a downward force on its front side, and the rib 6i on the back of the cover 6e presses down on the area near the top of the roll paper 2, generating tension from the tip 2b of the roll paper to the area near the top of the roll paper 2. This tension widens the perforations 2d (not shown in Figure 13) in the front-to-back direction, making the holes in the perforations 2d larger and improving visibility. If the pulled-out roll paper 2a is not lowered until it touches the blade 6a, the force with which the pulled-out roll paper 2a pushes down the plate piece 6n is small, so the tension is only enough to widen the perforations 2d, and the pulled-out roll paper 2a is unlikely to tear.

[0066] Furthermore, by making the plate piece 6 a dark color such as black, as shown in Figure 14, when the perforations 2d are viewed from above, the dark color of the plate piece 6 is visible through the holes in the perforations 2d, and as shown in Figure 14, the contrast with the main body of the roll paper 2, which is usually a light color such as white, is strengthened, further improving visibility (in the figure, the darkness of the perforations is represented by the thickness of the lines). In the configuration of the present invention, the part of the roll paper 2a that is pulled out is not hidden by the flap 6, so it is possible to stop the operation of pulling out the paper while checking the perforations 2d and aligning the perforations 2d with the tip of the blade 6a, and improving the visibility of the perforations 2d has a great effect on improving the cutting operation of the roll paper 2.

[0067] Figure 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the blade 6a and blade mounting portion 6b provided on the flap 6 when cutting the roll paper 2 in the second embodiment. Figure 16 is an enlarged perspective view of the tip projection of the blade provided on the flap in Figure 12.

[0068] In the embodiment of the present invention, when cutting the roll paper 2 at the cutting section using the projection 6c portion of the blade 6a without sandwiching the outermost edge of the roll paper 2 between the blade 6a, the paper may tear during cutting, unlike when cutting a narrow object such as adhesive tape. In particular, it is extremely difficult to pull the leading edge 2b of the roll paper straight down and cut the entire width simultaneously. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the projections 6c are arranged on a curve that slopes downwards in the center. As a result, the pulled-out roll paper 2a does not simultaneously come into contact with the tip of the blade 6a across its entire width. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, multiple triangular markings are arranged asymmetrically on the front of the upper surface of the cover 6e to encourage operation from the edge.

[0069] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, the projection 6c on the blade 6a has a claw shape that curves upward towards the tip. The effect of this shape will be explained below.

[0070] In Figure 15, the pulled-out roll paper 2a comes into contact with the rib 6i, the plate piece 6n, and the projection 6c in that order. When the roll paper is pulled in the cutting direction 11, a hole is made at the tip of the projection 6c, and if cutting is to be done at a point other than the perforations 2d, this hole becomes the starting point for the cut. The hole expands as the left and right edges of the upper surface 6p of the projection shear the pulled-out roll paper 2a, and connects with the hole that has expanded from the adjacent projection 6c, ultimately cutting the pulled-out roll paper 2a.

[0071] It is desirable that the tip of the projection 6c, which initiates the cut, is configured to penetrate the roll paper as far opposite as possible to the cutting direction 11. That is, it is better if the angle 13 between the tangent line 12 formed at the tip of the upper surface 6p of the projection and the cutting direction 11 of the roll paper is large. Subsequently, in the stage where the left and right edges of the upper surface 6p of the projection are used for shearing, it is desirable that they make contact at an angle with respect to the fiber direction of the pulled-out roll paper 2a. As a result, it is easier to cut if the cutting line is a saw blade shape that has length in the longitudinal direction of the roll paper 2 rather than being close to a straight line. That is, it is desirable for the left and right edges of the upper surface 6p of the projection to have a shape that has distance behind the tip in order to ensure a reliable cutting operation.

[0072] In order to achieve the two conditions in the previous section, namely that the projection 6c penetrates the roll paper as far as possible in the opposite direction to the cutting direction 11, and that the left and right sides of the upper surface 6p of the projection have a shape that extends backward from the tip, the projection 6c provided on the blade 6a has a claw shape that curves upward towards the tip. In Figure 15, the angle 13 between the tangent line 12 formed by the upper surface 6p of the projection at the tip and the cutting direction 11 of the roll paper is larger than in Figure 10. Furthermore, by curving the upper surface 6p of the projection, the left and right sides can be extended further inward.

[0073] Furthermore, by positioning the lower edge of the projection 6c so that the point of contact with the adjacent projection 6c is as far back as possible, the part of the roll paper 2 in front of the blade 6a during cutting is prevented from contacting the base of the projection 6c, and the cutting is completed while ensuring that the roll paper 2 is continuously in contact with the left and right edges of the upper surface 6p of the projection.

[0074] As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily align the perforations 2d of the roll paper 2 with the blade 6a, and even when cutting at a part other than the perforations 2d, it is possible to reliably cut at the part of the blade 6a. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 1. Paper holder 2 rolls of paper 2a The roll of paper that has been pulled out 2b Roll paper tip 2c Roll paper core 2D perforations 3. Holder body 3a Rail section 3b Back wall 3c Surface adjacent to the wall of the installation room 4. Roll paper support 4a Top side 4b Slope 5 Sliders 5a vertical board 5b Axial support 5c flap axis 5d Stopper abutment surface 6 flaps 6a blade 6b Blade mounting section 6c protrusion 6d flat part 6e cover 6f recessed shape 6g stopper 6h flap bearing 6i Rib 6j Paper Press 6k connection part 6m guard wall 6n plate piece 6p Upper surface of the projection 6q Shaft for plate piece 7. Space to pinch the tip of the roll paper. 8. The angle that the upper surface of the projection makes with the horizontal plane. 9. Direction in which to pull out the roll paper. 10. The angle formed by the roll paper in front of and behind the blade. 11. Cutting direction of roll paper 12. The tangent line formed at the tip by the upper surface of the projection. 13. The angle between the tangent line formed at the tip by the upper surface of the projection and the cutting direction of the roll paper.

Claims

1. A paper holder for holding roll paper such as toilet paper and equipped with a blade for cutting the pulled-out roll paper, wherein the paper holder comprises at least three parts: a holder body, a slider, and a flap, the holder body has a rail section that serves as a guide for the slider to move up and down, the slider and flap are pivotally connected to allow the flap to rotate, the flap has a paper retainer that holds down the top of the roll paper to prevent the roll paper from rotating, a blade is provided on the flap that cuts the roll paper when it is pulled out in front of the paper retainer, and the pulled-out roll paper is pressed against the blade in order to cut the pulled-out roll paper, so that when the flap attempts to rotate with the paper retainer as a pivot point while the paper retainer holds down the top of the roll paper, a stopper provided on the flap abuts against other parts to stop the rotation and prevent the slider from moving upward, the paper holder is configured to stop rotation.

2. The paper holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting direction of the pulled-out roll paper is downward, and a stopper provided as part of the flap, located below the flap axis and on the opposite side of the blade when viewed from the flap axis, abuts against the abutment surface of the slider, thereby stopping the slider from moving upward.

3. The paper holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the direction of cutting of the pulled-out roll paper is downward, the flap has a cover that covers the top of the roll paper at a distance from the blade, and the blade and the cover are connected by a curved connecting part.

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