Sheet product dispenser with load inducement portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10238246-B2
Application number	US-201313904128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2013
Priority date	May 29, 2012
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A sheet product dispenser for dispensing a roll of sheet product mounted thereto includes a housing portion and a load inducement portion. The housing portion defines a space operative to receive the roll of sheet product for rotation about an axis to dispense the sheet product. The load inducement portion is operative to induce a frictional force between the roll of sheet product and the load inducement portion during rotation of the roll of sheet product. The load inducement portion includes a guide member, and a load member slidably engaged with the guide member and operative to contact and apply a load to an outer surface of the roll of sheet product.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet product dispenser for dispensing a roll of sheet product mounted thereto, the dispenser comprising:
a housing portion defining a space operative to receive the roll of sheet product for rotation about an axis to dispense the sheet product; and
a load inducement portion operative to induce a frictional force between the roll of sheet product and the load inducement portion during rotation of the roll of sheet product, the load inducement portion comprising:
a guide member defining a channel having a first end and a second end; and
a load member engaged with the guide member and operative to slide along the channel from the first end to the second end due to a force of gravity, the load member comprising:
a contact portion defined along a first side of the load member and having a curved shape, the contact portion operative to contact and apply a load to an outer surface of the roll of sheet product due to the force of gravity; and
a non-contact portion defined along a second side of the load member opposite the first side of the load member;

wherein the load member is engaged with the guide member such that the contact portion remains oriented toward the roll of sheet product as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end and during rotation of the roll of sheet product and such that the non-contact portion remains oriented away from the roll of sheet product as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end and during rotation of the roll of sheet product; and
wherein the load inducement portion is operative such that the load applied by the contact portion due to the force of gravity continuously changes as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end.

2. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the channel defines a curved profile extending from the first end to the second end.

3. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the load member is operative such that the contact portion remains in contact with and applies the load to the outer surface of the roll of sheet product during rotation of the roll of sheet product.

4. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the load applied by the contact portion due to the force of gravity continuously decreases as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end.

5. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the load applied by the contact portion due to the force of gravity continuously increases as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end.

6. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the frictional force is less than a force of friction between two layers of the roll of sheet product.

7. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the load inducement portion comprises two guide members, wherein the load member is formed as an elongated bar, and wherein a respective end of the load member is engaged with each of the guide members.

8. The sheet product dispenser of claim 7 , wherein the guide members are operative to receive a portion of the roll of sheet product between the guide members.

9. A sheet product dispenser for dispensing a roll of sheet product mounted thereto, the dispenser comprising:
a housing portion defining a space operative to receive the roll of sheet product;
a roll support operative to support the roll of sheet product for rotation about a fixed axis relative to the housing portion to dispense the sheet product; and
a load inducement portion comprising:
a guide member defining a channel having a first end and a second end; and
a load member operative to slide along the channel from the first end to the second end and to contact and apply a load to an outer surface of the roll of sheet product due to a force of gravity, wherein the load inducement portion is operative such that the load applied by the load member due to the force of gravity continuously changes as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end.

10. The sheet product dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the load member is operative to remain in contact with and apply the load to the outer surface of the roll of sheet product due to the force of gravity during rotation of the roll of sheet product.

11. The sheet product dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the roll support comprises a spindle.

12. The sheet product dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the load inducement portion is operative such that the load applied by the load member due to the force of gravity continuously decreases as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end.

13. A method of dispensing a roll of sheet product mounted to a sheet product dispenser, the method comprising:
supporting the roll of sheet product for rotation about a fixed axis relative to a housing portion of the sheet product dispenser;
contacting and applying a load to an outer surface of the roll of sheet product with a load inducement portion of the sheet product dispenser due to a force of gravity, the load inducement portion comprising:
a guide member defining a channel having a first end and a second end; and
a load member operative to slide along the channel from the first end to the second end; and

rotating the roll of sheet product about the fixed axis within a space defined by the housing portion to dispense the sheet product;
wherein the load applied by the load inducement portion due to the force of gravity continuously changes as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein rotating the roll of sheet product comprises allowing the load inducement portion to move to remain in contact with and apply the load to the outer surface of the roll of sheet product due to the force of gravity.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein supporting the roll of sheet product comprises supporting the roll of sheet product with a roll support of the sheet product dispenser.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the load applied by the load inducement portion due to the force of gravity continuously decreases as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end.

17. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a roll support operative to support the roll of sheet product for rotation about the axis, wherein the axis is fixed relative to the housing portion.

18. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the guide member is fixed relative to the housing portion and positioned within the space defined by the housing portion.

19. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the load member is keyed to the guide member such that the contact portion remains oriented toward the roll of sheet product as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end and during rotation of the roll of sheet product and such that the non-contact portion remains oriented away from the roll of sheet product as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end and during rotation of the roll of sheet product.

20. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the load member is engaged with the guide member such that the load member does not rotate with respect to the guide member as the load member slides along the channel from the first end to the second end and during rotation of the roll of sheet product.

Assignees

• Gpcp Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Cittadino Antonio M
• Mattheeussen Steven B
• Muday Tom

Classifications

• A47K2010/3863

  with roll rotation braking devices · CPC title

• A47K2010/3675

  Braking devices · CPC title

• A47K10/38 Primary

  the web being rolled-up · CPC title