Electronic dispenser for flexible rolled sheet material

A dispenser for flexible rolled sheet material, comprising:

• a housing containing a support mechanism to hold at least one roll of sheet material, said housing comprising a base for mounting to a surface, a cover pivotally mounted to the base, and a discharge chute formed within the housing for discharging sheet material to area outside the housing;
• a control circuit to control dispensing of sheet material from the housing;
• a dispensing mechanism to drive sheet material from the housing upon receiving a signal from the control circuit;
• a proximity sensor having an adjustable detection range, wherein the dispensing mechanism is operative in a first mode to be responsive to a signal from the proximity sensor to dispense a sheet of material;
• a tear bar mounted within the housing for severance of sheet material by a user;
• a pivotally mounted pawl member located proximate said tear bar such that movement of sheet material into the tear bar for severance pivots the pawl member from a first position to a second position;
• a signal means cooperative with the pawl member and located such that movement of the pawl member to the second position causes the signal means to send a signal to notify the control circuit that the sheet material may have been removed;
• and
• a paper detection sensor activated by the control circuit to verify that the sheet material has been removed from the discharge chute, wherein the dispensing mechanism is operative in a second mode to dispense a next sheet in response to a signal from the paper detection sensor that the sheet material has been removed from the dispenser.

A dispenser for flexible rolled sheet material, comprising:

• a housing containing a support mechanism to hold at least one roll of sheet material, said housing comprising a base for mounting to a surface, a cover pivotally mounted to the base, and a discharge chute formed within the housing for discharging the sheet material to an area outside of the housing;
• a control circuit to control dispensing of sheet material from the housing;
• a dispensing mechanism to drive sheet material from the housing upon receiving a signal from the control circuit;
• a proximity sensor having an adjustable detection range, wherein the dispensing mechanism is operative in a first mode to be responsive to a signal from the proximity sensor to dispense a sheet of material;
• a tear bar mounted within the housing for severance of sheet material by a user, wherein movement of sheet material into the tear bar for severance moves the tear bar from a first position to a second position;
• a signal means cooperative with the tear bar and located such that movement of the tear bar to the second position causes the signal means to send a signal to notify the control circuit that the sheet material may have been removed;
• and
• a paper detection sensor activated by the control circuit to verify that the sheet material has been removed from the discharge chute, wherein the dispensing mechanism is operative in a second mode to dispense a next sheet in response to a signal from the paper detection sensor that the sheet material has been removed from the dispenser.

A method for controlling dispensing of flexible rolled sheet material from a dispenser, comprising the steps of:

• in a first mode of operation,
• dispensing a length of sheet material in response to detection of a user by a proximity sensor mounted in the dispenser;
• monitoring removal of the sheet material by a control circuit in the dispenser that receives a signal by movement of a pawl member from a first to a second position when the dispensed sheet material is removed;
• and
• resetting the dispenser for operation using the proximity sensor;
• in a second mode of operation,
• automatically dispensing a length of sheet material upon closing of a dispenser cover;
• determining if the length of dispensed sheet material is hanging from the dispenser;
• monitoring removal of the sheet material by the control circuit that receives a signal by movement of a pawl member from the first to the second position when the dispensed sheet material is removed;
• activating a paper detection sensor by the control circuit to verify that the dispensed sheet material has been removed;
• receiving a signal by the control circuit from the paper detection sensor that the dispensed sheet material has been removed;
• and
• resetting the dispenser for operation in the automatic dispensing mode.