Methods of Making Indented Coreless Rolls

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to the field of commercial and consumer absorbent paper products, which includes toilet tissue and paper towels. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved coreless roll of absorbent paper product that is formed so as to be easy to mount onto a dispenser.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Commercial and consumer absorbent paper products such as toilet tissue and paper towels are typically distributed and dispensed in roll form, and nearly always include a hollow cylindrical core that the product is wrapped about. The core is usually some type of cardboard, which is glued together and to the product so that the core stays intact and the product does not separate from the core. The product is then dispensed by mounting the roll on a spindle, such as can be found on the ubiquitous bathroom toilet roll dispenser, that passes through or otherwise penetrates the inner space of the core. Some dispensers include pegs that penetrate the hollow space within the core for only a limited extent, as demonstrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 390,084 and 2,905,404 to Lane and Simmons, respectively.

Recently, coreless rolls of toilet tissue have appeared on the market, primarily in Europe, that are wound throughout the entire diameter of the roll. There are advantages and disadvantages associated with the coreless rolls. Coreless rolls are ecologically superior to cored rolls because no adhesives or throwaway materials are used to make the product. In addition, more product can be provided in the space that would otherwise have been occupied by the core. Cored rolls are more expensive to manufacture than coreless rolls because of the expense of making the cores and joining the cores to the product. In addition, coreless rolls have the advantage of being less subject to pilferage in commercial locations because of their inherent incompatibility with conventional dispensers.

On the other hand, there are dispensing problems with coreless rolls that so far been difficult to overcome. Conventional dispensers for coreless rolls typically include an enclosed support surface that the roll is supported on as it turns, and an opening through which the product is passed. While functional, these dispensers have some undesirable characteristics, including an inability to control drag resistance to withdrawal of the product, the fact that the product actually touches the inside of the dispenser, which might be considered unsanitary by some consumers, and an inability to provide 180 degree product access to the consumer.

Many of the above described problems would be overcome if a dispenser existed for mounting a coreless roll to rotate about its axis, as cored roll dispensers do. Unfortunately, such a dispenser has yet to be successfully developed. One of the problems that stands in the way of the development of such a dispenser involves how the coreless roll is to be centered on the dispenser. If the roll is not centered, a rotating imbalance will be created as the roll turns. Also, the roll will be prevented from dispensing product until expiration in the event that its winding axis is not precisely centered on the dispenser. However, since the typical coreless roll has flat, unbroken side surfaces, it is difficult to locate the location of the winding axis.

It is clear that a need exists for an improved system, method and product for permitting the effective dispensing of coreless rolls of absorbent consumer and commercial paper products.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved system, method and product for permitting the effective dispensing of coreless rolls of absorbent consumer and commercial paper products.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a method of treating a coreless roll of absorbent paper product so as to make it easier for a user to center a winding axis of the coreless roll with respect to a dispenser includes steps of: (a) positioning a tool adjacent to at least one side of the coreless roll so that the tool is substantially centered with respect to the winding axis of the roll; and (b) pressing the tool into the side of the roll to form a visible depression in the side of the roll that is centered with respect to the winding axis of the roll, whereby maintenance personnel will find it easier to center the roll with respect to a dispenser.

A method of mounting a coreless roll of absorbent paper product into a dispenser according to a second aspect of the invention includes steps of (a) locating at least one depression that is formed in at least one side surface of the coreless roll; (b) aligning the coreless roll with respect to the dispenser with the aid of the depression; and (c) securing the coreless roll onto the dispenser in the aligned position.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a coreless roll of absorbent paper product that is configured to be easier to mount to a rotary dispenser than coreless rolls heretofore known includes a rolled web of absorbent paper product that is rolled about a winding axis into a cylinder having first and second flat ends; and a depression defined in at least one of said ends for guiding a user to center said rolled web with respect to a dispenser, whereby the coreless roll can be conveniently and accurately mounted into the dispenser.

These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional coreless roll of an absorbent paper product;

FIG. 2A is a diagrammatical view depicting a first step in a process that is performed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2B is a diagrammatical view depicting a second step in the process shown in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2C is a diagrammatical view depicting a third step in the process shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B;

FIG. 2D is a diagrammatical view depicting a fourth step in the process shown in FIGS. 2A-2C; and

FIG. 3 is an assembly viewed depicting installation of an improved coreless role according to a preferred embodiment of the invention on to a dispenser.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numeral designate corresponding structure throughout the views, FIG. 1 depicts a conventional coreless role 10 of an absorbent paper product web 12. Coreless role 10 is symmetrical about a winding axis 16 and has a pair of oppositely facing flat side surfaces 14 defined thereon which are substantially flat and unbroken, as is shown in FIG. 1. As may be imagined from viewing FIG. 1, it is difficult to locate the winding axis 16, which accounts for the difficulty of mounting such coreless rolls 10 onto rotary type dispensers such as, for example, the dispenser that is depicted in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 2A-2D depict a method, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, of treating such a coreless roll 10 of absorbent paper product 12 so as to make it easier for a user to center a winding axis 16 of the coreless roll 10 with respect to a dispenser, such as the dispenser 32 that is depicted in FIG. 3. Referring to FIGS. 2A-2D, the preferred method is performed by first dampening selected portions of the two oppositely facing side surfaces 20, 22 of the coreless roll 10. In a preferred embodiment, this is carried out by advancing a pair of nozzles 18, respectively, toward the side surfaces 22 to dampen the central area of the side surfaces 20, 22. Nozzles 18 are then retracted, as is also indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 2A.

Alternatively, the dampening depicted in FIG. 2A could be performed in other ways, such as by using the indenting tool itself to perform the dampening. The indenting tool could have a fluid passage defined therein, or a reservoir for holding the dampening fluid.

As is shown in FIG. 2B, a pair of cylindrical tools 24, 26 are then advanced toward the wetted center portion of the side surfaces 20, 22 of the coreless roll 10. Tools 24, 26 preferably have a diameter that is within the range of substantially 1/32 of an inch to one half of an inch. Most preferably, tools 24, 26 have diameters that are approximately 5/32 of an inch. Tools 24, 26 are preferably turned about their respective axis as they are advanced into the wetted sides 20, and 22 of the coreless roll 10, as is shown in FIG. 2C. The inventors have found that by wetting the area to be indented considerably less force is required to form the indentation. At the same time, the wetting enables a more uniform and molded appearance to be achieved when forming the depression. In addition, the inventors have determined that the most effective method of making the indentation seems to be a combination of a rotary and plunging action. A piston-like plunging action, without the rotary motion, and especially without dampening, has been found to damage the edges of the hole or depression and lessons the likelihood of being able to obtain a uniform molded appearance.

After the step depicted in FIG. 2C, the tools 24, 26 are withdrawn, leaving the completed improved coreless roll 28 of the absorbent paper product depicted in FIGS. 2D and 3. As is shown in FIG. 3, coreless roll 28 has a clearly defined depression 30 formed in the respective side surfaces 20, and 22 thereof.

The invention also includes a method of mounting the improved coreless roll 28 of absorbent paper product onto a dispenser, such as the dispenser 32 shown in FIG. 3 that is mounted to a wall 34. This is accomplished by locating the depressions 30 that are formed in the respective side surfaces of the improved coreless roll 28, then aligning the coreless roll 28 with respect to the dispenser 32. In practice, this is done by aligning the depressions 30 with dowels 36, 38 in the dispenser 32. Dowels 36, 38 may have pins 40, 42 extending from ends thereof to further aid in retention of the coreless roll 28 on the dispenser 32 during operation. A retracting mechanism 44 may be provided to retract the second dowel 38 for ease of installation and/or removal of a coreless roll 28 from the dispenser 32.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.