Abstract:
A spindle sleeve for a sheet product dispenser is disclosed having a body with a first end, a second end, an inner diameter, an outer diameter, and a central longitudinal axis. The body includes a first portion disposed proximate the first end, a second portion disposed proximate the second end, and a third portion disposed between the first and second portions. The third portion has a U-shaped cutout defining a cantilevered flexible finger oriented to align with the central longitudinal axis, and the first and second portions have unbroken surfaces of the body around the perimeter of the body at the first and second ends, respectively. The finger has a dorsal-type fin extending perpendicular to the outer surface of the finger.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates generally to the securing and dispensing of sheet product, more particularly to the securing and dispensing of sheet product from a coreless roll, and even more particularly to a spindle sleeve for use with the dispensing of sheet product from a roll. 
     Sheet product roll dispensers can include roll support spindles that incorporate a sleeve having a rotational degree of freedom relative to the support spindle, for dispensing of the sheet product. To increase an amount of friction between the sleeve and the roll support spindle, and for reducing excessive rotation of a roll of sheet product and overspending of the sheet product, the sleeve may incorporate engagement features that are responsive to installation of the roll of sheet product thereupon to cause at least a portion of the sleeve to contact both the support spindle and the coreless inner diameter of the sheet product roll. Manufacturing tolerances of sheet product rolls can result in inner diameter variations from one roll of sheet product to the next. In some circumstances, the inner diameter variation and interaction between the sleeve and the inner diameter of the sheet product roll can result in “telescoping”, or axial displacement of a center portion of the sheet product roll in response to installation of the roll upon the sleeve. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a sheet product dispensing arrangement that overcomes these drawbacks. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the invention includes a spindle sleeve for a sheet product dispenser, the spindle sleeve having a body with a first end, a second end, an inner diameter, an outer diameter, and a central longitudinal axis. The body includes a first portion disposed proximate the first end, a second portion disposed proximate the second end, and a third portion disposed between the first and second portions. The third portion has a U-shaped cutout defining a cantilevered flexible finger oriented to align with the central longitudinal axis, and the first and second portions have unbroken surfaces of the body around the perimeter of the body at the first and second ends, respectively. The finger has a dorsal-type fin extending perpendicular to the outer surface of the finger. 
     Another embodiment of the invention includes an apparatus for dispensing sheet product from a coreless roll supply of the sheet product. The apparatus includes a first housing member and a second housing member closable and lockable to the first housing member, the first and second housing members defining an interior space for receiving the sheet product when the second housing member is closed upon the first housing member, and a support frame with a spindle disposed within the housing for receiving and supporting the sheet product. Disposed upon the spindle is a spindle sleeve as described above. Upon installment of the coreless roll supply upon the spindle sleeve, the dorsal-type fin is pushed by the coreless roll supply toward the spindle, thereby biasing the cantilevered flexible finger against the spindle creating an interference fit of the spindle sleeve between the spindle and the coreless roll supply. 
     These and other advantages and features will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention that is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the accompanying Figures: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a sheet product dispenser in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a roll support structure for use in the sheet product dispenser of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  depict sleeves for use with the sheet product dispenser of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the invention provides a spindle sleeve that includes one or more flexible fingers with fins disposed proximate a central region of the sleeve. A U-shaped cutout in the sleeve body defines each flexible finger, which forms a cantilevered spring from the body of the sleeve. In an embodiment, the fins are dorsal-type fins that include a rounded tip to allow the inner diameter of a coreless roll of sheet product to slide on and off of the sleeve without catching on an edge of the fin. 
     The term “sheet products” as used herein is inclusive of natural and/or synthetic cloth or paper sheets. Sheet products may include both woven and non-woven articles. There are a wide variety of nonwoven processes and they can be either wetlaid or drylaid. Some examples include hydroentagled (sometimes called spunlace), DRC (double re-creped), airlaid, spunbond, carded, paper towel, and meltblown sheet products. Further, sheet products may contain fibrous cellulosic materials that may be derived from natural sources, such as wood pulp fibers, as well as other fibrous material characterized by having hydroxyl groups attached to the polymer backbone. These include glass fibers and synthetic fibers modified with hydroxyl groups. Examples of sheet products include, but are not limited to, wipers, napkins, tissues, rolls, towels or other fibrous, film, polymer, or filamentary products. 
     In general sheet products are thin in comparison to their length and breadth and exhibit a relatively flat planar configuration and be flexible to permit folding, rolling, stacking, and the like. The sheet product may have perforations extending in lines across its width to separate individual sheets and facilitate separation or tearing of individual sheets from the roll at discrete intervals. Individual sheets may be sized as desired to accommodate the many uses of the sheet products. For example, perforation lines may be formed every 13 inches to define a universally sized sheet. Multiple perforation lines may be provided to allow the user to select the size of sheet depending on the particular need. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a dispenser  10  having a first housing member  16  with ends  12 ,  14 , and a second housing member  20  closable upon the first housing member  16 , the first and second housing members defining an interior of the dispenser when the second housing member  20  is closed upon the first housing member  16 . A latch  24  provides a means for latching and locking the second housing member  20  to the first housing member  16 . 
       FIG. 2  depicts a roll support means including a support frame  30  having axially aligned roll support spindles  32 ,  34  projecting outwardly from the center of the support frame  30  and away from each other. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a roll of sheet product  42  is mounted on one of the roll support spindles  32 ,  34 . However, it will be appreciated that each support spindle  32 ,  34  is suitable for receiving a roll of sheet product as described herein. 
     In one embodiment, an opening  58  in second housing member  20  accommodates a cover  60  slidably movable within the opening  58 . The cover  60  is movable between a first cover location wherein a first roll of sheet product is exposed for user access and a second roll of sheet product is concealed or otherwise not exposed for user access, and a second cover location wherein the second roll of sheet product is exposed for user access and a first roll of sheet product is concealed or otherwise not exposed for user access. That is, the cover  60  may be slid relative to the housing  16 ,  20  by a manual force being exerted thereon between the first and second cover locations. At a first edge the cover  60  defines a slot that receives the second housing member  20 , and at a second edge the cover  60  is received within a slot defined by the second housing member  20  and a longitudinally extending reinforcement member  64 . 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  collectively depict the roll support spindles  32 ,  34  having a support shaft  78  and a sleeve  80  rotatably disposed about the support shaft  78  for insertion into the roll of sheet product. For example, the roll support spindles  32 ,  34  may be utilized with coreless rolls of toilet tissue, which typically have a small central opening. The support shafts  78  may tapered at the outer end thereof to facilitate entry of the roll support spindles  32 ,  34  and associated sleeve  80  into the central opening of the coreless toilet tissue roll. 
     In an embodiment, the sleeve  80  further includes at least one flexible finger  90  with a dorsal-type fin  84  disposed proximate a central region (third portion) of the sleeve  80 , as will be described further below. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  depict exemplary sleeves  80  having a body  82  with a first end  86  and a second end  88 . The body  82  is further defined as having a first portion  110  proximate the first end  86 , a second portion  112  proximate the second end  88 , and a third portion  114  disposed between the first and second portions. The sleeves  80  include the dorsal-type fin  84  disposed in the region of the third portion  114 . 
     The fin  84  is disposed upon a flexible element or finger  90  which is depressed inwardly upon insertion of the sleeve  80  into the roll of sheet product  42 , such as a coreless toilet tissue roll for example, thereby creating frictional engagement between the fins  84  and the sheet product  42 , and between the flexible fingers  90  of the sleeve  80  and the support spindles  32 ,  34 , which serves to resist rotation of the sleeve  80  and the roll of sheet product  42  about the support spindles  32 ,  34  to an extent that the sheet product roll  42  will not “freewheel” relative to the roll support spindles  32 ,  34 . For example, in response to disposal of a coreless roll sheet product  42  over the spindle support shaft  78 , the innermost convolution of sheet product will contact the fin  84  disposed upon the finger  90 . In so doing, the finger  90  will contact the support shaft  78  (at the support spindles  32 ,  34 ) and increase the frictional resistance therewith in order to prevent over-rotation of the roll  42  during the dispensing thereof. 
       FIG. 3  further depicts a side view of the fin  84 , which in an embodiment includes a tapered profile  93  having a first tapered portion  100 , a second tapered portion  102 , and a rounded apex  98  having a radial dimension  94  beyond the outer diameter O.D. of the body  82 . The first tapered portion  100  is disposed between the rounded apex  98  and the first portion  110  of the body  82 , and the second tapered portion  102  is disposed between the rounded apex  98  and the second portion  112  of the body  82 , the first and second tapered portions tapering from the rounded apex  98  to the outer diameter O.D. of the body  82 . Stated alternatively, the radial dimension  94  of the fin  84  varies with an axial distance  96  of the fin  84  relative to at least one of the first end  86  and the second end  88  of the sleeve  80  (illustrated in  FIG. 3  relative to the first end  86 ). The rounded apex  98  allows the roll  42  to slide on and off the sleeve  80  without catching upon a sharp edge of the fin  84 . Inclusion of the tapered profile  93  and/or the rounded apex  98  of the fin  84  disposed upon the flexible finger  90  accommodates variations of an inner diameter of the roll  42 , thereby reducing a likelihood of telescoping of the center portion of the roll  42  in response to insertion of the roll  42  upon the sleeve  80 . 
     In an embodiment, a second set of dorsal-type fins  104  are rigidly disposed upon the body  82  of the sleeve  80  proximate the second end  88 . Second fins  104  may have ends with tips  106  that are sharp or pointed to prevent the roll  42  from being easily pulled or pushed off of the sleeve  80 . In another embodiment, the tips  106  may include rounded ends to allow removal of the roll  42  from the sleeve. 
     As disclosed, some embodiments of the invention may include some of the following advantages: an ability to accommodate different rolls of sheet product that have a variation of an inner diameter from one roll to another without resulting in telescoping of the roll during installation of the roll in the dispenser; and, an ability to effectively prevent free-wheeling of the roll of sheet product. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, 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 invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best or only mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.