Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing sheet product is provided. The dispenser includes a housing with an outlet through which sheet product is dispensed. A knife drum is rotatable with respect to the housing. A knife is movable between a retracted position within the knife drum and an extended position where the knife protrudes outside of the knife drum to cut the sheet product. A cam follower surface is fixed with respect to the housing. A cam follower is attached to the knife and operable to engage the cam follower surface and travel therealong to transition the knife between the retracted position and the extended position. A spring assembly biases the knife drum during rotation toward a predetermined position. The spring assembly comprises a first spring and a second spring. The spring assembly is attached at a single mount position that is fixed with respect to the housing.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing sheet product is provided. The dispenser includes a housing with an outlet through which sheet product is dispensed. A knife drum is rotatable with respect to the housing. A knife is movable between a retracted position within the knife drum and an extended position where the knife protrudes outside of the knife drum to cut the sheet product. A cam follower surface is fixed with respect to the housing. A cam follower is attached to the knife and operable to engage the cam follower surface and travel therealong to transition the knife between the retracted position and the extended position. A spring assembly biases the knife drum during rotation toward a predetermined position. The spring assembly comprises a first spring and a second spring. The spring assembly is attached at a single mount position that is fixed with respect to the housing.

Abstract: Dual roll sheet product dispensers of a compact design are provided herein. A sheet product dispenser comprises a first roll holder for a first product roll and a second roll holder for a second product roll. A housing includes a base portion and a cover that is movable relative to the base portion to define an open position and a closed position. A chassis is mounted between the first roll holder and the second roll holder and movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The chassis is movable to the extended position when the cover is in the open position. The chassis includes a first dispensing mechanism and a second dispensing mechanism.

Abstract: Systems for providing on-demand cup printing and dispensing for food service are provided herein. A cup dispenser includes a cup source configured to hold a stack of cups and one or more cup-moving elements configured to cause a cup from the stack of cups to move through the cup dispenser. The cup dispenser includes a motor configured to operate the one or more cup-moving elements to cause the cup to move through the cup dispenser along a path. The cup dispenser also includes a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on the cup that is based on the food service order associated with the cup. The cup dispenser further includes a dispensing slot that provides the cup, which includes the at least one of order information or personalization information printed thereon.

Abstract: Systems for providing on-demand food service material printing for food service are provided herein. A food service material dispenser comprises a roll holder configured to hold a roll of food service material, one or more rollers, and a motor configured to operate to translate the food service material along a path within the dispenser. The dispenser includes a cutting arrangement configured to perform a cut of the food service material to form the sheet of food service material that defines a size associated with a food service order. The dispenser also includes a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on the food service material that is based on the associated food service order. The dispenser further includes a chute configured to dispense the sheet of food service material, which includes the at least one of order information or personalization information printed thereon.

Abstract: A sheet product dispenser for dispensing sheet product from a supply of sheet product reduces accumulation of the sheet product in the chute. The dispenser comprises a housing including a chute having a sheet product dispensing opening, a sheet product feed roller assembly disposed in the housing and configured to feed sheet product from the supply of sheet product into the chute, and a pusher disposed in the housing and configured to engage the sheet product fed from the sheet product feed roller assembly at a location downstream from the sheet product feed roller assembly and push the sheet product fed from the sheet product feed roller assembly toward the dispensing opening to reduce accumulation of the sheet product in the chute. A related method of reducing accumulation of the sheet product in the chute also is provided.

Abstract: Some example product dispensers that accommodate two full paper towel rolls are provided herein. The product dispenser may employ separate dispensing mechanisms for each product roll and may include roll holders that articulate out from the housing to facilitate easy loading and access to replacement and loading of the other product roll. A roll partition may be utilized to separate the web paths of the two product rolls and enable rotation of front roll holders. Example funnel covers and nip covers can aid with intuitive installation. Example roll holders with retention mechanisms help prevent unintentional dropping of the installed product roll. Other beneficial features include utilizing motor operation sensing to dispense a desired sheet length, automatic/assisted loading into the dispensing mechanism, automatic switching between dispensing of product rolls, and always dispensing from the smaller product roll first. Many other features/structures of example product dispensers are also described herein.

Abstract: Some example product dispensers that accommodate two full paper towel rolls are provided herein. The product dispenser may employ separate dispensing mechanisms for each product roll and may include roll holders that articulate out from the housing to facilitate easy loading and access to replacement and loading of the other product roll. A roll partition may be utilized to separate the web paths of the two product rolls and enable rotation of front roll holders. Example funnel covers and nip covers can aid with intuitive installation. Example roll holders with retention mechanisms help prevent unintentional dropping of the installed product roll. Other beneficial features include utilizing motor operation sensing to dispense a desired sheet length, automatic/assisted loading into the dispensing mechanism, automatic switching between dispensing of product rolls, and always dispensing from the smaller product roll first. Many other features/structures of example product dispensers are also described herein.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for providing automated tracking and re-order functionality for household consumable products, such as sheet product rolls, napkins, plates, and bulk storage product are provided herein. Various devices (e.g., dispensers, spindles, storage devices, consumable product holders, etc.) include one or more sensors configured to determine the presence and/or usage of a consumable product and transmit that information to a remote device. The remote device keeps track of an inventory of the consumable product and, based on user preferences, initiates re-order functionality in response to a determination of a need to re¬order the consumable product. Such re-order functionality may include notifying the user, offering a pre-configured order, and automatically initiating the re-order. Various devices are also provided herein with sensor configurations that are usable with such systems. Corresponding software application configurations are also provided.

Abstract: Systems for providing on-demand food service material printing for food service are provided herein. A food service material dispenser comprises a roll holder configured to hold a roll of food service material, one or more rollers, and a motor configured to operate to translate the food service material along a path within the dispenser. The dispenser includes a cutting arrangement configured to perform a cut of the food service material to form the sheet of food service material that defines a size associated with a food service order. The dispenser also includes a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on the food service material that is based on the associated food service order. The dispenser further includes a chute configured to dispense the sheet of food service material, which includes the at least one of order information or personalization information printed thereon.

Abstract: Systems for providing on-demand food service material printing for food service are provided herein. A food service material dispenser comprises a roll holder configured to hold a roll of food service material, one or more rollers, and a motor configured to operate to translate the food service material along a path within the dispenser. The dispenser includes a cutting arrangement configured to perform a cut of the food service material to form the sheet of food service material that defines a size associated with a food service order. The dispenser also includes a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on the food service material that is based on the associated food service order. The dispenser further includes a chute configured to dispense the sheet of food service material, which includes the at least one of order information or personalization information printed thereon.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing sheet product is provided. The dispenser includes a housing with an outlet through which sheet product is dispensed. A knife drum is rotatable with respect to the housing. A knife is movable between a retracted position within the knife drum and an extended position where the knife protrudes outside of the knife drum to cut the sheet product. A cam follower surface is fixed with respect to the housing. A cam follower is attached to the knife and operable to engage the cam follower surface and travel therealong to transition the knife between the retracted position and the extended position. A spring assembly biases the knife drum during rotation toward a predetermined position. The spring assembly comprises a first spring and a second spring. The spring assembly is attached at a single mount position that is fixed with respect to the housing.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing sheet product is provided including a housing that defines an interior configured to accommodate a source of sheet product and an outlet through which the sheet product is dispensed. The dispenser also includes a first roller that is rotatable and disposed in the housing. A portion of the sheet product is designed to be in contact with the first roller prior to being dispensed through the outlet. The dispenser also includes a knife drum that is rotatable and configured to cooperate with the first roller to dispense the sheet product. The knife drum includes a knife configured to cut the sheet product into individual sheets. The dispenser also includes a spring assembly that may be configured to bias the knife drum toward a predetermined position during rotation of the knife drum.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for optimizing performance of a product dispenser are provided herein. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the product dispenser (e.g., the environment, the type or habits of users or individual users, etc.), initial dispensing parameter settings of the product dispenser may be undesirable. Using monitored usage data, optimized dispensing parameters can be determined to achieve more desirable usage of the product dispenser (e.g., decrease waste, power save, increase efficiency, etc.). Additionally, using bounding parameters and/or information from the environment (e.g., nearby product dispensers) can lead to further optimized performance of the product dispenser. User or group specific optimized dispensing parameters can also be determined and used.

Abstract: Systems for providing on-demand food service material printing for food service are provided herein. A food service material dispenser comprises a roll holder configured to hold a roll of food service material, one or more rollers, and a motor configured to operate to translate the food service material along a path within the dispenser. The dispenser includes a cutting arrangement configured to perform a cut of the food service material to form the sheet of food service material that defines a size associated with a food service order. The dispenser also includes a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on the food service material that is based on the associated food service order. The dispenser further includes a chute configured to dispense the sheet of food service material, which includes the at least one of order information or personalization information printed thereon.

Abstract: Systems for providing on-demand food service material printing for food service are provided herein. A food service material dispenser comprises a roll holder configured to hold a roll of food service material, one or more rollers, and a motor configured to operate to translate the food service material along a path within the dispenser. The dispenser includes a cutting arrangement configured to perform a cut of the food service material to form the sheet of food service material that defines a size associated with a food service order. The dispenser also includes a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on the food service material that is based on the associated food service order. The dispenser further includes a chute configured to dispense the sheet of food service material, which includes the at least one of order information or personalization information printed thereon.

Abstract: A sheet product dispenser for dispensing sheet product from a supply of sheet product reduces accumulation of the sheet product in the chute. The dispenser comprises a housing including a chute having a sheet product dispensing opening, a sheet product feed roller assembly disposed in the housing and configured to feed sheet product from the supply of sheet product into the chute, and a pusher disposed in the housing and configured to engage the sheet product fed from the sheet product feed roller assembly at a location downstream from the sheet product feed roller assembly and push the sheet product fed from the sheet product feed roller assembly toward the dispensing opening to reduce accumulation of the sheet product in the chute. A related method of reducing accumulation of the sheet product in the chute also is provided.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses regarding an improved sheet product dispenser are provided herein. Example sheet product dispensers include a rotatable carriage that holds two full size product rolls. Upon substantial depletion of one of the product rolls, the sheet product dispenser is configured to enable the carriage to rotate to present the depleted product roll to the janitor for easy and intuitive replacement. For example, a carriage with a depleted product roll may be configured to automatically rotate upon opening of the cover. Additional features for intuitive and reliable installation of the product roll are also provided herein, such as roll holder slot guides and a retention mechanism that maintains installation of a product roll during rotation of the carriage. Such example sheet product dispensers help to eliminate product waste, reduce confusion while loading, and reduce the time and effort required to load the sheet product dispenser.

Abstract: Some example product dispensers that accommodate two full paper towel rolls are provided herein. The product dispenser may employ separate dispensing mechanisms for each product roll and may include roll holders that articulate out from the housing to facilitate easy loading and access to replacement and loading of the other product roll. A roll partition may be utilized to separate the web paths of the two product rolls and enable rotation of front roll holders. Example funnel covers and nip covers can aid with intuitive installation. Example roll holders with retention mechanisms help prevent unintentional dropping of the installed product roll. Other beneficial features include utilizing motor operation sensing to dispense a desired sheet length, automatic/assisted loading into the dispensing mechanism, automatic switching between dispensing of product rolls, and always dispensing from the smaller product roll first. Many other features/structures of example product dispensers are also described herein.

Abstract: Systems for providing on-demand food service material printing for food service are provided herein. A food service material dispenser comprises a roll holder configured to hold a roll of food service material, one or more rollers, and a motor configured to operate to translate the food service material along a path within the dispenser. The dispenser includes a cutting arrangement configured to perform a cut of the food service material to form the sheet of food service material that defines a size associated with a food service order. The dispenser also includes a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on the food service material that is based on the associated food service order. The dispenser further includes a chute configured to dispense the sheet of food service material, which includes the at least one of order information or personalization information printed thereon.