Patent Publication Number: US-6666364-B2

Title: Easy loading dispenser

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to dispensers of rolled products, and more particularly to dispensers having features that permit simple and easy insertion and removal of a roll of material into the dispenser. 
     Dispensing of rolled paper products such as paper toweling, bathroom tissue, and the like, is common in commercial facilities such as airports, manufacturing plants, and shopping malls. Rolled paper products are dispensed in different areas within these facilities, such as restrooms and work areas. In such facilities, it is important to use maintenance personnel in an efficient manner, including minimizing both the number of visits maintenance personnel must make to these locations as well as the amount of time expended tending to the dispensers on each visit. 
     To install a roll of material into many of the currently available dispensers, maintenance personnel must thread the leading end of the rolled paper product through a series of rollers so that the product dispenses properly. Additionally, some dispensers require that the roll of paper product be installed in the dispenser so that the roll rotates in a particular direction. If the roll of paper product is not loaded correctly, the product may not dispense properly. Such dispensers require maintenance personnel to spend additional time ensuring that the roll of paper product is loaded correctly into the dispenser and threaded properly through the dispensing mechanism. Thus, it is desirable to utilize a dispenser that permits rolls of paper product to be easily and correctly loaded into the dispenser in a rapid and efficient manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to opposed cantilevered adapters for supporting a roll of material. The adapters have a roll bearing surface, a projection surface with a first end and a second end such that the first end is substantially coterminous and substantially perpendicular to the roll bearing surface at each point along an interface formed therebetween, and an actuating surface angularly coterminous with the second end of the projection surface. The cantilevered adapters are mounted on opposed rigid surfaces in coaxially aligned, spaced apart relation such that the application of a biasing force applied to the actuating surface causes the adapters to deflect in a direction away from the opposed adapter, and removal of the biasing force causes the adapter to protrude toward the opposed adapter. The adapters may further include a connecting portion contiguous to the actuating surface and distal to the projection surface for joining the adapters to the opposed rigid surfaces. The roll bearing surface is sufficiently distal to the opposed rigid surfaces, thereby permitting adequate deflection for insertion or removal of the roll. 
     The present invention also relates to a dispenser for dispensing a material from a cored roll having a housing having a plurality of opposed walls forming an interior volume and an opening, a means for dissociating the material from the roll disposed proximal to the opening, and at least one pair of cantilevered adapters mounted on opposed walls within the interior volume in substantially coaxially aligned, spaced apart relation. At least one adapter further comprises a roll bearing surface, a projection surface having a first end and a second end such that the first end is substantially coterminous with the roll bearing surface, and an actuating surface angularly coterminous with the second end of the projection surface. The first end and the bearing surface are substantially perpendicular at each point along the interface therebetween. The application of a biasing force to the actuating surface causes the adapters to deflect in a direction away from the opposed adapter, and removal of the biasing force causes the adapter to protrude toward the opposed adapter. The dispenser may further include adapters having a connecting portion contiguous to the actuating surface and distal to the projection surface for joining the adapters to the opposed walls. The connecting portion positions the roll bearing surface sufficiently distal to the opposed walls to permit adequate deflection for insertion or removal of the roll. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser; 
     FIG. 2 shows a rear elevational view of a cored roll mounted in the dispenser; 
     FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of loading a dispenser; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an adapter in a dispenser; and 
     FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary release mechanism. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a dispenser of rolled materials, such as, for example, rolled paper products. An embodiment of a dispenser according to the present invention is depicted in FIG.  1 . The dispenser  20  shown therein includes a housing  22  having a plurality of walls, including at least two side walls  24  and  26 , the plurality of walls defining an interior volume  32  and an opening  34  therethrough. A roll  36  of a material  38  is contained within and dispensed from the interior volume  32  of the housing  22 . A tail  40  of the material  38  extends from the opening  34  and allows users to remove the material  38  from the housing  22 . A blade  42  or other cutting means proximal to the opening  34  serves as a tear point for material  38  dispensed from the housing  22 . The housing  22  is typically mounted on a rigid surface such as, for example, a restroom wall or stall. A possible manner of mounting the housing  22  to a surface may include providing mounting blocks  44  having fastener holes  46  on the exterior of the housing  22 . Alternative methods of mounting the dispenser  20  are possible and will be known to those skilled in the art. The dispenser  20  may optionally have a window  48  made of translucent or transparent material for viewing the roll  36  as it is depleted. 
     FIG. 2 depicts in greater detail the dispenser  20  of the present invention. Angular guides  50  may be provided within the housing  22  to assist in directing the roll  36  during loading. At least one pair of cantilevered adapters  52  mounted on opposed rigid surfaces, for example, walls  24  and  26 , within the interior  32  in substantially coaxially aligned, spaced apart relation extend into a core  54  of the roll  36  and provide a fixed mounting axis upon which the material  38  is dispensed. At least one adapter  52  of each pair of cantilevered adapters  52  has a roll bearing surface  58 , a projection surface  60  having a first end  62  and a second end  64  such that the first end  62  is substantially coterminous and substantially perpendicular to the roll bearing surface  58  at each point along an interface  74  formed therebetween, and an actuating surface  66  angularly coterminous with the second end  64  of the projection surface  60 . In some embodiments, the projection surface  60  is substantially parallel to the opposed rigid surfaces to which the adapter  52  is mounted, for example, walls  24  and  26 . Further, in some embodiments, the roll bearing surface  58  is substantially perpendicular to the opposed rigid surfaces to which the adapter  52  is mounted, for example, walls  24  and  26 . 
     The adapters  52  are designed not only to engage the core  54  of the roll  36  for dispensing, but also to facilitate both insertion and removal of the roll  36 . FIG. 3 depicts insertion of a cored roll  36  into the dispenser  20 . The roll  36  may be held so that the core  54  is roughly parallel to the dispenser opening  34  and may be oriented so that it rotates advantageously in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction unlike some prior art apparatuses. As the roll  36  is moved into the housing  22  in a direction Y, the roll  36  is urged toward the opposed adapters  52  by, for example, angular guides  50 . 
     As the roll  36  is pushed further into the dispenser  20 , the roll  36  contacts the actuating surface  66  (FIG. 5) of the adapters  52 . The adapters  52  are mounted on opposed rigid surfaces in substantially coaxially aligned, spaced apart relation such that the application of a biasing force applied to the actuating surface  66  causes the adapters  52  to deflect in a direction X away from the opposed adapter, and removal of the biasing force causes the adapter  52  to protrude toward the opposed adapter  52 . In some embodiments, the opposed rigid surfaces may be opposed walls  24 ,  26  of the dispenser  20 . As a result, each adapter  52  deflects in a direction X away from the opposed adapter  52 . The adapters  52  should be designed to deflect sufficiently to enable the roll  36  to clear the projection surface  60  of the adapters  52 . The distance that the adapters  52  deflect is limited by contact with the walls  24 ,  26  or other components of the dispenser  20 . Thus, the adapters  52  should be appropriately dimensioned and made of a suitable material to permit sufficient deflection. 
     When the core  54  of the roll  36  is aligned with the projection surface  60  of the adapters  52 , the biasing force is removed and the adapters  52  project toward the roll  36  (FIG.  2 ). The projection surface  60  is then located inside the core  54  of the roll  36  and the roll bearing surface  58  is available to provide an axis about which the roll  36  rotates for dispensing the material  38  (FIG.  2 ). For this to occur, the projection surface  60  should be dimensioned to fit within the core  54  of the roll  36 . 
     Though both adapters  52  are depicted having an actuating surface  66 , it should be understood that only one adapter  52  need be configured with an actuating surface  66  having a geometry adapted to deflect in a direction X away from its opposed paired adapter  52  upon application of a biasing force. Such a biasing force may be applied by insertion or removal of the roll  36 , or by use of a release mechanism  70 , shown in FIGS. 3-5. Removal of the biasing force causes the adapter  52  to protrude toward its opposed paired adapter  52  thereby making the roll bearing surface  58  available for mounting the roll  36 . When only one adapter  52  has an actuating surface  66  (not shown), the roll  36  is mounted by first positioning one end of the roll  36  on the other adapter  52 , then the other end of the roll  36  is advanced toward the adapter  52  having the actuating surface  66 . The application of the biasing force to the actuating surface  66  will cause the adapter  52  to move in a direction X away from the opposed adapter  52 , thereby creating sufficient space for the roll  36  to pass by the adapter  52  and be mounted thereon. 
     Returning to FIG. 2, when the roll  36  is mounted within the housing  22 , the adapters  52  engage the core  54  of the roll  36 . The roll  36  is supported by the roll bearing surface  58  of the adapters  52 , which provide an axis about which the roll  36  rotates for dispensing the material  38  (FIG.  2 ). Brake springs  72  contiguous to the roll  36  may be employed to provide a frictional and compressive force to retard overspin of the roll  36  during dispensing. The adapters  52  are preferably designed to facilitate ease of rotation of the core  54  about the roll bearing surface  58 . One possible way to accomplish this is to manufacture the roll bearing surface  58  using a material having a low dynamic coefficient of friction, such as, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene. Further, as seen in FIG. 4, the interface  74  between the roll bearing surface  58  and the projection surface  60  may be curvilinear and may correspond to the curvature of the core  54  of the roll  36  so that the roll  36  rests and rotates on the bearing surface  58  without hindrance by undesirable frictional forces. 
     When the roll  36  has been completely dispensed, one may simply reach into the dispenser  20  and bend the core  54  so that the adapters  52  no longer extend into the core  54 . The core  54  may then be removed from the dispenser  20  and discarded as desired. 
     In some circumstances it is desirable to remove a full roll  36  or a partially dispensed roll  36 . Removal of a partially dispensed roll  36  from the dispenser  20  may be appropriate where a period of heavy use of the dispenser  20  is anticipated, during which there may not be an opportunity to refill the dispenser  20 . It may also be necessary to remove a full or partially dispensed roll  36  if it becomes contaminated or damaged. 
     To remove the full roll  36 , the user may employ one or more release mechanisms  70  as represented by FIGS. 3-5. When the user actuates the release mechanism  70 , the adapter  52  deflects in a direction X away from its opposed adapter  52 , disengaging the adapter  52  from the core  54  of the roll  36 . The user then manually removes the roll  36  from the opposed adapter  52  and removes the roll  36  from the housing  22 . Where a release mechanism  70  is provided for two opposed adapters  52 , the simultaneous activation of both release mechanisms  70  will cause the adapters  52  to completely disengage the core  54  of the roll  36 . The roll  36  then drops downward from the dispenser  20  and may be removed. In one embodiment depicted in FIG. 5, the release mechanism  70  slidably engages the adapter  52  when pushed in a direction S away from the opening  34 . In another embodiment not shown, the user must engage a push button or the like to actuate the release mechanism  70 . Alternative methods of releasing the roll  36  are possible and will be known to those skilled in the art. Such alternatives are contemplated by the present invention. 
     To remove a partially dispensed roll  36 , the roll  36  is pushed within the dispenser  20  in a direction Y away from the opening  34  (FIG.  3 ). The exertion of a biasing force by the core  54  against the actuating surface  66  causes the adapters  52  to deflect in a direction X away from the opposed adapter  52  (FIG.  3 ). When the core of the roll  36  is no longer engaged, the roll  36  is pushed toward the back of the housing  22 , where it drops toward the opening  34  and is manually removed. 
     In some embodiments such as that shown in FIG. 2, the dispenser  20  may further include adapters  52  having a connecting portion  68  contiguous to the actuating surface  66  and distal to the projection surface  60  for joining the adapters  52  to the opposed rigid surfaces. Where the adapters  52  and the rigid surfaces are made of a moldable material such as metal or plastic, the adapters  52  and the rigid surfaces may be a unitary piece, optionally separated by a connecting portion  68 . Alternatively, the adapters  52  may be separately mounted to the rigid surfaces, for example, opposed walls  24 ,  26  of the dispenser  20 . The connecting portion  68  should be designed to position the roll bearing surface  58  sufficiently distal to the opposed rigid surfaces to permit adequate deflection for insertion or removal of the roll  36 . 
     In one possible embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the connecting portion  68  has a profile that is substantially linear. However, the connecting portion  68  may have any profile, including, but not limited to, an L-shape (not shown) or a U-shape (not shown). A connecting portion  68  having a particular profile may be desirable to attain the required deflection of the adapter  52  or to accommodate the design of the dispenser  20 . 
     An additional consideration in designing the adapter  52  is whether a fillet radius should be used at points of high stress. Sharp corners at the juncture between the adapter  52  and the rigid surface to which it is mounted and at the juncture between the actuating surface  66  and the connecting portion  68  (where used) may be points of high stress during loading and unloading the roll  36  at which yielding or breakage may occur. Use of a fillet radius may help to alleviate the stress and extend the life of the adapter  52 . 
     The adapters  52  may be made of any suitable material, such as a polymer, metal, or the like, provided that the material possesses sufficient flex characteristics at the desired adapter  52  dimensions. Further, the adapter  52  surfaces may have any thickness, provided that the ability of the adapters  52  to deflect during insertion and removal of a roll  36  is not impeded. In some embodiments, the adapters  52  are formed from sufficiently flexible plastic using molding techniques known to those skilled in the art. Alternatively, the adapters  52  may be constructed of various components joined together thermally, adhesively, by solder, or the like. 
     Whether the adapter  52  possesses sufficient flexibility is governed by fundamental principles of mechanics. The adapter  52  will be deflected multiple times during insertion and removal of the roll  36 , so it is imperative that the strain on the adapter  52  does not exceed the allowable dynamic strain on the particular material. Strain on the adapter  52  is a function of both the dimensions of the adapter  52  and its ability to deflect. Methods of calculating strain on the adapter  52  are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The maximum allowable dynamic strain for a given material is readily available from the material supplier and is often presented as a stress-strain curve. Suitable materials for the present invention may include, but are not limited to acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), nylon, aluminum, steel, and the like. 
     The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventive characteristics thereof. The present embodiments therefore are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.