US 2017/0290472 A1Published application

Sheet product dispenser

AssigneeGeorgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP

InventorsBrian Scott Borke, Ted Allen Casper, Jacob Charles Dahl, John William Grosz, JR., Alan Joseph Johnson, John Patrick Laitala, Nickolas Everett Madsen, David Warren Murphy, Ryan Joseph Schuh, Kevin Michael Swanson

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Abstract

Some example product dispensers that accommodate two full paper towel rolls are provided herein. The product dispenser may employ separate dispensing mechanisms for each product roll and may include roll holders that articulate out from the housing to facilitate easy loading and access to replacement and loading of the other product roll. A roll partition may be utilized to separate the web paths of the two product rolls and enable rotation of front roll holders. Example funnel covers and nip covers can aid with intuitive installation. Example roll holders with retention mechanisms help prevent unintentional dropping of the installed product roll. Other beneficial features include utilizing motor operation sensing to dispense a desired sheet length, automatic/assisted loading into the dispensing mechanism, automatic switching between dispensing of product rolls, and always dispensing from the smaller product roll first. Many other features/structures of example product dispensers are also described herein.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A sheet product dispenser comprising:

a first roll holder configured to support a first product roll;
a second roll holder configured to support a second product roll;
a housing including a base portion and a cover, wherein the cover is movable relative to the base portion to define an open position and a closed position, wherein the base portion defines a top and a bottom, wherein the housing is sized such that a full size first product roll and a full size second product roll fit within the housing when the cover is in the closed position;
a partition movable relative to the base portion between a stowed position and an unstowed position, wherein the second roll holder is attached to the partition, wherein the partition is positioned proximate the base portion when in the stowed position;
a first dispensing mechanism, wherein the first dispensing mechanism comprises a first nip roller and a first drive roller, wherein the first dispensing mechanism is configured to receive sheet product of the first product roll between the first nip roller and the first drive roller;
a second dispensing mechanism, wherein the second dispensing mechanism comprises a second nip roller and a second drive roller, wherein the second dispensing mechanism is configured to receive sheet product of the second product roll between the second nip roller and the second drive roller;
at least one motor configured to perform at least one of the following:
rotate the first drive roller to cause a portion of the sheet product of the first product roll to dispense from the sheet product dispenser, rotate the second drive roller to cause a portion of the sheet product of the second product roll to dispense from the sheet product dispenser, or selectively rotate the first drive roller or the second drive roller to cause the portion of the sheet product of the first product roll or the portion of the sheet product of the second product roll to dispense from the sheet product dispenser;
and
a controller configured to operate the at least one motor to cause the portion of the sheet product of the first product roll or the portion of the sheet product of the second product roll to dispense;
wherein, when the first product roll is supported by the first roll holder and sheet product of the first product roll is received in the first dispensing mechanism, a first web path is formed from the first product roll to the first dispensing mechanism,
wherein, when the second product roll is supported by the second roll holder and sheet product of the second product roll is received in the second dispensing mechanism, a second web path is formed from the second product roll to the second dispensing mechanism,
wherein the partition is configured to separate the first web path from the second web path when the partition is in the stowed position.

10 more elements

A sheet product dispenser comprising:

a housing including a base portion and a cover, wherein the cover is movable relative to the base portion to define an open position and a closed position;
a first roll holder configured to support a first product roll;
a second roll holder configured to support a second product roll;
a partition movable relative to the base portion between a stowed position and an unstowed position, wherein the second roll holder is attached to the partition;
a first dispensing mechanism that is configured to receive sheet product of the first product roll, and wherein the first dispensing mechanism is configured to operate to cause a portion of the sheet product of the first product roll to dispense from the sheet product dispenser;
a second dispensing mechanism that is configured to receive sheet product of the second product roll, and wherein the second dispensing mechanism is configured to operate to cause a portion of the sheet product of the second product roll to dispense from the sheet product dispenser;
an actuation sensor configured to sense presence of a user;
and
a controller configured to, in response to the actuation sensor sensing the presence of the user, operate either the first dispensing mechanism to cause the portion of the sheet product of the first product roll to dispense or the second dispensing mechanism to cause the portion of the sheet product of the second product roll to dispense;
wherein, when the first product roll is supported by the first roll holder and the sheet product of the first product roll is received in the first dispensing mechanism, a first web path is formed from the first product roll to the first dispensing mechanism,
wherein, when the second product roll is supported by the second roll holder and the sheet product of the second product roll is received in the second dispensing mechanism, a second web path is formed from the second product roll to the second dispensing mechanism,
wherein the partition is configured to separate at least a portion of the first web path from at least a portion of the second web path when the partition is in the stowed position.

9 more elements

A sheet product dispenser comprising:

a housing including a base portion and a cover, wherein the cover is movable relative to the base portion to define an open position and a closed position;
a first roll holder configured to support a first product roll;
a second roll holder configured to support a second product roll;
a partition movable relative to the base portion between a stowed position and an unstowed position, wherein the second roll holder is attached to the partition;
a first dispensing mechanism that is configured to receive sheet product of the first product roll, and wherein the first dispensing mechanism is configured to operate to cause a portion of the sheet product of the first product roll to dispense from the sheet product dispenser;
a second dispensing mechanism that is configured to receive sheet product of the second product roll, and wherein the second dispensing mechanism is configured to operate to cause a portion of the sheet product of the second product roll to dispense from the sheet product dispenser;
an actuation sensor configured to sense presence of a user;
and
a controller configured to, in response to the actuation sensor sensing the presence of the user, operate either the first dispensing mechanism to cause the portion of the sheet product of the first product roll to dispense or the second dispensing mechanism to cause the portion of the sheet product of the second product roll to dispense;
wherein, when the partition is in the stowed position, the user is able to load the second product roll into the second roll holder and the sheet product from the second product roll into the second dispensing mechanism, and wherein, when the partition is in the unstowed position, the user is able to load the first product roll into the first roll holder and the sheet product of the first product roll into the first dispensing mechanism.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/480,614Filed 6 Apr 2017
Priority: 11 Apr 2016
Published: 12 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

A47K 10/3687
With mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices: with one or more reserve rolls
A47K 10/36
Dispensing from a web, e.g. with mechanical dispensing means: with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
A47K 10/3612
The cutting devices being motor driven: with drive and pinch rollers
A47K 10/3625
The cutting devices being motor driven: with electronic control means

Family

Application62/320,829Us provisional application · filed 11 Apr 2016
Application62/453,829Us provisional application · filed 2 Feb 2017
Application15/479,656Continuation · filed 5 Apr 2017
Application15/480,614Continuation
US 11,395,566 B2Related patent
US 2017/0290471 A1Published application
US 9,999,326 B2Related patent
US 2017/0290472 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.