Automatic napkin dispenser

• US 10,383,489 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Case, Abby C., Gennrich, David James, Latham, Stephen Andrew, Strahm, Christopher Timothy, Kallsen, Kent J., Casper, Ted Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/576,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20150102048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 221 33- 63, 700231-244
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/42 dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3668 Detection of the presence of a user
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1924 Napkins or tissues, e.g. dressings, toweling, serviettes, kitchen paper and compresses
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/10 from or with devices for breaking partially-cut or perforated webs, e.g. bursters
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/142 Pocket-type folders
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/18 Oscillating or reciprocating blade folders carried on rotary members B65H45/16

Abstract

The present application provides a tucker fold dispenser for folding and dispensing a sheet of material. The tucker fold dispenser may include an outer shell, a removable roller cassette positioned within the outer shell, a paper path therethrough, a number of loading rollers positioned about the paper path, a number of folding rollers positioned about the paper path, and a tucker bar mechanism positioned about the folding rollers.

Claims

1. A tucker fold dispenser for folding and dispensing a sheet of material, comprising:

an outer shell; and

a removable roller cassette slidably positioned within the outer shell;

a paper path therethrough the removable roller cassette;

a plurality of feed rollers positioned about the paper path;

a plurality of folding rollers positioned about the paper path; and

a tucker bar mechanism positioned about the plurality of folding rollers for tucking the sheet material into the plurality of folding rollers.

2. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 1, wherein the outer shell comprises a roll holder assembly.

3. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of feed rollers comprises an angled position off of a horizontal axis.

4. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 1, wherein the removable roller cassette comprises a gear and a pinion to drive the plurality of feed rollers.

5. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of feed rollers comprises a feed roller spring.

6. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of folding rollers comprises an angled position off of a vertical axis.

7. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 6, wherein the angled position comprises about ten degrees to about thirty degrees.

8. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 1, wherein the removable roller cassette comprises a gear and a pinion to drive the plurality of folding rollers.

9. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of folding rollers comprises a folding roller spring.

10. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 1, wherein the paper path comprises a first wall about the tucker bar mechanism and a second wall about the plurality of folding rollers.

11. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 10, wherein the removable roller cassette comprises the first wall.

12. The tucker fold dispenser of claim 11, wherein the first wall comprises an offset section to accommodate a curl in the sheet material.

13. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 1, wherein the paper path comprises a paper path sensor about the plurality of folding rollers.

14. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 1, wherein the tucker bar mechanism comprises a plate-like tucker bar.

15. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 14, wherein the tucker bar mechanism comprises a linkage mechanism in communication with the plate-like tucker bar.

16. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 15, wherein the tucker bar mechanism comprises a solenoid in communication with the linkage mechanism.

17. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 14, wherein the plate-like tucker bar comprises a plurality of tucker bar fingers that overlap in the paper path to prevent premature feeding of the sheet material into the plurality of folding rollers.

18. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a presentation tray.

19. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 18, wherein the presentation tray is in communication with the removable roller cassette via an upper paper pathway and a lower paper pathway.

20. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 18, wherein the presentation tray comprises a stack of napkins aligned in two dimensions.

21. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 20, wherein each napkin in the stack is aligned within ten percent of the other napkins in any one dimension.

22. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 20, wherein each napkin in the stack is aligned within five percent of the other napkins in any one dimension.

23. The tucker bar dispenser of claim 18, wherein the presentation tray comprises a paper tray sensor.

24. A tucker fold dispenser for folding and dispensing a sheet of material, comprising:

an outer shell; and

a removable roller cassette slidably positioned within the outer shell;

a paper path therethrough the removable roller cassette;

a plurality of feed rollers positioned about the paper path;

a plurality of folding rollers positioned about the paper path; and

a tucker bar mechanism positioned about the plurality of folding rollers for tucking the sheet material into the plurality of folding rollers;

wherein the outer shell comprises a loading door with a tucker finger.