SHEET ROLL DISPENSER
A sheet roll dispenser includes a case for receiving an associated sheet roll, a roller for unwinding the associated sheet roll from the case, a motor operatively engaging the roller to rotate the roller to unwind the associated sheet roll, a battery compartment for receiving an associated battery, and electrical contacts for supplying an electrical connection from the associated battery to the motor. The roller is disposed in the case. The motor and the battery compartment are disposed inside the roller. The electrical contacts are disposed within the battery compartment.
A roll of toilet tissue is manufactured by wrapping paper toilet tissue around a cardboard or paper board core. A similar construction is also used for paper towels. In typical American households, both a toilet tissue dispenser and a paper towel dispenser include a spindle received inside the core to support the roll of toilet tissue or paper towels (hereinafter referred to as a sheet roll) to allow the sheet roll to rotate around the spindle as sheets from the sheet roll are being dispensed. These known sheet roll dispensers leave the sheet roll exposed, which can be unsanitary and unsightly. Additionally, these manual sheet roll dispensers require two hands to manipulate the sheet roll and tear off the sheet. This can be particularly difficult when seated on a toilet.
Dispensers that mechanize the dispensing operation of the sheet roll are typically large and not attractive for display in a bathroom, powder room or kitchen. Additionally, known mechanized sheet roll dispensers are limited with respect to where the dispenser can be located because of the manner in which the automated drive of the mechanized dispenser is energized. Moreover, oftentimes these automated dispensers are not self threading and require the operator to properly place the sheet roll inside the dispenser and thread the sheet roll through an unwinding assembly of the dispenser in order to provide a mechanized operation for dispensing the sheet roll.
SUMMARYA sheet roll dispenser that overcomes the shortcomings discussed above includes a case for receiving an associated sheet roll, a roller for unwinding the associated sheet roll from the case, a motor operatively engaging the roller to rotate the roller to unwind the associated sheet roll, a battery compartment for receiving an associated battery, and electrical contacts for supplying an electrical connection from the associated battery to the motor. The roller is disposed in the case. The motor and the battery compartment are disposed inside the roller. The electrical contacts are disposed within the battery compartment.
In an alternative embodiment of a sheet roll dispenser that overcomes at least some of the aforementioned shortcomings, the dispenser includes a case, an electrically driven unwinding assembly, a switch, and a switch button. The case receives an associated sheet roll. The electrically driven unwinding assembly is disposed in the case for unwinding the associated sheet roll from the case. The switch is in the case for controlling delivery of electrical power to the unwinding assembly. The switch button is on the case and operates the switch. The unwinding assembly and the switch button are removable from the case and the case includes at least two mounting locations for the switch button on opposite sides of the case to provide a left-hand configuration and a right-hand configuration for the dispenser.
Another embodiment of a sheet roll dispenser that can overcome at least some of the aforementioned shortcomings includes a case for receiving an associated sheet roll, a roller for unwinding the associated sheet roll from the case, and a motor operatively engaging the roller to rotate the roller to unwind the associated sheet roll. The roller is disposed in the case. The roller includes flexible fingers extending from an external surface of the roller for engaging the associated sheet roll. Each finger is substantially aligned with a radius emanating from a rotational axis of the roller. The motor is also disposed in the case.
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The case 12 provides a neat and sanitary device by protecting the unused sheet roll inside the case. The case provides a stylish look that hides the white roll of toilet paper in a person's bathroom or the white roll of paper towels in a person's kitchen. The case 12 in the depicted embodiment is formed having end walls 24 and 26 interconnected by a central section 28. As more clearly seen in
A movable door 36 connects to the case 12. In the depicted embodiment the door 36 is slidable between an open position (
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The roller 14 also includes a circular flange 52, which locates the roller inside the case 12 in a manner that will be described in more detail below. In the depicted embodiment, the flange 52 is located at one end of the roller and extends inwardly towards the rotational axis of the roller.
In the depicted embodiment, the roller 14 is cylindrical and hollow. A cylindrical power drive housing 54 is received inside the roller 14. The power drive housing 54 provides a location to mount the drive components of the unwinding assembly for the dispenser. In the depicted embodiment, the power drive housing 54 includes annular ridges 56 that define a circular notch 58 that receives the circular flange 52 of the roller 14 and provides a slip bearing so that the roller 14 rotates with respect to the power drive housing 54.
The motor 16 and the battery compartment 18 are received inside the power drive housing 54, and thus inside the roller 14. As more clearly seen in
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A retainer 72 is configured to retain the roller 14 in the case 12. More particularly, the retainer 72 supports an opposite end of the power drive housing 54 as the switch button assembly. The retainer 72 is generally cylindrical so that it can be received in either opening 60 or 62 in either end wall 24 or 26 of the case 12. In the depicted embodiment, the retainer 72 is received inside a generally cylindrical insert 74 that connects to an end of the power drive housing 54 opposite the end to which the switch button assembly is attached. To remove the unwinding assembly, which includes the motor 16, the battery compartment 18 and other components that will be described in more detail below, one removes the battery compartment 18 from opening 62 and the retainer 72 from opening 60. The operator then reaches into the case through the opening provided when the door 36 is in the open position (
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In the depicted embodiment, the moving components of the unwinding assembly are found in the roller 14. Additionally, the electrical components of the unwinding assembly are also found in the roller 14. This provides for a compact dispenser having a quiet operation and a robust packaging. Placing the motor and the battery compartment inside the roller utilizes this valuable space to minimize the overall footprint of the dispenser 10. The transmission assembly described above can employ gears or other types of mechanisms known in the art to drive the roller; however, the quiet operation of the transmission may be sacrificed by replacing the compression rollers.
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The sheet roll dispenser that has been described above can include alternative or additional components and is not limited to only the aforementioned components. Some additional components and alternative embodiments of the dispenser will be described in more detail below. The invention, however, is not limited to only the alternatives and additional components that are described below.
In addition to dispensing conventional dry toilet tissue and paper towels, the sheet roll dispenser can also be used to dispense moist tissue and the like. Where the dispenser is used to dispense moist material, it can be desirable to provide a movable flap 120 (
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Where the dispenser 10 is used to dispense moist sheet roll material, seals can also be provided for sealing the internal compartment of the case 12 to mitigate evaporation. With reference back to
The sheet roll dispenser 10 described above can also include a peeler to direct the sheet roll towards the discharge slot 46. More particularly, the peeler can engage a free end of the sheet roll TP to direct the sheet roll toward the discharge slot 46 of the dispenser. With reference to
The sheet roll TP is loaded into the case 12. The roller 14 rotates in a clockwise direction resulting in the sheet roll TP rotating in a counterclockwise direction. The peeler blade 142 engages a free end of the sheet roll TP to direct the free end of the sheet roll toward the discharge slot 46.
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The door 36 includes a flange 290 that extends into the case 12 and a cam 292 extends axially inwardly from the flange 290. The cam 292 contacts the first leg 284 of the spring when moving from a closed position toward an open position to draw the pivoting arm 274 in a clockwise direction (per the orientation of
A sheet roll dispenser has been described with reference to certain embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to those upon reading and understanding the detailed description. The invention is not limited to only those embodiments depicted in the preceding description. Instead, the invention is broadly defined by the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A sheet roll dispenser comprising:
- a case for receiving an associated sheet roll;
- a roller disposed in the case for unwinding the associated sheet roll from the case;
- a motor disposed inside the roller and operatively engaging the roller to rotate the roller to unwind the associated sheet roll;
- a battery compartment inside the roller for receiving an associated battery; and
- electrical contacts disposed within the battery compartment electrically connected to the motor for supplying electrical current from the associated battery to the motor.
2. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a slidable door connected to the case, the door being slidable between an open position and a closed position, the door retracting into the case when moving from the closed position towards the open position.
3. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 2, wherein the door in the closed position and the case define a discharge slot for the associated sheet roll.
4. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 3, further comprising a movable flap covering the discharge slot, the flap being movable between an open position and a closed position.
5. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 4, further comprising a cam cooperating with the movable flap, contact by the roller against the cam results in the flap moving from the closed position towards the open position.
6. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 5, wherein the cam and the flap are an integrally formed single piece.
7. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 3, further comprising at least one seal contacting the door and the case for sealing an internal compartment of the case to avoid evaporation where the associated sheet roll includes moist sheet roll material.
8. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 1, wherein the case includes a first opening through which the battery compartment is removable from the case.
9. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 8, further comprising a switch button and a retainer, the switch button operating a switch electrically connected to the electrical contacts for controlling delivery of electrical power to the motor, the retainer being configured to retain the roller in the case, wherein the case includes a second opening aligned with the first opening, the switch button and the retainer being configured to be received in either opening and connect to the case to provide for a right-hand configuration or a left-hand configuration.
10. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 9, wherein the roller is removable from the case when the retainer and the switch button are disconnected from the case.
11. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a transmission operatively connected with the motor and the roller, the transmission being disposed within the roller and including compression rollers.
12. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 11, further comprising a power drive housing received in the roller, the motor and the battery compartment received in the power drive housing, the power drive housing including slots through which components of the transmission extend to engage the roller.
13. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 12, further comprising a seal connected to the power drive housing for preventing ingress of moisture into the battery compartment.
14. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a controller in electrical communication with the electrical contacts and the motor, the controller being disposed within the roller, the controller being configured to perform at least one of the following operations: (i) count rotations of the roller for measuring the length of sheet roll material being dispensed from the associated sheet roll and (ii) deliver current to the motor in a first direction resulting in the motor rotating the roller in a first rotational direction and to deliver current to the motor in a second direction resulting in the motor rotating the roller in a second rotational direction.
15. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 14, further comprising a switch button connected with the case and a switch operated by the switch button and in electrical communication with the electrical contacts, wherein the controller is configured to deliver current to the motor in the second direction after the switch button has been released.
16. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 1, further comprising radial flexible fingers extending from an outer surface of the roller.
17. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 16, further comprising a door connected to the case, the door being movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the door or the case includes a protuberance for deflecting the fingers to retain the associated sheet roll against the deflected fingers and the protuberance.
18. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 1, further comprising fenders in the case for axially locating the associated sheet roll in the case.
19. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a rotating support in the case spaced from the roller for spacing the associated sheet roll from the case.
20. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 19, wherein the support is spaced from the roller so that a rotational axis of the associated sheet roll is equidistant from a location where the sheet roll contacts the rotating support and a location where the sheet roll contacts the roller.
21. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a peeler in the case, the peeler engaging a free end of the associated sheet roll to direct the sheet roll toward a discharge slot of the dispenser.
22. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 21, wherein the peeler includes a blade that is biased toward the associated sheet roll.
23. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 21, wherein the peeler includes a blade that is urged toward the associated sheet roll by the weight of the associated sheet roll.
24. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 21, wherein the peeler includes a peeler roller that catches a free end of the associated sheet roll to direct the free end towards the discharge slot of the dispenser.
25. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a sheet roll urging device in the case for urging the associated sheet roll towards the roller.
26. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 25, wherein the sheet roll urging device includes a biased hub configured to be received in a core of the associated sheet roll, wherein the hub is biased toward the roller.
27. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 25, wherein the sheet roll urging device includes a biased wheel that engages the associated sheet roll, the biased wheel being biased towards the roller.
28. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 27, further comprising a door and an axle, the door being connected to the case and movable between an open position and a closed position, the wheel being connected to the axle for rotation about the axle, wherein the door engages the axle to move the wheel as the door moves from the open position toward the closed position.
29. The sheet roll dispenser of claim 25, wherein the sheet roll urging device includes a table supported by an axle connected to the case, the axle being offset from a rotational axis of the associated sheet roll in a direction away from the roller, the table pivoting about the axle to urge the associated sheet roll towards the roller.
30. A sheet roll dispenser comprising:
- a case for receiving an associated sheet roll;
- an electrically driven unwinding assembly disposed in the case for unwinding the associated sheet roll from the case;
- a switch in the case for controlling delivery of electrical power to the unwinding assembly; and
- a switch button on the case operating the switch, wherein the unwinding assembly and the switch button are removable from the case and the case includes at least two mounting locations for the switch button on opposite sides of the case to provide a left-hand configuration and a right-hand configuration for the dispenser.
31. A sheet roll dispenser comprising:
- a case for receiving an associated sheet roll;
- a roller disposed in the case for unwinding the associated sheet roll from the case, the roller including flexible fingers extending from an external surface of the roller for engaging the associated sheet roll, each finger being substantially aligned with a radius emanating from a rotational axis of the roller; and
- a motor disposed in the case and operatively engaging the roller to rotate the roller to unwind the associated sheet roll.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 15, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 15, 2009
Inventor: Scott D. Maurer (Rocky River, OH)
Application Number: 12/103,508
International Classification: B65H 16/02 (20060101);