Sheet product dispenser with load inducement portion
AssigneeGPCP IP Holdings LLC
InventorsAntonio M. Cittadino, Steven B. Mattheeussen, Tom Muday
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims22
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.
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.
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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.