Automatic towel dispenser
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- advancing toweling using a motor of a paper towel dispenser;
determining, via a sensor, when a certain extent of toweling has been advanced;
based on said determining when a certain extent of toweling has been advanced, ceasing advancing of the toweling such that a first length of toweling is extended outside of a housing of the paper towel dispenser;
determining, via the sensor, that the length of toweling extended outside of the housing has increased from the first length of toweling such that a second length of toweling is extended outside of the housing of the paper towel dispenser, the second length being greater than the first length; and
in response to said determining that the length of toweling extended outside of the housing has increased, applying force to the toweling, via the motor, in a manner adapted to retract the toweling such that the length of toweling extended outside of the housing decreases.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Dispensing towels includes, using a motor assembly configured to cause a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from a housing of the dispenser and to cause the toweling to be subsequently retracted back into the housing, (a) the step of extending the toweling exterior of the housing for grasping by a user; and (b) subsequent thereto, the steps of (1) retracting the toweling into the housing using the motor assembly; (2) sensing a leading edge of the toweling, using a sensor, while retracting the toweling; and (3) ceasing retracting of the toweling into the housing using the motor assembly as a function of sensing the leading edge of the toweling using the sensor. The toweling is advanced by the motor assembly such that a line of perforations in the toweling, along which the user tears the toweling, is located downstream of the sensor.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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advancing toweling using a motor of a paper towel dispenser; determining, via a sensor, when a certain extent of toweling has been advanced; based on said determining when a certain extent of toweling has been advanced, ceasing advancing of the toweling such that a first length of toweling is extended outside of a housing of the paper towel dispenser; determining, via the sensor, that the length of toweling extended outside of the housing has increased from the first length of toweling such that a second length of toweling is extended outside of the housing of the paper towel dispenser, the second length being greater than the first length; and in response to said determining that the length of toweling extended outside of the housing has increased, applying force to the toweling, via the motor, in a manner adapted to retract the toweling such that the length of toweling extended outside of the housing decreases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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determining, via a sensor, that a length of toweling extended outside of a housing of a paper towel dispenser has increased beyond an initial length of toweling that is extended outside the housing; and in response to said determining that the length of toweling extended outside of the housing has increased, applying force to the toweling, via a motor, in a manner adapted to retract the toweling such that the length of toweling extended outside of the housing decreases. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A sheet material dispenser comprising:
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a housing configured to house a roll of sheet material; a motor configured to operate to cause extension of sheet material from the roll of sheet material from the dispenser; a sensor configured to determine a length of the sheet material that is extended from the dispenser; and a controller configured to; cause the motor to operate to extend the sheet material from the dispenser; determine, based on data from the sensor, an instance in which a predetermined length of the sheet material has been extended from the dispenser; cease, in response to determining that the predetermined length of the sheet material has been extended from the dispenser, operation of the motor such that a first length of sheet material extends from the dispenser; determine, based on data from the sensor, that the length of sheet material extended from the dispenser has increased from the first length such that a second length of sheet material is extended outside of the dispenser, wherein the second length is greater than the first length; and cause, in response to determining that the length of sheet material extended from the dispenser has increased, the motor to operate to retract the sheet material such that the length of sheet material extended outside of the housing decreases. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification