Paper Towel Dispenser Damper Control for Overspin and Short Tails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing paper towel dispensers face issues with overspin, particularly with larger, heavier rolls, leading to problems like double sheeting and tabbing due to inadequate damping, which becomes ineffective as roll diameter decreases, resulting in short tails or no tails.
Innovation Solution
The dispenser apparatus includes a rotary damper that can be switched from an operative to an inoperative condition when the roll diameter reduces, eliminating the need for damping as the roll's inertia decreases, allowing the roll to rotate freely and preventing overspin slack formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rotary damper is used to control overspin with large diameter heavy rolls, then overspin control is improved, but when roll diameter decreases the damper creates excessive friction drag that prevents drum return spring from operating effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The damper is made dynamically controllable through a solenoid actuator that adjusts the damper's friction characteristics based on roll diameter. When the roll diameter decreases, the solenoid reduces the damper's frictional drag to allow the drum return spring to effectively rotate the drum and prevent short tails.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the damper by using a solenoid actuator to modify the friction characteristics. The damper transitions from a high-friction state (for overspin control with large rolls) to a low-friction state (for small rolls where the return spring needs to operate effectively).
2Reliability
If a heavier damper is used to control overspin with large diameter heavy rolls, then overspin control is improved, but the drum return spring cannot overcome the frictional drag when roll diameter decreases resulting in short tails
Solution Approach 1:
The damper's friction characteristics are made dynamically adjustable via a solenoid actuator. When roll diameter decreases, the solenoid modifies the damper to reduce frictional drag, enabling the drum return spring to effectively rotate the drum and maintain proper toweling dispensing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the weight of the roll itself as a sensing mechanism. As the roll diameter decreases and weight reduces, the roll's own characteristics trigger the solenoid to adjust the damper settings, creating a self-regulating system that adapts to the current roll conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively controls overspin and reduces double sheeting by disengaging the damper when the roll diameter reaches a certain size, ensuring smooth dispensing without tabbing or short tails, even with larger rolls.
Implementation Method 1
The rotary damper, which may be of any suitable type, such as a geared type or a suitable non-gear type such as a viscous shear type damper, is located at the roll support arm or other roll support.
Implementation Method 2
a suitable non-gear type such as a viscous shear type damper
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for dispensing paper toweling from a roll of paper toweling includes a rotary damper resisting formation of overspin slack in the paper toweling resulting from a pulling force applied to the paper toweling. Control mechanism changes the rotary damper from an operative condition to an inoperative condition responsive to reduction of the diameter of the roll of paper toweling.