Electronic paper towel dispenser

• US 4,796,825 A
• Filed: 09/25/1987
• Issued: 01/10/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Junior F. Hawkins
• Original Assignee: Junior F. Hawkins
• Inventors: Hawkins, Junior F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Petrakes, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAIL, JOSEPH J
• Application Number:
  US07/100,904
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 242/55.53, 242/55.2, 250/221, 250/548
• US Class Current: 242/564
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/36 with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3668 Detection of the presence of a user

Abstract

The electronic paper towel dispenser permits paper towels to be dispensed from a supply roll by placing your hand or other object in front of a sensor located on or near the front of the supply cabinet. Dispensing of the paper towels is stopped when your hand or other object is removed from in front of the sensor or whenever normal room lighting is not present.

Claims

1. A paper towel dispenser comprising a cabinet means including a back panel, a top pivotally secured to said back panel, a first side panel secured to said back panel, a second side panel having a side opening and secured to said back panel, a front panel secured to said first and second side panels, and a bottom panel having a bottom opening and secured to said first and second side panels and to said front and back panels, a motor means secured to said back panel for producing rotational energy;

a control circuit means mounted in said cabinet means and comprising a touchless switch means for energizing and de-energizing said motor means and dispensing paper towels in a sanitary manner;

cone-shaped bearing means coupled to said motor means and frictionally, rotationally engages one side of paper towels for dispensing same when said motor means is energized;

a stop member mounted to said back panel;

a second bearing means releasably engaging another side of the paper towels and supporting the same while being rotationally dispensed when the cone-shaped bearing means is rotated by the motor means;

a bracket assembly integrally bound to said second bearing means and superimposed over the stop member and slidably mounted along the back panel in proximity to said side opening; and

a means secured to said stop member and to said bracket assembly for biasing said bracket assembly away from said stop member and for biasing said second bearing means towards said paper towels.

2. The paper towel dispenser of claim 1 wherein said control circuit comprises a first conductor means in communication with a power source at one end and grounded at the other end, a day sensor means and a first variable resistor and a first resistor all connected in series in said first conductor means;

a second conductor means connected to said first conductor means between said first variable resistor and said first resistor and further connected to a logic circuit operation 4081 AND means;

a third conductor means having one end in communication with the power source and another end grounded, a night sensor means and a second variable resistor and a second resistor all connected in series in said third conductor means;

a fourth conductor means attached to said logic circuit operation 4081 AND means and to said third conductor means between said second variable resistor and said second resistor;

a fifth conductor means attached to said logic circuit operation 4081 AND means and in communication with said power source, a third resistor and a first transistor and said motor means all connected in series in said fifth conductor means, said first transistor having a first base, a first emitter and a first collector;

a second transistor having a second base, a second emitter and a second collector, said first emitter of said first transistor is coupled electrically to said second base, said second emitter is grounded and said second collector is coupled electronically to said fifth conductor means;

a sixth conductor means attached at one end to the power source and attached at another end to the fifth conductor means between the motor means and the point where said second collector is coupled thereto, and a first diode means connected within said sixth conductor means.

3. The paper towel dispenser of claim 2 wherein said logic circuit operation 4081 AND means is in communication with said power source at a point thereon, and is grounded at another point thereon.

4. The paper towel dispenser of claim 2 wherein said power source is a battery mounted in said cabinet means.

5. The paper towel dispenser of claim 2 wherein said touchless switch means comprises said night sensor means communicating with ambient light such that when ambient light does not strike the night sensor means said control circuit means can not energize the motor means;

and said day sensor means communicating with said ambient lighting such that if ambient lighting is striking the night sensor means, then interrupting the ambient lighting to the day sensor means causes the control circuit means to energize the motor means.

6. The paper towel dispenser of claim 1 additionally comprising a handle secured to said bracket assembly.