Double Roller Towel Dispenser Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing towel dispensers often become blocked when the towel roll is nearly depleted, due to abrupt acceleration of the cloth or incorrect insertion of the fabric roll, leading to operational issues that require specialized intervention.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a double roller mechanism with laterally mounted drive means and a coupling mechanism, such as intermeshing gears, ensures that the rollers rotate in the same direction, preventing the towel from getting caught and allowing for easy insertion of the towel roll in either direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single roller mechanism is used to convey the towel, then the device structure is simple, but the towel becomes blocked when the roll is nearly depleted due to abrupt acceleration
Solution Approach 1:
The single roller is segmented into a double roller mechanism with two rollers (6, 7) that rotate in opposite directions. This segmentation allows the towel to be conveyed between the rollers with controlled motion, preventing abrupt acceleration and blocking when the towel roll is nearly depleted.
2Reliability
If the towel roll insertion direction is restricted to ensure proper operation, then blocking is prevented, but the ease of operation decreases as users must insert the roll in a specific direction
Solution Approach 1:
The double roller mechanism is designed to accommodate towel rolls inserted in either direction (clockwise or counterclockwise). Both rollers are equipped with drive means that can engage with the towel roll regardless of insertion direction, making the device universal and eliminating the need for users to concern themselves with insertion orientation.
3Ease of manufacture
If the towel roll is inserted the wrong way round, then the towel becomes blocked as it jumps over the deflection roller
Solution Approach 1:
The double roller mechanism converts the potential harm of incorrect insertion into a beneficial feature. When a towel roll is inserted the wrong way round, the drive means on both rollers ensure that the towel is still gripped and conveyed properly, transforming what would be a blocking situation into successful operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents towel blocking in the dispenser, ensuring trouble-free operation regardless of the towel roll's insertion direction, and reduces the need for specialized interventions.
Implementation Method 1
The two rollers of the double roller each have a laterally mounted drive means, which are rotatably coupled to one another via a coupling means (e.g. a gear wheel, friction wheel or toothed belt) cooperating with both drive means
Implementation Method 2
The fresh cloth drives the lower roller clockwise. Since the upper roller rotates in the same direction as the lower roller, the remaining winding is stopped at point A
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The hand-towel dispenser has a receptacle (2) for a roll (3) of fresh towels and a mechanism for unwinding fresh towels (1) in portions from the roll (3) of fresh towels and, after their use, for winding them up onto a roll (5) of used towels. The hand-towel dispenser moreover has a double roller (6; 7) which is arranged downstream from the roll (3) of fresh towels and through which the fresh towel (1) can be guided, wherein each of the two rollers of the double roller (6; 7) is provided with a laterally mounted drive means (8; 9). The two rollers of the double roller (6; 7), which are drivable by the drive means (8; 9), are coupled rotatably to each other by a coupling means (10) in such a way that the two rollers of the double roller (6; 7) are rotatable only in the same direction clockwise or counterclockwise.