Abstract: A bushing for a web material roll including a body sized to be fitted into the web material roll; the bushing further including a wall extending across the central cavity of the web material roll when the bushing is in the central cavity of the web material roll and defining an opening for receiving a roll support therethrough, the opening being bordered by a roll support contacting surface, the bushing having one or more bearing surfaces for contacting the roll support and supporting the web material roll, the one or more bearing surfaces including at least the roll support contacting surface bordering the opening. A web material roll, a web material roll retention assembly and a method for placing a web material roll in a web material roll dispenser are also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a web material feed assembly for a web material dispenser comprising a housing, the web material feed assembly comprising first and second rollers rotatable relative to the housing of the dispenser about first and second parallel axes. The first roller is provided with friction rings forming a nip between the first and second rollers for feeding the web material therethrough, at least one of the friction rings comprising a recessed surface forming an anti-wrinkling space between the first and second rollers. The disclosure also concerns a web material dispenser with such a web material feed assembly and a method for preventing wrinkles in a web material dispensed by a web material dispenser with such a web material feed assembly.

Abstract: A roll support assembly for a web material dispenser configured to contain a roll of web material having a first interior end. The roll support assembly includes a roll support mountable into the web material dispenser and including a roll-engaging portion with a peripheral wall engageable into the first interior end of the roll of web material with the roll of web material being rotatable relative to the roll support when engaged therewith and when a pulling force is exerted on the web material; and a rotation brake comprising at least one braking protrusion protruding outwardly from the peripheral wall of the roll-engaging portion and decelerating the rotation of the roll of web material by frictionally engaging at least one of directly and indirectly the roll of web material. The disclosure also concerns a web material roll dispenser with such a roll support assembly.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a web material feed assembly for a web material dispenser comprising a housing, the web material feed assembly comprising first and second rollers rotatable relative to the housing of the dispenser about first and second parallel axes. The first roller is provided with friction rings forming a nip between the first and second rollers for feeding the web material therethrough, at least one of the friction rings comprising a recessed surface forming an anti-wrinkling space between the first and second rollers. The disclosure also concerns a web material dispenser with such a web material feed assembly and a method for preventing wrinkles in a web material dispensed by a web material dispenser with such a web material feed assembly.

Abstract: A roll support assembly for a web material dispenser configured to contain a roll of web material having a first interior end. The roll support assembly includes a roll support mountable into the web material dispenser and including a roll-engaging portion with a peripheral wall engageable into the first interior end of the roll of web material with the roll of web material being rotatable relative to the roll support when engaged therewith and when a pulling force is exerted on the web material; and a rotation brake comprising at least one braking protrusion protruding outwardly from the peripheral wall of the roll-engaging portion and decelerating the rotation of the roll of web material by frictionally engaging at least one of directly and indirectly the roll of web material. The disclosure also concerns a web material roll dispenser with such a roll support assembly.

Abstract: A bushing for a web material roll including a body sized to be fitted into the web material roll; the bushing further including a wall extending across the central cavity of the web material roll when the bushing is in the central cavity of the web material roll and defining an opening for receiving a roll support therethrough, the opening being bordered by a roll support contacting surface, the bushing having one or more bearing surfaces for contacting the roll support and supporting the web material roll, the one or more bearing surfaces including at least the roll support contacting surface bordering the opening. A web material roll, a web material roll retention assembly and a method for placing a web material roll in a web material roll dispenser are also provided.

Abstract: A dispenser for sequentially dispensing web material from a plurality of rolls includes a carousel rotatably mounted in a dispenser body. The carousel includes a plurality of roll holders that extend parallel to an axis of rotation of the carousel. The carousel includes a sensor that senses whether a roll of web material on one of roll holders is depleted or substantially depleted. A movable trigger latch blocks rotation of the carousel until the roll of web material on the current roll holder is depleted or substantially depleted; at that point, the carousel rotates by gravity in a first direction.

Abstract: A dispenser for sequentially dispensing web material from a plurality of rolls includes a carousel rotatably mounted in a dispenser body. The carousel includes a plurality of roll holders that extend parallel to an axis of rotation of the carousel. The carousel includes a sensor that senses whether a roll of web material on one of roll holders is depleted or substantially depleted. A movable trigger latch blocks rotation of the carousel until the roll of web material on the current roll holder is depleted or substantially depleted; at that point, the carousel rotates by gravity in a first direction.

Abstract: A powered dispenser for dispensing individual sheet segments from a continuous roll of sheet material provided with spaced tear lines comprises a powered feed mechanism, a releasable, powered drive mechanism, a powered transfer mechanism, a pair of web sensing sensors, a capacitive sensing system providing automatic sensitivity adjustment, and control circuitry. A dual power supply system provides a mechanical lock-out functionality, and the control system is protected from electrostatic build-up on the surface of the feed roller. The web sensor, and an antenna plate of the capacitive sensing system, are provided on respective printed circuit boards mounted in overlying relation. Utilizing signals received from the pair of web sensors and the capacitive sensing system, the control circuitry senses the presence of a user to activate the powered drive mechanism, and prevents further dispensing of the sheet material until a previously dispensed segment is separated from the roll.

Abstract: A hands-free dispenser has a body and a cover connected to the body. A sensor element is attached to the body. The cover has an opening that enables the sensor to protrude through the cover and extend beyond a plane of the cover when the cover is closed.

Abstract: An apparatus that dispenses a sheet of absorbent material from a roll of absorbent material includes a housing and a drum in the housing. A cutting device is incorporated in the drum. A one-way bearing on a shaft of the drum enables the drum to rotate only in one direction upon activation of the drum. A tensioning device provides tension to a strip of paper material passing between the tensioning device and the drum. The apparatus also includes a supply roll surface drive that controls rotation of the roll of absorbent material. The supply roll surface drive includes two independently rotatable pulleys and a belt wrapped around the pulleys. The belt contacts the roll of paper towels along a plurality of contact points to control rotation of the roll of absorbent material.

Abstract: A paper towel dispensing apparatus, includes a housing having a cover, a drum, an associated cutting device incorporated in the drum, and a stored energy mechanism. The cutting device having plural blades that are spaced apart from each other. A space between blades is adjustable so that tails of differing sizes can be obtained when the paper towels are dispensed. Accordingly, different tensile strength towels can be used with the same dispenser.

Abstract: A dual-mount roll dispenser has a cover and a body. The body portion is adapted for recess mounting but is also suitable to be exposed in a wall mount application. The hinge or pivots that permit the cover to be opened are positioned sufficiently far forward that, together with the shape of the cover, the cover can be opened wide even when more than half the depth of the dispenser is recessed with a surrounding wall.

Abstract: A pop-up type dispenser is provided for paper towels, in which a specially sized and shaped hole in the dispenser top cooperates with a stack of paper towels housed in the dispenser. The towel stack has at least two interfolded webs of perforated absorbent sheet material in which the perforations of one web are not aligned with the perforations of an adjacent web. The towels may be withdrawn through the opening one sheet at a time, by a user pulling on a first sheet of said one web protruding through said opening without needing to touch a next sheet on the adjacent web or a subsequent sheet on the one web.

Abstract: A bracket for supporting a container of absorbent sheet products includes first and second side walls each having a flange section perpendicular thereto for mounting to a substantially vertical mounting surface. A cross member extends between the first and second side walls as a front member. At least one bottom portion extends between the first and second side walls perpendicular to the cross member. The bottom portion is structured and arranged to be spaced apart from the mounting surface so that various containers of absorbent sheets can be arranged in the bracket to be dispensed from the top, bottom or front depending on the particular container.

Abstract: Dispenser apparatus for sequentially dispensing sheet material from a center pull coreless roll of sheet material includes a wall-mounted housing having a bottom for supporting the coreless roll on end. A dispenser opening such as a nozzle is incorporated in the apparatus. A tear bar adjacent the nozzle creates stress at perforations that connects two adjacent sheets. When a user pulls a first sheet, the stress causes the sheets to separate. The tear bar is preferably beneath the nozzle, so that the sheets separate at the tear bar leaving an acceptable lead end of a next sheet, when the user pulls at an angle substantially 90 degrees to the wall.

Abstract: A paper towel dispensing apparatus, includes a housing having a cover, a drum, an associated cutting device incorporated in the drum, and a stored energy mechanism. The cutting device has two blades that are spaced apart from each other. An eccentric element in the space between blades adjusts the distance between the blades so that tails of differing sizes can be obtained when the paper towels are dispensed. Accordingly, different tensile strength towels can be used with the same dispenser.

Abstract: A bracket for supporting a container of absorbent sheet products includes first and second side walls each having a flange section perpendicular thereto for mounting to a substantially vertical mounting surface. A cross member extends between the first and second side walls as a front member. At least one bottom portion extends between the first and second side walls perpendicular to the cross member. The bottom portion is structured and arranged to be spaced apart from the mounting surface so that various containers of absorbent sheets can be arranged in the bracket to be dispensed from the top, bottom or front depending on the particular container.