Automatic toilet paper supplier

• US 5,131,302 A
• Filed: 08/30/1989
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yukinobu Watanabe
• Original Assignee: Yukinobu Watanabe
• Inventors: Watanabe, Yukinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Yost, Frank T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, Eugenia A.
• Application Number:
  US07/400,442
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 83/58, 83/62, 83/62.1, 83/167, 83/203, 83/399, 83/443, 83/649, 225/39, 225/42, 225/46, 225/47
• US Class Current: 83/62
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3612 with drive and pinch rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3625 with electronic control means
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3656 with paper jam preventing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3668 Detection of the presence of a user
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/088 Responsive to tool detector or work-feed-means detector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/222 With receptacle or support for cut product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/4443 Unicyclic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/896 Rotatable wound package supply

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an automatic toilet paper supplier. The supplier includes portions for holding in rotatable fashion a toilet paper roll. The roll is located to unwind between two rollers which are driven by a time activated motor. After passing through the rollers, the paper passes into a cutter which is also driven by a time activated motor. Here the paper is cut to slide down a guide means into an adjustable receiving means where it folds upon itself.

Claims

1. An automatic toilet paper supplier for use with a power source, said supplier comprising:

means on which to mount a roll of toilet paper;

rollers between which said toilet paper is received;

a driving motor associated with said rollers to drive said rollers to unwind said toilet paper from said roll;

a paper cutter;

a cutter motor for operating said paper cutter to cut said paper as it passes through said rollers into said paper cutter;

a control circuit for operating said motors, said control circuit having a safety circuit associated with said cutter motor, said safety circuit acting to actuate said cutter motor when the cutting cycle of said paper does not terminate during a predetermined time, said actuation occurring by resetting said paper cutter into its starting position where it is able to receive said paper;

a guide located beyond said paper cutter for guiding said paper which is passed through said rollers and said cutter, said guide having a small contact area which touches said paper as it passes over said guide, said contact area being designed to reduce the ability of the paper to adhere to the guide during its contact therewith.

2. The automatic toilet paper supplier as defined in claim 1 wherein said safety circuit is comprised of a reverse switch operable with said cutter motor and a timer, said timer activating said reverse switch which in turn activates said cutter motor to reverse its direction and return to its starting position.

3. The automatic toilet paper supplier as defined in claim 2 wherein said paper cutter is comprised of two blades, one blade being movable and the other blade being stationary, said two blades being arranged in a scissor formation such that said one blade rests at an angle with respect to said other blade when said paper cutter is open to receive paper between said blades.

4. The automatic toilet paper supplier of claim 3 further comprising a spring for biasing said movable blade against said fixed blade.

5. The automatic toilet paper supplier as defined in claim 2 wherein said paper cutter is comprised of two blades, one blade being movable and the other blade being stationary, said two blades being arranged in a scissor formation such that said one blade rests at an angle with respect to said other blade when said paper cutter is open to receive paper between said blades.

6. The automatic toilet paper supplier of claim 5 further comprising a spring for biasing said movable blade against said fixed blade.

7. The automatic toilet paper supplier of claim 1 wherein said control circuit for said motors is comprised of a timer and a non-contact sensor, said driving motor being activated by a signal from said non-contact sensor to operate said drive rollers for a period of time determined by said timer, upon conclusion of said period of time, said cutter motor then being activated through said circuit to operate said paper cutter to cut said paper, the foregoing constituting one complete cycle of the supplier at which time said circuit is set to repeat said cycle.

8. The automatic toilet paper of claim 1 wherein said rollers are divided into a plurality of rollers spaced longitudinally apart, said rollers being comprised of a non-metallic, elastic material.

9. The automatic toilet paper supplier of claim 1 wherein said supplier further comprises a paper receiving means, said paper receiving means being located under said guide and being comprised of an open cage having a vertical rear portion fixed to said supplier;

a horizontal bottom part adjustably connected to said rear portion and extending at an angle therefrom;

a vertical front portion connected to said bottom part and opposite said vertical rear portion, said horizontal bottom part being adjustable along said rear portion such that the distance between said bottom part and said supplier may be varied to effect the number of folds which the paper descending from the guide into the paper receiving means makes while maintaining the width of said paper.

10. The automatic toilet paper supplier of claim 1 further comprising a switch door movably connected in front of said paper driving rollers, opening and closing of said switch door acting to deactivate and activate the power source for said motors.

11. The automatic toilet paper supplier of claim 1 wherein said guide is comprised of at least one rib, said rib forming said contact area which contacts said paper.

12. The automatic toilet paper supplier of claim 1 wherein said guide is comprised of a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings to diminish the contact area of said guide to minimize the contact area which contacts said paper.

13. The automatic toilet paper supplier of claim 12 wherein said guide is convex on its face, said ribs being parallel with said convex face.

14. The automatic toilet paper supplier of claim 1 wherein said guide has a convex face.

15. The automatic toilet paper supplier of claim 1 wherein said guide is convex and has thereon at least one rib, said rib acting as said contact area which contacts said paper.

16. An automatic toilet paper supplier comprising:

means to mount a roll of toilet paper;

rollers between which may be received paper from said toilet paper roll;

a driving motor associated with said rollers to drive said rollers to unwind said paper from said toilet paper roll;

a paper cutter;

a cutter motor for operating said paper cutter to cut said paper as it passes through said rollers into said paper cutter;

a control circuit for operating said motors, said control circuit having a safety circuit associated with said cutter motor, said safety circuit acting to actuate said cutter motor when the cutting cycle of said paper cutter does not terminate during a predetermined time, said actuation occurring by resetting said paper cutter to its starting position where it is able to receive said paper;

a guide located beyond said paper cutter for guiding said paper which is passed through said rollers and said cutter, said guide having a surface area which contacts said paper and acts to enhance the smooth and generally unhindered flow of said toilet paper out of said supplier.