Automatic dispenser apparatus
First Claim
1. An electronic sheet material dispenser comprising:
- a housing defining a space enclosing at least one sheet material roll;
an input device structured to obtain a user request;
a dispensing mechanism including a drive roller and a motor in power-transmission relationship with the drive roller;
a power source powering the motor and having a power source output; and
control apparatus controlling operation of the dispenser, said control apparatus being structured to;
power the motor for a predetermined time in response to the user request;
obtain a power source output value during at least a portion of the predetermined time;
de-power the motor upon completion of the predetermined time; and
determine a time duration for powering the motor in the next dispense cycle based at least in part on the power source output value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to improved automatic dispenser apparatus for dispensing sheet material and the like without contact between a user and the dispenser. Proximity detection apparatus is provided to detect the presence of a user in a detection zone generated outside the dispenser. Control apparatus controls actuation of the dispenser in response to the detected user. Preferred forms of the proximity detector include a sensor and a signal detection circuit operatively connected to the sensor. The sensor includes conductors configured to have a capacitance and positioned such that the capacitance is changed by the presence of a user within the detection zone. The signal detection circuit detects the change in capacitance and is provided with an oscillator having a frequency which is affected by the sensor capacitance and a differential frequency discriminator which detects changes in the oscillator frequency. The control apparatus receives the detected frequency change and generates a signal provided to actuate the dispenser to dispense the material. The dispenser control apparatus controls dispenser operation responsive to decreases in battery voltage which occur during the life cycle of the batteries and controls dispenser operation when the batteries near the end of such life cycle. Such control apparatus may be used with any type of battery powered dispenser, including hands-free dispensers and dispensers actuated by direct physical contact with the user.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An electronic sheet material dispenser comprising:
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a housing defining a space enclosing at least one sheet material roll;
an input device structured to obtain a user request;
a dispensing mechanism including a drive roller and a motor in power-transmission relationship with the drive roller;
a power source powering the motor and having a power source output; and
control apparatus controlling operation of the dispenser, said control apparatus being structured to;
power the motor for a predetermined time in response to the user request;
obtain a power source output value during at least a portion of the predetermined time;
de-power the motor upon completion of the predetermined time; and
determine a time duration for powering the motor in the next dispense cycle based at least in part on the power source output value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A sheet material dispenser for dispensing a length of sheet material during a dispense cycle comprising:
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a housing defining a space enclosing at least one sheet material roll;
a proximity sensor structured to generate a dispense signal responsive to a user request;
a dispensing mechanism including a drive roller and a motor in power-transmission relationship with the drive roller;
a power source powering the motor and having a power source output; and
control apparatus structured to control the length of sheet material dispensed during at least a then-occurring dispense cycle, said control apparatus including a micro-controller having a memory including instructions adapted to;
store a first value corresponding at least in part to a power source output value during powering of the motor in a preceding dispense cycle;
obtain the dispense signal in the then-occurring dispense cycle;
power the motor for a predetermined time in the then-occurring dispense cycle responsive to the dispense signal and based at least in part on the first value;
obtain a power source output value during at least a portion of the predetermined time;
generate a second value based on an average of the first value and the obtained power source output value;
store the second value in place of the first value; and
de-power the motor upon completion of the predetermined time. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for dispensing sheet material with a sheet material dispenser comprising:
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initiating a dispense cycle in response to a user request;
powering a motor with a power source for a predetermined time duration, said motor structured to power a dispensing mechanism to dispense a length of sheet material from the dispenser;
obtaining a power source output value during at least a portion of the predetermined time duration;
de-powering the motor upon completion of the predetermined time duration; and
determining a time duration for a next dispense cycle based at least in part on the power source output value. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification