PERFORATED PAPER TOWEL DISPENSER FOR ONE-HANDED OPERATION

摘要

A paper towel dispenser including a base; a center shaft vertically mounted on the base; a spool mount tube rotatably disposed around the center shaft; a biasing element engaging the spool mount tube and placing it at an angle in relation to the center shaft, and brake elements disposed between the center shaft and the spool mount tube. When a user pulls a free end of a paper towel roll outwardly ion a defined direction, the spool mount tube tilts and the brake elements disengage, allowing the spool mount tube to rotate and also allowing paper towel sheets to pay out. If the user pulls at an angle relative to the center shaft on the free end of the paper towel roll, the brake elements engage and prevent rotation of the spool mount tube, thus allowing the user to tear off and separate the dispensed paper towel sheets.

主权项

1. A paper towel dispenser having a locked configuration and an unlocked/dispensing configuration, comprising:
a base for placement on a surface; a center shaft affixed to and extending from said base and having an upper shaft portion; a spool mount tube rotatably mounted over said center shaft, said spool mount tube having a lower end and including an interior wall and a cylindrical exterior surface onto which a paper towel spool may be mounted; at least one friction element and a friction element engaging surface, each disposed around said center shaft; a biasing element affixed to said center shaft; and a roller rotatably attached to said biasing element and engaging said interior wall of said spool mount tube; wherein in a locked configuration said biasing element and said roller urge said spool mount tube into an angled orientation that brings said at least one friction element into contact with said friction element engaging surface to prevent said spool mount tube from rotating about said center shaft, and wherein when a user pulls on the tail portion of a roll of material disposed on said spool mount tube in a direction of pull substantially opposite the direction of force imparted by said biasing element and said roller against said spool mount tube, said at least one friction element comes out of engagement with said friction element engaging surface so as to permit said spool mount tube to roll freely around said center shaft.