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AssigneeSCA Hygiene Products AB
InventorsJohn S. FORMON, Joseph WIESER, Matthew T. WOERPEL, Jeffrey J. BRICKL, Edward A. RALEIGH
Estimating the term…
A dispenser is disclosed that includes a housing defining an interior volume for receiving a stack of sheet products, an actuator, a dispensing member, a roller, and a support structure for engaging a front face of the stack including opposed shelves for supporting opposed sides of the front face. The actuator is operable by a user to activate a dispensing member to dispense a desired number of sheet products. The actuator includes two or more user interfaces that a user can actuate to transmit to the dispensing member an amount of movement corresponding to different numbers of sheet products being dispensed depending upon which of the user interfaces is actuated. The roller is located between the opposed shelves and engages and grips on the front face of the stack. The actuator imparts a predetermined amount of rotation to the roller depending upon which of the user interface ledges is actuated, which causes the roller to separate one or more sheet products at the front face of the stack in a one-at-a-time fashion.
A dispenser, comprising a housing for a stack of sheet products and a dispensing opening, the dispenser comprising a dispensing member for engaging a front face of the stack adjacent the dispensing opening, the dispensing member being moveable and adapted for gripping a face of a sheet adjacent the dispensing opening, whereby movement of the dispensing member causes a sheet product adjacent the dispensing opening to separate from the stack and move into the dispensing opening.
A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the dispensing member is configured for moving the sheet product past a barrier so that once the barrier is cleared, the sheet product passes into the dispensing opening.
A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the dispenser comprises a support structure against which the front face of stack is supported.
A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein one or more shelves are included to support the dispensing face of the stack adjacent the dispensing opening.
A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the dispensing member is turnable to move the sheet product into the dispensing opening.
A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the dispensing member is provided as a roller engaging the front face of the stack adjacent the dispensing opening.
A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the dispensing member is positioned closer to one edge of the front face of the stack than to an opposed edge.
A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the dispensing member is configured for moving one edge or fold of a product adjacent the dispensing opening into the dispensing opening for grasping by a user, while an opposed edge or fold of the sheet product remains stationary.
A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the dispenser comprises an actuation mechanism that is user operable to cause the dispensing member to move relative to the sheet products in the stack to dispense one or more sheet products.
A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the dispensing member is moveable to move a sheet product adjacent the dispensing opening into the dispensing opening and, as a result of a preceding sheet product being cleared by moving it into the dispensing opening, the dispensing member is positioned for engaging and gripping a succeeding sheet in the stack and configured for moving the succeeding sheet into the dispensing opening for grasping by a user. 20, A method of supplying a stack of sheet products for loading in the housing of the dispenser of any preceding claim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.