3245results about "Domestic applications" patented technology

Dispenser apparatus for dispensing flexible sheet material including material-recognition apparatus permitting the dispenser to recognize sheet material from an authorized source and to be enabled for operation with such material. The dispenser preferably includes standard mechanical components for dispensing sheet material from the dispenser including a housing, structure for supporting a roll of sheet material, drive and tension rollers forming a nip through which the sheet material is displaced as the drive roller rotates and drive apparatus in power-transmission relationship with the drive roller. The material-recognition apparatus includes a sensor mounted in the dispenser housing and in position to scan a code, preferably located on the core on which the sheet material is wound. The sensor generates a code signal corresponding to the code. A control circuit operatively connected to the sensor is adapted to receive the code signal and compare the code represented by said code signal to at least one code in a code database. The dispenser is placed in a dispenser-enabled state capable of dispensing sheet material corresponding to agreement between the codes and a dispenser-disabled state in which the dispenser is disabled when no such code agreement exists.

Apparatus for dispensing paper from rolls which feeds continuously, roll to roll, and does not require extra procedure to bring stub roll into position. The apparatus holds and positions at least first and second rolls of paper with respect to each other; dispenses paper from the first roll; dispenses paper from the first and second rolls simultaneously when the first roll reduces to a predetermined diameter of paper, positions the depleted first roll for replacement without the necessity of removing the second roll; and dispenses from the second and replacement rolls simultaneously when the second roll reduces to a predetermined diameter of paper. The apparatus also has a proximity sensor, which senses when a hand is placed near the dispenser, and thereupon dispenses a set amount of towel. The proximity sensor incorporates “static” and noise immunity circuitry.

The present invention is a method for producing an absorbent article. A wet resillient, cellulosic basesheet having elevated and depressed regions with an Overall Surface Depth of at least 0.2 mm is prepared. The cellulosic basesheet has an upper surface and a lower surface. A contiguous, fibrous nonwoven web having a plurality of openings is integrally attached onto the upper surface of the cellulosic basesheet such that a portion of the openings are superposed over the depressed regions of the cellulosic basesheet. An absorbent core and an impervious web are attached to the lower surface of the cellulosic basesheet such that the absorbent core is sandwiched between the impervious web and the cellulosic basesheet.

An electronic dispenser for dispensing sheet products includes an infrared proximity sensor operative to detect a presence of a user's hand at a predetermined location near the dispenser and a feed mechanism configured to engage a sheet product roll to cause a quantity of sheet product to be dispensed therethrough. The infrared proximity sensor is configured to have an adjustable sensitivity to vary a detection range of the infrared proximity sensor. The feed mechanism has a motor operative in response to the infrared proximity sensor to engage the feed mechanism.

A closure unit for selectively closing a package of wipes or the like is formed as an integral unit typically in or close to the closed position, and has a flap hinged with respect to a frame defining an opening for enabling dispensing of the wipes or the like therethrough. Break lines between the flap and the frame enable the flap to be torn from the frame at first use, and suitable positive locking means enable the flap to be reclosed with respect to the frame. The structure of the unit is such that no portion of the flap substantially overlaps any portion of the frame when the unit is initially formed, and thus then unit may be formed in or close to the closed position, particularly from sheet material.

An electro-mechanical roll towel dispenser includes a housing with a roll carrier disposed therein to rotationally support a roll of towel material. An electro-mechanical feed mechanism is disposed in the housing to dispense measured sheets of the towel material. The feed mechanism operates in a first mechanical operational mode wherein the towel sheets are dispensed by a user grasping and pulling on a tail of the towel material extending from the housing, and a second electrical operational mode wherein a measured length of a next sheet is automatically and electrically fed out of the housing to define the tail for the next user.

A fibrous structure product having a continuous first densified region; a plurality of discrete pillow regions having an area of from about 0.002 in² to about 0.015 in²; and at least some of the plurality of the discrete pillow regions have an inner perimeter forming a boundary defining at least one discrete second densified region comprising an area of from about 5% to about 75% of the area of the discrete pillow region, is provided.

In another embodiment, a fibrous structure product is provided having a continuous first densified region; a plurality of discrete pillow regions having an area of from about 0.002 in² to about 0.015 in²; and at least some of the plurality of the discrete pillow regions have an inner perimeter forming a boundary defining at least one discrete second densified region comprising an area of from about 5% to about 75% of the area of the discrete pillow region.

A method for exchanging coins, the method including the acts of receiving in a self-service coin exchange machine a plurality of coins, processing the plurality of coins to determine a total value of the plurality of coins, and dispensing currency to the patron from a currency dispenser, the currency having a value related to the total value.

Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a roll of sheet material includes a rotatable sheet material engagement member having an outer surface for engaging the sheet material. A pivoted shaft is mounted adjacent to the sheet material engagement member having a feed roller mounted thereon. The shaft and feed roller are pivotally moved toward the sheet material engagement member and the feed roller is rotated to transport the sheet material over the outer surface of the sheet material engagement member. Spaced tucker members are connected to the sheet material engagement member and simultaneously rotate and pivot upon depletion of a primary roll of sheet material to position the lead end of a reserve roll between the sheet material engagement member and the feed roller.

A visually coordinated absorbent product includes a article component having a body side liner, a garment side outer cover and an absorbent core disposed between the body side liner and the garment side outer cover. The article component has at least a first and second visual characteristic, wherein the first visual characteristic is different than the second visual characteristic. The article component is disposed in a packaging component having at least the first and second visual characteristics. In one embodiment, the packaging component is an individual pouch sized and configured to hold a single, individual article component. In various embodiments, the visual characteristics can include color, embossment, printing, and/or side sealing.

The new invention allows for easy retrieval of fall backs and eases the initial threading process upon initial opening/use of the package. Threading is done without removing the cap. Several of the embodiments allow refills to be inserted into the canister without removing the lid/cap. The layout of the dispensing system and the geometry and shape of the dispensing orifice/aperture minimize and mitigate product fall backs. The new invention improves performance of the orifices/apertures through unique geometry and shape as well as using different materials from existing products or the combination of multiple materials. Varying orifice diameter, co-molded density and stiffness or geometry of the actual lobes defining the dispensing aperture allows the precise amount of friction to be created in the dispensing opening for selectively grabbing or releasing the towelette, thereby tearing the towelette connecting perforations at just the right time.

Dispenser apparatus for dispensing paper toweling from a roll of paper toweling includes a paper toweling feed roller and a guide partially surrounding the feed roller having a curved guide surface spaced from the paper toweling feed roller. The feed roller and the guide form a curved passageway through which paper toweling passes during transport from a roll of paper toweling to a location external of the dispenser housing. Automatic transfer to a full roll of paper toweling takes place upon depletion of another roll.

A hands-free paper product dispenser has two separate IR emitter and sensor circuits, one to feed paper product through the dispenser and the other to cut it, each interlocked to prevent one from running while the other is in operation. The length of paper dispensed is under complete control of the user. Paper is clamped above and below the cut to assure a clean cut, clamped gently to avoid tearing by wet hands, and released completely after product is taken from the machine to avoid sticking of product to machine surfaces. Dynamic electric braking is used in the circuitry to reduce noise and impact wear on dispenser parts.

Fibrous structures that exhibit a Geometric Mean Modulus (GM Modulus) of less than 1070 g/cm as measured according to the Modulus Test Method described herein and a Geometric Mean Elongation (GM Elongation or GM Elong) of less than 15% measured according to the Elongation Test Method described herein are provided.

A dispensing container, soft pack, dispensing system and method for wipes and the like are provided, adapted for dispensing wipes that are accommodated having a mid-portion of the wipes vertically displaced from an extremity thereof.

A dispenser for dispensing paper or non-woven sheet product for wiping, wherein the level of sheet product contained in the dispenser decreases as the sheet product is dispensed, the dispenser comprising an ultrasonic level sensor for determining the level of the sheet product contained in the dispenser, wherein the ultrasonic sensor is arranged to direct the ultrasonic beam toward a surface associated with the sheet product, wherein a distance that the beam travels to the surface changes progressively as the level of the sheet product in the dispenser changes from a full condition to an empty condition.

In the floor-wiring structure for wiring a cable, a space is secured for storing a surplus part of the cable. Cable-cutting work and end portion conditioning on the working site are thus dispensed with and the surplus part of the cable is easily stored. The structure comprises unitary floor members having a pathway channel. Some of the unitary floor members are replaced by a floor member for storing part of the cable. The latter floor member comprises an upwardly opened space for storing part of the cable, entrance-and-exit ports thereto or therefrom, a guide provided in the space for storing cable for maintaining the cable in a looped state and a cable-fixing band provided in the same space for fixing the cable in a freely removable way.

A method for providing a single-frequency network (SFN) service between a base station (BS) and a mobile station (MS) in a wireless communication system. The BS sets a first segment indicator in a medium access control (MAC) message field before transmission, if a resource allocation scheme corresponds to general data transmission. The BS sets a second segment indicator in the MAC message before transmission, if the resource allocation scheme corresponds to single frequency-based data transmission. The MS receives the MAC message from the BS, and performs renumbering according to the first segment indicator or the second segment indicator included in the received MAC message.

A system and apparatus for automatically dispensing a paper product mounted on a gravity-assisted holder through a dispenser. The apparatus includes an electric motor, a main product roller for automatically rolling a predetermined amount of the paper product from the holder, exit guide rollers for guiding the paper product through a front cover of the dispenser, and a series of interconnected gears that are driven by the electric motor to activate the main product roller and exit guide roller and operate both the main roller and exit roller at the same speed. Operating the rollers at the same speed prevents paper or tissue jamming inside the dispenser. The system monitors usage of each paper product dispenser with each dispenser having a microprocessor controller for determining a corresponding paper product status for the dispenser. Each paper product dispenser communicates with a master network device preferably mounted on a ceiling plane. Paper product status messages are transmitted between each dispenser and master network device unit using a standard data communications protocol. The master network device communicates the paper product status for each individual dispenser to an independent building automation and control network. A central control console that is interoperable with the building automation and control network monitors the status of each paper product dispenser through signals communicated from a master receiver/transmitter unit to the central control console.

A dispenser includes a body having four side walls, a base and an opening in a top of the body. The base has end walls extending substantially parallel to the side walls so that the dispenser is substantially double walled. A lid is hingedly connected near the top of the body and covers the opening. The lid has a slot therein for sheet material to be dispensed therethrough. The dispenser also includes a platform that supports the sheet material. The platform is movable against forces of a compression element from a first position adjacent the lid to a second position spaced apart from the lid. The end walls have a plurality of ribs extending therefrom. The ribs engage a plurality of corresponding grooves in the platform so that the platform is slidably guided within the body along the ribs.

The present invention relates to provide a dispensing aperture for a container comprising vertically stacked wipes, which provides improved sequential dispensing of the contained wipes while permitting enhanced accessibility to the wipes within the container.

A solution for detecting level of a consumable tissue product (201, 301) in a tissue dispenser (103, 106) located in a washroom. This is provided in a number of aspects such as a tissue dispenser, a method, system, and a sensor unit utilizing two sensor elements (420, 430), each arranged to measure light reflected from a reflection field located on the tissue product, reflected directly from the tissue product, or measure the absence of the tissue product. Data from the sensor elements are wirelessly transmitted to a server (901) for further handling, such as for instance notification to a janitor in charge of service of the washroom.

An apparatus, a system and a method for dispensing pre-impregnated household, car, utility and personal cleaning wipes are provided. The wipes dispensing apparatus, system and method allow a wipes cartridge of wipes to connect to a front cover that attaches to a back mounting shell. The wipes cartridge may have grooves that accept tracks from the front cover to connect the wipes cartridge to the front cover. The front cover connects to the back mounting shell to form a wipes dispenser unit. The back mounting shell may have an angled plate that projects toward the cartridge of wipes to position the wipes for access. A plurality of wipes dispenser units may be connected to provide different wipes of different intended uses. The wipes of the plurality of wipes dispenser units may be differentiated by a color, text, graphic symbol and/or fragrance associated with intended uses of the wipes. Thus a variety of wipes may be provided by the wipes dispenser units without uncertainty as to the intended use of each one of the wipes.

A versatile modular device for organizing, shortening, and securing a plurality of cords such as cables, ropes, strings, lines, tubes and wires, having a simple design which permits easy removal or addition of cords and a straightforward method for wrapping and securing an individual cord to a desired length. The device utilizes a rectangular box design having slotted side panels. The side panel slots are slanted and sized such that a plurality of modular reel bars may be inserted therein, will not slip out accidentally, and may be removed or added without disturbing the other modules. Each reel bar is designed with a plurality of apertures for securing a cord at varying lengths, leaving only the desired amount of cord loose. The device includes an electrical power strip for streamlined electrical power access and may be secured to a desk or table by appropriate attachment means.

A dryer uses a high-speed blower producing high velocity air, a heater and a compound directional nozzle containing multiple tubular, cylindrical air sub-outlets to generate both suitable force and temperature in the sub-jets of air to dry the user's hands. The air outlets are sized and shaped to maintain direction of airflow at the location of the hands. The multiple tubular sub-nozzles reduce the air turbulence noise from the fast airflow sub-jets striking the hands by providing spaces between the adjacent sub-nozzles and air sub-jets so that the turbulence and hand impact noise is reduced and so that the water evaporated from the water film has a shorter escape distance. An ion source provides ions in the output air from the compound directional nozzle to enhance evaporation.

A sheet product dispenser is provided for sheet product from a roller. The sheet product dispenser includes a first roll of sheet product, called a stub roll, a main roll of sheet product, and a dispensing arrangement. A sensor is provided for detecting when sheet product on a stub roll is depleted. The sensor generates a signal in response to the depletion of the stub roll and a controller activates an electromechanical actuator. The actuator acts to operate a transfer bar that moves an end portion of the main roll sheet product adjacent a roller assembly that engages the main roller sheet product.

A hybrid towel dispenser is provided that is operable in an automatic dispensing mode and a manual dispensing mode. The dispenser comprises a rotatable drum having a retractable knife that extends out of the drum when the drum rotates past a selected position and severs a towel segment from a towel sheet that engages the cutting drum; a motor; a one-way bearing coupling the motor to the drum such that the motor rotates the drum in the automatic dispensing mode and a user can rotate the drum in the manual dispensing mode separately from the motor. The dispenser can additionally have a manual advance assembly with a lever rotationally coupled to the cutting drum and operable by the user to rotate the drum in the manual dispensing mode.

An electronic dispenser for dispensing flexible sheet material. A control circuit in the housing receives a plurality of signals and controls dispensing of the sheet material from the housing. A tear bar is mounted within the housing for severance of sheet material by the user. A pivotally mounted pawl member is located proximate to the tear bar such that movement of sheet material into the tear bar for severance pivots the pawl member from a first position to a second position. A signal means associated with the pawl member is located such that movement of the pawl member to the second position causes the signal means to send a signal to notify the control circuit that the sheet material has been removed. The dispensing mechanism is operative in a first mode to be responsive to a signal from a proximity sensor to dispense a sheet of material, and is operative in a second mode to dispense a next sheet in response to the signal means being activated by movement of the pawl member to the second position in response to dispensed sheet material being removed from the dispenser.

A plasma chemical vapor deposition system includes a chamber provided with gas injection holes, a gas exhaust unit mounted on the chamber, a substrate holder disposed on a central area of the chamber to support a substrate in a state where both sides of the substrate are exposed, and first and second coils generating induced magnetic fields. The first and second coils are disposed around upper and lower outer circumferences of the chamber, respectively.

A dispenser adapted to dispense sheet material therefrom is provided and includes a housing having an exit port configured to support a centerflow roll of sheet material therein. The dispenser also includes a first tubular member and a second tubular member, and the sheet of material flows over at least a portion of both the first and second tubular members on a circuitous path to the exit port.