Apparatus for dispensing and identifying product in washrooms

• US 8,160,742 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Goerg, Charles H., Mitchell, Joseph, Ng, Dixon, Padak, Ronald R., York, Cheryl L.
• Primary Examiner(s): COLLINS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/827,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20100268381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 700/236, 700/240, 700/243, 700/244
• US Class Current: 700/240
• 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 10/3662 with devices preventing the use of non-authorised paper rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3845 with devices preventing the use of non-authorised paper rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3226 collecting data of usage
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3668 Detection of the presence of a user
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3693 Selection of the size of the paper roll
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An apparatus for the dispensing of product is provided. The apparatus includes a dispenser that is configured for dispensing product and a sensor in communication with an electrical circuit carried by the dispenser. The sensor is configured for detecting identification information about the product when the electrical circuit is completed by the product. Additional exemplary embodiments are also provided in which the sensor operates through optical detection, smell, physical contact with the product, or vibration instead of or in addition to the completion of an electrical circuit.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing a product from a dispenser, comprising:

loading a product into a dispenser;

with a sensor disposed within the dispenser, detecting a fluorescent area defined on the product to retrieve identification information from the product that distinguishes the product from other products;

controlling the amount of product dispensed as a function of a detected characteristic of the fluorescent area; and

wherein the product is a roll from which sheets of material are dispensed, the length of the individual dispensed sheets determined as a function of the fluorescent intensity of the detected fluorescent area.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the identification information conveyed by the fluorescent area indicates whether the product is recognized as an accepted product for dispensing from the dispenser.

3. The method as in claim 2, comprising dispensing the product in a default mode if the product is not recognized as an accepted product for dispensing from the dispenser.

4. The method as in claim 2, comprising disabling the dispenser from dispensing the product if the product is not recognized as an accepted product for dispensing from the dispenser.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the fluorescent area is invisible until excited by the sensor so as not to be detectable by a consumer of the product.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the fluorescent area is UV responsive and the sensor is a UV sensor.

7. An apparatus for dispensing of a product, comprising:

a dispenser configured for dispensing of a product;

a sensor carried by said dispenser and configured for detecting identification information about the product generated when the product is received by said dispenser for dispensing, the identification information comprising information that distinguishes one type of product from another;

a processor in communication with said fluorescent detector sensor, and a dispensing controller in communication with said processor to generate dispense commands as a function of the identification information conveyed by the fluorescent area;

wherein said sensor is a fluorescent detector sensor disposed within said dispenser so as to detect a fluorescent area defined on products placed in said dispenser, the identification information conveyed by detected characteristics of the fluorescent area;

wherein said dispenser has a support configured to rotatable support a roll of the product, and wherein said fluorescent detector sensor is configured for detecting the fluorescent area defined on the product roll, said dispensing controller configured to dispense sheets of material from the product roll having a length that is a function of the identification information.

8. The apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said dispenser has a support configured to rotatably support a roll of the product and to receive a core of the product, and wherein said fluorescent detector sensor is configured for detecting the fluorescent area defined on the roll of the product.

9. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said fluorescent detector sensor is disposed so as to detect the fluorescent area defined on a side of the roll of product.

10. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said fluorescent detector sensor is disposed so as to detect the fluorescent area defined on the core of the roll of product.

11. The apparatus as in claim 7, further comprising:

a data communications unit in communication with said fluorescent detector sensor and configured for receiving identification information therefrom; and

a washroom monitoring station in communication with said data communications unit and configured for receiving identification information from said data communications unit.

12. The apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said dispensing controller is configured to dispense sheets from the product roll in a default mode when the product roll does not contain a recognized fluorescent area.

13. The apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said dispensing controller is configured to disable said dispenser when the product roll does not contain a recognized fluorescent area.

14. The apparatus as in claim 7, further comprising product configured for dispensing from said dispenser, said product comprising a roll of material.

15. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said fluorescent area is defined on a side of the product roll.

16. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said product roll comprises a core, said fluorescent area defined on said core.

17. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said fluorescent area comprises detectable characteristics that differentiate said product from another product.

18. The apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said fluorescent area is reactive to UV light, said sensor comprising a UV sensor.