Easy loading dispenser

• US 20030019971A1
• Filed: 07/30/2001
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Taylor, Russell C., Lewis, Richard P., Tramontina, Paul F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,607,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 242/564.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3637 using a crank or handle
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3687 with one or more reserve rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/365 Triggering mechanism for the blade

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing rolled materials wherein the dispenser includes a housing adapted to support a roll of material. A cover is attached to the housing, the cover being pivotable upwardly to an open position and pivotable downwardly to a closed position. A first roller may be attached to the housing and a second roller may be attached to the cover. A dispensing opening is formed between the housing and the cover when the cover is in its closed position, so that the leading portion of a roll of material that is placed within the housing may extend over the first roller. When the cover is moved to its closed position, the leading portion is captured in the nip formed between the first roller and the second roller, thus eliminating the need to feed the leading portion of the rolled material through the nip formed by the rollers.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing rolled materials, the dispenser comprising:

a housing adapted to support a roll of material;

a cover attached to the housing, the cover being pivotable upwardly to an open position and pivotable downwardly to a closed position;

a first roller attached to the housing;

a second roller attached to the cover so that, when the cover is in its lowered position, the rollers are adjacent to each other and a nip is formed between the rollers;

an actuator adapted to engage one of the first or second rollers to cause such roller to rotate and dispense rolled material that is positioned in the nip; and

a dispensing opening formed between the housing and the cover when the cover is in its closed position;

whereby the leading portion of a roll of material that is placed within the housing may extend over the first roller and, when the cover is moved to its closed position, the leading portion is captured in the nip formed between the first roller and the second roller.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1 further comprising a roll support system adapted to rotatably support a roll of material within the dispenser.

3. The dispenser according to claim 2, the roll support system comprising at least two supports, each support being attached to the housing.

4. The dispenser according to claim 3, at least one of the supports comprising a rearward portion and a forward portion, the rearward portion of the support being attached to the housing and the forward portion of the support being urged toward the other support.

5. The dispenser according to claim 3 further comprising an engaging member attached to at least one of the supports, the engaging member adapted to engage one side of a roll of material.

6. The dispenser according to claim 5, the engaging member comprising a chamfered surface.

7. The dispenser according to claim 1 further comprising at least one stub roll support.

8. The dispenser according to claim 1, the actuator comprising an actuating lever comprising an actuating handle which extends through an aperture in the cover, the actuating lever being pivotably attached to the housing, the actuating lever further comprising a toothed edge, a guide through which the actuating handle extends, the guide including a slot, and a sliding idler gear slidably attached to the housing so that the gear is movable between one position where it engages the toothed edge of the actuating lever and another position where it does not engage the toothed edge of the actuating lever.

9. The dispenser according to claim 1, the housing further comprising a first dispensing region and the cover further comprising a second dispensing region, the dispensing opening formed by the first dispensing region and the second dispensing region when the cover is in its closed position.

10. A dispenser for dispensing rolled materials, the dispenser comprising:

a housing adapted to support a roll of material comprising a first dispensing region;

a cover comprising a second dispensing region, the cover being movable between a closed position and an open position;

a dispensing opening formed by the first dispensing region and the second dispensing region when the cover is in its closed position;

a first roller attached to the housing;

a second roller attached to the cover so that, when the cover is in its open position, the first and second rollers are spaced apart from each other, and when the cover is in its closed position, the first and second rollers are adjacent to each other and a nip is formed between the rollers; and

an actuating mechanism adapted to engage one of the first or second rollers to cause such roller to rotate and dispense rolled materials.

11. The dispenser according to claim 10 further comprising a roll support system adapted to rotatably support a roll of material within the dispenser.

12. The dispenser according to claim 11, the roll support system comprising at least two supports, each support being attached to the housing.

13. The dispenser according to claim 11, at least one of the supports comprising a rearward portion and a forward portion, the rearward portion of the support being attached to the housing and the forward portion of the support being urged toward the other support.

14. The dispenser according to claim 11 further comprising an engaging member attached to at least one of the supports, the engaging member adapted to engage one side of a roll of material.

15. The dispenser according to claim 14, the engaging member comprising a chamfered surface.

16. The dispenser according to claim 10, the actuating mechanism comprising an actuating lever comprising an actuating handle which extends through an aperture in the cover, the actuating lever being pivotably attached to the housing, the actuating lever further comprising a toothed edge, a guide through which the actuating handle extends, the guide including a slot, and a sliding idler gear slidably attached to the housing so that the gear is movable between one position where it engages the toothed edge of the actuating lever and another position where it does not engage the toothed edge of the actuating lever.

17. A dispenser for dispensing rolled materials, the dispenser comprising:

a housing comprising a dispensing region, the housing being adapted to support a roll of material;

a cover comprising a dispensing region, the cover being movable between a closed position and an open position;

a dispensing opening formed by the dispensing region of the housing and the dispensing region of the cover when the cover is in its closed position; and

a drive roller attached to the housing and disposed above the dispensing region of the housing,

a pressure roller attached to the cover so that, when the cover is in its open position, the pressure roller is spaced apart from the drive roller and when the cover is in its closed position, the rollers are adjacent to each other and a nip is formed between the rollers, so that a leading portion of a roll of material that is placed within the housing may extend over the drive roller and into the dispensing region of the housing and, when the cover is moved to its closed position, the leading portion is disposed in the nip formed between the first roller and the second roller and is positioned within the dispensing opening; and

an actuator adapted to rotate the drive roller and dispense rolled materials.

18. The dispenser according to claim 17 further comprising a roll support system adapted to rotatably support a roll of material within the dispenser.

19. The dispenser according to claim 18, the roll support system comprising at least two supports, each support being attached to the housing.

20. The dispenser according to claim 19, at least one of the supports comprising a rearward portion and a forward portion, the rearward portion of the support being attached to the housing and the forward portion of the support being urged toward the other support.

21. The dispenser according to claim 19 further comprising an engaging member attached to at least one of the supports, the engaging member adapted to engage one side of a roll of material.

22. The dispenser according to claim 21, the engaging member comprising a chamfered surface.

23. The dispenser according to claim 17, the actuator comprising an actuating lever comprising an actuating handle which extends through an aperture in the cover, the actuating lever being pivotably attached to the housing, the actuating lever further comprising a toothed edge, a guide through which the actuating handle extends, the guide including a slot, and a sliding idler gear slidably attached to the housing so that the gear is movable between one position where it engages the toothed edge of the actuating lever and another position where it does not engage the toothed edge of the actuating lever.