Actuator for paper towel dispenser and method

Abstract

An actuator for a dispenser for paper towels having a manually operated element which dispenses a paper towel when moved. The actuator includes a connector coupled to the element. The actuator includes a hands free manually operated powerless activation assembly connected to the connector which when activated by a user, moves a connector causing the element to move and dispense a paper towel. A method for dispensing paper towels from a dispenser having a manually operated element which dispenses a paper towel when moved. The method includes the steps of placing a foot of a user on a pedal assembly. There is the step of depressing the pedal assembly with the foot of the user causing a connector coupled to the element to be moved and dispense a paper towel.

1 . An actuator for a dispenser for paper towels having a manually operated element which dispenses a paper towel when moved comprising:
 a connector coupled to the element; and   a hands free manually operated powerless activation assembly connected to the connector which when activated by a user, moves a connector causing the element to move and dispense a paper towel.   
   
   
       2 . An actuator as described in  claim 1  wherein the activation assembly includes a pedal assembly configured to be depressed by a foot of the user to pull on the connector and activate the activation assembly. 
   
   
       3 . An actuator as described in  claim 2  including an adapter which couples the connector to the element. 
   
   
       4 . An actuator as described in  claim 3  wherein the pedal assembly is remote from the adapter. 
   
   
       5 . An actuator as described in  claim 4  wherein the element is a lever and the connector causes the lever to depress when the connector is pulled down. 
   
   
       6 . An actuator as described in  claim 5  wherein the adapter includes a brace which is a fixed to the lever and secures the connector to the lever. 
   
   
       7 . An actuator as described in  claim 6  wherein the connector includes a cable extending from the pedal assembly and a piston attached to the cable and coupled to the lever by the brace. 
   
   
       8 . An actuator as described in  claim 7  wherein the piston defaults to a superior position when the pedal assembly is released. 
   
   
       9 . An actuator as described in  claim 4  wherein the element is a crank arm which, when turned, causes a paper towel to be dispensed, and the connector causes the arm to turn when the connector is pulled down. 
   
   
       10 . An actuator as described in  claim 9  wherein the adapter includes a wheel unit having a space on the unit's inner side in which the arm is disposed for the wheel unit to engage with the arm and a hub with gears extends from its outer side. 
   
   
       11 . An actuator as described in  claim 10  wherein the adapter includes a ball bearing unit which engages with the hub. 
   
   
       12 . An actuator as described in  claim 11  wherein the adapter includes a housing having a ball bearing unit which mounts to the dispenser and secures the wheel unit in place. 
   
   
       13 . An actuator as described in  claim 12  wherein the connector includes a cable extending from the pedal assembly and a gear slide attached to the cable and disposed in the adapter and coupled to the arm by the adapter, the gear slide engages with the gears of the hub. 
   
   
       14 . An actuator as described in  claim 13  wherein the housing has a track in which the gear slide is disposed and moves along, as the gear slide moves down when the pedal assembly is depressed, the gear slide causes the gears of the hub to turn which results in movement of the arm and a paper towel to be dispensed. 
   
   
       15 . An actuator as described in  claim 14  wherein the housing includes a spring engaged with the gear slide which pulls the gear slide back up to a superior position after the pedal assembly is released and maintains the gear slide in the superior position. 
   
   
       16 . An actuator as described in  claim 15  wherein the wheel unit includes a free wheel mechanism that allows movement of the wheel unit in only one direction when the gear slide is pulled down but which causes the wheel unit to coast idle when the gear slide moves back up into the superior position. 
   
   
       17 . A method for dispensing paper towels from a dispenser having a manually operated element which dispenses a paper towel when moved comprising the steps of:
 placing a foot of a user on a pedal assembly; and   depressing the pedal assembly with the foot of the user causing a connector coupled to the element to be moved and dispense a paper towel.   
   
   
       18 . A method as described in  claim 17  wherein the element is a lever and the depressing step includes the step of moving the lever down which causes the paper towel to be dispensed. 
   
   
       19 . A method as described in  claim 18  wherein the depressing step includes the step of pulling down on the connector which is coupled to the lever with an adapter. 
   
   
       20 . A method as described in  claim 19  wherein the adapter includes a brace which is affixed to the lever and secures the connector to the lever and the pulling down step includes the step of pulling down the connector which is coupled to the lever with the brace. 
   
   
       21 . A method as described in  claim 17  wherein the element is a crank arm which, when turned, causes a paper towel to be dispensed, and the moving step includes the step of moving the arm which causes the paper towel to be dispensed. 
   
   
       22 . A method as described in  claim 21  wherein the moving step includes the step of moving with the connector a wheel unit having a space on the unit's inner side in which the arm is disposed for the wheel unit to engage with the arm and a hub with gears extends from its outer side of an adapter that couples with the connector. 
   
   
       23 . A method as described in  claim 22  wherein the moving step includes the step of moving the hub within a ball bearing unit of a housing that mounts to the dispenser and secures the wheel unit in place and engages with the hub. 
   
   
       24 . A method as described in  claim 23  wherein the moving with the connector step includes the step of moving with a cable of the connector extending from the pedal assembly and a gear slide of the connector attached to the cable and engaged with the gears of the hub, the gears of the hub engage with the gear slide. 
   
   
       25 . A method as described in  claim 24  wherein the moving step includes the step of moving the gear slide down along a track of the housing unit in which the gear slide is disposed when the pedal assembly is depressed, the gear slide causes the gears of the hub to turn which results in movement of the arm and a paper towel to be dispensed.