Abstract:
In a rolled product dispenser, when the rolled product is unrolled, a simple, quick punching of required holes in the rolled product and a simultaneous cutting to length are achieved by virtue of the fact that the rolled product dispenser has a hole punching and cutting device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   The invention described and claimed hereinbelow is also described in German Patent Application DE 10 2004 030 451.3 filed on Jun. 24, 2004. This German Patent Application, whose subject matter is incorporated here by reference, provides the basis for a claim of priority of invention under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates a rolled product dispenser. 
   Rolled product dispensers are known and include, for example, tape dispensers for use in offices. The product dispensed by the dispenser is wound into the form of a roll. In particular, standard abrasive materials such as sandpaper are also sold in this rolled form. The user tears or cuts this rolled product to the desired length. 
   In certain rolled products, the segments that are torn or cut to length must be provided with holes before being used. For example, abrasive materials that are used in sanders equipped with suction dust removal must be perforated before use in order to provide the holes required for the suction dust removal. According to the prior art, the user must therefore first take the desired length of rolled product from the dispenser and then produce the required holes in the removed rolled product. Before the rolled product can be used, the user must first execute numerous time-consuming manual operations. As a result, achieving a more convenient, simple, and timesaving preparation of the rolled product would be a desirable thing. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rolled product dispenser which has the advantage of the prior art that the rolled product dispenser has a hole punching device that permits the user to easily and quickly punch the required holes in the rolled product as it is being dispensed. 
   The term “hole punching device” is understood to be any device with which one or more holes can be punched into a segment of the rolled product. 
   The hole punching device according to the invention allows the user to perform the perforation of the needed segment of rolled product as part of the dispensing process, directly in the dispenser itself. After dispensing the rolled product, the user does not have to execute any further manual operations in order to perforate the dispensed segment, but can instead use the segment immediately. 
   It is advantageous if the hole punching device according to the invention has at least one punching pin and a pressure plate. 
   The punching pin is preferably annular in shape. In particular, the punching pin can be embodied as a round metal blade insert or as a sharp-edged plastic cutter, the latter alternative having the advantage of being less expensive. According to the invention, it is also possible for there to be a number of punching pins, depending on the number of holes to be punched. 
   The pressure plate is preferably flat and rectangular and preferably has one or more bores to accommodate the one or more punching pins. The punching operation can be executed by pressing the pressure plate down onto the punching pins. 
   Preferably, the hole punching device also has a receiving plate. The receiving plate receives the segment of rolled product to be perforated and performs the function of limiting this segment in the longitudinal direction and guiding it in the transverse direction. The receiving plate can have pieces attached along its sides to guide the segment. 
   In addition, the receiving plate can have a longitudinal stop in the middle. This longitudinal stop is preferably comprised of one or more raised protrusions. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the one or more raised protrusions are embodied in the form of knobs or lugs. The longitudinal stop in the middle makes it possible for the hole punching device to punch holes not only into segments of rolled product that are the full length of the receiving plate but also into segments that are half the length of the receiving plate. 
   If the hole punching device also has at least one compression spring, the pressure plate and the receiving plate can be automatically returned into their initial positions after punching. 
   Preferably, the rolled product dispenser has a cutting blade. The function of the cutting blade is to cut the required segment of rolled product to the correct length. In particular, the cutting blade can be situated so that the segment is cut from the roll at the same time as holes are punched into it. This permits the user of the rolled product dispenser according to the invention not only to punch the required holes easily and quickly, but also to cut the rolled product to precisely the required to length at the same time. 
   In a particular embodiment of the invention, the rolled product dispenser has a roll holder. The roll holder holds the product roll in position. The roll holder prevents the roll from falling out of the dispenser. 
   If the rolled product dispenser is also incorporated into a box, in particular a toolbox for a sander, then the user does not have to bring the rolled product dispenser separately but instead has all of the elements conveniently on hand in the one box. Preferably, the pressure plate is situated on the box lid. This allows the holes to be punched simply by closing the box lid. Instead of being situated in a box, the rolled product dispenser can also be embodied in the form of an integrated rolled product dispenser to be erected or wall-mounted, or can also be embodied in some other way. 
   Finally, the rolled product dispenser according to the invention is preferably embodied in the form of a sandpaper dispenser, in particular a sandpaper dispenser for standard sandpaper sold as a rolled product. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the description below, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in greater detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective overall view of one embodiment form of the rolled product dispenser according to the invention, 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the rolled product dispenser according to  FIG. 1 , 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the rolled product dispenser according to  FIG. 1 , 
       FIG. 4  is a cross section through the rolled product dispenser from  FIG. 3 , according to the arrows A-A, 
       FIG. 5  is a cross section through the rolled product dispenser from  FIG. 3 , according to the arrows B-B, 
       FIG. 6  shows a toolbox into which the rolled product dispenser according to the invention is integrated. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  is an overall view of a sandpaper dispenser  100  that is ready for use. The sandpaper dispenser  100  has a housing  101 . The housing  101  contains a sandpaper roll  102  that is held by a roll holder  103 . A pressure plate  104  is also supported in the housing  101 . 
   The sandpaper dispenser  100  can be embodied in separate configurations for the individual sizes of sandpaper sheets ½ (280×115 mm 2 ), ⅓ (230×93 mm 2 ), and ¼ (140×115 mm 2 ). However, a ¼ sheet version can be produced from the ½ sheet version by setting a longitudinal stop so that it is also possible for the ½ sheet version and the ¼ sheet version to be combined. 
     FIG. 2  shows the individual components of the sandpaper dispenser  100  in an exploded view. In addition to the housing  101 , the roll holder  103 , and the pressure plate  104 , the sandpaper dispenser  100  also includes a sandpaper receiving plate  105 , a cutting blade  106 , and four compression springs  107 . 
   The housing  101  functions as the actual dispenser or as a storage receptacle for the sandpaper. The dimensions of the housing  101  are matched to the corresponding width of sandpaper. The housing  101  contains guides  108  for the sandpaper receiving plate  105  and the pressure plate  104  as well as recesses  109  for the compression springs  107 . In addition, annular punching pins  110  for producing suction holes in the sandpaper are attached in the housing  101 . 
   The sandpaper receiving plate  105  has four first bores  111  that feed into four outer domes  115 . The sandpaper receiving plate  105  is guided into the four first bores  111 , the four domes  115  underneath the sandpaper receiving plate  105  serving as the guide posts. The four first bores  111  also serve to guide the pressure plate  104 . 
   The sandpaper receiving plate  105  has pieces  112  attached to it on both sides, which guide the sandpaper in the lateral direction. The side surfaces of the pieces  112  have small triangular raised protrusions  113 , which compensate for variations in the sandpaper and exert a slight clamping action to hold the sandpaper at the ends of the sandpaper receiving plate  105 . 
   Second bores  114  in the sandpaper receiving plate  105  within a sandpaper width serve as through openings for the punching pins or punching dies  110 . 
   The pressure plate  104  constitutes the upper extremity of the sandpaper dispenser  100 . It rests on the sandpaper and is guided with four pins  116  in the sandpaper receiving plate  105  lying underneath it. The pressure plate  104  has six bores  118  and a handle  119 . 
   The cutting blade  106  made of hardened steel is situated in a recess  117  at a suitable location in the housing  101 . The cutting edge of the cutting blade  106  is covered by the sandpaper receiving plate  105  so that there is no danger of injury when guiding the sandpaper or due to inadvertent contact with the blade. The cutting blade  106  is only uncovered when the pressure plate  104  is pressed down. 
   The four compression springs  107  are situated between the housing  101  and the sandpaper receiving plate  105  and serve to return the sandpaper receiving plate  105  and the pressure plate  104  back to their starting positions after the sandpaper has been punched and cut. 
   The roll holder  103  presses against the sandpaper roll  102  with a slight amount of initial stress, holding it in position and preventing it from falling out. 
     FIG. 3  is a top view of the sandpaper dispenser  100 , showing the pressure plate  104  with its handle  119 . The punching pins  110  are visible in the middle of the bores  118  in the pressure plate  104 . The punching pins  110  also pass through the likewise visible second bores  114  of the sandpaper receiving plate  105 . 
     FIG. 4  shows the section A-A from  FIG. 3 . The sectional view shows the sandpaper dispenser  100  in its starting position, containing a sandpaper roll  102 . A segment  120  of the sandpaper roll  102  has been unwound from the roll and lies between the pressure plate  104  and the sandpaper receiving plate  105 . The cutting blade  106  and the punching pins  110  are situated underneath the segment  120 . The punching pins  110  are contained in the second bores  114  of the sandpaper receiving plate  105 . The bores  118  of the pressure plate  104  are situated above the punching pins  110 ; viewed from the punching pins  110 , these bores  118  are covered by the sandpaper segment  120 . 
     FIG. 5  shows the section B-B from  FIG. 3 . This sectional view shows the guides of the pressure plate  104  and the sandpaper receiving plate  105 . The guides  108  of the housing  101  guide both the pressure plate  104  and the sandpaper receiving plate  105 . To that end, the pins  116  of the pressure plate  104  protrude into the guides  108  whereas the domes  115  of the sandpaper receiving plate  105  encompass the guides  108 . 
   Finally,  FIG. 6  shows an open sander box  121 . The box  121  contains a sandpaper dispenser  200 . The design of the sandpaper dispenser  200  corresponds to that of the sandpaper dispenser  100  except for the fact that the pressure plate  104  is attached to the box lid, not shown, of the box  121 . The box bottom  122  contains the remaining elements of the sandpaper dispenser  200 . 
   In conclusion, the operation of the sandpaper dispensers  100  and  200  will be explained below. 
   After the roll holder  103  is folded upward, a sandpaper roll  102  is inserted into the housing  101  provided, so that the grit of the sandpaper faces the bottom. Then the sandpaper is unrolled and slid over the sandpaper receiving plate  105  until it reaches the opposite housing wall. The unrolled sandpaper is pressed with a slight pressure against the lateral raised protrusions  113 . Then the punching process for the suction holes and the cutting to the correct length can be executed simultaneously, either by pressing down on the separate pressure plate  104  (in the case of the sandpaper dispenser  100 ) or by closing the box lid with the pressure plate  104  attached to it (in the case of the sandpaper dispenser  200 ). In the combined punching and cutting process, the pressure plate  104  is lowered counter to the force of the compression springs  107  and carries the sandpaper segment  120  and the sandpaper receiving plate  105  along with it. The sandpaper segment  120  is pressed downward in a corresponding way so that both the stationery cutting blade  106  and the stationery punching pins  110  penetrate the sandpaper segment  120 . As a result, the sandpaper segment  120  is perforated and simultaneously cut from the sandpaper roll  102 . After the box  121  is opened and the pressure plate  104  is lifted, the ready-to-use sandpaper segment can be removed. 
   The above-described sandpaper dispensers  100  and  200  make it possible to cut a segment of sandpaper from a sandpaper roll to the correct length and to perforate it at the same time in a particularly simple, rapid fashion. Since the punching and cutting occur simultaneously in a single, simple work step, the sandpaper dispensers  100  and  200  are particularly convenient and effective to use. The cut, perforated sandpaper is ready for immediate use and can be mounted onto the sander the moment it is removed from the dispenser. In addition, the sandpaper is automatically cut to precisely the required length and is perforated at the correct locations.