Dispenser for flexible sheet material

• US 5,288,032 A
• Filed: 05/11/1992
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
• Inventors: Formon, John S., Boone, Bruce T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DARLING, JOHN PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US07/881,132
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 242/55.53, 242/55.3, 312/34.22
• US Class Current: 242/560.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/36 with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3253 with one or more reserve rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3675 Braking devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3681 characterised by the way a new paper roll is loaded in the dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser for flexible sheet material rolls in which a first roll is supported in a dispensing position, a second roll is supported in a reserve position and a roll transfer apparatus is operative to transfer the second roll to the dispensing position upon depletion of sheet material from the first roll with the supporting arrangement for the roll in the dispensing position being rotatable with such roll and thereby subject to significantly reduced friction effects. The described dispenser organization also includes a novel arrangement for retaining the cores and spindles of spent rolls within the dispenser until the closure cover is opened for replenishing the dispenser with fresh rolls whereupon, by opening the cover, the spent residual roll elements are automatically deposited into the opened cover that forms a receptacle from whence the elements can be retrieved for disposal and following which the dispenser organization is automatically returned to its operative condition in a single step upon simply closing the closure cover. In order to retard the fall of a roll to the dispensing position, and thereby avoid injury or unpleasant surprise to a user and reduce noise upon roll transfer, a star wheel may be mounted to be contacted and rotated by a falling roll.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a first roll and retaining therein at least one reserve roll from which sheet material may be dispensed when said first roll is depleted, comprising:

a chassis; and

dispensing roll transfer means attached to said chassis for transferring a roll to a dispensing position where dispensing from the roll will begin, said transfer means comprising;

guiding means for guiding the roll along a pathway to said dispensing position as it falls under the force of gravity; and

fall retarding means positioned in said pathway above said dispensing position for retarding the fall of said roll into said dispensing position.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said fall retarding means comprises a rotatable member positioned to be contacted and rotated by the roll falling along said pathway, whereby the fall of the roll is retarded by rotational resistance of the rotatable member.

3. A dispenser according to claim 2, wherein said rotatable member comprises dampening means for dampening the rotation of said rotatable member.

4. A dispenser according to claim 3, wherein said rotatable member is connected to said chassis by a rotatable coupling and said dampening means comprises a high-shear motion control grease applied to said rotatable coupling.

5. A dispenser according to claim 3, wherein said rotatable member comprises a star-wheel having a plurality of substantially radially extending spokes, said star-wheel being rotationally mounted with respect to said pathway such that the falling roll will contact one of said spokes protruding into said passageway and cause said rotational member to rotate until the protruding spoke moves out of said passageway allowing the falling roll to pass by said rotational member and into the dispensing position at a reduced speed.

6. A dispenser according to claim 5, wherein said star wheel has five substantially radially extending spokes.

7. A dispenser according to claim 5, wherein said star wheel is connected to said chassis by a rotatable coupling and said dampening means comprises a high shear motion control grease applied to said coupling.

8. A dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said rotatable coupling comprises a shaft of said star wheel, and a correspondingly sized aperture in said chassis for receiving said shaft.

9. A dispenser according to claim 5, wherein said rotatable member is positioned such that the falling roll is no more than 1/2 inch above the dispensing position when it just passes the rotatable member.

10. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a first roll retaining therein at least one reserve roll from which sheet material may be dispensed when said first roll is depleted, comprising:

a chassis; and

a dispensing roll transfer structure attached to said chassis, said transfer structure comprising;

opposed guide channels formed on opposite sides of said chassis operative to receive axial ends of said first roll in a sheet dispensing position where dispensing from the roll will begin and a second dispensing roll in a reserve position thereabove, both said dispensing rolls being movable by gravity downwardly in said guide channels; and

a rotatable member positioned above said sheet dispensing position to be contacted and rotated by an axial end of a roll moving downwardly between said guide channels, whereby downward movement of the roll toward the dispensing position is retarded by rotational resistance of the rotatable member.

11. A dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said rotatable member comprises dampening means for dampening the rotation of said rotatable member.

12. A dispenser according to claim 11, wherein said rotatable member is connected to said chassis by a rotatable coupling and said dampening means comprises a high-shear motion control grease applied to said rotatable coupling.

13. A dispenser according to claim 11, wherein said rotatable member comprises a star-wheel having a plurality of substantially radially extending spokes, said star-wheel being rotationally mounted with respect to said guide channels such that the axial end of the roll moving downwardly therebetween will contact one of said spokes protruding into one of said guide channels and cause said rotational member to rotate until the protruding spoke moves out of said guide channel allowing the downwardly moving roll to pass by said rotational member and into the dispensing position at a reduced speed.

14. A dispenser according to claim 13, wherein said star wheel has five substantially radially extending spokes.

15. A dispenser according to claim 13, wherein said star wheel is connected to said chassis by a rotatable coupling and said dampening means comprises a high shear motion control grease applied to said coupling.

16. A dispenser according to claim 15, wherein said rotatable coupling comprises a shaft of said star wheel, and a correspondingly sized aperture in said chassis for receiving said shaft.

17. A dispenser according to claim 13, wherein said rotatable member is positioned such that the downwardly moving roll is no more than 1/2 inch above the dispensing position when it just passes the rotatable member.

18. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material from a plurality of dispensing rolls of sheet material having spindle means extending beyond opposite ends thereof, comprising:

a chassis having a sheet dispensing opening in one face thereof;

a dispensing roll transfer structure including;

mutually spaced guide track members forming substantially vertically extending, open ended guide channels on opposite sides of the chassis for reception of said spindle means and for gravitationally induced guided movement of a roll between said guide channels from an elevated reserve position to a sub-adjacent sheet-dispensing position where dispensing from the roll will begin; and

a rotatable member positioned above said sheet dispensing position to be contacted and rotated by a spindle means of a roll moving downwardly between said guide channels, whereby downward movement of the roll toward the sheet-dispensing position is retarded by rotational resistance of the rotatable member; and

a gauging roll journalled for rotation between opposite sides of said chassis and arranged to (1) vertically support a dispensing roll in said sheet-dispensing position and locate the spindle means thereof in said guide channels for so long as said supported dispensing roll is not depleted of sheet material, and (2) allow passage of said spindle means from lower open ends of said guide channels when the supported dispensing roll becomes depleted of sheet material;

wherein at least one of said guide track member is mounted for pivotal movement to place an upper end thereof in (1) a position of subadjacent vertically supporting engagement with a spindle means of a dispensing roll in said reserve position when said spindle means of said dispensing roll is retained in said sheet dispensing position by said gauging roll, and (2) a release position displaced from said position of engagement when said spindle means of said dispensing roll moves by gravity from said sheet dispensing position to fall from the open lower ends of said guide channels.

19. A dispenser according to claim 18, wherein said chassis contains a compartment beneath the lower ends of said guide channels for receiving residual portions of dissipated dispensing rolls;

a door operably connected to said chassis for releasably closing said compartment; and

releasable latch means operable for holding said door in its compartment-closing condition and for opening said door for removal of said residual roll portions.

20. A dispenser according to claim 18, wherein said rotatable member comprises dampening means for dampening the rotation of said rotatable member.

21. A dispenser according to claim 20, wherein said rotatable member is connected to said chassis by a rotatable coupling and said dampening means comprises a high-shear motion control grease applied to said rotatable coupling.

22. A dispenser according to claim 21, wherein one of said guide track members is interrupted to form upper and lower guide track segments, and said rotational member is positioned between said upper and lower guide track segments.

23. A dispenser according to claim 20, wherein said rotatable member comprises a star-wheel having a plurality of substantially radially extending spokes, said star-wheel being rotationally mounted with respect to one of the guide channels such that the spindle means moving downwardly therein will contact one of said spokes protruding into said one guide channel and cause said rotational member to rotate until the protruding spoke moves out of said guide channel allowing the downwardly moving roll to pass by said rotational member and into the sheet dispensing position at a reduced speed.

24. A dispenser according to claim 23, wherein said star wheel has five substantially radially extending spokes.

25. A dispenser according to claim 23, wherein said star wheel is connected to said chassis by a rotatable coupling and said dampening means comprises a high shear motion control grease applied to said coupling.

26. A dispenser according to claim 25, wherein said rotatable coupling comprises a shaft of said rotational member extending outwardly from said star wheel, and a correspondingly sized aperture in said chassis for receiving said shaft.

27. A dispenser according to claim 23, wherein said rotatable member is positioned such that the downwardly moving roll is no more than 1/2 inch above the sheet dispensing position when it just passes the rotatable member.