Sheet product dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser is disclosed that includes a housing defining an interior volume for receiving a stack of sheet products, an actuator, a dispensing member, a roller, and a support structure for engaging a front face of the stack including opposed shelves for supporting opposed sides of the front face. The actuator is operable by a user to activate a dispensing member to dispense a desired number of sheet products. The actuator includes two or more user interfaces that a user can actuate to transmit to the dispensing member an amount of movement corresponding to different numbers of sheet products being dispensed depending upon which of the user interfaces is actuated. The roller is located between the opposed shelves and engages and grips on the front face of the stack. The actuator imparts a predetermined amount of rotation to the roller depending upon which of the user interface ledges is actuated, which causes the roller to separate one or more sheet products at the front face of the stack in a one-at-a-time fashion.

1 . A dispenser comprising a housing for a stack of sheet products, a dispensing opening, a dispensing mechanism for dispensing a selected number of sheet products through the dispensing opening, and an actuation mechanism for the dispensing mechanism that is user operable to cause the dispensing mechanism to dispense a first number of sheet products and that is user operable to cause the dispensing mechanism to dispense a second, greater, number of sheet products, wherein the actuation, mechanism includes different user interfaces for actuating the differing numbers of sheet products for dispensing. 
     
     
         2 . A dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is user operable to cause the dispensing mechanism to dispense a third number, greater than the second number, of sheet products. 
     
     
         3 . A dispenser according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a dispensing member that moves to segregate a differing number of sheet products from the stack depending upon operation, of the actuation mechanism to dispense the differing number of sheet products. 
     
     
         4 . A dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a dispensing member that turns relative to the stack and an amount of turning differs depending upon operation of the actuating mechanism to dispense the differing number of sheet products. 
     
     
         5 . A dispenser according to  claim 3  or  4 , wherein the dispensing member is a roller and an amount of rotation, or number of revolutions differs depending upon operation of the actuating mechanism to dispense the differing number of sheet products. 
     
     
         6 . A dispenser according to  claim 3 ,  4  or  5 , wherein the dispensing member is arranged to engage a front face of the stack adjacent the dispensing opening to move the sheet product into the dispensing opening, preferably to slide a sheet of a sheet product adjacent the dispensing opening against an underlying sheet in the stack to move the sheet product relative to the remainder of the stack. 
     
     
         7 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 4  to  6 , wherein the dispensing member is arranged to engage a sheet of a succeeding sheet product after dispensing a preceding sheet product so as to be able to move the succeeding sheet product into the dispensing opening, preferably by sliding against an underlying sheet in the stack. 
     
     
         8 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 4  to  7 , wherein the dispensing member is able to engage a sheet of a succeeding sheet product in the stack once a sheet product adjacent the dispensing opening has been moved clear of the dispensing member, so that both the adjacent sheet product and the succeeding sheet product are dispensable. 
     
     
         9 . A dispenser according any one of  claims 4  to  8 , wherein the dispensing member moves a first amount to dispense the first number of sheet products and moves a second, greater, amount to dispense the second number of sheet products. 
     
     
         10 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 4  to  9 , wherein a. certain amount of movement. of the dispensing member is configured to dispense one sheet product and an integer multiple of the certain amount dispenses that integer multiple of sheet products. 
     
     
         11 . A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the actuation mechanism and the dispensing mechanism cooperate to dispense the number of sheet products depending upon the user interface operated. 
     
     
         12 . A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a conversion mechanism for converting between types of motion so that the motion of a user interface part of the actuation mechanism in one direction is changed to motion in another direction or in another sense in the dispensing mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . A dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the conversion mechanism is for converting linear motion of an actuating part to rotating motion of a dispensing member of the dispensing mechanism that is configured for engaging and, moving one or more sheet products into the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         14 . A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a gear mechanism providing transmission between a user interface part or parts of the actuation mechanism and a dispensing member of the dispending mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . A dispenser according to  claim 15 , wherein a gear mechanism is configured so that an actuation stroke of differing user interface parts causes a driving member of the dispensing mechanism to dispense the differing number of sheet products. 
     
     
         16 . A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein there is a relationship between the amount of movement of a dispensing member of the dispensing mechanism and an actuation stroke of a moving part of the actuation mechanism that varies depending upon sheet product properties, the dispenser comprising an adjustment means for the dispensing mechanism or the actuation mechanism to compensate for any variation in the relationship to ensure the desired number of sheet products are dispensed. 
     
     
         17 . A dispenser according to  claim 17 , wherein the adjustment means changes the length of the actuation stroke. 
     
     
         18 . A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the actuation mechanism has a defined stroke length between a stop between a stationary part and a moveable part of the actuation mechanism and a finger stop. 
     
     
         19 . A dispenser according to  claim 18 , wherein the stroke length differs depending upon which of the plurality of user actuation interfaces is pressed as a result of a differing length of path to the finger stop. 
     
     
         20 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 1  to  19 , wherein a stroke length of the actuation mechanism differs depending upon which of the plurality of user actuation interfaces are operated by a user or wherein transmission of an actuation stroke differs depending upon which of the plurality of user actuation interfaces are operated by a user, so that the differing number of sheet products are dispensed. 
     
     
         21 . A method of supplying a stack of sheet products for loading in the housing of the dispenser of any preceding claim.