Sensing retraction of perforated paper towels within housing after dispensing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A towel dispenser, comprising:
- (a) a housing for receiving toweling comprising a roll of paper towels, the housing comprising(i) a main body, and(ii) a loading door that is configured to rotate relative to the main body between,(A) a closed position, in which the housing is configured to extend toweling there from, and(B) an open position, in which the housing is configured to receive toweling therein,(iii) wherein the loading door comprises a towel carrier having a curved surface defining a cavity configured to receive the roll of paper towels such that the roll of paper towels rolls and slides on the curved surface during unwinding;
(b) a sensor; and
(c) a motor assembly configured,(i) to cause a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from the housing such that a line of perforations in the toweling, along which a user tears the toweling, is located downstream of the sensor, and(ii) to cause the toweling to be retracted into the housing after the leading edge has been extended;
(d) wherein the sensor senses a leading edge of the toweling during retraction of the toweling by the motor assembly; and
(e) wherein the sensor is configured to cause the motor assembly to cease retracting the toweling into the housing as a function of the sensing of the leading edge of the toweling during retraction of the toweling into the housing.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A towel dispenser includes: a housing for receiving toweling; a motor assembly that causes a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from the housing such that a line of perforations in the toweling along which a user tears the toweling is located downstream of the sensor, and the toweling to be retracted into the housing after the leading edge has been extended; and a sensor that senses a leading edge of the toweling during retraction of the toweling. The sensor causes the motor assembly to cease retracting the toweling into the housing as a function of the sensing of the leading edge of the toweling. The toweling may be a roll of perforated paper towels.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A towel dispenser, comprising:
-
(a) a housing for receiving toweling comprising a roll of paper towels, the housing comprising (i) a main body, and (ii) a loading door that is configured to rotate relative to the main body between, (A) a closed position, in which the housing is configured to extend toweling there from, and (B) an open position, in which the housing is configured to receive toweling therein, (iii) wherein the loading door comprises a towel carrier having a curved surface defining a cavity configured to receive the roll of paper towels such that the roll of paper towels rolls and slides on the curved surface during unwinding; (b) a sensor; and (c) a motor assembly configured, (i) to cause a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from the housing such that a line of perforations in the toweling, along which a user tears the toweling, is located downstream of the sensor, and (ii) to cause the toweling to be retracted into the housing after the leading edge has been extended; (d) wherein the sensor senses a leading edge of the toweling during retraction of the toweling by the motor assembly; and (e) wherein the sensor is configured to cause the motor assembly to cease retracting the toweling into the housing as a function of the sensing of the leading edge of the toweling during retraction of the toweling into the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An automatic dispenser for dispensing paper towels from a perforated roll of paper towels, comprising:
-
(a) a housing for receiving a roll of perforated paper towels that are separable at perforations formed between the towels, the housing comprising (i) a main body, and (ii) a loading door that is configured to rotate relative to the main body between, (A) a closed position, in which the housing is configured to extend toweling there from, and (B) an open position, in which the housing is configured to receive toweling therein, (iii) wherein the loading door comprises a towel carrier having a curved surface defining a cavity configured to receive the roll of paper towels such that the roll of paper towels rolls and slides on the curved surface during unwinding; (b) a sensor; and (c) a motor assembly configured, (i) to selectively cause a leading edge of the roll of paper towels to be extended from the housing such that a line of perforations, along which a user separates one or more paper towels from the roll, is located at a downstream location relative to the sensor, and thereafter (ii) to cause the leading edge to be retracted in an upstream direction toward the sensor after the one or more paper towels are separated from the roll along the line of perforations; (d) wherein the sensor is configured to sense a leading edge of the toweling as it is retracted by the motor assembly; and (e) wherein the sensor is configured to cause the motor to cease retracting the leading edge in response to the sensing of the leading edge. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
-
Specification