PACKAGING MATERIAL DISPENSER

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to material dispensing assemblies and more specifically relates to a material dispenser for dispensing and separating a portion of packaging material from a roll of packaging material and methods for making and using the same.

BACKGROUND

Packaging materials are often used at packaging and shipping facilities to protect items being transported. The packaging material may be wrapped around an item prior to inserting the item in a shipping package or it can be used to block, brace, or cushion an item within a box to provide further protection to the item during shipping. Packaging materials of this sort, including, for example, plastic bubble wrap, foam sheets and paper, are typically stored on rolls at the packaging and shipping facilities. The rolls of packaging material are generally formed about a hollow cylindrical structure such as a cardboard or plastic tube that is approximately the same width as the packaging material that is rolled thereon. To provide for easy dispensing and unrolling of the roll of packaging material, a rod or roller or other similar structure is typically inserted through the hollow center of the hollow cylindrical structure to allow the roll of packaging material to freely rotate thereon. In this arrangement, desired lengths of the packaging material may be pulled from the roll by gripping the free unrolled end of the packaging material and pulling it in a direction tangential to the roll outer surface of the roll, causing the portion of the roll to become unrolled as the roll rotates about the rod. The desired length may then be cut or torn from the remainder of the roll to provide an operator with a working piece of packaging material of an appropriate size for its intended use. In some applications, the rolls of packaging material may include lateral perforations or areas of weakness across the width of the roll at predetermined locations to facilitate tearing of portions of packaging material from the roll.

Typically, in such settings, operators may manually tear the portion of packaging material from the remainder of the roll by applying a sufficient shear or tensile force to cause a tear to propagate across the width of the packaging material. In some approaches, the length of packaging material that is rolled on the roll may have lines of scoring or other areas of weakness located at predetermined locations along the length of the material that may aid in the tearing of the packaging material by the operator. Alternatively, an operator may have in hand a cutting tool, such as a knife or a pair of scissors that the operator may use to cut the portion of packaging material from the remainder of the roll by cutting across the width of the packaging material at the desired location.

The existing methods for removing a portion of packaging material from the roll generally have many drawbacks. First, tearing the portion from the remainder of the roll may be difficult for an operator and typically results in a sloppy, choppy appearance of the portion at the location of tearing. Providing areas of weakness at predetermined lengths along the roll may make tearing of the portion slightly easier for an operator, and may provide a cleaner tear; however, this approach does not provide any flexibility in varying the length of the piece of packaging material removed from the roll without tearing at a location other than the predetermined area of weakness, and it may still be difficult for the operator to initiate the tear across the line of perforation. Finally, the use of a cutting tool, such as a knife or a pair of scissors, requires an operator to be holding the cutting tool, thereby requiring the operator to be continuously setting down and picking up the cutting tool to freely use both hands in applying the packaging material once it has been cut away. Additionally, as with the tearing approach, it is difficult to attain a clean, straight line across the width of the packaging material by manually cutting the packaging material with a cutting tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the packaging material dispenser described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 comprises a front elevation view of a packaging material dispenser with a slider-cutter as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 comprises a partial cross-sectional side elevation view of the slider-cutter of FIG. 1 illustrating the slider-cutter within an elongate channel as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 comprises a partial cross-sectional front elevation view of the slider-cutter of FIG. 1 illustrating the slider-cutter within an elongate channel as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4 comprises a flow-diagram illustrating a method of using the packaging material dispenser of FIG. 1 to separate a portion of packaging material from a roll of the packaging material as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 comprises a front elevation view of a packaging material dispenser with a tear initiator as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 6 comprises a front elevation view of a tear tag as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 7 comprises a side elevation view of a tear tag as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 8 comprises a side elevation view of a tear tag disposed on a brake arm as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 9 comprises a front elevation view of a tear tag disposed on a brake arm as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 10 comprises a flow-diagram illustrating a method of using the packaging material dispenser of FIG. 5 to remove a portion of packaging material from a roll of the packaging material as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 11 comprises a front elevation view of a dual roll packaging material dispenser with an adjustable mast assembly as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 12A comprises a photographic perspective view of a brake arm spacer on a dual roll packaging material dispenser when one of the rolls is removed as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 12B comprises a photographic perspective view of a support arm spacer on a dual roll packaging material dispenser when one of the rolls is removed as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 13A comprises a photographic perspective view of a measuring rod adjustably attached to a brake arm as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 13B comprises a photographic perspective view of a spring attached at one end to a mast and at another end attached to a brake arm as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 14 comprises a photographic perspective view of a wall mounted packaging material dispenser as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 15 comprises a photographic perspective view of a wall mounted packaging material dispenser illustrating a brake arm with a slider-cutter mechanism as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 16-21 comprise photographic perspective views of packaging material dispensers as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, a packaging material dispenser is configured to allow an operator to draw a desired length of packaging material from a roll, and to cleanly separate the piece of packaging material across its entire width for easy removal of an appropriately sized piece of packaging material. The packaging material dispenser includes a brake arm with a horizontal portion that rests across the width of the peripheral surface of the roll of packaging material and includes a cutting tool that is arranged on the brake horizontal portion to aid in cutting across the width of the packaging material for removing a portion thereof. By one approach, the cutting tool is in the form of a slider-cutter which rides along a channel formed along the horizontal portion of the brake arm to enable the slider-cutter to ride back and forth within the channel to cut the packaging material across its width. In another approach, the cutting tool is in the form of a general, stationary tear initiator that is configured to initiate a tear at one lateral edge of the packaging material to facilitate tearing across the rest of the width of the packaging material. The brake arm may be rotatably connected to an upper portion of a mast of the packaging material dispenser that is capable of holding at least one roll of packaging material on a support arm and allowing rotation of the roll thereabout.

Various methods of producing the packaging material dispenser according to various embodiments may include bending a hollow or solid rod, tube, or other similar structure to form a brake arm with a vertical portion and a horizontal portion that are generally perpendicular and meet at a corner juncture. In one approach, a channel may be formed along the horizontal portion of the brake arm by grinding or cutting a slot along the length of the brake horizontal portion leaving a generally hollow center. A cutting tool may be included with a portion thereof configured within the channel to allow the cutting tool to ride along the horizontal portion of the brake arm and more specifically within the channel of the brake arm. A blade is attached to a front edge of the cutting tool. In another approach, no slot is formed in the brake horizontal portion, and a tear initiator is connected to the brake horizontal portion adjacent to a lateral edge of a roll of packaging material when the roll is installed on the dispenser. In another approach, a cutting device or blade extends along the entire brake horizontal portion. In yet another approach, the brake horizontal portion does not include a cutting device and is used as a guide to tear across a perforated portion of a roll of packaging material.

Moreover, methods of using a packaging material dispenser according to various embodiments may generally include drawing a portion of packaging material under the horizontal portion of the brake arm from the roll of packaging material and folding portion up over the horizontal portion of the brake arm to prevent further rotation of the roll. In one approach, an operator may next slide the cutting device along the horizontal portion of the brake arm and within the channel to initiate a cut at one edge of the packaging material, the cut is continued across the width of the roll of packaging material until the selected portion becomes completely detached from the remainder of the roll. By another approach the operator may forcibly engage a lateral edge of the packaging material at the desired longitudinal location of tearing against a tear initiator to initiate tearing thereof and the operator may then manually tear the packaging material across the entire width thereof along the horizontal portion of the brake arm to remove a piece of packaging material. In this approach, the brake arm acts as a guide for the tear and provides resistance against the rotation of the roll during tearing so that the motion of tearing will allow the material to separate rather than rotating the roll. In this approach the tear may be made along an area of weakness or perforation extending across the width of the packaging material.

So configured, the packaging material dispenser allows an operator to draw a desired length of packaging material from a roll thereof, and cleanly separate the desired portion of packaging material from the roll. The brake arm configuration may also restrict the roll from rotating during cutting to facilitate easier cutting and to ensure that additional packaging material is not removed from the roll during cutting thereof after the desired length has been selected. Finally, the dispenser according to one approach provides a convenient and mobile apparatus for storing, transporting, and dispensing the packaging material and also provides a good location for attachment of the brake arm.

These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thorough review and study of the following detailed description. Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, an exemplary packaging material dispenser 2 includes a mast assembly 4 supported by a base 6 on an upwardly extending portion 8 thereof. The base 6 may include wheels or casters 7 for facilitating the mobility of the dispenser 2. In one approach, at least one support arm 10 is connected to the mast assembly 4, and a portion thereof extends substantially horizontally therefrom. A roll 12 of packaging material is supported by the support arm 10, and more specifically, the support arm 10 extends through a hollow cylindrical center of the roll 12 to support the roll 12 and allow rotation of the roll 12 about the support arm 10.

In this example, the dispenser 2 may additionally include a brake arm 14 with a brake vertical portion 16 and a brake horizontal portion 18 connected to one another at a brake corner juncture 20. The brake arm 14 may be pivotally connected to an upper portion of the mast assembly 4 at an upper end of the brake vertical portion 16 by connector 22. In one approach, the brake horizontal portion 18 extends horizontally away from the mast assembly 4 and generally parallel to the support arm 10 and engages a peripheral surface 24 of the roll 12 across the entire width thereof when the roll 12 is positioned upon the support arm 10 as described above. In one approach, a tension spring (FIG. 13B) may extend between the brake arm 14 and the mast assembly 4 to apply a force to the brake arm 14 to urge the brake horizontal portion 18 into engagement with the peripheral surface 24 of the roll 12. In another approach, the weight of the brake arm 14 may sufficiently apply a gravitational force to continually urge the brake horizontal portion 18 into engagement with the peripheral surface 24. The length of the brake vertical portion 16 may be selected so that a fulcrum point of the brake assembly facilitates tearing of the material and braking of the roll. Specifically, and without intending to be limited by theory, when the material is forced upward against the brake arm, the primary component of force will act through the brake vertical portion in compression toward the connector rather than creating a moment about the fulcrum causing the brake arm to rotate. Thus, the brake arm will remain stable during tearing rather than rotating about the fulcrum.

In this example, a recess in the form of elongate channel 26 may extend substantially linearly along the brake horizontal portion 18. According to this approach, the brake horizontal portion 18 may be formed from a hollow cylindrical tube as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The channel 26 may be formed by a slot 40 formed along the peripheral surface of a tubular brake horizontal portion 18 to provide peripheral access to the hollow center 42 thereof (FIGS. 2 and 3). In this example, the circumferential width of the slot 40 may be less than the diameter of the hollow center 42 of the brake horizontal portion 18. The channel 26 formed from the hollow center 42 and slot 40 may extend along the entire length of the brake horizontal portion 18 that engages the width of the roll 12. The channel 26 may be sized and configured to provide a suitable track for a slider-cutter 28, as described in more detail below, to run along the channel 26 with a portion of the slider-cutter 28 located within and being retained within the channel 26. A portion of the slider-cutter 28 extends through the slot 40 and beyond the channel 26.

According to this approach, the slider-cutter 28 may include a handle 44 connected to a slider 46 by a connecting member 48 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The handle 44 may include any type of handle capable of being gripped and moved by an operator. In this example, the slider 46 is in the form of a cylindrical member with a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the hollow center 42 of the brake horizontal portion 18, such that the slider 46 is capable of sliding longitudinally within the hollow center 42. The connecting member in this approach extends from the slider 46 to the handle 44, with a portion thereof extending through the slot 40 formed along the peripheral surface of the brake horizontal portion 18. The circumferential width of the slot 40 is smaller than the diameter of the slider 46 to prevent accidental removal through the slot 40. The connecting member 48 and the slot 40 can be sized so that a slight tolerance exists between the connecting member 48 and the edges of the slot 40 so that the connecting member 48 can slide longitudinally along the slot 40 while the slot edges engage the connecting member 48, preventing free rotation thereof. So configured, the slider-member 28 is capable of sliding along the channel 26 while maintaining a desired orientation. In this approach, a blade 50 is attached to the slider-cutter and extends through the slot 40, with a portion extending to within the hollow center 42. By another approach, the slide-cutter 28 may be supported within the slot 40 by the connecting member 48 without the cylindrical member.

Referring to FIG. 4, by one approach, a method of using the packaging material dispenser 2 having a slider-cutter 28 includes an operator drawing out and cutting a desired amount of packaging material from the roll. Initially, by step 60, the brake arm is pivoted away from the support arm to provide adequate clearance for the roll. The roll of packaging material is next placed on the support arm 62, with the support arm extending through the hollow center of the roll. The brake arm is then allowed to engage the peripheral surface of the roll 64. After the roll is arranged on the packaging material dispenser, an operator may draw a desired length of packaging material from the roll under the brake horizontal portion according to step 66. Optionally, during step 66, if a measuring rod is included, the operator can measure the length of packaging material to more accurately determine that a desired or predetermined amount of packaging material has been drawn from the roll.

At step 68, the operator flips or folds the drawn piece of packaging material back over the side of the brake horizontal portion opposite the side that is engaged with the peripheral surface of the roll. According to this approach, at step 70, the operator next grasps the handle of the slider-cutter and apply pressure thereto toward the roll of packaging material, and initiate sliding the slider-cutter along the brake horizontal portion, from one side of the packaging material to the opposite side of the packaging material. Advantageously, by folding the packaging material back over the brake arm and applying downward pressure thereto, the brake horizontal portion more firmly engages the outer periphery of the roll to increase a frictional force acting there between to restrict further rotation of the roll and the drawing out of additional packaging material. This aids in cutting only a desired amount of packaging material from the roll and also maintains tension in the folded over portion of the packaging material to facilitate easy cutting of the packaging material portion overlying the slot using the slider-cutter. During this step, the slider-cutter slides in a direction so that the blade engages the portion of the packaging material folded over the slot of the brake horizontal portion and thereby forms a cut across the width of the packaging material. At step 72, the operator removes the cut piece of packaging material from the roll and the packaging material dispenser.

According to this approach, after the above process is completed and if additional packaging material remains on the roll, an operator can repeat the process beginning with step 66. If an operator wishes to repeat these steps, the operator may slide the slider-cutter back to its original position to facilitate cutting of the next piece. When a sufficient amount of packaging material has been removed from the roll such that there is not enough material to draw a desired amount from the roll, however, the process should be repeated beginning at step 60 with first placing a replacement roll of packaging material on the support arm. Additionally, if a packaging material dispenser having dual roll dispensing capabilities, as described below, is utilized, the method illustrated in FIG. 4 and described above may be applied to both rolls simultaneously and independently by two operators to form two pieces of packaging material.

Each time the operator unrolls a portion of the roll 12 of packaging material, the diameter of the roll decreases due to the removal of a certain amount of the packaging material. In one approach, the spring, however, continues to urge the brake arm, and specifically the horizontal portion 18 thereof, toward the peripheral surface 24 of the roll 12 of packaging material to maintain its engagement therewith (FIG. 13B). In another approach, gravity may urge the brake arm into engagement with the peripheral surface 24 of the roll 12. At some point, after a certain amount of packaging material is removed from the roll 12, an insufficient amount of packaging material will remain on the roll 12 to remove additional pieces of packaging material, and the roll must be replaced with a new roll.

In another example, depicted generally in FIG. 5, a packaging film dispenser 102 may have the same general structure as the packaging material dispenser 2 of FIG. 1 but with a different brake arm configuration including a stationary tear initiator 128 instead of the channel and slider-cutter configuration of FIG. 1. In this example, a tear initiator 128 is connected to a brake arm 114 and more particularly to a brake horizontal portion 118 thereof. By one approach, the tear initiator 128 is positioned along the brake horizontal portion 118 near one of the edges of the roll 12 of packaging material. In FIG. 5, the tear initiator 128 is illustrated near the corner juncture of the brake arm 114, however, the tear initiator 128 may be located at other positions along the brake horizontal portion 118. The tear initiator 128 may be attached to or integral with the brake arm 114.

According to one approach, the tear initiator 128 takes the form of a tear tag 140 as illustrated in FIG. 5. The tear tag 140 according to this approach has a generally saw-like structure, with a plurality of teeth-like blades 142 extending from a base member 144. As mentioned above, the tear initiator 128 is disposed on brake horizontal portion 118. The tear initiator 128 may be formed integrally with the brake arm 118 or attached by welding or otherwise fastening the tear initiator 128 to the brake horizontal portion 118. In one approach, the base member 144 of the tear tag has an arcuate portion 146 with an inner surface 148 that generally tracks the curvature of the brake horizontal portion 118 so that the inner surface 148 may be positioned flush against the brake horizontal member 118 as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. With the tear tag 140 in position, the arcuate portion 146 is securely attached to the brake horizontal portion 118. The tear tag 140 may be positioned along the brake horizontal portion 118 and near the edge of the roll 12 when the roll 12 is positioned on the support arm 10 as described above to enable an operator to initiate a tear of the packaging material at an outer edge thereof and tear across the width of the packaging material. The break horizontal portion 118 acts as a guide to tear across the remainder of the width of packaging material.

If a tear tag 140 is used, it may be oriented with its blades pointing generally downward to allow an operator to fold flip a lateral edge of a length of the packaging material back over the brake arm to engage the tear initiator to allow the tear initiator to pierce the lateral edge of the packaging material to initiate tearing thereof. The tear tag 140 advantageously pierces the packaging material when sufficient pressure is applied therebetween, and additionally, due to its multi-toothed structure, creates a sawing action with the packaging material to further initiate a tear.

Referring to FIG. 10, by one approach, a method of using the packaging material dispenser having a tear initiator includes an operator drawing out, initiating a tear in the packaging material, and tearing a desired amount of packaging material from the roll. At step 160, the brake arm is pivoted away from the support arm to provide adequate clearance for the roll. The operator may utilize a support mechanism attached to either the brake arm or the mast assembly to maintain the brake arm pivoted away from the support arm to facilitate loading of the roll of packaging material. The roll of packaging material is next placed on the support arm 162, with the support arm extending through the hollow center of the roll. The roll may include packaging material with lateral perforations at predetermined intervals for facilitating tearing across the width of the packaging material, or it may be a continuous roll of packaging material. The brake arm is then allowed to engage the peripheral surface of the roll 164. After the roll is arranged on the packaging material dispenser, an operator may draw a desired length of packaging material from the roll under the brake horizontal portion according to step 166. Optionally, during step 166, if a measuring rod is included, the operator can measure the length of packaging material to more accurately determine that a desired or predetermined amount of packaging material has been drawn from the roll. If the roll includes lateral perforations at predetermined intervals, the operator may choose the desired length of packaging material to be the length between the free end of the roll and the next lateral perforation.

At step 168, the operator flips or folds at least a portion of the drawn piece of packaging material back over the brake horizontal portion to engage the tear initiator. In one approach, one lateral edge of the packaging material engages the tear initiator at a longitudinal location along the roll of packaging material associated with the desired location of tearing. According to this approach, at step 170, the operator applies sufficient pressure to the packaging material to force it against the tear initiator and pierce the packaging material. If a tear tag is utilized, additional pressure and lateral movement of the portion of packaging material causes the tear tag to initiate a sawing action of the packaging material to increase the size of the initial tear. In one aspect, if the roll includes lateral perforations, the tear initiator may be aligned with a lateral perforation such that a tear is initiated along the lateral perforation to facilitate further tearing along the lateral perforation. Regardless of whether the roll includes lateral perforations, after initiating a tear with the tear initiator, at step 170, the operator continues to tear the packaging material from the point of initiation of the tear, across the entire width of the packaging material to completely separate the torn piece. Finally, at step 172, the operator removes the torn piece of packaging material from the roll and the packaging material dispenser.

According to this approach, after the above process is completed, if additional packaging material remains on the roll, an operator can repeat the process beginning with step 166. When a sufficient amount of packaging material has been removed from the roll such that there is not enough material to draw a desired amount from the roll, however, the process should be repeated beginning at step 160 with placing a replacement roll of packaging material on the support arm. Additionally, it should be understood that if a packaging material dispenser having dual roll dispensing capabilities, as described below, is utilized, the method illustrated in FIG. 10 and described above may be applied to both rolls simultaneously and independently by two operators to form two pieces of packaging material.

Each time the operator unrolls a portion of the roll of packaging material, the diameter of the roll decreases due to the removal of a certain amount of the packaging material. In one approach, the spring, however, continues to urge the brake arm, and specifically the horizontal portion thereof, toward the peripheral surface of the roll of packaging material to maintain its engagement therewith. In another approach, gravity may urge the brake arm into engagement with the peripheral surface of the roll. At some point, after a certain amount of packaging material is removed from the roll, an insufficient amount of packaging material will remain on the roll to remove additional pieces of packaging material, and the roll must be replaced with a new roll. Subsequently, the entire process may be repeated.

According to another approach illustrated in FIG. 11, a dual packaging material dispenser 202 is formed similarly to the approaches depicted generally in both FIGS. 1 and 5. While FIG. 11 illustrates the dual packaging material dispenser 202 having a tear initiator as the cutting tool, the dual packaging material dispenser 202 may include the slider-cutter arrangement of FIGS. 1-3 in addition to or in lieu at the tear initiator. According to this approach, the dual packaging material dispenser 202 includes a telescopic mast assembly 204 including an upper mast portion 237 extending into a lower mast portion 236 that is adjustably supported by an adjustment mechanism 238. The lower mast portion 236 is supported by a base 206, and more particularly by an upwardly extending portion 208 thereof. So configured, the upper mast portion 237 is capable of translating telescopically up and down within the lower mast portion 236 to adjust the overall height of the unit, and more specifically the height of rolls 212 and 213 on the unit.

In this example, a pair of support arms 210 and 211 is positioned on opposing sides of the telescopic mast assembly 204 and each has support horizontal portions 230 and 231 extending in opposite directions therefrom. In this configuration, a pair of rolls 212 and 213 of packaging material may be supported by the support arms 210 and 211 and more specifically by the support horizontal portions 230 and 231 thereof. A pair of brake arms 214 and 215 are each pivotally attached to an upper end of the upper mast portion 237, and each include a horizontal brake portion 218 and 219, as described above that engages the rolls 212 and 213. The brake arms 214 and 215 may include cutting tools 228 in the form of either the slider-cutter mechanisms and/or the tear initiator mechanisms described above are configured on brake horizontal portions 218 and 219 of the brake arms 214 and 215 as described above.

The dual packaging material dispenser 202 may be used by either of the methods generally described above and illustrated in the flow-diagrams of FIGS. 4 and 10 depending respectively on whether the dual packaging material dispenser 202 utilizes a slider-cutter 28 or a tear initiator 128. If two rolls 212 and 213 are being used simultaneously, these methods may be performed independently and simultaneously on each roll 212 and 213 of the dual packaging material dispenser 202.

According to one approach, an operator may also select to use only one roll of the dual packaging material dispenser 202, for example the roll 212 on the left in FIG. 11, in which case the opposite roll 213 and its corresponding brake arm 215 and support arm 211 may be removed from the unit. Thus, an operator may more easily fit the dispenser 202 into a smaller area when only a single roll of packaging material is required. An optional spacer may be provided, as illustrated in FIG. 12, so that the dual packaging material dispenser 202 may be reassembled without the brake arm 215 and support arm 211 in place using the same hardware.

According to another example, illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, a wall mounted packaging material dispenser 302 is connected to a wall 301 rather than being supported by a mast assembly as described above. In this example, a wall mount assembly 304 is securely fastened to the wall 301. One or more support arms 310 are pivotally connected to a connector 322 of the wall mount assembly 304. In this example, a roll 312 may be supported by a support horizontal portion 330 of the support arm 310. When a roll is positioned on support arm 310, a portion of the peripheral surface thereof may contact the wall 301, urging the support arm 310 to pivot away from the wall 301. A brake 314 arm may be pivotally connected to the connector 322 of the wall mount assembly 304, and with a roll 312 positioned on the support horizontal portion 330, a brake horizontal portion 318 of the brake arm 314 may engage a peripheral portion of the roll 312, generally opposite of the peripheral portion of the roll engaged with the wall 301. The brake arm 314 may be in the forms described above either including a slider-cutter mechanism 28 or a tear initiator structure 128 as described above.

The dual packaging material dispenser 202 and the wall mounted packaging material dispenser 302 may be used by any of the methods generally described herein and illustrated in the flow-diagrams of FIGS. 4 and 10 depending respectively on whether the dual packaging material dispenser 202 utilizes a slider-cutter 28 or a tear initiator 128.

In one approach, an adjustable measuring device 250 may be connected to the brake arm of any of the examples herein to provide a reference length for the length of packaging material that an operator desires to draw and remove from the roll of packaging material in the examples described above. While, by example only, a measuring rod 252, illustrated in FIG. 13 may be used, any device or structure capable of facilitating an operator's determining that a desired length of packaging material has been drawn from the roll may be used. In the example of FIG. 13, the measuring rod 252 is secured to the vertical portion 16 of the brake arm 14 by adjustable connectors 254 that allow the measuring rod 252 to translate longitudinally along the brake vertical portion 16 to increase or decrease the length of the portion of the measuring rod 252 that extends beyond the brake horizontal portion 18. In this example, if an operator wishes to draw and remove the same length of packaging material from the roll 12 each time, the operator may adjust the measuring rod 252 so that a reference point along the rod 252 is located at that length. Thus, each time the operator draws the packaging material, the operator may determine that the desired length of packaging material has been drawn by aligning the free end of the roll 12 with the reference point on the measuring rod 252 prior to removing the piece of packaging material.

In another example, the measuring rod 252 may be stationary relative to the brake arm 14 and include a plurality of reference points, such as a measuring tape, along its length. In this example, an operator desiring to draw a particular amount of packaging material from the roll 12 may measure the free end of the roll 12 along the measuring tape to the desired reference point to ensure that the desired amount of packaging material has been drawn.

In one approach, a method for forming a packaging material dispenser generally includes forming a mast assembly, supporting the mast assembly on a support base, forming a brake arm and a support arm, and attaching the brake arm and support arm to the mast assembly. By one approach, the brake arm may be formed by bending a hollow piece of tubing to form a corner juncture between a brake horizontal portion and a brake vertical portion. In one approach, a slider cutter mechanism of the brake arm may be formed by forming a substantially linear slot along the brake horizontal portion that protrudes through the tubing and into a generally hollow center to form a channel. The linear slot may be formed by grinding the brake horizontal portion along its length to reach the hollow center and forming a desired width and length of the slot. The slot may also be formed by laser cutting the slot of desired size and shape into the brake horizontal portion or by other methods generally known in the art. In one approach, the linear slot may extend from the corner juncture to the opposite end of the tubing forming the brake horizontal portion to allow insertion of the slider-cutter into the slot.

A slider cutter mechanism may be formed by attaching a handle to a cylindrical member using a connector portion. The diameter of the cylindrical member may be sized to provide sufficient tolerance to allow sliding of the cylindrical member within the hollow center of the tubular brake horizontal portion, while also being too large for removal through the slot. The width of the connector portion may be chosen along with the width of the slot to provide a slight tolerance between the edges of the slot and the edges of the connector portion to allow the connector portion to longitudinally slide along the slot, but to restrict lateral movement of the connector portion, and thus rotation of the slider-cutter. The connector portion should be of sufficient height to extend through the slot to connect to the handle above the slot, and the cylindrical member below the slot. A blade may be provided on a front side of the slider-cutter and extend from above the slot to below the slot and into the hollow tube to provide a cutting surface of the slider-cutter to engage packaging material wrapped over the slot. With the slider cutter assembled, it may be inserted through the end of the brake horizontal portion with the cylindrical member into the hollow tube and the connector member extending through the slot. An end cap may then be placed over the end of the brake horizontal portion to provide an end stop to maintain the slider-cutter within the brake channel formed in the brake horizontal portion.

In another approach, the brake arm is formed as described above, except a slot is not formed in the brake horizontal portion. Instead a tear initiator is formed and attached to the brake arm. In one example, a tear tag is formed as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The tear tag is then fastened to the brake horizontal portion at a position associated with one lateral edge of the roll of packaging material. The tear tag may be fastened using welding or by using fasteners or other known methods.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.

PACKAGING MATERIAL DISPENSER

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