Hands-free paper towel dispenser
AssigneeMosinee Paper Corporation
InventorsDannie D. Byrd, Alain P. Cotnoir, Adam T. Elliott, Victor Mendelsberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A towel dispenser comprising an electronic power system, which includes an array of one or more photovoltaic cells for energizing a control circuitry which, in turn, controls operation of the dispenser. The control circuitry is responsive to a sensing device, comprised of a motion detector, which senses rapid changes in light, which in turn, activates the dispensing of a length of paper towels when an object, such as a user's hand, is moved in front of the sensing device.
Claims22
A hands-free towel dispenser comprising:
- (a) a housing means for containing at least one roll of towels;
- (b) a sensing means for detecting an object;
- (c) a dispensing means for dispensing a predetermined length of towel when said sensing means detects the object;
- (d) an electric power source for powering said dispensing means;
- (e) control circuitry for controlling the dispensing means and controlling said predetermined length of towel;
- and
- (f) an array of one or more photovoltaic cells for energizing said control circuitry.
A hands-free towel dispenser comprising:
- (a) a housing structured to contain at least one roll of towel;
- (b) a sensor connected to said housing;
- (c) a dispensing mechanism comprising a drive roller mounted in said housing and a motor mounted inside said drive roller;
- (d) an electric power source connected to said housing and structured to power said dispensing mechanism;
- and
- (e) a control circuitry structured to control the dispensing mechanism and providing a delay between cycles of towel dispensing;
- wherein said dispensing mechanism is structured to dispense a predetermined length of towel when said sensor detects an object and said control circuitry is structured to control said predetermined length of said towel.
A method of dispensing paper towel from at least one roll of paper from a hands-free paper towel dispenser comprising a housing, a dispensing mechanism for dispensing paper from the dispenser, a sensing mechanism for sensing the presence of an object, a control circuitry for controlling the dispensing mechanism, a power source for powering the dispensing mechanism, and an array of one or more photovoltaic cells, comprising the steps of:
- sensing when an object is within a predetermined distance from the sensing mechanism;
- energizing the control circuitry from the array of one or more photovoltaic cells;
- and
- dispensing a predetermined amount of paper from the dispenser.
A hands-free towel dispenser comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) a sensing mechanism connected to said housing;
- (c) a dispensing mechanism connected to said sensing mechanism;
- (d) an electric power source for powering said dispensing mechanism;
- and
- (e) a control circuitry for controlling the dispensing mechanism;
- wherein the dispensing mechanism is structured to dispense a predetermined length of towel when the sensing mechanism detects an object and the control circuitry provides a delay between cycles of towel dispensing and said control circuitry is energized by an array of one or more photovoltaic cells.
A hands-free towel dispenser comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) a sensing mechanism connected to said housing;
- (c) a dispensing mechanism connected to said sensing mechanism;
- (d) an electric power source for powering said dispensing mechanism;
- and
- (e) a control circuitry for controlling the dispensing mechanism;
- wherein said control circuitry is energized by an array of one or more photovoltaic cells.
A hands-free towel dispenser comprising:
- (a) a housing means for containing at least one roll of towels;
- (b) a sensing means for detecting an object;
- (c) dispensing means for dispensing a predetermined length of towel when said sensing means detects the object, said dispensing means comprising a drive roller mounted in said housing means and a motor inside said drive roller;
- (d) an electric power source for powering said dispensing means;
- and
- (e) a control circuitry for controlling the dispensing means, providing a delay between cycles of towel dispensing, and controlling said predetermined length of towel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.