Dispenser for expandable slit sheets

Abstract

A dispenser for a roll of sheet material having an expandable slit. The dispenser includes a side support member, a feed roller, a discharge roller, at least one roller support member, and a drive system configured to couple rotation of the feed roller and the discharge roller such that a speed ratio of the discharge roller to the feed roller is greater than 1.1 to expand a slit in the sheet. The dispenser may be unpowered or powered.

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a dispenser for rolls of sheet material, and in particular to a dispenser for rolls of tension-activated, expandable sheet material. Summary of the invention

[0002] In one aspect, a dispenser for a sheet roll having a sheet having an expandable slit, the dispenser comprising: a side support member, the side support member comprising a first side support member and a second side support member, the first side support member and the second side support member each defining a material support interface, the material support interface being configured to guide the material support member from an insertion position to a loading position; a feed roller rotatably coupled to the side support member and extending in the width direction, the feed roller being positioned to engage the sheet when the material support element engages the sheet roll; and a discharge roller rotatably coupled to the side support member and extending in the width direction, the discharge roller being spaced apart from the feed roller in a stretching direction orthogonal to the width direction, the discharge roller being positioned to engage The invention also provides a method for slidably controlling the rotation of the feed roller and the discharge roller so as to enable the feed roller to move relative to the feed roller and the discharge roller so as to expand the slit in the sheet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit(s) in a reference number refers to the figure numeral that first introduces that element.

[0004] Figure 1 A perspective view of a dispenser according to the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0005] Figure 2 The present disclosure is illustrated Figure 1 Another perspective view of the dispenser.

[0006] Figure 3 Illustrated is a method for use with a roll of sheet material having an expandable slit according to the present disclosure. Figure 1 A cross-sectional front view of a distributor.

[0007] Figure 4 Illustrated is a method for use with a rolled-out sheet material roll according to the present disclosure. Figure 1 Perspective view of a dispenser.

[0008] Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional elevation view of another dispenser having one or more user interfaces according to the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0009] Figure 6 A cross-sectional elevation view of another dispenser having multiple feed rollers according to the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0010] Figure 7 A cross-sectional elevation view of another dispenser having a plurality of roller support members according to the present disclosure is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] As used herein, "paper" refers to a woven or nonwoven sheet-like product or fabric (which can be folded and can have various thicknesses) made from cellulose, particularly cellulose fibers (whether natural or artificially derived) or otherwise capable of being derived from pulp of plant sources such as wood, corn, grass, rice, etc. Paper includes products made from both traditional and non-traditional papermaking processes, as well as materials of the above types having other types of fibers (e.g., reinforcing fibers) embedded in the sheet. Paper can have a coating on the sheet or on the fibers themselves. Examples of non-traditional products that are "paper" in the context of the present disclosure include materials purchased from PAPTIC (PAPTIC, Espoo, Finland) under the trade name TRINGA and materials in sheet form purchased under the trade name SULAPAC. Paper also includes expandable and semi-expandable papers, such as materials purchased from WestRock Company (WestRock Company, Atlanta, GA) under the trade name TEA-KRAFT.

[0012] In this disclosure, "minimum tension per meter" is determined according to the test method described herein. Unless otherwise specified, width refers to the width of the expandable sheet, ie, the dimension orthogonal to the direction of stretching and the direction in which the expandable sheet is rolled.

[0013] The term "expandable sheet" refers to a sheet having expandable slits that can be activated by tension (or can be tension activated). The slits in the sheet can be characterized as "simple slits" or "compound slits," where a "simple slit" is defined as having exactly two ends, and a "compound slit" has more than two ends. In some embodiments, the tension-activated expandable article includes a composite slit having more than two ends, at least two slit segments, and at least one segment intersection.

[0014] The terms "coupled" or "connected" refer to two elements being attached to each other either directly (in direct contact with each other) or indirectly (with one or more elements located between and attaching the two elements). Either term may be replaced with "coupleable" or "connectable" to describe that the elements are configured to be coupled or connected. Additionally, either term may be modified by the interchangeable use of "operably" and "operably" to describe that the coupling or connection is configured to allow the components to interact to perform certain functionality.

[0015] The term "slidably coupled" refers to elements that are coupled in a manner that permits slidable movement relative to each other.

[0016] The term “rotatably coupled” refers to elements being coupled in a manner that allows rotational movement of at least one element relative to another element.

[0017] The term "releasably coupled" refers to elements being coupled in a manner that allows at least one element to be selectively decoupled from another element.

[0018] The present disclosure relates to a dispenser for a roll of sheet material, in particular a dispenser for a roll of sheet material for a tension-activated, expandable sheet material. The tension-activated, expandable sheet material may also be described as a sheet material with an expandable slit. The sheet material with an expandable slit may be described as a slit paper sheet.

[0019] Various existing dispensers are configured to increase the resistance applied to the roll of sheet material when the free end of the sheet material is manually pulled, causing the sheet material to expand as the roll is unwound. However, the resistance provided by existing manual dispensers may be so high that the force required to unwind the sheet material may tear the sheet material as it is dispensed. Furthermore, such manual dispensers may require the user to provide a consistent pulling force on the free end of the sheet material in order to uniformly expand the slit paper sheet material. Therefore, the present disclosure recognizes that it may be desirable to manufacture a dispenser that reduces friction and other resistance to the roll.

[0020] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dispenser for a sheet roll, which is constructed to facilitate consistent tension on the sheet to uniformly expand the slit while mitigating user variations (such as variations in tension or pulling speed). Specifically, the dispenser of the present disclosure is constructed to provide tension on the sheet independently of the user's tension, although the user's tension can be used to drive the expansion force on the sheet. In addition, compared with existing manual dispensers, the dispenser constructed according to the present disclosure can be operated using a significantly lower tension applied by the user to expand the sheet. Other benefits that the dispenser can provide include easy loading of sheet roll materials, capacity for sheet rolls of various widths, compatibility with core rolls or coreless rolls with different inner diameters, fewer moving parts, use of sheets that do not require threading, easy movement on the support surface 318, and the ability to be constructed using power assistance (such as a motor). Additional features and advantages of the dispenser of the present disclosure are further described herein.

[0021] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A perspective view of a dispenser 102 according to the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3 A cross-sectional elevation view of a dispenser 102 and a roll of sheet material 306 of sheet material 304 is shown, wherein the roll of sheet material has a slit 402 that enables expansion (see FIG. Figure 4 408). Figure 4 A perspective view (see enlarged view 410) of the dispenser 102 in use with a roll of sheet material 306 being rolled out into an expanded sheet material 404 is shown. The dispenser 102 includes side support members 108, feed rollers 112, outfeed rollers 114, at least one roller support member 116, and a drive system 122. The dispenser 102 may include a material support member 120 configured to engage the roll of sheet material 306.

[0022] The sheet 304 is shown in various forms, including a wound sheet 314 on a sheet roll 306, an unrolled sheet 406 from the sheet roll 306, and an expanded sheet 404. Generally speaking, the dispenser 102 is configured to spread the sheet 304 in a stretch direction 106, which is defined as a direction from the feed roller 112 to the discharge roller 114. Specifically, the dispenser 102 is configured to unwind the wound sheet 314 from the sheet roll 306 to provide the unrolled sheet 406, and to expand the unrolled sheet 406 between the feed roller 112 and the discharge roller 114 to provide the expanded sheet 404. The wound sheet 314 can be described as a wound, unrolled sheet. The unrolled sheet upstream or before the feed roller 112 can be described as an unrolled, unrolled sheet. The expanded sheet 406 between the feed roller 112 and the discharge roller 114 can be described as a spread sheet, which transitions from a non-spread sheet to a partially spread sheet to a spread sheet or a fully spread sheet when the dispenser 102 is in use. The expanded sheet 404 downstream or before the discharge roller 114 can be described as a spread sheet or a fully spread sheet.

[0023] The side support members 108 are configured to support the roll of sheet material 306 and other components of the dispenser 102 above a surface, such as a table. The side support members 108 may be formed of any suitable material, which may be a rigid material, a semi-rigid material, or any combination of these materials, such as metal. The side support members 108 may be integrally formed from a single piece of material or from one or more materials coupled together.

[0024] The side support members 108 may include a first side support member 110a and a second side support member 110b. Each of the side support members 108 may define a material support interface 124 that is configured to guide the material support member 120 from the insertion position 126 to the loading position 128. Generally, the material support interface 124 may be shaped or formed to guide the material support member 120 to the loading position 128 with the assistance of gravity. In the illustrated embodiment, the material support member 120 is generally cylindrical and may be described as a rod or shaft. When the material support member 120 is in the loading position 128, lateral movement of the sheet roll 306 may be limited by the side support members 108.

[0025] The material support interface 124 of any suitable shape or form may be used to guide the material support member 120 from the insertion position 126 to the loading position 128. In the illustrated embodiment, the material support interface 124 is formed as a slot in each of the side support members 108. Depending on the shape or form of the material support interface 124, the insertion position 126 may include one or more locations along the interface where a user may position the material support member 120 in engagement with the roll of sheet material 306 for guidance to the loading position 128. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the insertion position 126 may extend along the inclined upper edge of each of the side support members 108 to the upper opening of the slot. Once the material support member 120 is positioned anywhere along the inclined upper edge, the material support member 120 will be guided toward the loading position 128 with the assistance of gravity. Likewise, the loading position 128 may include one or more locations along the material support interface 124 where the sheet material 304 may be stably unrolled or otherwise positioned to engage with the feed roller 112. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the loading position 128 may change or drop as the wound sheet 314 is unwound and rolled out.

[0026] The side support members 108 are spaced apart in a width direction orthogonal to the stretch direction 106 to define a dispenser width 104 extending along or parallel to the width direction. The dispenser 102 may include one or more cross members 132, 134, 202, 206 that are coupled to the side support members 108 to facilitate spacing them apart. In the illustrated embodiment, the dispenser 102 includes four cross members, including cross members 132 and 134 near the discharge roller 114, cross member 202 near the material support interface 124 and the feed roller 112, and cross member 206 positioned between the feed roller 112 and the discharge roller 114. The cross member 206 can facilitate guiding the spread out unfolded sheet 406 from the feed roller 112 to the discharge roller 114. Overall, the cross members and the side support members can be described as a frame or support frame of the dispenser 102.

[0027] In some embodiments, one or more of the cross members 132, 134, 202, 206 may also be functionally used as a handle or gripping area to facilitate lifting or otherwise moving the dispenser 102 to another position on the support surface 318. The dispenser 102 may be described as portable or non-stationary. The dispenser 102 may include one or more dispenser wheels 204 to facilitate moving the dispenser 102 using a force less than the combined weight of the dispenser 102 and any loaded sheet rolls 306. In the illustrated embodiment, two dispenser wheels 204 rise from the bottom surface of the dispenser 102 and are configured not to contact the flat support surface 318 when the dispenser is in the nominal position. For example, by manually lifting the cross member 132 and tilting the dispenser 102 toward the dispenser wheel 204, the dispenser 102 can be moved to a moving position to engage the dispenser wheel 204 with the support surface 318. In some embodiments, the dispenser wheel 204 is positioned upstream of any cross member used as a handle. The dispenser wheel 204 may also be positioned closer to the material support interface 124 than the outfeed roller 114. This position of the dispenser wheel 204 may reduce the amount of force required to tilt the dispenser 102 to the moving position compared to other positions, particularly when a heavy roll of sheet material 306 is loaded onto the material support member 120 in the loading position 128. The roll of sheet material 306 may be any suitable weight not exceeding 16 kg, for example, less than or equal to 16 kg, 14 kg, 12 kg, 10 kg, 8 kg, 6 kg, 4 kg, or even 2 kg.

[0028] The material support member 120 can be configured to extend through both material support interfaces 124 of the side support member 108 simultaneously. The width of the material support member 120 can be equal to or greater than the dispenser width 104. In some embodiments, the material support member 120 can extend beyond the dispenser width 104 by a sufficient amount to allow a user to grasp both ends of the material support member 120 while loading the sheet roll 306 into the dispenser 102. The material support member 120 can be releasably coupled to the side support member 108. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the material support member 120 can be removed from the material support interface 124 through the insertion location 126.

[0029] The sheet roll 306 may include an inner surface defined by a hollow core and an outer surface defined by a wound sheet 314. In the illustrated embodiment, the material support member 120 is configured to engage the inner surface of the sheet roll 306. The sheet roll 306 rests on the material support member 120 in the loading position 128. The inner surface of the sheet roll 306 may also be defined by a wound sheet without a core or a coreless wound sheet.

[0030] In some embodiments, such as the illustrated embodiment, the material support member 120 is configured to provide an input loading force on the sheet roll 306 toward the feed roller 112. In some embodiments, the input loading force can be facilitated by the weight of the material support member 120, particularly when the sheet roll 306 has a small amount of remaining sheet 304. For example, the input loading force is applied when the material support member 120 engages the inner surface of the sheet roll 306, causing the material support member 120 to at least partially rest on the sheet roll 306.

[0031] The dispenser 102 may include at least one friction reducing element 130. The friction reducing element 130 may be any suitable structure that is positioned between the various components to facilitate movement between the components. Various examples of suitable friction reducing elements 130 include bushings (e.g., bronze bushings), bearings (e.g., rolling element bearings), low friction belts (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene belts), low friction plastics (e.g., ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) plastics). The friction reducing element 130 may be described as a part of various components of the dispenser 102, such as the feed roller 112, the discharge roller 114, the material support member 120, the material support interface 124, the roller support member 116, or the side support member 108. In some embodiments, at least one friction reducing element 130 is positioned between the side support member 108 and the feed roller 112, the discharge roller 114, or both. In some embodiments, at least one friction reducing element 130 is positioned between the side support member 108 and the material support member 120. In some embodiments, at least one friction reducing element 130 is positioned between side support members 108 and at least one of roller support members 116 .

[0032] The feed roller 112 may be rotatably coupled to the side support member 108 and extend in the width direction. The feed roller 112 is positioned to engage the sheet 304 when the material support member 120 engages the sheet roll 306. In the illustrated embodiment, the feed roller 112 is positioned to engage the outer surface of the sheet roll 306, particularly when the material support member 120 engages the inner surface of the sheet roll 306 and the material support member is inserted into the material support interface 124 of the side support member 108. In other embodiments, the feed roller 112 engages the unrolled sheet 406 and does not engage the sheet roll 306 (see Figure 7 ).

[0033] The outfeed roller 114 may be rotatably coupled to the side support member 108 and extend in the width direction. The outfeed roller 114 is spaced apart from the feed roller 112 in the stretch direction 106. The outfeed roller 114 is positioned to engage the unwound sheet 406 from the sheet roll 306 extending from the feed roller 112.

[0034] One or more roller support members 116 are slidably coupled to the side support members 108 and extend in the width direction. The roller support members 116 may be rotatably coupled to the side support members 108. The roller support members 116 are slidable relative to the side support members 108 in a direction orthogonal to the width direction. In some embodiments, the roller support members 116 may be described as floating rollers.

[0035] Each roller support member 116 is positioned relative to the feed roller 112 or the discharge roller 114 to engage the unfolded sheet 406 when the unfolded sheet 406 engages with the corresponding feed roller 112 or the discharge roller 114. The roller support members 116 are configured to apply a loading force to the unfolded sheet 406 toward the corresponding feed roller 112 or the discharge roller 114. The loading force can be facilitated by the weight of the roller support members 116. In the illustrated embodiment, the roller support members 116 include an discharge roller support member 118, which is configured to apply a loading force toward the discharge roller 114. Each of the roller support members 116 is rotatably coupled to the side support member 108.

[0036] The dispenser 102 may include a roller support interface 136 configured to engage the roller support member 116. Each of the side support members 108 may define a roller support interface 136 configured to allow the roller support member 116 to slide and optionally rotate relative to the side support member 108. Generally, the roller support interface 136 may be shaped or formed to guide the roller support member 116 to the engagement position 138 with the assistance of gravity. The engagement position 138 is defined as the position in which the roller support member 116 engages the sheet 304 when the sheet 304 engages the corresponding roller.

[0037] The various rollers of the dispenser 102 (including the feed roller 112, the discharge roller 114, and the roller support member 116) may have any suitable shape or form to facilitate the use of a rotational motion to engage and move the sheet 304. The roller has a generally cylindrical shape and may include one or more features to adjust the amount of engagement or friction with the sheet 304. For example, one or more rollers may include a material engagement surface formed by a plurality of spaced-apart wheels (or sub-rollers) connected by an axis, a cylindrical foam surface (e.g., a foam roller), and a plurality of bristles (e.g., a cylindrical brush) configured to extend through a slit in the sheet 304. In one example, each of the spaced-apart wheels may include a plurality of protrusions spaced around the circumference of the wheel to improve engagement with the sheet 304. Any suitable material may be used for the wheels and the protrusions. In some embodiments, the protrusions may be made of a soft and slightly sticky material (e.g., rubber). In other embodiments, the protrusions may be made of a hard material (e.g., a metal ridge). In some cases, using multiple protrusions may alleviate slack created in the sheet 304 upstream of the feed roller 112 .

[0038] These material engagement surfaces can be used with rolled or unrolled wound or unrolled sheets. Generally speaking, the feed roller 112 and the discharge roller 114 can be configured to have a higher degree of engagement with the sheet 304 than the roller support member 116. Specifically, the feed roller 112 can be configured to have a high degree of engagement (e.g., high friction with limited or no sliding) with an unrolled sheet (which may include a wound sheet or an unrolled sheet); and the discharge roller 114 can be configured to have a high degree of engagement with a rolled or expanded sheet (which is an unrolled sheet 406). In one example, the feed roller 112 may include a plurality of spaced-apart wheels, each wheel having a plurality of protrusions spaced around a circumference. In another example, the discharge roller 114 may include a plurality of bristles that are configured to extend through a slit in the sheet 304. In yet another example, the roller support member 116 may include a cylindrical foam surface. Those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure will understand how to select such material engaging surfaces to provide the desired functionality for each type of roller.

[0039] The drive system 122 is configured to couple the rotation of the feed roller 112 and the discharge roller 114 to provide a speed ratio of the discharge roller to the feed roller. As used herein, the term "speed ratio" refers to the ratio of linear speeds known to those skilled in the art, which describes the distance moved by one component relative to the distance moved by another component, and can also be described as a mechanical advantage. When using components having a circumference that engages the sheet 304 (e.g., material engaging elements 310, 316), the speed ratio can be defined as the linear distance of the sheet moved by the discharge roller 114 compared to the linear distance of the sheet moved by the feed roller 112 by rotating the coupled rollers. Generally, a speed ratio greater than 1 means that more sheet 304 passes through the discharge roller 114 per unit of sheet 304 passing through the feed roller 112. In some embodiments, the speed ratio is greater than or equal to 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, or even 1.9 to fully expand the slits in the sheet 304. In some embodiments, the speed ratio is less than or equal to 2.5, 2.4, 2.3, 2.2, 2.1, 2, 1.9, 1.8, 1.7, or even 1.6 to mitigate tearing forces over the sheet 304. In one or more embodiments, the speed ratio is between 1.5 and 2.

[0040] In some embodiments, the drive system 122 includes a rotating conveyor element 302, which may include one or more components to couple the rotation of the infeed roller 112 and the outfeed roller 114. The various components of the drive system 122 that facilitate the coupled rotation at this speed ratio may include belts, chains, gears, and pulleys.

[0041] In the illustrated embodiment, the respective circumferences of the feed roller 112 and the discharge roller 114 cooperate to provide a speed ratio. The generally cylindrical feed roller 112 may include a drive element 308 and a material engaging element 310, the drive element having a first circumference coupled to a rotating conveying element 302 (such as a belt or chain), the material engaging element having a second circumference configured to engage the sheet 304; and the generally cylindrical discharge roller 114 may include a drive element 312 and a material engaging element 316, the drive element having a third circumference coupled to the rotating conveying element, the material engaging element having a fourth circumference configured to engage the sheet 304. These circumferences may be selected to cooperate to provide a speed ratio. In one example, the rotating conveying element includes a belt or chain, which is coupled to the drive elements of the feed roller 112 and the discharge roller 114. The relative ratios (e.g., circumference ratios) of the first circumference, the second circumference, the third circumference, and the fourth circumference may be selected to provide a desired speed ratio.

[0042] The dispenser 102 may be configured to be manually driven during operation or include varying degrees of power assistance. In some embodiments, the dispenser 102 is configured to be manually powered by a user pulling. In one example, a user may pull the free end of the unfolded sheet 406 extending through the feed roller 112 and the discharge roller 114 along the stretch direction 106. The feed roller 112 and the discharge roller 114 are configured to rotate in response to a user applying a pulling force on the unfolded sheet 406 along the stretch direction 106.

[0043] For such manual configuration, the dispenser 102 can be configured to limit the minimum pulling force per meter of sheet width to start the rotation of the drive system 122. In some embodiments, the minimum pulling force per meter can be less than or equal to 75 Newtons / meter (N / m), 60 N / m, 45 N / m, 30 N / m, 15 N / m, or even 7.5 N / m. In one or more embodiments, the minimum pulling force per meter is less than or equal to 45 N / m.

[0044] Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional elevation view of a dispenser 502 similar to dispenser 102 is shown ( Figures 1 to 4 ). The dispenser 502 may include additional components to facilitate operation of the dispenser 502. Generally, the components of the dispenser 102 are included in the dispenser 502, and such components are the same as similarly named parts of the dispenser 102 except for the differences described herein.

[0045] In some embodiments, the dispenser 502 includes one or more user interfaces 504, 508 configured to accept user input to initiate rotation of the drive system 506. Such user interfaces 504, 508 can provide a technique for operating the dispenser 502 as an alternative or additional solution to the user pulling the free end of the unfolded sheet 406.

[0046] The non-powered user interface 504 may be coupled to the drive system 506, for example, via an infeed roller 510, an outfeed roller 512, or a rotating conveyor element 514. The non-powered user interface 504 may include any suitable mechanism to drive the rotation of the drive system 506 in response to manual user power, thereby unwinding and unrolling the wound sheet 314 ( Figure 3 to Figure 4 ). In some embodiments, the non-powered user interface 504 includes a crank or pedal for the user to engage in any suitable manner. In one example, a hand crank can be coupled to the drive system 506. In another example, a foot pedal can be coupled to the drive system 506.

[0047] The drive system 506 may include one or more motors 518 coupled to one or more of the feed roller 510, the discharge roller 512, and the rotating conveyor element 514. The motor 518 may be configured to drive rotation of the drive system 506 during operation. The drive system 506 may include one or more controllers 516 operably coupled to the one or more motors 518. The controller 516 may be configured to command the one or more motors 518 to drive rotation of the feed roller 510, the discharge roller 512, and the rotating conveyor element 514. The components of the dispenser 502 may be powered in any suitable manner.

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the electric user interface 508 is operably connected to at least one controller 516, which is operably connected to at least one motor 518. The electric user interface 508 may include any suitable components (such as buttons, pedals, other actuators or touch screens) that accept user input to start the rotation of the drive system 506. The controller 516 is configured to command at least one motor 518 to drive the rotation of the drive system 506 in response to user input. In some embodiments, the speed of the motor 518 can be controlled by the electric user interface 508. In some embodiments, the motor 518 can run continuously in response to user input, or run a fixed time or fixed distance based on a single user input command. At least one motor 518 is mechanically connected to the rotating conveying element 514 by any suitable mechanism (such as a pulley). The rotation of the feed roller 510 and the discharge roller 512 is coupled by the rotating conveying element 514. In order to operate the dispenser 502, the user can engage the electric user interface 508. In response, the drive system 506 rotates one or more of the feed roller 510, the discharge roller 512, and the rotating conveyor element 514 to move the sheet 304 downstream in the stretching direction 520 past the feed roller 510 and the discharge roller 512 to provide an expanded sheet 404 ( Figure 4 ).

[0049] In other embodiments (not shown), the drive system 506 may include two motors. A first motor 518 may be coupled to the feed roller 510, and a second motor 518 may be coupled to the discharge roller 512. The two motors 518 can receive separate commands from one or more controllers 516. One or more controllers 516 are configured to provide a speed ratio for the two motors 518 in response to user input. In such embodiments, the feed roller 510 and the discharge roller 512 may not require pure mechanical technology to couple their rotation (e.g., belt or chain). The rotating transmission element 514 may not be necessary, or alternatively, the rotating transmission element 514 may be described as including one or more controllers 516 and two motors 518, which provide electromechanical technology to couple the rotation of the feed roller 510 and the discharge roller 512.

[0050] Figure 6 A cross-sectional elevation view of a dispenser 602 similar to dispenser 102 is shown ( Figures 1 to 4 ). The dispenser 602 may include additional components to facilitate operation of the dispenser 602. Generally, the components of the dispenser 102 are included in the dispenser 602, and such components are the same as similarly named parts of the dispenser 102 except for the differences described herein.

[0051] The dispenser 602 includes a first feed roller 604 and a second feed roller 606. The first feed roller 604 is similar to the feed roller 112 ( 604.1.2) except that the first feed roller 604 is positioned slightly further downstream in the stretch direction 608. Figures 1 to 4 ). The second feed roller 606 is positioned upstream of the first feed roller 604 to engage the roll of sheet material 614 when the first feed roller 604 engages the roll of sheet material 614. The second feed roller 606 is similar to the feed roller 112, except that the second feed roller 606 is not rotationally coupled to the drive system 610. The rotation of the second feed roller 606 is not coupled to the first feed roller 604 or the outfeed roller 612, except through the roll of sheet material 614. The first feed roller 604 and the second feed roller 606 cooperate to distribute the weight of the roll of sheet material 614 between the rollers, which can mitigate undesirable effects (such as creating slack in the sheet material upstream of the feed rollers).

[0052] Figure 7 A cross-sectional elevation view of a dispenser 702 similar to dispenser 102 is shown ( Figures 1 to 4 ). The dispenser 702 may include additional components to facilitate operation of the dispenser 702. Generally, the components of the dispenser 102 are included in the dispenser 702, and such components are the same as similarly named parts of the dispenser 102 except for the differences described herein.

[0053] The dispenser 702 includes a material support member 716 and a material support interface 714. The material support interface 714 is similar to the material support interface 124, except that the material support interface 714 has a smaller depth (or height). The loading position 718 of the material support member 716 is relatively higher than the loading position 128. The inner surface of the sheet roll 712 rests on the material support member 716 in the loading position 718, and the material support member 120 rests on the inner surface of the sheet roll 306 in the loading position 128.

[0054] Dispenser 702 includes feed roller 706, feed roller support member 704, discharge roller 710, discharge roller support member 708, feed roller support interface 720, and discharge roller support interface, whereas dispenser 102 does not include a feed roller support member or a feed roller support interface. Typically, feed roller support member 704 is another roller support member 116, and feed roller support interface 720 is another roller support interface 136.

[0055] In the illustrated embodiment, the feed roller 706 is positioned to engage the unrolled unrolled sheet from the sheet roll 712, rather than the sheet roll itself. The feed roller support member 704 is rotatably coupled to the feed roller support interface 720 of the side support member 724. The feed roller support member 704 is configured to engage the unrolled unrolled sheet and apply a loading force to the unrolled sheet toward the feed roller 706.

[0056] Dispenser 702 includes cross member 726 that is similar to support cross member 202, except that cross member 726 is positioned upstream of feed roller 706 in stretch direction 728. Cross member 726 can be used to guide unwinding sheet from sheet roll 712 into engagement between feed roller 706 and feed roller support member 704.

[0057] Minimum pulling force per meter

[0058] The minimum tension per meter can be considered as the minimum tension per meter width of the sheet required for a roll of expandable sheet in a static state (the width is the dimension in the width direction orthogonal to the stretching direction). In the present disclosure, the minimum tension required to unwind a roll of expandable sheet on a dispenser is determined by the following process:

[0059] 1. Load a full roll of tension activated expandable sheet material onto the dispenser. Any tape or adhesive that may be adhering the free end of the roll to the remainder of the roll must be removed.

[0060] 2. Use a 15# monofilament fishing line (such as the one sold under the trade name Berkley Trilene Super Strong) to seal the line with tape (such as the one sold under the trade name 3M 3939 Duct Tape purchased from 3M Company (St. Paul, MN, USA) is attached to the outside of the free end of the roll. The exact nature of the tape will not change the results beyond experimental error as long as the tape does not detach from the roll during the test and the combined mass of the tape and fishing line does not exceed 0.1% of the mass of the roll (e.g., for an 11 kg roll, the maximum combined mass of the fishing line and tape mass that can be used is 11 g). The point of connection of the fishing line to the roll should be within 5 cm of the end of the roll and in the center of the roll width. The tape is placed parallel to (+ / - 5 degrees) the free end of the roll, centered on the fishing line, and extending to at least 20% but not more than 90% of the roll width. The fishing line is then wrapped around the drum three times in the winding direction of the roll. The length of the fishing line must be sufficient to be wrapped around the drum as described in this step and constructed as described in step 3, but the exact length will not significantly change the results as long as the combined mass requirements of the fishing line and tape as described in this step are met.

[0061] 3. Guide the free end of the fishing line in the direction of gravity so that the fishing line can hang freely and straight down.

[0062] In certain configurations of the dispenser, it may be necessary to rest the dispenser on two surfaces with a gap between the two surfaces to allow the fishing line to hang freely and not be obstructed by the supporting surface. In certain configurations of the dispenser, it may be necessary to drill holes in the bottom or base of the dispenser to allow the fishing line to hang freely. These operations or similar operations are effective and are required in this test when the desired position of the cable needs to be achieved.

[0063] 4. Carefully and slowly attach the standard calibration weight to the free end of the cable so that the weight does not touch the roll, dispenser, or any other surface. Add additional standard calibration weights in increments until the roll just begins to move.

[0064] 5. The lowest weight that just starts the roll turning is the minimum pull. If the weights are standardized by their mass (such as g or kg) rather than weight (such as Newtons or pounds), the minimum pull is calculated by multiplying the mass by the gravitational constant.

[0065] 6. Calculate the minimum tension per meter by dividing the minimum tension from step 5 by the width of the roll of expandable sheet material.

Claims

1. A dispenser for a roll of sheet material having a slit capable of expansion, the dispenser comprising: a side support member including a first side support member and a second side support member, the first side support member and the second side support member each defining a material support interface configured to guide the material support member from an insertion position to a loading position; a feed roller rotatably coupled to the side support member and extending in the width direction, the feed roller being positioned to engage the sheet material when the material support member engages the roll of sheet material; an outfeed roller rotatably coupled to the side support member and extending in the width direction, the outfeed roller being spaced apart from the infeed roller in a stretching direction orthogonal to the width direction, the outfeed roller being positioned to engage an unwound sheet from the sheet roll extending from the infeed roller; at least one roller support member, the at least one roller support member being slidably coupled to the side support member and extending in the width direction, the at least one roller support member being positioned relative to the feed roller or the discharge roller to engage the unrolled sheet when the unrolled sheet engages with the corresponding feed roller or the discharge roller, the at least one roller support member being configured to apply a loading force to the unrolled sheet toward the corresponding feed roller or the discharge roller, wherein the at least one roller support member is slidable relative to the side support member in a direction orthogonal to the width direction; and A drive system is configured to couple the rotation of the feed roller and the discharge roller so that a speed ratio of the discharge roller to the feed roller is greater than 1.1 to expand the slit in the sheet.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the feed roller is positioned to engage an outer surface of the roll of sheet material.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said feed roller is positioned to engage said unrolled sheet from said roll of sheet material.

4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the at least one roller support member comprises an ejector roller support member rotatably coupled to the side support members.

5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the at least one roller support member comprises an infeed roller support member and an outfeed roller support member, each of the infeed roller support member and the outfeed roller support member being rotatably coupled to the side support member.

6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the drive system comprises a rotating conveying element coupled to the infeed roller and the outfeed roller.

7. The dispenser of claim 6, wherein the circumferences of the feed roller and the discharge roller cooperate to provide the speed ratio.

8. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the drive system includes at least one controller, the at least one controller is operably connected to at least one motor, the at least one motor is connected to the feed roller, the discharge roller, or both, wherein the controller is constructed to command the at least one motor to drive the feed roller, the discharge roller, or both.

9. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the at least one motor comprises a first motor coupled to the feed roller and a second motor coupled to the discharge roller.

10. The dispenser according to claim 8, further comprising a rotating conveying element coupled to the feed roller and the discharge roller, wherein the at least one motor comprises only one motor coupled to at least one of the feed roller, the discharge roller and the rotating conveying element.

11. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the speed ratio is between 1.5 and 2.

12. The dispenser of claim 1 further comprising the material support member configured to simultaneously extend through two material support interfaces of the side support member and to be releasably coupled to the side support member.

13. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the material support member is configured to provide an input loading force on the roll of sheet material toward the feed roller when engaged with an inner surface of the roll of sheet material.

14. The dispenser of claim 1 further comprising at least one friction reducing element positioned between the side support member and one or more of: the feed roller, the discharge roller, the material support member, and the at least one roller support member.

15. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the feed roller and the discharge roller are configured to rotate in response to a user applying a pulling force on the unrolled sheet along the stretching direction.

16. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein the minimum pulling force per meter of rotation for initiating the drive system is less than or equal to 45 N / m.

17. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to accept user input to initiate rotation of the drive system.

18. The dispenser of claim 17, wherein the user interface comprises a crank or a pedal configured to drive rotation of the drive system.

19. The dispenser of claim 17, wherein the user interface comprises a button or a pedal operably coupled to at least one controller configured to command at least one motor to drive rotation of the drive system.

20. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the feed roller comprises a plurality of spaced apart wheels, each wheel comprising a plurality of protrusions spaced apart about a circumference of the wheel.

21. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the discharge roller comprises a plurality of bristles configured to extend through the expandable slits in the sheet.

22. The dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a second feed roller rotatably coupled to the side support member and extending in the width direction, the second feed roller being positioned to engage the sheet material when the feed roller engages the roll of sheet material.

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