Easy loading dispenser

• US 6,607,160 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Taylor, Russell C., Lewis, Richard P., Tramontina, Paul F.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVERA, WILLIAM ARAUZ
• Application Number:
  US09/918,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20030019971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 242/564.4, 242/564, 242/564.1, 242/564.3, 242/565, 242/566, 242/596, 242/596.7, 242/599.3, 242/599.4, 242/580, 242/579
• US Class Current: 242/564.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3637 using a crank or handle
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3687 with one or more reserve rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/365 Triggering mechanism for the blade

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing rolled materials wherein the dispenser includes a housing adapted to support a roll of material. A cover is attached to the housing, the cover being pivotable upwardly to an open position and pivotable downwardly to a closed position. A first roller may be attached to the housing and a second roller may be attached to the cover. A dispensing opening is formed between the housing and the cover when the cover is in its closed position, so that the leading portion of a roll of material that is placed within the housing may extend over the first roller. When the cover is moved to its closed position, the leading portion is captured in the nip formed between the first roller and the second roller, thus eliminating the need to feed the leading portion of the rolled material through the nip formed by the rollers.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing rolled materials, the dispenser comprising:

a housing;

a roll support system including (i) a first support attached to the housing, the first support comprising a first engaging member including a first chamfered surface, and (ii) a second support attached to the housing, wherein the first support is movable away from the second support, and further wherein the first support is urged toward the second support;

a cover attached to the housing, the cover being pivotable upwardly to an open position and pivotable downwardly to a closed position;

a cutter disposed on the cover;

a cutting guard rotatably attached to the cover;

a first roller attached to the housing;

a second roller attached to the cover so that, when the cover is in its lowered position, the rollers are adjacent to each other and a nip is formed between the rollers;

an actuator adapted to engage the first or second roller to cause such roller to rotate; and

a dispensing opening formed between the housing and the cover when the cover is in its closed position.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the cutting guard rotates to cover the cutter when the cover is in the open position, and further wherein the cutting guard rotates to expose the cutter when the cover is in the closed position.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the first support further comprises a first rearward portion attached to the housing and a first forward portion being urged toward the second support, wherein the first engaging member is attached to the first forward portion.

4. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the second support comprises a second engaging member, wherein the second support is movable away from the first support, and further wherein the second support is urged toward the first support.

5. The dispenser according to claim 4, the second engaging member comprising a second chamfered surface.

6. The dispenser according to claim 1 further comprising at least one stub roll support.

7. The dispenser according to claim 1, the actuator comprising an actuating lever comprising an actuating handle which extends through an aperture in the cover, the actuating lever being pivotably attached to the housing, the actuating lever further comprising a toothed edge, a guide through which the actuating handle extends, the guide including a slot, and a sliding idler gear slidably attached to the housing so that the gear is movable between one position where it engages the toothed edge of the actuating lever and another position where it does not engage the toothed edge of the actuating lever.

8. The dispenser according to claim 1, the housing further comprising a first dispensing region and the cover further comprising a second dispensing region, the dispensing opening formed by the first dispensing region and the second dispensing region when the cover is in its closed position.

9. A dispenser for dispensing rolled materials, the dispenser comprising:

a housing comprising a first dispensing region;

a roll support system;

a cover comprising a second dispensing region, the cover being movable between a closed position and an open position;

a dispensing opening formed by the first dispensing region and the second dispensing region when the cover is in its closed position;

a first roller attached to the housing;

a second roller attached to the cover so that, when the cover is in its open position, the first and second rollers are spaced apart from each other, and when the cover is in its closed position, the first and second rollers are adjacent to each other and a nip is formed between the rollers;

a cutter disposed on the cover;

a cutting guard configured to prevent contact with the cutter when the cover is in its open position; and

an actuating mechanism adapted to engage the first or second roller to cause such roller to rotate and dispense rolled materials.

10. The dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the cutting guard comprises:

first and second sides rotably mounted to the cover; and

a wall extending between the first and second sides;

wherein the cutting guard rotates to cover the cutter when the cover is in the open position, and further wherein the cutting guard rotates to expose the cutter when the cover is in the closed position.

11. The dispenser according to claim 9, the roll support system comprising (i) a first support attached to the housing, the first support including a first engaging member comprising a first chamfered surface, and (ii) a second support attached to the housing, wherein the first support is movable away from the second support, and further wherein the first support is urged toward the second support.

12. The dispenser according to claim 11 wherein the first support further comprises a first rearward portion attached to the housing and a first forward portion being urged toward the second support, wherein the first engaging member is attached to the first forward portion.

13. The dispenser according to claim 11 wherein the second support comprises a second engaging member, wherein the second support is movable away from the first support, and further wherein the second support is urged toward the first support.

14. The dispenser according to claim 13, the second engaging member comprising a second chamfered surface.

15. The dispenser according to claim 9, the actuating mechanism comprising an actuating lever comprising an actuating handle which extends through an aperture in the cover, the actuating lever being pivotably attached to the housing, the actuating lever further comprising a toothed edge, a guide through which the actuating handle extends, the guide including a slot, and a sliding idler gear slidably attached to the housing so that the gear is movable between one position where it engages the toothed edge of the actuating lever and another position where it does not engage the toothed edge of the actuating lever.

17. The dispenser according to claim 14 wherein the cutting guard comprises:

first and second sides rotably mounted to the cover; and

an L-shaped wall having a short portion and a long portion, the short and long portions extending between the first and second sides;

wherein the short portion of the L-shaped wall covers the cutter when the cover is in the open position, and further wherein the cutting guard rotates to expose the cutter when the cover is in the closed position.

18. The dispenser according to claim 14 wherein the first support further comprises a first rearward portion attached to the housing and a first forward portion being urged toward the second support, wherein the first engaging member is attached to the first forward portion.

19. The dispenser according to claim 14 wherein the second support comprises a second engaging member, wherein the second support is movable away from the first support, and further wherein the second support is urged toward the first support.

20. The dispenser according to claim 19, the second engaging member comprising a second chamfered surface.

16. A dispenser for dispensing rolled materials, the dispenser comprising:

a housing comprising a dispensing region;

a roll support system including a first support attached to the housing, the first support comprising a first engaging member including a first chamfered surface, and a second support attached to the housing, wherein the first support is movable away from the second support, and further wherein the first support is urged toward the second support;

a cover comprising a dispensing region, the cover being movable between a closed position and an open position;

a cutter disposed on the cover;

a cutting guard rotatably attached to the cover;

a dispensing opening formed by the dispensing region of the housing and the dispensing region of the cover when the cover is in its closed position;

a drive roller attached to the housing and disposed above the dispensing region of the housing;

a pressure roller attached to the cover so that, when the cover is in its open position, the pressure roller is spaced apart from the drive roller and when the cover is in its closed position, the rollers are adjacent to each other and a nip is formed between the rollers; and

an actuator adapted to rotate the drive roller and dispense rolled materials.

21. The dispenser according to claim 16, the actuator comprising an actuating lever comprising an actuating handle which extends through an aperture in the cover, the actuating lever being pivotable attached to the housing, the actuating lever further comprising a toothed edge, a guide through which the actuating handle extends, the guide including a slot, and a sliding idler gear slidably attached to the housing so that the gear is movable between one position where it engages the toothed edge of the actuating lever and another position where it does not engage the toothed edge of the actuating lever.