Dispenser for Film-Like Materials

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a dispenser for film-like materials and a method for rolling off foil or film, preferably plastic film, of the type where the foil or film is stored on a roll, where the roll is preferably placed in a magazine from where the foil or film is passed through an aperture and over an abutment, where the foil or film bears against the abutment in connection with separating the unrolled foil or film from the roll.

Description of Prior Art

There exist various types of film dispensers, in which a roll of film or foil, either plastic film, aluminium foil, grease-proof paper or the like, are placed and unrolled. These prior art types are typically used for keeping order in the different rolls in e.g. a kitchen. Some dispensers are loose and may be stored in a drawer and taken up according to need, or they are lying accessible on the table. Other types are intended for mounting on e.g. a wall, a side of a cupboard or similar. These prior art types of dispenser are in principle arranged with the same means, namely a magazine for the roll, an opening where the film is passed through, and an abutment on which the film or foil is laid in connection with either tearing off or cutting off.

The need for dispensers is not only a need for storing the roll, but also a need for performing easy and precise tearing or cutting off of the film or foil. Particularly with regard to plastic films it is practical with a suitable dispenser, as the adhesive properties of the film can result in certain handling problems. From US 6,749,097 is known a solution where the item to be covered with film is placed immediately in front of the dispenser, which is suspended from a wall, and where the film is drawn out over the items with two hands and subsequently cut off.

Another solution is known from WO 06/096187, where the film is conducted from a magazine and to an abutment where a cutting tool is moved crosswise of the film in a rail. By this solution is achieved the advantage that one does not need to tear the film off.

The said variants, however, have disadvantages, as the item is either to be brought to the dispenser or the film has to be held by one hand during cutting off from the roll.

It is the purpose of a dispenser for film-like materials according to the invention to indicate a solution where a piece of film or foil may readily be released from a roll, where cutting, handling and subsequent transport of the film or foil to the point of use occurs without the risk of the film inadvertently adhering to itself or to other things. Furthermore, it is the purpose to ensure that the free end of the film roll is held fixed until the next separation.

Description of the Invention

As mentioned in the introduction, the invention concerns a dispenser for film-like materials and a method for rolling off film or foil, where between the aperture and the abutment there is a surface where the foil or film is passed over this surface and laid on the abutment, and where the dispenser includes a film retainer that preferably is constituted by a cylindric rod provided at the abutment and upon the foil or film, where the rod preferably has a length substantially corresponding to the width of the film roll, after which the rod is rolled on the film or foil along the surface towards the aperture, whereby the film or foil is rolled up on the rod; then the rod is moved away from the aperture, whereby the foil or film is rolled off and laid on the abutment and separated from the roller.

The film retainer ensures that the film does not adhere to itself or similar at the free end during the unrolling, as it is secured on the film retainer. The film retainer provides a secure grip about the free end and easy and unencumbered unrolling of the film, as the film can be kept smooth and tensioned all the time. The film retainer may e.g. be constituted by a metal rod, a plastic rod or a rod of another suitable material, where the rod preferably is cylindric, as rolling up of the film on the rod hereby is made easier. Another property which the rod advantageously may have is that the surface is of such nature that the film has a tendency to adhere to the rod. Hereby is achieved an easier rolling up of the free end of the film. This rolling up is only with the object of ensuring that the film is secured to the rod.

By a rod is meant an elongated item, and it may thus, for example, be a tubular rod.

By a film retainer as described there is achieved the great advantage that the film both during unrolling, cutting and application on the item is held in tension at one end of the film retainer. Thus film which is stuck together is avoided and a better and easier packing may take place.

A preferred variant of the method and the dispenser according to the invention is where the surface between the aperture and the abutment is a sloping surface inclining towards the aperture, where the rod, when released, rolls on the foil or film along the sloping surface against the aperture, whereby the foil or film is automatically rolled up on the rod. The rod may then, after ending use of it, be placed at the abutment upon the film, after which it will roll up the free end of the film and be ready for use the next time a piece of film is to be applied.

The rolling up occurs, as mentioned, advantageously on a sloping surface, but is feasible on a horizontal and a rising surface as well. In these cases it is, however, required with e.g. manual rolling up as well as it is necessary with one or more projections at which the rod with the rolled up film can be "parked" until next application.

A particularly preferred embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention is that the length of the surface has a size largely corresponding to the circumference of the rod. Thus is achieved the advantage that the film adheres well to the rod. A variant where the surface has a size which is larger than the circumference of the rod ensures that more than one film layer is rolled up on the rod, whereby the ability of the film to adhere to itself contributes to a secure retention during unrolling and handling. Another embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention may be with a surface where the length is less than the circumference of the rod. In this variant, a rod or film retainer to which the film adheres is advantageously used, while by a variant as mentioned above where the surface has a length greater than the circumference of the rod, there is not the same need that the film adheres well to the rod.

The dispenser according to the invention may include a cutting tool for separating foil or film from the roll, where the cutting tool is moved along a guide rail. The guide rail may advantageously be disposed behind the aperture at the rear edge of the dispenser, and the cutting tool may include a roller knife or a stationary blade with a single edge or with double edge so that cutting may be performed from both sides. The cutting tool or only the roller knife blade or the stationary knife blade may be replaceable.

A variant of the cutting tool may be with a support wheel that is e.g. passed in a rail in immediate vicinity of the knife. By this embodiment is achieved a better and more secure fixing of the film during cutting.

A preferred variant of a dispenser according to the invention has a magazine with a spindle for a roll of film or foil. In that way it is ensured that the roll of film may be handled easily and unencumberedly.

In the description of the invention, the term film is used, encompassing i.a. various types of plastic films, including plastic films of the type used in households and other packing films or foils with adhesive properties without applied adhesive. The invention may also advantageously be used for other types of films, such as aluminium foil, grease-proof paper, gift wrapping and the like.

Short Description of the Drawing

The invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawing, where: FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of dispenser with film and with film retainer; FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of dispenser with film and with cutting tool.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In Fig. 1 appears the cross-section of a film dispenser 1 where in the magazine 2 there is placed a roll 3 with plastic film 4 on a spindle 5. The film 4 is passed through an aperture 6 across a surface 7 and to an abutment 8. At the abutment 8, the film retainer 9 is seen lying upon the film 4. By placing the film retainer 9 on the film 4 so that it comes in contact with the film on the surface 7 and at the edge of the abutment 8 there

is achieved sure and good contact between film 4 and film retainer 9, and the rolling up on the film retainer 9 is then effected without any problems.

In the shown Figure, the surface 7 is configured as a sloping surface providing that the film retainer 9, when placed on the film 4 at the abutment 8 and released, will roll down the surface 7 and thereby roll up the film 4 and be arranged at the aperture 6. The circumference of the film retainer 9 is adapted so that it is slightly less than the width of the surface 7. The film 4 may thus easily be secured on the film retainer 9, as a little more than one layer of film 9 is put on the film retainer 9 in this way.

hi Fig. 2 appears the cross-section of a film dispenser 1 as shown in Fig. 1, here without the film retainer 9, in extended position in connection with cutting film 4 off the roll 3. The dispenser 1 is made with a width which is greater than the width of the film 4, and therefore there is space for parking the cutting tool 11 at one or the other end of the dispenser 1. At the rear end of the dispenser appears a rail 10 in which the cutting tool 11 is moved. Also, there is a guide groove 12 at the front edge of the dispenser. The guide groove 12 is also used in connection with the cutting tool 11 which is provided with a support wheel 13. The support wheel 13 has inter alia the function of holding the film 4 tightly to the abutment 8 when cutting with the knife 14. In order to ensure that the knife 14 cuts right through the film 4, a cutting groove 15 is provided between the abutment 8 and the guide groove 12.

By using the dispenser 1, the film retainer 9 is then disposed at the abutment 8 and rolled towards the aperture 6, whereby film 4 is applied to the film retainer 9. Subsequently, the film retainer 9 is drawn back and out over the edge of the dispenser so that the film 4 can bear on the abutment 8. Then the cutter tool 11, which is parked at one end of the dispenser 1, is moved towards the opposite end of the dispenser 1, whereby the film 4 is cut off.

It is expected that the dispenser 1 has a service life exceeding the service life of the cutting tool. Thus it is possible to replace the cutting tool 11, as it may be clicked off by lifting it by the support wheel 13. Alternatively, the knife 14 may be intended for replacement.

It is obvious that after reading this description, the skilled in the art will be able to perform the invention in many different variants which are not specifically described in this text. These different variants are considered included in the present description and in the scope of the protection.