Sheet material dispenser with perforation sensor and method

• US 7,832,679 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Knittle, John J., Denen, Dennis J., Broehl, Joshua M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Langdon; Evan H
• Application Number:
  US11/686,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20070152010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 242/563, 242/563.2, 242/564.4, 242/418, 242/419, 242/419.5, 226/181, 235/103
• US Class Current: 242/563.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3612 with drive and pinch rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3625 with electronic control means
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3675 Braking devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/512 Marks, e.g. invisible to the human eye; Patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2553/412 in barrier arrangements, i.e. emitter facing a receptor element
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/10 from or with devices for breaking partially-cut or perforated webs, e.g. bursters
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 43/00 Use of control, checking, or safety devices, e.g. automatic devices comprising an element for sensing a variable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/205 With feed-out of predetermined length from work supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/211 Manually operated feed-out mechanism

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing sheet material including a plurality of spaced perforations may include a housing defining an interior for accommodating a source of the sheet material, and an outlet through which the sheet material may be dispensed. The device may also include a perforation sensor configured to sense perforations in the sheet material, disposed in the interior of the housing. The perforation sensor may include at least one light receptor, and at least a portion of the perforation sensor may be positioned in the housing to contact sheet material traveling from the source to the outlet, thereby spreading perforations in the sheet material.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing sheet material, the dispenser comprising:

a housing defining an interior for accommodating a source of the sheet material, and an outlet through which the sheet material is dispensed;

at least one rotatable roller in the housing, at least a portion of the sheet material being in contact with the roller when the sheet material travels from the source to the outlet;

a brake configured to brake rotational movement of the roller, and a controller configured to selectively activate the brake; and

a rotation monitor configured to monitor the amount of rotation of the roller to thereby determine the amount of sheet material traveling downstream from the roller,

wherein the rotation monitor comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being configured to move in response to rotation of the roller and the second portion being configured to contact the first portion and provide a signal indicative of rotation of the roller;

wherein the roller comprises a rotational shaft, the first portion comprises a first wheel disposed at one end of the rotational shaft, and configured to rotate along with the rotational shaft;

the brake comprises a second wheel disposed at an opposite end of the rotational shaft, and configured to rotate along with the rotational shaft; and

the brake further comprises an engaging member configured to engage the second wheel to selectively brake rotation of the roller.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein:

the engaging member comprises a solenoid comprising a plunger, the plunger being disposed to engage the second wheel to selectively brake rotation of the roller.

3. The dispenser according to claim 2, wherein:

the second wheel comprises a plurality of detents disposed circumferentially around the second wheel; and

the plunger being sized to engage a respective one of the plurality of detents selectively brake rotation of the roller.