AUTOMATIC TOWEL DISPENSER
First Claim
1. A towel dispenser, comprising:
- (a) a housing for receiving toweling, wherein the toweling includes a first towel and a second towel that are connected together and separable at a perforation formed between the first and second towel, the housing being configured to define a path P for the toweling;
(b) a motor;
(c) a perforation sensor for sensing the perforation and electrically connected to the motor;
(d) wherein the perforation sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of the presence of the perforation and the motor is configured to deactivate in response to the signal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A towel dispenser includes a housing for receiving toweling. The housing includes a main body; a loading door that is configured to rotate relative to the main body between a closed position and an open position; and a guide system that includes a first roller attached to the main body and a second roller attached to the loading door. The towel dispenser may include a motor for driving dispensing of the toweling from the housing and an associated sensor. The towel dispenser can be mounted to an underside of a cabinet. In an aspect, the front wall of the main body and a lip of the loading door collectively define a gap to which the guiding system guides the toweling and through which towels are dispensed when the loading door is in the closed position.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A towel dispenser, comprising:
- (a) a housing for receiving toweling, wherein the toweling includes a first towel and a second towel that are connected together and separable at a perforation formed between the first and second towel, the housing being configured to define a path P for the toweling;
(b) a motor;
(c) a perforation sensor for sensing the perforation and electrically connected to the motor;
(d) wherein the perforation sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of the presence of the perforation and the motor is configured to deactivate in response to the signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- (a) a housing for receiving toweling, wherein the toweling includes a first towel and a second towel that are connected together and separable at a perforation formed between the first and second towel, the housing being configured to define a path P for the toweling;
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16. A method of dispensing towels from a dispenser, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a housing for containing toweling, wherein the toweling includes a first towel and a second towel that are connected together and separable at perforation formed between the first and second towel, the housing being configured to define a path P for the toweling;
a motor positioned with the housing for dispensing the toweling;
a controller positioned within the housing;
a sensor for sensing the perforation;
wherein the sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of the presence of the perforation and the controller is configured to receive the signal and to deactivate the motor accordingly;
b) activating the motor to propel the toweling along path P;
c) deactivating the motor after the sensor generates a signal indicating the presence of the perforation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
- a) providing a housing for containing toweling, wherein the toweling includes a first towel and a second towel that are connected together and separable at perforation formed between the first and second towel, the housing being configured to define a path P for the toweling;
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20. (canceled)
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21. A method of loading a towel dispenser, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a housing for receiving toweling, wherein the toweling includes a first towel and a second towel that are connected together and separable along a perforation formed between the first and second towel;
a movable loading door having an open first position wherein toweling can be loaded into the housing and a closed second position;
a guide system configured to define a path P for the toweling, wherein the guide system includes a first set of guiding members attached to the housing and a second set of guiding members defining path P attached to the loading door such that the guide system defines path P when the loading door is in the first position;
b) moving the loading door to the open second position;
c) placing toweling within the housing;
d) extending a length of toweling from the housing over the loading door; and
e) moving the loading door to the closed position such that toweling extends along path P.
- a) providing a housing for receiving toweling, wherein the toweling includes a first towel and a second towel that are connected together and separable along a perforation formed between the first and second towel;
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22. (canceled)
Specification