A tool for assisting demounting and re-assembly of a first member and a second member and a holder arrangement for a receptacle

Technical field

The present disclosure relates to a tool for assisting demounting and re-assembly of a first member and a second member which are configured to be attached to each other by at least one screw means. The present disclosure also relates to an arrangement of a holder for a receptacle and a tool for assisting demounting of the holder.

Background art

Many components such as locks, fittings, hinges for doors or shutters are made up of several individual members that are joined by screws.

One particular component is holders for receptacles of shampoo or similar products in public environments, such as hotel bathrooms. A problem related to bathrooms in public environments is theft of the receptacle. To prevent, or at least to render unauthorized removal of the receptacle difficult, the holder may be configured with locking means for locking the receptacle in the holder. Early designs of holders for receptacles comprise locking means in the form of locking cylinders or bayonet fittings. In later designs the receptacle comprises two or more separate members which are attached to each other by screws. To remove the receptacle from the holder it is necessary to demount the members of the holder by removing the screws with an appropriate screw driver.

However, while the later design of the receptacle holder effectively secures the receptacle from theft it suffers from some drawbacks.

In particular, it is rather cumbersome to remove and replace the receptacle due to that the screws, which secures the members of the holder, needs to be removed when the holder is opened. The screws are small and therefore difficult to handle and also easy to drop. It is also difficult to reinsert the small screws into the screw holes of the holder.

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Taking into account that a standard hotel room may offer several bath and body products, each in its own receptacle and holder, it is easy to understand that handling of the holders demand a lot of time and effort.

Thus, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a tool which solves or at least mitigates one of the problems of the prior art. In particular it is an object of the present disclosure to provide at tool which enables fast and simple removal and replacement of members that are releasably attached to each other by screws. Yet at further object of the present disclosure is to provide a tool which facilitates demounting and re-assembly of a holder for a receptacle having a first and a second member which are releasably attached to each other by screws.

Summary of the invention

According to a the present disclosure, at least one of the aforementioned objects is achieved by a tool for assisting demounting and re-assembly of a holder for a receptacle comprising a first member and a second member which are configured to be releasably attached to each other by at least one screw means, wherein the second member has a first end comprising a receptacle support for supporting the bottom of a receptacle, and a second end comprising a support, with a support surface, for supporting a first end of the first member; wherein the first member has a first end comprising a contact surface configured to be supported on the support surface of the second member and an opposing facing surface which comprises at least one through opening for receiving a screw means and a second end comprising an opening for receiving the neck of a receptacle; and wherein the tool comprises

- a base configured to be supported on the facing surface of the first member and having at least one through opening for providing access to a head portion of a screw means on the first member and;

- at least one holding means for releasably holding the tool to the first member and;

- at least one screw receiving means configured to receive at least a head portion of the screw means when the first member is demounted from second member, wherein the screw receiving means at least partially surrounds the opening in the base and is

540 307 configured to support at least a portion of the head portion of the screw means, when the screw means is received in the screw receiving means.

In operation, the tool is firmly held to the first member by the holding means and the screw means is screwed out of the second member and received in the screw receiving means of the tool. When the tool, together with the first member is removed from the second member, the screw means is secured between the screw receiving means and the first member and will not be dropped. When the first and the second members subsequently are re-assembled the screw means is easily aligned with the holes in the second member and by contact with the second member pushed back into the screw receiving means. The screw receiving means supports thereby laterally the head portion of the screw means so that the screw means is held in an upright position within the screw receiving means. This in turn makes it easy to access the head of the screw mean with a screwdriver and screw the screw means back into the second member.

Thus, usage of the tool according to the present disclosure omits the need for time consuming and cumbersome manual manipulating of the screws when the first and second member is demounted and re-assembled.

Preferably, the screw receiving means comprises a circumferential wall which surrounds the opening in the base. An advantage of the circumferential wall is that it is relatively easy to manufacture in proper dimensions to support head portion of the screw means.

Preferably, the screw receiving means comprises an abutment for the head portion of the screw means. The abutment is thereby arranged such that the screw means may be sufficiently received within the screw receiving means to allow the first member to be demounted from the second member. The abutment is also arranged such that the end of the screw means extends through the opening in the base when the head portion of the screw means engages the abutment. The provision of the abutment ensures that the screw means extends through the opening in the base of the tool and through the

540 307 opening in the first member, when the first and the second members are re-assembled. The resulting engagement between the head portion and the abutment and between the end of the screw means and the opening in the first member will ensure the upright orientation of the screw means. A further advantage of the abutment is that it secures the screw means from falling out from the tool when the first member is removed from the second member.

Preferably, the abutment is a top wall which extends, e.g. orthogonally, over the upper end of the screw receiving means.

Preferably, the opening is a slot extending across the top wall. The slot provides easy access for a screw engagement means, such as a screw driver, to the screw means in the first member. Moreover, when the screw receiving means is a circumferential wall, the slot may extend on the circumferential wall such that it facilitates visual control of the position of the screw means.

The base of the tool may comprise an rear end, a front end and first and second parallel sides extending between the front end and the rear end.

Preferably, a first and second holding means may be arranged at the first and the second sides of the base. The first and the second holding means may respectively protrude beyond the inner surface of the base and comprises a locking element extending parallel with the inner surface of the base. This configuration provides an effective snap-in locking function in which the locking elements of the holding elements snaps in over the contact surface of the first member. Thereby, time and effort for employing and removing the tool is reduced.

Preferably, the inner surface of the tool comprises a flange, extending along at least a side portion of the tool. The flange may be configured to engage a lateral portion of the first member to align the through opening in the base with a through opening in the first member. This facilitates positioning of the tool onto the first member.

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The present disclosure also relates to holder arrangement for a receptacle comprising a holder for a receptacle comprising a first member and a second member wherein,

- the first member has a first end comprising at least one opening for receiving a screw means and a second end comprising an opening for receiving the neck of a receptacle, wherein,

- the second member has a first end comprising a receptacle support for supporting the bottom of a receptacle, and a second end comprising a support for supporting the first end of the first member and,

- a tool for assisting demounting and reassembly of the first member and the second member according to the disclosure.

Brief description of the drawings

<td> Fig. 1 - 2:</td><td> Schematic drawings of a first and a second member that are releasable attached by screw means.</td>

<td> Fig. 3, 4:</td><td> Schematic perspective drawings of a tool for assisting demounting and reassembly of a first and second member according to a first preferred embodiment of the present disclosure</td>

<td> Fig. 5:</td><td> A Schematic perspective drawing of a tool according to a first preferred embodiment of the present disclosure and a first member.</td>

<td> Fig. 6a - c:</td><td> A cross-sectional side view of a tool according to a first preferred embodiment of the present disclosure and a first member.</td>

<td> Fig. 7-9:</td><td> Schematic perspective drawings showing the function of a tool according to a first preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.</td>

<td> Fig. 10, 11:</td><td> Schematic drawings of screw receiving means according to alternatives of the present disclosure.</td>

Detailed description of embodiments

The tool for assisting demounting and re-assembly of a first and second member according to the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter. The tool for assisting demounting and re-assembly of a first and second member according to the present disclosure may however be embodied in many different forms and should

540 307 not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those persons skilled in the art. Same reference numbers refer to same elements throughout the description.

In the following the tool for assisting demounting and re-assembly of a first and second member according to the present disclosure is denominated “the tool”

By “receptacle” is meant any type of bottle or jar.

Figure 1 shows schematically an exploded view of a holder 20 for a receptacle 60 in the form of e.g. a soap bottle (see figure 2). The holder 20 is configured to be attached onto a wall, for instance. The holder 20 comprises separate first member 30 and second member 40. The first and the second members are flat pieces of e.g. metal or plastic. The second member 40 comprises an elongated middle section 41 having a lower end 42 and an upper end 44. The lower end 42 comprises a receptacle support 43 for supporting the bottom 61 of a receptacle (see figure 2). A receptacle body holder 46, such as an annular ring, may be provided above the receptacle support 43 and configured to encircle the body 63 of the receptacle 60 (see figure 2). However, the receptacle body holder 46 may also be of other configuration, for example it may be constituted of two separate arms which each extends over one half of the body (not shown). The upper end 44 of the second member 40 comprises a support 45 for the first member 20. The support 45 has an upper support surface 47. The first member 30 has a first end 32 which comprises a contact surface 36 which is configured to be supported on the support surface 47 of the first member 40 and an opposing facing surface 37. At least one through opening 35, for receiving a screw means 50, extends between the facing surface 37 and the contact surface 36 of the first member 30. The second end 34 of the first member 30 comprise an opening 33, e.g a circular opening, for receiving the neck 62 of the receptacle 60. The support 45 of the second member 40 also comprises at least one opening 48 for receiving the screw means 50. Preferably, the opening 48 in the

540 307 second member 40 is provided with a thread (not shown) for engagement with threads on the screw means 50. The through opening 35 in the first member 30 is preferably smooth, i.e. non-threaded. The openings 35 and 48 in the first and second member are arranged such that the first and second member may be releasably attached to each other by one screw means 50 which extends through the openings 35 and 48. It is appreciated that the first and the second member, respectively, may comprise more than one opening, e.g. two spaced apart openings 35, 48 each for receiving a screw means 50.

Figure 2 shows the holder 20 in assembled state and a receptacle 60. Thus, the neck 62, of the receptacle 60 has been received in the opening 33 of the first member 30 and the first member 30 has been releasbly attached to the support 45 of the second member 40 by screw means 50 extending through openings 35, 48 in the first and the second member 30, 40.

Figure 3 shows the upper side of a tool 1 according to the present disclosure. The tool 1 is elongate and comprises a flat body 2 having a rear end 5 and a front end 6 and first and second longitudinal sides 7, 8. The body 2 has an outer surface 4 and an inner surface 3 (see figure 4). The front end 6 of the tool 1 may comprise an opening 18 for receiving the neck of a receptacle. The opening 18 may be of any suitable shape, for example circular. The base 2 further comprises at least one through opening 9, i.e. a hole, which extends from the outer surface 4 to the inner surface 3 (see figure 4). The through opening 9 is configured, i.e. dimensioned, such that it provides access to a head portion of a screw means on the first member (not shown). That is, the opening 9 is dimensioned to allow a head portion of a screw means to pass through the opening 9.

The base 2 of the tool 1 comprises at least one screw receiving means 10 which is configured to receive at least the head portion of a screw means (not shown). The screw receiving means 10 is thereby arranged such that it at least partially surrounds the opening 9 in the base 2. In the embodiment shown in figure 3, the screw receiving means 10 comprise a circumferential wall 11 of predetermined height which extends in vertical direction from the upper surface 4 of the base 2 and that completely surrounds

540 307 the opening 9 of the base 2. The screw receiving means 10 is thereby arranged adjacent the opening 9. The height of the screw receiving means 10, i.e. the distance that the screw receiving means extend from the base 2 may be selected in dependency of the length of the screw means 50. The upper end of the circumferential wall 11 comprises a top wall 12 which extends orthogonal to the circumferential wall 11. An opening 13 extends through the top wall 12 to provide access for e.g. a screw driving means, such as a screw driver, to the opening 9 of the base 2. The opening 13 thereby provides access to the head portion of a screw (not shown) on a member underneath the tool (not shown). In figure 3, the opening 13 is a slot which exends over the top wall 12 and the upper end of the circumferential wall 11.

Turning to figure 4, the tool 1 comprises at least one holding means 15 for releasably holding the tool 1 to a first member 30. The tool 1 may thereby comprise a first and a second holding means 15 which respectively are arranged at the longitudinal sides 7, 8 of the base 2. The holding means 15 protrude beyond the inner surface 3 of the base 2 and comprises each a locking element 16 which extends parallel with the lower surface 3 of the base 2. The locking elements 16 are mutually facing each other and arranged such that a spacing 19 is formed between each locking element 16 and the inner surface 3 of the base 2. The spacing 19 is dimensioned such that the first member 30 may be received between each locking member 16 and the inner surface 3 of the base 2 (see figure 5). The holding elements 15 are flexible such that they may flex away from the longitudinal side edges of the base 2. This makes it easy to apply the holding elements 15 to a first member 30 as shown in figure 5.

According to an alternative, the holding means 15 may be an adhesive applied to the inner surface 3 of the base 2 (not shown). For example a double adhesive tape.

The tool further comprises a flange 17 which protrudes from the inner surface 3 of the base 2 and extends along at least a portion of one or all of the front end 6, the rear end 5 and the sides 7, 8 of the base 2. In the described embodiment, the flange 17 extends along the front end 6, the side 7, 8 and the rear end 5 of the base 2. The flange 17

540 307 ensures that the first member 30 is securely held to the tool 1 and that the tool 1 and the first member 30 are in the correct position with regards to each other, see figure 5.

The flange 17 may also constitute a holding means for releasably holding the tool 1 to the first member 30. The flange 17 may thereby be configured such that it surrounds the first member 30 with a press-fit.

Preferably, the tool 1 is manufactured in plastic material ABS or PP. For example the tool 1 is manufactured in one piece by injection moulding.

The screw receiving means 10 and its function will following be described with reference to figure 6a - 6c.

Figure 6a shows a cross-sectional side view of the tool 1 according to the present disclosure, a first member 30, a portion of a second member 40 and two screw means 50. Also shown is an isolated screw means 50 for describing the parts of the screw means 50, i.e. a screw head portion 51, a threaded portion 52 and an end portion 53. The screw head portion 51 has a lateral, or circumferential, side surface 54 which is the part of the screw head portion 51 having the maximum diameter. That is, lateral side surface 54 is the maximal periphery of the screw head portion 51. The screw means 50 may be screws, such as Allen screws and the screw head portion 51 may be provided with one or several tracks for engagement with a screw driver, such as an Allen screw driver. The right hand side of the tool 1 shows a screw means 50 that is screwed into the first member 30 and the left hand side of the tool 1 shows a screw means 50 which is screwed out of the first member 30.

The screw receiving means 10, i.e. the circumferential wall 11, is arranged around the opening 9 and delimits thereby a space above the opening 9 in which the screw head portion 51 may be received. In detail, the space above opening 9 is delimited by the inner surface of the circumferential wall 11. In the described embodiment the circumferential wall 11 is a cylindrical wall which delimits a cylindrical space.

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However, the circumferential wall 11 may be of other configuration, such as polygonal. In operation, the screw head portion 51 of the screw 50 is engaged with a screw engagement means (not shown) through the opening 13 in the top wall 12 of the screw receiving means 1. As the screw means 50 is un-screwed and moves out of the first member 30 the screw head portion 51 is received in the space delimited by the cylindrical wall 11, such as shown on the left hand side of figure 6.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the screw receiving means 10 is configured to support at least a portion of the head portion 51 of the screw means 50 when the screw means is received in the screw receiving means. The screw receiving means 10 is thereby configured to support the head portion 51 of the screw means 50 such that the screw means 50 is held in upright position within the screw receiving means 2 when the end portion 51 of the screw means 50 is resting on, or in, the opening 48 of the second member 40. In particular, the screw receiving means 10 is configured to support at least a portion of the lateral side surface 54 of the head portion 51 of the screw means.

The screw receiving means 10 may thereby be dimensioned such that the inner diameter of the screw receiving means 10 is essentially the same as the maximum outer diameter of the head portion 51 of the screw means 50. The inner surface of the screw receiving means 10 and the head portion 51 of the screw means 50 may thereby be in nonengaging contact such that the head portion 51 of the screw means 50 may slide over the inner surface of the screw receiving means 10. The inner diameter of the screw receiving means 10 may also be slightly larger than the maximum outer diameter of the head portion 51 of the screw means 50. For example there may be a minor play between the screw receiving means 10 and the head portion 51 of the screw means 50. In that case the screw means may be inclined with respect to upright position whereby the screw receiving means supports a portion of the head portion of the screw means.

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According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, the screw receiving means comprises an abutment 12 for restricting axial movement of the screw means 50 in the screw receiving means 10.

According to one embodiment, as shown in figure 6a , the abutment 12 is in the form of the top wall 12 which extends over the upper end 14 of the cylindrical wall 11. The screw receiving means 10 is thereby configured such that the abutment 12 is in a position to allow the screw means 50 to be sufficiently screwed out of the first member 30 so that the first member 30 may be demounted from the second member 40. The abutment 12 is further positioned so that the end portion 53 of the screw means 50 extends through the opening 9 in the base of the tool 1 when the screw head portion 51 is engaging, i.e. in contact with, the abutment 12.

This may be achieved by designing the screw receiving means 10 such that the distance between abutment 12 and the inner surface 3 of the base 2 is less than the length of the screw means 50. In the embodiment shown in figure 6a, the height of the circumferential wall 11 is selected such that the distance between the top wall 12 and the inner surface of the base is less than the length of the screw means 50. When the screw means 50 has been unscrewed from the second member 40 it is oriented in the screw receiving means 10 such that the upper surface of the screw head 51 is in abutting contact with the top wall 12 and the lateral side surface 54 of the screw head 51 is in supporting contact with inner surface of the circumferential wall 11 and the end portion 53 of the screw means 50 extends through the opening 9 in the base 2 and is engaging the opening 48 of the first member 40.

Figure 6b shows the tool 1 when it, together with the first member 30, has been demounted from the second member 40. The screw means 50, no longer supported by the second member 40, falls thereby down, guided by the screw receiving means 10, onto the first member 30. The head portion 51 of the screw means 50 thereby rests on the first member 30 and the end portion 53 protrudes out of the openings 35 in the first member.

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Figure 6c shows the tool 1 when it, together with the first member 30, has been reassembled with the second member 40. In this situation, the end portions 53 of the screw means 50 are engaging the openings 48 in the second member 40. This result in that the screw means 50 are pushed upwards into the screw receiving means 10 until the screw head portion 51 abuts the abutment 12. During movement of the screw means 50 the head portion 51 laterally supported by the screw receiving means such that screw means 50 is in upright position. In the position shown in figure 6c, the screw head portion 51 is easily accessible by a screw driver.

The function of the tool 1 according to the present disclosure will in the following be described with reference to figure 7-9 showing demounting a first member 30 from a second member 40 of a holder 20 for a receptacle 60

In a first step, see figure 7, the tool 1 is applied onto the first member 30. The base 2 of the tool 1 is thereby placed such that it is supported by the inner surface 3 on the contact surface 36 of first member 30. The screw receiving means 10 are positioned over the screw means 50 in the first member 30 and the holding means 15 engages the first member 30. The opening 18 of the tool 1 is applied over the neck of the receptacle 60,

i.e. the neck of the bottle 60, and thereby over the opening 33 in the first member 30.

In a second step, see figure 8, the screw means are unscrewed by a screw engagement means 70, such as a screw driver. The screw means are thereby received and supported in the screw receiving means 10 as earlier described.

In a third step, see figure 9, the tool 1, together with the first member 30 and the screw means 50 are removed from the second member 40 and the receptacle 60 may be removed from the holder 20.

Re-assembly of the holder 20 is performed by replacing the tool 1 including member 30 and the screw means 50 onto the support 45 of the second member 40 and re-screwing the screw means 50. Subsequently, the tool 1 may be removed.

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Although a particular embodiment has been disclosed in detail this has been done for purpose of illustration only, and is not intended to be limiting. In particular it is contemplated that various substitutions, alterations and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

For example, in the present disclosure reference is made to an embodiment in which the tool 1 is adapted for assisting demounting and re-assembly of a holder for a receptacle. It is however feasible to configure the tool for assisting demounting and re-assembly of other components which has first and second members which are releasably attached to each other by screws. For example, the tool 1 according to the present disclosure may be configured for assisting demounting and re-assembly of lock fittings on doors, hatches, windows, lighting luminaire, or holders for paper in e.g. service stations. A further example is security doors, which typically are attached around an opening in a wall by several screws.

According to one alternative, as shown in figure 10, the screw receiving means 10 may comprise at least two discrete support members 10.1, 10.2 which respectively surround a portion of the opening 9 in the base 2.

According to a further alternative, as shown in figure 11, the screw receiving means 10 may comprise at least three discrete support members 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 which are arranged equidistant around the opening 9 in the base 2. Each of the three discrete support members 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 may comprises an abutment 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 for the head portion of the screw means.

As shown in figure 10 and 11 the support members 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 may be semicircular wall segments. However, also other forms are feasible. For example rods.

It is also possible to combine the described alternatives. Thus, the screw receiving means may for example comprise a circumferential wall and one or more discrete support members.

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Moreover, although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms “comprise/comprises” or “include/includes” do not exclude the presence of other elements. Finally, reference signs in the claims are provided merely as a clarifying example and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims in any way.

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