Product Level Sensor for a Product Dispenser
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Abstract
A dispenser for dispensing paper or non-woven sheet product for wiping, wherein the level of sheet product contained in the dispenser decreases as the sheet product is dispensed, the dispenser comprising an ultrasonic level sensor for determining the level of the sheet product contained in the dispenser, wherein the ultrasonic sensor is arranged to direct the ultrasonic beam toward a surface associated with the sheet product, wherein a distance that the beam travels to the surface changes progressively as the level of the sheet product in the dispenser changes from a full condition to an empty condition.
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Citations
86 Claims
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1-45. -45. (canceled)
- 46. A dispenser for dispensing paper or non-woven sheet product for wiping, wherein the level of sheet product contained in the dispenser decreases as the sheet product is dispensed, the dispenser comprising an ultrasonic level sensor for determining the level of the sheet product contained in the dispenser, wherein the ultrasonic sensor is arranged to direct the ultrasonic beam toward a surface associated with the sheet product, wherein a distance that the beam travels to the surface changes progressively as the level of the sheet product in the dispenser changes from a full condition to an empty condition.
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58. A system for determining a level of paper or non-woven sheet product contained in the dispenser, wherein the level of sheet product in the dispenser decreases as the sheet products are dispensed from the dispenser, the system comprising
the dispenser; -
an ultrasonic level sensor; and a processor configured to; determine a level of the sheet product based on an ultrasonic echo sensed by the ultrasonic level sensor, wherein the sensor is arranged to direct the ultrasonic beam toward a surface associated with the sheet product, wherein a distance that the beam travels to the surface changes progressively as the level of the sheet product in the dispenser changes from a full condition to an empty condition; wherein the processor is configured to determine a quantitative result indicating the level of sheet product in the dispenser that varies progressively from a product full condition to a product empty condition, such as in at least three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten levels or continuously. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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77. A method of determining a level of paper or non-woven sheet product for wiping in a dispenser, wherein the level of sheet product in the dispenser decreases as the sheet product is dispensed from the dispenser, comprising:
determining from an ultrasonic echo a level of the sheet product contained in the dispenser, wherein the ultrasonic beam travels toward and reflects off a surface associated with the sheet product to produce the echo, wherein a distance travelled by the ultrasonic beam to the surface progressively changes as the sheet product level changes. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
Specification