Sheet material dispenser

A dispenser for dispensing sheet product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a proximity sensor operative to detect a presence of a user's hand at a predetermined location near the dispenser;
• a dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing, the dispensing mechanism being operational to dispense the sheet product;
• the dispensing mechanism operative in a first mode to be responsive to a sheet request signal from the proximity sensor to dispense the sheet product;
• and
• the dispensing mechanism operative in a second mode to be responsive to the sheet product being torn from the dispenser,
• wherein:
• in response to a number of sheet request signals in excess of a predefined number being received within a specified time interval, the dispensing mechanism is operative in the first mode only following lapse of a timer.

A dispenser for dispensing sheet product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a proximity sensor operative to detect a presence of a user's hand at a predetermined location near the dispenser;
• a dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing, the dispensing mechanism being operational to dispense the sheet product;
• a sheet product sensor disposed to sense a presence of sheet material available for discharge;
• the dispensing mechanism operative in a first mode to be responsive to a sheet request signal from the proximity sensor to dispense the sheet product;
• and
• the dispensing mechanism operative in a second mode to be responsive to the sheet product being torn from the dispenser via the sheet product sensor sensing the absence of sheet material available for discharge, and
• wherein the dispensing mechanism is switchable to be operative in the second mode only, where the sheet product sensor is polled at a defined rate.