Dispensing assembly for selectively dispensing a plurality of supplies of rolled sheet material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sheet material dispensers, such as those for paper products, are vulnerable to tampering and vandalism, leading to increased costs and damage, as users often attempt to access or steal supplies, resulting in the need for a dispensing assembly that allows selective dispensing while being resistant to damage.
Innovation Solution
A sheet material dispensing assembly with a dispenser housing and movable carriers that shift between dispensing positions, featuring a pivoting assembly with extensible and retractable pins and guidance features, allowing access to multiple supplies while preventing unauthorized access and reducing damage from tampering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If multiple supplies of sheet material are stored in the dispenser, then the duration of action is improved, but the risk of tampering and vandalism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is divided into multiple separate compartments, each housing an independent supply of sheet material. Each compartment has its own carrier and dispensing mechanism, allowing the system to segment the storage and dispensing functions across multiple isolated units rather than one large accessible storage area.
Solution Approach 2:
A control mechanism acts as an intermediary between the user and the sheet material supplies. The system includes a controller that receives user input and automatically actuates the appropriate carrier to dispense material, preventing direct access to the stored supplies while maintaining controlled dispensing functionality.
2Productivity
If automatic switching between supplies is implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier assembly includes a pivoting mechanism that dynamically transitions carriers between a retracted position (where supplies are stored) and an extended position (where dispensing occurs). The system automatically pivots the appropriate carrier into position based on dispensing needs, enabling dynamic adaptation without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser operates in periodic cycles: a first carrier dispenses material until depleted, then the system automatically switches to a second carrier. This periodic switching between discrete dispensing cycles from different carriers maintains productivity while using a standardized repeating mechanism.
3Reliability
If access to supplies is restricted, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service functionality where the dispenser automatically monitors supply levels and actuates the appropriate carrier when material is needed. Users simply interact with a simple control interface, and the complex carrier switching and dispensing operations occur automatically without requiring users to manually access or manage the stored supplies.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a dispenser assembly for dispensing supplies of sheet material. The dispensing assembly can include a carrier supporting the supplies of sheet material and being moveable along a track between various dispensing positions. The dispenser assembly also can include a carrier pivoting assembly with a lever that engages one of the supplies of sheet material and rotates during dispensing thereof, as well as one or more biased pins connected to the lever and configured to engage locking features provided along the track to support the carrier in one of the dispensing positions. The biased pins further can be configured to retract with rotation of the lever such that they disengage the locking features so the carrier to moves along the track to different dispensing position. Other aspects also are described.