Abstract:
A removing mechanism is disclosed for removing the bottom or top sheet from a stack of sheets; a delaying member for a delay of a predetermined time between the dispensing of two successive sheets; and an actuating mechanism for driving the removing mechanism, wherein the actuating mechanism is driven via a physically supplied mechanical drive force of an operator of the dispensing apparatus.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus for sheets, a removing mechanism for removing a sheet from a stack of sheets, and to a method for dispensing sheets from a stack. It is often desired to distribute sheets such as maps sheets of paper, handouts, cards and the like to members of the public, without supervision, in a public space. Simply placing a box of sheets or a stack of sheets has the possible consequences that someone either takes a substantial part of or the whole stack or that the stack becomes soiled or is damaged, which causes have the result that the desired purpose is not achieved with the stack of sheets. 
     2. Related Art 
     It is therefore desirable for an apparatus to be provided for distributing the sheets among the public without the above-stated drawbacks occurring and wherein sheets can nevertheless be made available to the public in practical manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to achieve the above stated objective, the present invention provides a dispensing apparatus for sheets, comprising:
         a removing mechanism for removing the bottom or top sheet from a stack of sheets,   a delaying member for a delay of a predetermined time between the dispensing of two successive sheets,   an actuating mechanism for driving the removing mechanism, wherein the actuating mechanism is driven by means of a physically supplied mechanical drive force of an operator of the dispensing apparatus.       

     An advantage of embodiments according to the present invention is that, due to the time delay, a member of the public with improper intentions, for instance due to boredom caused by a long wait, will for instance not take too many sheets. Due to a housing it is impossible for a member of the public to grab a substantial part of the stack. An advantage of such an apparatus is that a one-by-one, controlled take-up of a sheet from a stack can be realized. A further advantage of such an apparatus is that, because physically supplied mechanical drive force of an operator is used to drive the removing mechanism, a mechanical construction can be applied and that the apparatus does not require an external energy source. The apparatus is hereby readily (dis)placeable and can be applied at remote locations such as bus stops or car parks. The embodiment is preferably provided with a handle for operating the actuating mechanism with human muscle power. By means of an arm a moment is exerted by this handle on the actuating mechanism with which the removing mechanism is driven. A sheet can hereby be removed with relatively limited force. 
     A further aspect according to the present invention relates to a removing mechanism for removing a sheet from the bottom of a stack of sheets, comprising:
         a support member for supporting the stack of sheets,—two counter-rotatable rollers situated in the immediate vicinity of or contacting the bottom or top sheet of the stack,   an actuating mechanism for driving the counter-rotatable rollers, and—means for causing an engagement, by means of frictional forces, between at least one of the rollers and the bottom or top sheet of the stack during one or more rotation stages of the rollers.       

     In a preferred embodiment the rollers comprise a surface with a low friction wherein the surface of the rollers, as seen in the longitudinal direction, comprises a strip with a high friction. An advantage is that, because the rollers comprise a surface with a low friction as well as a strip with a high friction, as soon as the end of the bottom sheet is situated substantially close to the top side of the roller and the sheet situated above this sheet will touch the roller, this second sheet situated thereabove will be prevented from touching the smooth surface, whereby it remains in place due to the low friction. It is hereby possible with such an apparatus to first feed the entire bottom sheet through between the rollers before the second sheet is engaged by the surface part with the high friction. A suitable adjustment between the paper size and the roller diameter and the strip width contributes toward the optimization hereof. 
     In an embodiment according to the present invention, the counter-rotatable rollers comprise an elastic material close to the surface thereof. A suitable choice of such a material prevents possible jamming of the removing mechanism if the surface of the roller is somewhat uneven or if the sheet for feeding through is slightly too thick for the distance between the rollers. This measure is also helpful in the throughfeed of possibly multiple sheets of paper in the event these stick together. The removing mechanism hereby becomes robust enough to prevent malfunction. 
     In a further embodiment the strip with the high friction has a slightly raised surface relative to the rest of the surface of the roller. It hereby becomes possible to realize a relatively large distance between the rollers, while the engagement by the strip with the high friction is maintained. The strip can further be somewhat yielding compared to the rest of the roller, for instance in order to prevent the above stated paper jam. 
     The high-friction strip is preferably fixed in the roller. A rather robust embodiment of the high-friction strip is hereby realized. This is for instance practical when a strip of material is used which has good frictional properties but which is not very strong in thin layers. It is possible here to envisage a thickness of the strip of several millimeters to several centimeters. Alternatively, the strip with high friction is arranged on the surface of the roller. It is possible here to envisage a strip which is adhered to the surface of an otherwise flat roller. This is for instance practical in an embodiment wherein the roller comprises a metal surface. A further advantage of a roller with a metal surface is that manufacturing techniques therefor enable a very high surface precision in the manufacture thereof. The strip with high friction is further preferably provided with resistance means such as teeth, ridges, needles and/or studs, and can optionally be arranged in freely movable manner in the immediate vicinity of or against the surface of at least one of the rollers. Just as a natural rubber or plastic surface, such means can provide resistance to a sheet of paper to be entrained. Such an embodiment has the advantage that the strip with the high friction can be moved to or held away from the point of engagement independently of the rotation of the rollers. Disruptions in the mechanism can hereby be prevented or solved in simple manner, for instance by causing sheets situated between the rollers to rotate and feeding them through, while the strip is held for instance on the underside of the roller during this process. 
     In a further preferred embodiment the removing mechanism comprises a lifting member for varying the height position of the stack of sheets close to the rollers during one or more stages of rotation of the rollers. This embodiment for the means for causing an engagement between at least one of the rollers and the bottom sheet of the stack by means of frictional force during one or more stages of rotation of the rollers has the advantage that rollers can be applied whose whole surface, or a large part of the surface, has a high friction. Lifting the stack of sheets during one or more stages of rotation of the rollers prevents a subsequent sheet being pulled along as soon as the bottom sheet has been advanced so far by the throughfeed that the sheet situated thereabove comes into contact with the rollers. The second sheet is therefore prevented from being entrained prematurely, and the effect is achieved that the sheets are dispensed independently of each other. The lifting member preferably comprises two lifting supports on either side of the rollers. It hereby becomes possible to ensure the desired contact with the rollers in simple and precise manner. The lifting supports are preferably placed at an angle relative to the stack of sheets. A more lateral movement and force can hereby be exerted on this stack still to be dispensed, whereby sagging of the sheets between the rollers is prevented. Engaging means are preferably provided to further prevent this sagging of the sheets. These engaging means consist of a shaft which is driven simultaneously with the lifting supports and to which pins or strips are fixed which pull the stack of sheets outward. In an alternative embodiment, the engaging means are embodied as rollers which are optionally provided with friction means. 
     A cam is preferably arranged on an outer end of at least one of the rollers for the purpose of actuating the lifting member. In relatively simple manner an accurate driving of the lifting member can hereby be realized, with predetermined lifting moments related to the position of the rollers. 
     The removing mechanism preferably further comprises means for placing the stack and the rollers under bias relative to each other. If the rollers are arranged on the top side of the stack, the stack is for instance pressed under bias against the rollers by means of a spring construction. An alternative here is that the rollers rest on the stack. It is possible here for the weight of the rollers to be at least partly compensated by a counterweight or a number of springs under bias. The mounting of the rollers preferably allows at least a play in the direction of the rollers relative to each other for the purpose of making it possible for the rollers to move apart relative to each other. It is possible here to envisage horizontally movable, biased rollers or for instance flexible shafts. Jamming of the apparatus in particular can hereby be prevented. In a further preferred embodiment, the transition between the coefficient of friction of a roller and the high-friction strip proceeds gradually in predetermined manner. It hereby becomes possible to cause the engagement of the sheet of paper to proceed gradually, whereby the peak load of engagement will be reduced. 
     A further aspect of the present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus for sheets as specified in the foregoing, comprising a removing mechanism as specified in the foregoing. A dispensing apparatus for sheets can hereby be applied at locations where energy supply is problematic. 
     A further aspect according to the present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus for sheets, comprising a removing mechanism as specified in the foregoing, comprising:
         a motor for driving the removing mechanism,   a delaying member for allowing the removing mechanism to be driven by the motor with a time delay, with a predetermined time between the dispensing of two sheets. Such an apparatus provides the option that the delay of the delaying member can for instance be varied in simple manner by setting thereof in electrical or electronic manner. A further setting which is for instance possible is that a user can for instance set that he/she wants two or more sheets and that these are dispensed within a short time of each other, wherein a delay of a longer duration is then observed.       

     A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method for dispensing sheets from a stack, comprising steps for:
         urging a bottom sheet of the stack between two counter-rotatable rollers by means of friction from two sides, wherein the outer ends of the sheets are pulled along,—feeding the bottom sheet through between the rollers, wherein:   the friction between the bottom sheet and at least one roller is generated during at least one or more stages of rotation of the rollers. This method and further methods to be further specified on the basis of embodiments have advantages as indicated in the foregoing or which will be further elucidated on the basis of the description of the embodiments.       

     Further advantages, features and details of the present invention will be elucidated on the basis of a description of embodiments with reference to the annexed figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment according to the present invention having therein in broken lines an embodiment of a removing mechanism according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view from a side of the removing mechanism of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2  from another side; 
         FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  are side views of the embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 3  at a different stage of operation; 
         FIG. 5  shows a further embodiment in perspective; 
         FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  show the embodiment of  FIG. 5  in side view at different stages of operation; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a further embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  shows a front view of a further embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  shows a rear view of the embodiment of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10A  shows a view with the engaging means and  FIG. 10B  a top view of the drive of the engaging means; 
         FIG. 11  shows a pressing plate of an embodiment according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A first embodiment ( FIG. 1 ) according to the present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus for sheets, such as for instance sheets having a size between B5 and A1. The apparatus is operated by means of a control knob  5  which is connected to rod  4 , which rod  4  can move reciprocally through slot  6  on the top side of the apparatus. The sheets are ejected on the underside in a delivery bin  3 . A removing mechanism  2  is shown with broken lines on the inside of dispensing apparatus  1 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  show an embodiment of the removing mechanism in greater detail. The removing mechanism is positioned on a baseplate  8 . Fixed to this baseplate  8  are uprights  21 , inside which uprights the surface area of a stack of sheets can be situated. Horizontal carriers  19  are fixed to the uprights. These carriers are preferably bearing mounted such that they can rotate freely about a central axis thereof. A stack of sheets can be placed on these supports  19 . This stack of sheets further supports on two rollers  22  and  24  which are mounted on baseplate  8  close to the centre of the space for the stack of sheets by means of bearings  34 . On one side of rollers  22 ,  24  are mounted toothed wheels  26 ,  28 , the teeth of which engage together such that, if one roller is set into rotation, the other roller will counter-rotate relative to the first roller. A toothed wheel  18  is arranged on the other side of roller  24 . This toothed wheel  18  is connected to roller  24  for driving in one direction. In the other direction toothed wheel  18  has a clearance relative to roller  24 . The roller can hereby be driven in one direction by means of toothed wheel  18 . 
     A bearing plate  9  is fixed to two of the uprights  21 . Four wheels  10  are mounted on this bearing plate  9 . The upper two hereof are shown; the lower two are out of view. 
     The removing mechanism is driven by means of drive rod  4  with knob  5  on the top side. This drive rod is connected to drive block  15 , to which is fixed a connecting bar  12 . This connecting bar  12  connects drive block  15  to a drive beam  20 . This drive beam  20  is provided on the underside with a toothed rod  17  which engages in toothed wheel  18 . Two protruding edges  11  are situated on the other side of beam  20  on the bottom and top side thereof. These edges run through grooves of wheels  10 . 
     Drive block  15  is fixed to connecting bar  12  by means of a shaft  27 . The drive block can rotate about this shaft. On the front side of drive block  15  is mounted a damper or a gas spring  16 , which is fixed on the front side thereof on baseplate  8 . This gas spring or damper  16  serves to push back drive block  15  with a predetermined delay. A time delay is hereby caused in the number of sheets which can be successively removed. A toothed strip  13  is also situated on baseplate  8 . This toothed strip  13  co-acts with blocking tooth  14  on drive block  15 . If a user of the device wishes to accelerate the return of drive rod  4  to the starting position in order to be able to remove a subsequent sheet more quickly, drive block  15  will rotate about shaft  27  and blocking tooth  14  will come to lie against one of the teeth of toothed strip  13 . This forces the time delay caused by the speed at which the gas spring or damper moves back the drive block. A user cannot cause the apparatus to function any quicker. 
     The operation will now be further elucidated with reference to  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b . This side view shows how a stack of sheets  31 , for instance a stack of paper such as maps or brochures, is arranged in the apparatus between uprights  21  on supports  19  and rollers  22 ,  24 . For the sake of clarity the bottom sheet  30  is shown with an extra-thick line. By moving drive rod  4  in the direction of arrow C using handle  5 , rollers  22  and  24  are rotated respectively in the direction of arrows A and B. The rough strips  25  and  23  of respective rollers  24  and  22  engage on the bottom sheet when they are situated in the topmost rotational position. From this position of engagement of the rough strip on the sheet the rollers in the view of  FIG. 4   a  are rotated substantially a quarter-turn further in the direction of arrows A and B. The sheet is hereby entrained by the rollers close to the centre thereof, and in the view of  FIG. 4   a  the point of the fold lies exactly between rollers  24  and  22 . 
     As the rotation of the rollers along the arrows progresses further, the orientation as shown in  FIG. 4   b  is reached. Sheet  30  is herein folded completely double and already released from between the rollers. A slot in the baseplate has allowed this sheet  30  to pass through. Sheet  30  can then come to lie in delivery unit  3  ( FIG. 1 ) via a slide chute (not shown). 
     From the moment that both ends of sheet  30  have passed over the top side of rollers  22  and  24 , the following sheet is in contact with the rotating rollers. Owing to the smooth surface the roller will not engage on this following sheet. The moment the rollers have rotated in the direction of arrows A and B so far that the strips  23  and  25  with the high-friction surface come to lie at the position of the following bottom sheet, the above process will be repeated. The centre of the sheet will be urged downward between the rollers and come to lie in the position shown in  FIG. 4   a.    
     A further embodiment ( FIGS. 5 ,  6   a ,  6   b ) relates to an assembly wherein the whole surface of the rollers has a high friction. A result hereof is that the rollers will engage on a sheet of paper in any rotational position. In order to prevent immediate engagement on a following sheet when the ends of the bottom sheet reach the top side of the rollers during the throughfeed process, this embodiment is provided with lifting plates  51 ,  52  which lift the stack of sheets to a position slightly above the surface of the rollers. 
     For this purpose the outer end of rollers  61 ,  62  is provided with cams  63 ,  64 . The plates are further provided with rolls  65 ,  66 . It is possible to arrange such cams and rolls on either side of the rollers and the plates. When a user wishes to remove a sheet of paper, he sets the installation into operation. At this moment the stack of paper must be in contact with the top side of the rollers and the lifting plates are situated in the low position. The bottom sheet will now be fed through between the rollers in a manner as shown in  FIG. 4   a . In this embodiment the smooth surfaces of the rollers herein serve as throughfeed transport members due to the pressure on either side of the folded sheet. Since the sheets must be carried out separately of each other, it is recommended that stack  31  is raised by means of lifting plates  51  and  52  before the two ends of the sheet reach the top side of the rollers. The surface of the roller will hereby not engage on the following sheet and the bottom sheet being fed through will be carried out separately. 
     For mounting purposes the plates  51  and  52  are provided on the underside with rotation shafts  69  and  70 . These rotation shafts are for instance arranged in uprights similar for instance to uprights  21  of  FIG. 2 . For support of the stack of paper  31  bearing-mounted supports  67  and  68  are further provided on both sides. 
     It is further possible to envisage an embodiment with rollers having smooth surfaces with rough strips, wherein the plates according to the embodiment of  FIG. 5  are applied. This is for instance advantageous for occasional re-calibration of the system by lifting the stack of paper and rotating the rollers back and forth. A further embodiment provides for the application of for instance an electric motor for the purpose of rotating the rollers as well as for moving the lifting plates  51  and  52  up and downward, which can also take place independently of each other in such an embodiment. In this embodiment a control unit is further provided for actuating the motor for the purpose of rotating the rollers and the motor for moving the lifting plates up and downward. Such a control unit can further be provided with a time control for the purpose of the time delay between two sheets for dispensing. As already stated in the foregoing, such an embodiment may also include the option of distributing several sheets in rapid succession, whereafter there is a pause. 
       FIG. 7  shows a roller  71  with a smooth surface and with a strip  73  which is movable relative to the roller and has a relatively high friction relative to the rest of the surface of the roller. The shaft of the roller comprises different layers which can be driven separately of each other. Fixed to the outer layer thereof are connecting elements  72  and  74 . Between these connecting elements  72  and  74  is arranged the high-friction strip, which can rotate directly above the surface of roller  71 . 
     If roller  71  were applied for instance in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , for instance instead of the roller  24  thereof, this roller  71  can in this position rotate freely in the apparatus, wherein the bottom sheet will not be entrained since the whole surface is smooth. The moment a sheet is desired, the roller will be set into motion. At this moment the bottom sheet will still be in place. The shaft with connecting pieces  72  and  74  between which is arranged strip  73  is then set into rotation in the direction of arrow B ( FIG. 4A ). From the moment that high-friction strip  73  is situated between the top side of roller  71  and the underside of the bottom sheet, friction will be created between the strip and the bottom sheet, whereby the strip will be carried along. From the moment that the roller has rotated so far that strip  73  is once again released from the position between the roller and the entrained sheet of paper, this strip will be brought to a stop somewhere in the free position. This can for instance be the bottom position, wherein use can be made of the force of gravity. Another position in which no engagement will occur between the roller and the paper is also possible. 
     A further embodiment (FIG.  8 , 9 ) relates to an assembly  80  with a drive, wherein by means of a drive rod  82 , which can be moved in the direction of arrow A, one sheet is distributed when a stroke is made. This is shown in  FIG. 8 . The rotation of rod  82  sets shaft  84  into rotation, preferably through an angle of 60° per stroke of drive rod  82 . This has the advantage compared to a translating drive that less force is required and an optional time delay can be incorporated more readily in the apparatus. Shaft  84  is connected to toothed wheel  86  with which toothed wheel  88  is driven, which then sets the remaining components of assembly  80  into motion as described above. In this preferred embodiment, toothed wheel  88  has twenty teeth and toothed wheel  86  has one hundred and twenty teeth, whereby toothed wheel  88  revolves once in one stroke of drive rod  82  when toothed wheel  86  has an angular rotation of 60″. The circumference of toothed wheel  88  is preferably equal to half the length of the sheet to be dispensed. In this embodiment there is also provided a damper  90  which returns drive rod  82  to its starting position after the removal of a sheet, as shown in  FIG. 8 . A preferably adjustable time delay is hereby realized between the removal of successive sheets. This damping preferably cannot be forced by a user. Assembly  80  provides an arm  92  mounted on damper or self-closing device  90 , which by means of stop  94  on arm  96  co-displaces this arm to the starting position. Ratchet  98  (not shown) blocks undesired rotation of toothed wheel  86  and interacts with protrusions  100  fixed on toothed wheel  86 , wherein six of these protrusions are preferably used to correspond with the preferably 60° angular rotation of shaft  84 . If desired, a counting mechanism can be provided to keep count of the number of strokes and dispensed sheets. On the underside of toothed wheel  86  is preferably situated a counter-arm  102 , opposite arm  96 , which interacts with support  106  by means of stop  104 . As soon as toothed wheel  88  has been set into rotation, it causes both rollers to rotate in the same way as discussed above by means of the toothed wheels, preferably placed on the other side of the frame, as shown in  FIG. 9 . Instead of lifting plates  51  and  52  as shown in  FIG. 5 , the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 9  makes use of lifting rods  110 ,  112  which are raised by lifting arms  114 ,  116  by means of a cam mechanism as shown at the lifting plates. The point of attachment of arms  114 ,  116  is here lower in vertical direction than lifting rods  110 ,  112 . The stack for distributing can optionally be pressed more firmly onto the apparatus by means of a pressing means (not shown) so as to prevent for instance slippage. 
     Lifting plates  51  and  52  ( FIG. 5 ) or lifting rods  110 ,  112  ( FIG. 9 ) raise the stack of sheets as soon as the bottom sheet has passed the relevant positions in order to prevent sagging of the stack of sheets to some extent. A further measure for preventing this sagging relates to engaging means  140 , comprising a shaft  122  and pins  124  in the form of protruding pins or strips or bands which pull the stack further outward ( FIG. 10A ) through the openings in the lifting plates. It will be apparent that these engaging means can also be embodied in the form of rollers with one or more friction strips. The shaft of engaging means  140  is driven simultaneously with the rollers, wherein toothed wheel  130  of the rollers preferably comprises 50 teeth and toothed wheel  132  for driving the engaging means comprises 100 teeth. As shown in  FIG. 10B , this results in two rows of pins or strips being placed opposite each other on the shaft of the engaging means. During the dispensing of a sheet the lifting members and the engaging means are preferably situated about simultaneously at the highest point. In order to optimize the operation of the engaging means, use is preferably made of a pressing plate  140  as shown in  FIG. 11 , which presses the stack of sheets over practically the whole surface since in the rest position of the apparatus the centre of the stack will lie slightly higher than the edges, and during dispensing of a sheet the edges of the stack of sheets will lie higher than the centre as a result of the lifting members and possible engaging means. 
     The present invention is not limited to the above description of the embodiments. Different measures of the diverse embodiments can be combined with each other. The rights sought are defined by the appended claims.