Separation unit and a dispenser comprising a separation unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11484162-B2
Application number	US-201716642162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2017
Priority date	Sep 1, 2017
Publication date	Nov 1, 2022
Grant date	Nov 1, 2022

Abstract

A separation unit is provided for separating a web material having a web width along preformed lines of weakness. The separation unit includes at least a first shaft extending along a first longitudinal axis and at least a second shaft extending along a second longitudinal axis in parallel with the first shaft. The separation unit also includes at least one first protrusion element extending perpendicularly from the first shaft and being arranged to be rotatable about the first longitudinal axis, and at least one second protrusion element extending perpendicularly from the second shaft and being arranged to be rotatable about the second longitudinal axis. The separation unit further includes at least one contact element being arranged in biased abutment against at least one of the first and second protrusion elements in a direction perpendicular to the first or second longitudinal axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A separation unit for separating a web material having a web width along preformed lines of weakness, the separation unit having a width direction and comprising:
at least a first shaft extending along a first longitudinal axis in the width direction;
at least a second shaft extending along a second longitudinal axis in parallel with the first shaft, the second longitudinal axis being positioned at a distance from the first longitudinal axis in a direction perpendicular to the width direction;
at least one first protrusion element extending perpendicularly from the first shaft and being arranged to be rotatable about the first longitudinal axis; and
at least one second protrusion element extending perpendicularly from the second shaft and being arranged to be rotatable about the second longitudinal axis,
wherein, in a use position of the separation unit, the at least one first protrusion element and the at least one second protrusion elements are arranged in a staggered relationship such that the at least one first protrusion element of the first shaft is partially overlapping with the at least one second protrusion element of the second shaft with a radial overlap length in a direction perpendicular to the first shaft and the second shaft, thus forming an undulating passage for the web material between the first shaft and the second shafts with the web width extending in the width direction,
wherein the separation unit also comprises at least one contact element that is arranged in biased abutment against at least one of the at least one first protrusion element and the at least one second protrusion elements in a direction perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis or second longitudinal axis about which the at least one first protrusion element and second protrusion elements are rotatably arranged, the at least one contact element being non-rotatable about the first longitudinal axis and/or the second longitudinal axis.

2. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element is arranged in connection to the first or second longitudinal axis opposing the at least one first protrusion element or the at least one second protrusion element.

3. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element is arranged so as to have a fixed position in relation to the first longitudinal axis of the first shaft when arranged in biased abutment against the at least one second protrusion element of the second shaft.

4. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element is arranged so as to have a fixed position in relation to the second longitudinal axis of the second shaft when arranged in biased abutment against the at least one first protrusion element of the first shaft.

5. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element further comprises an outer surface forming a pressure nip with the at least one first protrusion element or the at least one second protrusion element.

6. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element is forming a concave outer surface towards the at least one first protrusion element or the at least one second protrusion element, as seen in a plane perpendicular to the width direction.

7. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element is forming a convex outer surface towards the at least one first protrusion element or the at least one second protrusion element, as seen in a plane perpendicular to the width direction.

8. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element is forming a straight outer surface towards the at least one first protrusion element or the at least one second protrusion element, as seen in a plane perpendicular to the width direction.

9. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element is arranged in biased abutment against at least two protrusion elements, or wherein the at least one contact element further comprises at least one first contact element and at least one second contact element, the at least one first contact element being arranged in biased abutment against the at least one first protrusion element of the first shaft, and at least one second contact element being arranged in biased abutment against the at least one second protrusion element of the second shaft.

10. The separation unit of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing element arranged to bias the at least one contact element towards the at least one first protrusion element or the at least one second protrusion element, wherein the biasing element comprises a spring,
wherein the first shaft is movably suspended, perpendicularly to the first longitudinal axis, and wherein the biasing element is arranged to bias the first shaft towards the second shaft, and
wherein the second longitudinal axis of the second shaft is fixed.

11. The separation unit of claim 1 , further comprising a first guiding part fixedly arranged in relation to the first longitudinal axis of the first shaft, and comprising a first guiding surface for the web material, wherein the at least one contact element is formed by at least a part of the first guiding surface.

12. The separation unit of claim 11 , further comprising a second guiding part, fixedly arranged in relation to the second longitudinal axis of the second shaft, and comprising a second guiding surface for the web material, wherein the at least one contact element is formed by at least a part of the second guiding surface.

13. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one first protrusion elements and the at least one second protrusion element is a disc elements.

14. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one first protrusion elements and the at least one second protrusion element is fixedly arranged with respect to the first shaft and the second shaft, respectively.

15. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one first protrusion elements and the at least one second protrusion element is rotatably arranged with respect to the first shaft and the second shaft.

16. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first protrusion element further comprises a plurality of first protrusion elements spaced along the first axis, and the at least one second protrusion element further comprises a plurality of second protrusion elements spaced along the second longitudinal axis, the plurality of first protrusion elements and the plurality of second protrusion elements in combination, including between two and eight protrusion elements, wherein each of the first and the second shafts has a central portion and peripheral portions in the width direction, and wherein a spacing between the plurality of first protrusion elements and the plurality of second protrusion elements is greater in the central portion than in the peripheral portions, on at least one of the first and second shafts, preferably both of the first and the second shafts.

17. The separation unit of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one first protrusion element and the second protrusion element has a maximum radial extension from the respective longitudinal axis, the maximum radial extension being between 5 mm and 50 mm, wherein maximum widths of the at least one first protrusion elements and the at least one second protrusion element are between 4 mm and 20 mm, and wherein the radial overlap length is 2 mm to 40 mm.

18. A dispenser for a web material comprising preform

Assignees

• Essity Hygiene & Health Ab

Inventors

• Larsson Björn

Classifications

• A47K10/34 Primary

  dispensing from a web, e.g. with mechanical dispensing means · CPC title

• B26F3/02

  Tearing · CPC title

• B65H2301/5155

  longitudinally · CPC title

• B65H2301/5152

  Cutting partially, e.g. perforating · CPC title

• B65H2404/144

  with relative movement of the rollers to / from each other · CPC title