Some example product dispensers that accommodate two full paper towel rolls are provided herein. The product dispenser may employ separate dispensing mechanisms for each product roll and may include roll holders that articulate out from the housing to facilitate easy loading and access to replacement and loading of the other product roll. A roll partition may be utilized to separate the web paths of the two product rolls and enable rotation of front roll holders. Example funnel covers and nip covers can aid with intuitive installation. Example roll holders with retention mechanisms help prevent unintentional dropping of the installed product roll. Other beneficial features include utilizing motor operation sensing to dispense a desired sheet length, automatic/assisted loading into the dispensing mechanism, automatic switching between dispensing of product rolls, and always dispensing from the smaller product roll first. Many other features/structures of example product dispensers are also described herein.

A dispenser for dispensing consumable product having a consumable product storage area configured to store the consumable product within the dispenser; a dispensing mechanism operatively coupled to the consumable product and configured to facilitate a dispensing cycle to dispense a portion of consumable product, and wherein the dispensing cycle creates a vibration event in at least a portion of the dispenser; a vibration sensing device configured to sense a vibrational characteristic of the vibration event, wherein a value of the vibrational characteristic changes as a function of an amount of consumable product remaining in the dispenser; and a data processing device configured to (i) store data describing the vibrational characteristic and (ii) communicate the data to a remote receiver separate from the dispenser.

A dispenser assembly facilitating selective dispensing of sheet material from a plurality of supplies of sheet material can be provided. The dispenser assembly can include a drive system to facilitate dispensing of the sheet material from the plurality of supplies of sheet material from the dispenser. The drive system can include a plurality of driven rollers each configured to engage and move sheet material from a respective supply of sheet material, and a drive mechanism driving the plurality of driven rollers and connected thereto by a belt driven transmission. When the drive mechanism is driven in one direction, one of the plurality of driven rollers is rotated to dispense sheet material from one of the plurality of supplies of sheet material, and when the drive mechanism is driven in the opposite direction, another one of the plurality of driven rollers is rotated to dispense sheet material from another supply of sheet material.

Some example product dispensers that accommodate two full paper towel rolls are provided herein. The product dispenser may employ separate dispensing mechanisms for each product roll and may include roll holders that articulate out from the housing to facilitate easy loading and access to replacement and loading of the other product roll. A roll partition may be utilized to separate the web paths of the two product rolls and enable rotation of front roll holders. Example funnel covers and nip covers can aid with intuitive installation. Example roll holders with retention mechanisms help prevent unintentional dropping of the installed product roll. Other beneficial features include utilizing motor operation sensing to dispense a desired sheet length, automatic/assisted loading into the dispensing mechanism, automatic switching between dispensing of product rolls, and always dispensing from the smaller product roll first. Many other features/structures of example product dispensers are also described herein.

A dispenser having a feed roller that at least partially engages sheet material to facilitate dispensing thereof, and a cutting mechanism disposed within a chamber defined by a body of the feed roller. The cutting mechanism including a cutting blade and at least one movable support connected thereto. The at least one support further is operatively connected to the body of the feed roller and is actuated with rotation thereof to move the cutting blade into and out from one or more openings defined along the body of the feed roller to at least partially cut or perforate a selected portion of the sheet material as the sheet material is dispensed.

A web material dispenser tear bar, a dispenser assembly comprising a tear bar and a method of forming the same. The tear bar includes a cutting edge that is defined by a plurality of teeth that extend along a longitudinal edge of a body of the tear bar. The teeth include a first group of teeth that have a triangular shape defined by linear edges of the respective teeth and a second group of teeth where at least one side of each tooth of the second group of teeth have a curved edge that extends in a radial direction toward an adjacent one of the plurality of teeth. The tear bar is preferably disposed in the housing of a dispenser and oriented to engage a web material to selectively perforate and/or sever a portion of the web material from the roll.

Systems, methods and apparatus for dispensing of paper products. A dispenser comprising a housing comprising a product holding area defined by a front, back and two sides, and a dispenser throat defining an opening through the housing; a motor coupled to the rolled product and configured to rotate the rolled product in first and second directions; and a feed mechanism having a first side opening and a second side opening different from the first side opening, wherein both the first side and second side openings are different from that dispenser throat, and wherein the first side opening is configured to accept the tail when the rolled product has a first orientation and is rotated in the first direction and the second side opening is configured to accept the tail when the rolled product has a second orientation and is rotated in the second direction.

A paper product dispenser includes a hood having a first coupling component; a rear housing member including a second coupling component; a pair of roll support couplers and a dispensing member at least partially disposed within said housing; and a pair of roll support arms. The second coupling component cooperates with the first coupling component for releasably coupling the hood and the rear housing member to one another. The rear housing member and the hood jointly define a housing adapted to hold a roll of paper product therein. The dispensing member is configured to selectively dispense the paper product from within said housing. Each pair of roll support arms are configured to support an end of a roll of paper product within the housing and each is configured for releasable coupling with one of the pair of roll support couplers. The releasable coupling between the hood and the rear housing member or between at least one of the pair of roll support arms and one of the pair of roll support couplers is free of fasteners.

A dispenser for dispensing a flexible, rolled sheet material can include a housing and a supply of the sheet material supported within the housing for feeding the sheet material along a path defined through the housing. A feed roller can be rotatably mounted within the housing and have a body that engages the sheet material to pull the sheet material from the supply to dispense a selected amount of the sheet material therefrom. The dispenser also can include pressing rollers positioned adjacent the feed roller and biased to engage the sheet material between the pressing rollers and the feed roller, and a cutting mechanism arranged along the body of the feed roller that can have a cutting blade operatively connected to the body of the feed roller and actuated with rotation thereof to at least partially cut or perforate a selected portion of the sheet material.

A dispenser assembly facilitating selective dispensing of sheet material from a plurality of supplies of sheet material can be provided. The dispenser assembly can include a drive system to facilitate dispensing of the sheet material from the plurality of supplies of sheet material from the dispenser. The drive system can include a plurality of driven rollers each configured to engage and move sheet material from a respective supply of sheet material, and a drive mechanism driving the plurality of driven rollers and connected thereto by a belt driven transmission. When the drive mechanism is driven in one direction, one of the plurality of driven rollers is rotated to dispense sheet material from one of the plurality of supplies of sheet material, and when the drive mechanism is driven in the opposite direction, another one of the plurality of driven rollers is rotated to dispense sheet material from another supply of sheet material.