Dispenser for multiple rolls of sheet material

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6758434
  • Patent Number
    6,758,434
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, July 3, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 6, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A dispenser for dispensing rolls of sheet material is provided. The dispenser has a housing which holds one or more rolls of sheet material. The housing has an opening which is defined by a perimeter. A hub which is configured to hold a roll of sheet material is positioned to extend at least partially through the opening, and is moveably retained within the perimeter. An arm supports the hub for pivotable movement on a first end thereof. A portion of the arm is pivotably coupled to a portion of the housing. A second end of the arm is also pivotably movable and configured to be releasably locked into one of a plurality of selected positions.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention generally relates to dispensers, and more specifically, to dispensers for rolled sheet material. More particularly, this invention relates to a dispenser for multiple rolls of sheet material.




BACKGROUND




Dispensers for bath tissue used in institutional and public restrooms are often configured to provide a “jumbo” roll of sheet material or bath tissue therein. In addition, some of these dispensers are configured to accommodate a second much smaller roll, or stub roll, which is disposed alongside the jumbo roll. In other dispensers, two or more rolls of equal diameter are disposed therein. Either type of dispenser commonly includes one or more mandrels or hubs which hold the roll(s). Dispensers have therefore been required to be configured to utilize either the jumbo sized roll and the stub roll combination, or the combination of two rolls of equal diameter. Dispensers have not had the flexibility in configuration to permit a choice of diameters of rolls to be positioned therein.




Since various manufacturers offer rolls of sheet material having different diameters, and since prices for such rolls vary, it would be advantageous to have a dispenser that would accommodate several different diameters of rolls, and several different roll combinations. Such a dispenser provides movable mandrels or hubs which permit the use of various diameters of rolls of sheet material, such as bath or toilet tissue, in the dispenser.




DEFINITIONS




As used herein, the term “exit port” or “dispensing opening” is the opening in a housing of a dispenser for the passage of sheet material out of the dispenser.




As used herein, the term “fasteners” means devices that fasten, join, connect, secure, hold, or clamp components together. Fasteners include, but are not limited to, screws, nuts and bolts, rivets, snap-fits, tacks, nails, loop fasteners, and interlocking male/female connectors, such as fishhook connectors, a fish hook connector includes a male portion with a protrusion on its circumference. Inserting the male portion into the female portion substantially permanently locks the two portions together.




As used herein, the term “hinge” refers to a jointed or flexible device that connects and permits pivoting or turning of a part to a stationary component. Hinges include, but are not limited to, metal pivotable connectors, such as those used to fasten a door to frame, spring-loaded hinges, living hinges, and so forth. Living hinges may be constructed from plastic and other materials and formed integrally between two members. A living hinge permits movement, such as, but not by way of limitation, pivotable movement, of one member in relation to another connected member.




As used herein, the term “sheet material” means a material that is thin in comparison to its length and breadth. Generally speaking, sheet materials should exhibit a relatively flat planar configuration and be flexible to permit folding, rolling, stacking, and the like. Exemplary sheet materials include, but are not limited to, paper tissue, bath/toilet tissue, paper towels, wipes, label rolls, or other fibrous, film, polymers, or filamentary products.




As used herein, the term “couple” includes, but is not limited to, joining, connecting, fastening, linking, or associating two things integrally or interstitially together.




As used herein, the term “arcuate” includes, but is not limited to, having the form generally of a curve or an arch.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In one aspect of the invention, a dispenser for dispensing rolls of sheet material is provided. The dispenser has a housing which holds one or more rolls of sheet material. The housing has an opening formed therein, which is defined by a perimeter. A hub which is configured to hold a roll of sheet material is positioned to extend at least partially through the opening, and is moveably retained within the perimeter. An arm supports the hub for pivotable movement on a first end thereof. A portion of the arm is pivotably coupled to a portion of the housing. A second end of the arm is also pivotably movable and it is configured to be releasably locked into one of a plurality of selected positions.




In another aspect of the invention, a dispenser for storing and dispensing rolled sheet material is provided. The dispenser has a housing which holds at least two rolls of sheet material. The housing has a pair of spaced-apart openings, and each opening is defined by a perimeter. A pair of hubs, which are each configured to hold a roll of sheet material, are moveably retained within the perimeters of the openings. A pair of arms provide support to the hubs; a hub is positioned on a first end of each arm. The hubs are pivotably moved by the arms within the respective perimeters. A portion of each arm is pivotably coupled to a portion of the housing. A second end of each arm is pivotably movable and it is configured to be releasably locked into one of a plurality of selected positions.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a dispenser in accordance with the present invention, in a closed dispensing position;





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the dispenser of the present invention, in an opened, loading position, illustrating a back plate, a cover, two movable hubs, and two mid-sized rolls;





FIG. 3

is a front view of the back plate of the dispenser of

FIG. 2

, showing the position of the hubs for two rolls of equal diameter (the rolls illustrated in phantom lines);





FIG. 4

is a front view of the back plate of the dispenser of

FIG. 2

, but showing the position of the hubs for a jumbo roll and stub roll combination (the rolls illustrated in phantom lines);





FIG. 5

is a front view of the back plate of the dispenser of

FIG. 2

, but showing the position of the hubs for a stub roll and jumbo roll combination (the rolls illustrated in phantom lines);





FIG. 6

is a perspective view of one of the hubs illustrated in

FIGS. 2-5

; and





FIG. 7

is sectional view of

FIG. 3

taken along line


7





7


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention and is not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated and described as part of one embodiment or figure can be used on another embodiment or figure to yield yet another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include such modifications and variations.




As illustrated in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the dispenser


10


includes a housing


12


, which has a back plate


14


and a cover


16


. The back plate


14


and the cover


16


cooperate when positioned together in a closed position to provide an internal compartment


18


configured to hold one or more rolls


20


of sheet material


22


. The back plate


14


and cover


16


also cooperate to form, in a closed position, a dispensing opening or exit port


24


which provides a user access to the sheet material


22


, as shown generally in

FIGS. 3-5

. In the present embodiment, but not by way of limitation, the exit port


24


is provided in a lower end


26


of the housing


12


.




The back plate


14


has a top wall


28


which is positioned generally perpendicularly about a portion of its perimeter, as illustrated in FIG.


2


. The top wall


28


is contiguous with a pair of spaced-apart opposing side walls


30


which also adjoin the back plate


14


. The back plate


14


is configured to be mounted on a surface or wall, such as, by way of non-limiting example, the wall of a toilet stall (not shown). The back plate


14


includes a plurality of openings


32


to permit such mounting via fasteners, brackets, hinges, adhesives, and so forth. Each side wall


30


and the top wall


28


at a common edge


33


thereof includes an inner lip portion


34


which is slightly recessed relative to an outer surface


36


of the back plate


14


.




The back plate


14


also includes a pair of spaced-apart and confronting flange and bar assemblies


38


(FIG.


2


). Each flange


40


is coupled to or integrally formed with an inner surface


42


near a lower end


44


of each of the side walls


30


of the back plate


14


, and has a bar


46


integrally formed therewith or coupled thereto, as shown in

FIGS. 2-5

. Each bar


46


of the flange and bar assemblies


38


includes a serrated portion


48


along a lower edge and front edge of the bar


46


, to permit sections of sheet material


22


to be removed from one or more rolls


20


of sheet material


22


disposed in the internal compartment


18


of the housing


12


.




The cover


16


, as shown in

FIG. 2

, is pivotably coupled to the housing


12


via a spaced-apart pair of cover bars


52


which, at a first end


54


, are fixedly coupled to or formed integrally with an inner surface


56


of the cover


16


. At a second end


58


, the cover bars


52


are pivotably coupled via a pivot pin


60


, and so forth, to each bar


46


of each of the bar and flange assemblies


38


. It will be understood that hinges, fasteners, and so forth may be used to releasably couple the cover


16


to the back plate


14


. A lower end


59


of the cover may include a serrated portion as well (not shown).




The cover


16


includes a front plate


62


having a window opening


64


provided therein. A window plate


66


(

FIG. 1

) is mounted on an inner surface


56


of the front plate


62


over the window opening


64


. The window plate


66


is usually, for example, but not by way of limitation, clear, transparent, tinted, and so forth, to provide a view of the size and amount of the remaining roll(s)


20


of sheet material


22


in the dispenser


10


to a user or a maintenance technician. It will be appreciated, however, that any portion(s) of the housing


12


may be clear, transparent, tinted, opaque, and so forth. The front plate


62


includes a contiguous top wall


68


and a pair of spaced-apart opposing side walls


70


which are each formed with and positioned generally perpendicularly to a portion of the perimeter of the front plate


62


. The side walls


70


and top wall


68


each include, near a common edge


71


, an outer lip portion


72


which is slightly recessed relative to an inner surface


56


of the cover


16


.




The top wall


28


of the back plate


14


also includes a convex portion


74


having a latch mechanism coupled thereto, as illustrated in FIG.


2


. The latch mechanism includes a latch


78


and a button


80


which are coupled to the inner surface


42


of the back plate


16


. The button


80


extends through an opening in the convex portion


74


. The top wall


68


of the cover


16


also includes a concave portion


82


configured to receive the convex portion


74


of the top wall


28


of the back plate


16


therein. In addition, the inner surface


56


of the cover


16


includes a reciprocal latch coupler (not shown), which permits the latch


78


to be releasably coupled to the cover


16


, thereby permitting the cover


16


to be positioned and maintained in a closed dispensing position relative to the back plate


14


. The button


80


may be positioned in a coplanar position relative to the outer surface


36


of the top wall


28


, and may include a key hole to permit the latch mechanism to be locked (not shown). Any latch and/or lock mechanism may be used to close/lock the housing


12


to prevent tampering and/or vandalism; many are known in the art.




When the cover


16


is closed against the back plate


14


in the closed dispensing position, the outer lip portion


72


of the cover


16


is cooperatively positioned adjacent the inner lip portion


34


of the back plate


14


. Neither the back plate


14


nor the cover


16


includes a bottom wall; therefore, when the housing


12


is in the closed dispensing position, the exit port


24


is provided by the lower end


26


of the housing


12


. It will be appreciated that in the present embodiment, the configuration of the housing


12


is not intended as a limitation; other configurations may be used to accommodate aesthetic and/or functional considerations.




As shown in

FIGS. 2-7

, mounted on the back plate


16


and extending generally perpendicularly therefrom are a pair of mandrels/hubs


85


,


86


. The hubs


85


,


86


each hold a roll


20


of sheet material


22


. Such sheet material is often flexible, such as toilet or bath tissue and so forth. Each roll


20


is wound throughout its diameter about a longitudinal open core


88


to form, generally, a cylinder having opposing flat ends


90


. The sheet material


22


forming the roll


20


is desirably perforated into sheet sections of predetermined length, although non-perforated sheet material may also be used.




The dispenser


10


and housing


12


are desirably configured to hold at least two rolls


20


of sheet material


22


. The rolls


20


are positioned on the hubs


85


,


86


such that the core


88


of each roll


20


is mounted on a hub


85


,


86


and each roll


20


is mounted with its outer perimeter


92


adjacent the other. One flat end


90


of each roll


20


is positioned adjacent the back plate


14


while the opposite flat end


90


of each roll


20


is positioned adjacent the front plate


62


of the cover


16


.




The dispenser


10


of the present embodiment is designed to hold a combination of large, medium, and small rolls, in non-limiting combinations. That is, in a non-limiting example, the dispenser desirably holds within its internal compartment


18


a combination of either: a) a jumbo roll


94


, generally, but not by way of limitation, having a diameter greater than about 9.5 inches, and a stub roll


96


, generally, but not by way of limitation, having a diameter of less than about 7 inches; or b) two medium-sized rolls


98


,


98


′ (hereinafter termed “mid-sized” roll(s)) generally, but not by way of limitation, having a diameter of greater than about 7 inches to about 9.5 inches. It will be appreciated that the dispenser


10


and the housing


12


may be sized to include additional hubs to hold additional rolls of one or more roll sizes in additional combinations.




Each hub


85


,


86


is supported on movement/locking means which includes an arm


100


,


101


, which is pivotally movable. In addition, the hubs


85


,


86


are supported for movement in separate tracks


104


,


105


, respectively. One of each of the tracks


104


,


105


is provided as a portion of a perimeter


106


of each of a pair of openings


107


,


108


formed in the back plate


14


, which are generally, but not by way of limitation, kidney-shaped. Each opening


107


,


108


and therefore each track


104


,


105


is positioned, generally, in a spaced-apart mirror image position relative to the other on the back plate


14


. In the present embodiment, each track


104


,


105


is generally, but not by way of limitation, of a non-linear shape, such as an arcuate shape. Each track


104


,


105


is positioned along an upper portion


109


of each perimeter


106


of each opening


107


,


108


. Each track


104


,


105


includes, on the outer surface


36


of the back plate


14


, a recessed edge portion


110


which extends across the upper portion


109


of each perimeter


106


, defining each track


104


,


105


. Each opening


107


,


108


is sized to receive one of each hub


85


,


86


, and to accommodate movement of one of each hub


85


,


86


within the perimeter


106


of each opening


107


,


108


. Such movement generally follows, in the present embodiment, but not by way of limitation, an arcuate path. It will be appreciated that other linear and/or non-linear paths are possible as well.




As illustrated in

FIGS. 2-7

, each hub


85


,


86


includes a generally cylindrically-shaped base


111


having a closed end


112


, and an opposite open end


114


. Each closed end


112


includes a circular flange


116


which is positioned on a portion


118


of the closed end


112


, and it extends radially outward a distance from the closed end


112


. The circular flange


116


is positioned in a portion of each core


88


of each roll


20


and assists in positioning each roll


20


in alignment within the internal compartment


18


, to prevent “dragging” of any portion of the roll


20


against the housing, thereby assisting each hub


85


,


86


in holding its respective roll


20


in a dispensing position thereon. Hubs


85


,


86


are each mounted on arms


100


,


101


, respectively, near each open end


114


of each hub


85


,


86


.




As shown best in

FIGS. 6 and 7

, each arm


100


,


101


supports a hub


85


,


86


at a first end


119


thereof, and provides a flange or rail


120


which extends radially about a substantial portion of the base


111


of each hub


85


,


86


, near the open end


114


thereof. A gap


122


exists in the rail


120


, and a small rib rail


123


is positioned on the base


111


of each hub


85


,


86


a distance above the gap


122


and the rail


120


, to support and stabilize for movement each hub


85


,


86


on each track


104


,


105


, respectively. That is, a groove


124


is formed between the rail


120


and the rib rail


123


which is configured to receive one of each track


104


,


105


therein. The rib rail


123


is also configured to be positioned above and against the recessed edge portion


110


of each track


104


,


105


. The rib rail


123


is configured to slide along the limits of the recessed edge portion


110


, while one of the tracks


104


,


105


, is slidably positioned in the groove


124


between the rail


120


and the rib rail


123


.




Each arm


100


,


101


is pivotably coupled to the back plate


14


, and each arm


100


,


101


pivotably moves about an axis


125


,


126


, respectively (FIG.


2


). Each arm


100


,


101


includes an aperture


127


therein, and each arm


100


,


101


is positioned against a back side


128


of the back plate


14


and is pivotably coupled to the back plate


14


via a pivot pin or tab


129


which is positioned in the aperture


127


(FIGS.


6


and


7


). At a second end


130


of each arm


100


,


101


, a tab


131


is provided on an upper surface


132


thereof, which permits each arm


100


,


101


to be releasably interlocked to a selected aperture in the back plate


14


, thereby securing each arm


100


,


101


and therefore each hub


85


,


86


, respectively, in one of, but not by way of limitation, three positions selected by a maintenance technician. Each arm


100


,


101


and the tab


131


thereon are formed from a flexible, resilient material, and cooperate to act as a living hinge, to permit each hub


85


,


86


to be positioned in a selected position in each track


104


,


105


, respectvely.




The pivotal movement of arms


100


,


101


moves the hubs


85


,


86


within the confines of the openings


106


,


107


and the tracks


104


,


105


, respectively. In the present embodiment, each non-linear, arcuate track


104


,


105


provides a minor arc, and each hub


85


,


86


is movable along the minor arc of each track


104


,


105


desirably within a range of 0 to less than about 175 degrees, and more desirably in a range of 0 to less than about 160 degrees, and yet more desirably in a range of 0 to less than about 150 degrees.




Each arm


100


,


101


may be locked into a selected one of the three selectable positions via positioning the tab


131


of each arm


100


,


101


in one of three apertures


138


,


140


,


142


which are positioned adjacent each opening


107


,


108


. Each of the three apertures


138


,


140


,


142


are positioned and labeled so that a maintenance technician may easily select a position for a roll, based on the size of the roll, and the size of any adjacent roll. Aperture


138


is desirably marked “


9


” to indicate the position for the mid-sized roll


98


, aperture


140


is desirably marked either “


12


L” or “


12


R” to indicate the position for the jumbo roll


94


, and aperture


142


is desirably marked “Stub L” or Stub R” to indicate the position for the stub roll


96


. The number and location of selectable positions may vary as desired.




For example, as illustrated in

FIG. 3

, the tab


131


of each arm


100


,


101


is positioned in aperture


138


, which positions the hubs


85


,


86


within the perimeter


106


of the openings


107


,


108


, respectively, in an intermediate position with respect to the tracks


104


,


105


. Each hub


85


,


86


is manually moveable when unlocked, and is easily re-positioned and locked into the newly selected position receive and dispense a mid-sized roll


98


,


98


′, respectively.




In another example, as illustrated in

FIG. 4

, the tab


131


of arm


100


is unlocked and hub


85


is manually re-positioned to one end


144


of the perimeter


106


of the opening


107


so that the tab


131


is moved over and positioned in aperture


140


(“


12


L”), which positions and locks hub


85


into a position to receive and dispense a jumbo roll


94


. Adjacent hub


86


is similarly unlocked and the hub


85


is manually re-positioned to an end


146


of the perimeter


106


of the opening


108


, so that the tab


131


of arm


101


is moved over and positioned in aperture


142


(“Stub R”), which positions and locks hub


86


into a position to receive and dispense a stub roll


96


, thereby cooperating with the hub


85


to permit both the jumbo roll


94


and the stub roll


96


to be positioned in the housing


12


for dispensing to a user.




In yet another example, as illustrated in

FIG. 5

, the tab


131


of arm


100


is unlocked and hub


85


is manually re-positioned to an end


148


of the perimeter


106


of the oening


107


so that the tab


131


is moved over and positioned in aperture


142


(“Stub L”), which positions and locks hub


85


into a position to receive and dispense a stub roll


96


. Adjacent hub


86


is likewise unlocked and the hub


85


is manually re-positioned to an end


150


of the perimeter


106


of the opening


108


, so that the tab


131


of arm


101


is moved over and positioned in aperture


140


(“


12


R”), which positions and locks hub


86


into a position to receive and dispense a jumbo roll


94


, thereby cooperating with hub


85


to permit both the stub roll


96


and the jumbo roll


94


to be positioned in the housing


12


of the dispenser for dispensing. Other roll size combinations may be used, the foregoing examples are meant to be illustrative of three combinations which are desirable.




In a method of use, generally shown in

FIGS. 1-5

, the cover


16


is moved away from the back plate


14


, as illustrated in

FIGS. 2

, thereby positioning the housing


12


in an opened loading position. Each hub


85


,


86


may be released from its locked position relative to the back plate


14


by a maintenance technician, who manually pushes the tab


131


of each hub


85


,


86


, out of the aperture, namely,


138


,


140


, or


142


in which it was previously inserted by using, for example, the pointed end of a small screw driver, or other device (not shown). By unlocking each tab


131


on each arm


100


,


101


, each hub


85


,


86


, respectively, is unlocked from its previously-selected position and is movably along the length of the track


104


,


105


, respectively. This allows each hub


85


,


86


, to be pivotably moved by the maintenance technician to a newly selected position, and locked via the tab


131


as described previously into another selected position. Each hub


85


,


86


, may be moved to a preselected position as described above, to desirably, but not by way of limitation, hold a combination of either a jumbo roll


94


and a stub roll


96


, or two mid-sized rolls


98


,


98


′.




The selected rolls are mounted on the hubs


85


,


86


, and the housing


12


is closed as described previously herein. The sheet material


22


from each roll


20


is ready to be dispensed to a user through the exit port


24


.




It will be appreciated that the present movable hubs


85


,


86


are moved within the confines of the internal compartment


18


of the housing


12


to allow different sizes of rolls to be contained therein, in various combinations. The hubs


85


,


86


do not move to position a roll closer to the exit port


24


; rolls of all sizes shown and described herein are already positioned adjacent the exit port


24


for a user to access one or both rolls, as desired. Further, it will be understood that each hub


85


,


86


is configured to be positioned within the internal compartment


18


of the housing


12


to rotatably support one of a jumbo roll


94


, a mid-sized roll


96


, and a stub roll


98


without an outer perimeter


92


of the roll


20


substantially contacting an inner surface


152


(

FIGS. 2-5

) of the housing


12


or another, adjacent roll


20


.




While the present invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the subject matter encompassed by way of the present invention is not to be limited to those specific embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended for the subject matter of the invention to include all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A dispenser for storing and dispensing rolled sheet material, comprising:a housing configured to hold at least one roll of sheet material therein and formed to include an exit port, the housing having a backside and an opening in the backside defined by a perimeter; a hub configured to hold a roll of sheet material thereon, the hub positioned to extend at least partially through the opening in the housing and being moveably retained within the perimeter; and an arm supporting the hub on a first end thereof for movement of the hub within the perimeter, the arm positioned against the backside of the housing, a portion of the arm pivotably coupled to a portion of the housing and a second end of the arm pivotably movable against the backside of the housing and configured to be releasably locked into one of a plurality of selected positions.
  • 2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a cover and a back plate, and the back plate includes the backside.
  • 3. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the opening is formed in the backplate, and the perimeter includes a track formed on a portion thereof.
  • 4. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein the track is further defined as having a substantially arcuate configuration.
  • 5. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein the hub is movably positioned against the track and the hub is moveable only within the confines of the track.
  • 6. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein the hub has a pair of spaced-apart rails, and each track is positioned between the rails.
  • 7. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the arm is positioned against the backside of the back plate and coupled to the backside of the back plate via a pivot pin.
  • 8. The dispenser of claim 7, wherein the second end of the arm includes a hinge having a tab thereon which is inserted into one of a plurality of apertures provided in the backplate to releaseably lock the arm to the back plate.
  • 9. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the second end of the arm is unlocked from the back plate when the tab is moved out of the one aperture.
  • 10. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the hub is configured to be positioned relative to an inner surface of the housing to rotatably support one of a jumbo roll, a mid-sized roll, and a stub roll without an outer perimeter of the roll substantially contacting the inner surface of the housing.
  • 11. A dispenser for storing and dispensing rolled sheet material, the dispenser comprising:a housing configured to hold at least two rolls of sheet material therein and formed to include an exit port, the housing having a pair of spaced-apart openings, each opening defining by a perimeter, the housing having a backside; a pair of hubs, each hub configured to hold a roll of sheet material thereon and one of each of the hubs being moveably retained within the perimeter of one of the openings; and a pair of arms, each arm configured to support on a first end thereof one hub for movement of the hub within the perimeter, each arm positioned against the backside of the housing, a portion of each arm being pivotably coupled to a portion of the housing and a second end of each arm pivotably movable against the backside of the housing and configured to be releasably locked into one of a plurality of selected positions.
  • 12. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the housing includes a cover and a back plate, and the back plate includes the backside.
  • 13. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein each opening is formed in the back plate, and the perimeter of each opening includes a track formed on a portion thereof.
  • 14. The dispenser of claim 13, wherein each track is further defined as having a substantially arcuate configuration.
  • 15. The dispenser of claim 14, wherein each track is positioned on the back plate in a mirror image position relative to the other.
  • 16. The dispenser of claim 13, wherein each hub has a pair of spaced-apart rails, and each track is positioned between the rails.
  • 17. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein each arm is positioned against the backside of the back plate and coupled to the backside of the back plate via a pivot pin.
  • 18. The dispenser of claim 17, wherein the second end of each arm includes a hinge having a tab thereon which is inserted into one of a plurality of apertures provided in the back plate to releasably lock each arm to the back plate.
  • 19. The dispenser of claim 18, wherein the second end of each arm is unlocked from the back plate when the tab is moved out of the one aperture.
  • 20. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein each hub is movable to hold one of a jumbo roll, a stub roll, and a mid-sized roll.
  • 21. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the hubs together are selectively positioned to cooperate to hold one of rolls of substantially different diameters and rolls of substantially similar diameters.
  • 22. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the hubs together cooperate to hold a combination of one of a jumbo roll and a stub roll, and two mid-sized rolls.
  • 23. A dispenser for storing and dispensing rolled sheet material, comprising:a housing configured to hold at least one roll of sheet material therein and formed to include an exit port, the housing having a backside and an opening defined by a perimeter; at least one hub configured to hold a roll of sheet material thereon, the hub positioned to extend at least partially through the opening in the housing and being moveably retained within the perimeter; and movement/locking means supporting the hub on one end for pivotable movement while simultaneously on an opposite end releasably locking the hub into one of a plurality of selected positions, the movement/locking means is positioned against the backside of the housing.
  • 24. The dispenser of claim 23, wherein the housing includes a cover and a back plate, and the back plate includes a backside.
  • 25. The dispenser of claim 24, wherein the movement/locking means includes an arm supporting a hub at a first end thereof which is pivotably coupled to the backside of the back plate.
  • 26. The dispenser of claim 25, wherein the arm includes a second end configured to be releaseably locked to the back plate.
  • 27. The dispenser of claim 26, wherein the second end includes a hinge having a tab thereon which is inserted into one of a plurality of apertures provided in the back plate to releasabley lock the arm to the back plate.
  • 28. The dispenser of claim 27, wherein the second end of the arm is unlocked from the back plate when the tab is moved out of the one aperture.
  • 29. The dispenser of claim 23, wherein the hub is configured to hold one of a jumbo roll, a stub roll, and a mid-sized roll.
  • 30. A method of positioning hubs in a dispenser adapted to hold at least two rolls of sheet material, the method comprising:providing the dispenser of claim 2; selecting a position for each hub such that the hubs are positioned to cooperate to hold one of rolls of substantially different diameters and rolls of substantially identical diameters without a substantial portion of an outer perimeter of a roll contacting an inner surface of the housing; unlocking each arm and moving the hub thereon to the selected position; locking each arm into the selected position thereby retaining each hub in the selected position; and disposing a roll of sheet material of a selected diameter on the hub.
  • 31. The method of claim 30, wherein in the step of selecting a position for each hub, the step further includes selecting a position for a combination of one of a jumbo roll and a stub roll, and two mid-sized rolls.
  • 32. The method of claim 30, wherein in the step of unlocking each arm and moving the hub thereon to the selected position, the step further includes moving a tab provided on the arm out of one aperture and pivotably moving the arm such that the tab is in alignment with and positioned in another aperture.
  • 33. A dispenser for storing and dispensing rolled sheet material, comprising:a housing configured to hold at least one roll of sheet material therein and formed to include an exit port, the housing having a backside and an opening in the backside defined by a perimeter; a hub configured to hold a roll of sheet material thereon, the hub positioned to extend at least partially through the opening in the backside and being moveably retained within the perimeter; and an arm supporting the hub on a first end thereof for movement of the hub within the perimeter, a portion of the arm pivotably coupled to a portion of the housing and a second end of the arm pivotably movable and configured to be releasably locked into one of a plurality of selected positions.
  • 34. The dispenser of claim 33, wherein the housing includes a cover and a back plate, and the back plate includes the backside.
  • 35. The dispenser of claim 34, wherein the opening is formed in the backplate, and the perimeter includes a track formed on a portion thereof.
  • 36. The dispenser of claim 35, wherein the track is further defined as having a substantially arcuate configuration.
  • 37. The dispenser of claim 35, wherein the hub is movably positioned against the track and the hub is moveable only within the confines of the track.
  • 38. The dispenser of claim 37, wherein the hub has a pair of spaced-apart rails, and each track is positioned between the rails.
  • 39. The dispenser of claim 34, wherein the arm is positioned against the backside of the back plate and coupled to the backside of the back plate via a pivot pin.
  • 40. The dispenser of claim 39, wherein the second end of the arm includes a hinge having a tab thereon which is inserted into one of a plurality of apertures provided in the backplate to releaseably lock the arm to the back plate.
  • 41. The dispenser of claim 40, wherein the second end of the arm is unlocked from the back plate when the tab is moved out of the one aperture.
  • 42. The dispenser of claim 34, wherein the hub is configured to be positioned relative to an inner surface of the housing to rotatably support one of a jumbo roll, a mid-sized roll, and a stub roll without an outer perimeter of the roll substantially contacting the inner surface of the housing.
  • 43. The dispenser of claim 33, wherein the second end of the arm is configured to be releasably locked into one of a plurality of selected positions outside the perimeter.
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