Hands-free paper towel dispensers

• US 6,854,684 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wausau Paper Towel & Tissue LLC (Svenska Cellulosa AB)
• Original Assignee: Mosinee Paper Corporation (Svenska Cellulosa AB)
• Inventors: Elliott, Adam T., Mendelsberg, Victor, Byrd, Dannie D., Cotnoir, Alain P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, JOHN QUOC
• Application Number:
  US10/394,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 242/563, 242/563.2, 242/564.1, 242/564.4, 242/569.3, 312/34.8, 312/34.22
• US Class Current: 242/563
• 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 10/3687 with one or more reserve rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3668 Detection of the presence of a user

Abstract

A hands-free paper towel dispenser including a housing with a front cover pivotally attached thereto. A sensor is disposed entirely within the housing, and mounted so that it is not attached to the front cover and oriented toward the front cover of the housing to detect an object adjacent the front cover of the housing without the object contacting the front cover. A dispensing mechanism is disposed within the housing for dispensing a length of towel, with the dispensing mechanism including a drive roller and a motor in driving engagement with the drive roller. Control circuitry controls operation of the sensor and the motor, with the control circuitry including a circuit to control the length of towel that is dispensed, and a circuit to provide a delay between dispensing cycles. The dispenser also includes an electric power source for powering operation of the dispenser.

Claims

1. A hands-free paper towel dispenser, comprising:

(a) a housing defining an interior space sufficient to contain at least one paper towel roll, the housing including a front cover that is pivotally attached thereto;

(b) a sensor disposed entirely within the housing, the sensor being mounted so that it is not attached to the front cover, the sensor being oriented toward the front cover of the housing to permit detecting of an object adjacent the front cover of the housing, and the sensor being constructed to detect an object without the object contacting the front cover;

(c) a dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing for dispensing a length of towel, the dispensing mechanism including a drive roller and a motor in driving engagement with the drive roller;

(d) control circuitry controlling operation of the sensor and the motor, the control circuitry includes a length control circuit to control the length of towel that is dispensed in a dispensing cycle, and a delay circuit to prevent a new dispensing cycle until a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the completion of a previous dispensing cycle, wherein the length control circuit senses rotation of the drive roller, and the control circuitry is constructed to turn the motor off if rotation of the drive roller is not sensed within a predetermined time period; and

(e) an electric power source for powering operation of the dispenser.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a photo sensor.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the length control circuit is constructed to turn the motor off after a single revolution of the drive roller.

4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the front cover is pivotable between an open position and a closed position, and the control circuitry further includes a safety circuit that prevents operation of the motor when the front cover is in the open position.

5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the electric power source supplies non-alternating current.