Dual roll dispenser

• US 5,604,992 A
• Filed: 08/18/1995
• Issued: 02/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Dual Dryer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Joe M. Robinson
• Inventors: Robinson, Joe M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sollecito, John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US08/516,991
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 242/559, 242/559.3, 242/560, 242/560.1, 34/90, 34/202, 34/427, 34/210, 34/215, 34/218
• US Class Current: 34/90
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3612 with drive and pinch rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/485 combined with a textile or paper towel dispenser

Abstract

A dual roll dispenser is disclosed. The device comprises a housing unit having a first paper towel roll and a second paper towel roll mounted therein. Paper automatically dispenses paper from one of the rolls while the second roll remains idle. When a sensor detect that the roll being dispensed is exhausted, the device automatically engages the second paper towel roll and begins dispensing from this second roll. Displays, both local and remote, are activated to communicate a paper absent condition. The device can be used in standalone configuration or in conjunction with an air blower wherein activation of the device activates the air blower for a preset amount of time and thereafter dispenses a single paper towel sheet.

Claims

1. A dual roll dispenser comprising:

a housing unit having an aperture located thereon;

a first holder means, located within the housing unit, for rotatably holding a first paper towel roll;

a second holder means, located within the housing unit, for rotatably holding a second paper towel roll;

a paper plate;

a top plate, in substantial parallel spaced apart relation to the paper plate, forming a first channel;

a first set of spaced apart feed wheels for rotatably friction feeding paper from the first paper towel roll through the first channel;

a bottom plate, in substantial parallel spaced apart relation to the paper plate, forming a second channel;

a second set of spaced apart feed wheels for rotatably friction feeding paper from the second paper towel roll through the second channel;

motor means for rotating the first set of feed wheels and the second set of feed wheels;

a first sensor means, located within the housing unit, for detecting the presence or absence of paper on the first paper towel roll;

a second sensor means, located within the housing unit, for detecting the presence or absence of paper on the second paper towel roll;

a first control means for activating only one of either the first dispensing means or the second dispensing when the device is activated and switching to the other dispensing means when the respective sensor means detects an absence of paper on the current roll being dispensed; and

an activation means, located on the housing, for activating paper dispension.

2. The device as in claim 1 wherein in the first holder means and the second holder means each comprise a pair of cooperating core plugs.

3. The device as in claim 1 wherein the first control means comprises:

a first shift means for positioning the first set of feed wheels in friction contact with the paper plate for friction feeding paper from the first paper towel roll and removing the second set of feed wheels from friction contact with the paper plate if paper is to be dispensed from the first paper towel roll or positioning the second set of feed wheels in friction contact with the paper plate for friction feeding paper from the first paper towel roll and removing the first set of feed wheels from friction contact with the paper plate if paper is to be dispensed from the second paper towel roll.

4. The device as in claim 1 wherein the first control means comprises a shift means for positioning the paper plate in friction contact with the first set of feed wheels for friction feeding paper from the first paper towel roll and removing the paper plate from friction contact with the second set of feed wheels if paper is to be dispensed from the first paper towel roll or for positioning the paper plate in friction contact with the second set of feed wheels for friction feeding paper from the second paper towel roll and removing the paper plate from friction contact with the first set of feed wheels if paper is to be dispensed from the second paper towel roll.

5. The device as in claim 1 further comprising:

an air dispension means located on the housing unit;

an air blower means, located within the housing unit, for blowing air out through the air dispension means;

a second control means, for activating the air blower means for a preset amount of time and thereafter deactivating the air blower means and activating the first control means, in response to activation of the activation means.

6. The device as in claim 5 to further include a heater located between the air blower means and the air dispenser means for heating the air being blown by the air dispenser means.

7. The device as in claim 5 wherein the air dispenser means comprises a nozzle.

8. The device as in claim 5 wherein the activation means comprises a depression switch.

9. The device as in claim 5 wherein the activation means comprises a sensing means for detection of a user.

10. The device as in claim 1 further comprising a display means for displaying the status of the first sensor means and the second sensor means.

11. A dual roll dispenser comprising:

a housing unit having an aperture located thereon;

a first holder means, located within the housing unit, for rotatably holding a first paper towel roll;

a second holder means, located within the housing unit, for rotatably holding a second paper towel roll;

a paper plate;

a top plate, in substantial parallel spaced apart relation to the paper plate, forming a first channel;

a first set of spaced apart feed wheels for rotatably friction feeding paper from the first paper towel roll through the first channel;

a first motor means for rotating the first set of feed wheels;

a bottom plate, in substantial parallel spaced apart relation to the paper plate, forming a second channel;

a second set of spaced apart feed wheels for rotatably friction feeding paper from the second paper towel roll through the second channel;

a second motor means for rotating the second set of feed wheels;

a first sensor means, located within the housing unit, for detecting the presence or absence of paper on the first paper towel roll;

a second sensor means, located within the housing unit, for detecting the presence or absence of paper on the second paper towel roll;

a first control means for activating only one of either the first dispensing means or the second dispensing when the device is activated and switching to the other dispensing means when the respective sensor means detects an absence of paper on the current roll being dispensed; and

an activation means, located on the housing, for activating paper dispension.

12. The device as in claim 11 wherein the first holder means and the second holder means each comprise a pair of cooperating core plugs.

13. The device as in claim 11 further comprising:

an air dispension means located on the housing unit;

an air blower means, located within the housing unit, for blowing air out through the air dispension means; and

a second control means, for activating the air blower means for a preset amount of time and thereafter deactivating the air blower means and activating the first control means, in response to activation of the activation means.

14. The device as in claim 11 to further include a heater located between the air blower means and the air dispenser means for heating the air being blown by the air dispenser means.

15. The device as in claim 11 wherein the air dispenser means comprises a nozzle.

16. The device as in claim 11 wherein the activation means comprises a depression switch.

17. The device as in claim 11 wherein the activation means comprises a sensing means for detection of a user.

18. The device as in claim 11 further comprising a display means for displaying the status of the first sensor means and the second sensor means.

19. A dual roll dispenser comprising:

a housing unit having an aperture located thereon;

a first holder means, located within the housing unit, for rotatably holding a first paper towel roll;

a second holder means, located within the housing unit, for rotatably holding a second paper towel roll;

a first dispensing means, located within the housing unit, for dispensing paper from the first paper towel roll out through the aperture;

a second dispensing means, located within the housing unit, for dispensing paper from the second paper towel roll out through the aperture;

a first sensor means, located within the housing unit, for detecting the presence or absence of paper on the first paper towel roll;

a second sensor means, located within the housing unit, for detecting the presence or absence of paper on the second paper towel roll;

a first control means for activating only one of either the dispensing means or the second dispensing when the device is activated and switching to the other dispensing means when the respective sensor means detects an absence of paper on the current roll being dispensed;

an air dispension means located on the housing unit;

an air blower means, located within the housing unit, for blowing air out through the air dispension means;

a second control means, for activating the air blower means for a preset amount of time and thereafter deactivating the air blower means and activating the first control means;

an activation means, located on the housing, for activating the second control means.

20. The device as in claim 19 wherein the first holder means and the second holder means each comprise a pair of cooperating core plugs.

21. The device as in claim 19 wherein the first dispension means and second dispension means comprise:

a paper plate;

a top plate, in substantial parallel spaced apart relation to the paper plate, forming a first channel;

a first set of spaced apart feed wheels for rotatably friction feeding paper from the first paper towel roll through the first channel;

a bottom plate, in substantial parallel spaced apart relation to the paper plate, forming a second channel;

a second set of spaced apart feed wheels for rotatably friction feeding paper from the second paper towel roll through the second channel; and

a motor means for rotating the first set of feed wheels and the second set of feed wheels.

22. The device as in claim 21 wherein the first control means comprises:

a first shift means for positioning the first set of feed wheels in friction contact with the paper plate for friction feeding paper from the first paper towel roll and removing the second set of feed wheels from friction contact with the paper plate if paper is to be dispensed from the first paper towel roll or positioning the second set of feed wheels in friction contact with the paper plate for friction feeding paper from the first paper towel roll and removing the first set of feed wheels from friction contact with the paper plate if paper is to be dispensed from the second paper towel roll.

23. The device as in claim 21 wherein the first control means comprises a shift means for positioning the paper plate in friction contact with the first set of feed wheels for friction feeding paper from the first paper towel roll and removing the paper plate from friction contact with the second set of feed wheels if paper is to be dispensed from the first paper towel roll or for positioning the paper plate in friction contact with the second set of feed wheels for friction feeding paper from the second paper towel roll and removing the paper plate from friction contact with the first set of feed wheels if paper is to be dispensed from the second paper towel roll.

24. The device as in claim 19 wherein the first dispension means and second dispension means comprise:

a paper plate;

a top plate, in substantial parallel spaced apart relation to the paper plate, forming a first channel;

a first set of spaced apart feed wheels for rotatably friction feeding paper from the first paper towel roll through the first channel;

a first motor means for rotating the first set of feed wheels;

a bottom plate, in substantial parallel spaced apart relation to the paper plate, forming a second channel;

a second set of spaced apart feed wheels for rotatably friction feeding paper from the second paper towel roll through the second channel; and

a second motor means for rotating the second set of feed wheels.

25. The device as in claim 19 to further include a heater located between the air blower means and the air dispenser means for heating the air being blown by the air dispenser means.

26. The device as in claim 19 wherein the air dispenser means comprises a nozzle.

27. The device as in claim 19 wherein the activation means comprises a depression switch.

28. The device as in claim 19 wherein the activation means comprises a sensing means for detection of a user.

29. The device as in claim 19 further comprising a display means for displaying the status of the first sensor means and the second sensor means.