Power Supply Systems For Dispensers and Methods of Powering Dispensers

• US 20080018302A1
• Filed: 07/18/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Reinsel, Christopher, Geddes, Daniel, Fontaine, Brian, Myers, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 7,821,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/124
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/36 with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3625 with electronic control means
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3668 Detection of the presence of a user
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3681 characterised by the way a new paper roll is loaded in the dispenser

Abstract

In one embodiment, a power system for a plurality of dispensers comprises an AC transformer to receive a line voltage and generate an output voltage of about 2 volts AC to about 50 volts AC; a plurality of dispensers, each housing at least one electrical component operatively configured to dispense product through a dispensing aperture, each of the dispensers comprising a battery compartment; and a plurality of power converters adapted to be at least partially disposed within the battery compartments such that at least one power converter is associated with each dispenser, the converters disposed in communication with the AC transformer such that the power converters receive the output voltage and provide a DC voltage to one or more electrical components housed within the dispensers.

Claims

1. A power system for a plurality of dispensers comprising:

an AC transformer to receive a line voltage and generate an output voltage of about 2 volts AC to about 50 volts AC;

a plurality of dispensers, each housing at least one electrical component operatively configured to dispense product through a dispensing aperture, each of the dispensers comprising a battery compartment; and

a plurality of power converters adapted to be at least partially disposed within the battery compartments such that at least one power converter is associated with each dispenser, the converters disposed in communication with the AC transformer such that the power converters receive the output voltage and provide a DC voltage to one or more electrical components housed within the dispensers.

2. The power system of claim 1, the AC transformer being located at a location remote from at least one of the dispensers.

3. The power system of claim 1, the AC transformer being coupled to at least one of the dispensers via a plurality of lines, with each line passing through a rear housing wall of a corresponding dispenser.

4. The power system of claim 1, the dispensers being at least one of a sheet product dispenser, an air dispenser, a liquid dispenser, and a foam dispenser

5. The power system of claim 1, the dispensers being paper dispensers provided in one or more restrooms and the AC transformer being provided in a room remote from the one or more restrooms.

6. The power system of claim 1, the at least one electrical component comprising a sensor and an electric motor, the sensor operatively configured to at least partially control operation of the motor.

7. A power system for a plurality of paper dispensers comprising:

an AC-to-AC transformer to receive a input AC voltage at a first voltage level and to provide an output AC voltage at a second voltage level;

a plurality of paper dispensers, each having a dispense roller powered by a roller motor, the roller motor being a DC motor;

a plurality of low voltage lines to carry the output AC voltage to the paper dispensers; and

at least one AC-to-DC voltage converter disposed proximate one of the plurality of paper dispensers and coupled to at least one of the low voltage lines to receive the second voltage level, the at least one AC-to-DC voltage converter operatively configured to convert the output AC voltage to an output DC voltage.

8. The power system of claim 7, wherein the ratio of the first voltage level to the second voltage level is about 2 to about 25.

9. The power system of claim 7, the plurality of AC-to-DC converters being disposed within a corresponding one of the plurality of paper dispensers in a housing configured to be removed from and securedly disposed within the corresponding paper dispenser.

10. The power system of claim 9, the housings being sized to be at least partially received within a battery compartment of a battery powered paper dispenser.

11. The power supply system of claim 7, the transformer being located remote from at least one of the paper dispensers such that an associated low voltage line ranges in length up to about 1000 feet.

12. The power supply system of claim 7, the paper dispenser comprising at least one other electrical component to operatively configured to receive at least one of the output AC voltage or the output DC voltage for use in controlling operation of the paper dispenser.

13. The power supply system of claim 7, the at least one AC-to-DC voltage converter comprising an input terminal to receive the output AC voltage and an output terminal to provide the output DC voltage, the output terminal having electrical connections corresponding to electrical connections contained within the paper dispenser to receive electricity to operate the paper dispenser.

14. A method to provide power to a plurality of dispensers, the method comprising:

providing a transformer operatively configured to receive an input voltage and to provide a supply voltage; and

providing a voltage converter to receive the supply voltage and to provide an output voltage, the output voltage being provided to a dispenser to power the dispenser for dispensing operation and the voltage converter to have a predetermined size such that the voltage converter can be removably disposed within a compartment housed within the dispenser.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing one or more electrical conductive contacts on the voltage converter such that the voltage converter is disposed in electrical communication with the voltage converter and an electronic component of the dispenser.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing at least one of paper, plastic, wiping material, sheet product, fragrance, tissue, liquid, and soap to be dispensed from the dispenser.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing the voltage converter with a filtering circuit portion to filter the output voltage such that the output voltage can be provided to a sensor used to at least partially control dispensing operations of the dispenser.

18. A dispenser comprising:

a dispenser housing having an inner chamber operatively configured to support a roll of paper and having a dispensing aperture;

a DC motor operatively configured to dispense paper from the roll of paper through the dispensing aperture;

a battery compartment adapted to receive a plurality of batteries; and

a power converter sized to disposed at least partially within the battery compartment, the power converter comprising an input terminal receiving an AC voltage of between 2 and 50 volts, an output terminal providing a DC voltage to the motor; and

a converter circuit disposed between the input and output terminals.

19. The dispenser network of claim 18, the AC voltage being provided by a transformer located remote from the dispenser, the transformer being configured to receive an input voltage of between approximately 110 VAC and approximate 230 VAC.

20. The dispenser network of claim 18, the power converter having an input terminal receiving the AC voltage and the converter circuit having an exposed output terminal contacting a battery terminal of the dispenser within said battery compartment, and the output terminal providing the DC voltage to the paper dispenser.