FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to devices configured to securely store and dispense roll-based products. Embodiments of the invention have been particularly developed to provide a dispenser for toilet paper rolls. While some embodiments will be described herein with particular reference to that application, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to such a field of use, and is applicable in broader contexts.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Any discussion of the background art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

[0003] In public or shared bathroom facilities, it is common to use a toilet paper roll dispenser. Such a device is configured to provide a user with access to a current roll, and maintain a store of replacement rolls. A general objective is to provide a device that is both secure (i.e. to prevent theft of unused rolls) and robust (i.e. to assist in managing risks of vandalism). A common approach is to use a lockable storage compartment for replacement rolls. However, the lock presents itself as a target for vandals, leading to complications. For example, it is known for vandals to insert various objects, such as chewing gum, into locks.

[0004] There is a need in the art for improved devices configured to securely store and dispense roll-based products.

SUM MARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

[0006] One embodiment provides a device for dispensing rolls of a rolled paper product, the device including: [0007] a gravity fed magazine which defines a compartment configured to store a plurality of rolls, the magazine having an upper vertical input for receiving a roll, and a lower horizontal output for releasing a roll;

[0008] a shuttle device for loading the magazine, wherein the shuttle device is configured to move between:

[0009] (i) a first position wherein the shuttle device is configured to receive a new roll through an opening; and

[0010] (ii) a second position wherein the shuttle device is positioned such that the opening is aligned with the input of the magazine, thereby to enable gravity-feeding of the magazine with the new roll;

[0011] a dispensing mechanism including a dispensing arm, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to move between:

[0012] (i) a dispensing configuration wherein the dispensing arm is positioned to enable user access to a roll of the paper product by rotational withdrawal of paper;

(ii) a loading configuration wherein the dispensing arm is positioned substantially horizontally coaxially with the output of the magazine, thereby to enable a roll stored in the magazine to be horizontally slid for coaxial mounting on the dispensing arm.

[0013] One embodiment provides a device wherein the shuttle is horizontally slidably mounted with respect to the magazine.

[0014] One embodiment provides a device wherein the shuttle is resiliently biased into the first position.

[0015] One embodiment provides a device wherein the shuttle includes a tab that is configured to abuttingly engage with a highest roll in the magazine upon the magazine reaching a threshold capacity of rolls, thereby to prevent return of the shuttle to the first position. [0016] One embodiment provides a device including one or more components configured to prevent vertical movement of a roll from the magazine into the shuttle.

[0017] One embodiment provides a device including one or more components configured to allow horizontal movement of a roll in the shuttle when the shuttle is moved from the first position to the second position, and prevent vertical movement of a roll from the magazine into the shuttle.

[0018] One embodiment provides a device including a restraining member configured to restrain a second-in-line roll in the magazine from downward vertical movement whilst a first-in-line roll in the magazine is loaded onto the dispensing arm.

[0019] One embodiment provides a device wherein the restraining member is coupled to the dispensing mechanism, such that the restraining member is configured to restrain a second-in-line roll in the magazine from downward vertical movement when dispensing mechanism is in the loading configuration.

[0020] One embodiment provides a device wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to be releasably lockable in the loading configuration.

[0021] One embodiment provides a device wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a restraining bar which, when the dispensing mechanism is in the dispensing configuration, blocks egress of a roll from the output of the magazine.

[0022] One embodiment provides a device for dispensing rolls of a rolled paper product, the device including:

[0023] a closed magazine configured to store one or more rolls; and

[0024] a dispensing arm configured to maintain an active roll in a dispensing configuration;

[0025] wherein the device is configured such that a roll is removable from the closed magazine only in the case that the dispensing arm is devoid of an active roll; and [0026] wherein removal of a roll from the closed magazine positions that roll on the dispensing arm.

[0027] A device according to claim 11 wherein a roll is removable from the dispensing arm only when a predetermined quantity of rolled paper has been removed from the roll.

[0028] One embodiment provides a device for dispensing rolls of a rolled paper product, the device being configured to enable loading of new rolls without unlocking of any components, and wherein a loaded roll is removable from the device only following dispensing of a predetermined quantity of paper from the roll.

[0029] One embodiment provides a device including:

[0030] a magazine for storing one or more loaded rolls; and

[0031] a shuttle device for loading the magazine, wherein the shuttle device is configured to move between:

[0032] (i) a first position wherein the shuttle device is configured to receive a new roll through an opening; and

[0033] (ii) a second position wherein the opening is positioned thereby to enable gravity-feeding of the magazine with the new roll.

[0034] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment", "some embodiments" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

[0035] As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

[0036] In the claims below and the description herein, any one of the terms comprising, comprised of or which comprises is an open term that means including at least the elements/features that follow, but not excluding others. Thus, the term comprising, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to the means or elements or steps listed thereafter. For example, the scope of the expression a device comprising A and B should not be limited to devices consisting only of elements A and B. Any one of the terms including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

[0037] As used herein, the term "exemplary" is used in the sense of providing examples, as opposed to indicating quality. That is, an "exemplary embodiment" is an embodiment provided as an example, as opposed to necessarily being an embodiment of exemplary quality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0039] FIG. 1 provides a semi-transparent front-view of a toilet paper roll dispenser according to one embodiment.

[0040] FIG. 2 provides a semi-transparent perspective view of the dispenser, shown with an active roll and three stored rolls.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby an additional roll is ready for insertion via a shuttle mechanism.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby the additional roll is in progress of being inserted via the shuttle mechanism. [0043] FIG. 5 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby the additional roll has been inserted via the shuttle mechanism and is positioned in a storage magazine.

[0044] FIG. 6 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby an empty roll is removed and stored.

[0045] FIG. 7 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby there is no active roll.

[0046] FIG. 8 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby a user begins to manually manipulate a stored roll from the storage magazine into a dispensing position, thereby to become an active roll.

[0047] FIG. 9 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby a user a previously stored roll from the storage magazine is ready to move into the dispensing position, thereby to become an active roll.

[0048] FIG. 10 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby a user a previously stored roll from the storage magazine is moved into the dispensing position, thereby to become an active roll.

[0049] FIG. 11 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby a stored roll is enabled to progress to a first position in the magazine.

[0050] FIG. 12 shows the dispenser in a ready-to use configuration following active roll replacement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] Described herein are devices configured to securely store and dispense roll- based products. Embodiments of the invention have been particularly developed to provide a dispenser for toilet paper rolls. While embodiments below are described with particular reference to that application, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to such a field of use, and is applicable in broader contexts.

[0052] FIG 1 to FIG 12 illustrate a toilet paper roll dispensing device 100. FIG. 2 to FIG 12 illustrate device 100 in a number of configurations relevant to the loading of a new toilet roll, and the replacing of an expired toilet roll. In overview: FIG. 1 provides a semi- transparent front-view of a toilet paper roll dispenser according to one embodiment; FIG. 2 provides a semi-transparent perspective view of the dispenser, shown with an active roll and three stored rolls; FIG. 3 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby an additional roll is ready for insertion via a shuttle mechanism; FIG. 4 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby the additional roll is in progress of being inserted via the shuttle mechanism; FIG. 5 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby the additional roll has been inserted via the shuttle mechanism and is positioned in a storage magazine; FIG. 6 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby an empty roll is removed and stored; FIG. 7 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby there is no active roll; FIG. 8 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby a user begins to manually manipulate a stored roll from the storage magazine into a dispensing position, thereby to become an active roll; FIG. 9 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby a user a previously stored roll from the storage magazine is ready to move into the dispensing position, thereby to become an active roll; FIG. 10 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby a user a previously stored roll from the storage magazine is moved into the dispensing position, thereby to become an active roll; FIG. 11 shows the dispenser in a configuration whereby a stored roll is enabled to progress to a first position in the magazine; and FIG. 12 shows the dispenser in a ready-to use configuration following active roll replacement.

[0053] Device 100 is configured to securely store a plurality of toilet rolls in a gravity- fed magazine 101. In the configuration of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, rolls 1 10b, 110c and 1 10d are stored in the magazine.

[0054] The magazine has an upper input port 102, through which a new roll is able to be inserted via a shuttle device 103, and a lower output port 104 (adjacent roll 110b in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2), through which a roll is able to be progressed such that it is positioned on a dispensing arm 105 in an active position (i.e. a position in which a user is able to access toilet paper). In the case of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, roll 110a is positioned on dispensing arm 105 in the active position.

[0055] Magazine 100 is configured such that it free of apertures through which an unused roll can be removed by a normal user (hence it is able to securely store a plurality of rolls). Magazine 101 is thus configured to prevent premature removal of rolls. More specifically: • shuttle 103 is configured to prevent a user from manually accessing the interior of magazine 101 in such a manner that would enable removal of a roll through input 102; and

• dispensing arm 105 is positioned relative to output port 104 in such a manner as to prevent removal of a stored roll whilst an active roll is present.

[0056] The figures show progression of a set of rolls 110a to 11 Oe. In the starting configuration of FIG. 2, roll 1 10a is in the active position, in which it is rotatably mounted to arm 105 thereby to allow dispensing of toilet paper. Rolls 1 10b - 1 10d are stored in magazine 100. The later figures show roll 1 10e being loaded into magazine 100 via shuttle 103, and roll 1 10a (once expired) being replaced by roll 110b.

[0057] Shuttle 103 is slidably mounted to a main body of device 100. This enables slider 102 to be progressed between:

• a first position, in which the shuttle is able to receive a roll (for example as shown in FIG. 3) and a second position; and

• a second position, in which the shuttle is retained above magazine 101 (for example as shown in FIG. 4).

[0058] In this embodiment, shuttle 103 is resiliently biased into the first position by a spring 11 1. However, as shown in FIG. 5, upon magazine 100 reaching its capacity, the most recently loaded roll (roll 110e in FIG. 5) abuts against a tab 112, thereby to retain shuttle 103 in the second position (and hence prevent overloading of magazine 101).

[0059] As best shown in FIG. 3, to load a new roll 1 10e, a user vertically upwardly inserts that roll into shuttle 103 though an opening 1 15, and by way of a slot 1 13 digitally pushes roll 110e thereby to slide shuttle 103 sidewards into the second position (as shown in FIG. 4). Upon reaching the second position, roll 1 10e inherently gravity feeds into magazine 101 via input port 102 (as shown in FIG. 5). At that point, shuttle 103 either returns to the first position under influence of spring 1 11 or, in the case that magazine 101 has reached capacity, remains held in the second position by engagement between the latest roll (102e in this example) and tab 1 12. Shuttle 103 is sized relative to known roll widths such that a roll is unable to fall into a vertical configuration during loading. For example, one embodiment uses a shuttle internal width dimension of about 120mm. Preferably a width of between about 110mm and 130mm is used.

[0060] Opening 1 15 allows horizontal-to-vertical access to shuttle 103, and in doing so defines an insertion chamber. The floor surface 116 of the insertion chamber is preferably sloped to prevent articles from being rested on that surface.

[0061] One or more swinging pendulums 1 14 are configured to prevent a roll from being progressed in a reverse direction from magazine 101 into shuttle 103 (and out of device 100). These are configured to swing sidewardly as a new roll is inserted (as shown in FIG. 4) and return to their vertical position when the roll drops into the magazine (as shown in FIG. 5). A slot 170 formed in the roof of shuttle 103 is positioned to accommodate the pendulums during movement of the shuttle.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 1 , dispensing arm 105 is positioned such that an active roll (such as roll 110a) is not able to be removed until it is expired (i.e. all paper removed from its central core) or substantially expired. It is restrained from sliding off arm 105 by abutting engagement between the rolled paper and an inner wall and base of magazine 101. Once the paper is expired, the empty roll (110a in FIG. 6) is able to be slid off arm 105 without such restraint. At that point (as shown in FIG. 7), a new roll is able to be loaded onto arm 104 from magazine 1 10. The expired roll may be placed in a compartment 124. In some embodiments compartment 124 is omitted and closed.

[0063] In some embodiments, arm 105 is shaped to assist removal of an expired roll. In particular, a core escape slope is defined at a distal end of the arm, being sloped downward with respect to the arm, thereby to assist in progressing an empty roll past the base of device 100.

[0064] To load a new roll, as shown in FIG. 8 a lever 120 is manipulated to move arm 105 from a dispensing position (FIG. 7) to a loading position (FIG. 8). In the loading position (or approximately about that position) arm 105 is located coaxially with the central core of a next roll in magazine 101 (in this case being roll 110b). A user then, via slot 122, digitally manipulates roll 110b in a sidewards sliding motion onto arm 105. Then, upon releasing handle 120, arm 105 returns under influence of gravity to the dispensing position. [0065] Handle 120 is additionally coupled to a restraining bar 121 , which prevents egress of a roll from magazine 101 whilst arm 105 is in the dispensing position. As shown in the figures, restraining bar 121 moves upwardly out of a restraining position upon movement of handle 120 thereby to enable loading of roll 1 10b onto handle 105.

[0066] Preferably device 100 includes a mechanism to prevent a second-in-line roll from dropping into the final spot in magazine 101 until the first-in-line roll has been moved into the active position. The rationale for such an approach is to prevent the second-inline roll (roll 1 10c in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8) from falling in a diagonal manner whilst the first-inline roll (roll 110b in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8) is slid onto the dispensing arm. , this makes use of a blocking member 130. In the figures, blocking member 130 is hingedly mounted within magazine 101 , and is configured to rotate outwardly and upwardly to restrain roll 110c during loading of roll 1 10b. There are a number of approaches for implementing such a blocking member, including:

• As shown best in FIG. 11 , member 130 is coupled to a rotating arm and handle 131 , which is rotated to bring member 130 from a blocking position (into which it is preferably resiliently biased) into a release position, thereby to allow roll 110c to drop.

• More preferably, member 130 is coupled to handle 120 (optionally via restraining bar 121) such that roll 1 10c is restrained during roll loading (i.e. when arm 105 is in the loading position) and unrestrained when roll arm 105 is in the dispensing position.

[0067] The latter option, whilst not illustrated, is in some cases quite preferable, on the basis that movement of handle 120 simultaneously positions arm 105 for loading and moves member 103 to restrain roll 110c during that loading. Such an approach is useful for reducing the opportunity for roll 110c to fall diagonally into an improper position during outward sliding of roll 110b.

[0068] As shown by FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, upon roll 110c dropping into a first-in-line position in magazine 110, tab 112 is no longer restrained by roll 1 10e, and shuttle 103 moves back into the first position under influence of spring 111. [0069] Preferably, device 100 is configured such that the movable mechanism comprising lever 120, arm 105, and bar 121 (and preferably member 130) is stable in both positions. For example, an over-centring arrangement, latch, or the like may be used such that upon using handle 120 to move arm 105 into the loading position, it remains in place until handle 120 is again manipulated to return arm 105 to the dispensing position. This assists in allowing operation of device 100 with a single arm.

[0070] It will be appreciated that the disclosure above provides various devices for dispensing rolls of a rolled paper product. These are of particular value in the art for a number of reasons. In particular, the devices are configured to enable loading of new rolls without unlocking of any components, and wherein a loaded roll is removable from the device only following dispensing of a predetermined quantity of paper from the roll.

[0071] While there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as falling within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.