Material Dispensing Device and Method

Abstract

A dispensing device having a wheel that is made up of a plurality of independent strips of a first material rolled end-to-end and concentrically around a central hub, wherein the end portions of end-to-end adjacent strips are not connected; a housing that houses the wheel; and a dispensing opening through which the strips exit the housing upon being unrolled from the wheel.

1 . A dispensing device comprising:
 a wheel that is made up of a plurality of independent strips of a first material rolled end-to-end and concentrically around a central hub, wherein the end portions of end-to-end adjacent strips are not connected;   a housing that houses the wheel; and   a dispensing opening through which the strips exit the housing upon being unrolled from the wheel.   
   
   
       2 . The dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the end portions of end-to-end adjacent strips are not connected but are substantially touching. 
   
   
       3 . The dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the strips of material that are separated from one another in a direction radial to the central hub and are at least partially separated by a second material. 
   
   
       4 . The dispensing device of  claim 3 , wherein the second material is a film. 
   
   
       5 . The dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the strips of a first material are foam strips having a width ranging from about 4 to about 6 inches. 
   
   
       6 . The dispensing device of  claim 5 , wherein the strips of material that are separated from one another in a direction radial to the central hub and are at least partially separated by a second material that is a plastic film. 
   
   
       7 . The dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of end-to-end strip lengths creates a repeating strip-length pattern. 
   
   
       8 . A method for making a dispensing device, the method comprising the steps:
 creating a sheet roll by rolling a plurality of sheets of a first material end-to-end and concentrically around a hub;   creating a wheel by cutting the sheet roll along a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the sheet-roll longitudinal axis;   enclosing the wheel in a housing that has a dispensing opening through which a strip can exit the housing upon being unrolled from the wheel.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sheets are joined together via butt welding. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the rolled up sheets that are radially adjacent to one another relative to the sheet-roll hub, are at least partially separated by a second material. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second material is a film. 
   
   
       12 . A dispensing device comprising:
 a wheel that is made up of a plurality of independent strips of a first material rolled substantially end-to-end and concentrically around a central hub, wherein the end portions of end-to-end adjacent strips are connected with cement, heat fusion, or both;   a housing that houses the wheel; and   a dispensing opening through which the strips exit the housing upon being unrolled from the wheel.   
   
   
       13 . The dispensing device of  claim 12 , wherein the end portions of end-to-end adjacent strips are not connected but are substantially touching. 
   
   
       14 . The dispensing device of  claim 12 , wherein the strips of material that are separated from one another in a direction radial to the central hub and are at least partially separated by a second material. 
   
   
       15 . The dispensing device of  claim 14 , wherein the second material is a plastic film. 
   
   
       16 . The dispensing device of  claim 12 , wherein the strips of a first material are foam strips having a width ranging from about 4 to about 6 inches. 
   
   
       17 . The dispensing device of  claim 16 , wherein the strips of material that are separated from one another in a direction radial to the central hub and are at least partially separated by a second material that is a plastic film. 
   
   
       18 . The dispensing device of  claim 12 , wherein a plurality of end-to-end strip lengths creates a repeating strip-length pattern. 
   
   
       19 . A dispensing device comprising:
 a wheel that is made up of a plurality of independent foam strips of a first material rolled end-to-end and concentrically around a central hub, the strips having a width ranging from about 4 to about 6 inches, the end portions of end-to-end adjacent strips not connected but substantially touching, the strips of material being separated from one another in a direction radial to the central hub and at least partially separated by a second film material;   a repeating strip-length pattern within the wheel that results from a plurality of end-to-end strip lengths;   a housing that houses the wheel; and   a dispensing opening through which the foam strips exit the housing upon being unrolled from the wheel.