Product roll cutting and handling mechanism and method

A dispenser, comprising:

• a) a substantially vertical portion of a sheet product within the dispenser;
• the vertical portion having a first side facing rearwardly and a second side facing forwardly, defining a right end of the dispenser as being on the right as seen from forward of the vertical portion;
• b) a drive roller for driving the vertical portion in a direction of advancement;
• the drive roller being supported at its left and right axle ends in bearings fixed in a common support structure;
• the drive roller being turned by a drive motor connected rotationally to the drive roller;
• c) a cutter assembly for cutting the vertical portion transversely to the direction of advancement along the second side of the vertical portion, driven transversely by a cut motor,
• having a home position as far to the right as it can go, having a substantially horizontal circular cutting blade, and
• the cut motor being actuated when the cutter assembly is in the home position and the drive motor is switched from an energized state to a de-energized state;
• d) a substantially horizontal, elongate stationary cutting blade having a straight cutting edge mounted proximate to the first side of the vertical portion,
• e) a means for bringing the circular cutting blade into shearing engagement with the straight cutting edge along substantially the entire length of the straight cutting edge and so as to cut the vertical portion fully transversely in one pass of the cutter assembly;
• f) an upper pinching means substantially parallel to the straight cutting edge for releasably pinching the vertical portion above the stationary cutting blade;
• g) a lower pinching means substantially parallel to the straight cutting edge for releasably pinching the vertical portion below the stationary cutting blade;
• comprising
• a lower pinch plate axle having an axis substantially parallel to the straight cutting edge, and a lower pinch plate extending upwardly from the lower pinch plate axle;
• a means for limiting the lateral range of the pinch force applied to the vertical portion to a transverse width less than the full width of the vertical portion;
• and
• h) a means for releasing the pinching of the vertical portion when a user removes the cut vertical portion from the lower pinching means;
• and wherein:
• the means for limiting the lateral range of the pinch force applied to the vertical portion by the lower pinch plate to a transverse width less than the full width of the vertical portion comprises
• the axis of the lower pinch plate axle being positioned a selected distance forward of said straight cutting edge;
• the lower pinch plate and the lower pinch plate axle each having a selected flexibility;
• a central region approximately halfway between the right end and the left end of the lower pinch plate axle;
• the lower pinch plate axle having a notch formed therein;
• the notch being located between the left and right ends of the lower pinch plate axle proximate to the central region, and below the axis of the lower pinch plate axle proximate in the forward-backward dimension to a vertical plane through the axis of the lower pinch plate axle;
• the notch having a substantially vertical forward-facing face;
• at least one abutment affixed to the common support structure;
• the at least one abutment being located horizontally in the left-right dimension proximate to the central region and having a substantially vertical rearward-facing face;
• and
• the rearward-facing face being located horizontally proximate in the forward-rearward dimension to a vertical plane through the lower pinch plate axis.