Sheet Dispenser Hold-Back Tabs for Tear-Free Vertical Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In-counter and other types of dispensers face issues with napkin tearing and accidental bunching due to excessive friction when using springs or gravity to dispense sheet products, especially when mounted vertically, as the spring force becomes too great, leading to unwanted dispensing of multiple napkins.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of hold back tabs that project from the side of the dispenser to engage with the border of the stack, reducing frictional engagement with the interior surface and allowing for smooth dispensing without tearing, and a structure that holds the stack back from the interior surface, preventing accidental bunching, even when the dispenser is mounted vertically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spring force is increased to ensure the stack is forced against the front wall, then the stack remains in position, but excessive friction causes tearing and accidental bunching
Solution Approach 1:
The front wall is segmented into a stationary outer shell and a movable inner plate that can independently move toward and away from the stack. This allows the spring force to be applied selectively to the plate rather than the entire front wall, reducing friction on the sheet products while maintaining positioning reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The front wall plate is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position relative to the stack. The plate moves forward under spring force to maintain stack positioning, then recoils to reduce friction during dispensing, creating a dynamic system that adapts to different operational states.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the dispenser is mounted vertically on a wall, then counter space is freed, but the spring force becomes too great causing tearing and bunching
Solution Approach 1:
The movable plate mechanism allows the dispenser to adapt to different mounting orientations. When mounted vertically, the plate can move forward to counteract gravity's effect on the stack, then recoil to reduce friction. This dynamic adjustment enables the same dispenser design to work reliably in both horizontal and vertical orientations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the spring force by allowing the plate to move. In vertical mounting, the plate moves forward to provide necessary positioning force against gravity, then recoils to reduce force to minimal levels, effectively modulating the spring force parameter to match mounting orientation requirements.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If spring force is optimized to avoid tearing, then smooth dispensing is achieved, but the stack may not remain properly positioned in vertically mounted dispensers
Solution Approach 1:
The movable plate creates a dynamic positioning system that adapts to mounting orientation. In vertical mounting, the plate moves forward under spring force to maintain stack positioning against gravity, then recoils to minimal force levels to prevent tearing during dispensing, achieving both positioning reliability and tearing prevention.
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
The use of hold back tabs significantly reduces the risk of napkin tearing and accidental bunching, ensuring smooth and controlled dispensing of individual sheet products, regardless of the dispenser's orientation, by minimizing friction and maintaining the stack's position during loading and use.
Implementation Method 1
reducing frictional engagement with the interior surface and allowing for smooth dispensing without tearing
Implementation Method 2
springs or gravity causes a stack to be pressed with too much force against a front face of the dispenser
Implementation Method 3
gravity feed dispensers, which, in contrast to the aforementioned spring biased dispensers, make use of gravity to feed sheet products to a dispensing opening
Data Source
AI summary
An in-counter or in-wall dispenser including a product housing and a cover is disclosed. The cover is pivotally mounted so as to pivot between an open position providing access to the interior volume defined by the product housing for loading a new stack of sheet products and a closed position so that the sheet products are only accessible through a dispensing opening in the cover for one at a time dispensing of sheet products from the product housing. First and second tab-like members project from an interior surface of the product housing into the interior volume. With the cover open, the first and second tab-like members engage in a margin or border area of a front face of the sheet products positioned closest to the dispensing opening to hold at least the engaged part of the sheet products spaced from an interior surface of the anterior cover.