Dispenser and method of replenishing a dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing a sheet of web material from a stack of folded web material comprises: a housing arranged to be positioned along a vertical direction, a dispensing arrangement including a dispensing opening for the web material in the housing, and a web material storage section inside the housing arranged to hold and support the stack of folded web material. The web material storage section comprises, seen along the vertical direction, an upper end portion and opposite thereto a lower end portion. The web material storage section comprises a displaceable portion. The displaceable portion comprises the lower end portion. The lower end portion, seen along the vertical direction, is arranged substantially underneath the upper end portion when the displaceable portion is arranged in a dispensing position. In a tilted loading position the lower end portion is positioned beside and below the upper end portion, seen along the vertical direction.

1 . A dispenser for dispensing a sheet of web material from a stack of folded web material, the dispenser comprising:
 a housing arranged to be positioned along a vertical direction,   a dispensing arrangement including a dispensing opening for the web material in the housing, and   a web material storage section inside the housing arranged to hold and support the stack of folded web material, the web material storage section comprising, as seen along the vertical direction, an upper end portion and opposite thereto a lower end portion, wherein the web material is arranged to be lead to the dispensing arrangement from the upper end portion and the stack of folded web material is arranged to be supported at the lower end portion, and wherein the web material storage section comprises a displaceable portion, the displaceable portion comprising the lower end portion, wherein the lower end portion, as seen along the vertical direction, is arranged substantially underneath the upper end portion when the displaceable portion is arranged in a dispensing position, wherein   the displaceable portion is displaceable from the dispensing position to a tilted loading position, in which tilted loading position the lower end portion is positioned beside and below the upper end portion, as seen along the vertical direction.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein at least in the dispensing position, the dispensing opening is arranged above the lower end portion, as seen along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is arranged for dispensing from a top of the stack of folded web material. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the displaceable portion is upwardly pivotable in relation to the vertical direction. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the web material storage section comprises a fixed portion above the displaceable portion, as seen along the vertical direction, and wherein the displaceable portion comprises a transitional portion forming a gradual transition from the displaceable portion to the fixed portion when the displaceable portion is positioned in the tilted loading position. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein the transitional portion comprises a substantially smooth surface adapted to abut against the stack of folded web material. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser according to  claim 7 , wherein a flexible plate comprises the smooth surface, and wherein the flexible plate is supported by at least one element extending in a direction across the vertical direction. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the displaceable portion is biased towards the tilted loading position. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , comprising a locking arrangement arranged to hold the displaceable portion in the dispensing position. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein an inside of the displaceable portion is provided with a holding arrangement for holding a panel of the stack of folded web material against the stack of folded web material during replenishing of the dispenser with a package of folded web material and/or for holding a panel of the package of folded web material against the package of folded web material during replenishing of the dispenser with the package of folded web material. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the displaceable portion comprises a supporting arrangement for at least temporarily supporting at least a portion of the stack of folded web material. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser according to  claim 13 , wherein the supporting arrangement is arranged to move between a support position and a release position, and wherein in the support position the supporting arrangement extends into the displaceable portion for supporting the stack of folded web material and in the release position the supporting arrangement is retracted out of the displaceable portion for releasing the stack of folded web material. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the displaceable portion comprises a loading opening for a package of folded web material in a region of the lower end portion. 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser according to  claim 15 , wherein the loading opening is arranged in the displaceable portion such that the package of folded web material is inserted in a direction transverse to a longitudinal extension of the displaceable portion. 
     
     
         17 . The dispenser according to  claim 15 , wherein the loading opening is arranged in the displaceable portion such that the package of folded web material is inserted in a direction along a longitudinal extension of the displaceable portion. 
     
     
         18 . The dispenser according to  claim 15 , wherein the supporting arrangement is to be moved into the release position by the package of folded web material being inserted through the loading opening into the displaceable portion. 
     
     
         19 . The dispenser according to  claim 18 , wherein the supporting arrangement in the support position is arranged to support the stack of folded web material when the displaceable portion is in the dispensing position. 
     
     
         20 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower end portion is provided with a recess for removing a packaging strip of a package of folded web material. 
     
     
         21 . A method of replenishing a dispenser according to  claim 1 , the displaceable portion comprising a support surface extending substantially along the vertical direction when the displaceable portion is in the dispensing position, wherein the method comprises:
 displacing the displaceable portion together with the support surface from the dispensing position to the tilted loading position, and   placing a creased side of a first package of folded web material to abut against the support surface such that the package of folded web material is supported in the vertical direction by the support surface.   
     
     
         22 . The method of replenishing a dispenser according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 displacing the displaceable portion from the tilted loading position to the dispensing position.   
     
     
         23 . The method of replenishing a dispenser according to  claim 21 , wherein the displaceable portion comprises a loading opening for a package of folded web material in a region of the lower end portion, and the method further comprises:
 inserting the first package of folded web material through the loading opening.   
     
     
         24 . The method of replenishing a dispenser according to  21 , wherein the first package of folded web material comprises a packaging strip extending around the folded web material of the first package of folded web material, and wherein the method further comprises:
 removing the packaging strip from the first package of folded web material after the first package of folded web material has been placed to abut against the support surface.   
     
     
         25 . The method of replenishing a dispenser according to  claim 24 , further comprising:
 pushing the first package of folded web material from the loading opening along the displaceable portion after removing the packaging strip from the first package of folded web material.   
     
     
         26 . The method of replenishing a dispenser according to  claim 25 , wherein the displaceable portion comprises a supporting arrangement for at least temporarily supporting at least a portion of the stack of folded web material, and the method further comprises:
 supporting at least a portion of the first package of folded web material by means of the supporting arrangement.   
     
     
         27 . The method of replenishing a dispenser according to  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:
 placing a creased side of a second package of folded web material to abut against the support surface such that the second package of folded web material is supported in the vertical direction by the support surface, wherein the second package of folded web material is provided with an adhesion arrangement for attaching the second package of folded web material to the first package of folded web material, and   interconnecting the second package of folded web material and with the first package of folded web material via the adhesion arrangement.   
     
     
         28 . The method of replenishing a dispenser according to  claim 27 , wherein the interconnecting of the first package of folded web material and the second package of folded web material via the adhesion arrangement is performed while the first package of folded web material and the second package of folded web material are resting on the support surface. 
     
     
         29 . The method of replenishing a dispenser according to  claim 27 , wherein the second package of folded web material comprises a packaging strip extending around the folded web material of the second package of folded web material, and wherein the method further comprises:
 removing the packaging strip from the second package of folded web material after the second package of folded web material has been placed to abut against the support surface.   
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method of replenishing a dispenser according to  claim 27 , wherein the displaceable portion comprises a supporting arrangement for at least temporarily supporting at least a portion of the stack of folded web material, and the method further comprises:
 supporting at least a portion of the second package of folded web material by means of the supporting arrangement.