Systems, methods and apparatus for dispensing of paper products. A paper product dispenser comprising a housing comprising a product holding area configured to hold a roll; a rotating member configured to rotate, in a first direction, in response to rotation of the roll; a cutting surface in the housing; a cutting blade coupled to the rotating member and having a first position, and a second position in which the cutting blade is in contact with the cutting surface, wherein the rotating member is configured to (i) move the cutting blade from the first position to the second position during a first portion of a rotation cycle of the roll in the first direction and (ii) move the cutting blade from the second position to the first position during a second portion of the rotation cycle of the roll in the first direction.

An example sheet product dispenser includes a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense sheet product to provide the dispensed portion within a dispensing chute. A tear bar is provided for separating the dispensed portion from a remainder of the sheet product. A shuttle is positioned between a switch and the dispensed portion. The shuttle is movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position. When the shuttle is in the unactuated position, the switch is in the unactuated configuration. The shuttle and the switch are positioned within the sheet product dispenser such that as the user pulls on the dispensed portion the shuttle moves to the actuated position so that the shuttle applies a force on the switch sufficient enough to transition the switch to an actuated configuration to indicate removal of the dispensed portion. Other example improvements include providing feedback for user inputs to a product dispenser.

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 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.

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 resistance mechanism for a sheet product dispenser for dispensing a length of sheet product from a roll of sheet product rotatably supported by the sheet product dispenser is provided. The resistance mechanism includes an arm configured to frictionally engage a surface of the roll of sheet product, and a spring attached to the arm and configured to bias the arm into engagement with the surface of the roll of sheet product, such that the resistance mechanism provides a pull force resistance opposing a pull force applied to a tail portion of the roll of sheet product.

A roll paper holder includes: a blade member having a blade provided at an end of a base, a press projection provided at the other end of the base, and a convex portion provided on an upper surface of the base; a blade-member-storing case pivotally supporting the convex portion of the blade member; and a holder body to which a roll paper is attachable, in which the blade-member-storing case is mounted on an upper surface of the holder body with a base end pivotally supported by the holder body, and the blade-member-storing case has a cutout in a side thereof, the cutout being curved from a front end of the side to a lower portion of the side close to the base end of the blade-member-storing case.

A wet or dry paper towel dispenser includes a paper towel roll in a housing; drive rollers operably driven by an electric motor; driven rollers disposed oppositely of the drive rollers; a controller including a first sensor for detecting dispensation of dry paper towel sheet and a second sensor for detecting dispensation of wet paper towel sheet; a paper dispensing opening under the controller; a cutter disposed between the paper dispensing opening and the driven rollers, the cutter being configured to cut a portion of sheet product of the paper towel roll; a reservoir disposed rearward of the paper dispensing opening; a pump electrically connected to the controller; and nozzles. A leading edge of the paper towel roll is pinched by the drive rollers and the driven rollers to dispose in front of the nozzles.

A separating unit for separating a web material includes a first shaft extending along a first longitudinal axis in the width direction and a second shaft extending along a second longitudinal axis, parallel to the first shaft. The second longitudinal axis is separated from the first longitudinal axis in a direction perpendicular to the width direction. A first protrusion element extends perpendicularly from the first shaft and is rotatable about the first longitudinal axis and a second protrusion element extends perpendicularly from the second shaft and is rotatable about the second longitudinal axis. In a use position, the first protrusion element partially overlaps the second protrusion element with a radial overlap oriented perpendicular to the first and second shafts. A contact element is biased against at least one of the first and second protrusion elements in a direction perpendicular to the first or second longitudinal axis.

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.