Spacing member for a sheet material dispenser

• US 6,152,397 A
• Filed: 10/30/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Purcell, Ricky Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIVERA, WILLIAM ARAUZ
• Application Number:
  US09/183,787
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 242/560, 242/560.1, 242/564.4, 242/563, 242/563.2
• US Class Current: 242/560.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3687 with one or more reserve rolls

Abstract

A spacer member for a sheet material dispenser. Desirably, the spacer member may be positioned between a first sheet material and a second sheet material for minimizing contact between the first and second sheet materials and preventing the inadvertent dispensing of the second sheet material.

Claims

1. A spacer member for a sheet material dispenser of the type having a first dispensing roll, at least one reserve roll, and a sensing member which is in contact with the first roll to indicate depletion of the first roll and to effect transfer from the first to the second roll, wherein the spacer member is attached to the sensing member and is further positioned between a first sheet material from the first dispensing roll and a second sheet material from the reserve roll for minimizing contact between the first and second sheet materials and preventing the inadvertent dispensing of the second sheet material.

2. The spacer member for a sheet material dispenser of claim 1 comprising:

a first end;

a second end; and

an arcuate body member wherein the first and second ends are formed integrally with the arcuate body member.

3. The spacer member for a sheet material dispenser of claim 2 wherein the first end comprising a curved portion formed integrally with a first leg wherein the first leg extends in a z-direction from the curved portion;

and

the second end comprising a curved portion formed integrally with a second leg wherein during dispensing the second leg extends in a z-direction and both legs are formed integrally with the arcuate body member wherein the arcuate body member extends in an opposing z-direction in relation to the first and second legs and in a y-direction.

4. The spacer member for a sheet material dispenser of claim 1 wherein the spacer member serves as a wedge to separate the first and second sheet materials should these sheet materials come into contact.

5. A sheet material dispenser, comprising:

a first roll support for holding a first dispensing roll;

a second roll support for holding a reserve roll; and

a transfer mechanism further comprising;

a transfer arm adapted to dispense sheet material from the first dispensing roll and then to dispense sheet material from the second dispensing roll;

a sensing member adapted to detect when the first dispensing roll is depleted, and to position the transfer arm from the first to the second dispensing roll; and

a spacer member, positioned between the first and second sheet materials for minimizing contact between sheet material from the first and second rolls.

6. A sheet material dispenser, comprising:

a first roll support for holding a first dispensing roll of sheet material;

a second roll support for holding a reserve dispensing roll of sheet material;

a mechanism adapted to sense depletion of sheet material from the first roll and transfer dispensing of sheet material from the first roll to the reserve roll, the mechanism further comprising a spacer disposed between the sheet material from the first dispensing roll and the sheet material from the reserve dispensing roll, the spacer adapted to separate and minimize contact between sheet material from the first dispensing roll and sheet material from the reserve dispensing roll.

7. A sheet material dispenser, comprising:

a first roll support for holding a first sheet material roll;

a second roll support for holding a second sheet material roll wherein the rolls are substantially aligned;

a sensing member for determining the amount of sheet material left on a first sheet material roll and for positioning sheet material from a second sheet material roll away from sheet material from the first sheet material roll during dispensing of the first sheet material roll; and

a spacer member coupled to the sensing member for minimizing contact between sheet material from the first and second rolls, wherein the spacer member is positioned between sheet material from the first roll and sheet material from the second roll.

8. The sheet material dispenser of claim 7, further comprising:

a housing wherein the first and second roll supports, and the sensing member are coupled to the housing;

first and second feed rollers coupled to the housing wherein sheet material from the first sheet material roll passes through the first and second feed rollers;

a sensing roller coupled to the sensing member wherein the sensing roller contacts sheet material from a first sheet material roll and sheet material from a second sheet material roll; and

a dispensing lever in mechanical communication with the feed rollers for dispensing sheet material from the sheet material rolls whereby upon depletion of the first sheet material roll the sensing member positions sheet material from the second sheet material roll into the feed rollers for dispensing.

9. A method for dispensing sheet material comprising the steps of:

providing a first roll having sheet material;

providing a second roll having sheet material; and

providing a means for separating sheet material disposed between the sheet from the first roll and the sheet material from the second roll to separate roll to separate and minimize contact between sheet material between the respective sheet materials from the first and second rolls and preventing the premature feed of sheet material from the second roll.