Towel dispenser

• US 6,412,655 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wilhelm Blatz
• Original Assignee: Wilhelm Blatz
• Inventors: Heub-Schneider, Andreas, Stuetzel, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACKEY, PATRICK HEWEY
• Application Number:
  US09/462,081
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 221/13, 221/30, 250/221, 340/562, 340/573, 242/55.2, 242/55.553, 242/55.3, 242/563.2, 242/564.4, 242/598.6, 226/127, 226/128, 226/129, 226/130, 226/131, 226/132, 226/133, 225/10, 225/11, 225/106
• US Class Current: 221/13
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/36 with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/205 With feed-out of predetermined length from work supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/393 Web restrainer

Abstract

The invention relates to a towel dispenser (10) such as a paper towel dispenser comprising a housing (12) in which a paper roll and an issuing device (50) are arranged. Said issuing device can AC be controlled by a sensor (38). In order to simplify the operation and to increase the reliability of the towel dispenser, the invention provides that the sensor (38) is configured as a capacitive sensor.

Claims

1. A paper towel dispenser (10, 100), comprising:

a housing (12) in which a towel receiver and a towel issuing device (50) are provided,

said issuing device being actuatable by a sensor (38) activatable from the housing exterior,

wherein the sensor is a capacitive sensor (38) with a first two-dimensional and a second two-dimensional electrode (40, 42) having different surface areas arranged inside the housing (12) and passing along at least one housing side (20).

2. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second electrode (40, 42) are coplanar or disposed in two planes that are parallel to the housing front side (20).

3. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the surfaces areas of the electrodes (40, 42) being in a ratio of approximately 1:

5 to 1;

20 and wherein the electrodes have a spacing (41) therebetween equal to or less than the width of the second electrode (42).

4. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes (40, 42) are arranged directly behind a housing panel and extend at least in some areas parallel or approximately parallel to a sensor field (31) provided in the housing panel, in the area of which an electrical field running between the electrodes can be influenced.

5. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the sensor (28) is arranged directly behind the housing front side (20).

6. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the front side (20) has at least one visual element (32, 34) indicating a sensor field (31) or a removal opening (30).

7. Towel dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the visual element on the front side (20) of the housing (12) is designed as at least two recesses (32, 34) running horizontally, the recesses dividing the front side of the housing in the golden section ratio.

8. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein

the towel dispenser (10) is battery-operated.

9. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein

the towel dispenser (10) has a switch (94) on the inside of the housing with which the issuing device (50) can be operated when the housing is open.

10. Towel dispenser according to claim 1 with a tear-off device extending from the housing interior in the area of the issuing device (50), wherein the tear-off device (62) is not accessible from the housing exterior and wherein the tear-off device comprises a Z-shaped angular section extending parallel to a rotary axis of a paper roll and wherein the tear-off device includes a free longitudinal edge with teeth of differing length.

11. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, comprising a cover having an upper side angled about 8°

from the horizontal.

12. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, including first and second side panels (24, 26) having vision windows (38).

13. Towel dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the hood-like cover (14) is rotatably fastened to and lockable to a rear panel (16).

14. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor (38) has an adjustable sensitivity.

15. Towel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein upon actuation the issuing device (50) issues paper towels for an adjustable period of time.