Desirably, a sheet material dispenser provides material, such as tissue or paper towels. One type of sheet material dispenser may be designed for center feed rolls. Desirably, center feed rolls dispense material from their core rather than their periphery, as opposed to conventional rolls. During dispensing, the roll may be stationary as material is dispensed from its center. An advantage of center feed rolls is their dispensers do not require moving parts, such as handles and rollers to rotate the roll, which are typically required with conventional roll dispensers.
Generally, center feed roll dispensers are top loading devices that include a mounting plate, a platform, and a cover. Typically, the mounting plate attaches to a substantially vertical wall and is formed integrally with the platform. The platform may form a opening at its center and extend substantially horizontally from the mounting plate. The platform may form a flat surface for receiving a center feed roll. Normally, material from the roll is dispensed through the opening. The cover may pivotally connect to or be positioned upon the mounting plate. The cover may rotate pivotally outward and downward, or be completely removable, to expose the platform permitting the placement of a center feed roll. Once pivoted downward, the cover may be pivoted upwardly to conceal the roll within the dispenser. Often a key locks the cover to the mounting plate for preventing the theft of the roll.
Unfortunately, these types of dispenser designs suffer several disadvantages. In many cases, a locking mechanism, such as a key padlock or a combination lock, must be used to secure the roll within the dispenser. Losing the key or forgetting the combination may result in damage to the lock and/or dispenser when trying to open the cover. Another disadvantage may occur during servicing. Because a center feed roll provides material from its center, it may be necessary to view either its top or bottom side to check the amount of material available. Opening the cover may fail to reveal the roll's top or bottom side because the roll's top side is often too high to be viewed and the bottom side view is blocked by the platform. As a result, checking the amount of remaining roll material may require opening the cover and removing the roll from the platform. At a minimum, the service technician's efficiency is probably impeded. Additionally, a substantially used roll may collapse during handling when verifying the amount of remaining sheet material, potentially jamming the dispenser. A further disadvantage is the dispenser may fail to protect the roll during cleaning. During cleaning, water may be sprayed at or near the dispenser. Because the dispenser opens at the top, water collecting at the upper surface may leak through the seam between the cover and mounting plate, and reach the roll. Water reaching the roll may degrade or even destroy the installed roll.
Accordingly, a material dispenser for a center feed roll that eliminates the need for a locking mechanism, improves serviceability, and prevents moisture, such as water, from reaching the roll will improve over conventional roll dispensers.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds