Dispenser apparatus with drive mechanism
AssigneeAlwin Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorDaniel C. Kananen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for dispensing sheet material from a sheet material dispenser are described. A drive mechanism powered at least in part by one or more springs discharges sheet material from the dispenser. A diverter redirects at least one of the springs enabling use of a relatively longer spring in a more compact and space-efficient dispenser housing. The dispenser may include a cutting mechanism powered at least in part by the one or more springs.
Claims31
Apparatus for dispensing sheet material comprising:
- a housing;
- a drive roller rotatably mounted with respect to the housing;
- a spring powering rotational displacement of the drive roller during at least a portion of a drive roller rotational cycle;
- and
- a diverter adapted to bend the spring.
A space-efficient paper towel dispenser comprising:
- a housing defining a three-dimensional space;
- support structure adapted to support a roll of paper towel for rotation within the housing;
- a drive roller mounted with respect to the housing for rotational displacement during a dispense cycle, said drive roller being positioned for contact with paper towel unwound from the roll such that pulling of the paper towel by a user rotates the drive roller;
- first and second springs adapted to power rotational displacement of the drive roller during at least a portion of the dispense cycle;
- and
- a diverter adapted to bend the first spring such that the housing has a minimized three-dimensional space.
In a paper towel dispenser comprising a housing defining a three-dimensional space, a drive roller rotatably mounted with respect to the housing and a cutting mechanism having a blade mounted with respect to the drive roller and movable between at least cutting and non-cutting positions responsive to drive roller rotation, a space-efficient drive mechanism for at least partially powering the drive roller and cutting mechanism comprising:
- a pair of springs powering rotational displacement of the drive roller, each spring having one end secured with respect to the drive roller and a second end secured with respect to the housing;
- and
- a diverter positioned between the first and second ends of at least one spring such that the diverter bends the spring in a direction permitting reduction of the housing three-dimensional space.
A method of dispensing a web of paper towel from a dispenser, said dispenser having a housing defining a three-dimensional enclosure, a drive roller mounted in the housing for rotational displacement responsive to pulling of the paper towel by a user and a cutting mechanism having a blade movable to a towel cutting position responsive to drive roller rotational displacement, the method comprising:
- rotating the drive roller to initiate a rotational cycle;
- energizing a spring by rotating the drive roller, said spring being secured with respect to the drive roller and housing and positioned and arranged such that the spring has segments that lie along plural axes;
- powering drive roller rotation by de-energizing the spring during at least a portion of the rotational cycle;
- cutting the paper towel with the cutting mechanism responsive to drive roller rotation;
- and
- braking drive roller rotation with the spring to complete the rotational cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.