Abstract:
A rolled material dispenser includes a brake mechanism designed to govern the rolling of a roll of packing material during dispensing of the packing material to reduce unintended tearing of the packing material and improve the user experience of handling such material dispensing. In one example, the brake mechanism includes a first portion configured to engage the roll during normal unloading of material from the roll and a second portion configured to engage the roll to impede rotation of the roll when unloading of material is uneven. An idler roller engages the material being dispensed, which idler roller may be resiliently supported to absorb forces on the material.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates generally to the controlling dispensing of material from a roll, and more specifically, dispensing packaging material from a roll. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various sheet-type materials are provided in roll form for easy storage, shipping, and dispensing for use. In the packing material industry, for example, Kraft paper is crumpled and used to fill empty portions of shipped containers. In various applications, it is advantageous to have the material be unrolled and crumpled in a continuous and easy manner to facilitate quick and efficient packing of objections for shipping. 
     Devices exist that facilitates fast crumpling of the packing material as it is dispensed from the roll by passing the material through a relatively small passage. The engagement of the material with the passage crumples the paper for the user to then quickly apply to the shipped load. Rolls of packing material such as Kraft paper, however, are generally not uniform in their form. For example, typical Kraft paper rolls are wound around a cylindrical core. This core, however, may not have perfectly near circular circumference, either through manufacturing or through the handling of the roll before it is disposed for dispensing the material. Then, when that core is disposed on a support around which the roll will rotate during dispensing of the packing material, the roll will have an uneven rotation rate. For instance, the roll may rotate at a first rate until a flat portion of the core engages the roll&#39;s support, at which time the roll may slip and rotate quickly and then stop suddenly. Such motion can cause a tear in the packing material, which can render that portion of the material unsuitable for the packing task at hand. 
     SUMMARY 
     Generally speaking and pursuant to these various embodiments, a rolled material dispenser includes a brake mechanism designed to govern the rolling of a roll of packing material during dispensing of the packing material to reduce unintended tearing of the packing material or improve the user experience of handling such material dispensing. In one example, the brake mechanism includes a first portion configured to engage the roll during normal unloading of material from the roll and a second portion configured to engage the roll to impede rotation of the roll when unloading of material is uneven. 
     In one example, the brake mechanism is biased to engage the roll with a brake structure to impede roll rotation. When the packing material is tensioned such as when paper is pulled from the roll, the tensioned paper effects removal of the brake mechanism from engagement with the roll. If during the dispensing of paper the roll rotates unevenly or for another reason the paper tension reduces, the reduced tension allows the brake mechanism to re-engage the roll to slow and/or stop its rotation. So configured, uneven rolling of the packing material is restrained to reduce the amount of unwanted tearing of the material and to improve the user experience. These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thorough review and study of the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the brake to facilitate dispensing of material from a roll described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  comprises a perspective view of an example packaging material dispenser in accordance with various embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  comprises a perspective view of the idler roller and corresponding support for the example packaging material dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  comprises a side view of the brake arm with a brake edge engaging the roll of the example packaging material dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  comprises a perspective view of the engagement of the brake arm to a corresponding support post of the example packaging material dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  comprises a side view of the brake arm with a brake roller engaging the roll of the example packaging material dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  comprises a perspective view of the brake arm with a brake roller engaging the roll of the example packaging material dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  comprises a flow diagram for an example method of operation of a packaging material dispenser in accordance with various embodiments. 
     
    
    
     Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings and, in particular to  FIGS. 1-6 , an example apparatus  100  for dispensing packing material  105  will be described. In the illustrated example, the apparatus  100  includes a support arm  110  configured to support a roll  120  of packing material  105 . Typically, the packing material  105  will be craft paper or a similar paper used for packing in the shipping industry. Other packing material is possible such as sheets of foam and the like. The support arm  110  may include a rotatable component  115  configured to engage the inside of the roll  120  to rotate as the roll  120  rotates with dispensing of the packaging material  105 . 
     The packaging material dispensing apparatus  100  also includes an idler roller  125  configured to engage and roll with the packing material  105  dispensed from the roll  120 . The idler roller  125  may include a surface portion  128  on all or part of its outer cylindrical surface. This surface portion  128  has a relatively high tackiness or outer surface friction such that the surface portion  128  engages the packing material  105  when the packing material is being pulled from the packaging material dispenser. As the packaging material is pulled from the dispenser, it separates from the roll  120  and passes over and around the idler roller  125 . The surface portion  128  of the idler roller  125  engages the packaging material  105  such that the idler roller  125  rolls together with and at generally the same speed as the packaging material  105  as it is dispensed from the roll  120 . 
     The idler roller  125  is supported on a rod  130 . The rod  130  is optionally spring supported such that the forces of tension on the packaging material  105  in the direction around the idler roller  125  is somewhat absorbed by the support to avoid unnecessary tearing of the packaging material  105  when being pulled around the idler roller  125 . In the illustrated example, the support includes a post  133  around which a spring  135  extends. The spring  135  engages a washer  136 , which washer  136  supports the weight of the rod  130  thereby supporting also the weight of the idler roller  125 . Accordingly, the spring  135  absorbs at least some of the downward forces applied to it during the dispensing of packaging material  105  around the idler roller  125 . The tension on the spring  135  can be adjusted by rotation of the nut  137  disposed opposite of the spring  135  relative to the support rod  130 . The absorption of forces on the idler roller  125  takes some of the forces off of the packaging material  105  such that the packaging material  105  is less likely to tear on application of certain forces. 
     In the illustrated example, a brake arm  140  is disposed to extend along the length of the roll  120  to engage the roll  120  with at least one brake arm roller  142  during dispensing of packaging material  105  from the roll  120 . In the illustrated example, the brake arm  140  includes a first edge  144  that supports the at least one brake arm roller  142 . Three rollers  142  are illustrated in this example, although any number of rollers can be used based upon the length of the roll of packaging material and/or the type of packaging material. The brake arm  140  also includes a second edge  146  of the brake arm  140  disposed opposite of the first edge  144 . This second edge  146  with the brake arm  140  comprises a brake edge  146 , wherein the brake arm  140  is configured to engage the roll  120  with the brake edge  146  in response to uneven rolling of the roll  120  on the support arm  110 . 
     In the illustrated example, the brake arm  140  is supported to rotate to selectively engage the roll  120  with either the at least one brake arm roller  142  of the first edge  144  or the second edge  146 . The brake arm  140  is biased to engage the roll  120  on a side of the roll  120  toward the idler roller  145  with the second edge  146  to restrict rotation of the roll  120 . For instance,  FIG. 3  shows the second or braking edge  146  of the brake arm  140  engaging the roll  120  when the packaging material  105  is not being pulled or dispensed from the roll  120 . Turning to  FIG. 5 , the packaging material  105  is being pulled from the packaging material dispenser  100  thereby producing tension on the packaging material  105  between the roll  120  and the idler roller  125 . The tension results in a force where the packaging material  105  pushes the brake arm second edge  146  away from the roll  120 , such that the second or brake edge  146  slides over the paper or packaging material  105  as it moves around the idler roller  125 . By pushing the brake edge  146  away from the roll  120 , the brake arm rotates such that its roller(s)  142  engages the roll  120  to help control the separation of the packaging material  105  from the roll  120 . Should the tension in the packaging material  105  be lost, for example, during an uneven rotation of the roll  120  or by an uneven pulling tension being applied to the packaging material  105  during dispensing, the brake arm will rotate in a manner such that the brake edge  146  reengages with the roll  120  to slow and/or stop its rotation. The slowing or stopping of the roll&#39;s rotation reduces the amount of packaging material that may dispense from the roll during rotation. This brake mechanism stops the flow of paper almost immediately so that a user does not unroll more material than desired. The brake mechanism is activated by pulling the material forward, which immediately releases the brake so that the material pulls freely from the roll. This is particularly advantageous when the inner core of the roll is uneven, but this approach generally works to quickly and easily dispense the packaging material from the device in an even and controlled process. 
     In the illustrated example, the brake arm  140  includes a metal body although other materials can be used that provide the friction used to slide over the dispensed packaging material and yet impede or stop the roll&#39;s rotation when so engaged. The illustrated brake arm  140  also includes an indented middle portion  148  such that a cross-section of the brake arm  140  resembles the number “3.” The brake arm is supported by two posts  150  and  152  configured to engage and support the brake arm  140  and bias the brake arm  140  to engage the roll  120 . For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the posts  150  and  152  may be biased by a spring  154  configured to attach to an end surface  153  and the post  150  (with similar unillustrated structure operating with the second post  152 ) to pull the posts  150  and  152 , which in turn pull the brake arm  140  towards the roll  120 . 
     In this case, the brake arm  140  defines two apertures  155  and  157  configured to individually engage the individual ones of the two posts  150  and  152 . The two posts  150  and  152  individually define tapered portions  160  to engage the brake arm  140  at the two apertures  155  and  157 . The tapered portions  160  begin with a wider portion  162  disposed at a post end  165  that taper down to a smaller width at a tapered portion  166  further down the post  150 . The contour of the aperture  155  defined by its location at the middle portion  148  of the brake arm  140  creates several surfaces available to engage different tapered portions  160  of the post  150  as well as possibly an non-tapered portion of the post  150  itself, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . For example, when there is reduced tension in the packaging material  105 , the aperture  155  portion extending into a first flange  172  of the brake arm  140 , which flange  172  terminates in the first edge  144  that supports the rollers  142 , allows the aperture  155  to engage the thick portion  162  of the tapered post. The aperture  155  portion that extends into a second flange  174  of the brake arm  140 , which second flange  174  terminates in the brake edge  146 , allows the aperture  155  part in the second flange  174  to engage further down the post  150  even beyond the tapered portion  160 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 5 , which illustrates an example where there is tension on the packaging material  105  sufficient to rotate the brake arm  140  brake edge  146  away from the roll  120 , the aperture  155  portion extending into the second flange  174  now engages a thick portion  162  of the tapered port while the aperture  155  portion extending into the first flange  172  in turn moves along and may or may not engage the narrowly tapered portion  166  or the non-tapered portion of the post  150 . 
     So configured, through the arrangement of the aperture within the shape of the brake arm and the respective engagement with the tapered nature of the post, the brake arm is biased to engage the roll  120  with the brake edge  146  of the brake arm  140 . Whereas, when tension is applied to the packing material  105  to overcome that biasing, the brake arm  140  is rotated to engage the roll  120  with the brake arm rollers  142 . Such a configuration can mediate or modulate the occasional uneven forces created during the unrolling and dispensing of packaging materials  105  such as craft paper from its roll  120 , which forces may cause unwanted tearing and user dissatisfaction. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , an example method for dispensing packing material from a roll according to these teachings will now be described. In the example, tension in a web of packaging material dispensed from a roll is sensed  705 . The method further includes engaging  710  the roll with a brake arm to restrict rotation of the roll in response to sensing that the tension in the packing material is below a threshold. With reference to the above example implementation, the tension is sensed by the brake edge  146  and the threshold is the force needed to overcome the bias force pushing the brake edge  146  to engage the roll. Thus, if the sensed force drops below that threshold, the brake edge  146  will move back into engagement with the roll. On the other hand, the method also includes removing  715  the brake arm from the roll to facilitate rotation of the roll in response to sensing that the tension in the packing material is above the threshold. Optionally, the roll of packing material is engaged  720  with a brake arm roller supported by the brake arm in response to sensing that the tension in the packing material is above the threshold. In the example illustrated above, the device may implement the method by engaging the brake edge  146  with tension in the packaging material  105 , which tension overcomes or not the bias force on the brake edge  146 . In other embodiments, force sensors can be used for the feedback to control the engagement of the brake edge and/or the rollers. 
     In another aspect, the method may further include engaging  725  the packing material with an idler roller during dispensing of the packing material from the roll. Further, the idler roller may be resiliently supported  730  to absorb forces imposed on the idler roller by the packaging material during dispensing of the packaging material. The resilient support thereby can absorb some of the excess forces on the packaging material that could cause an undesired tear. 
     So configured, packaging material can be dispensed from a roll with modulated uneven rotation and other features to decrease undesired tearing of the material. Such an approach can improve efficiency whereby less material is thrown out because of having unwanted tearing. Further, user satisfaction with the device is then improved. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, the profile of the brake arm and tapered portions of the support posts for the brake arm could be modified. Also, brake arm need not extend the length of the paper roll; instead, one or brake portions could be stationed along the roll as long as the feedback regarding paper tension is provided to selectively engage the roll with the brake to ameliorate paper tearing and user frustration with uneven roll rotation. Similarly, the spring based biasing described herein can be accomplished using any number of known biasing structures. Such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.