Patent ID: 6464120
Filing Date: 2002-10-15
Classification: A47K,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for controlling the exposed length of sheet material when a user dispenses sheet material from a sheet material dispensing system including a dispenser defining an interior and an outlet for allowing sheet material to be dispensed from the interior of the dispenser, the dispensable sheet material having opposite side edges spaced apart from one another to define the overall width of the sheet material, the sheet material having a plurality of zones of weakness spaced along the sheet material, the zones of weakness including a plurality of perforations and frangible sheet material portions, the method comprising:controlling initiation of separation of adjacent sheet material segments by providing the sheet material with a predetermined width of at least one separation initiation region having frangible sheet material portions narrower in width and greater in frequency than the frangible sheet material portions in at least one separation control region of the sheet material; controlling the time to complete separation of adjacent sheet material segments by providing the separation control region of the sheet material with frangible sheet material portions wider in width and lower in frequency than the frangible sheet material portions in the separation initiation region of the sheet material; and dispensing said sheet material from said dispenser via said outlet.