GB2120640A

GB2120640A - Roll holder

Info

Publication number: GB2120640A
Application number: GB08309778A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Satoshi Kurosaki
Original assignee: SHINEI SEISHI CO Ltd
Current assignee: SHINEI SEISHI CO Ltd
Priority date: 1982-04-16
Filing date: 1983-04-11
Publication date: 1983-12-07
Also published as: DE3313389A1; SE8302107D0; NL8301285A; BR6300474U; JPS58156496U; GB8309778D0; GB2120640B; SE8302107L

Abstract

An axle for rotatably mounting a roll of sheet material such as a roll of toilet paper or a roll of paper towel in position in a roll holder comprises a cylindrical main body 3 and a pair of rods 5, 6 protruding axially from opposite ends 3a, 3b of the main body, at least one of which rods is a movable rod 5 energized outwardly by a spring 4 in a state rectractable into the interior of the main body, and a stopper 7, which engages an end face of the roll, formed at the movable rod end of the main body by a disc-shaped flange or a plurality of radially extending protuberances extended to an overall diameter greater than the inside diameter of the central hollow core of the roll of sheet material. The provision of the stopper facilitates the work of mounting the roll of sheet material and the axle on the roll holder The end 3b of the main body is tapered for easy insertion into the roll. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mounting axle for sheet roll This invention relates to improvements in and concerning an axle which is used for rotatably mounting in position between a pair of opposed brackets a roll of sheet material such as, for example, a roll of toilet paper, a roll of paper towel, or a roll of synthetic resin film.

A roll of toilet paper, for example, is set in position between a pair of opposed brackets by having an axle passed through the central hollow core thereof and causing the opposite terminals of the axle to be fastened to the aforementioned opposed brackets, so that the user may unroll the toilet paper from the roll by drawing the free end of the roll of toilet paper and rotating the roll around the axle until the paper is paid off to a desired length, then cut the length of toilet paper off the roll.

The axle which is widely used for mounting a roll of paper or other similar sheet material in position on a roll holder of the type described above generally comprises a tubular main body having a length roughly equalling the space between the holder brackets, a movable rod inserted partly into the main body and retractably thrust out of one end of the main body by means of a spring or some other similar means encased in the main body, and a stationary rod formed at the other end of the main body.Desired attachment of a roll of sheet material to the holder brackets by use of this axle is accomplished by passing the axle of the aforementioned construction through the central hollow core of the roll having a width slightly smaller than the space between the opposed brackets, holding the entire roll as inclined to the fullest possible extent within the limited space between the brackets so that the retractably movable rod provided at one end of the axle may be fitted into the socket formed in one of the brackets for admitting the movable rod, allowing the movable rod to enter the socket, then pushing the main body of the axle in the direction of causing the movable rod to retract into the main body by overcoming the resiliency of the spring and, at the same time, allowing the stationary rod at the other end of the main body of the axle to slip into the socket formed on the other bracket.

This turns out to be a very troublesome chore.

Particularly when the stationary rod on one end of the main body of the axle is finally aligned to and fitted into the socket in the bracket, the user is compelled to keep the axle in a pressed condition and, at the same time, insert the stationary rod between the opposed brackets. This work is much harder and more time-consuming than might be expected. Further this work requires the user to examine the opposite ends of the axle in advance to distinguish between the movable rod and the stationary rod. Besides, the work of inclining the entire roll within the limited space between the opposed brackets requires much time and labor.

There is also available an axle which is molded of plastic material in the shape of a corrugated tube and, therefore, is compressible in the axial direction thereof. This plastic axle enables a roll of paper to be attached to the roll holder slightly more easily than the first axle mentioned above because either of the projections formed at the opposite ends thereof may be first fitted into the hole or socket formed in one of the brackets.

When the remaining projection is aligned to and fitted into the remaining hole or socket in the other bracket, however, the user is still compelled to keep the axle in a compressed condition within the limited space between the brackets and guide the entire roll of paper correctly between the brackets. Thus, this plastic axle is not totally free from this troublesome work.

An object of this invention is to provide a holder axle which enables a roll of sheet material such as, for example, a roll of toilet paper or a roll of paper towel to be easily mounted in position between a pair of opposed holder brackets, and more particularly to provide an axle for mounting a roll of sheet material which is constructed so that, during the final phase of the insertion of the roll of paper between the brackets, the user is no longer compelled to keep the axle in a pressed condition so as to squeeze the axle and facilitate the insertion thereof into the narrow space between the brackets.

According to the present invention, there is provided an axle for rotatably mounting a roll of sheet material in position in a roll holder, comprising a main body suitable for insertion through the central hollow core of said roll of sheet material, a pair of rods adapted to protrude axially from the opposite ends of said main body and fit into holes or sockets formed one each in opposed brackets of said roll holder, at least one of said pair of rods being energized outwardly by a spring in a state retractable into the main body, and a stopper formed by causing said movable rod end of the main body to be outwardly extended to an overall diameter greater than the inside diameter of said central hollow core of said roll of sheet material.

The outward extension of the stopper is greater than the diameter of the central hollow core of the roll of paper or other sheet material so that when the main body of the axle is inserted through the central hollow core of the roll, the stopper prevents the main body of the axle from being completely pulled out of the other end of the core.

With the axle held in this state, the retractable rod at one end of the main body of the axle is fitted into the socket formed in one of the brackets and the roll is slightly pressed toward the retractable rod side. When the axle is let go off the hand at this point, the axle which supports the roll in position with its stopper will not come off the socket in the bracket. Thus, the user is allowed now to keep hold of the roll and, while pressing the roll toward the retractable rod side, insert the roll into position between the brackets. Once the retractable rod on the side of the axle fitted with the stopper is inserted into the socket formed in one of the brackets, the insertion of the other rod into the socket in the other bracket can be carried out with ease.Thus, the work of mounting the roll of paper or sheet material in position between the holder brackets becomes very easy by use of the axle of the present invention.

Following is a description, by way of example only, of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partially sectioned perspective view illustrating a roll of sheet material mounted in position on a roll holder by use of the conventional axle.

Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation for mounting a roll of sheet material as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partially sectioned side view illustrating one embodiment of the axle of the present invention.

This invention relates to an axle which enables a roll of sheet material such as, for example, a roll of toilet paper, a roll of paper towel, or a roll of plastic sheet to be readily mounted in position on a toll holder.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a sheet roll 2 mounted in position between brackets 1 a and 1 b of a roll holder by use of the conventional roll-mounting axle. Here, a roll of toilet paper is used as a typical example of the sheet roll 2.

In the conventional roll holder constructed as described above, the distance L which separates the opposed brackets 1 a and 1 b is slightly greater than the axial length I of the roll of toilet paper 2 and the length of the main body 3 of the axle is roughly equal to the axial length /of the roll of toilet paper 2. From one end 3a of the main body protrudes a movable rod 5 which is thrust out of the main body by a spring 4 and retracted by external pressure into the main body by overcoming the resiliency of the spring. From the other end 3b of the main body protrudes a stationary rod 6 which is incapable of being retracted into the main body.Desired mounting of this roll of toilet paper 2 in position between the opposed brackets 1 a and 1 b, therefore, requires a procedure which comprises the steps of passing the axle through the central hollow core of the roll of toilet paper, setting the axle and the roll of toilet paper thereon aslant (as shown in Figure 2), applying the leading end of the movable rod 5 protruding from the end 3a of the main body to the hole or socket 1 a' in one of the brackets 1 a, pressing the main body by the other end 3b with a finger tip in the direction of the socket 1 a' and causing the movable rod 5 to be retracted into the main body by overcoming the resiliency of the spring 4, guiding the axle and the roll of toilet paper into the intervening space between the opposed brackets with the leading end of the movable rod 5 as a pivot while keeping the other end 3b of the main body in a state pressed by the finger tip, and causing the stationary rod 6 protruding from the other end 3b to be inserted into the hole or socket 1 b' in the other bracket.

Thus, the user is compelled to keep the other end 3b of the main body of the axle in a pressed state and, at the same time, guide the roll of toilet paper between the brackets within the limited space which is the difference, L-l, between the space separating the opposed brackets 1 a and 1 b and the axial length of the roll of toilet paper, and align the stationary rod 6 to the hole or socket 1 b' in the other bracket 1 b. The work unexpectedly requires much time and labor and proves to be troublesome. This work requires the user to examine the opposite ends of the axle in advance to distinguish between the movable rod 5 capable of being retracted and the stationary rod 6 incapable of being retracted.At times, the user may through inadvertence fit the stationary rod first into the hole or socket instead of the movable rod and find, to his embarrassment, that this rod refuses to draw back into the main body of the axle.

The present invention, therefore, eliminates this troublesome work of keeping the axle pressed with the finger tip in the limited space by providing a radially extended stopper 7 around the periphery of the main body 3 of the axle at the end 3a fr6m which the movable rod 5 protrudes. Figure 3 illustrates one embodiment of this invention.

Desirably as illustrated, this stopper 7 is extended from the entire periphery at the end 3a of the main body to form a ring resembling a flange. It is, however, not always required to be extended from the entire periphery of the main body. Optionally, a plurality of protuberances may be radially formed as spaced on the periphery instead. The sole requirement imposed on the stopper 7 is the fact that the overall diameter of the stopper should be greater than the inside diameter of the central hollow core of the roll of toilet paper and, consequently, the stopper should be able to retain fast in position the end face of the roll of toilet paper.

To mount a roll of toilet paper in position between opposed brackets by the use of the axle of this invention, this axle is first inserted into the central hollow core of the roll of toilet paper from the end 3b not provided with the stopper 7 until the stopper 7 collides with the end surface of the roll of toilet paper. Then, the roll of toilet paper is inclined in conjunction with the axle, the leading end of the movable rod 5 is fitted into the hole or socket 1 a' of the bracket 1 a, and the roll of toilet paper 2 is pushed in the direction of the bracket 1a with the hand wrapped around one end of the roll. Consequently, the roll of toilet paper pushes the stopper 7 with its end surface and causes the movable rod 5 to be retracted into the main body 3. Finally, the roll of toilet paper thus held in the hand and kept in a pressed state is guided into the intervening space between the brackets and the stationary rod 6 protruding from the other end 3b of the main body is inserted into the hole or socket 1 b' in the other bracket.

Since the axle of this invention can be handled with the hand which is wrapped around the end of the roll of toilet paper as described above, this handling is accomplished smoothly without much time and labor as compared with the conventional axle which inevitably requires the user to keep the main body of the axle in a state pressed with the finger tip in the narrow space equalling the difference between the space L separating the brackets and the axial length / of the roll of toilet paper. Since the end 3a has the stopper 7, the axle cannot be inserted from this end into the central hollow core of the roll of toilet paper.Further since the end 3a from which the movable rod 5 protrudes is visually discernible owing to the presence of the stopper 7 thereon, the user while mounting the roll of toilet paper in position between the brackets cannot make the mistake of fitting the stationary rod 6 first into the hole or socket.

The axle in the illustrated embodiment is intended for use with a roll of toilet paper which has a central hollow core of a diameter about 5 to 10 mm smaller than that in the conventional roll of toilet paper and which has no cardboard core tube. The main body of this axle, therefore, is made of a metallic tube having an outside diameter slightly smalier than the inside diameter of the central hollow core. The end 3b of the main body from which the stationary rod 6 protrudes is gradually converted into a taper 8. Thus, this axle can be easily inserted into the thin central hollow of the roll of toilet paper without inflicting any injury to the inner wall of the roll of toilet paper.

Of course, the axle may be provided with the stopper 7 at the end 3a from which the movable rod 5 protrudes as indicated by the chain line in Figure 2. This axle can be used as it is for the ordinary roll of toilet paper which has a central hollow core of an inside diameter of about 35 to 40 mm and which contains a cardboard tube core 2' along the inner wall of the roll.

Further in the illustrated embodiment, the inside diameter of the metal tube of the main body is slightly increased in the end 3a side to form a step 3', a small disc 9 having a diameter roughly equalling the inside diameter of the end 3a side is set up fast against the step 3' to define a cylindrical enclosure for admitting to a limited depth the spring 4 and the movable rod 5 which are pressed down into the metal tube, and an end plate 10 concurrently serving as a stopper and incorporating a central hole for permitting passage therethrough of a shank 5a of the movable rod 5 is fastened to the end 3a as by welding so that a head 5b of the movable rod 5 having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the shank 5a is held back by the inner surface of the end plate 10 and, consequently, the spring 4 and the movable rod 5 are prevented from completely departing from the interior of the main body and only the shank 5a of the movable rod 5 is allowed to protrude from the central hole in the end plate.

Otherwise, this function of the end plate 10 may be brought about by some other suitable setup such as allowing the movable rod 5 to be attached fast to the outer extremity of the spring 4 and causing the stopper 7 alone to be extended inwardly so as to take the place of the end plate 10.

The rod 6 which is provided on the end opposite from that of the movable rod 5 and which has been so far described as playing the part of a stationary rod may be adapted, when necessary, to be retracted by external pressure into the interior of the main body. This modification can be materialized without impairing the effect of this invention at all.

Claims

1. An axle for rotatably mounting a roll of sheet material in position in a roll holder, comprising a main body suitable for insertion through the central hollow core of said roll of sheet material, a pair of rods adapted to protrude axially from the opposite ends of said main body and fit into holes or sockets formed one each in opposed brackets of said roll holder, at least one of said pair of rods being energized outwardly by a spring in a state retractable into the main body, and a stopper formed by causing said movable rod end of the main body to be outwardly extended to an overall diameter greater than the inside diameter of said central hollow core of said roll of sheet material.

2. An axle according to claim 1, wherein said stopper is in the shape of a disc.

3. An axle according to claim 1, wherein said stopper is a protuberance extended outwardly from one end of said main body.

4. An axle according to claim 1, wherein said main body has a diameter in the range of about 5 to 10 mm.

5. An axle according to claim 1, wherein the end of said main body opposite from the end provided with said stopper is gradually converged to form a taper.

6. An axle according to claim 4, wherein the end of said main body opposite from the end provided with said stopper is gradually converged to form a taper.

7. An axle according to claim 1, wherein one of said rods is a movable rod energized outwardly by a spring and the other is a stationary rod.

8. An axle according to claim 1, wherein said main body has a diameter in the range of about 35 to 40 mm.

9. An axle, substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.