Patent Description:
Systems dispensing consumable products are ubiquitous in many environments today. For example, rolled towel and wipe dispensers are commonplace in private, semi-private and public washrooms, and kitchens and break rooms. Many such dispensers use sheets of paper in hard roll form with each sheet separated from the other by a perforation such that as each sheet is pulled from the dispenser the dispenser opening causes the sheet to break along the perforations to allow single sheet dispensing. However, if multiple sheets are needed the user must perform this same process, which results in multiple separate sheets when multiple connected sheets may be desired, e.g., to clean up a large spill. <CIT> discloses an arrangement of the prior art.

In general, the subject matter of this specification relates to a paper product dispenser for perforated roll-based dispensing. In one aspect of the invention a dispenser is provided according to claim <NUM>.

In another aspect of the invention a method is provided according to claim <NUM>.

Various optional embodiments are provided by the dependent claims.

The dispenser allows the user to remove one sheet at-a-time from the roll or stream multiple, connected, sheets from the roll, in either case without having to use two hands to separate the sheet(s) from the roll. In this way the user can easily select and switch between pulling one sheet at-at-time and pulling multiple sheets at-a-time as the need for the sheet(s) dictates.

When inserting a roll into a typical dispenser, the user must thread the first sheet (or first several sheets) through the center of the dispensing orifice/opening, which can be a delicate and challenging process. In some implementations, the dispenser described herein allows a user to engage the roll sheets to the orifice by allowing the user to pull the sheets through the side of the dispenser along a guide path. This side access to the orifice of the dispenser permits easy loading of a roll into the dispenser, e.g., as is needed to refill the dispenser with a new roll when the previous roll is depleted.

Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the disclosure.

The present disclosure generally relates to a rolled product dispenser that provides single sheet (e.g., one at a time) and multiple, interconnected sheet dispensing from a roll, e.g., a hand towel, wipes/wipers, bath tissue roll, while allowing single hand tearing of the sheet/sheets from the remainder of the roll.

The dispenser includes an opening or orifice through which the sheets are pulled for dispensing. The dispenser also includes a gate that moves between first and second positions. When the gate is in the first position the gate and orifice frictionally engage any sheets drawn through the orifice such that the frictional force is sufficient to break the perforations between the sheets to enable sheet-by-sheet dispensing (i.e., single sheet dispensing). The gate is biased towards (and held in) the first position by a biasing device such as a spring.

In the event a user desires multiple interconnected sheets (i.e., a continuous stream of sheets not separated from each other) the user moves the gate to the second position. In the second position the gate and orifice do not apply sufficient frictional force to the sheets to break the inter-sheet perforations as the sheets are drawn through the orifice. When the user lets go of the gate the spring draws the gate back towards the first position. This return to the first position is slowed by a dampener coupled to the gate that resists (but does not overcome) the biasing effect of the biasing device. As such, the gate returns to the first position at a slower rate as compared to its return without the dampener. The delay caused by the dampener allows a user to pull multiple sheets through the orifice before the gate reaches the first position. In this way the user can control whether the dispenser operates in single sheet or multi-sheet dispensing modes.

<FIG> is a representation of an example product dispenser <NUM>. The dispenser <NUM> can be, for example, a hand towel dispenser <NUM>, a wiper or wiper dispenser <NUM>, a bath tissue dispenser <NUM>, or the like for rolled paper products. Paper products describes sheet materials made from cellulose fibers (e.g., wood pulp), synthetic fibers (e.g., polypropylene) or some combination thereof, and include, for example, paper towels, bath tissue, and wipers. A rolled product is an interconnected sheet product that is wound around a core (or center axis), and a center pull product is a rolled product that is unwound from its core outward towards its periphery.

<FIG> is a representation of an example roll of paper product <NUM> (e.g., a rolled paper product that is center pulled). The paper product <NUM> includes a plurality of product sheets 106a separated by perforations 106b. As described below in greater detail, the perforations 106b have a break force, which is exceeded when the product <NUM> is pulled through the dispenser <NUM> in a dispense operation to separate, one-by-one, the sheets 106a for single sheet dispensing (when in the gate is in the first position as described below). The sheets 106a are pulled through the dispenser <NUM> and dispensed along the axis parallel to their length L.

The dispenser <NUM> includes a body <NUM>, e.g., a composite or metal housing or a combination thereof, with an outer surface (e.g., an exterior surface of the body <NUM>). The dispenser <NUM> also includes a product holding area <NUM> to hold paper product <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, which is a representation of the example dispenser <NUM> with the front cover 102a in an open position (the front cover 102a is in a closed position in <FIG>).

In some implementations, the product holding area <NUM> is a space or cavity within the body <NUM> in which the product <NUM> can be positioned for dispensing, and can be accessed by, for example, rotating or pivoting the front cover 102a, from a closed position, away from the back cover (e.g., the portion of the cover <NUM> mounted to or proximate the mounting surface, for example, a wall) by a hinge or the like to an open position. For example, the front cover 102a, when in the closed position, the back cover and the bottom side 102b of the dispenser <NUM> define the product holding area <NUM>.

The dispenser <NUM> also includes a dispensing device <NUM>, which operates to facilitate dispensing product <NUM>, as described, for example, with reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. <FIG> is a cutaway representation of the dispensing device <NUM> including the gate <NUM> in a first position, <FIG> is a detail view of another implementation of the dispensing device <NUM>, <FIG> is a cutaway representation of the dispensing device <NUM> including the gate <NUM> in a second position, and <FIG> is an exploded view of the dispensing device <NUM>.

In some implementations the dispensing device <NUM> is located at or proximate the bottom side 102b of the dispenser <NUM>. More generally, in implementations for a center pull rolled product, the dispensing device <NUM> is located proximate the core of the product <NUM> when the product <NUM> is positioned in the dispenser <NUM> for dispensing. In some implementations, the dispensing device <NUM> is positioned to align with and be proximate the center axis of the product <NUM>, e.g., aligned to the axis centered through the length of the open core of the rolled product <NUM>. In other implementations, the dispensing device <NUM> can be positioned anywhere on the front cover 102a, back cover or sides of the dispenser <NUM>, e.g., proximate the periphery of the roll <NUM>. For example, for a rolled product <NUM> that unwinds from its periphery, the dispensing device <NUM> is positioned on the front cover 102a. In either configuration the dispensing device <NUM> provides an opening, through an orifice <NUM>, in the dispenser <NUM> through which the product <NUM> can be moved from the product holding area <NUM> to a region external to the dispenser <NUM> (e.g., through the outer surface) for access and use by a user.

The dispensing device <NUM> includes a gate <NUM> moveable between a first position (as shown in <FIG>) and a second position (as shown in <FIG>), for example, with respect to the orifice <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. In some implementations, the gate <NUM> slides along a track (or other guide system or path) on the dispenser <NUM> that allows the gate <NUM> to move back and forth between the first and second positions, which changes the size of the orifice <NUM>. The orifice <NUM> has a smaller (opening) size in the first position as compared to the second position. More specifically, the orifice <NUM> has a first size (e.g., in terms of diameter) when the gate <NUM> is in the first position and the orifice <NUM> has a second size (e.g., in terms of diameter) when the gate <NUM> is in the second position, and the second size is greater than the first size.

In some implementations, when the gate <NUM> is in the first position, a sheet 106a passing through the orifice <NUM> pulls the next sheet partially through the orifice <NUM> before perforating from that next sheet, which allows the next sheet to protrude from the orifice <NUM> to let a user easily grab it. Thus in this operation the next sheet is partially pulled through the orifice <NUM> before it perforates from the sheet 106a being pulled by the user. To this end, the force applied by the orifice <NUM> (which at least partially defines the gate <NUM>) on the sheets 106a as they pass through the orifice <NUM> is designed to cause a sheet 106a to perforate from the next sheet 106a (by exceeding the force required to perforate the sheets) only after the next sheet 106a has partially passed through the orifice <NUM>.

In some implementations, this force is applied by friction between the sheet 106a and the perimeter of the orifice <NUM> is based, at least in part, on the diameter (or more generally size) of the orifice <NUM> and its configuration relative to the size, basis weight and/or composition of the paper <NUM> passing through it. As such, because the dispenser <NUM> and product <NUM> are designed to work together to ensure proper dispensing, the dispenser <NUM> also discourages unauthorized roll use as rolls not made to the appropriate specifications will either perforate prematurely (e.g., on a regular basis) or not perforate at all.

In some implementations, the dispenser <NUM> can have interchangeable gates <NUM> such that a first gate <NUM> with a first configuration (e.g., matched to the characteristics of a first type of rolled product to promote single sheet dispensing) is interchangeable with a second gate <NUM> with a second configuration (e.g., matched to the characteristics of a second sheet to promote single sheet dispensing), where the first and second gates <NUM> have different configurations and the first and second sheets have different characteristics, e.g., size, bulk, etc. The interchangeable gate <NUM> allows the dispenser <NUM> to work with different sheets with only changing the gate <NUM> to match the particular sheet-in-use. For example, the various gates <NUM> may be press fit into the dispenser <NUM>, e.g., through an interference fit, such as in a snap-in/snap-out fashion or they could mechanically engage the dispenser <NUM> through a screw-in and screw-out manner.

The dispenser <NUM> also includes a biasing device <NUM> that biases the gate <NUM> towards the first position such that, at rest, the biasing device <NUM> holds the gate <NUM> in the first position and, when the gate <NUM> is moved to the second position, returns the gate <NUM> to the first position. In some implementations, the biasing device <NUM> is a spring or other resilient member having a first end attached to the gate <NUM> and a second end attached to a non-moving part of the dispenser <NUM>. As such, when the gate <NUM> is moved towards the second position the biasing device <NUM> is placed into a tensioned (or compressed) state such that it resists the movement towards the second position (e.g., as would happen when a user pushes the gate <NUM> to the second position to get multiple, interconnected sheets).

However, in some implementations, if not resisted or impeded, the biasing device <NUM> could return the gate <NUM> to the first position too quickly (e.g., depending on the configuration of the biasing device <NUM>) and not allow enough time for a user to withdrawal multiple sheets while the gate <NUM> is in the second position and/or during the return to the first position. To this end, in some implementations, the dispenser <NUM> includes a dampener <NUM>. The dampener <NUM> is coupled to the gate <NUM> and impedes (or resists) the biasing device <NUM> from biasing the gate <NUM> towards, and returning the gate <NUM> to, the first position to delay, in time, the gate <NUM> from moving from the second position to the first position. This allows, for example, enough time to let a user withdrawal multiple, interconnected sheets at a time before the gate returns to the first position. Although the dampener <NUM> may resist the force applied by the biasing device <NUM> to return the gate <NUM> to the first position, the force applied by the dampener <NUM> is less than the force applied by the biasing device <NUM> such that the gate <NUM> will always return to or proximate the first position.

The dampener <NUM> can be, for example, a hydraulic or pneumatic dampener, or a spring or other resilient device. For example, the dampener <NUM> can be a rotational dampener <NUM> that is connected to the body of the dispenser <NUM> and mechanically engages the gate <NUM> (e.g., as shown in <FIG>) such that as the gate <NUM> is moved to the second position the gate <NUM> rotates the dampener <NUM> (e.g., via teeth on the gate <NUM> turning/rotating the dampener <NUM> in a first direction). As the gate <NUM> is released from the second position (e.g., by a user), the dampener <NUM> unwinds and in doing so retards or slows the return of the gate <NUM> from the second position to the first position, which allows time for a user to withdrawal multiple sheets. In some implementations, the dampener is mounted to the gate <NUM> and mechanically engages the body of the dispenser <NUM> such that as the gate <NUM> is moved to the second position mechanical engagement with the body <NUM> rotates the dampener <NUM> (e.g., via teeth on the body turning/rotating the dampener <NUM>).

The delay caused by the dampener <NUM> slowing the gate <NUM> from moving from the second position to the first position can be tuned to provide the desired amount of delay, which may be based on, for example, user preference, sheet parameters (e.g., the length of each sheet), the desired number of sheets to be dispensed during multi-sheet dispensing, or some combination thereof. For example, the delay can be set to be in the range between <NUM> and <NUM> seconds or in the range between <NUM> and <NUM> seconds including <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM> seconds. Thus, at a given rate of pulling X (e.g., X><NUM>) sheets through the orifice <NUM> during the delay, multiple sheets of paper can be dispensed in a continuous stream (i.e., without separating the sheets of the stream). In some implementations, the function of the biasing device <NUM> and the dampener <NUM> can be combined into one device or component.

The dispenser includes a movable door <NUM> that (when in a closed positon) defines, at least in part and in combination with the gate <NUM>, the orifice <NUM>, as shown, for example, in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. In some implementations the movable door <NUM> is connected to the dispenser <NUM> proximate the gate <NUM> in a movable manner, for example, through a rotatable hinge or pivot point, to allow the movable door <NUM> to move been a closed position (e.g., as shown in <FIG>) and an open position (as shown in <FIG>). The movable door <NUM>, when in the open position, allows the series of interconnected sheets to enter the orifice <NUM> through a side of the orifice <NUM>, as opposed to having to be fed down through the center of the orifice <NUM>. For example, a user can move the moveable door <NUM> to the open position, and slide the sheets <NUM> through the opening in the perimeter of the dispenser <NUM> towards the gate <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. As described above, this facilitates loading of the roll <NUM> because the user does not have to insert the sheets <NUM> through the small opening in the orifice <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A dispenser (<NUM>) for dispensing rolled product having a series of interconnected sheets separated by perforations, the dispenser comprising:
a body (<NUM>) having a product holding area (<NUM>) for holding the rolled product (<NUM>);
a dispensing device (<NUM>) having an orifice (<NUM>) defining an opening in the body to the product holding area, a gate (<NUM>) configured to move between a first position and a second position with respect to the orifice, a biasing device (<NUM>) configured to bias the gate towards the first position, and a dampener (<NUM>) coupled to the gate and configured to impede the biasing device from biasing the gate towards the first position to delay, in time, the gate from moving from the second position to the first position;
wherein:
in the first position the gate frictionally engages the series of interconnected sheets passing through the orifice with enough force to break a perforation separating two contiguous sheets of the series to cause single sheet dispensing; and
the delay allows multiple sheets of the series of interconnected sheets to pass through the orifice, when pulled at a given rate, before the gate moves from the second position to the first position; and
wherein the dispenser further comprises a movable door (<NUM>), wherein the orifice is defined at least in part by the gate, and the movable door is configured to allow the series of interconnected sheets to enter the orifice through a side of the orifice.