Multi-Carrier Sheet Material Dispenser with Sequential Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet material dispensers are vulnerable to tampering and vandalism, leading to increased costs and damage, as they lack effective mechanisms for selective dispensing and protection against unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
A sheet material dispensing assembly with a dispenser housing and movable carriers that shift between dispensing positions, featuring a pivoting assembly with retractable pins and guidance features to allow sequential access to multiple supplies, and a design that inhibits access to unused supplies, thereby preventing tampering and vandalism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If multiple supplies of sheet material are stored in the dispenser, then the duration of action is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to inability to selectively access specific supplies
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is divided into multiple independent carriers, each holding a separate supply of sheet material. Each carrier can be independently positioned at dispensing stations, allowing selective access to specific supplies while maintaining multiple supplies in the system. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling both extended duration through multiple supplies and ease of operation through selective access.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriers are designed to be movable along tracks between different dispensing stations. This dynamic positioning capability allows the system to selectively bring different supplies to the dispensing position, resolving the contradiction between having multiple supplies (extended duration) and being able to selectively access them (ease of operation).
2Ease of operation
If all supplies are accessible through the discharge opening, then the ease of operation is improved, but the object-affected harmful factors worsen due to tampering and vandalism
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser architecture segments the supplies into separate carriers that can be independently positioned. Only the carrier at the active dispensing station is accessible, while other carriers remain hidden or inaccessible. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of operation for the active supply while protecting other supplies from tampering and vandalism.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier acts as an intermediary between the stored supplies and the discharge opening. By positioning carriers at different locations along the tracks, the system mediates access so that only the intended supply is exposed to users at any given time, preventing direct access to all supplies and thereby reducing tampering and vandalism.
3Device complexity
If carriers are fixed in position, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability deteriorates due to inability to switch between supplies
Solution Approach 1:
The carriers are designed with movable positioning capabilities along tracks, allowing them to be dynamically positioned at different dispensing stations. This dynamic feature provides adaptability to switch between supplies while maintaining relatively simple mechanics through track-based movement, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and adaptability.
Data Source
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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.