System for keeping a dispensing apparatus for a zigzag folded web of towel material optimally filled

• US 20050189850A1
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vendor BV (CWS International GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Vendor BV (CWS International GmbH)
• Inventors: Riel, Elisabeth Joanna van
• Granted Patent: US 7,472,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/34.400
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/34 dispensing from a web, e.g. with mechanical dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3681 characterised by the way a new paper roll is loaded in the dispenser

Abstract

A system for keeping a dispensing apparatus for a zigzag folded web of towel material optimally filled, which system is provided with a holder included in a housing for receiving a stock of zigzag folded web of towel material, which, on the one side, runs from the holder to a space of use and, on the other side, has an end that is connectable with a first free end of a correspondingly zigzag folded web of towel material forming a refill stock. The holder is provided with a fill meter with, in thickness direction of the stock of zigzag folded web of towel material, a division into at least three areas each having its own coding, with a first upper coding in said thickness direction indicating that no refilling is required, a second coding following the first indicating refilling with a refill stock provided with a coding equal to the second coding and each further coding indicating refilling with an increasingly thicker refill stock with corresponding coding.

Claims

1. A system for keeping a dispensing apparatus for a zigzag folded web of towel material optimally filled, which system is provided with a holder included in a housing for receiving a stock of zigzag folded web of towel material, which, on the one side, runs from the holder to a space of use and, on the other side, has an end that is connectable with a first free end of a correspondingly zigzag folded web of towel material forming a refill stock, characterized in that the holder is provided with a fill meter with, in thickness direction of the stock of zigzag folded web of towel material, a division into at least three areas each having its own coding, with a first upper coding in said thickness direction indicating that no refilling is required, a second coding following the first indicating refilling with a refill stock provided with a coding equal to the second coding and each further coding indicating refilling with an increasingly thicker refill stock with corresponding coding.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the stock of zigzag folded towel material in the holder is monitored by an element suitable for this purpose, which element is in controlling connection with an indicating element that makes the refilling need visible without needing to open the housing by indicating the respective coding.

4. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that three different codings are present.

7. A system according to claim 2, characterized in that the element for monitoring the height of the stock of zigzag folded towel material in the holder is a feeler being in contact with the topside of that stock.

8. A system according to claim 7, characterized in that the feeler is mechanically connected with an indicating element which makes a refill coding visible via an inspection window in the housing.

9. A system according to claim 8, characterized in that the indicating element is a strip provided with codings which is slid along an inspection window.

10. A system according to claim 8, characterized in that the indicating element is a pivot lever carrying different codings on different radii and pivots a particular coding via an inspection window provided for that coding, depending on the degree of filling.

11. A dispensing apparatus to be used in a system according to claims 1 and provided with a holder included in a housing for a stock of zigzag folded towel material, which holder is provided with a fill meter with, in thickness direction of the stock of zigzag folded web of towel material, a division into at least three areas each having its own coding, with a first upper coding in said thickness direction indicating that no refilling is required, a second coding following the first indicating refilling with a refill stock provided with a coding equal to the second coding and each further coding indicating refilling with an increasingly thicker refill stock with corresponding coding.

12. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the holder is provided with an element that monitors the thickness of the stock of zigzag folded towel material in the holder and is in connection with an indicating device for the degree of filling which can be read out from outside the housing.

13. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the areas are marked by mutually different colors.

14. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the second coding is formed by the color orange and the third by the color red.

15. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the first coding is formed by a neutral color, such as white, transparent, the color of the holder or the color of the housing.

16. A dispensing apparatus according to claims 12, characterized in that the element for monitoring the thickness of the stock of zigzag folded towel material in the holder is a feeler being in contact with the topside of that stock.

17. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the feeler is mechanically connected with an indicating element which makes a refill coding visible via an inspection window in the housing.

18. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the indicating element is a strip provided with codings which is slid along an inspection window.

19. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the indicating element is a pivot lever carrying different codings on different radii and pivots a particular coding via an inspection window provided for that coding, depending on the degree of filling.

20. A refill stock to be used in a system or a dispensing apparatus according claim 1 and consisting of a web of zigzag folded towel material with, at both ends of the web, a free end which is couplable with a free end of a partly used stock or a further refill stock and is characterized by a coding which is a measure for the thickness and corresponds with one of the codings of said system or said dispensing apparatus.

21. A refill stock according to claim 20, characterized in that the coding is a color provided on or in the towel material, the coupling provisions at a free end, a packaging of the stock of towel material and/or a packaging around a number of stocks of towel material.

22. A refill stock according to claim 21, characterized in that the color is orange.

23. A refill stock according to claim 21, characterized in that the color is red.

24. A system according to claim 2, characterized in that:

three different codings are present;

the codings consist of mutually different colors and that the second coding is characterized by the color orange and the third coding by the color red;

the first coding is a neutral color, such as white, transparent, the color of the holder or the color of the housing;

the element for monitoring the height of the stock of zigzag folded towel material in the holder is a feeler being in contact with the topside of that stock;

the feeler is mechanically connected with an indicating element which makes a refill coding visible via an inspection window in the housing;

the indicating element is one of a strip provided with codings which is slid along an inspection window and a pivot lever carrying different codings on different radii and pivots a particular coding via an inspection window provided for that coding, depending on the degree of filling.

25. A dispensing apparatus to be used in a system according to claim 24 and provided with a holder included in a housing for a stock of zigzag folded towel material, which holder is provided with a fill meter with, in thickness direction of the stock of zigzag folded web of towel material, a division into at least three areas each having its own coding, with a first upper coding in said thickness direction indicating that no refilling is required, a second coding following the first indicating refilling with a refill stock provided with a coding equal to the second coding and each further coding indicating refilling with an increasingly thicker refill stock with corresponding coding.

26. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 25, characterized in that:

the holder is provided with an element that monitors the thickness of the stock of zigzag folded towel material in the holder and is in connection with an indicating device for the degree of filling which can be read out from outside the housing;

the areas are marked by mutually different colors;

the second coding is formed by the color orange and the third by the color red;

the first coding is formed by a neutral color, such as white, transparent, the color of the holder or the color of the housing;

the element for monitoring the thickness of the stock of zigzag folded towel material in the holder is a feeler being in contact with the topside of that stock;

the feeler is mechanically connected with an indicating element which makes a refill coding visible via an inspection window in the housing;

the indicating element is one of a strip provided with codings which is slid along an inspection window and a pivot lever carrying different codings on different radii and pivots a particular coding via an inspection window provided for that coding, depending on the degree of filling.

27. A refill stock to be used in a system or a dispensing apparatus according to claim 24 and consisting of a web of zigzag folded towel material with, at both ends of the web, a free end which is couplable with a free end of a partly used stock or a further refill stock and is characterized by a coding which is a measure for the thickness and corresponds with one of the codings of said system or said dispensing apparatus.

28. A refill stock to be used in a system or a dispensing apparatus according to claim 25 and consisting of a web of zigzag folded towel material with, at both ends of the web, a free end which is couplable with a free end of a partly used stock or a further refill stock and is characterized by a coding which is a measure for the thickness and corresponds with one of the codings of said system or said dispensing apparatus.

29. A refill stock to be used in a system or a dispensing apparatus according to claim 26 and consisting of a web of zigzag folded towel material with, at both ends of the web, a free end which is couplable with a free end of a partly used stock or a further refill stock and is characterized by a coding which is a measure for the thickness and corresponds with one of the codings of said system or said dispensing apparatus.

30. A refill stock according to claim 22, characterized in that the coding is a color selected from the group consisting of orange and red provided on or in the towel material, the coupling provisions at a free end, a packaging of the stock of towel material and/or a packaging around a number of stocks of towel material.

31. A refill stock according to claim 28, characterized in that the coding is a color selected from the group consisting of orange and red provided on or in the towel material, the coupling provisions at a free end, a packaging of the stock of towel material and/or a packaging around a number of stocks of towel material.

32. A refill stock according to claim 29, characterized in that the coding is a color selected from the group consisting of orange and red provided on or in the towel material, the coupling provisions at a free end, a packaging of the stock of towel material and/or a packaging around a number of stocks of towel material.

3. A system according to claim, characterized in that the codings consist of mutually different colors.

5. A system according to claim, characterized in that the second coding is characterized by the color orange and the third coding by the color red.

6. A system according to claim 5, characterized in that the first coding is a neutral color, such as white, transparent, the color of the holder or the color of the housing.