The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 05, 2002
Andrew R. Morris, Green Cove Springs, FL (US);
Georgia-Pacific Corp., Atlanta, GA (US);
Abstract
A proximity sensor circuit of a powered dispenser for dispensing individual sheet segments from a continuous roll of sheet material includes an antenna, an oscillator circuit and an automatic sensitivity control circuit. The antenna has a baseline stray capacitance. The oscillator circuit is coupled to the antenna and generates an oscillation signal having a predetermined oscillation amplitude corresponding to the baseline stray capacitance of the antenna. Preferably, the oscillator circuit has a Colpitts oscillator-type topography. The oscillation amplitude of the oscillation signal increases in response to an increase in stray capacitance from the baseline stray capacitance of the antenna and decreases in response to a decrease in stray capacitance from the baseline stray capacitance of the antenna. The automatic sensitivity control circuit is coupled to the oscillator circuit and detects a change in the oscillation amplitude of the oscillator signal.