Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SHEET MATERIAL DISPENSING ASSEMBLY WITH
INTEGRATED GEAR CLUTCH
Priority Claim
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No.
62/956,789, filed January 3, 2020.
Incorporation by Reference
[0002] The disclosures of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
62/956,789, filed January 3,
2020, is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes as if
presented in their entireties.
Technical Field
[0003] This disclosure generally relates to dispensers and, more
particularly, to dispensers for
flexible sheet materials, such as paper towels, tissues, or other paper
products.
Background
[0004] Different types of devices for dispensing selected quantities of
flexible sheet products, such
as for use in restrooms, hospitals and/or other environments, have been
developed in recent years.
Some of these dispensers include manual dispensing mechanisms, such as knobs,
levers, etc., that
are configured to be activated by users for manually dispensing desired
amounts of sheet material
from the dispensers.
[0005] Often times, however, users may misuse or tamper with these
manual dispensing
mechanisms. That is, users may rotate or otherwise move the manual dispensing
mechanisms in
undesired ways, and this may result in jamming or other malfunctioning of the
dispenser and/or
damage to or unnecessary wear of components thereof.
[0006] Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for manual
dispensing mechanisms that
inhibit, limit, or prevent undesired movement thereof to help to prevent
jamming or other
malfunctioning and/or damage, wear, etc. of such dispensers and/or associated
components. The
present disclosure addresses the foregoing and other related and unrelated
problems or issues in the
art.
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Summary
[0007] Briefly described, in one aspect, the present disclosure
includes a sheet material dispenser
or dispenser assembly configured for dispensing desired or selected amounts of
sheet material. In
some embodiments, the sheet material dispenser can include a dispenser housing
that is configured
to support one or more supplies of sheet material therealong and that has a
discharge (e.g.,
discharge chute, opening, etc.) for dispensing of the selected amounts of
sheet material therefrom.
[0008] The feed roller includes a feed roller body configured to engage
and move sheet material
from the one or more supplies of sheet material along a discharge path or path
of travel and out
from the discharge for dispensing of the selected amounts of sheet material
upon activation (i.e.,
rotation) of the feed roller.
[0009] The sheet material dispenser assembly can include at least one
pressing roller rotatably
mounted along the feed roller body and configured to engage the sheet material
therebetween to
facilitate feeding of the sheet material along the discharge path upon
rotation of the feed roller.
[0010] In some aspects, the sheet material dispenser assembly can
comprise a manual dispensing
assembly that communicates with the feed roller that is rotatably mounted to
the dispenser housing
and is configured to enable a user to manually activate the feed roller. The
manual dispensing
assembly includes a user engagement portion or mechanism that is operatively
coupled to or
otherwise in communication with the feed roller body such that engagement of
the user engagement
mechanism by a user causes rotation of the feed roller body to facilitate
dispensing of the selected
amounts of sheet material from the discharge.
[0011] In some embodiments, the engagement mechanism can include a
knob, lever, handle, etc. or
other suitable engagement member that is operatively connected to the feed
roller body, such that
rotation of the knob, lever, handle, etc. by a user causes rotation of the
feed roller body. The
engagement mechanism further can include one or more engagement features that
facilitate
gripping of the engagement mechanism by users for manual dispensing of sheet
material.
[0012] The manual dispensing assembly further can include a rotating
shaft or linkage that
connects the engagement mechanism to the feed roller body. For example, one
end of the rotating
shaft can be connected to the engagement mechanism, such as by snap-fittings,
adhesives,
fasteners, etc., while an opposing end of the rotating shaft can be connected
to the feed roller body,
such as by a connection member that is connected to the feed roller body by
snap-fittings,
adhesives, fasteners, etc.
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[0013] In addition, the manual dispensing assembly can include an
integrated gear clutch that
controls or limits movement of the engagement mechanism and/or feed roller. In
some aspects, the
integrated gear clutch is configured to generally allow for movement of the
feed roller and/or the
engagement mechanism when the engagement mechanism is moved in one direction,
but limit,
inhibit, or prevent movement of the feed roller and/or the engagement
mechanism when the
engagement mechanism is moved in an opposite direction to help to
substantially reduce, inhibit, or
prevent jamming of the sheet material, damage to or malfunctioning of various
components of the
sheet material dispenser assembly, and/or unnecessary wearing of various
components thereof.
[0014] In one embodiment, the integrated gear clutch can be provided
along and connected to the
rotating shaft to control movement of the engagement mechanism and/or feed
roller body. It will,
however, also be understood that the integrated gear clutch can be
incorporated with various other
suitable components of the manual dispensing mechanism without departing from
the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0015] In some embodiments, the integrated gear clutch generally can
include an outside ring, an
inner elastic bracket, and a plurality of rollers (e.g., cylindrical bearing
rollers, ball bearing rollers,
etc.). The outside ring generally is configured to house or surround the inner
elastic bracket, and
the inner elastic bracket is configured to engage or holds the plurality of
rollers in spaced series
thereabout. The inner elastic bracket further can include a body having
openings or apertures
defined therein, with each opening being sized, dimensioned, or otherwise
configured to receive a
respective roller of the plurality of rollers. The inner elastic bracket
further can include biased
prongs or other biasing members, formed therewith or connected thereto, that
are configured to
engage and/or support the rollers within their respective openings.
[0016] In addition, each opening can define a rotating area along one
side thereof and a non-
rotating area along an opposing side thereof. The rotating area generally is
configured to allow for
rotation of the rollers, while the non-rotating area generally is configured
to reduce, inhibit, or
prevent rotation of the rollers. For example, the rollers generally will move
in relation to their
respective openings based on the direction of rotation (or direction of
attempted rotation) of the
rotating shaft between engagement with the rotating area and the non-rotating
area. As a result, for
rotation in one direction (e.g., a first direction), the rollers will engage
the rotating area and rotate
or spin, thereby allowing the rotating shaft to freely rotate. Conversely,
when rotation in an
opposite direction is attempted (e.g., a second direction), the rollers can
engage the non-rotating
area, which engagement substantially limits, inhibits, or retards rotation of
the rollers, and as a
result, substantially limits, inhibits, or retards rotation of the rotating
shaft. In this regard, the
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integrated gear clutch can be operable to substantially limit, inhibit, or
retard rotation of the
engagement mechanism and/or feed roller in at least one direction.
[0017] In some embodiments, the non-rotating area can include the
biased prongs or members,
which prongs can be configured to lock or limit rotation of the rollers upon
engagement therewith.
The rotating area also can include a surface of the inner elastic bracket
defined by/along the
openings, which surface can be curved or arcuate and can be generally
complementary or
correspond to the rollers to generally allow rotation of the rollers.
[0018] With the integrated gear clutch received about the rotating
shaft, the rollers can engage or
contact the rotating shaft. Accordingly, when the engagement mechanism is
rotated in one
direction (e.g., the first direction), the rollers engage the rotating area
and are allowed to rotate,
which in turn allows rotation of the rotating shaft and the feed roller body.
When the engagement
mechanism is rotated in the opposite or opposing direction (e.g., the second
direction), however,
the rollers engage the non-rotating area, which stops, limits, or inhibits
rotation of the rollers, this
also prevents rotation of the rotating shaft and the feed roller body due to
frictional engagement
between the stationary rollers and the rotating shaft sufficient to block or
inhibit rotation thereof in
the second, opposing direction.
[0019] In embodiments, the integrated clutch mechanism be incorporated
with a bearing assembly
of the manual dispenser assembly. The bearing assembly can include a bearing
that is connected to
the dispenser housing and rotatably supports the feed roller body. The bearing
further can include a
passage or cavity that receives the integrated gear clutch. For example, the
outer ring of the
integrated gear clutch can be press-fitted or otherwise received within the
passage of the bearing,
such that the outer ring engages an inner surface of the bearing defined by
the passage. The
rotating shaft of the engagement assembly further can be received within the
passage such that the
plurality of rollers engages the rotating shaft (e.g., contact an outer
surface of the rotating shaft).
[0020] The sheet material dispenser assembly additionally can include a
cutting mechanism or
assembly that also can be integrated with the feed roller and configured to be
operable for cutting
or perforating the sheet material during dispensing thereof. The cutting
assembly can include a
cutting blade that is connected to a moveable support that is movable with the
feed roller body such
that the cutting blade moves in and out from the feed roller body (e.g., in
and out from one or more
openings defined in the feed roller body) with rotation thereof The movable
support further can
include a cam or camming member operatively connected thereto that moves along
and engages a
cam track configured to facilitate movement of the cutting mechanism in and
out from the feed
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roller body. The cam track can be formed within or along a portion of or
otherwise connected to
the bearing assembly. For example, the cam track can be formed within a
portion of the bearing
assembly that is integrally formed with the bearing.
[0021] The manual dispenser assembly further can include a feed roller
biasing assembly that can
assist rotation of the feed roller (and cutting assembly), e.g., when a user
rotates the engagement
mechanism. The feed roller biasing assembly can include one or more biasing
members that are
operatively connected to the feed roller to assist rotation thereof In one
construction, the one or
more biasing members each can be connected to a linkage that is attached to an
interior surface of
the feed roller body. The feed roller biasing assembly further can function
cooperatively with the
integrated gear clutch, whereby as the feed roller biasing assembly
facilitates and drives the
responsive rotation of the feed roller when the manual dispensing assembly is
engaged, the
integrated gear clutch can prevent or limit a reverse rotation of the feed
roller in an undesired
direction, and/or further, over-rotation of the feed roller, to help to
prevent malfunctioning of or
damage to the feed roller biasing assembly.
[0022] These and other advantages and aspects of the embodiments of the
present disclosure will
become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following detailed
description and the
claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Moreover, it is
to be understood
that both the foregoing summary of the disclosure and the following detailed
description are
exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the
scope of the disclosure
as claimed.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0023] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the
embodiments of the present disclosure, are incorporated in and constitute a
part of this
specification, illustrate embodiments of this disclosure, and together with
the detailed description,
serve to explain the principles of the embodiments discussed herein. No
attempt is made to show
structural details of this disclosure in more detail than may be necessary for
a fundamental
understanding of the exemplary embodiments discussed herein and the various
ways in which they
may be practiced.
[0024] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an example sheet material
dispenser according to
principles of the present disclosure.
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[0025] Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an example dispenser
according to principles of this
disclosure.
[0026] Figs. 3A and 3B illustrate exploded views of a feed roller and
cutting assembly/system
according to one aspect of the present disclosure.
[0027] Figs. 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E show cross-sectional views of a
feed roller with the cutting
system/assembly of Figs. 3A and 3B.
[0028] Fig. 5 shows a further cross-sectional view of a feed roller
with the cutting system/assembly
of Figs. 3A and 3B.
[0029] Fig. 6 shows a partial perspective view of an example manual
drive mechanism according
to principles of the present disclosure.
[0030] Figs. 7A and 7B show a side elevational view and a partial side
elevational view of a
biasing assembly for controlling movement of a feed roller and/or cutting
mechanism according to
one aspect of the present disclosure.
[0031] Figs. 8A and 8B show a partial side elevation view and a side
elevation views of the feed
roller with a cutting system according to an additional aspect of the
disclosure.
[0032] Fig. 9A, 9B, and 9C show cross-sectional views illustrating the
various positions of the
cutting mechanism of Figs. 8A and 8B.
[0033] Figs. 10A, 10B, and 10C show partial cutaway, perspectives view
of a biasing assembly for
controlling movement of a feed roller and/or cutting mechanism according to an
additional aspect
of the present disclosure.
[0034] Figs. 11A, 11B, and 11C show various views of a manual
dispensing assembly according to
principles of the present disclosure.
[0035] Figs. 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D illustrating perspective and side
views of an integrated gear
clutch for the manual engagement assembly of Figs. 11A-11C.
[0036] Figs. 13A, 13B, and 13C show perspective, cross-section, and
side views of a single
direction bearing assembly with the integrated gear clutch of Figs. 12A-12D.
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Detailed Description
[0037] The following description is provided as an enabling teaching of
embodiments of this
disclosure. Those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that many changes
can be made to the
embodiments described, while still obtaining the beneficial results. It will
also be apparent that
some of the desired benefits of the embodiments described can be obtained by
selecting some of the
features of the embodiments without utilizing other features. Accordingly,
those who work in the
art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations to the embodiments
described are
possible and may even be desirable in certain circumstances. Thus, the
following description is
provided as illustrative of the principles of the embodiments of the invention
and not in limitation
thereof, since the scope of the invention is defined by the claims.
[0038] As generally illustrated in Figs. 1-10C, the present disclosure
is directed to a sheet material
dispenser 10 for feeding or dispensing a flexible sheet material 12 (Figs. 1-
2). The dispenser 10
generally includes a feed roller drive assembly 14 mounted/disposed within a
dispenser housing 16.
The drive assembly 14 generally will be manually operated (as shown in Figs. 5
and 6); though in
some constructions the dispenser can include a motorized/driven feed roller.
Upon use or
activation of the dispenser 10, the feed roller drive assembly 14 for
dispensing sheet material will
be engaged, causing rotation of a feed roller or drive spindle 18, thereby
resulting in conveyance of
a measured or selected amount or length L of sheet material 12 (e.g. a sheet
that can be cut and
dispensed or torn or otherwise removed by a user) along a conveying or feed
path P (Fig. 2) from a
roll or supply 20 of the sheet material 12 and out of a dispensing throat or
discharge chute 22 or
other suitable aperture or opening provided/defined in the housing 16, as
generally indicated in
Figs. 1 and 2. It further should be appreciated that the sheet material
dispenser 10 described herein
should not be considered to be limited to any particular style, configuration,
or intended type of
sheet material. For example, the dispenser 10 may be operable to dispense
paper towels, toilet
tissue, or other similar paper or sheet materials, including dispensing or
feeding non-perforated
and/or perforated sheet materials.
[0039] As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the dispenser housing 16
generally includes a roll support
mechanism 21, for holding at least one roll 23 of the supply 20 of sheet
material 12. For example,
the roll 23 can be supported by a pair of arms 25 coupled to the dispenser
housing 16. These arms
25 may be fixedly arranged to hold the supply 20 of sheet material in a spaced
relationship with the
feed roller 18 or, in the alternative, the arms 25 may be biased or urged,
such as by a spring, other
pre-stressed member or suitable biasing mechanisms, toward the feed roller 18
to urge or direct the
supply 20 of sheet material downwardly toward or against the roller 18. In an
alternative
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construction (not shown), the roll support mechanism can include slots or
grooves defined in or
along the dispenser housing 16 that are configured to receive the first and/or
second ends of the roll
23 of the sheet material 12, such that at least a portion of the supply 20 of
sheet material 12 is
supported by, and/or rests on or engages the feed roller 18. The slots or
grooves of the roll support
mechanism further can include one or more angled or sloped portions having a
variable slope to
increase/decrease the amount of force the supply 20 of sheet material exerts
on the roller 18. For
example, a slope can be selected such that as the supply 20 of sheet material
is fed (e.g., the amount
of sheet material 12 left on the roll decreases), the slope or position of the
supply roll can change so
as to keep a downward force exerted on the feed roller 18 by the supply roll
substantially constant
as the supply of sheet material, and likewise the weight thereof, is
diminished as selected portions
of the sheet material 12 are dispensed.
[0040] Figs. 1 and 2 further show that the dispenser 10 also can
include one or more pressing
rollers 36 that can be biased toward engagement with the feed roller 18, so as
to engage and force
or press the sheet material 12 against the feed roller 18. The pressing
roller(s) 36 can be movably
mounted within the dispenser housing 16, such as with the ends thereof held
within holders or
brackets 36A/36B that can be biased toward engagement with the driven feed
roller 18 such as by
springs, biased cylinders or other suitable biasing mechanisms. The pressing
rollers or a single
roller, when used, also can be biased independently forward the feed roller.
The pressing roller(s)
36 further can include bands of a gripping material, such as a rubber or
synthetic material, to assist
in pulling the sheet material therebetween without causing damage to the sheet
material as it passes
between the feed roller and pressing roller(s). Additional pressing or guide
rollers 36C also can be
arranged along the feed roller 18 to assist in guiding the sheet material,
which additional rollers
36C (Fig. 2) may be fixed or biased against the feed roller body 30, such as
by springs, biased
cylinders or other suitable biasing mechanisms.
[0041] Fig. 3A provides an exploded view of the feed roller 18
according to one embodiment. As
illustrated in Fig. 3A, the feed roller body 28 may include first and second
ends 28A/28B and a
generally cylindrical outer side wall 30 and an inner side wall 31 defining an
open ended passage,
recess, or at least partially hollow cavity 32 defined within/along the feed
roller body 28, and the
feed roller body 28 may also include one or more driving bands 34 disposed on,
or adhered to, an
outer surface 30A of the side wall 30, such as a series of driving bands or
sections 34 disposed on
the outer surface 30A in a spaced arrangement or configuration. The driving
bands 34 may at least
partially include or be comprised of rubber, plastic, resin or other similar
materials suitable to
increase grip of the feed roller 18 and/or friction between the feed roller 18
and the sheet material
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12 to thereby assist in the feeding or driving of the sheet material 12. In
addition, the outer
surface 30A of the feed roller body 28 also may include a series of recessed
or gap sections 35
defined therein.
[0042] As additionally illustrated in Fig. 3A, the feed roller body 28
can be made up of various
sections or portions including a first section or portion 29 having, for
example, a cylindrical
sidewall 29A defining an open ended passage or at least a partially hollow
cavity 29B therealong,
and a second, or other additional, section or portion 33 connected to and/or
adjacent the first section
29 also having, for example, a cylindrical sidewall 33A defining an open ended
passage or at least a
partially hollow cavity 33B therealong. The feed roller body 28 can be movably
or rotatably
mounted/attached to one or more walls or other portions of the dispenser
housing 16, such as side
walls 38/39 (Figs. 1 and 5-6).
[0043] The first end 28A and/or second 28B end of the feed roller body
28 can be connected,
mounted or otherwise coupled to the side walls 38/39 by one or more bearing
assemblies 406 (Figs.
3A and 5-6), and/or other suitable support mechanisms that support and allow
for rotation of the
feed roller body 28 in relation to the dispenser housing 16. The bearings 406
may include roller or
ball bearings, though embodiments of this disclosure are not so limited and
may include plain,
fluid, or magnetic bearings or any other suitable mechanisms for rotatably
fixing the feed roller
body 28 to or within the dispenser housing 16. The first 28A and/or second 28B
ends of the feed
roller body 28 can be receive and engage the bearing assemblies 406 to enable
the feed roller body
28 to rotate with respect to the dispenser housing 16 (Figs 3A and 5-6).
[0044] Figs. 3A-B and 4A-E show a dispenser cutting assembly or system
320 according to one
embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cutting assembly 320 can
include a cutting blade
322 and a base or support 324 connected to and at least partially supporting
the cutting blade 322.
The base 324 can be pivotally or otherwise movably mounted within the cavity
or chamber 32
defined within the feed roller body 28, such that teeth or sharpened portions
330 of the cutting
blade 322 are extensible between extended and retracted positions out of and
back through an
opening or slot 332 defined along the feed roller body 28 by movement of the
base.
[0045] The base 324 can have a body 332 with front 334, back 336, top
338, bottom 340, and side
342/344 portions or sections (Fig. 3B). In one embodiment, the body 332 of the
base 324 further
can be formed from a plastic material or other polymeric material, though
other suitable materials,
such as rubber, wood, composites, etc., also can be used without departing
from the scope of the
present disclosure. The base 324 further generally will be coupled or
connected to the cutting blade
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322 along the top portion 338 of the base 324, for example, by a series of
fasteners 341, such as
screws, bolts, rivets, etc., that can be received and/or threaded through a
series of holes 343 defined
in/through the cutting blade 322 as well as corresponding holes 345 defined in
the top portion of
the base 324. However, the cutting blade 322 can be otherwise mounted to or
integrally formed
with the support/base 324, without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0046] As generally shown in Figs. 4A-E, the base 324 further is
rotatably or pivotally coupled to
at least a portion of the feed roller body 28. For example, the cutting
assembly 320 can include
pins 346, or other suitable connection means or connecting members, e.g.,
rods, bearings, etc.,
allowing for pivoting or rotation thereabout, to couple to ends 324A/B of the
base 324 to side walls
348 of the feed roller body 28 such that the base/support 324 is
rotatable/pivotable about the pins
346 and further moves/rotates with the feed roller body 28 during dispensing
of the sheet material.
Additionally, the cutting assembly 320 can include one or more biasing members
350, such as
torsion springs, or other suitable biasing members, that are coupled to pins
346 and provide a
biasing force against the support/base 324, e.g., sufficient to urge or bias
the support/base 324, and
thus the cutting blade 322, toward a retracted position.
[0047] Figs. 3A-3B and 4A-4E also show that the base 324 also has a cam
follower assembly 352
arranged along the top portion 338 thereof. The cam follower assembly 352
generally has one or
more cam followers 354, which can include bearings, rollers, or other rotating
members or portions.
In one embodiment, the cam followers 354 can be at least partially received
within notches or
grooves 356 defined in the top portion 338 of the base 324, and can be
rotatably coupled thereto by
rods or pins 358, or other suitable connection mechanisms, as generally shown
in Fig. 3B. The
rods or pins 358 each further can be received/engaged within a hole or passage
360 defined through
a body 362 of each cam followers 354 and corresponding holes/passages 364
defined along the top
portion 338 of the base 224, to rotatably couple the cam followers 354 to the
base 324, as generally
shown in Fig. 3B.
[0048] The cam followers 354 engage and move along one or more
corresponding cam surfaces or
tracks 366 located within the cavity 32 of the feed roller body 28, as the
feed roller body 28 is
rotated, and correspondingly pivot/rotate the base 324 and move the cutting
blade 322 out from and
back into the opening/slot 332. For example, in one embodiment, the cutting
assembly 320 can
include cam members 370 that can be mounted in a substantially fixed or
stationary position within
the cavity 32 of the feed roller body 28, such that the feed roller body 28
and the base 324 are
rotated about such cam members 370, such as indicated in Figs. 4A-E.
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[0049] The biasing member 350 further can bias or urge the cam
followers 354 against and into
engagement with at least a portion of the cam members 370. The cam members 370
further can
have one or more protrusions, protuberances, or extending portions 372
provided therealong, such
that when the protrusion(s) 372 are engaged by the cam followers 350 the
biasing force of the
biasing member 350 is overcome to cause the base/support 324 to pivot, rotate,
or otherwise move
and thereby extend the cutting blade 322 out from the opening/slot 332 in the
feed roller body 28
for at least partial perforation or cutting of the sheet material.
Accordingly, as shown in Figs.
4A-E, as the feed roller body 28 is rotated to dispense sheet material 12 (and
the base 324 is rotated
therewith) the cam followers 354 will be pressed against/into engagement with
and moved along
the cam members 370 such that the support/base 324 pivots or moves the cutting
blade 322
between a plurality of extended and retracted positions 374, 380, 382.
[0050] As shown in Fig. 4A, the cutting blade 322 initially can be in a
rest or initial position 374,
with the cam followers 354 engaging a surface or portion 375 of the cam
members 370 such that
the cutting blade 322 is retracted from the opening 332 in the feed roller
body 28. In this rest/initial
position 374, a tail or portion 376 of the sheet material 12 may hang or
otherwise extend from the
discharge chute 22 of the dispenser. It will, however, be understood that the
present disclosure is
not limited to this arrangement, and the sheet material 12 may be concealed
within the dispenser or
in any other suitable arrangement, without departing from the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0051] Figs. 4B-C also indicate that when the feed roller body 28 is
rotated to dispense a selected
amount of sheet material, for example, upon a manual activation of the
dispenser, e.g., when a user
turns a knob or lever 300 operatively connected to the feed roller body 28 by
a post or support 302
(Figs. 5 and 6) or pulls on the tail 276 of a hanging sheet or portion of
sheet material extending
from the discharge, the cam follower 354 will move along surface 375 until the
cam follower 354
engages a cam surface or portion 377 of a protrusion 372 of the cam member 370
and is moved to
an extent sufficient to overcome the biasing force of the biasing member 350.
In response, the
support/base 324 will be pivoted so as to move the cutting blade 322 to exit
the opening 332
defined in the feed roller body 28 to cut, score, or perforate the sheet
material 12.
[0052] In addition, Fig. 4B shows that when the feed roller body 28 is
rotated an initial amount,
e.g., rotated approximately 1500 to approximately 180 , such as approximately
170 , from the rest
position 374 in a counterclockwise direction D1, the cam follower 354
generally will begin to
engage the surface or portion 377 of the protrusion 372 and the cutting blade
322 will begin to exit
the opening 332. Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 4C, as the feed roller body 28
is rotated a further
amount, e.g., rotated approximately 170 to approximately 200 , such as
approximately 180 , from
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the rest position 374 in the counterclockwise direction D1, to the cam
follower 354 is moved
further along the surface/portion 377, causing the cutting blade 322 to extend
further toward a
cutting position 380 with the cutting blade 322 contacting or otherwise
engaging the sheet material
for cutting or perforation thereof. In one embodiment, the cam surface or
portion 377 of the
protrusion 372 further generally can be sloped, curved, or otherwise shaped or
configured to help
control the engagement of the cutting blade with the sheet material so as to
substantially prevent
ripping or tearing during cutting, scoring, or perforation thereof.
[0053] Subsequently, as illustrated in Fig. 4D, when the feed roller
body 28 rotates an even further
amount, e.g., approximately 220 to approximately 240 or more, such as
approximately 230 , from
the rest position 374 in the counterclockwise direction D1, the cam follower
354 is moved further
along the cam surface or portion 377 such that the cutting blade 322 is moved
to its fully extended
position 382, with the cutting blade 322 substantially projecting or extending
out of the opening
332 in the feed roller body 28.
[0054] Thereafter, as the feed roller body 28 continues to rotate and
as the cam follower 354
engages and moves along cam surface or portion 379 of the protrusion 372, the
cutting blade 322 is
retracted back through the opening 332 in the feed roller body 28 (Fig. 4E).
Additionally, when the
feed roller body 28 has made a full rotation, e.g., rotated approximately 360
from its initial or rest
position 374, the cam follower 354 will again engage the cam surface or
portion 375 of the cam
members 370 such that the cutting blade 322 is in its retracted or initial
position (Fig. 4A)
[0055] Figs. 4A and 4A-E additionally show that the feed roller body
28, in some embodiments,
can include a biasing assembly 390 disposed within the body and operable or
configured to assist
rotation of the feed roller body 28 and/or movement of the cutting assembly
320, for example, upon
manual activation of the feed roller body 28. The biasing assembly 390 can
include tension springs
392, e.g., one or two tension springs, though any suitable number of springs,
such as 3 or more,
also can be employed without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure. The springs 392
generally will be fixedly connected to the feed roller body 28 and rotatably
coupled to at least a
portion of one of the cam members 370, or other suitable fixed portion
positioned within the cavity
326 of the feed roller body 28. For example, one end 392A of the springs 390
can be fixedly
connected, such as by fasteners 394, e.g., screws, bolts, rivets, etc., to the
feed roller body 28, and
an opposite/opposing end 392B of the springs 392 can be rotatably connected,
such as by a bearing
assembly 396, or other moveable/pivotally assembly, to one of the cam members
370. The springs
392 also can be arranged such that they are transverse or oblique to one
another, for example, the
springs 392 can be disposed to have an angle of approximately 30 -45
therebetween, though lessor
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angles and/or angles up to 900 or more can be used without departing from the
scope of the present
disclosure.
[0056] As shown in Fig. 4A, with the cutting blade 322 at its initial
or rest position 374, the springs
392 can have an initial or equilibrium length. Then, as the feed roller body
28 is rotated, the
springs 392 will be elongated and can provide biased assistance for rotation
of the feed roller body
28, with the spring tension further assisting movement of the cutting blade
322 for cutting, scoring,
or perforating the sheet material. The springs 392 further can cause the feed
roller body 28 to fully
rotate, e.g., rotate approximately 360 , while also helping to return the
cutting blade 322 to its
initial or rest position 374, retracted into the body 28 of the feed roller.
[0057] Figs. 5 and 6 also indicate that the cam members 370 can be
attached to at least a portion,
e.g., side walls 38/39, of the dispenser housing 16, for example, by support
caps 400. The support
caps 400 can be connected to the side walls 38/39 of the dispenser housing 16
by fasteners 402,
e.g., screws, bolts, rivets, etc., and further can be connected to the cam
members 370 using
fasteners 404, such as screws, bolts, rivets, etc., to mount and support the
cam members 370 within
the cavity 326 of the feed roller body 28. As a result, the feed roller body
28 and the base 324, with
the cutting blade 322 attached thereto, are supported in a manner so as to be
generally rotatable
about the cam member 370. Other connectors also can be used to connect the
support caps 400 to
the dispenser housing 16 and the cam members 370, however, such as, for
example, snap-fit or
press-fit connections, adhesives, etc., without departing from the scope of
the present disclosure.
[0058] As further shown in Figs. 3A, 5, and 6, the feed roller body 28
can be rotatably coupled to
the cam member(s) 370 by bearings 406. For example, at least a portion of the
cam members 370
will be received within a passage 408 defined through the bearings 406, and
can engage an inner
race 406A of the bearings 406. The bearings 406 further will be connected to
the feed roller body
28 by one or more support portions 410, each of which can include a body 412
having a ring-like or
circular shape and connected to or integrally formed with the sidewalls 348 of
the feed roller body
28, as generally indicated in Figs. 3A and 5. The bearings 406 further
generally can be received
within, e.g., fitted into, a passage 414 defined through the body 412 of each
of the supports 410 to
operatively connect the feed roller body 28 to an outer race 406B of the
bearings 406.
[0059] Figs. 7A and 7B show a biasing assembly 450 for assisting in the
operation/movement of
the feed roller (such as for use in a manually driven or similar operation of
the feed roller) for
assisting movement of the feed roller for an operative cycle and to a rest or
home position, wherein
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the cutting blade can be retracted to a non-operative position (e.g., within a
recess, notch, opening,
etc. in the feed roller body), according to an additional embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0060] As also shown in Figs. 7A and 7B, the biasing assembly 450 can
include one or more
biasing members 452, e.g. in the embodiment illustrated, a pair of biasing
members 452 are shown
extending along the interior surface 329 of the feed roller body 28. It will
be understood that fewer
or more biasing elements can be used without departing from the scope of the
present disclosure.
Each biasing member 452 can comprise a tension spring or other suitable
tensioning or biasing
member having an elongated spring body 454 with first and second ends 454A/B.
The biasing
members 452 also generally extend in a direction along, e.g., generally
parallel, to the longitudinal
(or rotational) axis (axis LA shown in Fig. 7A) of the feed roller body 28,
and can be fixedly
attached to the interior surface 329 of the feed roller body 28.
[0061] The first or distal end 454A of each biasing member 452 can
engage and couple to a
connection mechanism 458, such as flange, arm, or other connecting member
attached to the feed
roller body 28 by one or more fasteners, (e.g., a screw, rivet, or other
fastener). For example, in
one embodiment, as illustrated in Figs. 7A-7B, the first end 454A of the
spring body 454 of each
biasing member 452 can include a hoop, ring, hook or other suitable feature or
mechanism that
connects to a protruding portion 460 formed with, or connected to the
connection mechanism 458,
which portion 460 has a notch or opening 460A for receiving the hoop, ring, or
hook of the spring.
The second end 454B of each biasing member 452 can be similarly attached to a
connecting
linkage 456 that is connected to a bearing assembly 470 for the feed roller as
indicated in Figs. 7A-
7B.
[0062] In one example, the connection mechanism 458 can include a body
462 that is connected to,
or engages, portions or protrusions 464 and 466 fixed to, or integrally formed
with, the feed roller
body 28, e.g., at first and second ends 462A and 462B of the body 462. The
protrusions 464 and
466 can be received within openings or apertures defined along the ends 462A
and 462B of the
body 462, and/or can include threaded openings defined therein to receive
fasteners passed through
the openings in the ends 462A/462B of the body 462 to secure the body 462 to
the feed roller body
28. The body 462 can have a generally Z-shaped cross-section to facilitate
connection of the body
462 to the portions 464/466, though the body can have other suitable shapes
and configurations,
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0063] In one variation or alternative constructions, the feed roller
body 28 can have a plurality of
attachment points 464/466 about the interior surface 329 thereof. For example,
the feed roller body
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28 can have multiple portions 464/466 formed/connected to the feed roller body
28 in spaced series
to allow for adjustment (e.g., tightening or loosening) of the biasing members
452, e.g., to
accommodate different sheet material sizes and/or to correct for time
dependent displacement or
movements of the spring due to the repeated loading. In one embodiment, up to
five attachment
points can be provided, though any suitable number of attachment points, e.g.,
2, 3, 4, or more than
5, can be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0064] Figs. 7A and 7B further show that each linkage 456 can include a
wire, band, or rod 468, or
other flexible coupling or connector, with first and second ends 456A/456B.
The first end 456A of
each linkage 456 can be formed as a looped end, and can be connected to the
second end 454B of
its corresponding biasing member 454 such as by a hook, hoop, or split-ring
type of connection
forming the second end 454B of the biasing member 454. The second end 456B of
each linkage
456 can be formed with a similar looped end and generally will be rotatably
connected to the
bearing assembly 470, such as by attachment to a fastener 472 (e.g., screw,
bolt, etc.) or other
suitable connection mechanism. The fastener 472 also can have one or more
spacers 474 received
therealong to engage and facilitate alignment of the second looped ends 456B
of the linkages 456
(Figs. 7A and 7B).
[0065] Additionally, the biasing assembly 450 can include one or more
pulley assemblies 480 (as
shown in Figs. 7A and 7B) that engage and facilitate a change in the direction
of the linkages 456
operatively connecting the biasing members 452 to the bearing assembly 470
(e.g., such that an
axial pull force or tension along the biasing members 452 can be converted
into a radial pull force
or tension to maintain or assist in rotation of the feed roller body 28 and/or
movement of the cutting
mechanism). Each of the pulley assemblies 480 can include a bracket 482 that
is connected to the
interior surface 329 of the feed roller body 28 and that at least partially
supports a pulley 484
having a track or race 486 against which at least a portion of the linkage 456
is engaged and/or
moves.
[0066] As shown in Fig. 7B, the pulley brackets 482 can be pivotally or
rotatably mounted (e.g., by
a pinned or hinged connection 488) to the interior surface 329 of the feed
roller body 28. The
pinned or hinged connection 488 can help to maintain engagement between,
and/or substantially
prevent misalignment of, the linkage 456 and the race 486 of the pulleys 484,
e.g., as/when the feed
roller body 28 is rotated and the biasing assembly 450 is rotated therewith.
The interior surface 329
of the feed roller body 28 further can have a notch or recessed portion 489
formed/defined therein
to accommodate movement/pivoting of the brackets 482.
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[0067] In operation, upon activation of the feed roller 28 (e.g., when
a user pulls a hanging tab or
portion of sheet material or turns a knob or lever connected to the feed
roller), the feed roller body
28 rotates and carries the biasing assembly 450 therewith. As a result, the
linkages 456 are caused
to be pulled or otherwise engaged about the pulleys 484, tensioning and
stretching the spring bodies
of the biasing members 452, thus creating tension in or along the biasing
members 452. This
tension assists in the rotation of the feed roller and helps urge the feed
roller body 28 to facilitate
return of the feed roller body 28 to its rest or home position. In one
example, the rotation of the
feed roller can be sufficient to generate a tab or portion for pulling or
engagement by subsequent
users for dispensing a selected portion of sheet material. Also, this tension
helps facilitate rotation
of the feed roller body 28 sufficient to cause activation or movement of the
cutting blade of the
dispenser to cut, perforate, or otherwise cause or assist in separation of a
sheet of the paper
material. The return movement of the feed roller body 28 also can cause
retraction of the cutting
blade (e.g., into a notch, recess, opening, etc. in the feed roller body).
[0068] Figs. 8A-8B and 9A-9C illustrate a cutting assembly 500
according to an additional
embodiment of the present disclosure, which cutting assembly 500 includes a
cutting blade or
portion 502 (e.g., having a plurality of spaced serrated or sharpened portions
504) that includes a
linkage or similar structure that controls movement of the cutting blade 502.
As shown in Figs. 8A
and 8B, the cutting blade 502 is received within a notch or recess 506 defined
along an outer
surface 508 of a cylindrical side wall 510 of the feed roller body 28, when
the cutting blade 502 is
in a retracted position 512 (as shown in Figs. 8A, 8B, and 9A). The cutting
blade 502 is moveable
to an extended position 514 whereupon it at least partially projects from the
notch/recess 506 of the
feed roller body 28 to an extent sufficient to enable the blade 502 to engage
the sheet material as it
is dispensed to at least partially cut, score, or perforate a portion thereof.
[0069] The cutting assembly 500 also includes a linkage assembly 515
with a moveable support or
body 520 that is connected to (or integrally formed with) and supports the
cutting blade 502. A
first end or portion 520A of the support 520 is rotatably, pivotally, or
otherwise moveably
connected to the feed roller body 28. In one example, the first end or portion
520A of the support
520 can include a pivotable or rotatable connection mechanism, such as a
pinned or hinged
connection 522, or other suitable connector for pivoting, rotation, or other
movement thereabout. A
second, free end 520B of the support 520 is attached to a cam follower 523,
such as a roller,
bearing, etc., that is received within and rides along a cam track 524 as the
feed roller body 28 is
rotated to dispense selected portions of the sheet material.
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[0070] The cam track 524 is positioned/formed within selected positions
of feed roller body 28,
(e.g., within the interior cavity or chamber 32 thereof), and in one
variation, the cam track 524 can
be integrally formed with, or otherwise connected to, the bearings 470
supporting the feed roller
body 28 and allowing rotation thereabout. In one embodiment, the cam track 524
can be defined in
a track body or component 525 that is integrally formed with, or otherwise
attached to, the bearing
470. In alternative constructions, the cam track 524 can be integrally formed
with or otherwise
defined in or along the feed roller body 28 or other portions attached
thereto. As a result, as the
feed roller is rotated to dispense the sheet material, the feed roller body 28
rotates about the cam
track 524 moving the cam follower 523 therealong. As components of the cutting
assembly 500
(e.g., the cam track 524) and the biasing assembly integrated with the feed
roller body, e.g., housed
within the feed roller body, tampering, damaging, unwanted access to, etc. of
these components can
be substantially minimized, inhibited, or prevented.
[0071] As additionally shown in Figs. 8A-8B and 9A-9C, the cam track
524 is shaped, positioned,
or otherwise configured such that the support 520 is rotated or pivots, moving
the cutting blade
between the retracted and extended positions 512 and 514, with rotation of the
feed roller. For
example, the cam track 524 has an outer surface 524A and an opposing inner
surface 524B that
contact or otherwise engage the cam member 523, and the cam track 524
controls/engages the cam
follower 523 to engage and move the second end 520B of the support 520 towards
and away from
the wall 510 of the feed roller body 28 to pivot or otherwise move the support
520 about the
rotatable connection mechanism 522 at its first end or portion 520A.
[0072] Figs. 9A-9C illustrate cross-sectional views of the cutting
assembly 500 and the feed roller
body 28 showing movement of the cutting mechanism 500 between its initial,
retracted or rest
position 512 and its extended, cutting position 514 with rotation of the feed
roller. Fig. 9A shows
the cutting mechanism 500 in the initial, retracted position 512, Fig. 9B
shows the cutting
mechanism 500 in the extended, cutting position 514, while Fig. 9C illustrates
movement of the
cutting mechanism 500 across approximately 360-degree rotation of the feed
roller body 28.
[0073] As shown in Figs. 9A and 9C, in its retracted position 512, the
cutting blade 502 is received
within the notch or recess 506 and does not extend from the side wall 510 of
the feed roller body 28
(e.g., such that sheet material can be received about the notch/recess without
interference from the
cutting blade). Then, as the feed roller body 28 is rotated (e.g., in the
counterclockwise direction
D1 shown in Figs. 9A-9C) to dispense a selected amount of sheet material, the
cam follower 523
will enter/engage a first portion 530 of the cam track 524, causing the
cutting blade 502 to extend
out from the notch 506 (at position 532). As the feed roller further rotates
in the counterclockwise
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direction, the cam follower 523 further moves along/engages the first portion
530 of the cam track
524 to further extend the cutting blade 502 from the notch 506. The cam
follower 523 will move
along the first portion 530 of the cam track 524 with rotation of the feed
roller body 28 until the
cutting mechanism 502 is moved to its extended position 514 to substantially
cut or perforate the
sheet material as it is being dispensed, as generally shown in Figs. 9B and
9C.
[0074] After the cutting blade 502 has reached its extended position
(e.g., as shown at 514) and as
the feed roller body 28 is continued to be rotated (e.g., under tension of the
biasing assembly), the
cam member 523 will begin to enter/engage a second portion 540 of the cam
track 524 that
facilitates return of the cutting blade 502 to its initial, retracted position
512 (e.g., as shown at 542).
As the feed roller body 28 continues to rotate (e.g., under tension of the
biasing assembly 450), the
cutting blade 502 will return to its initial rest position 512 with the
cutting mechanism 502 retracted
within the notch 506.
[0075] Figs. 9A-9C further show that the cam track 524 is shaped,
positioned, and/or configured to
move the second end 520B of support 520 to be in relatively closer proximity
to the side wall 510
of the feed roller body 28 as the cutting blade 502 is moved toward its
extended position (e.g.,
position 514). The track 524 further is shaped to move the second end 520B of
the support 520
relatively further away from the side wall 510 of the feed roller body 28 to
return the blade 502 to
its retracted position 512. As a result, the cutting blade 502 is moved or
driven by the linkage
assembly 515, which movement can be controlled without requiring springs or
other biasing
members to return the blade 502 to the retracted position 512 (or to move the
blade 502 to the
extended position 514), e.g., enabling enhanced control and improved
reliability, and/or cleaner
cutting of the sheet material.
[0076] The cam track 524 further can be shaped, positioned, and/or
configured such that the cutting
blade 502 is in its extended position 514 (or other positions) at a selected
or desired positions
within the housing of the dispenser. For example, the cam track 524 may be
shaped, positioned,
and/or configured such that the cutting blade 502 only extends within the
chamber of the housing,
or does not extend at a position in which the cutting blade 502 would be
exposed to users or
maintenance personnel, e.g., to substantially prevent injury thereto or damage
to the cutting blade.
[0077] Figs. 10A-10C illustrate a biasing assembly 650 according to yet
another embodiment of
the present disclosure. As shown in Figs. 10A-10C, the biasing assembly 650
includes a plurality
of biasing members 652, such as two or more biasing members 652, extending
along the interior
surface 329 of the feed roller body 28, e.g., in a direction that extends
generally along the
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longitudinal (or rotational) axis (axis LA shown in Figs. 10A and 10C) of the
feed roller body 28.
In one embodiment, the biasing members 652 can be generally parallel to the
longitudinal axis LA;
however, in other embodiments, the biasing members 652 can be set at an angle
in relation to the
longitudinal axis LA. The biasing members 652 can include tension springs with
an elongated
spring body 654 having first and second ends 654A/B, though other suitable
tensioning or biasing
members can be used without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure. In one
embodiment, one of the spring bodies 654 can have a length that is longer than
another one of the
spring bodies 654, though the spring bodies 654 can have generally the same
length, without
departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0078] As further illustrated in Figs. 10A and 10B, the first end 654A
of the biasing members 652
is connected to the feed roller body 28, and the second end 654B of the
biasing members 652 is
connected to a linkage 656. The linkage 656 is operatively connected to the
bearing assembly 470,
e.g., connected to the track body 525 formed therewith, or other suitable,
fixed component that does
not rotate with the feed roller body 28. The linkage 656 further generally
includes a belt 657
having a belt body 658 with a plurality of cogs or teeth 660 or other suitable
gripping projections
extending along the belt body 658. The belt body 658 generally is formed from
an elastomeric
material, such as rubber, though the belt body 658 can be formed from other
suitable materials, e.g.,
plastics or other polymeric materials, or combinations of materials, without
departing from the
scope of the present disclosure.
[0079] Figs. 10A and 10B additionally show that the first end 656A of
each linkage 656 can
include a connector 662 having a connector body 664 that includes a looped or
hooked end 664A
that is connected to the second end 654B of a corresponding biasing member 454
(e.g., by a hook,
hoop, or split-ring type of connection forming the second end 654B of the
biasing member 654).
The connector body 664 can be formed from a plastic or other suitable
polymeric material, and
further can be attached to the belt body 658 at a first end 658A thereof
(e.g., by a fastener,
adhesive, or other suitable fixing mechanism, such as, snap-fitting,
frictional connection, etc.). The
second end 656B of each linkage 656 can include a rotatable connection
assembly 666 that is
movably connected to the bearing assembly 470, e.g., to the track body 525
formed therewith.
[0080] The rotatable connection assembly 666 can include a rotatable
body 668 that is connected to
the track body 525 by a pinned connection or other suitable connection that
allows for rotational
movement between the rotatable body 668 and the bearing assembly 470. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the rotatable body 668 includes a passage 670 defined therethrough
that is sized and
configured to receive a pin or axle 670 that is connected to the track body
525 and facilitates
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rotation of the rotatable body 668 relative thereto. The pin 670 can support
the rotatable bodies 668
of the linkages 656 for each of the plurality of biasing members 652 in an
adjacent series, e.g., the
rotatable bodes 668 can be positioned next to or adjacent to each other along
the pin 670, so as to
be supported thereby. The rotatable body 668 further can be formed from a
plastic or other suitable
polymeric material, and can be fixed to a second end 658B of the belt body 658
(e.g., by a fastener,
adhesive, or other suitable fixing mechanism, such as snap-fitting, frictional
connection, etc.).
[0081] Additionally, the biasing assembly 650 can include one or more
pulley assemblies 680 (as
shown in Figs. 10A and 10B) that engage and facilitate a change in the
direction of the linkages
656 operatively connecting the biasing members 652 to the bearing assembly 470
or track body 525
(e.g., such that an axial pull force or tension along the biasing members 652
can be converted into a
radial pull force or tension to maintain or assist in rotation of the feed
roller body 28 and/or
movement of the cutting mechanism). Each of the pulley assemblies 680 can
include a pulley 684
having a track or race 686 against which at least a portion of the belt body
658 is engaged and/or
moves. The pulley 684 can include a plurality of teeth or cogs (not shown)
that correspond to an
engage the cogs 660, such as to substantially reduce, inhibit, or prevent
slippage or other
disengagement between the pulley 684 and the belt body 658. Each pulley 687
further generally
engages a corresponding belt 657 such that a first portion 657A of the belt
657 is generally aligned
with its corresponding biasing member 652, e.g., extends in a direction along
the longitudinal axis
LA, and a second portion 657B of the belt 657 is generally arranged to be
transverse to the biasing
member 657, e.g., extends radially in relation to the feed roller body 28 or
in a direction that
otherwise transverse to the longitudinal axis LA of the feed roller body 28.
[0082] Accordingly, upon activation of the feed roller 28 (e.g., when a
user pulls a hanging tab or
portion of sheet material or turns a knob or lever connected to the feed
roller), the feed roller body
28 rotates and carries the biasing assembly 650 therewith. As a result, the
linkages 656 are caused
to be pulled or otherwise engaged about the pulleys 684, tensioning and
stretching the spring bodies
of the biasing members 652, thus creating tension or force in or along the
biasing members 652.
This substantially linear force or tension can be translated into a rotational
or radial tension force by
the biasing assembly 650 to assist in the rotation of the feed roller and help
urge the feed roller
body 28 to return to its rest or home position. In one example, the rotation
of the feed roller can be
sufficient to generate a tab or portion for pulling or engagement by
subsequent users for dispensing
a selected portion of sheet material. Also, this tension helps facilitate
rotation of the feed roller
body 28 sufficient to cause activation or movement of the cutting blade of the
dispenser to cut,
perforate, or otherwise cause or assist in separation of a sheet of the paper
material. The return
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movement of the feed roller body 28 also can cause retraction of the cutting
blade (e.g., into the
notch, recess, opening, etc. in the feed roller body).
[0083] Figs. 10B and 10C further indicate that the biasing assembly 650
can include a support
assembly 690 that is configured to support the biasing members 652, linkages
656, and pulleys 684
along the feed roller body 28, e.g., to help facilitate alignment of, or to
help to substantially reduce,
prevent, or inhibit misalignment of, the biasing members 652, linkages 656,
and/or pulleys 684
when the biasing assembly 650 is rotated or otherwise moved with the feed
roller body 28. As
shown in Figs. 10B and 10C, the support assembly 690 can include brackets or
other suitable
supports 692 corresponding to each of the biasing members 652. The brackets
692 can include an
elongated bracket body 694 with a passage or channel 696 defined therealong
that receives
corresponding biasing members 652, linkages 656, and pulleys 684. The brackets
692 can support
and/or engage the biasing members 652, linkages 656, and pulleys 684 such that
the biasing
members 652, linkages 656, and pulleys 684 move substantially in unison with
each other, e.g., as a
unit, to reduce, inhibit, or prevent dislocation or misalignment thereof
during rotation or other
movements of the feed roller body 28.
[0084] The bracket body 694 can be formed from a plastic or other
polymeric material, though
other suitable materials, such as materials sufficient rigidity to help to
facilitate alignment of the
biasing members 652, linkages 656, and/or pulleys 684 can be used without
departing from the
scope of the present disclosure. The biasing members 652 can be connected to a
first end 692A of
the bracket body 692 (e.g., a hooked or looped end of the springs 654 can be
connected to a rod,
pin, or other fastener, such as a screw, bolt, etc., that is attached to the
bracket body 625). The
pulleys 684 can be connected to a second end 692A of the bracket body 692. In
the illustrated
embodiment shown in Fig. 10B, the pulleys 684 are connected to the bracket
body 692 by a pin or
rod 698 that allows for rotation or pivoting of the pulleys 684 thereabout.
[0085] As additionally indicated in Fig. 10C, the brackets 692 can be
pivotally or rotatably
mounted (e.g., by a pinned or hinged connection 700) to the interior surface
329 of the feed roller
body 28. The pinned or hinged connection 700 can help to maintain engagement
between, or
substantially prevent misalignment of, the biasing members 652, linkages 656,
and/or pulleys 684
as/when the feed roller body 28 is rotated. Fig. 10C shows that the brackets
692 are connected to
the feed roller body 28 at the first and second ends 692A and 692B thereof by
corresponding
pinned connections 700. For example, the pinned connections 700 can allow for
some give or
movement of the brackets 692 and the supported biasing members 652, linkages
656, and/or
pulleys 684 in relation to the feed roller body during rotation thereof for
dampening of
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accelerations, vibrations, etc. and substantially reducing, inhibiting, or
preventing dislocation or
misalignment thereof
[0086] In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 10A and 10C, the support
assembly 690 also includes
bearing supports 702 that support and connect the brackets 692 to the feed
roller body 28. That is,
the brackets 692 can be connected to the bearing supports 702 by the pinned
connection 700, and
the bearing supports 702 can be connected to the feed roller body 28 (e.g.,
the bearing supports 702
can be connection to the feed roller body 28 by fasteners, such as screws,
bolts, etc. though the
bearing supports 702 can be otherwise connected to the feed roller body 28,
such as by an adhesive,
snap-fitting, or other suitable attachment mechanism, without departing from
the scope of the
present disclosure). The bearing supports 702 generally can include a bearing
support body 704
that includes a generally arcuate, curved, or cylindrical shape and is sized
and/or otherwise
configured to generally conform to or be complementary to the interior surface
329 of the feed
roller body 28. The bearing support body 704 further can be formed from a
plastic or polymeric
material, though other suitable materials, e.g., other synthetic or composite
materials, can be used
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The interior
surface 329 of the feed
roller body 28 further can have a notches or recessed portions 706
formed/defined therein to
accommodate movement/pivoting of the brackets 692 about the pinned connection
700.
Furthermore, it will be understood that the bearing supports 702 can be
omitted and the brackets
692 can be directly or otherwise connected to the feed roller body 28, without
departing from the
scope of the present disclosure.
[0087] Figs. 11A-11C, 12A-12D, and 13A-13C show a manual dispensing
assembly 800 for a
sheet material dispenser 10 according to principles of the present disclosure.
As shown in
Figs. 11A-11C, the manual dispensing assembly 800 communicates with feed
roller 18 to control
movement of the feed roller body 28 to facilitate manual dispensing of
selected or desired amounts
of sheet material therefrom. In this regard, the manual dispensing assembly
800 is operatively
connected to the feed roller body 28 to facilitate manual rotation of the feed
roller body 28 by a
user. As a result, the feed roller body 28 can be manually rotated by users to
initiate rotation of the
feed roller to engage and draw the sheet material from the discharge 22 for
manual dispensing of
the sheet material.
[0088] As shown in Figs. 11A-11C, the manual dispensing assembly 800
includes a user
engagement mechanism or portion 802 that is operatively connected to the feed
roller body 28 such
that engagement or activation of the user engagement mechanism 802 causes
rotation of the feed
roller body 28 to facilitate dispensing of selected amounts of sheet material
from the discharge 22.
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In embodiments, the engagement mechanism 802 can include a rotatable knob 806,
or a lever,
handle, or other suitable engagement member or portion, that is operatively
connected to the feed
roller body 28, such that engagement and rotation of the knob 806 by a user
causes rotation of the
feed roller body 28 to initiate a dispensing operation (e.g., dispensing of a
selected or desired
amount of sheet material, such as one or more sheets or preset lengths or
amounts of sheet
material). The engagement mechanism 802 also can include engagement features
804 that facilitate
gripping by users.
[0089] In the illustrated example construction, the knob 806 has a body
808 with a substantially
circular or disk-like shape (Figs. 11A-11C). However, other shapes, such as
semi-circular, oval,
cylindrical, etc. shapes or configurations or combinations thereof, also are
possible without
departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, as shown in
Fig. 11C, in some
embodiments, the engagement features 804 can include engagement surfaces or
areas 810 defined
by one or more recesses or contours 812 located along or within the knob body
810. The
engagement surfaces 810 can be sized to generally correspond to a hand or
digits for a range of
potential users (e.g. sized for use by children and/or large adults) so as to
have an ergonomic shape
or configuration that facilitates ease of rotation of the knob 806 for manual
dispensing of the sheet
material. The knob body 810 can be formed from plastic or other suitable
polymeric materials;
though other composite, synthetic, etc. materials or combinations thereof
further can be used
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0090] Figs. 11A-11B and 12C-12D also show the manual dispensing
assembly 800 having a
rotating shaft 812 that connects the engagement mechanism 802 of the sheet
material dispenser 10
to the feed roller body 28. For example, one end 812A of the rotating shaft
812 can be connected
to the engagement mechanism 802 and an opposite end 812B of the rotating shaft
812 can be
connected to the feed roller body 28. In the illustrated construction shown in
Fig. 11B, the rotating
shaft 812 includes a substantially cylindrical body 814 that can be formed
from a plastic or other
polymeric material, though other suitable materials, such as metals, wood,
other synthetic or
composite materials, and/or combinations thereof also can be used without
departing from the
scope of the present disclosure.
[0091] Fig. 11B further shows the one end portion 814A of the shaft
body 814 received within a
passage or opening 816 defined in the knob body 808. The end portion 814A of
the shaft body 814
can be press or frictionally fitted within the passage 816 of the knob body
808 or can be connected
thereto by other suitable connection means, e.g., adhesives, fasteners, etc.
As a result, the shaft
body 814 will be rotatable with rotation of the knob body 808. An opposite or
opposing end
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portion 814B of the shaft body 814 is connected to the feed roller body 28 by
a connection or
support member 818. For example, the end portion 814B of the shaft body 814
can be received
within a passage or opening 819 defined in the connection member 818. The end
portion 814B can
be press or frictionally fitted within the passage 819 and/or can be fixed
therein by a suitable
connection means, such as adhesives, fasteners, etc. The connection member 818
also can be fixed
to the feed roller body 28, e.g., using fasteners, such as screws, bolts, etc.
In this regard, the feed
roller body 28 will be rotatable with the rotating shaft 812 and the knob 806,
such that the knob 806
can be rotated (e.g., in direction D1 in Fig. 11C) to rotate the feed roller
body 28 for manual
dispensing of sheet material.
[0092] In addition, as Figs. 11A-11B, 12A-12D, and 13A-13C further
indicate, the manual
dispensing assembly 800 includes an integrated gear clutch 820 t configured to
control or limit
movement of the user engagement mechanism 802 and/or feed roller 28. As shown
in Figs. 12C
and 12D, the integrated gear clutch 820 is provided along and is connected to
the rotating shaft 812
and controls movement of the rotating shaft 812 to thus limit or control
movement of the
engagement mechanism and/or the feed roller body 28. For example, the
integrated gear clutch 820
will be configured to permit or allow for movement of the feed roller body 28
and/or the user
engagement mechanism 802 when the user engagement mechanism 802 is moved
(i.e., rotated), in
one direction, e.g., direction D1 in Fig. 11C, but limits, inhibits, or
prevents movement of the feed
roller body 28 and/or the user engagement mechanism 802 when the user
engagement mechanism
802 is attempted to be moved (i.e., rotated), in the opposite direction, e.g.,
to help to substantially
reduce, inhibit, or retard jamming of the sheet material, damage to or
malfunctioning of various
components of the sheet material dispenser assembly, and/or unnecessary
wearing of various
components thereof
[0093] Figs. 12A-12D show various views of the integrated gear clutch
820 according to principles
of the present disclosure. As shown in Figs. 12A-12D, the integrated gear
clutch 820 generally
includes an outside or outer ring 822, an inner elastic bracket 824, and a
plurality of rollers 826.
The outside ring 822 generally includes a circular body 828 with a passage or
opening 830 that
receives the inner elastic bracket 824, such that the outside ring 822 houses
or surrounds the inner
elastic bracket 824. The body 828 of the outside ring 822 further can include
a flange or sidewall
828A that can at least partially engage the inner elastic bracket 824.
[0094] The inner elastic bracket 824 further includes a body or frame
832 that engages and/or holds
the plurality of rollers 826 in spaced series about the outside ring 822. In
the illustrated
embodiment, the frame 832 also includes a plurality of openings or apertures
834. These openings
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834 are each sized, dimensioned, or otherwise configured to receive a
respective roller of the
plurality of rollers 826. The frame 832 of the inner elastic bracket 824 also
can have a generally
circular or ring-like shape that is sized, dimensioned, or otherwise
configured to fit within the
passage 830 of the outside ring 822. The frame 832 may be generally fixed in
relation to the
outside ring 822; though the frame 832 may be rotatable thereabout without
departing from the
scope of the present disclosure.
[0095] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the inner
elastic bracket 824 and/or the
outer ring 822 can be formed from metallic materials, such as steel, brass,
copper, etc., though other
materials, such as plastics or other polymeric materials and/or other suitable
composite, synthetic,
etc. materials, or combinations thereof, can be employed without departing
from the scope of the
present disclosure. Additionally, a lubricant, such as a bearing grease, oil,
etc. or other suitable
lubricant, can be received/applied between the inner elastic bracket 824 and
the outer ring 822 to
help reduce friction and facilitate rotation of the rollers 826.
[0096] The rollers 826 can include cylindrical roller bearings, though
other suitable roller bearings,
e.g., ball bearings, can be used. The rollers 826 can be formed from metallic
materials, such as
steel, brass, copper, etc.; though the rollers 826 can be formed from plastic
materials or polymeric
material and/or other synthetic or composite materials or combinations thereof
[0097] Figs. 12C and 12D further indicate that openings 834 each can
define a rotating area 836
along one side thereof and a non-rotating area 838 along an opposing side
thereof The rotating
area 836 generally allows for rotation of the rollers 826, while the non-
rotating area 838 generally
reduces, inhibits, or prevents rotation of the rollers 826. The rollers 826
generally move in relation
to their respective openings 834 between engagement with the rotating and non-
rotating areas 836
and 838. As a result, when the rotating shaft 812 is rotated in one direction
(e.g., in a first direction
D1 shown in Fig. 12C), the rollers 826 will engage the rotating area 836 and
be able to freely rotate
or spin allowing rotation of the rotating shaft 812. Conversely, when the
rotating shaft 812 is
rotated (or attempted to be rotated) in the opposite direction (e.g., in a
second direction D2 in
Fig. 12D), the rollers 826 will engage the non-rotating area 838, which
engagement that inhibits or
substantially prevents rotation of the rollers 826 and thus rotation of the
rotating shaft 812.
[0098] In a non-limiting, exemplary construction, as shown in Fig. 12A,
the non-rotating area 828
can include a plurality of biased prongs or members 850 that are configured to
lock or limit rotation
of the rollers 826 upon engagement therewith. The biased prongs 850 further
can engage and/or
support the rollers 286 within their respective openings 834. The biased
prongs 850 can include an
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elongated portion 850A that is connected to the frame 832 and an end portion
850B that engages
the rollers 826, e.g., to support or hold the rollers 826 within their
respective openings 834
(Fig. 12A). The elongated portion 850A can be angled to facilitate biasing of
the prongs 850. In
this regard, the biased prongs 850 (e.g., the end portions 850B) thereof can
be pressed against the
rollers 826 to hold the rollers 826 within the openings 834, and further when
the rollers 826 are
engaged against the end portions 850B (e.g., due to rotation in direction D2
shown in Fig. 12D), the
engaged portions 850B will sufficiently frictionally engage the rollers 826 to
limit or prevent
rotation thereof.
[0099] In addition, the rotating area 836 can include a surface 852 of
the inner elastic bracket 824
defined by/along the openings 835. This surface 852 can be curved or otherwise
arcuate and can be
shaped, sized, or otherwise configured to be generally complementary or
correspond to the rollers
826 to allow rotation of the rollers 826 when the rollers 826 are engaged due
to rotation in the
direction D1 shown in Fig. 12C.
[00100] With the integrated gear clutch 820 received about the rotating
shaft 812, the rollers 826 can
frictionally engage or contact an outer surface 814A of the body 814 of the
rotating shaft 82.
Accordingly, when the engagement mechanism 802 is rotated in one direction
(e.g., in direction D1
shown in Fig. 12C), the rollers 826 will be engaged against the rotating area
836 and are allowed to
freely rotate, which thus allows for rotation of the rotating shaft 812 and
the feed roller body 28.
When the engagement mechanism 802 is rotated in the opposite or opposing
direction (e.g.,
direction D2 in Fig. 12D), however, the rollers 826 generally will engage the
non-rotating area 838,
causing stopping, limiting, or otherwise inhibiting rotation of the rollers
826 in such direction. The
stationary rollers 826 further will frictionally engage the rotating shaft 812
sufficient to prevent
rotation thereof, and thus substantially stop rotation of the feed roller body
28. The integrated gear
clutch 820 also generally will limit or prevent rotation of the engagement
mechanism 802, rotating
shaft 812, and feed roller body 28, when a user attempts to rotated the knob
806 in an undesirable
direction, (e.g., in a reverse direction such as indicated by direction D2 in
Fig. 12D) to help to
reduce, inhibit, or prevent jamming of the dispenser assembly and/or damage,
malfunctioning,
unnecessary wear, etc. of various components of the dispenser assembly.
[00101] In one non-limiting, exemplary construction, as indicated in
Figs. 13A-13C, the integrated
gear clutch 820 can be incorporated with a bearing assembly, e.g., as shown at
396 (Figs 4A-4E) or
470 (Figs. 7A-7B). The bearing assembly 396/470 can include a passage or
cavity 860 (Figs. 13A-
13C) that receives the integrated gear clutch 820. For example, the outside
ring 822 of the
integrated gear clutch 820 can be press-fitted or otherwise received within
the passage 860, such
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that the outer ring 822 engages an inner surface 862 defined by the passage
860. In alternative
constructions, the integrated gear clutch 820 can be incorporated with the
engagement member 802,
the connection member 818, or other suitable components of the dispenser.
[00102] The foregoing description generally illustrates and describes
various embodiments of the
present invention. It will, however, be understood by those skilled in the art
that various changes
and modifications can be made to the above-discussed construction of the
present invention without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed herein, and
that it is intended that
all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying
drawings shall be
interpreted as being illustrative, and not to be taken in a limiting sense.
Furthermore, the scope of
the present disclosure shall be construed to cover various modifications,
combinations, additions,
alterations, etc., above and to the above-described embodiments, which shall
be considered to be
within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, various features and
characteristics of the
present invention as discussed herein may be selectively interchanged and
applied to other
illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of the invention, and numerous
variations,
modifications, and additions further can be made thereto without departing
from the spirit and
scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.
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