Sheet product roll holder with integrated flowable material dispensing mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10856707-B2
Application number	US-201916456324-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2019
Priority date	Jul 12, 2018
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A sheet product roll holder may include a support arm, a spindle, a flowable material container, and an automated flowable material dispensing mechanism. The support arm may define a first longitudinal axis. The spindle may be coupled to the support arm and define a second longitudinal axis extending transverse to the first longitudinal axis, and the spindle may be configured to rotatably support a roll of sheet product thereon. The flowable material container may be positioned at least partially within the spindle and define a third longitudinal axis extending coaxially with the second longitudinal axis, and the flowable material container may include a container body and a volume of a flowable material positioned within the container body. The automated flowable material dispensing mechanism may be positioned at least partially within the support arm and configured to dispense the flowable material from the flowable material container.

First claim

We claim:

1. A sheet product roll holder for supporting a roll of sheet product, the sheet product roll holder comprising:
a support arm having an elongated shape defining a first longitudinal axis, the support arm comprising a first end, a second end, a side surface extending between the first end and the second end, and a dispensing opening disposed on a first portion of the side surface;
a spindle coupled to a second portion of the side surface of the support arm, the spindle having an elongated shape defining a second longitudinal axis extending transverse to the first longitudinal axis, wherein the spindle is configured to rotatably support the roll of sheet product;
a flowable material container positioned at least partially within the spindle and having an elongated shape defining a third longitudinal axis extending coaxially with the second longitudinal axis, the flowable material container comprising a container body in which a volume of a flowable material can be stored; and
an automated flowable material dispensing mechanism positioned at least partially within the support arm.

2. The sheet product roll holder of claim 1 , wherein the flowable material container is a pressurized container, and wherein the flowable material container further comprises a container valve configured to control release of the flowable material from the container body.

3. The sheet product roll holder of claim 2 , wherein the automated flowable material dispensing mechanism comprises a solenoid valve positioned within the support arm and in fluid communication with the container valve, the solenoid valve configured to control dispensing of the flowable material from the sheet product roll holder.

4. The sheet product roll holder of claim 3 , wherein the solenoid valve has an elongated shape defining a fourth longitudinal axis extending coaxially with the second longitudinal axis.

5. The sheet product roll holder of claim 3 , wherein the automated flowable material dispensing mechanism further comprises:
a sensor positioned within the support arm and configured to detect the presence of an object within a predetermined distance from the sensor; and
an electronic controller positioned within the support arm and in operable communication with the solenoid valve and the sensor.

6. The sheet product roll holder of claim 5 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to:
receive a signal from the sensor indicating the presence of the user within the predetermined distance from the sensor; and
direct the solenoid valve to move from a closed configuration to an open configuration upon receiving the signal from the sensor.

7. The sheet product roll holder of claim 5 , wherein the automated flowable material dispensing mechanism further comprises one or more batteries positioned within the support arm and in operable communication with the solenoid valve, the sensor, and the electronic controller.

8. The sheet product roll holder of claim 5 , wherein the automated flowable material dispensing mechanism further comprises a capacitive touch sensor display positioned within the support arm and in operable communication with the electronic controller, the capacitive touch sensor display configured to present information to the user and to detect a touch of the user.

9. The sheet product roll holder of claim 8 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to:
cause the automated flowable material dispensing mechanism to assume an off state after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following a most recent dispense cycle;
receive a signal from the capacitive touch sensor display indicating the touch of the user; and
cause the automated flowable material dispensing mechanism to assume an on state upon receiving the signal from the capacitive touch sensor display.

10. The sheet product roll holder of claim 1 , wherein the first end is closer to a wall mount than the second end, wherein the dispensing opening is closer to the first end than the second end, and wherein the dispensing opening is coaxial with the second longitudinal axis.

11. The sheet product roll holder of claim 10 , wherein the automated flowable material dispensing mechanism is positioned between the flowable material container and the dispensing opening in the direction of the second longitudinal axis.

12. The sheet product roll holder of claim 1 , wherein the automated flowable material dispensing mechanism is positioned entirely within the support arm.

13. The sheet product roll holder of claim 1 , wherein the second longitudinal axis extends perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis.

14. The sheet product roll holder of claim 1 , wherein the flowable material container is positioned entirely within the spindle.

15. The sheet product roll holder of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the flowable material container is positioned within the spindle, and wherein a second portion of the flowable material container is positioned within the support arm.

16. The sheet product roll holder of claim 1 , wherein the support arm, the spindle, and the flowable material container each have a cylindrical shape.

17. The sheet product roll holder of claim 1 , wherein the support arm comprises a base portion and a cap portion removably attached to one another and defining an interior space therebetween.

18. The sheet product roll holder of claim 1 , further comprising a mounting plate assembly configured for mounting the sheet product roll holder to a support structure, wherein the support arm is removably attached to the mounting plate assembly.

19. The sheet product roll holder of claim 18 , wherein the mounting plate assembly comprises:
a mounting plate comprising a plurality of first protrusions configured to engage the support arm; and
a cover coupled to the mounting plate and configured to rotate relative to the mounting plate between an unlocked position and a locked position, the cover comprising a plurality of second protrusions configured to engage the support arm.

20. The sheet product roll holder of claim 19 , wherein the support arm comprises a plurality of slots each configured to receive one of the first protrusions and one of the second protrusions when the support arm is attached to the mounting plate assembly, wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions are aligned with one another when the mounting plate is in the unlocked position, and wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions are offset from one another when the mounting plate is in the locked position.

21. A sheet product roll holder for supporting a roll of sheet product, the sheet product roll holder comprising:
a first support arm having an elongated shape defining a first longitudinal axis, the first support arm comprising a first side surface extending between a first end and a second end, and a dispensing opening disposed on a first portion of the first side surface;
a second support arm having an elongated shape defining a second longitudinal axis, the second support arm comprising a second side surface extending between a first end and a second end;
a spindle coupled to a second portion of the first side surface of the first support arm and the second side surface of the second support arm, the spindle having an elongated shape defining a third longitudinal axis extending transverse to each of the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis, the spindle configured to rotatably support the roll of sheet product;
a flowable ma

Assignees

• Gpcp Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Peterson Eric Paul
• Andersen Ryan
• Malesky Jacob Edward
• Alling Jon Charles
• Graham Iii Gordon Keith

Classifications

• A47K2010/328

  by spraying · CPC title

• A47K10/32 Primary

  Dispensers for paper towels or toilet paper · CPC title