Paper towel dispensing system

• US 5,205,454 A
• Filed: 05/18/1992
• Issued: 04/27/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: James River II, Inc. (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schutz, Rudolph W., Weinert, Lawrence E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yost, Frank T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, RINALDI I
• Application Number:
  US07/884,923
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 225/1, 225/2, 225/4, 225/5, 225/100, 225/106, 206/409, 221/25, 221/26, 221/27, 242/55.2, 242/55.53, 226/127, 226/128, 226/129
• US Class Current: 225/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/16 Paper towels; Toilet paper; Holders therefor dispensers A47K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/38 the web being rolled up with or without tearing edge A47K10/36 and A47K10/46 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/10 from or with devices for breaking partially-cut or perforated webs, e.g. bursters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/10 Methods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/393 Web restrainer

Abstract

A system for dispensing individual sheet material segments from a roll of sheet material. The sheet material is separated into individual segments by perforated tear lines which are shaped to incrementally pass through a nip formed by nip rollers due to a pulling force exerted on an end-most segment by a user. A drag force opposed to the pulling force is exerted on the sheet material by the nip rollers so that the tear line tears as it passes through the nip. Tearing along the perforated tear line is not completed until a portion of an adjacent segment is presented for pulling by a subsequent user.

Claims

1. A method of separating individual segments from a web of sheet material divided into segments by a plurality of perforated tear lines, said perforated tear lines being spaced from one another and extending across the width of said web, and said segments including an end-most segment, said method comprising the steps of:

pulling said end-most segment by applying a pulling force on said end-most segment in a predetermined direction;

during said pulling step, transporting said end-most segment through a nip defined by nip rollers;

pressing said rollers together and deforming at least one of the nip roller rollers to create a drag force on said end-most segment with said rollers as said end-most segment passes through said nip, said drag force being opposed to said pulling force;

utilizing said opposed pulling and drag forces to tear said web of sheet material along the perforated tear line separating the end-most segment from an adjacent segment as said end-most segment is transported through said nip; and

completing the tearing of said perforated tear line separating the end-most segment from said adjacent segment after a portion of the adjacent segment has passed through said nip.

2. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll of sheet material having a terminal end and side edges, said sheet material additionally having a plurality of perforated tear lines dividing said sheet material into a plurality of sheet material segments including an end-most segment partially defined by said terminal end, said roll having a principal axis and said perforated tear lines being parallel to each other and extending across the sheet material between said side edges with at least a portion of said tear line disposed at an angle to said principal axis, said dispenser including:

a housing defining an interior for accommodating said roll of sheet material and an opening in communication with said interior, said opening accommodating the sheet material terminal end whereby said terminal end may be grasped and a pulling force applied thereto by a user to rotate said roll and remove sheet material therefrom; and

nip defining means associated with said housing defining a nip through which said sheet material passes when a pulling force is applied to the end-most segment of said sheet material adjacent to said terminal end, said nip defining means exerting a drag force on said sheet material in opposition to said pulling force whereby the end-most segment will tear along the tear line separating the end-most segment from an adjacent segment as said tear line passes through said nip defining means, said nip defining means being so positioned relative to said opening in said housing as to present a portion of said adjacent segment externally of said housing for subsequent manual grasping by a user when said end-most segment totally separates from said adjacent segment, said nip defining means including nip rollers and means to impede rotational movement of said nip rollers, and said means to impede rotational movement of said nip rollers comprising frictional brake means engaging at least one of said nip rollers to exert frictional braking forces thereon.

3. A method of separating individual segments from a web of sheet material divided into segments by a plurality of perforated tear lines, said perforated tear lines being spaced from one another and extending across the width of said web, and said segments including an end-most segment, said method comprising the steps of:

pulling said end-most segment by applying a pulling force on said end-most segment in a predetermined direction;

during said pulling step, transporting said end-most segment through a nip defined by nip rollers;

applying a frictional braking force to at least one of said nip rollers by frictionally engaging said at least one nip roller with a stationary brake to create a drag force;

exerting said drag force on said end-most segment with said rollers as said end-most segment passes through said nip, said drag force being opposed to said pulling force;

utilizing said opposed pulling and drag forces to tear said web of sheet material along the perforated tear line separating the end-most segment from an adjacent segment as said end-most segment is transported through said nip; and

completing the tearing of said perforated tear line separating the end-most segment from said adjacent segment after a portion of the adjacent segment has passed through said nip.

4. In combination:

a dispenser housing defining an interior and an opening in communication with said interior;

a roll of sheet material having side edges positionable in said dispenser housing interior, said sheet material having a plurality of perforated tear lines dividing said sheet material into a plurality of sheet material segments including an end-most segment having a terminal end, said roll of sheet material having a principal axis and said perforated tear lines being parallel to each other and extending across the sheet material between said side edges, with at least a portion of each tear line disposed at an angle to said principal axis whereby the terminal end of the end-most segment of said sheet material will incrementally emerge from said opening in said housing during dispensing of said sheet material from said roll;

nip defining means operatively associated with said housing defining a nip through which said sheet material passes when a pulling force is applied to said end-most segment and exerting a drag force on said sheet material in opposition to said pulling force whereby the end-most segment will tear along the tear line separating the end-most segment from an adjacent segment and present a portion of said adjacent segment externally of said housing for subsequent manual grasping by an individual, said nip defining means including nip rollers, at least one of said nip rollers having a deformable surface, said nip rollers being in tight engagement and said deformable surface of said at least one nip roller being deformed by another of said nip rollers to a degree sufficient to impede rotational movement of said nip rollers and to create said drag force.

5. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a roll of sheet material having a terminal end and side edges, said sheet material additionally having a plurality of perforated tear lines dividing said sheet material into a plurality of sheet material segments including an end-most segment partially defined by said terminal end, said roll having a principal axis and said perforated tear lines being parallel to each other and extending across the sheet material between said side edges with at least a portion of said tear line disposed at an angle to said principal axis, said dispenser including:

a housing defining an interior for accommodating said roll of sheet material and an opening in communication with said interior, said opening accommodating the sheet material terminal end whereby said terminal end may be grasped and a pulling force applied thereto by a user to rotate said roll and remove sheet material therefrom; and

nip defining means associated with said housing defining a nip through which said sheet material passes when a pulling force is applied to the end-most segment of said sheet material adjacent to said terminal end, said nip defining means exerting a drag force on said sheet material in opposition to said pulling force whereby the end-most segment will tear along the tear line separating the end-most segment from an adjacent segment as said tear line passes through said nip defining means, said nip defining means being so positioned relative to said opening in said housing as to present a portion of said adjacent segment externally of said housing for subsequent manual grasping by a user when said end-most segment totally separates from said adjacent segment, said nip defining means including nip rollers, at least one of said nip rollers having a deformable surface, said nip rollers being in tight engagement and said deformable surface of said at least one nip roller being deformed by another of said nip rollers to a degree sufficient to impede rotational movement of said nip rollers and to create said drag force.

6. A roll of sheet material having side edges positionable in the interior of a dispenser housing, said housing defining an opening in communication with said interior, and said sheet material cooperable with nip defining means operatively associated with said housing and having a plurality of perforated tear lines dividing said sheet material into a plurality of sheet material segments including an end-most segment having a terminal end, said roll of sheet material having a principal axis and said perforated tear lines being parallel to each other and extending across the sheet material between said side edges, with at least a portion of each tear line disposed at an angle to said principal axis whereby the terminal end of the end-most segment of said sheet material will emerge incrementally from said opening in said housing during dispensing of said sheet material from said roll when a pulling force is applied to said end-most segment, said sheet material being so constructed that a drag force exerted by said nip defining means on said sheet material in opposition to said pulling force will result in the end-most segment being torn along the tear line separating the end-most segment from an adjacent segment and present a portion of said adjacent segment externally of said housing for subsequent manual grasping by an individual, said sheet material comprising paper toweling, and said perforated tear lines being substantially straight and extending across the paper toweling at an acute angle relative to said principal axis.

7. The roll according to claim 6 wherein said acute angle is in the range of from about 5 degrees to about 30 degrees.

8. The roll according to claim 7 wherein said acute angle is between about 15 degrees and about 20 degrees.

9. In combination:

a dispenser housing defining an interior and an opening in communication with said interior;

a roll of sheet material having side edges positionable in said dispenser housing interior, said sheet material having a plurality of perforated tear lines dividing said sheet material into a plurality of sheet material segments including an end-most segment having a terminal end, said roll of sheet material having a principal axis and said perforated tear lines being parallel to each other and extending across the sheet material between said side edges, with at least a portion of each tear line disposed at an angle to said principal axis whereby the terminal end of the end-most segment of said sheet material will incrementally emerge from said opening in said housing during dispensing of said sheet material from said roll;

nip defining means operatively associated with said housing defining a nip through which said sheet material passes when a pulling force is applied to said end-most segment and exerting a drag force on said sheet material in opposition to said pulling force whereby the end-most segment will tear along the tear line separating the end-most segment from an adjacent segment and present a portion of said adjacent segment externally of said housing for subsequent manual grasping by an individual, said nip defining means including nip rollers and means to impede rotational movement of said rollers.

10. The combination according to claim 9 wherein said means to impede rotational movement of said nip rollers comprises frictional brake means in operative association with at least one of said nip rollers to apply frictional braking forces thereto.

11. In combination:

a dispenser housing defining an interior and an opening in communication with said interior;

a roll of sheet material having side edges positionable in said dispenser housing interior, said sheet material having a plurality of perforated tear lines dividing said sheet material into a plurality of sheet material segments including an end-most segment having a terminal end, said roll of sheet material having a principal axis and said perforated tear lines being parallel to each other and extending across the sheet material between said side edges, with at least a portion of each tear line disposed at an angle to said principal axis whereby the terminal end of the end-most segment of said sheet material will incrementally emerge from said opening in said housing during dispensing of said sheet material from said roll;

nip defining means operatively associated with said housing defining a nip through which said sheet material passes when a pulling force is applied to said end-most segment and exerting a drag force on said sheet material in opposition to said pulling force whereby the end-most segment will tear along the tear line separating the end-most segment from an adjacent segment and present a portion of said adjacent segment externally of said housing for subsequent manual grasping by an individual, said roll of sheet material comprising a roll of paper toweling, and said perforated tear lines being substantially straight and extending across the paper toweling at an acute angle relative to said principal axis.

12. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said acute angle is in the range of from about 5 degrees to about 30 degrees.

13. The combination according to claim 12 wherein said acute angle is between about 15 degrees and about 20 degrees.