Paper dispenser

Abstract

A paper dispenser having end plates connected together by rails. Each rail is associated with a roll guide which is movable about an axis of the rail. The roll guide has a plurality of rotatable elements and may additionally be movable along the length of the rail such that a distance between two or more roll guides may be varied along the length of the rail. The roll guide is configured such that the rotatable elements of multiple roll guides will self adjust their orientation relative to a paper roll surface of a paper roll as it is dispensed from the paper dispenser. The paper dispenser also includes a paper cutting element that spans a portion of the distance between the end plates. A tape/ribbon dispenser, leg elements and/or standoff elements may also be associated with the paper dispenser. The leg elements and or standoff elements may be configured such that a paper dispenser can be secured to a surface and/or be such that multiple paper dispenser elements can be attached together.

1 . A paper dispenser comprising: 
 a first endplate and a second endplate spaced from the first end plate by a first distance;    a pair of rails having a center axis, each rail having a first end mounted attached to the first endplate and a second end mounted to the second end plate; and    a pair of roll guides each having a body, a roller support projection attached to the body, and a rotatable element rotatively fixed to the support projection, each said body being movably attached to a rail.    
   
   
       2 . The paper dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the body is substantially cylindrical, and the support projection includes a pair of extending arms, said extending arms each have a rotatable element which includes a substantially cylindrical roller.  
   
   
       3 . The paper dispenser of  claim 1 , further including a paper cutting assembly comprising a cutter bar arm having an endplate connecting end rotatably fixed to the first end plate, said cutter bar arm having a cutter bar end attached to a cutting bar, said cutting bar extending the substantially the first distance between the first endplate and the second endplate.  
   
   
       4 . The paper dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein the cutting bar includes an opening which is partially defined by a blade back plate, a paper support, a blade and a blade front plate.  
   
   
       5 . The paper dispenser of  claim 4 , further including a displaceable cutting assembly mounted to a rear of the first endplate and the second endplate, said cutting assembly including a second opening which is at least partially defined by a blade holder attached to a cutter handle, a blade attached to the blade holder, and a paper support, said cutting assembly being displaceably mounted to a cutter assembly rail such that the cutting assembly can be displaced along a portion of the cutter assembly rail intermediate the first and second endplates.  
   
   
       6 . The paper dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein a roll guide is attached to each of said rails such that the roll guide can move about each rail center axis and can move along each rail between the first and second endplates.  
   
   
       7 . The paper dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second endplates include recesses, said recesses are configured to receive at least one of a leg element or a standoff element.  
   
   
       8 . The paper dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the standoff element is received by the first or the second endplate of a second paper dispenser.  
   
   
       9 . The paper dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the leg element or the standoff element is further fixed to a mounting surface.  
   
   
       10 . The paper dispenser of  claim 1 , further including a tape/ribbon holder, said tape/ribbon holder comprising a channeled body configured to be supported by the roll guide, said channeled body having a plurality of slots and a plurality of dividers associated with said slots.  
   
   
       11 . A paper dispenser and paper roll assembly comprising: 
 a first endplate and a second endplate;    a pair of rails having a center axis, each rail having a first end mounted to the first endplate and a second end mounted to the second end plate;    a portion of roll guided each having a body, a roller support projection attached to the body, and a rotatable element rotatably mounted to the support projection, each body being movably attached to a rail; and    a paper roll, having an axial center about which is disposed a substantially continuous paper sheet, said paper roll having an outer surface in contact with the rotatable element.    
   
   
       12 . The paper dispenser and paper roll assembly of  claim 11 , further including a paper cutting assembly comprising a cutter bar arm having an endplate connecting end rotatably mounted to the first end plate, said cutter bar arm having a cutter bar end attached to a cutting bar, said cutting bar extending between the first endplate and the second endplate; and wherein said cutting bar is selectively engageable with the substantially continuous paper sheet.  
   
   
       13 . The paper dispenser and paper roll assembly of  claim 12  wherein the cutting bar includes an opening through which extends a portion of the substantially continuous paper sheet, said opening being partially defined by a blade back plate, a paper support, a blade, and a blade front plate, said blade being selectively in contact with the substantially continuous paper sheet.  
   
   
       14 . The paper dispenser and paper roll assembly of  claim 11 , further including a displaceable cutting assembly mounted to a rear of the first endplate, said cutting assembly including a paper opening through which the substantially continuous paper sheet extends, said paper opening at least partially defined by a blade holder attached to a cutter handle, a blade attached to the blade holder, and a paper support upon which said substantially continuous paper sheet is supported, said cutting assembly being displaceably mounted to a cutter assembly rail such that the cutting assembly can be displaced along a portion of the cutter assembly rail intermediate the first and second endplates while the blade cuts the substantially continuous paper sheet.  
   
   
       15 . The paper dispenser and paper roll assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the paper roll has at least a full roll configuration, a partially depleted roll configuration, and a nearly depleted roll configuration, and wherein the roll guide is attached to the rail such that the roll guide can move about the rail center axis such that the rotatable element maintains contact with the outer surface of the paper roll in at least the full roll configuration, the partially depleted roll configuration, and the nearly depleted roll configuration.  
   
   
       16 . The paper dispenser and paper roll assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the roll guides can move be along the rails between the first and second endplates.  
   
   
       17 . The paper dispenser and paper roll assembly of  claim 11 , further including a second paper dispenser connected to the paper dispenser, said second paper dispenser having a tape/ribbon holder, said tape/ribbon holder comprising a channeled body configured to be supported by the roll guide of the second paper dispenser, said channeled body having a plurality of slots and a plurality of dividers associated with said slots.  
   
   
       18 . The paper dispenser and paper roll assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second endplates include recesses, said recesses are configured to receive at least one of a leg element or a standoff element.