A method and an arrangement for detecting a filling level in a tissue dispenser for dispensing portions of a continuous web of tissue from a tissue roll is adapted for use with. a tissue dispenser for dispensing portions of the continuous web of tissue from the tissue roll. The method comprises the steps of counting portions of the tissue dispensed by the tissue dispenser, determining an initial filling level depending on the counter data and an initial tissue type information, and determining a verified filling level depending on the counter data when a roll exchange of a tissue roll from a first tissue roll position to a second tissue roll position in the tissue dispenser has occurred.

A dispenser for sheet products includes a housing having a space inside for accommodating a stack of sheet products, wherein the housing includes a dispensing opening for dispensing a sheet product from the front of the stack, an electronic controller configured to receive a pull-out signal indicating the removal of a product from the front of the stack through the dispensing opening and, upon receiving said pull-out signal, to send out a drive signal to transfer a number of sheet products from the front of the stack into a presentation position, and a pull-out detector for detecting the removal of a product from the front of the stack through the dispensing opening and for providing the pull-out signal to the controller.

A dispenser for dispensing consumable product having a consumable product holding area configured to store the consumable product within the dispenser; a dispensing mechanism having a spindle configured to hold and rotate the consumable product to facilitate a dispensing cycle to dispense a portion of the consumable product; and a motor having piezoelectric elements configured to (i) frictionally couple to the spindle to rotate the spindle in a first direction during a first motor state and (ii) uncouple from the spindle during a second motor state to allow the spindle to freely spin.

A power management system for dispensers is described. The system includes a controller connected to a lower power zero net voltage (ZNV) power source. A power rectification circuit (PRC) converts ZNV power to higher voltage direct current (HVDC) power. An energy storage system connected to the HVDC power source receives and stores HVDC power within the energy storage system which is selectively provided to a dispenser motor load connected to the energy storage system. The system provides an effective solution to the problem of transferring power from a low power battery source on a disposable product to a dispenser as well as providing a system that minimizes corrosion at the electrical interface between the disposable product and the dispenser particularly in higher humidity environments.

A flowable material dispenser for dispensing flowable material from a container having a pump may include a housing, an actuator, a motor, and a drive assembly. The actuator may be disposed within the housing and configured to translate relative to the housing between a first position and a second position during a dispense cycle. The actuator may be configured to move the pump between an extended configuration and a compressed configuration to dispense the flowable material as the actuator translates between the first position and the second position during the dispense cycle. The drive assembly may be coupled to the actuator and the motor and configured to translate the actuator between the first position and the second position at a varying rate of translation during the dispense cycle. The varying rate of translation may vary relative to a rate of rotation of the motor and follow a non-sinusoidal waveform.

A system and method are provided for improving product usage prior to refill of product dispensers in service areas that include a plurality of such dispensers. Via a sensor configured with each of the product dispensers and a control system in communication with the sensors, a product level or amount condition of product in each dispenser is detected. Based on the information from the sensors, a visual or audio message is generated and transmitted to the patron that encourages the patron to use a first product dispenser that has a greater product fill amount as compared to a second product dispenser in the same or a different service area.

A dispenser for dispensing sheet product is provided including a housing that defines an interior configured to accommodate a source of sheet product and an outlet through which the sheet product is dispensed. The dispenser also includes a first roller that is rotatable and disposed in the housing. A portion of the sheet product is designed to be in contact with the first roller prior to being dispensed through the outlet. The dispenser also includes a knife drum that is rotatable and configured to cooperate with the first roller to dispense the sheet product. The knife drum includes a knife configured to cut the sheet product into individual sheets. The dispenser also includes a spring assembly that may be configured to bias the knife drum toward a predetermined position during rotation of the knife drum.

Sheet product dispensers and methods of dispensing sheet products are provided, including feeding a sheet material from a roll via a sheet feeding mechanism, separating one or more discrete sheet products from the roll via a separation mechanism, dispensing the one or more discrete sheet products to an end user at a presentation station via a sheet product conveying mechanism, and detecting a presence of the sheet material via a sensor downstream of the sheet feeding mechanism, wherein the sheet product conveying mechanism is driven in response to the sensor detecting the presence of the sheet material.

A sheet material dispenser can include a sheet material transfer assembly operable to automatically transfer feeding or dispensing of sheet material between a plurality of supplies of sheet material. The sheet material transfer assembly can include a frame that is movable between a plurality of positions including a first position that facilitates feeding of the sheet material from a first supply of sheet material, and a second position that facilitates feeding or dispensing of sheet material from a second supply of sheet material. The frame of the sheet material transfer system can shift or move to the second position for dispensing sheet material from the second supply of sheet material when the first supply of sheet material is fully dispensed.

Sheet product dispensers and methods of dispensing sheet products are provided, including feeding a sheet material from a roll via a sheet feeding mechanism, separating one or more discrete sheet products from the roll via a separation mechanism, dispensing the one or more discrete sheet products to an end user at a presentation station via a sheet product conveying mechanism, and detecting a presence of the sheet material via a sensor downstream of the sheet feeding mechanism, wherein the sheet product conveying mechanism is driven in response to the sensor detecting the presence of the sheet material.