Sheet Material Dispenser With Perforation Sensor and Method

• US 20070152010A1
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia Pacific Consumer Operations LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Broehl, Joshua, Denen, Dennis, Knittle, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,832,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 225/10
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3612 with drive and pinch rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3625 with electronic control means
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3675 Braking devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/512 Marks, e.g. invisible to the human eye; Patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2553/412 in barrier arrangements, i.e. emitter facing a receptor element
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/10 from or with devices for breaking partially-cut or perforated webs, e.g. bursters
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 43/00 Use of control, checking, or safety devices, e.g. automatic devices comprising an element for sensing a variable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/205 With feed-out of predetermined length from work supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/211 Manually operated feed-out mechanism

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing sheet material including a plurality of spaced perforations may include a housing defining an interior for accommodating a source of the sheet material, and an outlet through which the sheet material may be dispensed. The device may also include a perforation sensor configured to sense perforations in the sheet material, disposed in the interior of the housing. The perforation sensor may include at least one light receptor, and at least a portion of the perforation sensor may be positioned in the housing to contact sheet material traveling from the source to the outlet, thereby spreading perforations in the sheet material.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material including a plurality of perforations, the dispenser comprising:

a source of the sheet material, the sheet material comprising one of paper towel, toilet paper, tissue paper, or wrapping paper, and the sheet material also comprising a plurality of perforations;

a housing defining an interior for accommodating the source of the sheet material, and an outlet through which the sheet material is dispensed;

a rotatable roller comprising at least two spaced roller sections; and

a perforation sensor disposed in the interior of the housing, the perforation sensor being configured to sense perforations in the sheet material and including at least one light receptor and a light emitter, the light receptor and the light emitter being spaced apart from one another such that the sheet material travels therebetween to pass light from the emitter to the receptor via the perforations,

wherein at least a portion of the perforation sensor is located between two roller sections.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a controller in the housing, the controller selectively activating the perforation sensor.

3. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material including a plurality of perforations, the dispenser comprising:

a housing defining an interior for accommodating a source of the sheet material, and an outlet through which the sheet material is dispensed; and

a perforation sensor configured to sense perforations in the sheet material and including at least two light receptors and a light emitter, the light receptors and the light emitter being spaced apart from one another such that the sheet material travels therebetween to pass light from the emitter to at least one of the receptors via the perforations;

wherein the perforation sensor comprises a differential trans-impedance amplifier for detecting light incident upon at least one of the light receptors.

4. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material, the dispenser comprising:

a housing defining an interior for accommodating a source of the sheet material, and an outlet through which the sheet material is dispensed;

at least one rotatable roller in the housing, at least a portion of the sheet material being in contact with the roller when the sheet material travels from the source to the outlet; and

a rotation monitor configured to monitor the amount of rotation of the roller to thereby determine the amount of sheet material traveling downstream from the roller,

wherein the rotation monitor comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being configured to move in response to rotation of the roller and the second portion being configured to contact the first portion and provide a signal indicative of rotation of the roller.

5. The dispenser according to claim 4, further comprising a brake configured to brake rotational movement of the roller, and a controller configured to selectively activate the brake.

6. The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to activate the brake when the rotation monitor detects a predetermined amount of rotation of the roller.

7. The dispenser according to claim 5, further comprising a perforation sensor configured to sense perforations in the sheet material, wherein the controller activates the brake when the perforation sensor senses a perforation.

8. The dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the first portion comprises a wheel defining at least one cut-out.

9. The dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the dispenser further comprises a source of the sheet material, the sheet material comprising one of paper towel, toilet paper, tissue paper, or wrapping paper, and the sheet material also comprising a plurality of perforations.

10. A method of dispensing sheet material, comprising:

providing a dispenser containing a source of sheet material including a plurality of spaced perforations, the dispenser comprising a perforation sensor including at least one light receptor and a light emitter, at least one rotatable roller, a brake configured to selectively brake rotation of the roller, and an outlet for dispensing sheet material;

passing sheet material from the source to the outlet, wherein the sheet material contacts the roller and the roller rotates, and wherein the sheet material passes between the light receptor and the light emitter;

detecting a perforation in the sheet material by sensing an increased amount of light reaching the light receptor from the light emitter; and

activating the brake to cause tension in the sheet material when an end portion of the sheet material is pulled,

wherein the brake includes a detent member and a solenoid having an arm configured to selectively engage the detent member when the brake is activated.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the activating of the brake includes activating the solenoid.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the dispenser further comprises a source of the sheet material, the sheet material comprising one of paper towel, toilet paper, tissue paper, or wrapping paper, and the sheet material also comprising a plurality of perforations.

13. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material including a plurality of spaced perforations, the dispenser comprising:

a housing defining an interior for accommodating a source of the sheet material, and an outlet through which the sheet material is dispensed;

at least one rotatable roller in the housing, at least a portion of the sheet material being in contact with the roller when the sheet material travels from the source to the outlet;

a perforation sensor disposed in the interior of the housing, the perforation sensor being configured to sense perforations in the sheet material; and

a rotation monitor configured to monitor the amount of rotation of the roller to thereby determine the amount of sheet material traveling downstream from the roller, the rotation monitor comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being configured to move in response to rotation of the roller and the second portion being configured to contact the first portion and provide a signal indicative of rotation of the roller.

14. A dispenser according to claim 13, further comprising a brake configured to brake rotational movement of the roller and a controller for controlling the brake, the controller being in electrical communication with the perforation sensor and rotation monitor.

15. The dispenser according to claim 13, wherein the dispenser further comprises a source of the sheet material, the sheet material comprising one of paper towel, toilet paper, tissue paper, or wrapping paper, and the sheet material also comprising a plurality of perforations.