US 4,786,005 AGranted

Apparatus for dispensing sheet material

AssigneeScott Paper Company

InventorsLouis S. Hoffman, William Bohmer, Ralph J. DeVito, Brian R. Langille, Richard D. Watkins, Charles B. Sanders, Martha E. Kerch, Marc Shanko

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Abstract

The disclosure relates to an apparatus for dispensing sheet material such as paper towels. The dispensing apparatus when activated dispenses sheet material for a predetermined time which results in a predetermined length of sheet material being dispensed. The dispensing apparatus is actuated in response to the proximity of a portion of a hand of a user to the dispensing apparatus without the hand of a user contacting the apparatus. The dispensing apparatus dispenses sheet material from a roll of material by means of an electrical motor operating for a predetermined time to advance a predetermined length of the sheet material. The motor for advancing a predetermined length of the sheet material can be battery powered. The housing of the dispensing apparatus has a modular frame having a first compartment for the means for advancing the sheet material and a second compartment for the means for activating the advancing means. The dispensing apparatus can include means for storing energy for energizing the advancing means in response to the withdrawal of sheet material from the dispensing apparatus by a user.

Claims16

Dependent claims

Apparatus for dispensing sheet material comprising:

structure forming a housing having a discharge opening;
means disposed within the housing for storing a supply of sheet material with a portion of the sheet material positioned within the housing adjacent the discharge opening;
advancing means disposed within the housing for advancing the sheet material through the discharge opening, said advancing means including an electric motor;
means for activating the advancing means for a predetermined period of time to advance a predetermined length of the sheet material through the discharge opening, said predetermined length of sheet material being grippable by a user to enable the user to withdraw a length of the sheet material from the dispensing apparatus;
means for enabling the activating means for permitting the activating means to supply electrical energy to the advancing means;
said enabling means and said activating means being associated with the housing and being responsive to the proximity of a portion of a hand of a user with respect to the housing without the user contacting the dispensing apparatus for enabling the activating means and thereafter activating the advancing means for advancing a predetermined length of the sheet material through the discharge opening;
and
means responsive to the withdrawal of sheet material by the user for storing energy to energize said electrical motor.

5 more elements

Apparatus for dispensing sheet material, said apparatus including structure forming a housing having a discharge opening therein;

means disposed within the housing for storing a supply of sheet material with an edge portion of the sheet material positioned within the housing adjacent the discharge opening;
electrically energized advancing means for advancing the edge portion of the sheet material through the discharge opening to a position adjacent the exterior of the housing where the edge portion can be grasped by a user of the dispensing apparatus to enable the user to withdraw a length of the sheet material from the dispensing apparatus;
characterized in that said apparatus includes means responsive to the proximity of a user with respect to the dispensing apparatus without the user contacting the dispensing apparatus for activating the advancing means;
and means responsive to the withdrawal of sheet material by a user through the discharge opening for storing energy for electrically energizing the advancing means.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/032,117Filed 27 Mar 1987 · division
Priority: 15 Nov 1985
Granted: 22 Nov 1988
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A47K 10/3687
With mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices: with one or more reserve rolls
A47K 10/36
Dispensing from a web, e.g. with mechanical dispensing means: with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
A47K 10/3612
The cutting devices being motor driven: with drive and pinch rollers
A47K 10/3625
The cutting devices being motor driven: with electronic control means