Automatic dispensers
AssigneeAlwin Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorJames A. Rodrian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Automatic dispensers for dispensing products such as towel, tissue, wipes, sheet-form materials, soap, shaving cream, fragrances and personal care products. A dispenser includes a housing, an electrical power source, a user input device, a dispensing mechanism, and motor control apparatus. The user input device generates a signal responsive to a user request for product. Motor control apparatus de-powers the dispensing mechanism based on a determination of dispenser conditions representing discharge of the product.
Claims48
An automatic sheet material dispenser comprising:
- a housing adapted to receive at least one sheet material roll;
- an electrical power source;
- a user input device which generates a user-responsive signal;
- a dispensing mechanism powered by a motor;
- and
- motor control apparatus adapted to:
- power the motor responsive to the signal;
- repetitively obtain electrical power source output values during powering of the motor;
- perform mathematical operations using the values to produce a computed value;
- and
- de-power the motor when the computed value reaches a target value corresponding to a length of dispensed sheet material.
An automatic product dispenser comprising:
- a housing adapted to receive a dispensable product;
- an electrical power source;
- an electrically-powered dispensing mechanism;
- and
- a proximity detector for detecting a user without physical contact by the user, said detector having:
- a signal responsive to the presence of a user;
- and
- a micro-controller having a memory with a set of instructions, said instructions including:
- a first digital low-pass filter having a time constant, said first filter receiving the signal and providing a first output;
- and
- a second digital low-pass filter having a time constant different than the first filter time constant, said second filter receiving the signal and providing a second output,
- the micro-controller instructions being adapted to determine a difference between the first and second outputs and to operate the dispensing mechanism to dispense the dispensable product responsive to the difference.
An automatic sheet material dispenser comprising:
- a housing defining a space enclosing a sheet material roll;
- an electrical power source adapted to power the dispenser;
- a dispensing mechanism for dispensing a length of sheet material from the dispenser, said dispensing mechanism including a drive roller and a motor in power-transmission relationship with the drive roller;
- a proximity detector for detecting a user without physical contact by the user, said detector having a output signal representing detection of the user;
- and
- a controller having a memory and a program of instructions, said instructions including:
- a first low-pass filter having a time constant, said first filter receiving the output signal and providing a first output;
- a second low-pass filter having a time constant different from the first filter time constant, said second filter receiving the output signal and providing a second output;
- and
- the instructions determine a difference between the first and second outputs, such that the controller powers the motor when the difference reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- and
- wherein the controller is further adapted to:
- repetitively obtaining electrical power source output values during powering of the motor;
- repetitively determine dispense sum increments based on the values;
- sum the determined dispense sum increments;
- and
- de-power the motor when the sum reaches or exceeds a target value,
- whereby sheet material length is controlled to a desired length.
A method of controlling operation of an automatic product dispenser to detect a user without direct physical contact between the user and the dispenser, the method comprising:
- sensing a user proximate the dispenser and without direct physical contact between the user and the dispenser;
- generating an output signal responsive to sensing of the user;
- receiving the output signal with a first digital low-pass filter residing in instructions in a micro-controller memory, said first filter having a time constant and providing a first output;
- receiving the output signal with a second digital low-pass filter residing in instructions in the micro-controller memory, said second filter having a time constant different than the first filter time constant and providing a second output;
- differencing the first and second outputs with the micro-controller instructions;
- and
- dispensing product from the dispenser responsive to the difference.
A method of controlling operation of an electronic sheet material dispenser such that the dispenser dispenses a preselected length of sheet material, the method comprising:
- powering a drive motor in response to a request for sheet material;
- dispensing a length of sheet material with a dispensing mechanism powered by the drive motor;
- repetitively obtaining electrical power source output values during powering of the motor;
- performing mathematical operations using the values to produce a computed value;
- and
- de-powering the drive motor when the computed value reaches a target value corresponding a desired length of sheet material,
- whereby sheet material length is controlled to the desired length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.