Sheet Product Dispenser With Product Level Gauge System

Abstract

An example sheet product dispenser includes a housing, a first roll holder, and a second roll holder. A first roll of sheet product is positioned on the first roll holder and assigned as a primary roll and a second roll of sheet product is positioned on the second roll holder and assigned as a secondary roll. A dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense sheet product from at least one of the first roll and the second roll. A sensor is configured to sense measurement data associated with the primary roll, including sensing when the primary roll rotates to dispense and measuring the diameter of the primary roll. A data communication device is in communication with the sensor and configured to transmit the measurement data. A controller is configured to determine situational information regarding the sheet product dispenser and provide corresponding alerts to users regarding the situational information and measured data.

1 . A sheet product dispenser comprising:
 a housing;   a roll holder positioned within the housing and configured to hold a roll of sheet product;   a dispensing mechanism positioned within the housing and configured to dispense a portion of sheet product from the roll of sheet product;   a sensor positioned within the housing and configured to contact an outer surface of the roll of sheet product, wherein the sensor is configured to measure at least one of angular displacement of the sensor around a pivot axis connecting the sensor to the housing or linear displacement of a first portion of the sensor with respect to a second portion of the sensor to enable determination of an amount of sheet product remaining on the roll of sheet product   a data communication device in communication with the sensor and configured to transmit measurement data associated with the measured angular or linear displacement of the sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet product dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises:
 a paddle body defining a first end and a second end, wherein the paddle body is pivotably attached to the housing proximate the first end around the pivot axis, wherein the paddle body is configured to measure a diameter of the roll of sheet product based on an angle of movement around the pivot axis; and   a roller positioned proximate the second end of the paddle body and configured to contact the outer surface of the roll of sheet product, wherein the roller is configured to sense when the roll of sheet product rotates to dispense the portion of sheet product.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet product dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the paddle body is flexible to maintain contact of the roller with the outer surface of the roll of sheet product in an instance in which the roll of sheet product defines a deformed shape. 
     
     
         4 . The sheet product dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises:
 at least one arm defining a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the at least one arm is attached to one of the housing or the roll holder, wherein the at least one arm is configured to measure a diameter of the roll of sheet product based on an amount of linear movement of the second end with respect to the first end; and   a roller positioned proximate the second end of the at least one arm and configured to contact the outer surface of the roll of sheet product, wherein the roller is configured to sense when the roll of sheet product rotates to dispense the portion of sheet product.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet product dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense when the roll of sheet product rotates to dispense the portion of sheet product, wherein the data communication device is configured to transmit a signal that contains measurement data indicating both when the roll of sheet product rotates to dispense the portion of sheet product and the amount of sheet product remaining on the roll of sheet product. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet product dispenser of  claim 1  further comprising a controller in communication with the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to determine the amount of sheet product remaining on the roll of sheet product based on, at least, the received measurement data from the sensor. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for sensing measurement data associated with an amount of sheet product remaining on a roll of sheet product in a sheet product dispenser, wherein the apparatus comprises:
 an arm defining a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the arm is configured to attach to one of a housing or a roll holder of the sheet product dispenser;   a sensor positioned along the arm and configured to measure linear displacement of the second end with respect to the first end to enable determination of an amount of sheet product remaining on the roll of sheet product;   a roller positioned proximate the second end of the arm and configured to contact an outer surface of the roll of sheet product; and   a data communication device in communication with the sensor and configured to transmit measurement data associated with the measured linear displacement of the sensor.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  further comprising a battery, wherein the apparatus forms a single, self-powered unit that is configured to be utilized with a non-automated sheet product dispenser. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the roller is configured to sense when the roll of sheet product rotates to dispense a portion of sheet product, wherein the data communication device is configured to transmit a signal that contains the measurement data indicating both when the roll of sheet product rotates to dispense the portion of sheet product and the linear displacement of the second end of the apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7  further comprising a controller in communication with the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to determine the amount of sheet product remaining on the roll of sheet product based on, at least, the received measurement data from the sensor. 
     
     
         11 . A system for monitoring usage of sheet product, the system comprising:
 a sheet product dispenser comprising:   a housing;   a first roll holder positioned within the housing and configured to hold a first roll of sheet product, wherein the first roll of sheet product is assigned as a primary roll;   a second roll holder positioned within the housing and configured to hold a second roll of sheet product, wherein the second roll of sheet product is assigned as a secondary roll;   a dispensing mechanism positioned within the housing and configured to dispense a portion of sheet product from at least one of the first roll and the second roll;   a sensor positioned within the housing and configured to contact an outer surface of one of the primary roll or the secondary roll, wherein the sensor is configured to measure at least one of angular displacement of the sensor around a pivot axis connecting the sensor to the housing or linear displacement of a first portion of the sensor with respect to a second portion of the sensor to enable determination of an amount of sheet product remaining on at least the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll; and   a data communication device in communication with the sensor and configured to transmit measurement data associated with the measured angular or linear displacement of the sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor is further configured to sense when the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll rotates to dispense the portion of sheet product. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor comprises:
 a paddle body defining a first end and a second end, wherein the paddle body is pivotably attached to the housing proximate the first end around a pivot axis, wherein the paddle body is configured to measure a diameter of the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll based on an angle of movement around the pivot axis; and   a roller positioned proximate the second end of the paddle body and configured to contact the outer surface of the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll, wherein the roller is configured to sense when the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll rotates to dispense the portion of sheet product.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the paddle body is flexible to maintain contact of the roller with the outer surface of the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll in an instance in which the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll defines a deformed shape 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor comprises:
 at least one arm defining a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the at least one arm is attached to one of the housing or an axis of the primary roll or secondary roll, wherein the at least one arm is configured to measure a diameter of the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll based on an amount of linear movement of the second end with respect to the first end; and   a roller positioned proximate the second end of the at least one arm and configured to contact the outer surface of the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll, wherein the roller is configured to sense when the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll rotates to dispense the portion of sheet product.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense when the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll rotates to dispense the portion of sheet product, wherein the data communication device is configured to transmit a signal that contains the measurement data indicating both when the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll rotates to dispense the portion of sheet product and an amount of sheet product remaining on the one of the primary roll or the secondary roll. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a controller in communication with the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to determine the amount of sheet product remaining on the roll of sheet product based on, at least, the received measurement data from the sensor.