Abstract:
A method and apparatus for more efficiently and easily dispensing paper products, such as toilet tissue, from commercial wall mounted dispensers. The dispenser may be reloaded, in most instances, in a single operation that requires only one hand. Further, the housing protects the paper from vandals and improper tampering, while still being configured for a simple reloading procedure without the necessity for using keys and the like to gain access to the housing. The apparatus may comprise spring loaded projections on the interior of the housing that are adapted to receive and suspend within the housing rolls of paper tissue. Doors within the housing are configured to allow insertion of a new roll of paper into the dispenser when located in the open position; further, such doors suspend the tail of the paper roll for easy access to the tissue user when the doors are in the closed position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to dispensing apparatus and methods, and in particular rolled paper dispensing apparatus for delivering in an efficient manner absorbent paper products such as toilet tissue, paper towels and the like. More specifically, this invention pertains to a dispenser capable of receiving new rolls of paper product, with or without a core. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Commercial and consumer absorbent paper products typically are distributed and dispensed from rolls. Rolled paper products may be dispensed, stored and maintained using a hollow cylindrical core which forms the support structure about which the paper is wrapped. Most paper toweling and consumer toilet tissue products contain a cardboard core, and the rolled product is often dispensed by mounting the core on a spindle, which passes through the core of the roll. In some cases, a mounting structure operatively engages each end of the core, thereby suspending the rolled product to facilitate dispensing of the paper. 
     Large or jumbo sized toilet tissue rolls are dispensed in restrooms of commercial buildings and in other locations where high volumes of rolled paper products are needed. Typically, these large size rolls include a core in the center of the roll. Usually, the rolls are mounted in dispensers so that the core of the roll is supported on an axis of rotation within the dispenser housing. These large size rolls may be largely invisible to the consumer, as they often are protected in a locked housing which dispenses the paper to the user at its lower margin or edge. 
     Some conventional large roll dispensers include a housing cover that can be removed only with a key to facilitate reloading the dispenser. Other dispensers employ a hinged housing cover which must opened or moved laterally to facilitate reloading the dispenser. Reloading dispensers is a time consuming task for maintenance personnel. In general, it is desirable to provide a process for reloading dispensers in a manner that is efficient and simple. One challenge in commercial dispenser design is to provide a dispenser that may be reloaded easily and quickly, but still offers security to the rolled paper product, thereby protecting the dispenser contents from vandalism and theft. 
     Coreless rolls of paper product are employed in applications where it is desirable to avoid using a core in the center of the rolled product. Coreless rolled products may be manufactured as provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,148 to form a depression in the side of the roll that facilitates supporting and dispensing the roll. Devices capable of dispensing coreless rolled paper products have been disclosed as provided for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,576. Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,985, is directed to a method of treating a coreless roll to create a mounting hole in at least one end of the roll to provide a self-supporting roll for mounting in a rotary dispenser. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An assembly for dispensing an absorbent paper roll is provided having an interior space and an exterior cover. The assembly includes opposed support members, wherein the support members are adapted to engage sides a paper roll. The support members are mounted on the interior of the housing in spaced relation to each other. In some embodiments of the invention, there are projections within the interior space of the housing. The projections are adapted to engage the sides of the paper roll to form a fixed mounting axis from which the roll may be dispensed. Further, the assembly is adapted for automatically receiving and mounting a paper roll within the interior space of the housing upon the insertion of the paper roll into the housing. 
     The invention comprises a method and apparatus for more efficiently and easily dispensing paper products, such as toilet tissue, from commercial wall mounted dispensers. The dispenser may be reloaded, in most instances, by way of a single operation that usually requires only one hand. Further, the housing protects the paper a simple reloading procedure without the necessity for using keys and the like to gain access to the housing. The invention may comprise spring loaded projections on the interior of the housing that are adapted to receive and suspend within the housing rolls of paper tissue. Doors within the housing are configured to allow insertion of a new roll of paper into the dispenser when located in the open position. Further, such doors suspend the tail (end) of the paper roll for easy access to the tissue user when the doors are in the closed position. 
     In one embodiment, the projections are spring loaded. The opposed support members are biased against the sides of the paper roll in one configuration of the invention. The paper roll may contain a core, or alternatively, may be coreless. If the paper roll is coreless, the roll is supported within the housing by projections capable of articulating with indentations or spaces in the sides of the paper roll. 
     An assembly for dispensing a coreless absorbent paper roll is presented including a housing having an interior space and an exterior cover. Further, opposed support members are adapted to engage the sides a paper roll, the support members being mounted on the interior of the housing in spaced and tensioning relation to each other within the housing, 
     The assembly is adapted for automatically receiving and mounting a paper roll within the interior space of the housing upon insertion of the roll into the housing. The assembly may comprise a release mechanism to facilitate the release and removal of a paper roll from the assembly prior to depletion of the paper roll. In one embodiment, the assembly includes at least one door capable of holding the tail of a paper roll in spaced relation to the housing. The opposed support members typically are flexible, thereby facilitating engagement with opposite sides of the roll as it is inserted into the housing. 
     At least one projection is actuable between: (a) a fully erect position for engaging a mounted paper roll, and (b) a disabled position to facilitate removal of a mounted paper roll from the assembly. Removal of a paper roll may be desirable, for example, when only one-half of the roll is remaining in the dispenser, and a period of heavy use is anticipated in the near future. The ability to remove a partially dispensed roll assists in preventing the depletion of the roll during a time when no maintenance personnel are available to refill the dispenser, and also when a roll is contaminated. In some embodiments, a release bar is used to actuate a projection, thereby enabling removal of a partially dispensed roll. The release bar may slidably engage the projection to disable the projection, thereby facilitating the removal of a paper roll from the assembly. 
     The method of mounting an absorbent paper roll in a dispenser is also provided. The paper roll is placed adjacent to the dispenser and in alignment with the dispenser housing, the dispenser housing having elongated support members on its interior. Then, one may insert the paper roll into the housing. Elongated support members may be engaged on each side of the paper roll, activating projections on each side of the paper roll. The paper roll may be supported by articulation of the projections with sides of the paper roll, wherein the paper roll is mounted within the housing and is capable of dispensing paper to the exterior of the housing. The projections may be bullet-shaped spring-loaded units. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A full and enabling disclosure of this invention, including the best mode shown to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in this specification. The following Figures illustrate the invention: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser; 
     FIG. 2 shows a side cross-sectional view of the dispenser; 
     FIG. 3 depicts an end view (cross-sectional) of the dispenser; 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a first step in loading a paper roll into the dispenser; 
     FIG. 5 shows a side view of the dispenser including the first step of FIG. 4 illustrating the loading of a paper roll into the dispenser; 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a later step showing paper being loaded into the dispenser by pushing upward on the bombay doors; 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a side view with the paper roll being inserted into the dispenser housing; 
     FIG. 8 shows a paper roll inserted into the dispenser, with the bombay doors returned to the closed position; 
     FIG. 9 is an end view showing the paper roll engaging the opposed flexible support members; 
     FIG. 10 shows the paper roll inserted into the housing and contacting on its upper surface a plate mechanism; 
     FIG. 11 is an end view corresponding to FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 12 shows the paper roll further inserted into the housing; 
     FIG. 13 shows the end view corresponding to FIG. 12 with an upward force being applied to the opposed flexible supports; 
     FIG. 14 is a side view showing the paper roll inserted fully into the housing with maximum force applied to the upper plate; 
     FIG. 15 is an end view corresponding to FIG. 14 showing the paper roll inserted fully into the dispenser; 
     FIG. 16 shows a next step with the paper roll having now dropped into position, the projections engaging each side of the paper roll; 
     FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing the spring-loaded projection inserted into the side of a paper roll; and 
     FIG. 18 shows the release bar pulled downward to disable the spring-loaded action of a projection, thereby facilitating removal of the paper roll from the dispenser. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference now will be made to the embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are set forth below. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not as a limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to this invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are disclosed in or are obvious from the following detailed description. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention, which broader aspects are embodied in the exemplary constructions. 
     Turning to FIG. 1, a dispenser  1  is shown with a housing  21  having a flat side  22  and a lower edge  23 . Serrated edge  24  at the lower margin of the housing serves as a tear point for paper dispensed from the housing. Tissue tail  25  is available to users below the housing. The housing is typically mounted on a restroom wall or stall, and mounting blocks with screw holes are typically provided on the mounting side of the dispenser (not shown in Figures). A paper roll  26  having a relatively large size (8 inches in diameter is typical in the industry) is provided in the dispenser as shown in the Figure by dashed lines. 
     FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the dispenser with bombay doors  29  and  30 . Hinges  31  and  32  provide articulation for movement of the bombay doors from an open position to accommodate the insertion of a new paper roll to the closed position in which they act to suspend the paper tail  25  within reach by the user. Release bar  33  is an optional feature that facilitates the removal of a paper roll from the dispenser, as further discussed below in connection with FIGS. 17 and 18. Interior housing  34  and centering ribs  35  and  36  form a cavity for the paper roll  26 . Plate  37  at the upper portion of the housing forms a curved surface against which the paper roll may be pushed to engage the t-bar  38  and thereby activate projections which articulate with indentations  27  on either side of the paper roll, as will be further discussed below. Spring cavity  39  is a hollow space in which a spring may be placed for providing tensioning downward force on support members  43  and  44  (see FIG.  3 ). Tissue  40  is unwound from roll  26  and is held in spaced relation to the housing lower margin for convenient access by the user. Spring  42  provides a tensioning force between support  47  and strut  65 . 
     Support members  43  and  44  engage the sides of the roll and flex during insertion of the roll. The support members are free to bend about their long axis when loaded with force. The support members are free to travel vertically, and rest on springs. Spring  45  and spring  41  each provide a tensioning force for support members  43  and  44 . Supports  46  and  47  connect to the ends of springs  42  and  61  (see FIG. 5 as well). Space  48  above the roll provides the roll with room to rotate and to be inserted into the dispenser. Serrated gripping plate  28  on either side of the housing provides a frictional stop to the roll in the event the paper roll is misaligned in the housing, or in the event an improperly cored or sized roll is inserted into the dispenser. Any rough surface with the ability to frictionally engage the paper roll surface could be used instead of a serrated gripping plate to stop undesirable or damaging rotation of such a roll. 
     Interior housing  34  shown in FIG. 2 surrounds the paper roll, and provides for centering ribs  35  and  36  which guide the curved plate  37  while in the dispensing position. 
     Hub  49  in FIG. 3 provides an axis for holding the paper roll. Lug  53  forms the end of the hub  49 . Projection  55 , which is bullet-shaped, is held in spring tension by spring  54  and is naturally tensioned to push into the paper roll. Mandrel  52  is connected to the projection  55  such that under some circumstances (seen below in FIGS. 17 and 18) it may be activated to disengage the spring  54  to remove the tension from the bullet-shaped projection  55 , facilitating removal of a roll. This removal operation is made possible by slidable movement of release bar  33 , as further discussed below in connection with FIGS. 17 and 18. Door supports  63  and  64  support the respective bombay doors, and provide a door stop for the bombay doors. Direction arrows  56  and  57  show the insertion pathway for paper roll  26 . Engagement hole  58  provides a pathway for the projection  50  to proceed through the flexible support and into the cavity of the paper roll as will be further discussed below. 
     FIGS. 6-16 show many of the same numbered features which have been reviewed above. 
     FIG. 6 shows the manual insertion of a paper roll upwards into the housing of the dispenser, moving bombay doors aside as it rises vertically. The engagement hole  58  is not aligned with the projection  50 , but the projection provides a spring tensioned force against the surface of the flexible support in the resting position. The plate  37  is in its lower, resting position. 
     In FIG. 7, an end view corresponding to FIG. 6 shows the paper roll being inserted into the housing. The flexible supports are in an A-shaped configuration where they are prepared to receive the roll sides against their inner surfaces. Projection  50  and  55  are pressed against the flexible supports by spring action, but do not yet protrude through the hole in each flexible support. Spring  61  provides a tensioning force holding flexible support members  43  and  44  towards the midline of the dispenser. Struts  60  and  65  are intimately attached to support members  43  and  44 . 
     FIG. 8 shows the paper roll pushed further into the dispenser. The bombay doors are shown flipped back into their downward positions against door stops  63  and  64 , and serve to protect the paper roll from the outside elements and create an appropriate paper path for tearing the paper. FIG. 9 shows an end view of the paper roll in the partially inserted position, in which the direction arrows  67  and  68  show the direction of the force applied by the projections against the flexible supports  43  and  44 . In the rear of the housing, the release bar  33  can be seen as it passes through the hub  49  near the lug  53 . On the front portion of the housing, a base  62  supports projection  50 . Indentations  27  and  66  on either side of the paper roll are configured to receive the projections when the paper roll is pushed further into the housing, as seen in later Figures. FIG. 10 illustrates the paper roll pushed against plate  37  near the top of the housing. FIG. 11 shows an end view of FIG. 10 in which the paper roll contacts the plate  37 . One can see the flexible supports extended but retained by notch  75  and notch  76  along the sides of the roll. The projections in FIG. 10 have moved upwards and are nearly in horizontal alignment with indentations  27  and  66 . FIG. 12 shows the paper roll pushed further into the housing, and the plate  37  has been lifted vertically, pulling with it the t-bar  38 . The effect of this vertical movement of the t-bar is that the support members  43  and  44  begin to move upward once the t-bar rests upon the upper surface of plate  37  (See FIG.  13 ). The t-bar is intimately connected to the flexible supports, and upward movement of the t-bar causes upward movement of the flexible supports. 
     FIG. 14 shows the paper roll pushed completely into the housing, with the plate  37  and t-bar  38  pushed completely to the top of the housing. An upward force along direction arrows  69  and  70  pulls the flexible supports upward. In FIG. 15, one can see notches  75  and  76  on the surface of the flexible supports, which previously were held below the bullet-shaped projections. At this stage of paper roll insertion, the notches have been pulled above the bullet-shaped projections. In FIG. 16, the projections now have aligned with the holes in the flexible supports and are finally engaging the indentations or cavity in each side of the paper roll, supporting the paper roll in the dispenser. The paper roll is now held firmly in place in the dispenser, and typically cannot be removed by simply pulling on the roll from below. The projections firmly engage the indentations in the coreless roll. In the case of a cored roll, the projections engage the space inside the core. 
     FIG. 17 shows the engaged position  71  of the housing in which a paper roll  26  is firmly held by the projection  55 . The spring  54  is fully uncoiled so that it can exert pressure against the mandrel  52  on one end, and on the projection  55  on its other end. This causes the projection to be spring-loaded and pressed into the paper roll surface. Release bar  33  is in the “up” position. 
     In FIG. 18, release bar  33  has been pulled into the “down” position in which it forces the spring to be isolated from the projection such that the spring  54  no longer pushes the projection  55  into the paper roll  26 . The projection end is open, and it has two slots  78  and  79  which are directly in line vertically with one another. When the release bar is pulled into the down position, the track section  77  (see FIGS. 17 and 18) of the release bar is placed through the slots in the projection, slightly compressing the spring  54 . In this configuration, the projection is relaxed and no longer applying a horizontal force into the paper roll. Thus, the paper roll may be removed from the dispenser. Removal of a partially used paper roll from the dispenser is especially useful in those situations in which a period of very heavy use of the dispenser is anticipated, and wherein there is likely to be no opportunity to refill the dispenser during the period of heavy use. Other times in which removal of a roll is advantageous is in the case of a contaminated roll. 
     When a paper roll is depleted, the springs  61  and  42  retract, allowing springs  45  and  41  to retract, returning the flexible support members back to their original position in an “A-shaped” configuration. The entire paper roll loading process takes only about two to three seconds to complete under normal conditions. 
     The invention is particularly set forth in the appended claims. Further, it should be understood that aspects of the various embodiments disclosed in this specification may be interchanged both in whole or in part without departing from the invention. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that this description is by way of example only, and is not intended to limit the invention as described in the claims.