Loading device for sheet product dispensers

A chassis for a sheet product dispenser for dispensing sheet product, wherein the sheet product dispenser includes a housing for holding a new roll of sheet product and a previously installed roll of sheet product, the chassis comprising:

• a dispensing mechanism defining a nip for receiving sheet product from one of the new roll or the previously installed roll therethrough, wherein the dispensing mechanism is operable to dispense the sheet product from the one of the new roll or the previously installed roll to provide a dispensed portion of sheet product for retrieval by the user;
• and
• a loading device for receiving a leading end of the new roll of sheet product being installed into the housing, wherein the loading device is transitionable between a nip loading position, a receiving position, and a holding position,
• wherein, when in the receiving position, the loading device receives the leading end of the new roll of sheet product,
• wherein, when in the nip loading position, the loading device causes the leading end of the new roll of sheet product to enter the nip of the dispensing mechanism to cause the dispensing mechanism to begin dispensing sheet product from the new roll of sheet product, and
• wherein, when in the holding position, the loading device holds the leading end of the new roll of sheet product in a position away from the nip of the dispensing mechanism to prevent the dispensing mechanism from dispensing sheet product from the new roll of sheet product,
• wherein the loading device comprises a body, a flap, and a nip roller, wherein the nip roller is attached to and rotatable with the body, wherein, in the receiving position, the flap and the nip roller are spaced apart, and wherein, in the nip loading position, the flap and the nip roller are adjacent so as to form a loading device nip that holds the leading end of the sheet product such that the leading end of the sheet product enters the nip of the dispensing mechanism.

A method for controlling loading of a leading end of a new roll of sheet product into a nip of a dispensing mechanism of a sheet product dispenser, wherein the sheet product dispenser includes a housing that holds a new roll of sheet product and a previously installed roll of sheet product, the method comprising:

• receiving sensor data from a sensor that senses whether or not sheet product is present in a dispensing chute that is positioned downstream of the nip;
• determining, via a controller and based on data from the sensor, whether the sheet product is present in the dispensing chute;
• and
• either:
• causing, if the sheet product is present in the dispensing chute, a loading device to transition to a holding position from a receiving position, wherein the loading device receives the leading end of the new roll of sheet product being installed into the housing, wherein the loading device is transitionable between a nip loading position, the receiving position, and the holding position,
• wherein, when in the receiving position, the loading device receives the leading end of the new roll of sheet product,
• wherein, when in the nip loading position, the loading device causes the leading end of the new roll of sheet product to enter the nip of the dispensing mechanism to cause the dispensing mechanism to begin dispensing sheet product from the new roll of sheet product, and
• wherein, when in the holding position, the loading device holds the leading end of the new roll of sheet product in a position away from the nip of the dispensing mechanism to prevent the dispensing mechanism from dispensing sheet product from the new roll of sheet product;
• or
• causing, if the sheet product is not present in the dispensing chute, the loading device to transition to the nip loading position,
• wherein the loading device transitions between the nip loading position, the receiving position, and the holding position via rotation, wherein the loading device transitions from the receiving position to the nip loading position via rotation in a first rotational direction, and transitions from the receiving position to the holding position via rotation in a second rotational direction that is opposite to the first rotational direction.

A sheet product dispenser for dispensing sheet product, the sheet product dispenser comprising:

• a housing for holding a new roll of sheet product and a previously installed roll of sheet product;
• a dispensing mechanism defining a nip that receives sheet product from one of the new roll or the previously installed roll therethrough, wherein the dispensing mechanism is operable to dispense the sheet product from the one of the new roll or the previously installed roll to provide a dispensed portion of sheet product for retrieval by a user;
• a loading device for receiving a leading end of the new roll of sheet product being installed into the housing, wherein the loading device is transitionable between a nip loading position and a receiving position;
• and
• a nip blocker that extends from the loading device to cover the nip to prevent loading of the leading end of the new roll of sheet product into the nip,
• wherein, when in the receiving position, the loading device receives the leading end of the new roll of sheet product, and
• wherein, when in the nip loading position, the loading device causes the leading end of the new roll of sheet product to enter the nip of the dispensing mechanism to cause the dispensing mechanism to begin dispensing sheet product from the new roll of sheet product.