Hybrid dispenser systems

A dispenser system comprising:

• a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense an exposed tail of sheet product having a first length;
• an energy storage device configured to power the dispensing mechanism;
• an electrical generator configured to transfer energy to the energy storage device, the electrical generator configured to generate electrical energy when a user, exerting a pull force on the exposed tail, manually pulls a second length of sheet product from the dispenser system, wherein an amount of electrical energy generated by the electrical generator is based at least in part on the second length of sheet product manually pulled by the user;
• and
• a current manipulation device configured to adjust an energy transfer rate from the electrical generator to the energy storage device to modify the pull force the user must exert to dispense the second length of sheet product.

A dispenser system comprising:

• a dispensing mechanism;
• a proximity sensor configured to activate the dispensing mechanism to dispense an exposed tail of sheet product having a first length;
• an energy storage device configured to power the dispensing mechanism and the proximity sensor;
• an electrical generator configured to transfer energy to the energy storage device, the electrical generator configured to generate electrical energy when a user, exerting a pull force on the exposed tail, manually pulls a second length of sheet product from the dispenser system, wherein an amount of electrical energy generated by the electrical generator is based at least in part on the second length of sheet product manually pulled by the user;
• and
• a current manipulation device configured to adjust an energy transfer rate from the electrical generator to the energy storage device to modify the pull force the user must exert to dispense the second length of sheet product.

A dispenser system comprising:

• a manual dispensing mechanism configured to dispense sheet product;
• an energy storage device;
• an electrical generator configured to transfer energy to the energy storage device, the electrical generator configured to generate electrical energy when a user, exerting a pull force on the sheet product, manually pulls a length of sheet product from the dispenser system, wherein an amount of electrical energy generated by the electrical generator is based at least in part on the length of sheet product manually pulled by the user;
• and
• a current manipulation device configured to adjust an energy transfer rate from the electrical generator to the energy storage device to modify the pull force the user must exert to dispense the length of sheet product.

A method of dispensing sheet product from a dispenser, the method comprising:

• dispensing, by the dispenser, a length of sheet product in response to a user manually pulling on the sheet product;
• generating electrical energy using an electrical generator of the dispenser, wherein an amount of electrical energy generated by the electrical generator is based at least in part on the length of sheet product manually pulled by the user;
• charging an energy storage device electrically coupled to the electrical generator by transferring energy from the electrical generator to the energy storage device;
• and
• adjusting an energy transfer rate from the electrical generator to the energy storage device to modify the pull force which the user must exert to dispense the length of sheet product.