MOUNTING SYSTEM FOR TOWEL DISPENSER

Abstract

A towel dispenser mounting system includes a mounting component; a sensor; and a dispenser. The sensor is directly attached to the wall and the dispenser is mounted to the wall through attachment of the mounting component to the wall. The dispenser contains a roll of material for dispensing towels, and the sensor is configured to detect a distance from the sensor to the roll, whereby an amount of towels to be dispensed may be calculated and/or an amount of towels already dispensed may be calculated. The sensor is located within a housing of the dispenser when the dispenser is attached to the mounting component; a back wall of the housing of the dispenser defines an opening through which the sensor is partially received. The mounting component also defines an opening through which the sensor extends. Mounting a dispenser to a wall to which a sensor is attached is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A dispenser mounting system, comprising: (a) a mounting component; (b) a sensor; and (c) a dispenser; (d) wherein the mounting component is directly attached to a wall; (e) wherein the sensor is directly attached to the wall; and (f) wherein the dispenser is directly attached to the mounting component.

2. The dispenser mounting system of claim 1, wherein the dispenser contains a roll of material for dispensing paper towels, and wherein the sensor is configured to detect a distance from the sensor to the roll of material whereby an amount of material to be dispensed may be calculated and/or an amount of material that has already been dispensed may be calculated.

3. The dispenser mounting system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a time of flight sensor for detecting a distance extending between the sensor and the roll of material.

4. The dispenser mounting system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is located within a housing of the dispenser when the dispenser is attached to the mounting component.

5. The dispenser mounting system of claim 1, wherein a back wall of a housing of the dispenser defines an opening through which the sensor is received when the dispenser is mounted to the mounting component.

6. The dispenser mounting system of claim 5, wherein the sensor is only partially received within the housing of the dispenser when the dispenser is mounted to the mounting component.

7. The dispenser mounting system of claim 1, wherein the mounting component defines an opening through which the sensor extends when the sensor and the mounting component are attached to the wall.

8. The dispenser mounting system of claim 7, wherein the sensor extends approximately an inch from the wall and wherein the mounting component comprises a mounting plate that extends approximately 0.25 inches from the wall.

9. The dispenser mounting system of claim 1, wherein the dispenser contains a roll of material for dispensing paper towels, and wherein the sensor is located proximate the roll of material.

10. The dispenser mounting system of claim 9, wherein the sensor is not directly connected to the dispenser.

11. The dispenser mounting system of claim 9, wherein the sensor is attached only to the wall and is not attached to either the mounting component or to the dispenser.

12. The dispenser mounting system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a power source in the form of a battery.

13. The dispenser mounting system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a power source in the form of a rechargeable battery.

14. The dispenser mounting system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a wireless transmitter for communicating data from the sensor regarding a distance extending between the sensor and a roll of material contained within the dispenser for dispensing paper towels.

15. The dispenser mounting system of claim 14, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate wirelessly via Bluetooth communications.

16. The dispenser mounting system of claim 14, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate wirelessly via Wi-Fi communications.

17. The dispenser mounting system of claim 14, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate wirelessly via cellular communications.

18. A dispenser mounting system, comprising: (a) a mounting component; (b) a sensor; and (c) a dispenser; (d) wherein the mounting component is attached to a wall; (e) wherein the sensor is attached to the mounting component; and (f) wherein the dispenser is attached to the mounting component with the sensor extending through an opening in a housing of the mounting component.

19. The dispenser mounting system of claim 18, wherein the dispenser contains a roll of material for dispensing paper towels, and wherein the sensor is configured to detect a distance from the sensor to the roll of material, whereby an amount of material to be dispensed may be calculated and/or an amount of material already dispensed may be calculated.

20-31. (canceled)

32. A dispenser mounting system, comprising: (a) a dispenser; and (b) means for attaching the dispenser to a wall such that a senor that is independently mounted to the wall is located within the dispenser proximate to a roll of material for dispensing paper towels contained within the dispenser when the dispenser is attached to the wall by said means.

33-45. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] One or more preferred embodiments of the invention now will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same elements are referred to with the same reference numerals.

[0056] FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a mounting component in accordance with one or more aspects and features of the present invention.

[0057] FIG. 2 is the view of the mounting component of FIG. 1 with preferred measurements indicated in inches.

[0058] FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the mounting plate of FIG. 1 in combination with a sensor in accordance with one or more aspects and features of the present invention.

[0059] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the sensor of FIG. 3 attached to a wall.

[0060] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the mounting component of FIG. 3 attached to the wall.

[0061] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the sensor of FIG. 4 and the mounting component of FIG. 5 both mounted to the wall.

[0062] FIG. 7 is a front plan view of a mounting component in the form of a mounting plate of a prototype of the present invention.

[0063] FIG. 8 is a front plan view of the mounting plate of FIG. 7 and a sensor of a prototype of the present invention.

[0064] FIG. 9 is a front plan view of the mounting plate and sensor of FIG. 8 both attached to a wall.

[0065] FIG. 10 is a front plan view of the mounting plate and sensor of FIG. 9 with a dispenser secured to the mounting plate, wherein the cover is in the open position.

[0066] FIG. 11 is a front plan view of a mounting plate and dispenser of the prior art, wherein the cover is in the open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art (Ordinary Artisan) that the invention has broad utility and application. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being preferred is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. Furthermore, an embodiment of the invention may incorporate only one or a plurality of the aspects of the invention disclosed herein; only one or a plurality of the features disclosed herein; or combination thereof. As such, many embodiments are implicitly disclosed herein and fall within the scope of what is regarded as the invention.

[0068] Accordingly, while the invention is described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the invention and is made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded the invention in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

[0069] Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps of various processes or methods that are described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and orders while still falling within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the invention be defined by the issued claim(s) rather than the description set forth herein.

[0070] Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which the Ordinary Artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used hereinas understood by the Ordinary Artisan based on the contextual use of such termdiffers in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the Ordinary Artisan should prevail.

[0071] With regard solely to construction of any claim with respect to the United States, no claim element is to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the explicit phrase means for or step for is actually used in such claim element, whereupon this statutory provision is intended to and should apply in the interpretation of such claim element. With regard to any method claim including a condition precedent step, such method requires the condition precedent to be met and the step to be performed at least once but not necessarily every time during performance of the claimed method.

[0072] Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, comprising is open-ended insofar as that which follows such term is not exclusive. Additionally, a and an each generally denotes at least one but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. Thus, reference to a picnic basket having an apple is the same as a picnic basket comprising an apple and a picnic basket including an apple, each of which identically describes a picnic basket having at least one apple as well as a picnic basket having apples; the picnic basket further may contain one or more other items beside an apple. In contrast, reference to a picnic basket having a single apple describes a picnic basket having only one apple; the picnic basket further may contain one or more other items beside an apple. In contrast, a picnic basket consisting of an apple has only a single item contained therein, i.e., one apple; the picnic basket contains no other item.

[0073] When used herein to join a list of items, or denotes at least one of the items but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Thus, reference to a picnic basket having cheese or crackers describes a picnic basket having cheese without crackers, a picnic basket having crackers without cheese, and a picnic basket having both cheese and crackers; the picnic basket further may contain one or more other items beside cheese and crackers.

[0074] When used herein to join a list of items, and denotes all of the items of the list. Thus, reference to a picnic basket having cheese and crackers describes a picnic basket having cheese, wherein the picnic basket further has crackers, as well as describes a picnic basket having crackers, wherein the picnic basket further has cheese; the picnic basket further may contain one or more other items beside cheese and crackers.

[0075] The phrase at least one followed by a list of items joined by and denotes an item of the list but does not require every item of the list. Thus, at least one of an apple and an orange encompasses the following mutually exclusive scenarios: there is an apple but no orange; there is an orange but no apple; and there is both an apple and an orange. In these scenarios if there is an apple, there may be more than one apple, and if there is an orange, there may be more than one orange. Moreover, the phrase one or more followed by a list of items joined by and is the equivalent of at least one followed by the list of items joined by and.

[0076] Additionally, as used herein, towel or toweling broadly refers to an absorbent sheet material that may or may not be perforated and that is dispensed from a roll. Preferably, such towel or toweling comprises paper towels.

[0077] Referring now to the drawings, one or more preferred embodiments of the invention are next described. The following description of one or more preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its implementations, or uses.

[0078] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a mounting component 102 in accordance with one or more aspects and features of the present invention. As illustrated, the mounting component is in the form of a mounting plate, which is preferred. The mounting plate includes slots 104; a screw head-retainment opening 106; and a central opening 108.

[0079] FIG. 2 is the view of the mounting component 102 of FIG. 1 with preferred measurements indicated in inches. As indicated, the mounting component in the form of a mounting plate preferably is a quarter of an inch in thickness and is intended for use with a sensor that is an inch in thickness.

[0080] FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the mounting component 102 of FIG. 1 in combination with a sensor 110 in accordance with one or more aspects and features of the present invention. Additionally, FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the sensor 110 attached to a wall 100; FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the mounting component 102 attached to the wall 100; and FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the sensor 110 and the mounting component 102 both independently mounted to the wall 100.

[0081] The side elevational views of FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate the extent to which the sensor and mounting component extend from the wall. Because a back wall of the dispenser is attached to the mounting component and not directly to the wall, as discussed below, only a portion of the sensor extends within the housing of the dispenser proximate a roll of towels. The mounting component thus serves to offset the dispenser from the wall and thereby accommodates the sensor and its proximate location to the roll of towels without contacting the towels or otherwise interfering with dispensing of the towels from the dispenser.

[0082] FIG. 7 is a front plan view of a mounting component 102 in the form of a mounting plate of a prototype of the present invention. Additionally, FIG. 8 is a front plan view of the prototype mounting plate of 102 and a sensor 110; FIG. 9 is a front plan view of the prototype mounting plate 102 and sensor 110 both independently attached to a wall 100; and FIG. 10 is a front plan view of the prototype mounting plate 102 and sensor 110 with the conventional dispenser of FIG. 11 secured to the novel mounting plate 102 with opening 108, the cover being in the open position as shown.

[0083] In addition to the foregoing, the Appendix further discloses a commercial installation of a preferred prototype of the invention. The installation is in a bathroom of a restaurant.

[0084] Based on the foregoing description, it will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the invention has broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the invention other than those specifically described herein, as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the invention and the foregoing descriptions thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the invention.

[0085] Accordingly, while the invention has been described herein in detail in relation to one or more preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the invention and is made merely for the purpose of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended to be construed to limit the invention or otherwise exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications or equivalent arrangements, the invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.