Article dispensing – Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-18
2003-07-15
Bollinger, David H. (Department: 3651)
Article dispensing
Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article
C221S045000, C221S063000, C221S304000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06592001
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to dispensers, and more specifically, to dispensers for dispensing sheet material having an adjustable dispensing port.
BACKGROUND
Dispensers for rolls or stacks of sheet material have an exit port which usually permits one sheet material at a time to be dispensed therethrough. Problems exist when an exit port has only a single diameter through which a sheet material is dispensed to a user. This results in too many sheets or too few sheets dispensed through the exit port, depending upon the diameter of the exit port and the characteristics of the sheet material. Therefore, dispensers have been provided which include various apparatus for addressing the problem.
One dispenser, U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,338 to Lewis, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, discloses a variable orifice centerflow dispenser that provides a movable disk over an exit port which has several different sizes of orifices formed in the disk. A specific orifice in the disk is selected by an operator when a roll of sheet material is positioned in the dispenser. The limited selection of orifice diameters, however, has disadvantages as well. Another dispenser, U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,492 to Petterson, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, discloses a sheet dispenser which uses two arcuately-shaped plates which are brought together to provide an adjustable opening over an exit port. This type of dispenser also has disadvantages.
When an apparatus positioned over an exit port has an opening having a diameter that is too large, an excessive, wasteful number of sheets may be dispensed to a user. When such an apparatus has an opening having a diameter that is too small, a sheet may tear off inside of the dispenser without a leading edge extending through the opening and the exit port, making the remaining sheets in the roll unavailable to a user. In addition, when an apparatus has an elliptically-shaped opening through which sheets are dispensed, the sheets may become caught or tear off in the apparatus due to snagging of the sheet material within the narrowing at each end of the elliptically-shaped opening while being pulled through the opening by a user.
Additional problems are also created because sheet material products from various manufacturers may be used in the dispenser, and each product has its own characteristics. That is, the caliper and basis weight of the sheet material of each product will likely be different. Further, the machine direction tensile of the sheet material will vary in different products. Moreover, the tab strength of each sheet material will also vary product-to-product. These differing characteristics of each product require an operator to adjust the diameter of an opening in an apparatus adjacent the exit port for each particular product contained therein. When the choice of diameter of the opening of the apparatus is limited to only a few choices of an opening diameter, or when generally elliptically-shaped openings are provided, it can result in either waste by dispensing too many sheets to a user, or lack of use and user aggravation when sheet material tears off inside of the dispenser and is not dispensed through an apparatus opening and the exit port. Further, when sheets snag or tear apart when pulled through an apparatus having an elliptically-shaped opening, waste and/or user aggravation is again the result.
In addition, when an operator has adjusted an apparatus in a dispenser to properly dispense a sheet material through the exit port, it can be difficult for the operator to push the sheet material through an opening having a small diameter in such an apparatus. Therefore, reloading of sheet material provides difficulties for an operator each time new sheet material is disposed in the dispenser.
It would be advantageous to have a dispenser for sheet material which is rolled, or sheet material which is stacked, which permits an operator to choose from any one of a large number of diameters of an opening formed by an apparatus positioned near or over the exit port. Such an apparatus would provide an opening whose diameter is incrementally increased or decreased, within a range, to accommodate the characteristics of different sheet material products. Such a dispenser would permit the operator to quickly and easily optimize the diameter of the apparatus opening to the characteristics of a specific product contained therein so that sufficient sheets are dispensed to a user, and neither waste nor user aggravation occurs. In addition, the apparatus would form an opening configured to reduce or eliminate snagging, tearing, or ripping of sheet material when it moves through the apparatus opening and exit port.
Ease in loading new sheet material without having to re-adjust a diameter of an opening of an apparatus for the same product would also be advantageous. Therefore, the dispenser would also include additional components which cooperate with the apparatus to quickly and easily increase the diameter of the opening of the apparatus to allow an operator to easily load sheet material and dispose a leading edge of a sheet through the apparatus opening and exit port. Yet, such an apparatus and additional components would decrease the diameter of the opening to its pre-adjusted diameter for dispensing just as quickly and easily, once sheet material was disposed therein, to provide proper dispensing of the newly loaded sheet material through the apparatus opening and exit port.
DEFINITIONS
As used herein, the term “caliper” refers to the thickness measurement of a sheet taken under constant force. The caliper may be determined using test method number TAPP 411-OM-89.
As used herein, the term “basis weight” (hereinafter “BW”) is the weight per unit area of a sample and may be reported as gram-force per meter squared and may be hereinafter calculated using test procedure ASTM D3776-96.
As used herein, the term “machine direction” (hereinafter “MD”) is the direction of a material parallel to its forward direction during processing.
As used herein, the term “machine direction tensile” (hereinafter MDT) is the breaking force in the machine direction required to rupture a specimen. The results may be reported as gram-force and abbreviated as “gf”. The MDT may be determined using test method number ASTM D5035-95.
As used herein, the term “tab strength” is the breaking force in the machine direction required to rupture a sheet product along its perforations. The results may be reported as gram-force and abbreviated as “gf”.
As used herein, the term “exit port” is the opening in a housing of a dispenser for the passage of sheet material.
As used herein, the term “iris diaphragm” means three or more iris blades supported for movement by a cam gear which cooperate to forming an iris diaphragm which forms an opening having a diameter that is incrementally adjustable within a range of movement of the iris blades so that when the iris blades are moved incrementally and simultaneously toward each other, the diameter of the opening of the iris diaphragm is decreased; when the iris blades are moved incrementally and simultaneously away from each other, the diameter of the opening of the iris diaphragm is increased. In this manner, the iris diaphragm is capable of providing any one of a great number of diameters of the opening therein within the range. The iris diaphragm forms a near closure, that is, a smaller opening at a low end of the range, and, at the high end of the range, forms an opening having an increased diameter sized generally at least about the diameter of the exit port.
As used herein, the term “centerflow roll” or “centerflow roll product” means sheet material wound cylindrically about a center, but permitting the removal of material from the center. Desirably, as the centerflow roll is consumed, sheet material eventually dispenses from the roll's periphery. Dispensing of centerflow roll products are described in numerous patents, such as, but not by way of limitation, U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,338 to Lewis and U.S. Pat
Lewis Richard Paul
Mahaffey Cleary Efton
Tramontina Paul Francis
Bollinger David H.
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide
Watson Sue C.
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