Web Restrainer Patents (Class 225/106)
  • Publication number: 20110233254
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing wiping material includes a housing for holding at least one roll containing a continuous web of wiping material. The dispenser includes a feeding element for controlling the dispensing of the web, wherein the feeding element includes at least a drive roller, a pressure roller and a cutting device. The web is arranged to be fed from a first roll and into the feeding element, and an actuating mechanism operatively connected to the drive roller, wherein the actuating mechanism is actuated by a user applying a force to the actuating mechanism to dispense a predetermined length of wiping material. The actuating mechanism and the drive roller are connected by a lever, wherein the lever is in driving contact with the drive roller and is releasably connected to the actuating mechanism, and that the actuating mechanism and the lever are arranged to disconnect if the actuating mechanism is subjected to a force exceeding a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: SCA HYGIENE PRODUCTS AB
    Inventors: Mats Lundqvist, Per Mmoller, Stig Pommer
  • Publication number: 20110215128
    Abstract: An adapter for a support enclosure bin for a roll of thermoplastic bags is described. The bin has a half round cylindrical wall, first and second vertical side walls attached to a supporting rim. The rim has spaced apertures for mounting the bin to a surface that has an opening that permits passage of outer surfaces of the walls but not the rim. The side walls have integral channels that provide support for a rod for a wide roll of bags. The adapter includes first and second bag dispensers for vertically folded coreless roll mounted bags. Each of the dispensers has first and second side panels that are attached together with a connecting link that aligns the front edges and bottom edges of the dispensers. First and second axles are mounted adjacent the outer side panels of the dispensers with positioning wheels that engage the integral channels of the bin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventor: Tan Greg
  • Patent number: 7997443
    Abstract: A center-pull dispenser for dispensing paper towels from a continuous roll, wherein each individual towel is separated from an adjoining towel by a plurality of perforations. The dispenser comprises a housing having a housing back and a detachable front cover hingedly connected thereto at the lower periphery of said housing back and front cover for opening and closing the housing, a paper support tray removably connected to a lower portion of the housing back, the tray having a centrally located dispensing nozzle and at least one locking element for releasably locking at least one first hinge element on the lower periphery of the front cover to at least one second hinge element on the lower periphery of the housing back, an opening in the lower periphery of said housing through which the towels are dispensed, and a wall-mounting member for removably mounting the housing back to a wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Cintas Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Petras Titas, Christopher Andrew Brizes, Mark Edward Cipolla, Paul Dana Stephens, Christopher Daniel Carsten
  • Patent number: 7997522
    Abstract: A center-pull dispenser for dispensing paper towels from a continuous roll, wherein each individual towel is separated from an adjoining towel by a plurality of perforations. The dispenser comprises a housing having a housing back and a detachable front cover hingedly connected thereto at the lower periphery of said housing back and front cover for opening and closing the housing, a paper support tray removably connected to a lower portion of the housing back and having a centrally located dispensing nozzle, an opening in the lower periphery of the housing through which the towels are dispensed, a detachable wall-mounting member for removably mounting the housing back to a wall, and a locking member for releasably locking the front cover to the housing back and the housing back to the wall-mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Cintas Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Petras Titas, Christopher Andrew Brizes, Mark Edward Cipolla, Paul Dana Stephens, Christopher Daniel Carsten
  • Patent number: 7992753
    Abstract: A bag dispenser includes an axle having a plurality of spaced-apart interior annular rings. A roll of bags are wound about the axle and a rod is insertable into the axle. When inserted into the axle, the rod engages at least one of the annular rings to connect the rod to the axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: RPG Bags, LLC
    Inventor: Timothy Edwards
  • Patent number: 7987756
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sanitary or no-touch dispenser which dispenses sheets of a web material, such as a paper towel. The disclosed dispenser provides the web material to a user by using both manual and electronic means to dispense the sheet. This is accomplished by having a motor engagably connected to an actuator roller. The motor is activated by a motor activation means, such as a switch. The motion of the actuator roller, which is started by the user grabbing and pulling a tail of the web material extending from the dispenser, causes the motor activation means to activate the motor which in turn drives the actuator roller to continue it its rotation motion to dispense the sheet from the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Paul Lewis, Paul Francis Tramontina, Kiran Reddy
  • Patent number: 7954405
    Abstract: A dispensing unit includes an outer front wall, two outer side walls, a housing for holding a pile of a continuous length of accordion-like folded web of towels of tissue paper or nonwoven including bundles, the outer front wall having an access opening to the pile, a dispensing opening for the web of towels and a feeding mechanism including a member for controlling the dispensing of the web of towels, a drive unit and a braking arrangement for the web of towels. A unit of consumable articles includes the pile of bundles with connecting elements therebetween, which are inserted through the access opening into the housing in the dispensing unit and added to the bottom of the pile. The web of towels is dispensed from the upper part of the pile by a feeding mechanism, which positions the web of towels in a starting mode in the dispensing opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Robert Kling
  • Publication number: 20110089213
    Abstract: A wipe material dispensing machine includes a housing forming a receptacle with a back plate, a horizontal lower wall, side walls, and an articulated lockable cover. The inner face of the cover has a protruding curved member. A device, articulated relative to the housing, fulfils the functions of loading, guiding and preventing creasing of the pre-cut strip of material which is pulled so that it can be removed from the forward, lower part of the machine. The device includes a raised curved element surrounding the member on the cover when the cover is closed. The element and member being concentric and leaving room for the pulled pre-cut strip of material to pass through. The pre-cut wipe material is wound on a reel or accordion pleated, and the lower part of the machine includes, at the point where the material emerges, opposite-facing limit stops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventor: Maurice Granger
  • Publication number: 20110073629
    Abstract: A plastic bag dispenser with side panels and guide bar includes: a) a base frame with a back and bottom section with open front adapted to hold a plastic bag roll; b) a swing arm and core rod adapted to receive a plastic bag roll for rotation and to move downwardly as the plastic bag roll is depleted; c) a first and second set of opposing side panels located on the base frame for stabilizing the movement of the plastic bag roll; d) an elongated open guide bar having a top and sides located on the open fronted bottom section for movement of bags from the plastic bag roll; and, e) a rip tongue located on the open fronted bottom section with an upward taper adapted to catch and separate a passing bag when pulled forward through the guide bar and over the rip tongue. Mounting mechanisms for the present invention are also detailed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventor: Ben Tseng
  • Publication number: 20100252601
    Abstract: A drywall or similar planar material cutting tool is provided that aids in the achieving of clean and square cuts with minimal debris and/or breakage to the drywall material edge. The apparatus defines a generally J-shaped engagement channel, or combinations of J-shaped channels, to engage the edge of a drywall sheet, and a centrally affixed handle located perpendicular to the bottom surface of the J-channel and generally in a parallel plane to the drywall sheet being cut. The unique configuration allows pressure applied to the handle to be uniformly transferred to the J-channel which, in turn, applies a uniformly distributed shear force. The applied force is perpendicular to the plane of the drywall sheet and, at all times, parallel to the pre-applied score mark thereby resulting in a clean snap break of the board with an improved edge quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventor: Richard Thibault
  • Patent number: 7673778
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a pill cutter that has a protected cutting edge. The pill cutter includes a guard, a base, and a cover. The components are arranged such that the guard slides over the cutting edge when the pill cutter is in an open position and the guard exposes the cutting edge when the pill cutter is in a closed position. The invention is also directed at a method for assembling the pill cutter and a method of using the pill cutter to cut a pill or tablet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Apothecary Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Ka Chuen Sze
  • Patent number: 7650731
    Abstract: A coupon insertion apparatus configured for sequentially inserting coupons into receiving containers, including a machine frame, at least one pair of opposed rollers mounted to the frame and adjustable between a closed position and an open position. A drive system includes a drive belt for simultaneously driving the opposed rollers in both of the positions. A tensioner is connected to the belt and is movable generally transversely to a direction of the adjustment of the drive rollers to maintain a designated tension on the drive belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Inventors: Anthony J. Nowakowski, Jason J. Raasch
  • Patent number: 7591405
    Abstract: A wire frame plastic bag dispenser includes an angled lower bag roll support urging perforated, rolled plastic bags toward a bag roll restraining element attached to the frame. A constraining movement element prevents lateral movement of the bag roll. A perforation parting means separates bags as they are pulled from the roll. The bags may be folded along at least one vertical axis to form a more compact bag roll and may have a chisel cut in the perforation to aid in separation by the perforation parting means. The frame includes four corners each of approximately 90 degrees, has a C shape in a horizontal plane, and includes a dispensing end, a back end, and two sides. The lower bag roll support includes a proximal end attached to the back end and extends downwardly to a distal end. The perforation parting means may be located outwardly from the dispensing end of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Inventor: Mark E. Daniels
  • Patent number: 7562798
    Abstract: An improved ticket dispensing apparatus to efficiently and expeditiously control the separation and dispensing of tickets from a continuous strip of tickets. Once a ticket selection is made, a control circuit activates the dispensing mechanism for dispensing the selected number of tickets. The strip of tickets is drawn into engagement with a pair of drive rollers and forced into engagement with a downstream deflector plate. Once a measured and predetermined ticket length has been met, the direction of movement for the drive rollers is reversed and a unidirectional clutch engaged. The clutch rotates a deflector plate used to force the strip of tickets into engagement with a stationary cutting blade along a perforated line scored in the ticket strip so that the desired number of tickets are separated from the ticket strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Scientific Games International, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Bartolone, Joe Cicoski
  • Patent number: 7552842
    Abstract: A trash bag dispenser for use with a roll of trash bag material, comprising a parallelepiped frame having a back, two spaced apart sides, and a bottom, a v-notch in a top of each side for removably receiving a support rod holding a roll of trash bag material, a horizontal support shelf disposed below the v-notches for supporting material unrolled from the material roll, a guide rail disposed horizontally above the support shelf, the rail slideably receiving a utility knife pocket removably holding a utility knife for sliding across and cutting the bag material to a desired length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Inventor: Gustavo Carvajal
  • Patent number: 7513401
    Abstract: A printer tear bar and presenter system for printing on a strip of media and presenting a portion of the media to a user. The media comprises a plurality of perforations and a plurality of bridges of connecting material separating the perforations. The tear bar comprises first and second side portions and a center portion. The side portions and the center portions are adapted to abut the surface of the media so that friction creates stress on the bridges of connecting material. The first and second side portions are preferably tapered to concentrate tearing stress on corresponding bridges of connecting material. The printer and control circuitry are adapted to advance the media rapidly after the printer has finished printing to prevent users from pulling on the media prematurely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Luciano, Raymond G. Bryan
  • Patent number: 7500420
    Abstract: Dispenser apparatus for dispensing paper toweling includes structure for damping forces applied to a roll of paper toweling when overspin slack is taken up and modifying cutter blade timing to reduce peak pull force during dispensing. A biased damping roller is displaceable by toweling when the toweling is pulled to take up the slack and maintain the toweling in taut condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Perrin Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Niko Anthony Cvjetkovic, Joel P. Keily, Patrick C. Perrin
  • Patent number: 7497362
    Abstract: A printer tear bar and presenter system for printing on a strip of media and presenting a portion of the media to a user. The media comprises a plurality of perforations and a plurality of bridges of connecting material separating the perforations. The tear bar comprises first and second side portions and a center portion. The side portions and the center portions are adapted to abut the surface of the media so that friction creates stress on the bridges of connecting material. The first and second side portions are preferably tapered to concentrate tearing stress on corresponding bridges of connecting material. The printer and control circuitry are adapted to advance the media rapidly after the printer has finished printing to prevent users from pulling on the media prematurely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Bally Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Luciano, Raymond G. Bryan
  • Patent number: 7481345
    Abstract: A foil or film dispensing system and method includes two brackets. The first bracket supports a roll of foil or film and is positionable in the unused space behind a door panel in a fixed cabinet. The second bracket is hingedly mounted to the first bracket and includes a cutting edge for making a sheet of foil or film. When not in use the foil or film dispensing system is hidden in the unused space behind the door panel in a cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Inventor: Bob Rice
  • Publication number: 20090008422
    Abstract: A wire frame plastic bag dispenser includes an angled lower bag roll support urging perforated, rolled plastic bags toward a bag roll restraining element attached to the frame. A constraining movement element prevents lateral movement of the bag roll. A perforation parting means separates bags as they are pulled from the roll. The bags may be folded along at least one vertical axis to form a more compact bag roll and may have a chisel cut in the perforation to aid in separation by the perforation parting means. The frame includes four corners each of approximately 90 degrees, has a C shape in a horizontal plane, and includes a dispensing end, a back end, and two sides. The lower bag roll support includes a proximal end attached to the back end and extends downwardly to a distal end. The perforation parting means may be located outwardly from the dispensing end of the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventor: Mark E. Daniels
  • Patent number: 7441681
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for separating a web material are disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a bedroll and a chop off roll. The bedroll includes a bedroll blade and a bedroll web pin. The chop off roll includes a pin pad and a plurality of chop off roll blades. The bedroll web pin, and the bedroll blade, mesh with the pin pad and the chop off roll blades. The chop off roll blades are moved relative to the bedroll blade, stretching and separating the web material. The web pin perforates the web material and may completely or partially separate a portion of the web material. The web pin and the separated portion perforate the pin pad. The separated portion is stripped from the web pin as the pin passes out of the pin pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: William Joseph Butsch, Stephen Rainey Addison
  • Patent number: 7424963
    Abstract: A wire frame plastic bag dispenser includes an angled lower bag roll support urging perforated, rolled plastic bags toward a bag roll restraining element attached to the frame. A constraining movement element prevents lateral movement of the bag roll. A perforation parter separates bags as they are pulled from the roll. The bags may be folded along at least one vertical axis to form a more compact bag roll and may have a chisel cut in the perforation to aid in separation by the perforation parter. The frame includes four corners each of approximately 90 degrees, has a C shape in a horizontal plane, and includes a dispensing end, a back end, and two sides. The lower bag roll support includes a proximal end attached to the back end and extends downwardly to a distal end. The perforation parter may be located outwardly from the dispensing end of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Inventor: Mark E. Daniels
  • Publication number: 20080128465
    Abstract: A packet of plastic bags, formed in a stack, is retained within a housing that defines a dispenser. The packet is supported at the upper edge thereof, with the stack hanging within the interior of the housing. The bag packet is positioned within a channel defined in the housing. On opposite sides of the channel is provided an engagement bar for contacting the edges of the bag packet. The engagement bar may be resilient and in the form of a brush. The contact of the engagement bar serving to orderly retain the bags in the stack during removal of an individual bag from the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventor: Harry B. Wilfong
  • Patent number: 7364058
    Abstract: An improved ticket dispensing apparatus to efficiently and expeditiously control the separation and dispensing of tickets from a continuous strip of tickets. Once a ticket selection is made, a control circuit activates the dispensing mechanism for dispensing the selected number of tickets. The strip of tickets is drawn into engagement with a pair of drive rollers and forced into engagement with a downstream deflector plate. Once a measured and predetermined ticket length has been met, the direction of movement for the drive rollers is reversed and a unidirectional clutch engaged. The clutch rotates a deflector plate used to force the strip of tickets into engagement with a stationary cutting blade along a perforated line scored in the ticket strip so that the desired number of tickets are separated from the ticket strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Scientific Games International, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Bartolone, Joe Cicocki
  • Patent number: 7275672
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing flexible web material from a center pull roll capable of accommodating different types of web material in the form of sheets separated by lines of perforation. The dispenser includes dispenser apparatus permitting the device to self-adjust to the different thicknesses, sizes and physical characteristics of different types of web material. In certain preferred embodiments, the dispenser comprises a housing, a web support within the housing and structure permitting the dispenser to self-adjust to the effective cross-sectional area of the web. The preferred dispenser structure includes elements positioned to receive the web between them. At least one of the elements is movable and is biased for displacement toward the other. Frictional force applied against the web by the elements resists pull force applied to the web by a user so that a single web sheet separates from the web along the perforation between the elements and the lead end when a user pulls on the web outside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Alwin Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: William G. Haen, Daniel C. Kananen, Alan P. Paal, Alan J. Pierquet
  • Patent number: 7270256
    Abstract: A series of roll mounted bags and dispensers are described. The bags may be folded along at least one axis and rolled. The compact roll of bags is placed in various dispensers. As the upper portion of the first bag is pulled from the roll, the roll will rotate, presenting the succeeding bag for dispensing after the first bag is removed. Variations of the dispenser include one with a bag opening means with a mounting member and bag opening element causing the bags to open as they are pulled from the dispenser. The dispenser includes mechanisms for supporting the bag roll and constraining its movement along its horizontal axis. Another variation of the dispenser has a perforation parting means that facilitates separation of one bag from a subsequent bag. The dispenser may be removably attached to a dispenser support that attaches to a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Mark E. Daniels
  • Patent number: 7168602
    Abstract: A dispenser having a transfer mechanism for transferring between a first source and a second source of sheet material, and a method for transferring between the first source and the second source. Dispensing is transferred from a first source to a second source upon an absence of sheet material from the first source. The transfer mechanism includes a transfer roller with a slot to receive a free end of sheet material from the second source. The transfer roller also includes a plurality of raised portions, the raised portions are free to rotate through a dispensing roller when there is an absence of sheet material from the first source. This rotation introduces the free end of sheet material from the second source to the dispensing roller, and allows dispensing from the second source. Afterwards, the transfer roller is set to receive sheet material from a new source of sheet material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
    Inventor: Joshua M. Broehl
  • Patent number: 7150383
    Abstract: A storable transfer conveyor system for moving bundles from an upstream conveyor to a downstream conveyor utilizing a storable transfer conveyor which is movable from a first operative position, wherein the bundles are transferred to the downstream conveyor, to a second stored position on top of the downstream conveyor. When the storable transfer conveyor is in the second stored position, nearly all of the floor space occupied by the storable transfer conveyor when it was in the first operative position is vacated and available for another use and for operators to freely traverse the formerly occupied floor space. Transfer of the storable transfer conveyor is preferably nearly entirely by powered conveyors, requiring very minimal manual effort on the part of the operators of the equipment. In some applications, the storable transfer conveyor may be manually pushed or pulled in and out of a stored position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Geo M. Martin Company
    Inventor: Daniel J. Talken
  • Patent number: 7128251
    Abstract: A system for dispensing thermoplastic bags or the like from a roll of bags. The present system is configured for point of use dispensing to a customer, such as in the produce section of a grocery store or market. The preferred, exemplary embodiment of the present system teaches a bag dispensing rack configured to hold a single roll of produce bags, but which is configured to provide an interlocking system for stacking multiple racks of bags one upon the other, each rack holding a single roll of bags, which may be of different configurations or sizes. Each bag pack is dispensed from a roll which includes first and second retaining side walls, a base, and a front opening terminating in a dispensing tongue, which is configured to engage an open slit situated medially relative to a perforated dispenser line juxtaposed each bag forming the bag roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Advance Polybag, Inc.
    Inventor: Francis B. Galle
  • Patent number: 7090106
    Abstract: An apparatus for one handed dispensing paper sheet segments from a roll of paper sheet segments connected end-to-end along transverse serration lines including a base member, a support connected to a base for holding a roll of paper sheet segments and a frictional gripping member connected to the base with a high friction outer surface. The frictional gripping member may also contain an arcuate inner surface for pivotal movement and contact with respect to a roll of paper sheet segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Holdenart, Inc.
    Inventor: William Holden
  • Patent number: 7028945
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: SCA Tissue North America LLC
    Inventors: John S. Formon, Thad A. Tomlinsson, Russell G. Stang
  • Patent number: 6997094
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for controlling and regulating the pressure of a reel of material in an automatic-cutting dispenser. Each side panel of the dispenser comprises a slot that receives, internally, two flanges which are disposed around said slot in lower and upper horizontal planes thereof and which are used to position and support a pivoting shaft. The shaft receives a flap which passes through each of the side panels, via the slot, and which extends outwards from the side panel. The rear of each reel holder arm comprises a tab which is used to receive and fix a return means. This return means is solidly connected to the flap. In this way, when the reel holder arm is lowered, each of the flaps is articulated and the reel is pressed continuously against the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Inventor: Maurice Granger
  • Patent number: 6902134
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for dispensing rolled sheet material, the apparatus including a housing defining an interior adapted to contain rolled sheet material and a dispensing opening for allowing sheet material to be dispensed from the interior of the housing. The apparatus further includes a nip within the housing such as, for example, may be formed by first and second rollers. In addition, the apparatus includes a mobile roll support system adapted to support a roll of sheet material within the housing wherein the roll of sheet material rotates to dispense sheet material and further wherein the mobile roll support system and the roll of sheet material move toward the nip as sheet material is dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Green, Joseph Elisabeth Oberdorf, Bastiaan Roelof Tjaden
  • Patent number: 6835042
    Abstract: A robotic loading cell for plastic utensils is characterized by a synchronized supply conveyor and gripping mechanism for packaging individual utensils from an integrally molded group or rack of utensils. The gripping device is operable to remove a plurality of individually stacked utensils from the integral racks. A robotic transfer mechanism connected with the gripping device transfers the utensils to a packaging assembly. Operation of the conveyor, gripper and robotic transfer device is coordinated through a programmed controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Flexicell Inc.
    Inventor: Johannes J. M. de Koning
  • Patent number: 6826985
    Abstract: A dispenser having a transfer mechanism for transferring between a first source and a second source of sheet material, and a method for transferring between the first source and the second source. Dispensing is transferred from a first source to a second source upon an absence of sheet material from the first source. The transfer mechanism includes a transfer roller with a slot to receive a free end of sheet material from the second source. The transfer roller also includes a plurality of raised portions, the raised portions are free to rotate through a dispensing roller when there is an absence of sheet material from the first source. This rotation introduces the free end of sheet material from the second source to the dispensing roller, and allows dispensing from the second source. Afterwards, the transfer roller is set to receive sheet material from a new source of sheet material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
    Inventor: Joshua M. Broehl
  • Publication number: 20040222263
    Abstract: An apparatus for one handed dispensing paper sheet segments from a roll of paper sheet segments connected end-to-end along transverse serration lines including a base member, a support connected to a base for holding a roll of paper sheet segments and a frictional gripping member connected to the base with a high friction outer surface. The frictional gripping member may also contain an arcuate inner surface for pivotal movement and contact with respect to a roll of paper sheet segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventor: William Holden
  • Publication number: 20040222264
    Abstract: A self-contained dispenser apparatus configured to dispense a continuous feed of plastic bag material wound in a coreless roll thereof. The dispenser apparatus includes a base portion defining an opening into a receiving bay thereof. The receiving bay is formed and dimensioned for receipt of the coreless roll therein. A cover assembly is removably mountable to the base portion, and includes an end cover portion positioned over the opening to enclose the coreless roll therein. A dispensing slot extends through the end cover that enables one end of plastic bag material to continuously feed therethrough. The cover assembly further includes a cutting assembly positioned proximate the dispensing slot to enable severing of the plastic bag material, and a lid portion movable between an open position and a closed position. In the opened position, access is provided to the one end of the plastic bag material and to the cutting assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventor: Hin Siang Michael Tan
  • Patent number: 6805271
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a single hand, paper towel sheet dispenser comprising a base and a core holder operable to hold a roll of paper towel segments. A paper towel dispensing bale is pivotally connected to the base, the dispensing bale includes in inner brake bar and an outer tear bar such that a roll of paper towel sheets mounted upon the core holder can be generally trained in an under/over path for braking rotation of the roll during a one handed dispensing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Holden Art Inc.
    Inventor: William Holden
  • Publication number: 20040200874
    Abstract: A lottery ticket dispensing machine includes a ticket dispensing mechanism for advancing a continuous strip of lottery tickets therethrough and subsequent separation of the selected number of tickets from the continuous strip. The machine includes a framing assembly for housing the dispensing mechanism which is controlled by a computer driven printed circuit board for determining the distance that the continuous strip of tickets will travel. The dispensing mechanism is powered by a motor for rotation of a set of pinch rollers and forward feed advancement of the continuous strip of lottery tickets therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventor: Louis P. Menna
  • Patent number: 6786377
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a single hand, paper towel dispenser comprising a base, a core holder operable to hold a roll of paper towel segments connected together end-to-end along perforated tear lines. The invention has a paper towel dispensing bale including mutually parallel arms that receive a paper towel strip in a general S-shaped path during a one handed dispensing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Holdenart Inc.
    Inventor: William Holden
  • Patent number: 6769589
    Abstract: The invention consists of a paper towel dispenser for dispensing individual sheets of paper towels from a roll of paper having regularly spaced apart lines of partial severance. The dispenser is comprised of a housing and a housing door which can be pivotally opened to allow a roll of sheet material to be inserted into the dispenser. The dispenser has a funnel-shaped exit to allow the end of the roll to protrude in order to be grasped by the user. A paper towel tearing member is located adjacent to the funnel outlet of said funnel and the opening of this member is adjustable in order to vary the size of the opening of the dispenser. This adjustment of the exit size creates an adjustment in the position at which the sheet tears away from the roll to allow the use of different types of sheet material in a single dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Englewood Ventures, Inc.
    Inventor: Ladislav Paukov
  • Patent number: 6745927
    Abstract: A powered dispenser for dispensing individual paper towel segments from a continuous roll of paper provided with spaced lines of tearing comprises a housing, a support for the roll of paper, a feed mechanism, and a control device. The control device senses the presence of a user to activate the feed mechanism, controls the amount of material which is dispensed from the housing for any one cycle, and prevents further dispensing of the paper until the previous segment is separated from the roll. The control device detects the leading edge of the paper to initiate monitoring of the length of paper to be dispensed to prevent any cumulative error in dispensing the segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Formon, Andrew R. Morris, James H. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6742689
    Abstract: A powered dispenser for dispensing individual paper towel segments from a continuous roll of paper provided with spaced lines of tearing comprises a housing, a support for the roll of paper, a feed mechanism, and a control device. The control device senses the presence of a user to activate the feed mechanism, controls the amount of material which is dispensed from the housing for any one cycle, and prevents further dispensing of the paper until the previous segment is separated from the roll. The control device detects the leading edge of the paper to initiate monitoring of the length of paper to be dispensed to prevent any cumulative error in dispensing the segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Formon, Andrew R. Morris, James H. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6732896
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for dividing a nonwoven web into a plurality of ribbons. An assembly of converging ribbons receive and grip the incoming continuous web to create a travel distance differential. One portion of the continuous web is pulled through the assembly of belts at a different velocity than another adjacent portion of the continuous web. Because adjacent portions of the continuous web travel a different distance over a period of time, the orientation of fibers in the web between the two adjacent portions of the web is altered. As the fibers become oriented in the machine direction, the web begins to split into continuous ribbons of desired width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corp.
    Inventor: James W. Brazell
  • Patent number: 6705785
    Abstract: A guide strip removal system includes a pair of guide strip removal devices positioned on opposite sides of a printer outlet where a continuous sheet of paper is discharged. The guide strip removal devices each include a pair of plate members secured together in a spaced apart parallel relationship to define a narrow slot therebetween. The plate members each have a corner portion delineated from a planar main body portion by respective narrow slits that extend from front edges of the plate members toward rear edges thereof. The corner portions are angled away from the main body portions to create paths for the side edge guide strips that diverge abruptly away from paths for the marginal side edge portions of the printer paper. The side edge guide strips are thereby removed from the marginal side edge portions of the, paper without the use of any moving parts or cutting blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Inventor: Richard White
  • Patent number: 6685075
    Abstract: The present invention provides a dispenser for serially dispensing plastic bags from a wound roll of plastic bags. The dispenser includes a support member which is attachable to a support surface, a pivotable arm that can pivot between a roll-loading position and bag-dispensing positions, a braking surface to prevent freewheeling, a mechanism to prevent axial movement of the roll of bags on the pivotable arm, and a tongue positioned to engage an opening between bags while the bags are dispensed. A dispensing system combines the dispenser with a roll of plastic bags having an axial passageway through the center of the roll. The dispenser can dispense a wound roll of bags that has a core or is coreless. The sides of the core can be flush with the sides of the roll of bags, can extend from the sides of the roll of bags, or can have a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Crown Poly, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Paul Kannankeril
  • Patent number: 6669071
    Abstract: A lottery ticket dispensing machine includes a ticket dispensing mechanism for advancing a continuous strip of lottery tickets therethrough and subsequent separation of the selected number of tickets from the continuous strip. The machine includes a framing assembly for housing the dispensing mechanism which is controlled by a computer driven printed circuit board for determining the distance that the continuous strip of tickets will travel. The dispensing mechanism is powered by a motor for rotation of a set of pinch rollers and forward feed advancement of the continuous strip of lottery tickets therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Instant Technologies, Incorporated
    Inventor: Louis P. Menna
  • Patent number: 6666364
    Abstract: Opposed cantilevered adapters are provided for supporting a roll of material. The adapters have a roll bearing surface, a projection surface with a first end and a second end such that the first end is coterminous and substantially perpendicular to the roll bearing surface at each point along an interface formed therebetween, and an actuating surface angularly coterminous with the second end of the projection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen L. Phelps
  • Publication number: 20030218040
    Abstract: There is provided a method for storing and dispensing wet wipes, comprising: providing a dispenser and a plurality of releasably connected wet wipes; positioning a leading wet wipe of the plurality of releasably connected wet wipes in a dispensing opening in communication with the chamber, dispensing the plurality of releasably connected wet wipes in a direction away from the dispensing opening; and manually separating the leading wet wipe from an immediately trailing wet wipe, by various ways, while also maintaining a portion of each of the leading wet wipe and the trailing wet wipe in the dispensing opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael John Faulks, Kim G. Schick
  • Patent number: 6609450
    Abstract: An automatic paper dispensing apparatus for dispensing one of toilet paper and paper towels includes a protective cover hingably attached to the housing, in which the housing of the paper towel dispensing version of said apparatus further includes a pair of parallel end shields disposed in a lower part of said housing, each of the parallel end shields being perpendicular to a rear plane of said housing and spaced to allow positioning of a rotatably supported support drum and a pressure roller used to ensure feeding of a strip of paper from a take-off reel disposed in an upper part of the housing. Each of the end shields include elastically deformable tongues having recesses to accommodate the pressure roller and to position opposing ends of the support drum. The housing of the toilet paper dispensing version includes a front end shield and a rear wall, each of the front end shield and a rear wall of the housing being spaced to allow positioning of the support drum and the pressure roller therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Inventor: Maurice Granger