Ribbed petal slotted conical nozzle

#The following disclosure(s) are submitted under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1)(A): DISCLOSURE: Screen captures from YouTube video clip entitled “Brawny® 2.0 Professional Cleaning Towel System (:30 sec),” 2 pages, uploaded on Nov. 6, 2020 by user Georgia-Pacific Professional, retrieved from the Internet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tunRA11s8-c.

#The present disclosure relates to a nozzle for a sheet material dispenser, and more particularly, to a ribbed petal slotted conical nozzle for multiple types of sheet substrates.

#Single-sheet dispensers, i.e., dispensers that dispense a consistent, fixed quantity of sheet material, are also desired for many reasons. Such dispensers reduce the quantity of sheet material used by an individual patron, thereby saving on material costs, disposal costs, and costs associated with the frequency whereby the dispensers must be refilled. Single-sheet dispensers are also advantageous because they do not require the patron to touch the nozzle of the dispenser, which reduces the chance of transferring disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. Single-sheet dispensers make the process of obtaining a sheet quick and simple.

#For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts:

#FIG. 1A is an exploded view of a sheet dispenser system with a lid having a conical nozzle according to embodiments of the present invention;

#FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a single sheet being dispensed through the conical nozzle according to embodiments of the present invention;

#Various challenges are associated with manual single-sheet dispensers that dispense single-sheets from rolled sheet material with offset zones/regions of weakness, i.e., perforations. First, the dispenser must include a reliable mechanism(s) to appropriately tension the sheet material flowing therethrough to allow withdrawal of only one sheet at a time from a roll of sheet material. The pulling force that the patron must apply to separate zones/regions of weakness, i.e., perforations, will depend on the type of sheet material. Tearing a single sheet from a roll of thicker and heavier sheet material requires a greater pull force. If the patron does not apply the appropriate force and/or angle if necessary, the perforations do not separate, more than one sheet is pulled from the dispenser, resulting in unnecessary waste.

#Another challenge for dispenser manufacturers is that the dispenser mechanism(s) must vary based on the type of sheet material that is to be dispensed, as thicker and heavier materials require more pulling force to tear a single sheet from a roll. Therefore, the different dispensers must be designed for different types of sheet material. Accordingly, there is a need for a single sheet dispenser that reliable dispenses a single sheet of material of multiple types of sheet materials requiring a range of pull forces via a center pull mechanism that does not require additional work from the patron.

#In response to the above challenges, described herein is a dispenser with a lid that includes ribbed conical nozzle that dispenses single sheets of multiple types of substrates of varying thicknesses, weights, strengths, and textures. The ribbed conical nozzle with petals and slots reliably dispenses single sheets from rolls of material with regions/zones of weakness (such as perforations), while minimizing failures, such as roping, jamming, sheet tearing, and dispensing multiple sheets. The dispenser dispenses single sheets of various substrates, including hydroentangled (HEF) sheet substrates, spun laced sheet substrates, spunbonded sheet substrates, melt blown sheet substrates, airlaid sheet substrates, paper sheet substrates, resin bonded sheet substrates, natural fiber hydroentangled substrates, and double re-creped sheet substrates.