US20150014344A1 - Sheet product dispenser - Google Patents

Sheet product dispenser Download PDF

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Publication number
US20150014344A1
US20150014344A1 US14/376,079 US201214376079A US2015014344A1 US 20150014344 A1 US20150014344 A1 US 20150014344A1 US 201214376079 A US201214376079 A US 201214376079A US 2015014344 A1 US2015014344 A1 US 2015014344A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
stack
dispenser
slide
dispensing opening
feed path
Prior art date
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Abandoned
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US14/376,079
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English (en)
Inventor
John S. Formon
Rodney Wilson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Essity Hygiene and Health AB
Original Assignee
SCA Hygiene Products AB
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SCA Hygiene Products AB filed Critical SCA Hygiene Products AB
Assigned to SCA HYGIENE PRODUCTS AB reassignment SCA HYGIENE PRODUCTS AB ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: WILSON, RODNEY, FORMON, JOHN S
Publication of US20150014344A1 publication Critical patent/US20150014344A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
    • A47K10/00—Body-drying implements; Toilet paper; Holders therefor
    • A47K10/24—Towel dispensers, e.g. for piled-up or folded textile towels; Toilet-paper dispensers; Dispensers for piled-up or folded textile towels provided or not with devices for taking-up soiled towels as far as not mechanically driven
    • A47K10/32—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
    • A47K10/42—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked
    • A47K10/424—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked dispensing from the bottom part of the dispenser
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
    • A47K10/00—Body-drying implements; Toilet paper; Holders therefor
    • A47K10/24—Towel dispensers, e.g. for piled-up or folded textile towels; Toilet-paper dispensers; Dispensers for piled-up or folded textile towels provided or not with devices for taking-up soiled towels as far as not mechanically driven
    • A47K10/32—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
    • A47K10/42—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked
    • A47K10/424—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked dispensing from the bottom part of the dispenser
    • A47K10/425—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked dispensing from the bottom part of the dispenser with means for urging the whole stack towards the dispensing opening, e.g. a weight plate
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
    • A47K10/00—Body-drying implements; Toilet paper; Holders therefor
    • A47K10/24—Towel dispensers, e.g. for piled-up or folded textile towels; Toilet-paper dispensers; Dispensers for piled-up or folded textile towels provided or not with devices for taking-up soiled towels as far as not mechanically driven
    • A47K10/32—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
    • A47K10/42—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked
    • A47K10/426—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked dispensing from the front or sides of the dispenser

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates to a dispenser for dispensing sheet products through a dispensing opening.
  • the dispenser is particularly of the gravity feed kind, which includes a slide surface for supporting and guiding a stack of sheet products to the dispensing opening.
  • US 2008/0099497 A1 discloses a gravity feed dispenser having a back wall defining a constant radius of curvature.
  • the radius of curvature helps to support the stack so that there is not too much pressure on the stack at the aperture when the dispenser is loaded.
  • the dispenser includes a support with a base for placement on a countertop.
  • the stack housing takes up a relatively large footprint of the countertop when viewed from above because of the relatively laid back position of the housing, which comes about as a result of the constant radius of curvature of the housing. It is desirable to reduce the countertop footprint of the device, while maintaining or increasing stack capacity. To do so, a more vertical stack housing is required.
  • US 2011/0174834 A1 discloses in the figures a sheet product dispenser including a body portion having a rear wall with a more vertical planar upper portion and a less steep, curved lower portion extending to a bottom assembly including a dispensing orifice.
  • the curved lower portion does not turn so much as to have the dispensing orifice facing vertical, which is desirable to reduce the weight of the stack at the dispensing orifice for improved dispensing, and is also desirable from a consumer use perspective, where forward dispensing is preferred to downward dispensing.
  • the lower portion was extended until the curve brought the dispensing orifice to a forward facing position, compactness, and particularly a countertop footprint, would be compromised.
  • a dispenser that allows forward dispensing, while maintaining or increasing stack capacity, while also aiming to minimise the footprint of the dispenser on a counter surface or other such surface when the dispenser is viewed in plan would be desirable.
  • a stack includes four side faces connecting a leading face and a trailing face. It is desirable for the leading face to be presented at the dispensing opening. If sheet products in the stack fall over, part of a side face can instead be presented at the dispensing opening.
  • a dispenser including:
  • a slide defining a feed path for gravity feeding a stack of sheet products to the dispensing opening
  • the slide includes a more vertical feed path portion, and a less vertical feed path portion that distinctly turns at a turning point toward the dispensing opening relative to the more vertical feed path portion;
  • a sliding surface of the less vertical feed path portion contacts a back side of the stack with a reduced frictional force than a frictional force between a sliding surface of the more vertical feed path portion, at least at a turning point end thereof, and a back side of the stack.
  • This reduced frictional force can be considered to accelerate the movement of the back side of the stack at the turn portion, thereby ensuring that the back side of the stack is brought around at the turn to bring a front face of the stack successfully to the dispensing opening, even if the turn is tighter than in prior art dispensers.
  • the less vertical feed path portion may include a plurality of spaced runners along which the stack is to slide toward the dispensing opening.
  • the runners serve to provide reduced friction as compared to a planar surface, while the space between the runners can provide a guiding effect.
  • the reduced friction could be otherwise provided such as by making the less vertical feed path portion of a lower friction coefficient material with respect to the back side of the stack than the more vertical feed path portion.
  • a Teflon layer for at least part of the less vertical feed path portion could be provided.
  • a dispenser including:
  • a slide defining a feed path for gravity feeding a stack of sheet products to the dispensing opening
  • the slide includes a feed path portion that distinctly turns toward the dispensing opening about a turning point
  • the feed path portion includes a plurality of spaced runners extending from a turning point end of the feed path portion toward the dispensing opening.
  • the spaced runners at the turning point of the turning portion of the slide provide a guiding and reduced friction function.
  • the runners can be seen as accelerating the stack about the turn to ensure that a bottom face of the stack is successfully delivered to the dispensing opening.
  • the distinct turn could be achieved by a change in radius of curvature where curved surfaces are provided either side of the turning point, or a change of angle between planar surfaces or a change from a planar surface to a curved surface on either side of the turning point.
  • the slide portions of the disclosed aspects are not provided by a constant radius of curvature as then a distinct turn is not present.
  • the dispenser includes a base and the dispenser is to be stood on said base on a counter surface or other such surface.
  • the slide may include an upper feed path portion and a lower feed portion providing said feed path portion, wherein the upper feed path portion is more vertically oriented and the lower feed path portion is less vertically oriented when the dispenser is stood on the base on a horizontal surface.
  • the upper feed path portion may have, at least at a turning point end, a relatively continuous sliding surface as compared to the sliding surface provided by the runners.
  • the runners may start at the turning point.
  • the runners may end at an end of the slide adjacent the dispensing opening.
  • the sliding surface of the slide can be flat and the runners may be formed by spaced apart elongate recesses or slots in the flat sliding surface. In certain embodiments, this is considered preferable to forming protrusions or bumps in the sliding surface, which may not as effectively reduce friction as having a continuous sliding surface for the slide with recesses or slots formed therein.
  • the slide may include an upper planar portion and a lower curved portion respectively forming the more vertically oriented feed path portion and the less vertically oriented feed path portion.
  • the boundary between the upper planar portion and the lower curved portion provides the turning point.
  • the lower curved portion may follow a circular path or may define a composite curve.
  • the more vertical slide portion of the stack feed path may be a major part, whereas the less vertical slide portion of the stack feed path may be a minor part. This feature ensures that a majority of the stack is positioned more vertically to reduce dispenser footprint.
  • the slide is slanted relative to the vertical in order to be able to support and guide the stack of napkins.
  • the slide may be angled at least 5°, 6°, 7°, 8°, 9° or 10° relative to the vertical at an upper end of the slide. It may be from 5 to 15° or 10° to 15°.
  • the slide is slanted relative to the vertical at an angle of at least 20°, at least 25°, at least 30°, at least 35°, or at least 40° at a dispensing opening end of the slide.
  • the angle may be in the range from 20° to 70°, 30° to 60°, or 40° to 50°.
  • the angle of the slide at the dispensing opening end is 45°.
  • the back surface of a wall including the dispensing opening, against which a leading face of the stack is to be supported defines an angle of less than or equal to 70°, 60°, or 50° relative to the vertical, wherein an angle of 90° would have the back surface parallel with horizontal.
  • the angle of the back surface may be in the range of 30° to 60°, or 40° to 50° relative to vertical. This ensures that the dispensing opening is relatively forward facing, while not being so forward facing as to require an increase in dispenser footprint.
  • angle ranges above corresponding to a relatively steep upper portion and a relatively forward facing dispensing opening are desirably combined, as this allows a reduced footprint, while still achieving a forward facing dispensing opening. Further, such designs will correspond to a tight turn, which dispensers are able to implement while still ensuring good dispensing performance.
  • the dispenser may further include at least one stack compression member located at a turning point end of the more vertical feed path portion of the slide, wherein the stack in the less vertical feed path portion of the slide is relatively uncompressed.
  • a compression member serves to take the weight of the stack from the portion of the stack going about the turn, to aid turning of the stack.
  • a dispenser including:
  • the slide includes a distinct turn toward the dispensing opening so that a portion of the feed path before a turning point is more vertically oriented than a portion of the feed path after the turning point when the dispenser is stood on its base on a horizontal surface;
  • At least one stack compression member located at a turning point end of a portion of the slide located before the turning point for compressing the stack, the dispenser arranged so that the stack after the turning point is relatively uncompressed.
  • This distribution of the at least one compression member means that the stack is impeded before the turning point to take the weight from the stack after the turning point. Further, the stack is not so compressed after the turning point, allowing it to freely swing around the turn to successfully bring a bottom face of the stack into the dispensing opening. Further, the weight of the stack before the turning point is not entirely pressing on the dispensing face of the dispenser as a result of the at least one compression member, allowing for smoother retrieval of a sheet product through the dispensing opening.
  • the at least one stack compression member may be positioned to provide a compression force from a front of the stack so that a back side of the stack is in contact with a sliding surface of the slide with greater force. In this way, the frictional relationship between the back side of the stack and the sliding surface increases before the turn and is then reduced at and after the turn, which can be considered to provide an acceleration effect for turning the back side of the stack around the turn.
  • the at least one compression member may, in use, overlap with at least part of a front side of the stack when the dispenser is viewed from the front, wherein the front side of the dispenser includes the dispensing opening.
  • the dispenser may include first and second compression members respectively disposed on opposed sides of the stack for overlapping with at least part of a front side of the stack.
  • the first and second compression members may be located at the same position along the slide. The compression member serves to ensure the stack is properly mounted as it requires a bottom face of the stack to be lifted over the compression member and then into contact with the slide for movement to the dispensing opening passed the turn.
  • the dispenser may include guide arms respectively located on left and right sides of the slide to guide the stack along the slide to the dispensing opening.
  • the at least one compression member may include at least one, or first and second, compression members located on the guide arms to engage a front side of the stack to compress the stack so that a back side of the stack contacts a sliding surface of the slide with greater force.
  • This arrangement of guide arms and compression members provides lateral guiding of the stack, ensures that the stack is properly loaded and also serves to take part of the weight of the stack from pressing on the part of the stack going through the turn.
  • the at least one compression member may define a shaped surface whereby the stack is progressively more compressed with respect to a direction along the slide toward the dispensing opening.
  • the shaped surface may be such that the stack is progressively more compressed and then less compressed with respect to a direction along the slide toward the dispensing opening.
  • the shaped surface may be a curved surface.
  • the guide arms and compression member described in the preceding paragraphs may be independently useful in a dispenser for guiding loading and dispensing of the stack, independent of the sharply turning slide, the reduced friction part of the slide, and the longitudinal runners.
  • a dispenser including:
  • At least one compression member for compressing a part of the stack between the sliding surface and the compression member
  • the dispenser serves to hold up the stack on the slide through the compression member, while the spaced runners allow subsequent relative freedom of movement of the stack, unhindered by at least part of the weight of the stack.
  • the transition from a compressed stack to a stack on runners is believed to allow the stack to turn along the slide.
  • these parts can be placed in a location of the slide where it is felt that there is a possibility of the stack falling over or otherwise not successfully sliding.
  • the slide may define a curve.
  • the curve may be continuous from a top end to a dispensing opening end, or it may be only provided along a part of the slide.
  • an upper portion of the slide may be planar and a lower portion of the slide leading to the dispensing opening may be curved.
  • the upper portion of the slide may be a major portion of the slide.
  • an upper portion When the dispenser is stood on its base on a horizontal surface, an upper portion may be more vertically oriented than a lower portion. That is, when the dispenser is stood on its base on a horizontal surface, it may define a slide into the dispensing opening that becomes more horizontal toward the dispensing opening.
  • the slide may be angled according to the angle ranges described above.
  • the compression member may be located at a lower end of the slide so that a major portion of the weight of the stack is located above the compression member. In this way, the compression member is positioned to take at least part of the weight of most of the stack from the part of the stack located closest to the dispensing opening, which can serve to improve dispensing smoothness.
  • the dispenser may be arranged so that the stack is uncompressed along the part of the slide formed by the runners. In this way, the reduced friction, improved running of the stack at this location is unimpeded.
  • the compression member may form the only stack compression location in a direction along the slide toward the dispensing opening.
  • the dispenser may include guide arms as described above, and the compression member in the form described above.
  • the sheet products may include a stack of napkins, which may be interfolded or not.
  • the napkins are generally folded napkins.
  • the dispenser may include the stack of sheet products.
  • the dispenser may include a face member including the dispensing opening, wherein the slide is configured to feed the stack of napkins to rest a bottom face of the stack of sheet products on an inside surface of the face member.
  • the dispenser may include a door member openable relative to a housing member, for loading the stack of sheet products inside the housing member.
  • the compression member described above and/or the guide arms may not move with opening of the door member so that the guide, compression and other such functions may be carried out on the stack during loading and with the door member opened.
  • the compression function may be independently achieved from the stack loading assistance function, in which case, it can be imagined that the compression member or members could be mounted to the door so as to engage a front of the stack when the door is closed.
  • FIG. 1 shows a front view of a dispenser according to a first embodiment
  • FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 shows a side view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 .
  • FIG. 1 shows a dispenser for dispensing a stack of napkins from a dispensing opening.
  • the dispenser is of a gravity feed kind and includes a base upon which the dispenser is to stand and a dispensing opening at a bottom of a stack housing portion of the dispenser so that the napkins are fed to the dispensing opening.
  • FIG. 1 shows the dispenser with a door member in an open position for loading the stack housing portion with a stack of napkins.
  • the dispenser includes first and second compression members attached to the stack housing and which engage a front side of the stack of napkins to apply a force in a rearward direction, so as to compress the engaged part of the stack against a backside of the stack housing.
  • FIG. 2 shows the dispenser of FIG. 1 with the stack and a face piece including the dispensing opening removed so that a slide member can be viewed. Also removed is one of the compression members, again to allow clear viewing of the form of the slide member.
  • the slide member defines a steep, planar upper surface for guiding the stack of napkins, and a less steep, curved lower sliding surface forming a turn in the slide toward the dispensing opening.
  • the lower sliding surface is formed by a plurality of spaced runners separated by recesses formed in the sliding surface.
  • the stack is held by the compression member against a bottom part of the steep portion of the sliding surface to take the weight of the upper part of the stack from the part of the stack sliding on the lower curved surface.
  • the frictional force between the sliding surface and a backside of the stack where the stack is compressed is greater than the frictional force of the part of the stack sliding on the runners.
  • FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through the dispenser to illustrate the slope of the sliding surface and the relative positions of the runners and the compression members. It can be seen that the lower curved portion offers a distinct turn relative to the upper planar portion of the sliding surface toward the dispensing opening. In FIG. 3 , it can also be seen that the compression members are disposed on the end of guide arms. The guide arms serve to laterally guide the stack of napkins along the slide toward the dispensing opening.
  • a dispenser 1 including a stack housing 2 and a door member 3 .
  • the door member 3 is openable relative to the stack housing 2 about first and second hinges 4 .
  • the door member 3 is side mounted to the stack housing 2 , rather than being top or bottom mounted (relative to a vertical direction when the dispenser 1 is stood on a horizontal surface).
  • the dispenser 1 includes a face piece 5 removably mounted to the stack housing 2 against which a leading face of a stack of napkins 6 loaded in an interior cavity defined by the stack housing 2 rests.
  • the stack 6 includes a leading or bottom face, a trailing or top face and four side faces connecting them, with a stacking direction being defined between the leading face and the trailing face.
  • the face piece 5 includes a dispensing opening 7 through which napkins can be removed from the stack housing 2 to dispense those napkins.
  • the face piece 5 is removable in order to allow it to be interchanged with a face piece of a different kind, such as one including a different type of dispensing opening, such as a dispensing opening that is configured for one at a time dispensing as with the dispensing opening of FIG. 1 and a dispensing opening configured for dispensing of a plurality of napkins at one time.
  • the dispenser 1 further includes first and second compression members 8 fixed to the stack housing 2 , and thus stationary with respect to opening of the door member 3 .
  • the compression members 8 are provided in the form of curved plates that engage on opposing side portions (left and right sides) of a front face of the stack of napkins 6 .
  • the compression members 8 are respectively disposed on free, distal ends of guide arms 9 as can be seen in FIG. 3 .
  • the guide arms 9 are provided in the form of planar plates for respectively guiding left and right faces of the stack of napkins 6 to maintain the horizontal position of the stack 6 along its path to the dispensing opening 7 .
  • the guide arms 9 include a bracket for mounting to a rear surface of the stack housing 2 , to thereby allow the compression and guiding functions of the compression members 8 and the guide arms 9 to be achieved independently of opening of the door member 3 .
  • the compression members 8 constrict the feed path for the stack of napkins 6 .
  • the compression members 8 are located toward a bottom of the feed path of the stack of napkins so as to support at least part of the weight of a major part of the stack of napkins 6 , to thereby take this portion of the weight from the part of the stack disposed below the compression members 8 , which eases removal of the napkins from the dispensing opening 7 .
  • the slide member 10 for supporting and guiding the stack 6 can be seen.
  • the slide member 10 is mounted in the stack housing 2 and forms a sliding surface 11 against which a backside of the stack of napkins 6 is positioned during use.
  • the sliding surface 11 includes a planar portion 12 forming an upper portion of the sliding surface 11 and a curved portion 13 forming a lower portion of the sliding surface 11 .
  • the curved portion 13 defines a distinct turn in the sliding surface 11 relative to the planar portion 12 toward the dispensing opening 7 .
  • the turn occurs at a turning point 14 , which forms a boundary between the curved portion 13 and the planar portion 12 .
  • the planar portion 12 is relatively vertical as compared to the less vertical curved sliding surface 13 after the turning point 14 .
  • the curved portion 13 of the sliding surface 11 is formed by a plurality of spaced runners 15 extending from the turning point 14 to a dispensing opening end of the sliding surface 11 .
  • the runners 15 are formed by a plurality of spaced recesses 16 formed in the sliding surface 11 and oriented along the sliding surface 11 .
  • a turning point end of the planar portion 12 of the sliding surface 11 forms a relatively continuous sliding surface for a part of the stack of napkins, which transitions after the turning point 14 to a sliding surface formed by a plurality of runners 15 , thereby reducing the contact area between a backside of a stack of napkins 6 and the sliding surface 11 .
  • This reduced contact area aids turning of the stack of napkins 6 about the turn defined by the curved portion 13 of the sliding surface 11 .
  • the runners 15 start at or substantially at the turning point 14 and extend along the sliding surface 11 to a dispensing opening end of the sliding surface 11 .
  • FIG. 3 illustrates more fully the interaction between the compression members 8 and the runners 15 .
  • the compression members 8 in the form of a curved, plate-like surface are disposed so as to engage a front face of the stack 6 to exert a force pressing a back face of the stack against the upper, planar portion 12 of the sliding surface 11 .
  • the compressive force takes at least part of the weight of the stack 6 disposed on the upper portion 12 of the sliding surface 11 to reduce the weight of the stack 6 disposed on the lower portion 13 of the sliding surface 11 .
  • the curve of the compression members 8 is such that there is a point of maximum compression of the stack against the upper portion 12 of the sliding surface 11 , while the compression progressively reduces as the sliding surface 11 transitions about the turning point 14 such that a minimum compression applied by the compression member 8 to the stack 6 occurs substantially at or immediately after the turning point 14 .
  • the stack 6 passes the compression area, the stack is uncompressed to slide along the low friction runners 15 of the lower portion 13 of the sliding surface 11 .
  • the dispenser 1 offers a steep sliding surface 11 as compared to prior art designs, thereby providing a more upright stack housing 2 . This requires a relatively sharp turn in the curved portion 13 of the sliding surface 11 in order to allow the face piece 5 to be more forward facing than downward facing, as is desirable.
  • the dispenser 1 is shown in a condition in which the base 18 is placed on a horizontal surface.
  • the planar upper portion 12 of the sliding surface 11 defines an angle ⁇ relative to the horizontal, while the curved surface 13 defines an angle ⁇ taken from a tangent of the curved surface 13 at a dispensing opening end of the curved portion 13 of the sliding surface 11 .
  • the angle ⁇ can be taken from a tangent at the upper end of the upper portion 12 of the sliding surface 11 .
  • the angle ⁇ is about 79° relative to the horizontal or about 11° relative to the vertical, whereas the angle ⁇ is about 135° relative to the horizontal or about 45° relative to the vertical. This angle ensures that the stack is angled at 45° relative to the vertical at the dispensing opening end of the sliding surface 11 , to thereby ensure relatively forward dispensing.
  • an inside surface of the face piece 5 is arranged so that a leading surface of the stack, as shown by angle ⁇ , is angled at 135° relative to horizontal (45o relative to vertical).
  • a higher friction interaction with the stack 6 on the sliding surface 11 and a lower friction interaction of the stack 6 with the sliding surface 11 either side of the turning point 14 allows the turning point 14 to be successfully traversed.
  • the higher friction interaction is believed to be caused in part by the compression force applied by the compression member 8 so as to cause a backside of the stack 6 to strongly interact with the sliding surface 11 and the fact that the sliding surface 11 is relatively continuous (as compared to the discontinuous sliding surface across the stack 6 below the turning point 14 ).
  • the lower friction is believed to be caused by the lessened area of contact with a backside of the stack 6 by way of the runners 15 and the recesses 16 .
  • This combination of features can be imagined as the stack 6 accelerating through the turn after the turning point 14 in order to ensure that a backside of the stack 6 in contact with the curved, turning portion 13 comes properly around the turn, rather than getting stuck and the stack 6 falling over.
  • FIG. 3 also shows a distance between the compression member 8 and the sliding surface 11 in a direction normal to the sliding surface 11 at a most restricted part of the feed path of the stack of napkins 6 caused by the compression member 8 .
  • This distance is identified by reference sign ⁇ .
  • the distance ⁇ is 3.99 inches. It is envisaged that the compression of the stack of napkins can be in the range of 2% to 10%, 3% to 9%, 4% to 8% or 5% to 7% of the corresponding dimension of the stack.
  • the restriction dimension shown provides enough of a compression of the stack 6 for taking a useful amount of weight of the stack 6 and also pressing a backside of the stack against the sliding surface 11 for the reasons described above, while not compressing the stack so much as to compromise the integrity of the stack and the running of the stack along the sliding surface 11 .
  • the dispenser 1 can be mounted so that the base 18 stands on a counter surface or other such surface so that the napkins in the stack 6 are gravity fed to the dispensing opening 7 .
  • a leading face of the stack 6 is brought into parallel relation with an inside surface of the face piece 5 so that a leading edge of a leading napkin in the stack 6 is available at the dispensing opening 7 for pulling a napkin one at a time therethrough.
  • the napkin dispenses smoothly as a result of the weight of the stack 6 being partly removed from the leading napkin as a result of the compression members 8 . Further, the success in turning the stack around the curved portion 13 of the sliding surface 11 is ensured by the combination of the compression members 8 before the turning point 14 and the runners 14 after the turning point 18 , as described above.
  • a bottom face of the new stack must be lifted over the compression members 8 in order to position the new stack between the guide arms 9 .
  • the new stack is then lowered so as to slide along the sliding surface 11 between the guide arms 9 and behind the compression members 8 in order to pass along the turning point 14 and the curved portion 13 of the sliding surface 11 before reaching an inside surface of the face piece 5 adjacent the dispensing opening 7 .
  • the compression members 8 block the new stack from being placed directly against the sliding surface in line and instead requires the stack 6 to be lifted over the compression members 8 so that a bottom face of the stack 6 is passed along the turning point 14 and the curved portion 13 of the sliding surface 11 to reach the dispensing opening 7 .
  • the guide arms 9 ensure proper horizontal positioning and feeding of the new stack during loading.
  • the dispenser 1 may also be hung from an upright wall by way of brackets 17 ( FIG. 3 ).
  • the face piece 5 may be removed and replaced with an alternative style of face piece, if desirable.
  • the bracket or brackets 17 define a planar surface for interfacing with the upright wall, which, if the upright wall is vertical, will ensure that the base 18 is properly aligned with the horizontal.
  • first and second compression members 8 there are provided first and second compression members 8 .
  • just one compression member 8 could be provided, which can be disposed on just one side (left or right) of the slide member 10 .
  • a compression member could be provided that extends from a left side to a right side of the slide member 11 to be fixed at both sides to the stack housing 2 .
  • This continuous compression member as opposed to the first and second separated compression members 8 shown in FIG. 1 , would obscure the ability for a maintenance personnel to be able to view through the door member 3 the depth of the stack as a trailing face of the stack passes along the compression member 8 .
  • Such a problem could be overcome by making the continuous compression member at least partly transparent, such as in a middle portion.
  • the compression members 8 are disposed on the end of respective guide arms 9 . It can be imagined, however, that horizontal guide surfaces could be provided as distinct components from the compression members 8 .
  • the integral combination of the compression members 8 and the guide arms 9 is beneficial for ease of manufacture, parts costs and also because the integral combination of the guide arms 9 and compression members 8 best encourages proper loading of the stack 6 , as described above.
  • the compression members 8 are curved to define a progressively increasing and then decreasing compression of the stack 6 in a direction from top to bottom along the sliding surface 11 .
  • the curved surface 8 could be replaced by first and second planar surfaces angled with respect to one another, for example, and still achieve the progressively increasing and decreasing compression of the stack. However, it is believed that the curved surface is better for achieving the desired effect.
  • compression members 8 are mounted independently of movement of the door 3 so as to offer stack loading assistance.
  • the compression function alone could be achieved in an alternative embodiment, by loading the compression members 8 to the door 3 so that the compression members engage the stack once the door is closed and come away from the stack when the door 3 is open.
  • runners 15 formed by making recesses in the sliding surface 11 . Accordingly, the runners 15 are a continuation of the sliding surface 11 , which is to say the sliding surface 11 is flat.
  • a low friction surface could be provided, relative to the part of the sliding surface 11 disposed before (in the dispensing order) the turning point 14 .
  • the recesses 16 are not provided and the sliding surface 11 is thus continuous at at least portions on either side of the turning point 14 , but the turning point 14 defines a boundary between lower and higher friction surfaces.
  • a Teflon or other such non-stick coating or layer could be used for forming the low friction surface.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
  • Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
US14/376,079 2012-02-02 2012-02-02 Sheet product dispenser Abandoned US20150014344A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/EP2012/051763 WO2013113393A1 (en) 2012-02-02 2012-02-02 Sheet product dispenser

Publications (1)

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US20150014344A1 true US20150014344A1 (en) 2015-01-15

Family

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US (1) US20150014344A1 (ru)
EP (1) EP2809211A1 (ru)
CN (1) CN104114070A (ru)
RU (1) RU2014135051A (ru)
WO (1) WO2013113393A1 (ru)

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US20140202914A1 (en) * 2011-08-18 2014-07-24 Cascades Canada Ulc Stand for an absorbent sheet product dispenser and absorbent sheet product dispenser including same
USD860672S1 (en) 2017-10-02 2019-09-24 Gpcp Ip Holdings Llc Tower napkin dispenser

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CN108366703B (zh) * 2015-11-16 2020-11-17 易希提卫生与保健公司 用于片材产品的插入式分配器，用于安装插入式分配器的柜体以及在柜体中的插入式分配器的使用
USD836939S1 (en) 2017-05-05 2019-01-01 Cascades Canada Ulc Dispenser
USD836938S1 (en) 2017-05-05 2019-01-01 Cascades Canada Ulc Dispenser
CA179936S (en) 2018-02-23 2020-03-05 Cascades Canada Ulc Dispenser

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US5100020A (en) * 1991-03-12 1992-03-31 James River Ii, Inc. Folded sheet product dispenser system
US5102007A (en) * 1991-03-12 1992-04-07 James River Ii, Inc. Dispenser for folded sheet products
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US20140202914A1 (en) * 2011-08-18 2014-07-24 Cascades Canada Ulc Stand for an absorbent sheet product dispenser and absorbent sheet product dispenser including same
US9505548B2 (en) * 2011-08-18 2016-11-29 Cascades Canada Llc Stand for an absorbent sheet product dispenser and absorbent sheet product dispenser including same
USD860672S1 (en) 2017-10-02 2019-09-24 Gpcp Ip Holdings Llc Tower napkin dispenser

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2809211A1 (en) 2014-12-10
RU2014135051A (ru) 2016-03-27
WO2013113393A1 (en) 2013-08-08
CN104114070A (zh) 2014-10-22

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