US3317150A - Self-powered dispenser - Google Patents

Description

May 2, i957 E. J. sUMMERsBY 3,317,150

SELF- POWERED DI SPENS ER Filed June 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 2 l967 E. J. SUMMERSBY Y3,317,156

SELF-POWERED DISPENSER QN S United States Patent O 3,317,150 v SELF-POWERED DISPENSER Ernest John Summershy, Los Angeles County, Calif., as-

signor to Mirra-Cote Company, Inc., El Segundo, Calif., a corporation of California Filed .lune 14, 1965, Ser. No. 463,717 Claims. (Cl. 242-552) This invention relates to a power operated dispenser for a roll or strip of paper, foil, plastic lm or like materials, in which the dispenser has a selfcontained power source and drive mechanism.

The dispenser of this invention provides for exact control of the length of material dispensed and feeds material `automatically without the necessity of pulling the free end of the material, with possible premature tearing from the roll, and without manually pushing or pulling of the roll itself -to effect rotation thereof.

'Ihis invention provides for power drive of a material roll t-o dispense the material therefrom, in which the roll holder and support have an overall length which is only slightly greater than the dimensions of the material roll itself. The power-operated dispenser of this invention thus takes up substantially no more space than manual dispensing holders now in widespread use.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, a drive motor, and a power supply therefor, in the form of one or more batteries, are concealed within a roller, about which a roll of material to be dispensed is disposed. The drive motor is selectively energized by the user to initiate rotation of the roller and, thus, of the roll of material. The material is therefore progressively unrolled from the lroll. The motor is selectively deenergized by the user to terminate the unrolling of the material, a-fter any desired length, for severance of the material from the roll, and means are provided for preventing dispensing rotation of the roller during such material severance. Alternatively, if desired, the motor can be automatically shut olf after a predetermined time interval has passed.

The invention may be more readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a holder and dis- -penser according to the present invention for delivering a strip of material from a roll thereof;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged longitudinal partial-sectional view of the holder of FIGURE 1, taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the actuation and braking structure assembly; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional View illustrating the actuation and braking structure.

In FIGURE 1, a self-powered dispenser 10, constructed according to the invention, has a generally U-shaped wall or support attaching portion 11, and a paper roll 12 mounted on a roller 17 which is rotatably mounted on the -attaching portion 11. The wall or support attaching portion 11 has a pair of outwardly projecting, parallel legs 13 and 14. The legs 13, 14, have outer en-d portions 15 a-nd 16, respectively, supporting the roller 17.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the roller 17 comprises a' central tubular portion 18 which may be of plastic, such as styrene or the like, or of a metal such as aluminum or of any other suitable material. If the tube 18 is of aluminum or other conducting material, it may be used as a conductor for the electrical supply to the drive motor in a manner to be described subsequently. When a nonconductor, such -as styrene, is used, electrical conductors may be cemented therealong to complete the supply circuit, asrwill also be described subsequently. The tube 18 is mounted on end members 19 and 21, which may be formed of a plastic insulating material, such" as styrene.

A supporting member 22 is cemented or otherwise mounted within the tube 18 in spaced relation to the end element 19. A small electric motor 23 'for driving the roller 17 is supported within the tube 18 between the end element 19 and the support member 22. A .power conductor 24 for the motor 23 is connected to a contact 25 on the interior face of a bulkhead 22A, where it is engageable by the positive terminal of an adjacent battery 26 mounted within the tube 18 and forming part of 'the power supply. Any number lof -batteries may be provided, within the limitations of the length of the tube 18 and the voltage for which the motor 23 is wound; two batteries, 26 and 27, connected in series, being shown.

The negative terminal or base of the battery 27 is engageable fby a contact arm 29, extending inwardly from the end member 21 and normally biased out of contacting relation with the battery base in a manner to be described hereinafter. A negative or conductor 31 runs along the inner surface of the roller 17 and contacts the outer portion of the contact arm 29 to provide circuit continuity between a motor lead 32 and the contact arm 29.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, the end portion 16 has disposed therewithin an actuator assembly 40. The actuator assembly 40 comprises a generally cylindrical member 39 mounted within an aperture in the end portion 16 and having a central hub 41 with a passage 42 extending therethrough. Disposed in the passage 42 is one end of an actuator element 43. The actuator element 43 includes an outwardly extending, annular base portion 44 and a tubular pin portion 45. One end of the pin portion 45 extends into and is slidably mounted within a guide annulus 46 formed on a |generally cylindrical portion of the end element 21, which is disposed within and extends outwardly from one end of the roller tube 18. The inner porti-on of the contact arm 29 is secured to the inner end of the cylindrical portion 90 (see FIGURE 2), and the latter is interlockingly and slidably engaged at its outer end with the base portion 44 of the actuator element 43. A cylindrical support member 47 encloses the pin 45 and annulus 46 and is, in turn, surrounded by a spring clutch 48. The support member 47 has an annular end llange y49 secured to the inner end of the cylindrical portion 90 of end element 21. The spring clutch acts as a slip clutch so as to grip the support member 47 only when the spring and roller rotation is in the direction such as to tighten the spring about the support meinber 47 (in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGURE 3). In order to facilitate this `gripping action, which acts as a brake t-o prevent roller 17 from rotating as a sheet is -being torn from the roll of material 12, the spring clutch 48 has several -closely-spaced turns adjacent the anged end 49 on the support member 47. Since the flanged end 49 is secured to the cylindrical portion 90, it is obvious that the support member 47 and end element 21 must rotate together. The spring 48 also serves a secondary purpose as a compression spring to normally bias the tubular pin portion 45 of the actuator member 43 out of engagement with the contact arm 29, -owing to the engagement of one end of the spring 48 with the annular base porti-on 44 of the actuator member (see FIGURE 2). Thus, the contact arm 29 is normally out of engagement with the base of an adjacent battery 27 in the roller tube 18, and the circuit to the mot-or 23 is open.

A bearing member 50 is disposed within and extends outwardly from the tubular pin portion 45 to facilitate engagement between the actuator member 43 and the shaft portion 54 of an actuator button 55, the shaft portion 54 being slidably m-ounted within the passage 42 of the hub 41. When the actuator button 55 is depressed, the shaft portion 54 forces the inner end of the pin portion 3 45 against the contact 29, moving the contact 29 against the adjacent battery base (see FIGURE 4).

A helical compression spring 56 extends between the annular wall 57 of the cylindrical member 39 and the end portion 1'6, thereby normally urgin-g the member 39 inwardly toward the roller 17. The rol-ler 17 can thus -be lremoved from the outer porti- ons 15 and 16 of the legs 13 and 14, respectively, iby movement of the roller against the bias exerted by the spring 56, which [frees the opposite end element 19 from a hub 58, secured to the end portion 15, within which it is axially slidably disposed (see FIG- URE `2).

Referring to FIGURE 2, the end element 19 'has a peripheral ange portion 60, on the inner surface of which is formed a planetary gear 61 lby 4means of a series of recessed gear teeth. A ygearreduction box 62 of any suitable construction is disposed within the tube 18 adjacent the gear 61, and has a series of reduction ygears 63 forming a reduction gear train between the drive motor 23 and the gear 61.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the actuator assembly consisting of the end member 21 and its associated components, including the contact arm 29, clutch spring 48, and actuator element 43. From FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the contact arm Z9 is disposed within a pair of longitudinal ribs 70 formed on the -inner end of the cylindrical end member portion 90, so as to be normally shielded from contact lwith the adjacent battery. When the actuator pin por-tion 45 is moved inwardly by pressing the button 55, the pin portion 45 presses the contact arm 29 out from within the ribs 70 so as to make electrical contact with the battery 27. Also shown in FIGURE 3 are a pair of pins 71 formed on the inner face of the actuator base portion 44, around one of which the clutch spring 48 terminates so as to tix the end of the spring with respect to the base portion 44 of the actuator element 43. The end element 21 has a rst aperture 73 Iformed therein in an outwardly-extending, annular flange portion 74 thereof. The flange portion 74 terminates in a frustoconically tapered peripheral rib 75, on which a depending lip 76 is formed in alignment with the aperture 73. A second aperture 77 is formed in the opposite side of the ange portion 74 and corresponding lip 78 -is formed in alignment therewith. The lips 76 and 78 serve to snap over a flange 79 (see FIG. 2) formed at the end of the roller 17, so as to lock the end element 21 to the roller. A series of grooves 80 is formed in the iiange 74 adjacent the lips 76, 78 in order to facilitate the snapping of the end element 21 onto the roller.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, the actuator assembly is shown in its actuated position, that is, with the button 55 being depressed so as to complete electrical circuit continuity `in the motor power circuit by pressing the contact arm 29 against the ibase of the adjacent battery 27. In FIGURE 4, it will be noted that the actuator element base portion 44 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced bosses 85, extending outwardly therefrom, which are engagea-ble `with complementary recesses 86 formed in the spring-biased annular wall 57 of the cylindrical member 39, when the button 55 is not depressed (see FIG. 2). When the bosses 85 engage the recesses 86, the actuator element 43 is locked in position lwith respect to the support arm 14, owing to the cylindrical member 39 being slidably keyed at 88 to the end portion 16. Thus, rotation in a clockwise direction (as seen in FIGURE l) of the roller 17, and therefore the end element 21 (as seen in FIGURE 3), with respect to the cylindrical member 39, when the bosses 85 engage the recesses 86, causes the clutch spring 48 to tighten about the support member 47 so as to limit the clockwise angular displacement which is possible. When the button 55 is depressed, the bosses are freed from the recesses and the entire roller assembly, including the actuator element 44, is rotatable as a unit.

In operation, the actuator butt-on 55 is depressed, displacing the actuator pin 45 from the position shown in 4 FIGURE 2 to that shown -in FIGURE 4. This displacement of the actuator pin 45 moves the Contact arm 29 against the base of the adjacent battery 27, thus completing electrical circuit continuity between the battery 27 and the conductor 31 through the battery base and the contact arm 29. Completion of his electrical circuit energizes the motor 23 within the tubular portion 18, causing rotation of the gears 63 in engagement with the planetary gear 61 of the end element 19. The end element 19 is axially slidably disposed in the hub 58 and is fixed with respect to rotary movement relative thereto by frictional engagement or in any other suitable manner. A rotatable bearing support for the roller 17, therefore, is formed by the vend element 19 in conjunction with the gear 61 and the reduction gears 63, as shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, rotation of the reduction gears causes the roller 17 to rotate about the stationary end element 19. A rotatable bearing surface is formed at the opposite end of the roller by the engagement of the shaft portion 54 of the button 55 and its bearing member 50 with the tubular pin portion 45 of the actuator member 43. The roller thus rotates in a clockwise direction under the power of the mo-tor 23 so long as the button 55 remains depressed against the force of the spring 48, thereby advancing the sheet material from the roll 12. When the lbutton 55 is released, electrical circuit continuity is broken, since the clutch spring 48, acting against the base portion 44 of the actuator element 43, moves the actuator pin portion 45 out of engagement with the contact arm 29, and urges the button 55 outwardly away from the end portion 16. The bosses then engage the recesses 86 in the cylindrical member 39, so that rotation of the roller in a clockwise direction is prevented by the clutch spring 48 tightening on the support member 4'7, as described above. The sheet material advanced from the roll 12 may then be readily torn from the roller 17.

The invention claimed is:

1. A power-driven holder and dispenser for a roll of sheet material comprising:

a support; A

a tubular roller mounted in said support for holding the material roll thereon and rotatable therewith;

a motor for rotating said roller in a sheet material dispensing direction;

a power supply for said motor; l

means mounting said motor and said power supply within said roller; and

power actuator means movably mounted on said sup port for selective manual control of the energization of said motor by said power supply.

2. A power driven holder and dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said power actuator means is mounted substantially in alignment with the axis of said roller adjacent an end thereof and is movable in the direction of said roller axis to energize said motor.

3. The holder and dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said motor and said power supply are so mounted within said roller as to be rotatable therewith; and further including a relatively stationary element adjacent an end of the roller and held by said support; and means interconnecting the motor output shaft and said stationary element for effecting rotation of said motor and said roller upon rotation of the motor output shaft.

4. A power driven holder and dispenser for a roll of sheet material comprising:

a support including a pair of spaced arms;

a roller supported at its opposite ends in said spaced arms;

means for mounting a tirst end of the roller on one of said arms to provide a irst rotatable bearing support;

a support element mounted in the opposite end of the roller and rotatable relative thereto to provide -a second rotatable bearing support for the roller with the opposite support arm;

means operable in conjunction with said support element to inhibit roller rotation in a preselected direction;

a motor and a power supply therefor mounted within and on said roller; and

gear means interconnecting the motor and said irst bearing support, whereby energization of the motor effects movement of the gear means so as to rotate the motor, roller and material roll in said preselected direction with respect to the support arms.

5. A power driven holder and dispenser according to claim 4, and including an actuator button movably mounted on the opposite support arm; an actuator member slidably mounted within said roller and engageable by said button; and contact means mounted on said roller and positioned to be engaged by said actuator member upon a predetermined movement of said button to energize said motor and effect said predetermined rotation of the roller.

6. The holder and dispenser according to claim 1 wherein means are provided for preventing said dispensing rotation of said rolle-r when said power actuator means is in a non-actuating position.

7. The holder and dispenser according to claim 6 wherein said rotation preventing means comprises a clutch spring disposed Within said roller, said spring -being operatively associated with said power actuator means to normally urge it to said non-actuating position 8. The holder and dispenser according to claim 4 wherein said means for inhibiting roller rotation comprises a clutch spring mounted Within said roller and having one end secured to said support element.

9. The holder and dispenser of claim 8 wherein power actuator means is movably mounted on said opposite support arm and engageable with said support element, and wherein said support element -and said opposite -arm are provided with complementary locking means which are engageable to prevent rotation of said support element relative to said opposite arm when said actuator means is disposed in a non-actuating position.

10. The holder and dispenser of claim 9, wherein said clutch spring urges said support element into engagement with said actuator means to normally urge the latter to a non-actuating position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1960 Mau 242-5553 1/1965 Rozlag et al 312-39

Claims (1)

1. A POWER-DRIVEN HOLDER AND DISPENSER FOR A ROLL OF SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING: A SUPPORT; A TUBULAR ROLLER MOUNTED IN SAID SUPPORT FOR HOLDING THE MATERIAL ROLL THEREON AND ROTATABLE THEREWITH; A MOTOR FOR ROTATING SAID ROLLER IN A SHEET MATERIAL DISPENSING DIRECTION; A POWER SUPPLY FOR SAID MOTOR; MEANS MOUNTING SAID MOTOR AND SAID POWER SUPPLY WITHIN SAID ROLLER; AND POWER ACTUATOR MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT FOR SELECTIVE MANUAL CONTROL OF THE ENERGIZATION OF SAID MOTOR BY SAID POWER SUPPLY.

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