US 6,519,505 B2 · Integrated dispenser and business machine system

Abstract

A system for dispensing a predetermined amount of paper product to a customer based on a food order inputted into a business machine at a food service establishment. The system includes a business machine, such as a cash register, linked to a powered paper product dispenser. Each menu item available at the establishment is assigned a number that represents the total number of paper product sheets that a normal customer may need while consuming the item. This number is stored within a memory. A microprocessor contained within either the dispenser or the business machine linked to the dispenser retrieves a command from the memory when a food item key is pressed and provides a signal to the dispenser motor which in turn rotates a feed roller within the dispenser so that the predetermined number of paper product sheets are dispensed to the customer. The system controls the amount of paper product provided to the customer in order to reduce waste.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A method for dispensing paper products including the steps of:

a) assigning a predetermined amount of paper product to at least one menu item;
b) entering a food service order into a business machine;
c) processing said food service order;
d) providing information about said food service order from said business machine to a dispenser;
e) providing a motor within the dispenser with a command to dispense the predetermined amount of the paper product;
f) operating said motor and dispensing the predetermined amount of paper product from the dispenser in response to said entered food order.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Integrated dispenser and business machine system

Life of this patent

Integrated dispenser and business machine system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37