Dispensing device with restricted towel dispenser
A dispenser for sheet materials is disclosed. The dispenser includes indexing mechanism and stop release member for dispensing a selected size of sheet material. The indexing mechanism includes an extension spring for dispensing a tail of sheet material from the dispenser. In embodiments, the dispenser includes a drive roller capable of rotating the indexing mechanism when a user removes the sheet material from the dispenser. The drive roller is prevented from rotating when the stop member engages stop release member.
1 . A dispenser for sheet materials comprising:
a housing having an interior volume so as to retain at least one roll of sheet material, the housing including;
a dispensing mechanism contained within the housing for dispensing the sheet material;
wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises:
a drive roller configured to a drive wheel, wherein the drive wheel is configured to a driven wheel having an extension spring attached thereto; and
a stop release member having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the stop release member is configured to engage a stop member configured to the driven wheel, such that rotation of the drive roller, drive wheel, and driven wheel is stopped upon the stop member engaging the second end of the stop release member, wherein tearing the sheet material moves the second end of the stop release member out of engagement with the stop member allowing for stored energy in the extension spring to rotate the drive roller via the driven wheel and drive wheel to dispense a tail of the sheet material.
2 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein driven wheel is rotated 270° before the stop member engages the second end of the stop release member.
3 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the stored energy in the extension spring rotates the driven wheel 90° to dispense the tail of the sheet material.
4 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the drive wheel is configured to rotate in the same direction as the drive roller.
5 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the driven wheel is configured to rotate in the same direction as the drive roller.
6 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the driven wheel is configured to rotate in a different direction from the drive roller.
7 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the drive wheel comprises a gear having one or more teeth.
8 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the driven wheel comprises a gear wheel having one or more teeth.
9 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the driven wheel includes a slotted Geneva wheel and the drive wheel includes a driving cam wheel engageable with the slotted Geneva wheel to impart a stepwise rotation thereto.
10 . The dispenser of claim 9 , wherein the slotted Geneva wheel comprises four slots.
11 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the drive roller has a circumference of from about 2.5 inches to about 4 inches.
12 . The dispenser of claim 1 , comprising an opening configured to allow a user to access the sheet material.
13 . The dispenser of claim 12 , wherein the opening is configured with one or more tear members.
14 . The dispenser of claim 13 , wherein the first end of the stop release member is configured such that in order for the sheet material to access the one or more tear members the sheet material comes in to contact with the first end of the stop release member causing the stop release member to pivot about a pivot point such that the second end of the stop release member disengages from the stop member.
15 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the stop member is configured to a disk that is configured to the driven wheel.
16 . The dispenser of claim 1 , comprising a pressure roller configured to the drive roller, wherein a dispensing path is formed between the drive roller and the pressure roller.
17 . The dispenser of claim 16 , wherein the drive roller is rotated by the sheet material as the sheet material is dispensed along the dispensing path.
18 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the roll of sheet material comprises a roll of paper towels for dispensing paper towels from the dispenser.
19 . A method of dispensing a sheet material using the dispenser of claim 1 , the method comprising:
tearing the sheet material by a user, wherein tearing the sheet material moves the first end of the stop release member such that the second end of the stop release member disengages the stop member; and
moving the dispensing mechanism and the drive roller with the stored energy in the extension spring such that a portion of sheet material can be dispensed.
20 . A dispenser for sheet materials comprising:
a housing having an interior volume so as to retain at least one roll of sheet material, the housing including;
a dispensing mechanism contained within the housing for dispensing the sheet material;
wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises:
a drive roller configured to an indexing mechanism, wherein the indexing mechanism has an extension spring configured thereto; and
a stop release member having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the stop release member is configured to engage a stop member configured to the indexing mechanism, such that rotation of the drive roller and indexing mechanism is stopped upon the stop member engaging the second end of the stop release member, wherein tearing the sheet material moves the second end of the pivoting stop member out of engagement with the stop release member allowing for stored energy in the extension spring to rotate the drive roller via the indexing mechanism to dispense a tail of the sheet material.