Sheet Product Dispensers and Methods For Controlling the Dispensers

• US 20100012674A1
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brownlee, Warren R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3612 with drive and pinch rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3625 with electronic control means
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3668 Detection of the presence of a user

Abstract

Sheet product dispensers and methods for controlling the dispensers are provided. A sheet product dispenser includes a housing and a dispensing assembly disposed in the housing. The dispensing assembly is configured to hold a roll of sheet product thereon and to dispense a portion of the roll of sheet product. The sheet product dispenser further includes an ultraviolet light source disposed on the housing. The ultraviolet light source is configured to emit ultraviolet light.

Claims

1. A sheet product dispenser, comprising:

a housing;

a dispensing assembly disposed in the housing, the dispensing assembly configured to hold a roll of sheet product thereon and to dispense a portion of the roll of sheet product; and

an ultraviolet light source disposed on the housing, the ultraviolet light source configured to emit ultraviolet light.

2. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light source is configured to emit ultraviolet light in response to a first signal.

3. The sheet product dispenser of claim 2, further comprising:

a sensor disposed on the housing, the sensor configured to generate a second signal; and

a controller operably coupled to the sensor and the ultraviolet light source, the controller configured to generate the first signal to induce the ultraviolet light source to emit ultraviolet light in response to receiving the second signal from the sensor.

4. The sheet product dispenser of claim 3, wherein the sensor comprises a proximity sensor configured to generate the second signal when an object is disposed proximate to the proximity sensor.

5. The sheet product dispenser of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to generate the first signal to induce the ultraviolet light source to emit ultraviolet light in response to receiving the second signal from the proximity sensor.

6. The sheet product dispenser of claim 4, further comprising a motor operably coupled to the dispensing assembly, the motor configured to actuate the dispensing assembly to dispense a portion of the roll of sheet product, in response to a third signal, the controller further configured to generate the third signal in response to receiving the second signal from the proximity sensor.

7. The sheet product dispenser of claim 3, wherein the dispensing assembly further comprises a push bar, the push bar having first and second operational positions, the dispensing assembly dispensing the portion of the roll of sheet product when the push bar is moved from the first operational position to the second operational position, the sensor comprising a position sensor configured to generate the first signal indicative of an operational position of the push bar, wherein the controller generates the first signal to induce the ultraviolet light source to emit ultraviolet light in response to receiving the second signal from the position sensor, where the first signal indicates the push bar is at the second operational position.

8. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source is in a B-band of an ultraviolet light spectrum.

9. The sheet product dispenser of claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source is in a C-band of an ultraviolet light spectrum.

10. A method for controlling a sheet product dispenser, the sheet product dispenser having a sensor, a dispensing assembly, an ultraviolet light source, and a controller, the method comprising:

generating a first signal utilizing the sensor of the sheet product dispenser; and

generating a second signal to induce the ultraviolet light source to emit ultraviolet light in response to the controller of the sheet product dispenser receiving the first signal from the sensor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises a proximity sensor, and generating the first signal comprises generating the first signal utilizing the proximity sensor when an object is disposed proximate to the proximity sensor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sheet product dispenser further comprises a motor operably coupled to the dispensing assembly, the method further comprising:

generating a third signal utilizing the controller in response to the controller receiving the first signal from the proximity sensor; and

actuating the dispensing assembly utilizing the motor to dispense a portion of a roll of sheet product, in response to the motor receiving the third signal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the dispensing assembly further comprises a push bar, the push bar having first and second operational positions, the sensor comprising a position sensor configured to generate the first signal indicative of an operational position of the push bar, wherein generating the second signal comprises:

generating the second signal to induce the ultraviolet light source to emit ultraviolet light in response to receiving the first signal from the position sensor, when the first signal indicates the push bar is at the second operational position.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source is in a B-band of an ultraviolet light spectrum.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source is in a C-band of an ultraviolet light spectrum.