Portable, vertically oriented automatic towel dispenser apparatus

Abstract

A portable towel dispenser includes a housing configured to stand upright and an interior space for receiving a toweling assembly including a roll of towels on an arbor. The interior space is configured to receive in a vertical orientation the arbor for vertical support thereof during unwinding of the roll of towels. A loading door is configured to rotate relative to the housing about a generally vertical axis between a closed position, in which the loading door and housing together enclose the toweling assembly within the dispenser, and an open position, in which the dispenser is configured to receive the toweling assembly therein without obstruction by the loading door. The dispenser is battery operated, includes a handle, and is readily hand portable. A button on a bottom of the housing is depressed to enable dispensing when the housing is stood upright.

Claims

1. A towel dispenser, the towel dispenser comprising: a housing comprising a top and a bottom, wherein the bottom is configured to support the housing in a vertical orientation, wherein the housing further defines an interior space configured to receive a paper towel roll in a vertical orientation for vertical support thereof during dispensing of toweling from the paper towel roll; a loading door configured to rotate relative to the housing between a closed position and an open position, wherein, in an instance in which the loading door is in the closed position, the loading door and the housing define a gap configured to enable dispensing of toweling from the paper towel roll therein, wherein, in an instance in which the loading door is in the open position, the loading door and the housing define an opening that enables insertion of the paper towel roll into the interior space of the housing; one or more rollers configured to engage a portion of the toweling from the paper towel roll; and a motor assembly configured to drive the one or more rollers to cause dispensing of the portion of the toweling from the paper towel roll through the gap.

2. The towel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the interior space is further configured to receive an arbor that is configured to support the paper towel roll.

3. The towel dispenser of claim 2, wherein the arbor is removable from the paper towel roll, such that a second paper towel roll is disposable on the arbor for use in the towel dispenser.

4. The towel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a safeguard located on the bottom of the housing, wherein the safeguard is configured to prevent dispensing of toweling from the paper towel roll in an instance in which the bottom of the housing is not positioned on a surface.

5. The towel dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a button located on the bottom of the housing that is configured to prevent dispensing of toweling unless the button is depressed.

6. The towel dispenser of claim 5, wherein the button is configured to be depressed in an instance in which the housing is positioned to stand upright in a generally vertical orientation on a generally horizontal, planar surface.

7. The towel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the one or more rollers comprise a first set of one or more rollers that extend along an interior side of the loading door and a second set of one or more rollers that extend along a corresponding section of the housing when the loading door is in the closed position.

8. The towel dispenser of claim 7, wherein the second set of one or more rollers are configured to be driven by the motor assembly to cause dispensing of the toweling.

9. The towel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a sensor located on an interior of the housing and configured to sense a leading edge of the toweling in the gap.

10. The towel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a sensor located on an exterior of the housing and configured to detect motion, wherein the sensor is operatively connected to the motor assembly and configured to cause the motor assembly to drive the one or more rollers to cause dispensing of the toweling in an instance in which an object or motion is detected by the sensor.

11. The towel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a strap for carrying of the towel dispenser.

12. The towel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a light indicator for indicating a status of the towel dispenser, the light indicator being located on an exterior surface of the housing.

13. The towel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the interior space defines a vertical dimension sized to correspond to a vertical dimension of the paper towel roll when the paper towel roll is in a vertical orientation.

14. The towel dispenser of claim 13, wherein the interior space defines a generally cylindrical volume with a center axis extending in a vertical orientation when the towel dispenser is upright, wherein the loading door is configured to rotate about a vertical axis that is parallel to the center axis of the interior space.

15. A towel dispenser comprising: a housing configured to stand upright in a vertical orientation and define an interior space for receiving a toweling assembly comprising a roll of towels, wherein the interior space is configured to receive the roll of towels in a vertical orientation during unwinding of the roll of towels for dispensing of toweling; and a loading door having one or more rollers extending along a section of an interior side of the loading door, wherein the loading door is configured to rotate relative to the housing about a generally vertical axis between, a closed position, in which the loading door and the housing are configured to receive an extent of toweling therebetween for dispensing of the toweling, and in which the loading door closes off access to the toweling assembly received in the dispenser, and an open position, in which the dispenser is configured to receive the toweling assembly therein without obstruction by the loading door.

16. The towel dispenser of claim 15, wherein the dispenser is battery operated, includes a handle, and is hand portable.

17. The towel dispenser of claim 15, wherein the loading door defines a second interior space that extends within the first interior space, wherein the towel dispenser is configured to receive the toweling assembly therein for dispensing by moving the loading door to the open position, inserting an arbor with a roll of towels disposed thereon into the interior space of the loading door, with a bottom end of the arbor being received within a recessed area of the loading door such that the toweling assembly is rotatable while supported in the vertical orientation within the second interior space of the loading door, and moving the loading door into the closed position with an extent of the toweling extending between the loading door and the housing.

18. The towel dispenser of claim 15, wherein the towel dispenser is further configured such that no further threading or positioning of the toweling is required to load the toweling for dispensing.

19. The towel dispenser of claim 15, wherein a button that must be depressed to enable automatic dispensing of toweling is located on a bottom surface of the housing such that the button is depressed when the housing is stood upright in a vertical orientation for dispensing of toweling.

20. A paper towel dispenser configured to receive a paper towel roll in loose engagement for dispensing of paper towel from the paper towel roll, wherein the paper towel dispenser comprises: a housing defining a top, a bottom, and an interior space, wherein the housing is configured to stand in a vertical orientation in an instance in which the bottom is positioned on a flat surface, wherein the interior space is configured to receive the paper towel roll in loose engagement; a loading door configured to move between an open position and a closed position relative to the housing, wherein, in an instance in which the loading door is in the open position, the loading door and the housing define an opening that enables insertion of the paper towel roll into the interior space of the housing such that the paper towel roll is positioned in the interior space in a vertical orientation; at least one first roller positioned on an interior surface of the loading door; at least one second roller positioned on an interior surface of the housing and configured to sandwich, with the at least one first roller, a portion of the toweling from the paper towel roll therebetween in an instance in which the loading door is in the closed position and the paper towel roll is installed in the interior space with the portion of the toweling extending outside of the housing between the loading door and the housing; and a motor assembly configured to drive at least one of the first roller or the second roller to cause the portion of the toweling to dispense from the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) One or more preferred embodiments of the present invention are represented in the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic paper towel dispenser apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein a loading door is in an open position.

(3) FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the automatic paper towel dispenser apparatus of FIG. 1, wherein the arbor has been removed from an interior of the dispenser.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view looking down of the arbor removed from the automatic paper towel dispenser apparatus of FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bottom of the arbor of FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the automatic paper towel dispenser apparatus of FIG. 1, wherein the loading door is in a closed position, and wherein a release of a latching mechanism located on the loading door of the dispenser is shown in an enlarged view.

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the opposite side of the automatic paper towel dispenser apparatus as shown in FIG. 5.

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the automatic paper towel dispenser apparatus of FIG. 1, wherein the loading door is shown in the open position.

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bottom of the automatic paper towel dispenser of FIG. 1.

(10) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the bottom of the automatic paper towel dispenser of FIG. 1, wherein an access panel has been removed to reveal batteries for powering a motor assembly of the apparatus.

(11) FIG. 10 is an elevational view of the bottom of the automatic paper towel dispenser apparatus, which view is taken in the direction of arrow B shown in FIG. 9.

(12) FIGS. 11-16 are perspective views of the automatic paper towel dispenser apparatus representing a sequence of installing a toweling assembly therein for dispensing.

(13) Additional views of embodiments of automatic paper towel dispenser apparatus in accordance with one or more aspects and features of the invention are shown in the Appendix.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(14) As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art (Ordinary Artisan) that the present 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 present invention. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure of the full scope of the present invention that is contemplated. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present invention.

(15) Accordingly, while the present 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 present invention, and is made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the present 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 present invention, 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 present invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

(16) 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 present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention is to be defined by the appended claims rather than the description set forth herein.

(17) 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.

(18) Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, 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 describes a picnic basket having at least one apple as well as a picnic basket having apples. In contrast, reference to a picnic basket having a single apple describes a picnic basket having only one apple.

(19) 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. Finally, 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.

(20) Finally, it will be understood from the foregoing that, as used herein when describing the towel dispenser apparatus of the drawings, vertical and like words are intended to mean along the lines of the force of gravity, with upward and like words meaning in a direction opposite the direction of the force of gravity, and with downward and like words meaning in the direction of the force of gravity. Such words are used in the context of the towel dispenser standing upright on a generally planar support surface in accordance with the intended use of the dispenser as described herein and represented in the drawings.

(21) Referring now to the drawings, embodiments of the present invention are next described. The following description of the embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its implementations, or uses.

(22) FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an automatic paper towel dispenser apparatus 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 10 preferably dispenses common, readily available, perforated paper towels. Furthermore, the apparatus preferably has a learning capability, giving it the ability to detect and dispense towels of varying lengths, including full sheets, half sheets, multiple sheets, and abnormally sized sheets. Therefore, a wide variety of perforated towels can be used with the apparatus, including any brand or length available at retail.

(23) A towel dispenser 10 includes a housing 12 and a loading door 14. The housing 12 is configured to stand upright in a vertical orientation and includes an interior curved surface 13 that partially defines a generally cylindrical space for receiving, in a vertical orientation, a toweling assembly. In particular, the loading door 14 is mounted within the space and, in turn, includes an interior curved surface 15 that partially defines a second generally cylindrical space 16 that is generally concentric with and nested within the first generally cylindrical space partially defined by the curved surface 13 of the housing 12. The toweling assembly is received in a vertical orientation within this second space 16. The loading door 14 further defines a bottom wall 17 and a top wall 19 each generally circular in profile, which walls 17,19 respectfully bound the top and bottom of the space 16. The housing 12 further defines a circular platform 21 over which the bottom wall 17 of the loading door 14 is arranged.

(24) The loading door 14including the bottom and top walls 17,19is configured to rotate relative to the housing 12 about a generally vertical axis 28 between: an open position, as shown for example in each of FIGS. 1, 2, 7, and 11; and a closed position, as shown for example in each of FIGS. 5, 6, 10, 15, and 16. When the loading door 14 is in the closed position, the curved surface 13 of the housing 12 and the curved surface 15 of the loading door 14 together collectively define a generally complete cylindrical chamber surrounding a toweling assembly contained within the dispenser 10; and when the loading door 14 is in the open position, the curved surface 13 of the housing 12 and the curved surface 15 of the loading door 14 extend in close, overlapping proximity to each other as shown for example in FIGS. 1 and 2, whereby access to and removal and insertion of the toweling assembly is provided.

(25) Preferably a latching mechanism retains the loading door 14 in the closed position, keeping the loading door 14 from opening when the dispenser 10 is used or carried. The latching mechanism includes: a release 32 located on the exterior of the loading door 14 near an edge 33 of the loading door 14; a strike surface of the housing 12; a recess defined in an interior surface of the housing 12 adjacent the strike surface; and a spring-biased bolt 34 located on the top of the loading door 14 and configured to engage and be deflected by the strike surface and then moved into the recess in the housing 12 upon the loading door 14 moving into the closed position. The release 32, when pushed downward in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 5, operates against a spring mechanism urging the bolt 34 into the recess so as to move the bolt 34 out of the recess, thereby permitting the loading door 14 to be moved out of the closed position toward the open position. A similar bolt and latching arrangement preferably is located on the bottom of the loading door 14 and operated by the same release 32.

(26) When the loading door 14 is in the open position, the housing 12 is configured to receive the toweling assembly within the generally cylindrical space 16 of the loading door 14 without obstruction. When the loading door 14 is in the closed position, the housing 12 and the loading door 14 are configured to receive an extent of toweling therebetween for dispensing of the toweling. The installation of the toweling assembly and positioning of the toweling between the housing 12 and loading door 14 is described below with reference to FIGS. 11-16.

(27) The toweling assembly preferably includes a roll of perforated paper towels 18 (as shown in FIGS. 11-15) that are disposed on an arbor 20. The arbor is perhaps best seen in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4. The roll of towels may comprise a perforated roll of towels, and preferably comprises a conventional roll of perforated paper towels. The arbor 20 extends through an axial opening of the roll of towels 18 and, preferably, through a conventional cardboard spool on which the length of perforated paper towels are wound. The arbor 20 preferably is removable from the roll of towels 18 by sliding of the arbor 20 relative to the cardboard spool, such that a subsequent roll of towels is disposable on the arbor 20 for reuse thereof in the towel dispenser 10.

(28) Furthermore, the arbor 20 preferably includes a section 36 comprising an enlarged portion or bulge for frictional engagement with and support of the spool on which the roll of towels 18 are wound during unwinding. The arbor 20 also is configured for vertical positioning and support within the loading door 14 between the bottom and top walls 17,19. In particular, the arbor 20 includes a base 25 with circular hub 27 that is received within a recess 29 defined in the bottom wall 17 of the loading door 14 and converging generally toward the axis 28. The top of the arbor 20 is positioned in close proximity to the top wall 19 such that the arbor 20 and toweling mounted thereon is supported and maintained in a generally vertical orientation when the loading door 14 is closed during unwinding and dispensing of toweling. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the axis 28, about which the loading door 14 rotates, further represents a axis about which the arbor 20 generally rotates when correctly positioned within the space 16 during unwinding and dispensing of toweling.

(29) To effect dispensing, the housing includes a motor assembly operatively connected by a transmission to one or more rollers that engage toweling extending between the housing 12 and the loading door 14 when the loading door 14 is closed. The one or more rollers may comprise one or more rollers 22 arranged along a vertical section 26 of an interior section of the loading door 14; one or more rollers 24 extending along a corresponding section of the housing 12; and combination thereof.

(30) Preferably, a plurality of rollers 22 are provided along the vertical section 26 of the loading door, and a plurality of rollers 24 are provided along the corresponding section of the housing 12. Furthermore, one or more of the rollers 24 of the housing preferably are driven directly through a transmission by the motor assembly of the dispenser 10. Such rollers are preferably mounted such that each roller rotates about a common axis, which axis is fixed relative to the housing 12. In contrast, the rollers 22 of the loading door each preferably is mounted such that the respective roller 22 is spring-biased or spring-loaded towards the rollers 24 of the housing 12 and thereby maintained in tensioned engagement when the loading door 14 is closed, and each rotates about an axis that is independent of the axes of the other rollers 22 of the loading door 14.

(31) Preferably the dispenser 10 further comprises a sensor 40 mounted on an interior surface of the housing 12 facing the loading door 14 when the loading door 14 is closed. The sensor 12 is configured to sense a leading edge 88 of the toweling between a spacing or gap 42 formed by and between the housing 12 and the loading door 14 when the loading door 14 has been moved into the closed position.

(32) The dispenser 10 further comprises a second sensor 44 located on an exterior surface of the housing 12 for detecting an object or motion and for causing, in response thereto, the motor assembly of the housing 12 to drive one or more rollers for advancing toweling outside of the housing 12. Preferably, the sensor 44 is configured to detect a hand or a wave of a hand. The sensor also preferably is located proximate a top 46 of the housing 12. A light indicator 48 for indicating a status of the towel dispenser 10 also is provided. The light indicator 48 may comprise one or more LEDs for indicating a status of the towel dispenser 10. The light indicator 48 preferably is located on an exterior surface of the housing 12 near the top 46 of the housing 12, too.

(33) The dispenser 10 preferably is battery operated. The batter compartment preferably is located at a bottom or base 50 of the dispenser 10. An access panel 52 is removable for accessing and replacing the batteries 54, comprising four D size batteries as shown in FIG. 9. In addition to being battery operated, a dispenser in accordance with a feature of the invention may be powered by an electrical cord plugged into a conventional wall outlet. To this end, a dispenser may include an electrical receptacle for receiving an power plug, as shown in the Appendix.

(34) The dispenser 10 also includes a handle comprising a strap 30 attached to the top 46 of the housing 12 for carrying of the dispenser 10. To this end, the dispenser 10 preferably is sized and shaped to be hand portable, including being sufficiently light weight for portability.

(35) In order to prevent inadvertent dispensing of toweling during carriage of the dispenser 10, a safeguard preferably is included in the dispenser 10. The safeguard may comprise a switch, toggle, or other mechanism, and preferably is automatically overridden when the dispenser 10 is physically positioned in an upstanding orientation for dispensing. In preferred embodiments, the safeguard comprises a depressible button 56 located on the bottom 50 of the housing 12 that prevents dispensing of toweling unless the button 56 is depressed. As shown in FIG. 10, the button 56 is configured (preferably spring biased) to extend downwardly an extent beyond feet 58 of the housing, whereby the button 56 is automatically depressed when the housing 12 is positioned on a support surface (such as a surface of a table) in an upright, vertical orientation, with the feet 58 engaging such surface. This guards against undesired dispensing of toweling when the dispenser 10 is picked up and carried.

(36) The safeguard alternatively may comprises a switch, slide, toggle, or other control that is manually actuated by hand. In this regard, the safeguard is not an on/off switch for turning power to the motor assembly on and off, insofar as it is desired that the safeguard be engaged or otherwise active while power nonetheless is supplied to the dispenser such that one or more configuration settings of the dispenser that may have been saved to transitory memory are not lost due to power being cutoff. The safeguard thus holds or disables dispensing without shutting off power. Such settings may include, for example, a unit length saved to memory and representing an extent of the toweling that is advanced for each hand wave. Such unit length can be set in accordance with the length learn methodology of the incorporated patent references that is preferably utilized each time toweling is inserted into the dispenser.

(37) With reference now to FIGS. 11-16, installation of the toweling assembly and positioning of an extent of the toweling between the housing 12 and loading door 14 is described. The towel dispenser 10 is configured to receive the toweling assembly therein for dispensing by moving the loading door 14 to the open position, as shown in FIG. 11. The arbor 20 is pushed through the axial passage of a roll of perforated paper towels, and the towel assembly inserted into and positioned in the space 16 for dispensing. In positioning the toweling assembly within the space 16, the axis of the arbor 20 is generally aligned with the axis 28 of the rotation of the loading door 14. The hub 27 of the bottom 25 of the arbor 20 is received within the recess 29 of the bottom 17 of the loading door 14 such that the toweling assembly is rotatable while supported in the vertical orientation in the loading door 14.

(38) Next, an extent of toweling from the roll of paper towels 18 is unwound and positioned to extent out of the space 16. The extent of toweling that is unwound form the roll of paper towels 18 may be held by hand to maintain a correct position thereof during the process. This may be effectively accomplished by wrapping the extent of the toweling over edge 33 of the loading door and gripping the edge of the loading door 14, pinning the extent of toweling thereto.

(39) Alternatively, for hands-free maintenance of the extent of the toweling that is unwound, the extent of the toweling is maintained by positioning a small portion of the bottom of the toweling within a channel 60 formed by wall 62. FIG. 12 illustrates the extent of the toweling being so positioned, with the leading edge 18 extending beyond the housing 12 of the dispenser 10, and with the extent of toweling extending over and covering the rollers 24 of the housing 12. The channel 62 formed by the wall 62 assists in keeping the extent of the toweling in an upright orientation during closing of the loading door 14.

(40) Next, the loading door 14 is moved into the closed position, as shown in FIGS. 13-15, with the extent of the toweling remaining positioned between the loading door 14 and the housing 12 such that the toweling is threaded between the rollers 22 of the loading door 14 and the rollers 24 of the housing 14 upon closing of the loading door 14 and receipt of the bolt within the recess of the locking mechanism.

(41) Furthermore, upon locking of the loading door 14 in the closed position, the motor assembly is activated to drive retraction of the extent of toweling extending outside of the housing 12 back into the housing 12. The sensor 40 detects the leading edge 88 of the extent of the toweling during such retraction and triggers the motor assembly to stop driving further retraction of the toweling, the extent of the toweling at that point no longer extending exteriorly of the housing 12, as shown in FIG. 16. At this point, a length learn sequence is performed for setting the length of toweling to be extended from the housing upon actuation of the sensor 44, as disclosed in one or more of the incorporated U.S. patent references.

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

(43) Accordingly, while the present 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 present 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 present invention or otherwise exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications or equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.