Abstract:
A dispenser for storing and dispensing multiple rolls of sheet material is described. The rolls are held in place within the interior space of the housing by a pair of spindle holders. The housing front cover has an opening and a slidable door disposed therein to provide access to the rolls. A restricting member is movably coupled to the housing interior and biased to move in a direct towards an outmost winding of a roll. As the roll is dispensed, the restricting member moves out of the pathway of the door, eventually allowing a user to slide the door across the opening so that a second roll may be accessed.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority to provisional application Ser. No. 61/472296 filed on Apr. 6, 2011. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The field of the invention relates to dispensing rolls of sheet material, and more particularly to toilet tissue dispensers for dispensing two rolls on an alternate basis. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Dispensers for dispensing two or more rolls of paper product (e.g., toilet tissue, paper towels) are known. In many circumstances, it is advantageous to limit access to only one roll at any given time, thus providing a “reserve roll” (e.g., a backup roll) that cannot be accessed until a “primary roll” is completely depleted. Such dispensers are usually, but not exclusively, employed in institutional environments such as public rest rooms. 
         [0004]    Paper product dispensers of the type discussed above are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,265,816, 6,202,956, 5,314,131, and 7,083,138. These and all other extrinsic materials discussed herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply. 
         [0005]    Unfortunately, the dispensers described in the above references are complex, difficult to manufacture/assemble, and have a high part count. It would be advantageous to provide a paper product dispenser with a restricted-access reserve compartment, wherein the dispenser is simple, reliable, and has a low manufacturing cost. 
         [0006]    Unless the context dictates the contrary, all ranges set forth herein should be interpreted as being inclusive of their endpoints, and open-ended ranges should be interpreted to include commercially practical values. Similarly, all lists of values should be considered as inclusive of intermediate values unless the context indicates the contrary. 
         [0007]    Thus, there is still a need for improved paper product dispensers that restrict access to a reserve roll. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The inventive subject matter provides apparatus, systems and methods in which a dispenser for dispensing rolls of sheet material (e.g., paper products) includes a housing having an opening and a slidable door for accessing an interior space (e.g., internal compartment) of the housing. The interior space is large enough to store at least two rolls of sheet material. A restricting member is movably disposed within the interior space of the housing, and is configured to (i) move as a function of a diameter of one of the rolls and (ii) restrict the door from sliding until a desired diameter of the roll is obtained. In this manner, one of the rolls is stored in “reserve” (i.e., it cannot be accessed) until the other roll is completely depleted (or at least depleted up to a predetermined threshold). 
         [0009]    In one aspect of some embodiments, the dispenser further includes two or more pairs of spindle holders disposed in the interior space. Each pair of spindle holders is configured to removably receive a spindle. The spindle can be inserted into a core of a roll of sheet material and then coupled with the spindle holders so that the roll of sheet material can be stored in, and dispensed from, the interior space of the dispenser housing. 
         [0010]    In other aspects of some embodiments, the housing includes a second restricting member. Each restricting member is configured to move as a function of a diameter of a different roll. In this manner, the door is restricted from moving to a first position until a first roll is depleted. Once in the first position, the door is restricted from moving into a second position until the second roll is depleted. 
         [0011]    In yet other aspects, the restricting member is rotatably coupled with the housing. The restricting member has a paddle portion (e.g., a first end) that is biased to rotate such that the paddle portion either directly or indirectly contacts an outmost winding of the roll. The restricting member also has a stop (e.g., a second end) that is configured to extend into a pathway of the door. The stop is also configured to move out of the pathway as the roll is depleted. In some embodiments, the door has a protrusion extending from the door&#39;s interior surface. The stop is configured to interfere with the pathway of the protrusion as a function of the diameter of the roll, thus restricting the door from sliding until the roll is sufficiently depleted. 
         [0012]    In another aspect of some embodiments, the housing&#39;s opening has a track that provides a slidable engagement for the door. The length of the track defines the pathway traveled by the door. 
         [0013]    Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a toilet tissue dispenser shown with front cover closed and loaded with toilet tissue. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 , shown with front cover open and toilet tissue removed. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 , shown with front cover open and loaded with toilet tissue. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a section view of the side of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 , shown with a full roll of toilet tissue. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a section view of the side of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 , shown with a core of a depleted roll of toilet tissue. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The following discussion provides many example embodiments of the inventive subject matter. Although each embodiment represents a single combination of inventive elements, the inventive subject matter is considered to include all possible combinations of the disclosed elements. Thus if one embodiment comprises elements A, B, and C, and a second embodiment comprises elements B and D, then the inventive subject matter is also considered to include other remaining combinations of A, B, C, or D, even if not explicitly disclosed. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a side-by-side toilet tissue dispenser  1  in a ready-to-use state. Dispenser  1  is a two-part housing comprising a front cover  2  rotatably coupled with a rear housing  3  via hinge  17  (see  FIG. 2 ). Front cover  2  and rear housing  3  could alternatively be translatably coupled and could comprise three or more components without departing from the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. The combination of front cover  2  and rear housing  3  define an interior space  4  (see  FIG. 2 ) for storing rolls of toilet tissue  11   a  and  11   b . Front cover  2  has an opening  8  and a track  6  disposed on a border of opening  8 . Slidable door  5  is disposed in track  6  and slides across opening  8  to provide access to rolls  11   a  and  11   b . Only one of rolls  11   a  and  11   b  are accessible at any given time due to the presence of door  5 . 
         [0021]    Interior space  4  is sized and dimensioned to completely enclose rolls  11   a  and  11   b . Alternatively, dispenser  1  could be configured such that rolls  11   a  and  11   b  are only partially enclosed. Furthermore, the size and shape of interior space  4  (and thus front cover  2  and rear housing  3 ) can be configured to store different types (e.g., coreless, solid-core, etc.), sizes (e.g., 3 inches diameter, 6 inches diameter, etc.), and/or materials (e.g., paper, plastic, aluminum, etc) of sheet material. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows dispenser  1  with front cover  2  opened and rolls  11   a  and  11   b  removed. Front cover  2  has a key  18  and lock mechanism  19  for locking front cover to rear housing  3 . With front cover  2  open, interior space  4  is readily visible. Within space  4  are two pairs of spindle holders  9  and two spindles  10   a  and  10   b  for storing and dispensing two rolls of toilet tissue.  FIG. 2  also shows the interior surface of door  5 , which has a first protrusion  7   a  and a second protrusion  7   b  extending from the interior surface of door  5  and into space  4 . Door  5  is disposed in track  6  and is slidable within opening  8  along a pathway. As used herein, “pathway” means the space occupied by the door, including the door&#39;s protrusions, as it slides within an opening. 
         [0023]    Spindles  10   a  and  10   b  can either be of a fixed length, or of a variable length. Furthermore, spindles  10   a  and  10   b  can be configured for use with “reduced-core,” “standard-core, ” and/or “coreless” rolls of sheet material. In other embodiments, spindles  10   a  and  10   b  can be completely eliminated and spindle holders  9  can be configured to engage a “solid-core” roll of sheet material. As used herein, “solid-core” means a roll of sheet material that has substantially no center aperture. As used herein, “coreless” means a roll of sheet material having no separate core material (e.g., cardboard core for toilet tissue). As used herein, “reduced-core” means a roll of product that has a core diameter substantially smaller than a standard diameter size. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows dispenser  1  with front cover  2  open and rolls of toilet tissue  11   a  and  11   b  loaded in interior space  4 . Rotatably coupled to front cover  2  are first restricting member  13   a  and second restricting member  13   b . Restricting members  13   a  and  13   b  each have a first end and a second end, namely, paddle portions  15   a  and  15   b  and stops  14   a  and  14   b , respectively. The function of restricting members  13   a  and  13   b  is best illustrated by  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show a side section view of dispenser  1  and restricting member  13   a . Restricting member  13   a  is rotatably coupled to front cover  2  via hinge  12   a . Hinge  12   a  is disposed on an interior surface of front cover  2 . Restricting member  13   a  is biased to rotate in a clockwise direction such that paddle portion  15   a  rests on the outmost winding of roll  11   a . The bias can be provided by appropriately positioning the weight of paddle portion  15   a  above roll  11   a  within a field of gravity, or alternatively, using a spring. As roll  11   a  is dispensed and depleted, restricting member  13   a  rotates clockwise about hinge  12   a , causing stop  14   a  to rotate out of the pathway of door  5 . Eventually, roll  11   a  is depleted until core  16  is exposed. Restricting member  11   b  functions similar to  11   a , except that restricting member  11   b  contacts an outmost winding of roll  11   b  and inters with protrusion  7   b  of door  5 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows stop  14   a  disposed in the pathway of protrusion  7   a  and  FIG. 5  shows  14   a  out of the pathway of protrusion  7   a . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that stop  14   a  need not completely pass through pathway in order to impede door  5  from sliding. 
         [0027]    Stop  14   a  and protrusion  7   a  are configured to interfere with one another until a predetermined diameter (i.e., “threshold”) of roll  11   a  is reached. Once the threshold is reached, a user can then slide door  5  along track  6  in order to access roll  11   b . The threshold can be defined by the diameter of an empty core (i.e., 100% depletion of the roll), or by some other desirable threshold (e.g., 95% depleted, 97% depleted, 99% depleted, etc.) as determined by a user. 
         [0028]    In alternative embodiments, restricting members can be translationally, rather than rotatably, coupled to a dispenser housing. In such embodiments, the restricting member is biased to translate towards an outmost winding of a roll. As the roll is dispensed, the restricting member translates in a direction and out of the pathway of the door. 
         [0029]    As used herein, “stop” simply refers to a portion of the restricting member that is appropriately sized and dimensioned to impede a dispenser door from moving further. The term “stop” is not intended to require any coupling or engagement with the door. 
         [0030]    As used herein, “paddle” means a surface. The term “paddle” is not intended to imply any particular size or shape. As such, the term paddle includes flat and curved surfaces. 
         [0031]    The inventive subject matter is not intended to be limited to “paper products.” One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the inventive concepts discussed herein can be applied to any rolled sheet material, including non-absorbent and/or non-paper products, such as rolls of stamps, tickets, plastic wrap, and aluminum foil. The inventive subject matter is also not intended to be limited to “side-by-side” dispensers. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the inventive concepts can be equally applied to horizontal dispensers, vertical dispensers, and any other orientation. 
         [0032]    In addition, the number of rolls per dispenser is not intended to limit the present application. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that dispenser  1  can be modified to store any number of rolls of sheet material. Furthermore, dispenser  1  can be modified with a sufficient number of doors, openings, tracks, and restricting members in order to limit access to any desired number of rolls at any given time (e.g., 2 out of 5 rolls are accessible) and as a function of the diameter of other rolls of toilet tissue within the dispenser. 
         [0033]    As used herein, and unless the context dictates otherwise, the term “coupled to” is intended to include both direct coupling (in which two elements that are coupled to each other contact each other) and indirect coupling (in which at least one additional element is located between the two elements). Therefore, the terms “coupled to” and “coupled with” are used synonymously. 
         [0034]    As used herein, “sides” means a surface of a structure. As such, “side” does not refer to any particular orientation or location and can include lateral surfaces, front/back surfaces, and/or top/bottom surfaces. The term “side” includes planar as well as non-planar surfaces. 
         [0035]    It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Where the specification claims refers to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C . . . and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one element from the group, not A plus N, or B plus N, etc.