Patent Abstract:
The dispenser for roll materials is adapted for permanent mounting to any convenient vertical surface, e.g., a wall, door, or other vertical panel. The dispenser includes a cabinet having one or more compartments, each compartment storing and dispensing material from a roll. An openable front cover is disposed over the front of the cabinet, the front cover having a corresponding number of dispensing openings therethrough and a cutting implement slidably attached adjacent each dispensing opening. The cutting blade of each cutting implement is disposed to the opposite side of the opening from the slotted track to which the cutting implement is attached, thereby providing access to the free end of the roll material after each cut. The dispenser is particularly well suited for installation in the kitchen for dispensing aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and wax paper, and may also include an optional paper towel holder depending beneath the cabinet.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to dispensing devices, and more particularly to a dispenser for roll materials, such as aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and wax paper as commonly used in the kitchen, although the dispenser may be used in other areas and/or configured or scaled up for the dispensing of other roll materials. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The provision of thin, flexible sheet material on rolls has been known for a considerable time. Conventionally, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, wax paper, and similar materials are supplied in roll form, with a single roll being contained within its own box or carton. Generally, the box or carton is equipped with a cutting edge in order to separate sheets of the material from the roll as desired. One of the problems with such individually boxed rolls of material is that storage space must be provided for the individual cartons, and storage space is often at a premium in kitchen areas. Space must be found in a drawer or perhaps atop a cabinet or countertop, which space is thus lost for other purposes. 
         [0005]    Moreover, the cartons supplied with such roll material are disposable, which means that their materials (and the cutting edge provided therewith) are relatively cheap. As a result, such cartons with their cutting edges generally do not do a good job of dispensing and cutting the roll material contained therein. The material will oftentimes snag or hang up in the carton or on an edge thereof as it is being dispensed, and use of the inexpensive and poor quality cutting edge of the carton to cut a length of roll material often results in an uneven cut or tearing of the material. 
         [0006]    While holders and the like for disposable paper towels are well known, they are generally mounted beneath an existing cabinet, separate from other roll materials. Such holders work well for goods such as paper towels, which are conventionally provided with perforations to facilitate the separation of short lengths from the roll without requiring a cutting device. However, such holders are not suitable for roll materials provided in continuous, unbroken lengths, as they cannot provide a cutting edge for the separation of a length of material from the roll. 
         [0007]    Thus, a dispenser for roll materials solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The dispenser for roll materials provides for the convenient storage and dispensing of one or more rolls of material therein, while also providing a cutting tool(s) therewith for the separation of shorter lengths of material from the roll(s). The dispenser includes a cabinet adapted for permanent attachment to a vertical surface, such as a wall, door, or kitchen cabinet door or side. The dispenser cabinet has an openable or removable front cover. The cabinet includes one or more individual roll storage compartments. The front cover has a corresponding number of dispensing openings and cutting implements therein. 
         [0009]    The cutting implements are secured to the front cover of the cabinet by a lateral slotted track formed in the front cover. Each cutter has a retaining slide mechanism captured in the slotted track. The actual cutting element extends from the cutter somewhat below the track and slide. A bridge serving as a handle extends between the slide and the cutting implement. A dispensing opening is provided across the span beneath the cutter bridge or handle. As the cutter separates the sheet material below the edge of the dispensing opening, a free end of the material is always provided in the dispensing opening for the user to grasp and pull from the dispenser when needed. 
         [0010]    The dispenser for roll materials may include one or more roll storage compartments or shelves. There is preferably a separate compartment for each type of roll material to be used. The dispenser for roll materials is particularly useful for storing and dispensing roll materials commonly used in the kitchen, e.g., aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and wax paper, but may be used for the storage and dispensing of other roll materials at other locations. An optional paper towel holder may be mounted beneath the cabinet, if so desired. 
         [0011]    These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a first embodiment of a dispenser for roll materials according to the present invention, illustrating various features thereof. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 , broken away and partially in section to show further details thereof. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view in section of an alternative embodiment of a dispenser for roll materials according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a detailed perspective view of one of the cutter assemblies for of a dispenser for roll materials according to the present invention, with an alternative embodiment cutting element shown exploded away from the cutter assembly. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    The dispenser for roll materials may provide for the storage and dispensing of one or more rolls of material, and is particularly well suited for use in the kitchen for dispensing such materials as wax paper, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap. However, it will be recognized that the device may be scaled up for dispensing material normally supplied on larger rolls, such as fabric goods and the like. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  of the drawings provides a perspective view of a first embodiment of the dispenser for roll materials, designated as dispenser  10  in the drawings. The dispenser  10  provides storage and dispensing for three rolls of material contained therein, but it will be seen that the dispenser may be configured to hold and dispense more or fewer rolls of material. For example, a two-roll dispenser  110  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The two dispensers  10  and  110  differ only in the number of compartments provided for roll storage and have various components in common with one another. 
         [0019]    The dispenser  10  includes a cabinet  12  (mostly concealed behind the front cover in  FIG. 1 , but shown partially in  FIG. 2 ). The cabinet has a back panel  14  with mutually opposed left and right side panels  16  and  18  (the right side panel  18  being similar to, but somewhat taller than, the right side panel  118  of the dispenser  110  of  FIG. 3 ). The back panel  14  is adapted for mounting to any convenient and substantially vertical surface, e.g., the side of an existing cabinet, a wall, or a door using screws, adhesives, or other conventional attachment means. The back panel  14  (or  114 , in the embodiment  110  of  FIG. 3 ) need not be continuous, but may comprise a plurality of sections in order to save material. 
         [0020]    A plurality of shelves extends forward from the back panel and between the two side panels, as shown by the shelves  120  of the dispenser  110  of  FIG. 3  extending from the back panel  114  and right side panel  118 . Each shelf  120  has a forward edge  122  and a front ledge  124  depending therefrom. This configuration is also carried out in the three-roll dispenser  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the forward ledges  24  being shown in the drawings. 
         [0021]    The dispenser includes a front cover that is removably installed over the cabinet, as shown by front cover  26  for the cabinet  12  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  and front cover  126  for the cabinet  112  of  FIG. 3 . The front cover  26  (or  126 ) includes a relatively wide sheet passage  28  (or  128 ) formed therethrough for each roll of material to be contained within the dispenser, the corresponding front ledge  24  (or  124 ) protruding therethrough and defining a relatively narrow gap between the ledge  24  and the edge of the sheet passage  28  to control the path of the sheet material dispensed therefrom. The various panels of the cabinet  112 , e.g., left side panel and its opposite right side panel  118  of the dispenser  110  of  FIG. 3 , its back panel  114 , each of its shelves  120  and their front ledges  124 , and the top panel  130  of the front cover  126 , define a plurality of compartments  132  therein, each corresponding sheet passage  128  communicating with its respective compartment  132  within the dispenser  110 . While the top of the uppermost compartment  132  is defined by the top panel  130  of the front cover  126 , the tops of the other compartments are defined by the respective overlying shelf  120 . The corresponding uppermost compartment of the dispenser  10  of  FIG. 1  is covered by the top panel  30  of its front cover  26 . 
         [0022]    Each compartment  132  is adapted for the storage therein and dispensing therefrom of roll material R, e.g., plastic wrap, aluminum foil, wax paper, etc. Additional security for the rolls R contained within the compartments  132  is provided by a series of roll retainers  134  extending upwardly from the forward portion of each shelf  120 , generally opposite the forward ledge  124  of the shelf. The lowermost compartment  32  and the uppermost edges of the corresponding roll retainers  34  of the dispenser  10  are shown in the left portion of  FIG. 2 , i.e., the portion of the dispenser  10  having the cover  26  removed to expose details of the underlying cabinet  12 . 
         [0023]    The various embodiments of the cabinets and their corresponding covers are preferably formed of an at least somewhat flexible and resilient material, such as a durable plastic or the like. The front cover, e.g., the cover  26  of the dispenser embodiment  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , includes mutually opposed left and right flanges extending from the lateral edges of the cover  26 , the left flange  36  being visible in  FIG. 1 . Each of the lateral flanges includes a latch passage therethrough, e.g., the latch passage  38  of the left flange  36  of the cover  26 . Each of the side panels of the cabinet, e.g., the left side panel  16  of the cabinet  12  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , has a flexible or resilient latch  40  protruding slightly outwardly therefrom. The forward portion of the latch  40  is not attached to the cabinet side panel  16 , but the rearward end of the latch  40  extends from the side panel  16  and is formed of the same material. When the front cover  26  is installed over the cabinet  12 , the latches (e.g., latch  40 ) snap into place within the corresponding latch passages (e.g., latch passage  38 ) to secure the cover  26  to the cabinet  12 . The cover  26  is easily removed from the cabinet  12  by pressing the latches  40  inwardly and sliding the cover  26  away from the cabinet  12 . 
         [0024]    The resilient material of which the cabinet and cover are preferably formed provides for other features as well.  FIG. 1  illustrates a pair of optional paper towel holder arms  42 ,  44  depending from the bottom panel  46  of the cabinet  12 . The bottom panel  46  extends between the left and right side panels and forward from the back panel of the cabinet. It will be seen that the lower portion of the dispenser  10  of  FIG. 2  may be equipped in the same manner, if so desired. As the paper towel holder assembly is an option, it is not shown in  FIG. 2  in order to illustrate this configuration. However, it will be seen that such arms may be provided with the dispenser  110  of  FIG. 3 , so that the towel holder would depend from the bottom panel  146  of the cabinet  112 . 
         [0025]    The two arms  42 ,  44  are preferably formed as integral components of the resilient plastic cabinet  12  (or  112 ). The flexible nature of the material allows the two arms to be spread apart from one another to grip the core of a paper towel roll P therebetween, as is known in the art. Alternatively, the two arms  42 ,  44  may be spring-biased toward one another to grip the paper towel roll P therebetween. The term “flexible” is intended to include both the flexible mounting or attachment of integral paper towel holder arms, as well as hinged arms that are mechanically biased toward one another by springs or the like. 
         [0026]    As paper towel rolls are conventionally provided with perforations to facilitate their separation as needed, no other means for separating such paper towel segments or lengths from one another need be provided. However, most other roll materials are provided as continuous and unbroken lengths of material, the user determining the appropriate length to be removed from the end of the roll for use. Accordingly, the dispenser includes a plurality of cutters  48  for cutting a sheet of material S from the corresponding roll R. Each of the cutters  48  is secured within and slides along a corresponding laterally disposed cutter track  50  formed above the corresponding sheet opening or passage  28  of the cover  26 . Each cutter  48  includes a blade (shown in  FIG. 4 , and discussed in detail further below) that extends through the sheet passage  28  of the cover to engage a corresponding laterally disposed blade slot  52  formed in the lower portion of each front ledge  24  of the cabinet  12 . The corresponding components of the dispenser  110  of  FIG. 3  are designated as cutter track  150  and blade slot  152 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  provides a detailed illustration of an exemplary cutter  48 , as installed with each of the dispenser embodiments. The cutter  48  is used in all embodiments of the dispenser, and includes an elongated handle  54  having a track end  56  and an opposite blade end  58 . A slide apparatus comprising a pair of resilient barbed fingers  60  protrudes from the track end  56  of the handle  54 , and engages corresponding passages  62  in a retaining member  64 . The cutter  48  is secured to the front cover  26  (or  126 ) by inserting the fingers  60  through one of the tracks  50  (or  150 ), and snapping the retaining member  64  over the barbed ends of the fingers  60  from the back side of the cover  26  (or  126 ). The cutter  48  is thus secured to the cover  26 , but is free to slide laterally along the track  50  by means of the fingers  60  extending through the track  50 . 
         [0028]    The opposite blade end  58  of the cutter  48  includes a short axle  66  having a pair of resilient rotary wheels  68  installed thereon. The axle  66  and wheels  68  are captured within the blade end  58  of the cutter  48 . A circular blade  70   a  is captured between the two resilient wheels  68  and rotates therewith. The periphery of the blade  70   a  extends outward from the blade end  58  of the cutter handle  54 . The resilient wheels  68  bear against the underlying material, e.g., the protruding end of a sheet of aluminum foil or other material as dispensed from the corresponding compartment, the wheels  68  rolling along the sheet material and the circular blade  70   a  engaging the blade slot  52  (or  152 ) to cut the material along the line defined by the blade slot  52  and travel of the blade  70   a.    
         [0029]      FIG. 4  also illustrates an alternative blade configuration, comprising a polygonal blade  70   b  (e.g., square, etc.) installed on an axle  66  between a pair of resilient rotary wheels  68 . In this particular embodiment the blade  70   b  does not rotate within the blade handle  54 , as the interior corner(s) of the polygonal blade  70   b  engage the interior of the blade end  58  of the blade handle  54  to hold the blade  70   b  stationary relative to the remainder of the cutter  48 . Thus, the extended tip or corner of the polygonal blade  70   b  acts as a knife or razor blade, rather than rotating. 
         [0030]    The device is loaded by removing the front cover from the cabinet, removing the rolled material from its retail container, placing the roll of material within the desired compartment, and extending the free end of the sheet through the corresponding sheet passage of the cover as the cover is reinstalled over the cabinet. The sheet of material extends through the relatively narrow gap between the upper edge of the sheet passage and the upper edge of the corresponding front ledge when the cover is installed. 
         [0031]    Material is cut to the desired length by pulling the exposed edge of the material from its sheet passage gap as desired and sliding the cutter assembly  48  from one end of its track to the other, generally as shown by the uppermost cutter assembly in  FIG. 1 . It will be noted that the elongate cutter handle spans the width of the exposed front ledge therebeneath, i.e., the path of the blade in its blade slot is somewhat below the outlet gap for the sheet material. Thus, when a sheet of material is cut, an exposed edge of the material equal in width to the height of the exposed front ledge remains available for the user to grasp for the next dispensing operation for that sheet. A shallow groove or depression is provided in the face of the front ledge to facilitate grasping the free end of the sheet material to pull it from the dispenser for the next use. 
         [0032]    While the primary description of the dispenser for roll material has been directed to a device configured for use in the kitchen or for dispensing materials of comparable size, it will be seen that no limitations have been placed upon the size or dimensions of the dispenser. Accordingly, the dispenser for roll material may be scaled up to serve as a dispenser for larger rolls of material, e.g., bolts of fabric on rolls to provide for the convenient cutting to length of fabric from those rolls. Such a device will be most useful in fabric and yard good stores, as well as in other operations (industrial, retail sales, etc.) where lengths of material must be cut from continuous rolls of material. 
         [0033]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1