Monitoring system for dispenser

Abstract

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a sheet material dispenser. The dispenser can include support for supporting a supply of the sheet material, and a feed roller arranged along a feed path of the sheet material downstream from the supply of sheet material that is operable to pull the sheet material from the supply of sheet material for feeding thereof. Additionally, the dispenser can include a controller that is in communication with the feed roller and includes programming for monitoring rotation of the feed roller during a dispensing cycle for feeding a selected length of the sheet material from the supply of sheet material. A material supply monitoring system further can be in communication with the controller, and operative to detect a number of rotations or an angle of rotation of the supply sheet material during at least a series of dispensing cycles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dispenser, comprising:
 a roll support rotatably supporting a supply of sheet material;   a feed roller adjacent the supply of sheet material, the feed roller engaging and feeding a portion of the sheet material from the supply of sheet material along a feed path upon the rotation of the feed roller;   a controller including programming for monitoring rotation of the feed roller during a dispensing cycle for dispensing a length of the sheet material from the supply of sheet material; and   a material supply monitoring system in communication with the controller, the material supply monitoring system including one or more magnets rotatable with the supply or sheet material, and at least one sensor located adjacent the supply of sheet materials in a position to detect rotation of the one or more magnets with the rotation of the supply of sheet material and provide a signal or series of signals indicative of a number of a number of rotations or an angle of rotation of the supply of sheet material during the dispensing cycle for dispensing the length of sheet material;   wherein the monitored number of rotations or angle of rotation of the supply of sheet material is correlated with a pre-determined or calculated length of sheet material dispensed per rotation of the feed roller for dynamically determining a remaining diameter of the supply of sheet material after one or more of a series of dispensing cycles.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one pressing roller arranged along the dispensing path and rotatable with the feed roller such that the sheet material is engaged and pulled between the pressing roller upon rotation of the feed roller. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of spaced pressing rollers adjacent and in driven contact with the feed roller so as to rotate with the retraction of the feed roller, and wherein the sheet material is engaged and pulled the pressing rollers and feed roller upon rotation thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the material supply monitoring system further comprises at least one magnet mounted about a core portion of the supply of sheet material so as to be rotatable therewith. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a switch, hall element or proximity sensor located adjacent the core portion of the supply of sheet material in a position to detect variations or changes in a magnetic field generated as the one or more magnets are rotated past the at least one sensor with the rotation of the supply of sheet material. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive motor coupled to the feed roller and in communication with the controller, which controls operation of the drive motor to drive the rotation of the feed roller from feeding the selected length of sheet material. The dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein the controller monitors operation of the drive motor driving rotation of the feed roller to determine a number of rotations of the feed roller during the dispensing cycle. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 6 , further comprising one or more sensors operable to detect the presence of an object, and upon detection of the object, activating the drive motor for feeding the sheet material. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a sheet material detection sensor arranged along the feed path of the sheet material and configured to detect removal of the selected lengths of paper. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of supplies of sheet material, wherein the material supply monitoring system is operable to detect rotations or an angle of rotation of each of the plurality of supplies of sheet material. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein the material supply monitoring system is operable to verify that one or more of the plurality of supplies of sheet material has been loaded into the dispenser. 
     
     
         12 . A method of operating a paper dispenser, comprising:
 initiating a dispensing cycle and rotating a feed roller to feed a length of paper from a supply roll;   monitoring a number of rotations of the supply roll during the dispensing cycle with a material supply monitoring system including an encoder, or at least one magnet rotatable with the supply roll and at least one sensor positioned adjacent the supply roll to detect variations or changes in a magnetic field generated as the at least one magnet is rotated by the at least one sensor;   detecting a number of rotations of the feed roller or a motor driving the feed roller during the dispensing cycle and determining an amount of paper dispensed by the rotation of feed roller or motor during the dispensing cycle; and   determining a remaining paper diameter of the supply roll based upon the number of rotations of the supply roll during the dispensing cycle and the amount of paper dispensed by the detected rotations of the feed roller or a motor driving the feed roller.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein rotating the feed roller comprises activating a motor for driving the feed roller for a number of rotations sufficient to feed a selected length of paper or until a stop signal is received by a controller of the dispenser. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising comparing the remaining paper diameter to a threshold value and directing a low paper condition if the threshold value exceeds the remaining paper diameter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein initiating a dispensing cycle and rotating the feed roller comprises activating a drive mechanism to drive the feed roller for feeding the selected length of paper upon detection of an object with one or more sensors. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the dispensing cycle is initiated and the feed roller rotated by a user manually rotating the feed roller. 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating a paper dispenser, comprising:
 rotating a feed roller to engage and feed paper from a supply roll and along a dispensing path for dispensing a sheet of paper;   monitoring a number of rotations of the supply roll during the dispensing cycle with a material supply monitoring system including at least one sensor positioned adjacent the supply roll and configured to monitor and generate one or more signals indicative of a number of rotations of the supply roll for dispensing the sheet of paper;   monitoring the feed roller and communicating a monitored number of rotations of the feed roller during dispensing of the sheet of paper and determining a length of the sheet of paper dispensed based upon the number of rotations of the feed roller or the motor; and   determining a remaining paper diameter of the supply roll based upon a predetermined amount of paper dispensed per rotation of the feed roller multiplied by the monitored number of rotations of the feed roller, and the number of rotations of the supply roll for dispensing the sheet of paper.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the feed roller rotated by a user manually rotating the feed roller. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising comparing the remaining paper diameter to a threshold value and identifying a low paper condition if the threshold value exceeds the remaining paper diameter. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising activating a drive mechanism to drive the feed roller for feeding the sheet of paper upon detection of an object with one or more sensors mounted along a housing of the dispenser.