Patent ID: 6148828
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: A45D,A47K

Abstract:
A device (10) for dispensing a wiping material, the device being characterized in that it comprises:a ribbon (14) of wiping material;a compact handleable casing (12) comprising:a storage compartment (20) for storing unused portion of the ribbon (14a), the storage compartment (20) having a ribbon outlet (22);a take-up compartment (24) for receiving a used portion of said ribbon (14b), the take-up compartment (24) having a ribbon inlet (26); anda wiping tip (28) protruding from the casing (12) between the ribbon outlet (22) and the ribbon inlet (26), the wiping tip (28) being devised to receive thereon a usable portion of the ribbon (14c) of wiping material; and,a ribbon handler (40) to advance the ribbon (14) from the storage compartment (24) through the ribbon outlet (22) over the wiping tip (28) through the ribbon inlet (26) then to the take-up compartment (24); and,wetting means for wetting the unused portion of ribbon (14a); and,said wetting means comprise a liquid (68) filling at least portion of the storage compartment (20); andthe casing (12) having an elongated shape with an upper end (16) and a lower end (18), the storage compartment (20) and the take-up compartment (24) extending vertically side-by-side in the casing (12), and the wiping tip (28) of the device (10) protruding from the upper end (16) of the casing (12); and,the ribbon handler (40) comprising:a grappling element (42) longitudinally slidable inside the take-up compartment (24) and having at least one tooth (44) projecting downwards to grapple and advance the ribbon (14b) therein as the grappling element (42) is brought downwards; and,a longitudinally movable slider (45) mounted outside the casing (12), the slider (45) being operatively coupled with the grappling element (42) for moving the grappling element (42) upwards and downwards in the take-up compartment (24); and,the ribbon handler (40) further comprises biasing means for biasingly bringing back the slider (45) upwards; and,the biasing means comprise a spring element (46) inside the casing (12) having an upper end (48) secured to an inner wall of the casing (12) above the grappling element (42) and a lower end (52) secured to the grappling element (42); and,a ribbon outlet (54) to evacuate an excess of ribbon (14d) therein; and,a cutter (56) at the ribbon outlet (54) of the take-up compartment (24) to cut the excess of ribbon (14d).