Automatic towel dispenser

Abstract

A towel dispenser includes a housing for receiving toweling. The housing includes a main body; a loading door that is configured to rotate relative to the main body between a closed position and an open position; and a guide system that includes a first roller attached to the main body and a second roller attached to the loading door. The towel dispenser may include a motor for driving dispensing of the toweling from the housing and an associated sensor. The towel dispenser can be mounted to an underside of a cabinet. In an aspect, the front wall of the main body and a lip of the loading door collectively define a gap to which the guiding system guides the toweling and through which towels are dispensed when the loading door is in the closed position.

1 . A towel dispenser, comprising: (a) a housing for receiving toweling, wherein the toweling includes a first towel and a second towel that are connected together and separable at a perforation formed between the first and second towel, the housing being configured to define a path P for the toweling; (b) a motor; (c) a perforation sensor for sensing the perforation and electrically connected to the motor; (d) wherein the perforation sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of the presence of the perforation and the motor is configured to deactivate in response to the signal. 
     
     
         2 . A towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor and a controller are positioned within the housing, the controller being electrically connected to the motor and the sensor and configured to activate and deactivate the motor after the perforation sensor generates the signal indicative of the perforation. 
     
     
         3 . A hands-free towel dispenser according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the motor a predetermined period of time after receiving the signal. 
     
     
         4 . A hands-free towel dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined period of time is sufficient for the perforation to exit the housing. 
     
     
         5 . A hands-free towel dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined period of time is sufficient for the perforation to be aligned with the separation device when the motor is deactivated. 
     
     
         6 . A hands-free towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , further comprising a separation device. 
     
     
         7 . A hands-free towel dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein the separation device is an edge positioned near the path P. 
     
     
         8 . A towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , further comprising a drive roller and a sensor roller, each having outer surfaces that define a portion of path P. 
     
     
         9 . A towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the perforation is expanded when the perforation is in proximity to the sensor. 
     
     
         10 . A towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive roller is configured to operate such that it has a first surface speed and the sensor roller is configured to operate such that it has a second surface speed. 
     
     
         11 . A towel dispenser according to  claim 10 , wherein the first surface speed of the drive roller is greater than the second surface speed of the sensor roller such that the toweling is in tension between the drive roller and the sensor roller. 
     
     
         12 . A towel dispenser according to  claim 11 , wherein the sensor roller is generally cylindrical and defines a first diameter at each of a first end and a second end and a second diameter between the first end and the second end, wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter. 
     
     
         13 . A towel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the second diameter is defined by a ridge formed between the first and second end of the sensor roller. 
     
     
         14 . A towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , further comprising a guide system that defines path P and includes a first set of guiding members positioned on a first side of the toweling and a second set of guiding members positioned on a second side of the toweling. 
     
     
         15 . A towel dispenser according to  claim 14 , wherein the housing includes a main body and a loading door pivotally attached to the main body and movable between a closed first position and an open second position, the second set of guiding members being attached to the loading door. 
     
     
         16 . A method of dispensing towels from a dispenser, comprising the steps of: a) providing a housing for containing toweling, wherein the toweling includes a first towel and a second towel that are connected together and separable at perforation formed between the first and second towel, the housing being configured to define a path P for the toweling; a motor positioned with the housing for dispensing the toweling; a controller positioned within the housing; a sensor for sensing the perforation; wherein the sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of the presence of the perforation and the controller is configured to receive the signal and to deactivate the motor accordingly; b) activating the motor to propel the toweling along path P; c) deactivating the motor after the sensor generates a signal indicating the presence of the perforation. 
     
     
         17 . A method of dispensing towels according to  claim 16 , wherein a controller is provided that is electrically connected to the motor and to the sensor, and the controller is configured to deactivate the motor a predetermined period of time after the signal is generated by the sensor. 
     
     
         18 . A method of dispensing towels according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of: opening the perforation when the perforation is near the sensor. 
     
     
         19 . A method of dispensing towels according to  claim 18 , wherein the step of opening includes the steps of: a) providing a drive roller configured to be driven by the motor and a sensor roller configured to be driven by the motor, wherein the toweling contacts drive roller in path P after it contacts the sensor roller in path P; b) operating the drive roller and the sensor roller such that the drive roller has a faster surface speed than the sensor roller such that tension is applied to the toweling between the drive roller and the sensor roller. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of loading a towel dispenser, comprising the steps of: a) providing a housing for receiving toweling, wherein the toweling includes a first towel and a second towel that are connected together and separable along a perforation formed between the first and second towel; a movable loading door having an open first position wherein toweling can be loaded into the housing and a closed second position; a guide system configured to define a path P for the toweling, wherein the guide system includes a first set of guiding members attached to the housing and a second set of guiding members defining path P attached to the loading door such that the guide system defines path P when the loading door is in the first position; b) moving the loading door to the open second position; c) placing toweling within the housing; d) extending a length of toweling from the housing over the loading door; and e) moving the loading door to the closed position such that toweling extends along path P. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled)