Sheet product dispenser with spring assembly

A dispenser for dispensing sheet product, the dispenser comprising:

• a housing that defines an interior, the interior configured to accommodate at least one source of sheet product, wherein the housing further defines an outlet through which the sheet product is dispensed;
• a knife drum that is rotatable with respect to the housing;
• a knife that is movable between a retracted position within the knife drum and an extended position, wherein, when in the extended position, at least a portion of the knife protrudes outside of the knife drum, wherein the knife is operable to cut the sheet product;
• a cam follower surface that is fixed with respect to the housing;
• a cam follower attached to the knife and operable to engage the cam follower surface and travel along the cam follower surface to transition the knife between the retracted position and the extended position as the knife drum rotates;
• and
• a spring assembly configured to bias the knife drum during rotation of the knife drum toward a predetermined position so as to provide a force to cause the cam follower to travel along the cam follower surface, wherein the spring assembly comprises a first spring and a second spring, wherein the spring assembly comprises a single housing-fixed mount and at least one movable mount, the single housing-fixed mount at a single mounting position, wherein the single housing fixed mount is fixed with respect to the housing, wherein the at least one movable mount is movable with respect to the housing.

A dispenser for dispensing sheet product, the dispenser comprising:

• a housing that defines an interior, the interior configured to accommodate at least one source of sheet product, wherein the housing further defines an outlet through which the sheet product is dispensed;
• a knife drum that is rotatable with respect to the housing;
• a knife that is movable between a retracted position within the knife drum and an extended position, wherein, when in the extended position, at least a portion of the knife protrudes outside of the knife drum, wherein the knife is operable to cut the sheet product;
• a cam plate positioned within the housing and defining a cam follower surface, wherein the cam plate is fixed with respect to the housing;
• a cam follower attached to the knife and operable to engage the cam follower surface and travel along the cam follower surface to transition the knife between the retracted position and the extended position as the knife drum rotates;
• and
• a spring assembly configured to bias the knife drum during rotation of the knife drum toward a predetermined position, wherein the spring assembly comprises a first spring and a second spring, wherein the spring assembly is attached at a first end to a housing-fixed mount at a single mount position with respect to the cam plate so as to provide a single fixed connection to the housing for both the first spring and the second spring, wherein the first spring provides a first force during rotation of the knife drum, wherein the second spring provides a second force during rotation of the knife drum.