| CPC B65D 85/672 (2013.01) [B65B 61/04 (2013.01); B65D 5/02 (2013.01); B65D 5/5004 (2013.01); B65B 5/04 (2013.01); B65B 11/004 (2013.01); B65B 41/12 (2013.01)] | 19 Claims |

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1. An expander device for manually expanding slit sheet paper, comprising:
a) a roll of slit sheet paper having an array of slits, said roll of slit sheet paper having a length from a first end of said roll of slit sheet paper to a second end of said roll of slit sheet paper;
b) said roll of slit sheet paper being wound around a tubular core member that extends through a center of said roll of slit sheet paper;
c) a pair of side wall members including a first side wall member and a second side wall member,
said first side wall member having a first support surface,
said second side wall member having a second support surface, and
said first side wall member and said second sidewall member being separated a distance from each other greater than said length of said roll of slit sheet paper to accommodate said roll of slit sheet paper in between said first side wall member and said second sidewall member;
d) a first end region of the tubular core member being adjacent the first end of said roll of slit sheet paper, and
a second end region of the tubular core member being adjacent the second end of said roll of slit sheet paper;
e) a pressing member having a curved surface positioned to press against a curved surface of said first end region of the tubular core member to apply a frictional resistance against said curved surface of said first end region of the tubular core member; and
f) a spring positioned to apply a spring force against said pressing member, wherein the spring is compressed against said pressing member to increase frictional pressure against said curved surface of said first end region of the tubular core member;
whereby the slit sheet paper can be manually drawn and expanded from the roll of slit sheet paper upon applying a manual drawing force upon said slit sheet paper that is sufficient to overcome the frictional resistance against said curved surface of said first end region of the tubular core member.
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