Innovia Intellectual Properties, LLC

William B Troutman, Ii

Ian Kovacevich

Thomas James Philpott

Lawrence R Ober

William Bryant Troutman

Christopher Hoy

Dispensing towels includes, using a motor assembly configured to cause a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from a housing of the dispenser and to cause the toweling to be subsequently retracted back into the housing, (a) the step of extending the toweling exterior of the housing for grasping by a user; and (b) subsequent thereto, the steps of (1) retracting the toweling into the housing the motor assembly; (2) sensing a leading edge of the toweling, using a sensor, while retracting the toweling; and (3) ceasing retracting of the toweling into the housing the motor assembly as a function of sensing the leading edge of the toweling using the sensor. The toweling is advanced by the motor assembly such that a line of perforations in the toweling, along which the user tears the toweling, is located downstream of the sensor.

Sensing retracting leading edge in automatic towel dispenser

A towel dispenser includes a housing, a sensor, and a motor assembly that causes in response to a hand: a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from the housing a multiple of a predetermined unit length (PUL), optionally plus a further extent that is less than PUL; and then to be retracted. The motor assembly ceases retracting based on sensing the leading edge of the toweling. PUL is set in a length learn sequence by: retracting the toweling until a leading edge of the toweling is sensed; advancing the toweling a preset extended length greater than at least a distance between immediately adjacent lines of perforations in the toweling; retracting the toweling until a leading edge of the toweling is sensed while measuring a length by which the toweling is retracted; and determining the difference between the preset extended length and the measured retracted length.

Length learn sequence for dispensing in automatic towel dispenser

A towel dispenser includes: a housing for receiving toweling; a motor assembly that causes a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from the housing such that a line of perforations in the toweling along which a user tears the toweling is located downstream of the sensor, and the toweling to be retracted into the housing after the leading edge has been extended; and a sensor that senses a leading edge of the toweling during retraction of the toweling. The sensor causes the motor assembly to cease retracting the toweling into the housing as a function of the sensing of the leading edge of the toweling. The toweling may be a roll of perforated paper towels.

Sensing retraction of perforated paper towels within housing after dispensing

A towel dispenser includes a housing including a main body; a loading door that is configured to rotate relative to the main body between a closed position, in which the housing is configured to dispense towels there from, and an open position, in which the housing is configured to receive toweling therein; and a guide system that is configured to guide the toweling within the housing while towels are dispensed from the housing. The loading door serves as a towel carrier and has a curved surface defining a cavity configured to receive the roll of paper towels in floating engagement therewith such that the roll of paper towels rolls and slides on the curved surface during unwinding.

Dispenser with toweling received within recess of loading door

Dispensing towels includes: the step of extending the toweling exterior of the housing for grasping by a user; and subsequent thereto, the step of retracting the toweling into the housing. The housing includes a main body, and a loading door that is configured to rotate relative to the main body between a closed position, in which the housing is configured to extend toweling there from, and an open position, in which the housing is configured to receive toweling therein. The loading door serves as a towel carrier and has a curved surface defining a cavity within which a roll of paper towels is received and retained in floating engagement therewith. The roll of paper towels rolls and slides on the curved surface when unwinding during said step of extending the toweling exterior of the housing for grasping by a user.

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Charlotte, NC, United States of America

William B Troutman, Ii