STAND FOR DISPENSING DISPOSABLE SHEETS

Abstract: A dispensing stand for disposable sheets, comprising a tubular part (20) in which a roll of disposable sheets has been placed. The tubular part (20) has a lip slice (25), through which the sheets strip (L) can be pulled out from its dispensing stand. In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, the dispensing stand is disposed in conjunction with a bed using disposable sheets, such as a hospital bed (10). According to a second embodiment of the invention, said tubular parts (20) are placed to be substantially horizontal in the body part (31, 33, 34) of a particular stand, said stand being arranged to be a carriage (30) moving on wheels (32), which in connection with sheet changing can be moved close to those beds in which disposable sheets are used. The sheet roll (R) for use in the invention is wound to a roll without core cylinder, containing for instance about 25 to 30 sheets separated by perforation.

Description: Stand for dispensing disposable sheets The present invention concerns a dispensing stand for dispensing disposable sheets intended to be used in hospitals, aboard ships, on various accomodating premises or equivalent. Disposable sheets known in prior art, e.g. hospital sheets, are made of a material which comprises a thin plastic film upon which a layer of a non-woven material is fixed. The last-mentioned layer will be against the patient and the plastic layer operating as an insulating layer impermeable to liquid, will be against the mattress of the hospital bed. As known in the art, said sheets are folded in packages of about DIN A4 size, one to five being placed in one package. Due to this method of packing, the sheet has sharp wrinkles. A drawback ' is also that the packages give rise to large quantities of waste. In addition, said method of packaging sheets causes remarkable costs and quite much work for the staff. The object of the present invention is to avoid the drawbacks pointed out, and to provide a dispensing stand for disposable sheets which facilitates and speeds up staff work, where the sheet roll is hygienically protected, and in connection of which savings in the packaging costs of the sheet roll to be used can be achieved. In order to attain these aims, and others to be disclosed later, the first alternative of the invention is mainly characterized in that the dispensing stand comprises a tube part, inside of which a roll of disposable sheet material is placed, that said tube part is provided with a lip slice or equivalent through which disposable sheets can be pulled out from the dispensing stand, and that the dispensing stand has been positioned in conjunction of the bed in which the disposable sheets are used such as a hospital bed or equivalent. In those instances in which the beds in which disposable sheets are used do not admit the fitting of a disposable sheet storing and "BUREA OMPI , iPO dispensing tube according to the first alternative of the invention, the second alternative offers an advantageous application in the rational use of disposable sheets. The second embodiment alternative of the invention is mainly characterized in that the dispensing stand comprises one or more tubular parts in which the disposable sheet strip rolls are placeable, that said tubular parts are mounted substantially horizontally in the frame part of the stand, and that said stand has been designed as a carriage moving on wheels, and which can be moved, when changing sheets, to be contiguous with the beds in which disposable sheets are used. Although the preceding considerations referred to a hospital bed and hospital sheets, it should be understood that the dispensing stand of the invention is also usable in connection with other than hospital beds, in general in all beds in which disposable sheets are used, for instance, in beds aboard ships and in various places of accomodation and nursing, such as motels and cottage compounds. In the following, the invention is described in detail referring to one embodiment example of the invention, presented in the figures of the drawing attached, to the details of which the invention is however in no way narrowly confined. Fig. 1 presents a hospital bed provided with a dispensing stand of the first alternative of the invention, in elevational view and with the dispensing stand in its turned-out dispensing position. Fig. 2 presents the dispensing stand in end view, in the turned-out dispensing position. Fig. 3 presents the dispensing stand in like manner as Fig. 2 in its storing position, turned under the bed and with the end flange of the dispensing stand opened out. Fig. 4 shows on a larger scale the spring mechanism of the dis- pensing stand and the dispensing stand in storing position turned in under the bed. Fig. 5 presents the dispensing stand carriage of the second alterna- tive of the invention, in front view. Fig. 6 shows the same as Fig. 5, in elevational view. Fig. 7 presents a dispensing stand carriage differing somewhat from Figs 6 and 7, in axonometric projection with reference to Figs 6 and 7. The hospital bed 10 depicted in Fig. 1 is the so-called cardiac bed known itself in the art, ccomprising a body section with side rails 11 and an end 12 attached thereto. The body section carries the bed legs 15 provided with wheels 16. To the body section of the bed is attached an intermediate body 14 known in itself in the art, which has a bottom 17a for a mattress 17. One end 13 of the bed is carried on one end of the bottom 17a. To one horizontal side rail 11 of the bed 10 is attached by shackles 18, a hospital sheet dispensing and storing stand according to the invention, on which a disposable hospital sheet is wound on a roll R without core cylinder, containing e.g. 25-30 hospital sheets, separated by perforation. The dispensing stand consists of a tubular part, for instance of plastic, having the same length as the sheet roll R. The tubular units 20 are encircled by hoops 24 connected by arms 21 to pivot shafts 19. The pivot shafts 19 are attached by said shackles 18 to one side rail 11 of the bed. To the edgemost arms 21 are attached the end flanges 23 of the tubular part 20 with screws 22. The tubular part 20 presents a lip slice 25, through which the sheet strip L can be dispensed from the roll R inside the tubular part 20. In conjunction with the lip slice 25 so-called finger holes 26 have been provided to facilitate the task of pulling out the end L of the sheet strip L. o Since the dispensing stand of the invention is provided at both ends of the tubular part 10 with openable and closable flanges, the dispensing stand of the invention is placeable on either side of the bed in such way that always enough room remains on the side of the stand to admit insertion of a full roll R in the tubular part 20. In Fig. 4 is seen a cross-section of the dispensing tube 20, turned under the bed 10 in storing position, where the dispensing tube 20 is kept in place by a spring or springs 40. Said springs 40 are placed in connection with supporting arms 21 and attached by one end by a pin 21 to the supporting rails 21 and at the other end by a pin 42 to the shackles 18. The shackles 18 are provided with mating faces 43 and 44, which by the aid of the spring 40 define the two stable positions of the dispensing tube 2 mentioned, this having been achieved by suitable positioning of the pivot pins 19 and 42 in relation to each other. An extension of the hoops 24 are parts 24' extending over the lip slice 25. The outer ends of the extensions 24' carry, attached by means of flanges 46 and pivot pins 45, a curved cover plate 47 extending over the lip slice 25. The sheet strip L is passed out through the lip slice 25 between the tubular part 20 and the cover plate 47 (L . out In the following, the use and operation of the dispensing stand of Figs 1 to 4 is described. The dispensing stand has two positions. In Figs 1 and 2 is shown the turned-out refilling/dispensing pos¬ ition of the stand, and in Fig. 3 its turned-in storing position. In connection with the pivots 19 and supporting arms 21 of the dispensing stand has been shown in Fig. 4 a spring mechanism or equivalent arrangement by which is accomplished that the dispensing stand has the two stable positions shown in Figs 2 and 3, between which the dispensing stand can be turned e.g. against a spring force. When the end flange of the tubular part 20 has been opened so that it is in the position 23' as in Fig. 3, a new roll R can be inserted into the tubular part 20, and the end L of the sheet strip can at the same time be passed through the lip slice 25. The finger holes 26 in the flange of the tubular part 20 facilitate - B U E OMPI the task of pulling the end L of the sheet strip out from the dis¬ pensing stand. The dispensing stand is used in the position of Fig. 2, in which the sheet web is pulled out (arrow L _) until the first perforation r out r is just outside the tubular part 20. Thereafter, the pulled-out sheet is torn from the strip L and placed upon the mattress 17 in a way known in itself in the art. The dispensing stand 20 is turned into the inner position 20' of Fig. 3, in which the sheet roll R is hygienically protected under the bed in a way consuming no space and keeping it ready for use all the time. The dispensing stand carriage 30 for a disposable sheet strip roll according to the second alternative of the invention shown in Figs 5, 6 and 7 comprises a body part consisting of a lower frame 31 in the horizontal plane having attached under it, four wheels 32, .preferably freely turnable castors. To the lower frame 31 is attached a vertical frame 33, to its uprights being attached three shackle members 34a,34b and 34c, on which three tubular parts 20a, 20b and 20c one upon the other are mounted with hooks 36. Inside the tubular parts 20a,20b and 20c, the disposable sheet strip rolls are placed. The tubular parts 20 each have a lip slice 25 or equivalent, through which the hospital sheet strip can be pulled out from the dispensing stand carriage. In the tubular parts 20, one or both ends 22 are openable and closable for insertion of a strip roll. The ends 22 are openably and closably attached e.g. by a screw or equivalent in conjunction with the end, or ends of the tubular part. The shackle parts 34a,34b,34c attached to the uprights of the vertical frame 33 have different horizontal dimensions so that the tubular part of the bottom, 20c, will be most strongly offsett out¬ ward from the vertical central plane of the carriage 30 so that a sheet strip can conveniently be pulled out from any one of the tubular parts 20 when such disposable sheets are spread on a bed. In the dispensing stand carriage depicted in Figs 5, 6 and 7, three dispensing tubes 20a,20b and 20c one over the other have been shown. However, the number of such tubes over each other may be more or less than three, as required. Since as a rule the tube 20 accomodates a coreless roll containing about 30 disposable sheets separated by perforation, it is obvious that the carriage 30 can take up 90 disposable sheets, and this is usually sufficient e.g. for one changing of sheets and one floor or one person performing the changing, in an institution using disposable sheets. The upright frame 33 of the body part of the carriage 30 shown in Figs 5, 6 and 7 lies substantially in the vertical central plane of the carriage, and on the side of the vertical frame 33 opposite to the dispensing tubes 20 a refuse bag stand or stands is/are dis- posed with frames attached for instance to the horizontal top member of the vertical frame 33, in which disposable refuse bags 38 of plastic are fixed. In- conjunction with said frames are provided lids 35a and 35b, as seen in Fig. 3. As shown in Figs 5 and 6, the carriage carries only one refuse bag 38, which is provided, with a lid 35. The space beside the refuse bag 35 is reversed for baskets or racks 37, in which tools or accessories needed in connection with sheet changing or cleaning can be stored, such as cloth sheets, towels or equivalent. The invention also concerns a hospital sheet roll for use in connection with the dispensing stand of the invention. The roll contains for instance about 20 to 30 disposable sheets separated by perforation, having e.g. 1400 mm breadth. Said roll has been wound to be a roll without core cylinder so that no waste will be left over from the roll. The rolls presented above can be packed hygienically in boxes containing e.g. 20 rolls each, in a manner requiring no cover to be used on the rolls. In the following are stated the claims, various details being allowed to vary within the scope of the inventive idea defined by them and to deviate from those presented in the foregoing by way of example only.

Claims: Claims 1. A dispensing stand for disposable sheets, intended to be used in hospitals, on ships, on various accomodation premises or equivalent, characterized in that the dispensing stand comprises a tubular part (20), inside which a rail of disposable sheets is placed, that said tubular part (20) is provided with a lip slice (25) or equivalent through which the disposable sheets can be pulled out from the dispensing stand, and that the dispensing stand has been disposed in connection with a bed using disposable sheets, such as a hospital bed (10) or equivalent (Figs 1-4) . 2. A dispensing stand according to claim 1, characterized in that the dispensing stand (20) is placed in conjunction with a hori¬ zontal side rail of the body section of a hospital bed, substantially longitudinally to the bed (10). 3. A stand according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said dispensing stand has two positions, that is, a dispensing position (20) in which it is turned to be outside the side rail (11) of the bed (10) (Fig. 2) and a storing position (20') in which it is turned under the bed (Fig. 3) . 4. A stand according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the dispensing stand is composed of an elongated tubular part (20), preferably of plastic, and having the same length as the sheet roll (R) , both ends thereof being provided with an openable and closable end flange (23). 5. A dispensing stand according to claim 4, characterized in that the tubular part (20) of the dispensing stand is by arms (21) connected with hoops (24) encircling it mounted on pivot pins (19), which in turn are attached to shackles (18) or equivalent attached to a side rail (11) of the bed, and that in conjunction with said arms (21) and pivot shafts (19) are disposed spring mechanism endowing the dispensing stand with a stable turned-out dispensing position (Fig. 2) and a stable storing position in which it is turned in under the bed (10) (Fig. 3). 6. A stand according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that both ends (22) of the tubular part (20) are attached with a screw (22) or equivalent openably and closably in conjunction with the ends of the tubular part (20). 7. A dispensing stand according to any one of claims 1-6, character¬ ized in that in conjunction with a lip slice (25) on the tubular section (20) of the dispensing stand there are so-called finger holes (26) to facilitate the passing out of the end (L ) of the sheet strip from the stand. 8. A disposable sheet dispensing stand intended to be used in hospitals, on ships, in various rooming places or equivalent, characterized in that the dispensing stand comprises one or more tubular parts (20) in which the strip material rolls for disposable -sheets can be placed, that said tubular parts (20) are placed substantially horizontally in the body part (31,33,34) of the stand, and that said stand is disposed to be a carriage (30) moving on wheels (32), and which can in connection with sheet changing be moved close to those beds where disposable sheets are used (Figs 5-7). 9. A dispensing stand according to claim 8, characterized in that in the movable dispensing stand carriage (30) have moreover been provided members enabling on the stand to place one or several refuse bags (38), mainly for collecting and removing used sheets. 10. A dispensing stand according to claim 9, characterized in that the means comprises a vertical frame (33) disposed substantially in the longitudinal central plane of the carriage, and having on one side a space for a refuse bag (38), or bags, and for hampers and/or racks (37) holding accessories, if any, and on the other side, clamps (34a,34b,34c) in which are fixed with hooks (36) or equivalent the said tubular parts (20a,20b,20c) mainly over each other. A, 11. A dispensing stand according to any one of claims 8-10, characterized in that the carriage (30) comprises at least two, preferably three, horizontal tubular parts (20a,20b,20c) over each other and of which the central axes are located substantially in the same plane, this plane being inclined with reference to the vertical plane so that the lowermost tubular part (20c) lies farther out to one side than the topmost tubular part (20a) . 12. A dispensing stand according to any one of claims 8-11, characterized in that the body part of the carriage (30) consists of a lower frame (31) with horizontal plane and which preferably is a rectangular frame made of sections or tubes, and of a vertical frame (33) attached to said lower body (31) and located substantially in the longitudinal central plane of the means, and said vertical frame (33) consisting of a tubular part (33) , preferably in the vertical plane, having the shape of a downwardly open letter U or of an equivalent part of sections. 13. A dispensing stand according to any one of claims 8-12, ' characterized in that to the vertical frame (33) of the carriage (30) have been attached suspension shackles (34a,34b,34c) for each tubular part (20a,20b,20c), and that to the tubular parts (20) have been fixed one or several mounting hooks (36) , by which the tubular parts (20) are mounted, preferably suspended from said shackle parts (34a,34b,34c) . 14. A dispensing stand according to any one of claims 8-13, characterized in that the carriage (30) has one or several frame parts affixed to the top part of the vertical frame (33) of the carriage, and that said frame parts are arranged to serve as attachments for a refuse bag (38) or bags, and that said frame parts are preferably provided with an openable and closable lid (35a,35b). 15. A hospital sheet roll to be used in a dispensing stand according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the roll (R) is wound to be a roll without core cylinder. 16. A hospital sheet roll according to claim 15, characterized In that the roll contains about 25 to 30 sheets separated by perfor¬ ation.

Inventors: KATILA MATTI, KATILA, MATTI
Applicants: KATILA MATTI, KATILA, MATTI
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A47G9
IPC codes: A61B19, A61G7