Abstract:
A dispenser includes a cover; a housing back member; a hinge coupling the housing back member and the cover such that the cover is pivotable between an open position and a closed position, the cover and the housing back member collectively forming a housing of the dispenser; a first and second mounting bracket coupled to the housing back member; and a rotatable carousel removably mounted to the first and second mounting brackets, wherein the brackets and carousel are configured such that the carousel is movable between an inner, locked position for dispensing and an outer, rotatable position for reloading.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/866,517, filed Oct. 3, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/848,916, filed Oct. 3, 2006, both of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to sheet product dispensers, and more particularly, to sheet product dispensers for dispensing sheet product from rolls. 
         [0003]    Dispensing of sheet products such as paper towel, tissue and the like, is common in commercial facilities such as restaurants, airports, shopping malls, service stations, and so forth. Paper products are dispensed in these facilities through the use of dispensers, oftentimes with dispensers that house multiple rolls of product. Such dispensers require re-loading on a regular basis. Thus, an important criterion for dispenser selection is the ease with which the dispenser may be re-loaded. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, a continual need exists for sheet product dispensers that are easy to load. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Disclosed herein are sheet product dispensers. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, a dispenser comprises a cover; a housing back member; a hinge coupling the housing back member and the cover such that the cover is pivotable between an open position and a closed position, the cover and the housing back member collectively forming a housing of the dispenser; a first and second mounting bracket coupled to the housing back member; and a rotatable carousel removably mounted to the first and second mounting brackets, wherein the brackets and carousel are configured such that the carousel is movable between an inner, locked position for dispensing and an outer, rotatable position for reloading. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, a dispenser configured to dispense rolls sheet product, the dispenser including a mounting for rolls of sheet product and a housing with a back panel, top wall, a front wall and a pair of laterally opposed sidewalls and comprises a cover defining the front wall of the dispenser as well as portions of the laterally opposed sidewalls of the dispenser housing, the cover providing a pair of laterally projecting frustal sidewall domes, the frustal planes of each dome being generally parallel to the back panel, each laterally projecting frustal sidewall dome generally abutting the back panel and being frontally circumscribed by an arcuate annular margin extending outwardly therefrom and forwardly with respect to the back panel; a housing back member defining the back panel of the housing, and portions of the pair of laterally opposed sidewalls, the housing back member being configured to define a pair of laterally opposed sidewall recesses extending substantially to the back panel of the housing back member and corresponding substantially in size and shape to a rearward portion of the laterally projecting frustal sidewall domes of the cover, at least one of the housing back member and cover defining at least a portion of the top wall; and a hinge coupling the housing back member and the cover such that the cover is pivotable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the laterally projecting frustal sidewall domes of the cover are positioned, configured and dimensioned to substantially define the sidewalls of the housing in the vicinity of a roll mounting when the housing is in a closed position and to provide substantially unobstructed access to the roll mounting when the cover is in an open position. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment, a dispenser configured to dispense rolls of sheet products, the dispenser including a mounting for rolls of sheet products and a housing with a back panel, top wall, a front wall and a pair of laterally opposed sidewalls comprises a cover defining the front wall of the dispenser as well as portions of the laterally opposed sidewalls of the dispenser housing, at least one sidewall of the cover providing a rearwardly extending projection, the rearwardly extending projection generally abutting the back panel; a housing back member defining a back of the housing, and portions of the pair of laterally opposed sidewalls, the housing back member being configured to define at least one sidewall recess extending substantially to the back of the housing back member and corresponding substantially in size and shape to a rearward portion of the rearwardly extending projection of the cover, at least one of the housing back member and cover defining at least a portion of the top wall; and a hinge coupling the housing back member and the cover such that the cover is pivotable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the rearwardly extending projection of the cover is positioned, configured and dimensioned to substantially define a portion of the sidewall of the housing in the vicinity of a roll mounted for dispensing when the housing is in a closed position and to provide substantially unobstructed access to the roll mounting when the cover is in an open position. 
         [0009]    The above described and other features are exemplified by the following Figures and detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0010]    Referring to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a housing of a dispenser in an open position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the housing of the dispenser in a closed position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the dispenser; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the dispenser illustrating the various parts; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view showing a mounting projection and locking log of a carousel frame of the dispenser; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view showing a bracket of the dispenser; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a schematic showing the carousel mounting shaft in an inner, locked position for dispensing; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a schematic showing the carousel mounting shaft in an outer, rotatable position suitable for reloading the dispenser. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]    Disclosed herein are sheet product dispensers that allow easy loading of sheet product rolls. The sheet product dispenser may be employed with one or more rolls. The term “sheet products” is inclusive of natural and/or synthetic cloth or paper sheets. Further, sheet products can include both woven and non-woven articles. Examples of sheet products include, but are not limited to, wipers, napkins, tissues, and towels. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , an exemplary dispenser housing, generally designated  12  is illustrated. Suitable materials for the housing  12  include, but are not limited to, metal and plastics. For ease and cost in manufacturing, in one embodiment, the components of the housing comprise an injection-molded structure made from a thermoplastic material, such as one that includes at least one of the following resins: acrylonitlile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins; polyacrylic resins; polycarbonate resins; polystyrene resins; and styrene-acrylic copolymer resins. 
         [0021]    The housing  12  includes generally a cover  14  defining a front wall  16  of dispenser  10 . Cover  14  includes a pair of rearwardly projecting sidewall dome lobes  18 ,  20 . The sidewall dome lobes  18 ,  20  extend rearwardly to a greater extent than adjacent sidewall portions  22 ,  24  of the cover  14 . The housing  12  also has a back housing member  30  which includes a pair of laterally spaced sidewall portions  32 ,  34  as well as a pair of laterally opposed sidewall recesses  36 ,  38  corresponding in size and location to at least about a circumference  41  of the ends of a roll  40  of sheet product, which is mounted in the dispenser  10 . The size of the sidewall dome lobes  18 ,  20  varies depending on the intended sheet product to be employed in the dispenser  10 . For example, in on embodiment, a tissue roll of diameter, D, typically of about 4 inches, may be employed. 
         [0022]    The back housing member  30  defines a top wall  42  of dispenser  10 . A hinge  48  couples the cover  14  and the back housing member  30  such that the cover  14  is pivotable between an open position  49   a  shown in  FIG. 1  and a closed position  49   b  shown in  FIG. 2 . Hinge  48  includes a plurality of molded-in pin mounts  53  in back housing member  30  as well as a hinge pin  50  and a plurality of molded-in pin mounts  54  of cover  14 . 
         [0023]    Sidewall dome lobes  18 ,  20  of cover  14  and the sidewall recesses  36 ,  38  of back housing member  30  are positioned, configured and dimensioned such that they cooperate to define the sidewalls of the housing  12  in the vicinity of roll  40  mounted for dispensing when the housing  12  is in the closed position  49   b  and to provide substantially unobstructed access to the roll  40  when the cover  14  is in the open position  49   a.    
         [0024]    In one embodiment, recesses  36 ,  38  are generally arcuate and sidewall dome lobes  18 ,  20  of the cover  14  are also arcuate. For example, the sidewall dome lobes  18 ,  20  can be frusto-spheroidal lobes. The arcuate recesses  36 ,  38  of the back housing member  30  and the sidewall dome lobes  18 ,  20  of the cover  14  extend substantially to back panel  52  of the housing  12  which can be mounted, for example, on a universal mounting plate secured to a wall. The sidewall dome lobes  18 ,  20  are located at an upper portion  62  of the cover  14 , while recesses  36 ,  38  are located at an upper portion  64  of back housing member  30 . The back housing member  30  includes a pair of laterally opposed sidewall portions  66 ,  68  extending outwardly from a lower central portion  70  and that the cover  14  includes a pair of corresponding or congruent cover recesses  71 ,  73  extending toward front wall  16  at a lower portion  72  of the cover  14 . The various recesses and projections cooperate in an interlocking manner as shown so that the cover  14  is securely supported by back housing member  30  over a plurality of horizontally extending segments  74 ,  76 ,  78  and  80  defined therebetween when the cover  14  is in the closed position  49   b.    
         [0025]    In one embodiment, back housing member  30  further defines a bottom wall  82 , which extends more than 50% of horizontal span  84  between a back  86  of the dispenser  10  and front wall  16  so as to be suitable as a support platform for a drive chassis, for example, as well as defining a primary dispensing aperture  90  located at a medial portion  92  of the bottom wall  82 . Back housing member  30  also includes a pair of laterally opposed mounting brackets  94 ,  96  for mounting a carousel assembly  100 . 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, the carousel assembly  100  is enclosed when the housing  12  is in the closed position  49   b.  An upper mounting  150  of carousel assembly  100  is substantially unobstructed when the dispenser  10  is open, for reloading, for example. Sidewall dome lobes  18 ,  20  are frusto-spheroidal in shape, projecting laterally from adjacent areas of the cover sidewalls and extending rearwardly generally abutting back panel  52 . At the back panel  52 , the sidewall dome lobes  18 ,  20  are truncated, such that the frustal plane of each sidewall dome lobe  18 ,  20  is generally parallel to back panel  52 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 4-8 , there is shown in more detail that carousel assembly  100  includes a mandrel base  160 , spindle locks  162 ,  164  as well as mandrel support shafts (also referred to interchangeably as roll mounts)  166 ,  168  that may respectively include a sleeve member. A mandrel support frame  180  with axial supports  182  along a central axis of rotation  186 . The supports  182  have round sections  188  as well as locking lugs  192 . In order to provide for a more compact dispenser, carousel assembly  100  is movable between an inner, locked position for dispensing and an outer, rotatable position for dispensing. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of support  182  (also referred to interchangeably as mounting projection  182 ) of frame  180  showing round section  188  as well as lug  192 . Brackets  94 ,  96  of back housing member  30  include an angled, elongated slot  220  with a substantially horizontal portion and a downwardly extending terminus  221  adjacent a channel  222 . More particularly, channel  222  is axially adjacent slot  220  along axis  186  of frame  180  when the various components are assembled as shown. 
         [0029]    When carousel assembly  100  is mounted in brackets  94 ,  96  by way of frame  180 , frame  180  (and thus carousel assembly  100  as well) arc movable between an inner locked position  199  shown in  FIG. 7  where lug  194  engages channel  222 , to an outer rotatable position  201  shown in  FIG. 8  where axis  186  of frame  180  has been shifted outwardly so as to provide clearance with respect to back  52  of back housing member  30  so that the carousel assembly  100  may be rotated in a direction indicated by arrow  224  for reloading. 
         [0030]    Advantageously, the dispenser disclosed herein allows for ease in reloading. Moreover, the use of a carousel assembly  100  allows multiple rolls of sheet product to be employed. The use of multiple rolls makes it much less likely that available sheet product will be exhausted, while the ability to move the axis of rotation  186  of the carousel assembly  100  outwardly for rotation allows for a compact dispenser profile. 
         [0031]    While the disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.