Towel dispenser with auto-load arrangement
AssigneeWausau Paper Towel & Tissue, LLC
InventorsMark W. Henson, Adam T. Elliott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dispenser for dispensing paper toweling. The dispenser including a towel support that is positionable in a first dispensing position when a drive roller rotates in a first direction, and that is positionable in a second auto-loading position when the drive roller rotates in a second direction. Rotation of the drive roller in the first and second directions automatically loading the paper toweling for subsequent dispense.
Claims16
A method of loading a paper towel dispenser, the dispenser having a drive roller that rotates in a first direction to dispense paper towel, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) detecting the absence of a leading portion of a continuous length of paper toweling at a predetermined position;
- b) automatically loading a leading portion of the continuous length of paper toweling for subsequent dispense, wherein the continuous length of paper toweling comprises a pleated stack of paper toweling, including:
- i) rotating the drive roller in a second direction to allow a towel support to move from a first position to a second position and move support arms of the towel support into grooves of the drive roller to put toweling into contact with the drive roller;
- ii) rotating the drive roller in the first direction to position the leading portion at the predetermined position and to move the towel support from the second position to the first position.
A towel dispenser, comprising:
- a) a dispenser housing;
- b) a drive roller including a cam and grooves;
- c) a pivoting towel support positionable in a first dispensing position and a second auto-loading position, the towel support having support arms for supporting toweling, when toweling is in the dispenser;
- and
- d) a pawl that contacts the cam during rotation of the drive roller, wherein the pawl holds the towel support in the first dispensing position when the drive roller rotates in a first direction and releases the towel support so that the towel support pivots to the second auto-loading position when the drive roller rotates in the second direction and causing the support arms of the towel support to be disposed in the grooves of the drive roller, whereby the toweling contacts the drive roller when toweling is in the dispenser.
A towel dispenser, comprising:
- a) a dispenser housing;
- b) a drive roller that dispenses a length of paper towel from a continuous length of toweling;
- (i) the drive roller being rotatable in first and second opposite directions;
- (ii) the drive roller having a cam and grooves;
- c) a towel support that pivots between a first position and a second position;
- (i) the towel support being provided in the first position when the drive roller rotates in the first direction,
- (ii) the towel support being provided in the second position when the drive roller rotates in the opposite second direction;
- (iii) the towel support having a notch and support arms;
- the support arms for supporting the toweling, when toweling is in the dispenser;
- d) a pawl having a pawl portion that releasably engages the notch in the towel support;
- (i) when the drive roller rotates in the first direction, the pawl portion is engaged with the notch to hold the towel support in the first position;
- (ii) when the drive roller rotates in the second direction, the cam on the drive roller engages the pawl to release the pawl portion from the notch to allow the towel support to move into the second position;
- (A) the second position of the towel support including the support arms of the towel support being disposed in the grooves of the drive roller, whereby the toweling contacts the drive roller when toweling is in the dispenser and automatically loads a continuous length of toweling for dispense.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.