Dispenser for feeding sheet material from sequential rolls

Abstract

A dispenser for rolled sheet material includes an openable housing having a front opening, a parallel-spaced pair of guide slots being supported proximate opposite sides of the housing, each guide slot having a generally vertically oriented first segment, a generally horizontally oriented second segment intersecting the first segment, and a generally vertically oriented third segment intersecting the second segment in offset relation to the first segment, the first segment having a bottom extremity below the second segment. A dual mandrel of the dispenser has a parallel-spaced pair of mandrel portions for receiving respective rolls, and a bridge portion rigidly connecting the mandrel portions. The dual mandrel, when loaded with the rolls, is locatable with opposite ends of each mandrel portion guidable within respective ones of the guide slots: from a first position wherein a lowermost of the mandrel portions is in a first dispensing position at the bottom extremity of the first segment, the other mandrel portion being in a reserve position within the first segment; and, following substantial consumption of the sheet material from the lowermost mandrel, to a second position wherein the lowermost of the mandrel portions is in an expended position at a bottom extremity of the third segment of the guide slot, and the other mandrel portion is in a second dispensing position within the first segment. A holder member is biasingly coupled to the housing for retaining the lowermost of the mandrel portions in the expended position.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to fixtures for dispensing sheet material from rolls, and more particularly to dispensers that are adapted for feeding from a presented roll, and from a spare roll following exhaustion of the presented roll, as in toilet tissue dispensers and the like.

Dual roll sheet dispensers are well known, being disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,387,902 to Perrin et al., 3,770,222 to Jespersen, 4,422,584 to Dashnier et al., and 4,422,585 to Schultz et al. Typically, such dispensers have one roll supported in a first dispensing position, and an additional roll is held in a reserve position and moved to a second dispensing position (which in some cases is the same as the first dispensing position) following or upon exhaustion of the first roll. Perrin et al. disclose a U-shaped mandrel assembly having mandrel components that are movable in a rigid yoke member, the assembly being loadable with rolls having split cores. Once the mandrel assembly is loaded into the dispenser, the respective rolls are locked in respective dispensing and reserve positions until the dispensing roll is exhausted, whereupon its core is burst automatically by spring action of the mandrel assembly, whereupon the assembly is allowed to fall to a lower position within the dispenser, whereby the mandrel components for the exhausted roll move to an exhausted position and the remaining roll moves from the reserve position to a secondary dispensing position.

Jespersen discloses a roll paper dispenser having a pair of generally L-shaped guide channels for opposite ends of a pair of mandrels, with movable members of the dispenser permitting downward movement of the mandrels in a prescribed manner, with the dispensing position shifting in response to consumption of the lower roll until the respective mandrel becomes disengaged from the guide channels, whereupon the upper mandrel is released from the reserve position.

Dashnier et al. disclose a dispenser having a pair of oppositely cantilevered mandrels that are pivotally supported on a common axis in a manner permitting limited relative angular movement, the upper mandrel being detented in the reserve position until dislodged therefrom by movement of the lower mandrel, such movement being blocked until the lower roll is nearly consumed. Shultz et al. disclose a similar dispenser wherein first and second mandrels are each cantilevered from respective guide blocks that slide in respective legs of an L-shaped track. The first mandrel is retained in the reserve position by interference between the blocks until the roll on the second mandrel is nearly exhausted.

The roll sheet dispensers of the prior art have not been entirely satisfactory for at least some of the following reasons:

1. They are wasteful in that they do not provide for complete consumption of one roll before initiating consumption of the reserve roll; 2. They are not versatile in that they require special or proprietary roll configurations; 3. They are awkward to use in that partially consumed reserve rolls must be removed from their mandrels and either discarded or reloaded onto a different mandrel, and the loaded mandrels must be carefully guided into engagement with tracks or other supports; and 4. They are expensive to provide and difficult to maintain in that they incorporate complex mechanisms and interlocks.

Thus there is a need for a sequential roll sheet dispenser that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

SUMMARY

The present invention meets this need by providing a dispenser having a symmetrical one-piece dual mandrel. In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for dispensing sheet material includes a base panel for mounting to a supporting structure and defining a vertically oriented panel guide surface; a pair of parallel-spaced base track members rigidly projecting from the base, each base track member having first and second guide surface segments, each first guide surface segment extending approximately parallel to the panel guide surface, each second guide surface forming a continuation of the corresponding first guide surface and extending generally toward the base panel; a cover unit openably connectable to the base panel and having latch means for holding the cover unit in a closed position relative to the base panel, the cover unit having respective side wall portions; a pair of parallel spaced cover track members rigidly extending in facing relation relative to corresponding ones of the side wall portions, each cover track member having a first guide surface segment, a second guide surface segment, and a transition segment wherein, when the cover unit is in the closed position, the first guide surface segments of the respective base and cover track segments extend in approximately uniformly spaced relation, the second guide surface segments of the respective base and cover track segments extend in spaced relation, and the transition segments extend in concave relation between proximal ends of the first and second guide surface segments of the cover track members thereby to form respective notched generally L-shaped track passages. The apparatus also includes a mandrel unit having a parallel-spaced pair of mandrel portions and a bridge portion rigidly connecting the mandrel portions, the mandrel unit being locatable between the base panel and the cover unit with opposite ends of each mandrel portion guidable within respective ones of the track passages in the closed position of the cover unit, one of the mandrel portions being movable between a first dispensing position to an expended position, the other of the mandrel portions being correspondingly moved from a reserve position to a second dispensing position.

Further guide surface segments of the base panel and cover unit can define respective downward extensions of the corresponding track passages, the expended position of the mandrel portion being defined by lower extremities of the extensions. Preferably the apparatus further includes a holder for holding the mandrel portion in the expended position thereof. The holder can include a holder member extending downwardly from proximate the panel guide surface and having a relaxed position, the holder member being deflected from the relaxed position during passage of the mandrel portion to the expended position. Alternatively, the mandrel unit can include a catch portion that displaces an end extremity of the holder member from the relaxed position and subsequently passes the end extremity in the expended position, the holder member moving toward the relaxed position for blocking movement of the mandrel portion by engagement with the catch portion. The mandrel unit can include a forwardly extending catch portion, the cover unit having a detent notch formed therein for receiving the catch portion in the expended position of the mandrel portion, the holder member biasingly displacing the mandrel forwardly into engagement with the detent notch.

Preferably the second guide surface segments of the cover track segments define a pinch position of the mandrel portion between the first dispensing position and the expended position, the mandrel portion being movable from the first dispensing position to generally perpendicularly approaching the panel guide surface into the pinch position, and moving away from the panel guide surface when moving away from the pinch position toward the expended position, the mandrel portion being blocked from reaching the pinch position prior to consumption of a substantial portion of the rolled sheet material, the remaining sheet material being freely rotatable on the mandrel portion in the expended position thereof for facilitating dispensing of the remaining sheet material. The pinch position can be one of a sequence of pinch positions wherein passage of the lowermost of the mandrel portions is blocked until a roll thereon has a progressively reduced supply of the sheet material, the second guide surface segments of the cover track segments further define a stop position of the mandrel portion between each of the pinch positions, wherein the roll has increased rotational clearance relative to the pinch positions, thereby facilitating dispensing of sheet material from the roll in the stop position.

In another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a plurality of cored rolls includes an openable housing having opposite side portions and a front opening, a parallel-spaced pair of guide slots being supported proximate respective ones of the side portions, each guide slot having a generally vertically oriented first segment, a generally horizontally oriented second segment intersecting the first segment, and a generally vertically oriented third segment intersecting the second segment in offset relation to the first segment, the first segment having a bottom extremity below an adjacent portion of the second segment; a mandrel member having a parallel-spaced pair of mandrel portions for receiving respective ones of the rolls, and a bridge portion rigidly connecting the mandrel portions, the mandrel member when loaded with the rolls being locatable with opposite ends of each mandrel portion guidable within respective ones of the guide slots from a first position wherein a lowermost of the mandrel portions is in a first dispensing position at the bottom extremity of the first segment, and an uppermost of the mandrel portions is in a reserve position within the first segment; and, following substantial consumption of the sheet material from the lowermost mandrel, to a second position wherein the lowermost of the mandrel portions is in an expended position at a bottom extremity of the third segment of the guide slot, and the uppermost of the mandrel portions is in a second dispensing position within the first segment, and an intermediate position through which the lowermost of the mandrel portions is blocked from passing when a roll thereon has more than a predetermined supply of sheet material, that roll being freely rotatable on the lowermost of the mandrel portions in the expended position thereof. The intermediate position can be one of a sequence of intermediate positions wherein passage of the lowermost of the mandrel portions is blocked until a roll thereon has a progressively reduced supply of the sheet material, the mandrel also having a stop position of increased roll rotational clearance between each of the intermediate positions.

The apparatus can include a holder member biasingly coupled to the housing for retaining the lowermost of the mandrel portions in the expended position. Preferably each mandrel portion has a latch portion formed thereon for engagement by the holder member when the mandrel member is engaging the guide slot with one mandrel portion in the expended position, the engagement of the latch portion by the holder member holding the one mandrel portion in the expended position. Preferably the mandrel member is locatable in the guide slots with either of the mandrel portions being the lowermost mandrel portion for facilitating servicing of the apparatus. Preferably the mandrel member is also locatable in the guide slots with either end extremity of each mandrel portion being within either of the guide slots for further facilitating loading of the mandrel member into the housing.

Preferably the housing includes a base portion and a cover portion, the cover portion having open and closed positions relative to the base portion, opposite sides of the first segments of each guide slot being formed respectively in the base and cover portions, whereby the mandrel member is laterally separable from the housing in the open position of the cover portion. The cover portion can be separable from the base portion. Preferably the mandrel member is lowerable into the cover portion to stable engagement with portions of the first segments of the guide slot when the cover portion is in the open position, the mandrel member remaining in the stable engagement during movement of the cover portion to the closed position for facilitating servicing of the dispenser.

In a further aspect of the invention, a method for dispensing sheet material from a plurality of cored rolls thereof, includes the steps of:

(a) providing a dispenser having a dual mandrel and a housing, the housing including a base portion and an openable cover portion having a closed position, opposite guide slots being formed between respective guide surfaces of the base portion and the cover portion in the closed position thereof for defining respective first and second dispensing positions, a reserve position, a pinch position, and an expended position for the rolls, the pinch position defining a restricted passage for the roll in a mostly expended condition thereof and being in a path between the first dispensing position and the expended position, the expended position defining clearance for free rotation of the roll in the mostly expended condition; (b) loading a pair of the rolls on respective portions of the mandrel; (c) opening the cover portion to an orientation wherein the guide surfaces thereof are upwardly facing; (d) lowering the mandrel into engagement with the guide surfaces of the cover portion; and (e) closing the cover portion with the rolls in the first dispensing and reserve positions thereof.

The method can include the further steps of:

(a) unrolling and separating sufficient material from the roll having the first dispensing position to attain the mostly expended position; (b) moving the mandrel until a portion thereof is in the expended position, the roll in the reserve position being thereby moved to the second dispensing position; and (c) retaining the roll in the second dispensing position.

The method can include the further steps of unrolling and separating further material from the roll in the expended position; and unrolling and separating material from the roll in the second dispensing position.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side sectional elevational view of a dual-roll sheet dispenser according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan sectional view of the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an oblique elevational perspective view of a dual mandrel of the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view as in FIG. 1, showing a loading sequence of the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view as in FIG. 2, showing an alternative configuration of the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view as in FIG. 3, showing a dual mandrel of the dispenser of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional elevational view as in FIG. 1 of the dispenser of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a front oblique elevational perspective view of a base panel portion of the dispenser of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a rear oblique elevational perspective view of a cover unit portion of the dispenser of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a side sectional elevational view showing another alternative configuration of the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a mandrel portion of the dispenser of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a sectional elevational view as in FIG. 4, for the dispenser of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view as in FIG. 8, showing a base portion of the dispenser of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 14 is an enlarged lateral sectional elevational view showing a portion of the dispenser of FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed to a dual sequential dispenser for sheet material on rolls, that is particularly effective in commercial and institutional applications, yet inexpensive to provide. With reference to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, a dispenser 10 according to the present invention has a base 12 for mounting to a wall surface 13, a cover 14, and a dual mandrel 16 that is movable within a laterally spaced pair of tracks or guide slots 18 that are formed between the base 12 and the cover 14 as further described below. The base 12 defines a conventional planar mounting surface 13 for mounting the dispenser 10 on a vertical panel in any suitable manner. The dual mandrel 16 has a parallel-spaced pair of mandrel portions 20 that are rigidly connected by a bridge portion 22, the bridge portion 22 extending between the mandrel portions 20 proximate respective end extremities thereof. Each of the mandrel portions 20 has an outside diameter D, being adapted for receiving a conventional roll 24 of sheet material 26, the material 26 having a width W and being wound on a disposable core 28, or coreless. The sheet material 26 can be paper of the type used for towels, for toilet tissue, or other similar sheet material. In the exemplary configuration of the dispenser 10 as shown in FIGS. 1-4, toilet tissue is contemplated. The width W is typically approximately 4.56 inches, or possibly 3.8 inches.

The guide slot 18 is segmented, having a generally vertical first portion 18A, a generally horizontal second portion 18B, and another generally vertical third portion 18C. The guide slot 18 is further characterized by a fourth portion 18D being a lower extremity of the first portion 18A that is depressed below the second portion 18B; a fifth portion 18E defining an upper extremity of the first portion 18A; and a sixth portion 18F defining a lower extremity of the third portion 18C. The dual mandrel 16 is thus locatable with a pair of the rolls 24 loaded on the mandrel portions 20 in a main position within the guide slot first portion 18A, the mandrel 16 being supported on the fourth portion 18D as shown by solid lines in FIG. 1. In this condition, the lowermost of the rolls 24 (and the corresponding mandrel portion 20) is in a first dispensing position as indicated at 30, and the uppermost of the rolls 24 (and the corresponding mandrel portion 20) is in a reserve position as indicated at 32. After the roll 24 in the first dispensing position 30 has been substantially emptied of the material 26, the dual mandrel 16 is locatable as further described below with the lowermost mandrel portion 20 resting on the sixth guide slot portion 18F in an expended position as indicated at 34 by dashed lines in FIG. 1, the uppermost mandrel portion 20 (and the corresponding roll 24) being in a second dispensing position as indicated at 36.

An important and preferred feature of the exemplary embodiment of the dispenser 10 as shown in the drawings is that the base 12 defines one side of each guide slot 18, the openable cover 14 defining the opposite side of the respective guide slot 18 as described herein. As best shown in FIG. 1, the base 12 is formed including an outwardly projecting flange portion 38, there being a laterally spaced pair of such flange portions 38 shown in FIG. 2. Each flange portion 38 has a first guide surface 40 for defining a rear boundary of the first guide slot portion 18A, and a second guide surface 42 for defining an upper boundary of the second guide slot portion 18B. The cover 14 is formed with opposite side walls 44, a curved top wall 46, and a bottom wall 48, a front opening 50 being defined between inner extremities of the respective walls 44, 46, and 48. Respective inside faces of the side walls 44 have track recesses 52 formed therein, a front extremity of each recess 52 forming a third guide surface 54 for defining a front boundary of the first guide slot portion 18A. Similarly, a fourth guide surface 56 extends in generally perpendicular relation to the third guide surface 54 for defining a lower boundary of the second guide slot portion 18B, and a fifth guide surface 58 intersects the fourth guide surface 56, extending in offset relation to the third guide surface 54 for defining a front extremity of the third guide slot portion 18C. A concavely curved sixth guide surface 60 intersects the fourth guide surface 56, extending tangentially from the third guide surface for defining a bottom extremity of the first guide slot portion 18A. The guide surfaces 56, 58, and 60 are formed on a laterally spaced pair of flange portions 61 of the cover 14, the flange portions 61 being spaced inwardly from opposite sides of the cover 14 and defining portions of the front opening 50. A concavely arcuate seventh guide surface 62 extends tangentially from the third guide surface for defining a top extremity of the first guide slot portion 18A, the first guide surface 40 extending upwardly beyond the point of tangency for blocking rearward movement of a mandrel portion 20 from the reserve position 32. Also, the first guide slot 18A extends upwardly sufficiently for permitting the uppermost mandrel portion 20 to be raised slightly above the reserve position 32, for permitting the lowermost mandrel portion 20 to be moved over the fourth guide surface 56, the fourth guide surface 56 being above the bottom of the sixth guide surface 60. An inside face of the bottom wall 48 provides an eighth guide surface 64 for defining the bottom extremity of the third guide slot portion 18C. Finally, a raised rear wall portion 66 of the base 12 provides a ninth guide surface 68 for defining a rear boundary of the third guide slot portion 18C. The third guide surface 54 is sometimes referred to as a first guide surface of the cover 14. Similarly, the fourth guide surface 56 is sometimes referred to as a second guide surface of the cover 14; the fifth guide surface 58 sometimes being referred to as a third guide surface of the cover 14, the sixth guide surface 60 sometimes being referred to as a fourth guide surface of the cover 14; and the seventh guide surface 62 sometimes being referred to as a fifth guide surface of the cover 14. The respective guide surfaces of the base 12 and the cover 14 thus are associated with corresponding portions 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D, and 18E of the guide slot 18.

This separable construction of the guide slots 18 advantageously permits the dual mandrel 16 to be inserted laterally into engagement with the third guide surfaces 54 of the cover 14 in an open position thereof as shown in FIG. 4, the cover 14 then being closed onto the base 12 without the mandrel 16 being dislodged from engaging the guide surfaces 54. More particularly, the cover 14 has a laterally spaced pair of retainer tabs 70 extending from the bottom wall 48 for engaging corresponding tab cavities 72 that are formed proximate a bottom extremity of the base 12. A conventional finger latch 74 is mounted proximate a rear extremity of the top wall 46, the latch 74 having a thumb turn 76 and pair of movable finger members 78 for releasably engaging a catch portion 80 of the base 12 in the closed position of the cover 14 as shown in FIG. 1. When the latch 74 is in a released condition, the cover 14 is openable by outwardly swinging the top wall 46 until the retainer fingers are separable from the finger cavities 72. A preferred open position orientation of the cover 14 for loading the dual mandrel 16 is inclined approximately as shown in FIG. 4, the third guide surfaces 54 extending upwardly and outwardly from the sixth guide surfaces 60. The dual mandrel 16 (with the rolls 24 loaded thereon) is next lowered such that one of the mandrel portions 20 comes into engagement with the sixth guide surfaces 60 as indicated by the downward directed arrow in FIG. 4, the other mandrel portion 20 being moved into engagement with the third guide surface 54 by pivoting about the sixth guide surface 60 as indicated by the counter-clockwise arrow in FIG. 4. The mandrel 16 remains in stable engagement with the third guide surface 54, being supported on the sixth guide surface 60 during replacement of the cover 14 as indicated by the clockwise arrows in FIG. 4. Once the cover 14 is closed, the dual mandrel 16 locates the lowermost of the rolls 24 in the first dispensing position 30 and the other roll 24 in the reserve position 32 as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 3, the mandrel 16 is notched as indicated at 81, thus narrowing the bridge portion 22 for clearing the flange portions 38 of the base 12 during movement of the mandrel portion 20 between the first dispensing position 30 to the expended position 34.

A laterally spaced pair of holder portions 82 are integrally formed within the raised rear wall portion 66 of the base 12 for holding the lowermost mandrel portion 20 once the mandrel portion 20 has been moved into the expended position 34, each of the holder portions 82 being formed as a pair of projecting tines 83 that are biased into an interfering relation with the lowermost mandrel portion 20 and/or the core 28 that may be thereon. Also, the tines 83 are oriented for biting into the core 28, thereby more positively preventing movement of the mandrel portion 20 from the expended position 34. The mandrel 16 is released from its retained position upon opening of the cover 14.

It is contemplated that the dispenser 10 will be used with the rolls 24 having conventional paper cores 28. It is also contemplated that the cores 28 can be of the "bursting" type that are sometimes used in industrial and institutional applications. The bursting cores are intended to come apart after the material 26 is fully exhausted, leaving the mandrel portion 20 bare. The dispenser 10 of the present invention is adapted to firmly retain the mandrel portion 20 in the expanded position 34, even in the absence of the core 28. Particularly, the dual mandrel 16 has a plurality of catch portions 84 formed therein for positive engagement by the tines 83 of the holder portions 82. As described above, the catch portions 84 in the configuration of FIGS. 1-4 are located for biasing engagement with the core 28 or the mandrel 16 in the absence of the core 28, the catch portions 84 being integrally formed with the base 12 as best shown in FIG. 1. Each of the holder portions 82 is provided with a stop portion 86 for preventing excessive deflection away from the guide slot portion 18C.

With further reference to FIGS. 5-9, an alternative configuration of the dispenser, designated 10', has a counterpart of the mandrel, designated 16', strengthened by not being formed with the notch 81 (FIG. 3). Clearance for the bridge portion 22 is provided during movement of the mandrel 16' to the expended position 34 by forming the flange portions 38 of the base 12 with counterparts of the second guide surface, designated 42', sloping upwardly and outwardly from the rear wall portion 66 of the base 12 as best shown in FIG. 7. In this configuration of the dispenser 10', it will be understood that the second guide slot portion 18B extends generally horizontally between the first guide slot portion 18A and the third guide slot portion 18C, notwithstanding the sloping second guide surface 42', in that the lowermost mandrel portion 20 is constrained to more generally horizontally by the fourth guide surface 56 between the first dispensing position 30 and the third guide slot portion 18C.

In other aspects, the dispenser 10' includes a snap-together hinge connection 88 in place of the retainer tabs 70 and tab cavities 72, the hinge connection 88 including a pair of hinge pin stanchions 90 that project outwardly from the base 12 into pivotal engagement with respective inclined flange portions 92 of the cover 14. The cover 14 also has a parallel-spaced pair of alignment flange portions 94 that straddle a pair of alignment stanchions 96 of the base 12 for maintaining lateral alignment of the base 12 and the cover 14 in the open position thereof. The hinge connection 88 supports the cover 14 in the open position aligned with the base 12, advantageously leaving both hands of an attendant free for manipulation of the mandrel 16' and the rolls 24 during servicing of the dispenser 10'.

Also, the dispenser 10' has counterparts of the holder portions, designated 82', spaced outwardly from the core 28, the tine portions 83 thereby engaging the catch portions 84 of the mandrel 16' only for more positively holding the mandrel 16' in the expended position 34. Each of the holder portions 82' is provided with only one of the tines 83. Further, the dispenser 10' is configured for centering the rolls 24 between the guide slots 18, regardless of the orientation of the mandrel 16', as best seen by a comparison of FIGS. 2 and 5, wherein the front opening 50 is centered between opposite sides of the cover 14. For this purpose, the flange portions 61 of the cover 14 are spaced outwardly from the front opening 50 for clearing the bridge portion 22 of the mandrel 16'.

With further reference to FIGS. 10-13, another alternative configuration of the dispenser, designated 10", provides improved control of the mandrel 16 and a roll 24 in movement thereof between the first dispensing position 30 and the expended position 34. In particular, the dispenser 10" has a series of discontinuities in the second and third portions 18B and 18C of the guide slot 18 as described below. Generally, the structure of the dispenser 10" corresponds to that of the dispenser 10' of FIGS. 5-9, the base 12 being formed with a bottom wall portion 100 having outwardly facing hinge pins 101 as counterparts of the inwardly facing hinge pin stanchions 90 of FIG. 8. The hinge pins 101 pivotally engage counterparts of the flange portions, designated 61', of the cover 14. The cover 14 is formed with a cross-member 102 including a counterpart of the bottom wall 48 that is foreshortened for clearing the bottom wall portion 100 of the base 12. The cross-member 102 also includes a horizontal guard portion 104, the opening 50 being formed as a smooth transition between the bottom wall 48 and the guard portion 104.

A counterpart of the dual mandrel, designated 16", is modified from the configuration of FIG. 6 to include respective head segments 106 extending inwardly from opposite ends of each mandrel portion 20 in locations opposite the bridge portion 22, as best shown in FIG. 11. The head segments 106 and the catch portions 84 engage portions of the flange portions 61' of the cover 14 as described herein with reference to FIGS. 10 and 14, thereby defining a mandrel track path 108 between the first dispensing position 30 and the expended position 34. From the first dispensing position 30, the mandrel portion 20 is guided by arcuate faces of the head segments 106 sliding from the sixth guide surfaces 60 and over the fourth guide surfaces 56 to a first pinch position 110 that is defined as best shown in FIG. 10 by edges of the head segments 106 passing from the fourth guide surfaces 56 onto respective tenth guide surface 112 that extend approximately parallel to the fifth guide surfaces 58. From the first pinch position 110, the mandrel portion 20 is guided by the tenth guide surfaces 112 to a first stop position 114 wherein the faces of the head segments 106 contact respective eleventh guide surfaces 116 as shown in FIG. 14. From the first stop position 114, the mandrel portion 20 is guided by the head segments 106 sliding over the eleventh guide surfaces 116 to a second pinch position 118 that is defined as best shown in FIG. 10 by edges of the head segments 106 passing from the eleventh guide surfaces 116 onto the fifth guide surfaces 58. From the second pinch position 118, the mandrel portion 20 is guided by the fifth guide surfaces 58 to a second stop position 120 wherein a forwardly facing pair of the catch portions 84 contact the eleventh guide surfaces 116. From the second stop position 120, the mandrel portion 20 is guided by the catch portions 84 sliding on the eleventh guide surface 116 to a third pinch position 122 that is defined as best shown in FIG. 10 by extremities of the catch portions 84 passing from the eleventh guide surfaces 116 onto the fifth guide surfaces 58. From the third pinch position 122, the mandrel portion 120 is guided by the forwardly facing catch portions 84 passing downwardly along the fifth guide surfaces 58 and into respective detent notches 124 that are formed in the flange portions 61'. Counterparts of the holder portions, designated 82", have the tine portions 83 curved and extending below rearwardly facing ones of the catch portions 84 for biasing the forwardly facing catch portions into the detent notches 124. Counterparts of the eighth guide surface, designated 64', are formed on respective stop portions 126 of the base 12, the stop portions 126 being positioned for contacting end extremities of the mandrel portion 20 for preventing downward movement of the forwardly facing catch portions 84 out of the detent notches 124. The tenth guide surfaces 112, and upper portions of the fifth guide surfaces 58 slope downwardly and forwardly, thereby increasing rotational clearance for the roll 24 as the mandrel 20 passes below the respective pinch positions 110, 118, and 122.

The above-described pinch positions and stop positions provide a sequence of travel restrictions of the mandrel portion 20 between the first dispensing position 30 and the expended position 34, the first dispensing position 30 also functioning as a stop position to which the mandrel portion 20 is restricted when the roll 24 is full or nearly full, in that rearward movement to the first pinch position 110 is prevented by the roll 24 contacting the rear wall portion 66. When the roll 24 gets sufficiently small for the mandrel portion 20 to pass beyond the first pinch position 110, and in case the mandrel portion 20 is dislodged by a user handling the roll 24, the mandrel portion 20 can fall to proximate the first stop position 114, the roll 24 having increased clearance for rotation to dispense sheets therefrom relative to that available at the first pinch position 110. Similarly, although the mandrel portion 20 is expected to remain in the first dispensing position 20 until fully expended, portions of the roll 24 can also be dispensed in each of the first and second stop positions 114 and 120, as well as the expended position 34. If the mandrel portion 20 is moved from the first dispensing position, the extent of such movement is restricted as described above, and the tenth guide surface 112 inhibits movement from the vicinity of the first stop position 114 back to the first dispensing position 30. Moreover, the mandrel portion 20 in the expended position 34 is spaced sufficiently from the rear and bottom wall portions 66 and 100 of the base 12 as well as the cross-member 102 of the cover 14 to insure freedom of rotation of the largest remnant of the roll 24 that can pass the third pinch position 122. Also, the stop portions 126 of the base 12 maintain a gap between the core 28 and the guard portion 104, thereby protecting a user's fingers when the mandrel portion 20 falls to the expended position 34. It will be understood that although the mandrel portion 20 can be moved upwardly from the expended position 34 while using rearward force to deflect the holder portions 82", the mandrel portion 20 is expected to remain in the expended position 34 until the cover 14 is opened for servicing the dispenser 10". Similarly, whenever the roll 24 gets sufficiently small to pass below the third pinch point 122, the mandrel portion 20 can be moved to the expended position 34 for bringing the unused roll 24 into the second dispensing position 36. Moreover, any remaining supply of sheets from a nearly expended roll 24 can be readily dispensed from the expended position 34 of the mandrel portion 20.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. For example, different combinations of the variations between the dispenser 10 of FIGS. 1-4, the dispenser 10' of FIGS. 5-9, and the dispenser 10" can be configured. Also, a locking latch can be used in place of the finger latch 74. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not necessarily be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing rolled sheet material, comprising:

(a) a base panel for mounting to a supporting structure and defining a vertically oriented panel guide surface;

(b) a pair of parallel-spaced base track members rigidly projecting from the base panel, each base track member having first and second guide surface segments, each first guide surface segment extending approximately parallel to the panel guide surface, each second guide surface forming a continuation of the corresponding first guide surface and extending generally toward the base panel;

(c) a cover unit openably connectable to the base panel and having latch means for holding the cover unit in a closed position relative to the base panel, the cover unit having respective side wall portions;

(d) a pair of parallel spaced cover track members rigidly extending in facing relation relative to corresponding ones of the side wall portions, each cover track member having a first guide surface segment, a second guide surface segment, and a transition segment wherein, when the cover unit is in the closed position, the first guide surface segments of the respective base and cover track segments extend in approximately uniformly spaced relation, the second guide surface segments of the respective base track members and cover track members extend in spaced relation, and the transition segments extend in concave relation between proximal ends of the first and second guide surface segments of the cover track members thereby to form respective notched generally L-shaped track passages; and

(e) a mandrel unit having a parallel-spaced pair of mandrel portions and a bridge portion rigidly connecting the mandrel portions, the mandrel unit being locatable between the base panel and the cover unit with opposite ends of each mandrel portion guidable within respective ones of the track passages in the closed position of the cover unit, one of the mandrel portions being movable between a first dispensing position to an expended position, the first dispensing position being defined by the concave transition segments of the cover track segments, the other of the mandrel portions being correspondingly moved from a reserve position to a second dispensing position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein further guide surface segments of the base panel and cover define respective downward extensions of the corresponding track passages, the expended position of the mandrel portion being defined by lower extremities of the extensions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a holder for holding the mandrel portion in the expended position thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the holder comprises a holder member extending downwardly from proximate the panel guide surface and having a relaxed position, the holder member being deflected from the relaxed position during passage of the mandrel portion to the expended position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the mandrel unit includes a catch portion, the catch portion displacing an end extremity of the holder member from the relaxed position and subsequently passing the end extremity in the expended position, the holder member moving toward the relaxed position for blocking movement of the mandrel portion by engagement with the catch portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the mandrel unit includes a forwardly extending catch portion, the cover unit having a detent notch formed therein for receiving the catch portion in the expended position of the mandrel portion, the holder member biasingly displacing the mandrel forwardly into engagement with the detent notch.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second guide surface segments of the cover track segments define a pinch position of the mandrel portion between the first dispensing position and the expended position, the mandrel portion being movable from the first dispensing position to generally perpendicularly approaching the panel guide surface into the pinch position, and moving away from the panel guide surface when moving away from the pinch position toward the expended position, the mandrel portion being blocked from reaching the pinch position prior to consumption of a substantial portion of the rolled sheet material, the remaining sheet material being freely rotatable on the mandrel portion in the expended position thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the pinch position is one of a sequence of pinch positions wherein passage of the lowermost of the mandrel portions is blocked until a roll thereon has a progressively reduced supply of the sheet material, the second guide surface segments of the cover track segments further define a stop position of the mandrel portion between each of the pinch positions, wherein the roll has increased rotational clearance relative to the pinch positions, thereby facilitating dispensing of sheet material from the roll in the stop position.

9. Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a plurality of cored rolls, comprising:

(a) an openable housing having opposite side portions and a front opening, a parallel-spaced pair of guide slots being supported proximate respective ones of the side portions, each guide slot having a generally vertically oriented first segment, a generally horizontally oriented second segment intersecting the first segment, and a generally vertically oriented third segment intersecting the second segment in offset relation to the first segment, the first segment having a bottom extremity extending below an adjacent portion of the second segment;

(b) a mandrel member having a parallel-spaced pair of mandrel portions for receiving respective ones of the rolls, and a bridge portion rigidly connecting the mandrel portions, the mandrel member when loaded with the rolls being locatable with opposite ends of each mandrel portion guidable within respective ones of the guide slots:

(i) from a first position wherein a lowermost of the mandrel portions is in a first dispensing position at the bottom extremity of the first segment, and an uppermost of the mandrel portions is in a reserve position within the first segment; and, following substantial consumption of the sheet material from the lowermost mandrel,

(ii) to a second position wherein the lowermost of the mandrel portions is in an expended position at a bottom extremity of the third segment of the guide slot, and the uppermost of the mandrel portions is in a second dispensing position within the first segment; and

(iii) an intermediate position through which the lowermost of the mandrel portions is blocked from passing when a roll thereon has more than a predetermined supply of sheet material thereon,

wherein the roll having the predetermined supply of sheet material thereon is freely rotatable on the lowermost of the mandrel portions in the expended position thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the intermediate position is one of a sequence of intermediate positions wherein passage of the lowermost of the mandrel portions is blocked until a roll thereon has a progressively reduced supply of the sheet material, the mandrel also having a stop position between each of the intermediate positions, wherein the roll has increased rotational clearance relative to the intermediate positions.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a holder member biasingly coupled to the housing for retaining the lowermost of the mandrel portions in the expended position.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each mandrel portion has a latch portion formed thereon for engagement by the holder member when the mandrel member is engaging the guide slot with one mandrel portion in the expended position, the engagement of the latch portion by the holder member holding the one mandrel portion in the expended position.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the mandrel member is locatable in the guide slots with either of the mandrel portions being the lowermost mandrel portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mandrel member is locatable in the guide slots with either end extremity of each mandrel portion being within either of the guide slots.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the housing comprises a base portion and a cover portion, the cover portion having open and closed positions relative to the base portion, opposite sides of the first segments of each guide slot being formed respectively in the base and cover portions,

whereby the mandrel member is laterally separable from the housing in the open position of the cover portion.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cover portion is separable from the base portion, the mandrel member being lowerable into the cover portion to stable engagement with portions of the first segments of the guide slot, the mandrel member remaining in the stable engagement during movement of the cover portion to the closed position thereof.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cover portion is pivotally connected to the base portion, the mandrel member being lowerable into the cover portion to stable engagement with portions of the first segments of the guide slot when the cover portion is in the open position, the mandrel member remaining in the stable engagement during movement of the cover portion to the closed position.

18. A method for dispensing sheet material from a plurality of cored rolls thereof, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a dispenser having a dual mandrel and a housing, the housing including a base portion and an openable cover portion having a closed position, opposite guide slots being formed between respective guide surfaces of the base portion and the cover portion in the closed position thereof for defining respective first and second dispensing positions, a reserve position, a pinch position, and an expended position for the rolls, the pinch position defining a restricted passage for the roll in a mostly expended condition thereof and being in a path between the first dispensing position and the expended position, the expended position defining clearance for free rotation of the roll in the mostly expended condition;

(b) loading a pair of the rolls on respective portions of the mandrel;

(c) opening the cover portion to an orientation wherein the guide surfaces thereof are upwardly facing;

(d) lowering the mandrel into engagement with the guide surfaces of the cover portion; and

(e) closing the cover portion with the rolls in the first dispensing and reserve positions thereof.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising the further steps of:

(a) unrolling and separating sufficient material from the roll having the first dispensing position to attain the mostly expended position;

(b) moving the mandrel until a portion thereof is in the expended position, the roll in the reserve position being thereby moved to the second dispensing position; and

(c) retaining the roll in the second dispensing position.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising the further steps of unrolling and separating further material from the roll in the expended position; and unrolling and separating material from the roll in the second dispensing position.