A rolled product dispenser for dispensing a web of rolled product. The rolled product dispenser includes a dispensing assembly, a return mechanism, and a blocking mechanism. The dispensing assembly includes a rotating drum assembly having a peripheral wall configured to be contoured at least partially by the web of rolled product. The rotating drum assembly is rotatable in a dispensing rotation direction and a counter dispensing rotation direction along at least 90 degrees. The return mechanism biases the rotating drum towards a stationary configuration by rotating same in the counter dispensing rotation direction. The blocking mechanism is engageable with the rotating drum assembly to prevent rotation thereof in the counter dispensing rotation direction beyond at least one predetermined angular position.

An electronic dispenser for dispensing flexible sheet material. A control circuit receives a plurality of signals and controls dispensing of the sheet material. A tear bar is mounted within the housing for severance of the sheet material. A pivotally mounted pawl member is located proximate to the tear bar such that movement of the sheet material into the tear bar for severance pivots the pawl member from a first position to a second position, such movement causing a signal to be sent to the control circuit. The dispensing mechanism is operative in a first mode to be responsive to a signal from a proximity sensor to dispense a sheet of material, and is operative in a second mode to dispense a next sheet in response to the signal activated by movement of the pawl member to the second position in response to dispensed sheet material being removed from the dispenser.

A stack of web material for hygiene products, for use in a dispenser, including at least one continuous web material being Z-folded about transverse folding lines, the panels being piled on top of each other to form a height of the stack extending between a first end surface and a second end surface of said stack, and the first end surface being provided with a first connector, and the second end surface being provided with a second connector. At least one of the first and second connectors comprises a first mechanical connector structure and a second mechanical connector structure, the first and second mechanical connector structures being two corresponding structures, each structure being capable of forming a mechanical interconnection with the other structure, and being incapable of forming a mechanical interconnection with an identical structure.

A separation unit for separating a web material along preformed lines of weakness. The separation unit has a width direction and includes at least a first roller having a rotational axis extending in the width direction and a web width extending in the width direction, and at least a second roller having a rotational axis extending parallel with the rotational axis of the first roller and a web width extending in the width direction. The second roller is positioned at a distance from the first roller. Each of the first and the second rollers is provided with at least one protrusion element extending perpendicularly from the axes. Each of the protrusion elements has a maximum width in the width direction, a maximum radial extension from the rotational axes, an inner portion adjacent to the rotational axes, and an outer portion remote from the rotational axes.

A rolled product dispenser for dispensing a web of rolled product is described. The rolled product dispenser comprises a dispensing assembly, a return mechanism, and a blocking mechanism. The dispensing assembly includes a rotating drum assembly having a peripheral wall configured to be contoured at least partially by the web of rolled product. The rotating drum assembly is rotatable in a dispensing rotation direction and a counter dispensing rotation direction along at least 90 degrees. The return mechanism biases the rotating drum towards a stationary configuration by rotating same in the counter dispensing rotation direction. The blocking mechanism is engageable with the rotating drum assembly to prevent rotation thereof in the counter dispensing rotation direction beyond at least one predetermined angular position.

A method of reducing sheet product waste generated during use of a sheet product dispenser in a particular location and over a broad range of usage rates includes designing a dispenser. The design includes determining a desired housing size to obtain a top to bottom height for sheet product roll storage within the housing, dividing the height by two to obtain a maximum roll diameter, locating two roll holders in the housing so that each holder may accept a roll having the maximum roll diameter, positioning a first roll of the maximum roll diameter in a first one of the two roll holders, and positioning a second roll of the maximum roll diameter in a second one of the two roll holders so that two rolls of equivalent length are configured to be dispensed sequentially from the dispenser. The installation and use of two rolls of maximum roll diameter reduces waste. Dispensers formed according to this method are also described.

A rolled product dispenser for dispensing a web of rolled product, comprising: a housing; and a dispensing assembly at least partially housed in the housing and interacting with the web of rolled product and including a dispensing roller having a rotation center and a peripheral wall with an upper section. The dispensing assembly can comprise an upper tensioning assembly and/or a lower tensioning assembly and/or a variable tension return assembly.

The paper dispensing device includes a main spindle, an axle, two end pieces, and a cutting member. The main spindle has a compartment. The axle is rotatably supported inside the compartment. The end pieces are positioned adjacent to the two ends of the axle, respectively. Each end piece has an eccentric opening through which an end of the axle is threaded. A ring groove is configured around the eccentric opening along an inner side of each end piece. The cutting member includes a blade, a cutter axle, two arms extended outward slantwise from the cutter axle's two ends, and two guiding elements at the arms' outer ends moveably housed in the ring grooves, respectively. As the main spindle spins, the cutting member rotates along with the main spindle and its blade is extended out or retracted into the compartment as the guiding elements move along the ring grooves.

The present disclosure is in one aspect to a dispenser for rolled sheet materials. The dispenser includes a feed roller that is rotatably mounted to a housing of the dispenser housing, and that is configured to feed a predetermined amount of sheet material from the supply of sheet material through a discharge provided along the housing of the dispenser. The dispenser also has a feed roller drive assembly with a drive motor, and a belt transmission assembly. The belt transmission assembly has a drive belt coupled to the drive motor and to the feed roller such that rotation of the feed roller is driven by operation of the drive motor.

A dispenser for web of absorbent paper, tissue or nonwoven material in the form of a roll is provided. The dispenser has a housing with a first dispensing opening for the web and a drive roller extending along a longitudinal axis. The drive roller is arranged in the housing in, or at, the first dispensing opening. The roll is arranged to abut the drive roller to be frictionally engaged with the drive roller. The dispenser has a feeding mechanism for rotating the roll to feed the web in a direction from the roll towards the first dispensing opening. The feeding mechanism has a bar extending at least partially along the drive roller. When the bar is pushed from a start position to rotate about the pivot axis, the drive roller and the roll are caused to rotate. The bar is biased towards the start position.