Paper product dispenser with improved dispensing

Abstract

A dispenser and method for dispensing a web material, the dispenser comprising: a dispensing mechanism comprising a pressure roller and a drive roller defining a nip therebetween, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the web material from a roll of web material in response to a user request, and wherein during the dispensing, a leading edge of the web material being dispensed first passes through the nip, then through the tear bar, and then exits the housing such that the leading edge is outside the housing; a jam sensor configured to detect a jam condition during or after the dispensing of the web material; and wherein in response to a jam condition, the dispensing mechanism is configured to (i) retract the web material to place the leading edge between the nip and the tear bar, and (ii) then advance the leading edge past the tear bar.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to the field of paper product dispensers, and more specifically to electronic paper product dispensers. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic paper dispensers, including those that automatically dispense a certain length of paper product in response to sensing the presence of a user, are found in many public restrooms and lounges. This type of dispenser has been called a "hands-free" dispenser because the user does not need to manually actuate or otherwise contact the dispenser to start the dispensing cycle. The control systems and mechanical aspects of conventional hands-free dispensers are extensive and diverse.

[0003] These types of dispensers sometimes misfeed or become clogged, resulting in no paper being presented to the user after the dispenser cycle. Once a misfeed or clog occurs, further dispensing cycles usually exacerbate the problem, causing the dispenser to stop working until a maintenance technician is able to repair the dispenser and correct the problem. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure generally relates to the field of dispensers for dispensing a web of material of a certain length from a roll, and more specifically to electronic dispensers having improved dispensing operations including paper jam relief technology.

[0005] Generally, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in a system comprising a dispenser for dispensing web material from a web material roll, the dispenser comprising: a housing including a rear panel and a front cover, and having an internal volume for receiving the web material roll; a tear strip at least partially located within the housing; and a dispensing mechanism at least partially located within the housing, the dispensing mechanism including a pressure roller and a drive roller defining a gap therebetween, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense a certain dispensing length of web material from the web material roll in response to a user request. And wherein, during the dispensing process, the web material being dispensed first passes through the roll gap, then through the tear strip, and then exits the housing, such that the leading edge of the web material being dispensed is outside the housing; a blockage sensor is configured to detect a blockage during or after the dispensing of the web material; and wherein, in response to a blockage, the dispensing mechanism is configured to (i) retract the web material by a first length to place the leading edge of the web material between the roll gap and the tear strip, and (ii) then dispense a second length of the web material longer than the first length. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding methods and apparatus.

[0006] Another aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in a method comprising: in response to detecting a blockage, driving a motor to rotate a drive roller in a second direction to retract the leading edge of the web material to (i) a nip defined between a pressure roller and the drive roller and (ii) a tear strip; and after said retraction, driving the motor to rotate the drive roller in a first direction other than the second direction to advance the leading edge away from the nip. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems and apparatus.

[0007] Another aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in a system comprising a dispenser for dispensing web material from a web material roll, the dispenser comprising: a dispensing mechanism including a pressure roller and a drive roller defining a gap therebetween, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the web material from the web material roll in response to a user request, and wherein during the dispensing, the leading edge of the web material being dispensed first passes through the gap, then through the tear strip, and then exits the housing such that the leading edge is outside the housing; a blockage sensor configured to detect a blockage during or after the dispensing of the web material; and wherein in response to a blockage, the dispensing mechanism is configured to (i) retract the web material to place the leading edge of the web material between the gap and the tear strip, and (ii) then advance the leading edge of the web material through the tear strip. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding methods and apparatus.

[0008] Specific embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented to achieve one or more of the following advantages. For example, a dispenser may include a blockage sensor that identifies blockages or mis-dispensing in the dispenser, as well as the ability to attempt and self-correct problems without requiring a service technician to repair the dispenser, which can sometimes take hours or days. If the dispenser is able to self-correct the problem, then the dispenser remains in an operational state capable of dispensing products to users, rather than failing before a service technician can repair it. This can result in fewer service calls to repair the dispenser, which can reduce the costs associated with operating the dispenser, as service calls can be expensive, and increases user satisfaction by reducing the likelihood of the dispenser being out of service due to blockages or mis-dispensing.

[0009] The accompanying drawings and the following description illustrate details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described herein. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0010] This disclosure can be more fully understood in light of the following detailed description of various embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0011] Figure 1 This is a perspective view representing an exemplary allocator;

[0012] Figure 2A yes Figure 1 A perspective view of an exemplary dispenser with the front cover removed;

[0013] Figure 2B yes Figure 2A A perspective view of an exemplary dispenser for removing material rolls;

[0014] Figure 2C yes Figure 2B A perspective view of an exemplary dispenser with its sidewalls removed;

[0015] Figure 3A A cross-sectional view representing a portion of the dispensing mechanism of an exemplary dispenser;

[0016] Figure 3B It was taken at section 68. Figure 3A A magnified cross-sectional view of a portion of the distributor;

[0017] Figure 3C It is in a paper jam state. Figure 3B A cross-sectional view of a portion of the distributor;

[0018] Figure 3D yes Figure 3B A cross-sectional view of a portion of the distributor, showing the material width retracting; and

[0019] Figure 3E yes Figure 3B A cross-sectional view of a portion of the distributor, in which the sheet material advances after retraction.

[0020] While this disclosure allows for various modifications and alternatives, details of which have been illustrated by way of example in the figures and will be described in detail. However, it should be understood that this disclosure is not intended to limit its aspects to the specific embodiments described. Rather, it is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0021] The following description should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar elements in different drawings are numbered the same. The description and the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, depict illustrative embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0022] This disclosure generally relates to the field of dispensers for dispensing web material of a certain length from a roll, and more specifically to electronic dispensers having improved dispensing operations including paper jam reduction / mitigation technology.

[0023] In some implementations, the dispenser includes a dispensing mechanism with a motor that can either advance the roll of product (e.g., a roll of tissue paper) to push the tail of the roll out of the dispenser, thus presenting the tail to the user for removal, such as for hand drying, or reverse the roll of product to pull the tail of the roll back toward the body of the roll.

[0024] Sometimes, when the paper roll is being fed, the tail may get stuck or otherwise become lodged within the dispenser housing, causing a paper jam that prevents the tail from being presented to the user and results in an incorrect dispensing operation. To automate this problem (i.e., without service technician intervention), the dispenser incorporates a jam sensor that detects this anomaly and triggers a series of steps to attempt to clear the paper jam. These steps, for example, include, in response to the detected paper jam, reversing the motor to partially wind up the product roll to release the jam, and then feeding the product roll a second time to attempt to dispense the product correctly. If the jam sensor detects a paper jam after this second attempt, the dispenser can repeat the process one or more times, for example, according to program instructions in the dispenser's firmware, to further attempt to clear the jam. If the paper jam is cleared, the dispenser can continue normal operation. If the dispenser cannot clear the paper jam through this automated process, a service call from a service technician may be required. The dispenser and its operation are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Special Reference Figures 1 to 2C An exemplary allocator 10 according to this disclosure is shown. Figure 1 A perspective view of a dispenser 10 with a housing 16 of any desired shape and configuration is depicted. In some embodiments, the housing is made of a composite material such as plastic or of a metallic material or a combination thereof. The housing 16 may include a base 18 and a cover 22 attached to the base 18 so as to be generally releasably connected together. For example, the cover 22 may be attached to the top or bottom of the base 16 by a hinge, such that the cover 22 can pivot about the hinge away from the base 16.

[0026] Figure 2A A perspective view of the dispenser 10 with the cover 22 removed is depicted, while Figure 2B The depiction of the removal of material rolls 12 and 14 with Figure 2A Same perspective. Figure 2C The diagram depicts the dispenser 10 with the cover 22 removed and the sidewall 34 of the chassis 32 removed to further illustrate the internal features of the dispenser 10. Figure 2A and Figure 2BSame perspective view. The cover 22 may include a front wall 23 and side walls 27 aligned with the side walls 20 of the base 18 to define an internal volume for receiving the operating components of the dispenser 10 and one or more rolls of web material to be dispensed (including the main web material roll 12 and optionally the residual web material roll 14). Any suitable conventional locking mechanism may be provided to secure the cover 22 to the base 18. The housing 16 includes a lower bottom portion 25 with a throat 24 from which material is dispensed.

[0027] In some embodiments, the operating components of the dispenser 10 can be directly mounted to the base 18 within the internal volume of the housing 16. In other embodiments, the operating components can be connected together to form a separate removable module that can be received within the housing 16. Such a removable module can be easily removed from the base 18 for servicing and / or replacement of components without having to remove the entire dispenser 10 from its supporting surface (e.g., a wall). The housing 16 can be considered as a housing into which the removable module is inserted and removed.

[0028] Some of the internal components of the dispenser 10 include a frame or chassis 32 having a left side plate and a right side plate 34, and a dispensing mechanism 30. The dispensing mechanism 30 may include one or more of the following components: a drive assembly including a drive roller 38 and a pressure roller 46; a conveying mechanism including a conveying arm 56; a throat assembly 50 including a throat 24; a tear strip 44; a drive motor and gear assembly (not visible) for rotating the drive roller 38; a paper jam sensor 53; and control circuitry 108. In some embodiments, a motor, such as that described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20160353947, filed June 17, 2016, entitled “Dispenser for Rolled Sheet Materials with Motorized Spindle,” may be used to rotate the drive roller 38. The '947 publication is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0029] Left and right main web material roll holders 76 hold the main roll 12. A residual web material roll holder 78 is provided for rotatably supporting the residual roll 14 within a housing 16, for example, below and behind the main roll 12. It should be understood that the dispenser according to this disclosure does not need to be configured to dispense from the residual roll 14, and therefore no conveying mechanism is required. The dispenser 10 can be configured to dispense from a single roll of web material. Furthermore, in the case of including the residual roll 14, it can be positioned in any suitable location within the housing 16.

[0030] The cutting or "tear" strip 44 can be positioned upstream of the distribution opening 24 and downstream of the roll gap 45. Figure 3AThe distribution path of the web material (as shown) is set between the drive roller 38 and the pressure roller 46. In order to separate the web material sheets that have been distributed from the dispenser 10, the user grasps the sheet hanging from below the bottom portion 25 of the housing 16 and pulls the sheet against the tear strip 44, so that when the sheet is cut by, for example, the serrated edge on the tear strip 44, the sheet tears and separates along the line defined by the tear strip 44.

[0031] The pressure roller 46 is spring-biased onto the drive roller 38, such that the material web passing through the gap 45 between the rollers is propelled along the distribution path as the drive roller 38 rotates, which can be rotated by a motor.

[0032] Distributor 10 may include an automatic conveying mechanism to transfer web material from residual roll 14 to master roll 12 when the web material on residual roll 14 is nearly completely exhausted. From an operational perspective, this conveying mechanism can operate substantially as described in U.S. Patent No. 6,079,305, published June 27, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Figure 2B and Figure 2C The conveying mechanism may include a conveyor bar 56 having an arm pivotally mounted to another component of the housing 18 or the distributor 10. The conveyor bar 56 includes a "roller" section 58 that may be defined by a centrally curved rib section. The conveyor bar may also include a web holding feature that holds a leading portion of the web material of the master roll 12.

[0033] Distributor 10 can be configured to determine the amount of web material on residual roll 14. For example, distributor 10 may include a residual roll sensing strip (not shown) pressed against residual roll 14. Since the diameter of residual roll 14 decreases as web material is fed from residual roll 14, residual roll sensing strip can transmit one or more signals indicating the diameter of residual roll 14 (e.g., transmitted to control circuitry 108). Upon detection of a specific residual roll 14 diameter, distributor 10 can be configured to rotate conveyor bar 56 such that the leading portion of web material of master roll 12 held by bar 56 comes into contact by roller section 58 with the web material being dispensed from residual roll 14. This allows the leading portion of material of master roll 12 to be pulled out from arm 56 and conveyed together with the web material from residual roll 14 between drive roller 38 and pressure roller 46 in the roll gap 45. “New” web material from master roll 12 is dispensed simultaneously with residual roll web material until residual roll 14 is completely depleted. If there is no residual roll 14 in the distributor 10, the conveyor strip 56 and roller section 58 come into contact with the web material dispensed from the main roll 12. Of course, the distributor 10 can employ many other suitable conveying mechanisms known in the art.

[0034] A "fuel gauge" mechanism (not shown) may be attached to one or more components of dispenser 10, which tracks the amount of web material remaining on master roll 12 as web material is consumed. For example, a strip biased against master roll 12 may track the diameter of roll 12 to help determine the amount of web material remaining on roll 12. Alternatively, master roll 12 may be connected to one or more weight sensors that can be operated to determine the amount of web material remaining on master roll 12 by tracking the decreasing weight of master roll 12. Dispenser 10 may send an alarm to maintenance personnel indicating that master roll 12 is depleted and should be replaced when, for example, the amount of web material remaining on master roll 12 is determined by control circuitry 108 to be suitable for moving the roll to the position of residual roll 14. For example, dispenser 10 may turn on an indicator light visible from the outside of housing 16. In other embodiments, dispenser 10 may send electronic messages (e.g., text, email, or other alarms) to an alarm receiving device via a transceiver coupled to control circuitry 108 to communicate with maintenance personnel about the status of master roll 12.

[0035] The drive motor and gear assembly of the dispensing mechanism 30 may include components such as a drive shaft and a drive gear attached thereto, which engages with the shaft of the drive roller 38. In some embodiments, when the motor is energized, it causes the drive roller 38 to rotate, which pulls the web material of the roll (e.g., roll 12) as the web material is sandwiched between the pressure roller 46 and the drive roller 38 in the roll gap 45. Starting from the roll gap 45, the web material is conveyed along the dispensing path and exits the dispensing throat 24.

[0036] The distribution mechanism 30 can be powered by the batteries contained in the battery compartment 82. Any suitable battery storage device or location can be used for this purpose. Conductors can be configured to contact the battery compartment 82 for delivering power from the battery to the control circuitry 108 and the drive motor. Alternatively, or in addition to battery power, the distributor 10 can also be powered by the building's AC distribution system. For this purpose, a plug-in modular transformer / adapter can be provided with the distributor 10, which is connected to a terminal or power jack port for delivering power to the control circuitry 108 and related components. The control circuitry 108 may include a mechanical or electrical switch that isolates the battery circuitry when the AC adapter is connected to protect and preserve the battery.

[0037] The control circuit 108 can also control the distribution of a section of web material. Any number of optical or mechanical devices can be used in this regard. In some embodiments, the encoder 62 can be used to count the revolutions of the drive roller 38 or the motor or pressure roller 46, and this count (stored in the memory of the control circuit 108 and used by the control circuit) is used to measure the desired length of the web material to be distributed and / or to determine the distance the web material should advance and retract during the blockage remediation process described below. Other systems can track the motor's running time as a control variable, or detect perforations in the web material, etc.

[0038] Dispenser 10 may utilize one or more user proximity sensors 64 to detect the presence of a user in a first detection area. In at least some embodiments, dispenser 10 may utilize one or more additional sensors 64 to detect the presence of a user in a second detection area, and initiate a dispensing sequence upon detection. The first detection area may be oriented at the front of dispenser housing 16. The second detection area may be at least partially oriented below dispenser housing 16.

[0039] Some exemplary sensors 64 may include passive sensors such as light sensors. Such light sensors may be any or a combination of conventional photovoltaic cells that respond to changes in ambient light conditions. The operation of such devices is well known to those skilled in the art and need not be described in detail herein. Other exemplary passive sensing devices may include capacitive sensor systems that detect changes in the capacitive field caused by the presence of a user in the monitored field.

[0040] Other exemplary sensors may include active sensors, such as an active transmitter and an associated receiver defining an active detection area. This active system may be any or a combination of well-known active sensing systems, such as RF or IR sensing systems. In a particular embodiment of the active sensing system 64, which includes an IR transmitter and an IR receiver, the IR transmitter may emit an IR beam into the active detection area, and the IR receiver may detect IR light reflected from an object in the active detection area. If the amount of reflected light is sufficient (above a detection threshold), then control circuitry 108 initiates a dispensing cycle, in which a motor drives drive roller 38 until encoder 62 detects / counts a predetermined number of pulses (e.g., the number of revolutions of drive roller 38) indicating the correct length of dispensed material. The user then grasps the dispensed sheet and pulls it forward against the tear strip 44.

[0041] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, dispenser 10 may utilize one or more passive sensors 64 and one or more active sensors 64. Such sensors 64 may be configured to, for each dispensing cycle, first sense the presence of a user in a first detection zone using one or more passive sensors 64. The presence of a user in the first detection zone may be required before the one or more active sensors 64 can actively detect a user in a second detection zone to initiate a dispensing sequence. In some embodiments, the passive sensors 64 or sensors 64 must be reset to a basic state indicating the absence of a user in the first detection zone before enabling the active sensors 64 or sensors 64 for subsequent dispensing sequences. This can minimize or reduce material waste because it prevents a user from standing in front of the dispenser and initiating multiple dispensing operations in sequence. The user must leave the area of ​​the first detection zone before subsequent dispensing sequences.

[0042] In an alternative implementation, control circuitry 108 may define a preset time period between allocation sequences. This time period can be adjusted by maintenance personnel. This feature may be complementary to the requirement that passive sensor 64 or sensor 64 must be reset to a basic state. For example, a three-second time period may be required after passive sensor 64 or sensor 64 has been reset.

[0043] In some implementations, the passive sensor 64 or sensor 64 does not need to be reset to a basic state, and the time period may only apply to the sequential activation of the active sensor 64 or sensor 64. For example, a user may stand in front of the dispenser so that the passive sensor 64 or sensor 64 sees continuous "valid" detection. However, the time period must pass between consecutive detections by the active sensor 64 or sensor 64. The time period can be set long enough to prevent waste.

[0044] Distributor 10 may include a "night sensor," such as an ambient light sensor, which, together with control circuitry 108, is configured as a low-light sensor that switches the distributor to a low-power mode under low-light conditions. In the illustrated embodiment, a photocell may be configured within the distributor housing 16 to be "viewable" through the housing and above it. Under low-light conditions, control circuitry 108 may disable passive sensor 64 or sensor 64 and active sensor 64 or sensor 64. In some cases, ambient light detector functionality may not be desired. For this reason, a bypass switch may be provided and accessible, allowing maintenance personnel to bypass and disable the ambient light sensing feature.

[0045] Control circuitry 108 can generally control the functionality of dispenser 10. In some embodiments, control circuitry 108 may be a central control unit, such as including a processor, ASIC, or microcontroller, specially adapted circuitry configured to operate in a controlled manner, and including memory. In such embodiments, control circuitry 108 may be electrically connected to various sensors and components of dispenser 10 and configured to determine when and how much material to dispense based on input received from components and sensors. In other embodiments, control circuitry 108 may include multiple individual control units, each configured to make specific determinations and transmit signals to one or more other controllers. Such multiple control units may operate in a coordinated manner to control the functionality of dispenser 10.

[0046] In some embodiments, dispenser 10 includes a blockage sensor 53. As described above, sometimes during dispensing, the web material may become clogged (e.g., clump together and prevented from traveling along the dispensing path) or be misfeeded from roll 12 or 14, preventing the tail of the web material (i.e., the loose end of the web material 66) from leaving the throat 24 and being touched by the user; this is referred to as a blockage condition (e.g., ...). Figure 3C (As shown). The blockage sensor 53 can detect this type of blockage during or after the web material is dispensed from roll 12 or 14. In some embodiments, the blockage sensor 53 is an optical or infrared sensor positioned along the dispensing path, and it can detect the absence or presence of web material along that path. For example, the blockage sensor 53 could be an infrared sensor positioned along the dispensing path between the tear strip 44 and the throat 24 (e.g.,...). Figure 3A (As shown), and is configured to sense the presence of web material at throat 24 as expected during normal dispensing operations. In some embodiments, the clogging sensor 53 communicates with control circuitry 108, such that the control circuitry can read from (or receive signals from) the clogging sensor 53 to determine the presence of web material. In some embodiments, in addition to or as an alternative to the clogging sensor 53 in the throat, a clogging sensor 53 configured to sense motor current (e.g., a high motor current exceeding a preset threshold indicating a paper jam) may be present.

[0047] In some implementations, a blockage sensor 53 is used to include a blockage relief function, and the operation of the dispenser 10 can be referred to Figures 3B to 3E To describe. Figure 3B It was taken at section 68. Figure 3A A magnified cross-sectional view of a portion of the distributor. More specifically, Figure 3BThe diagram shows the web material that has passed through the roll gap 45, the tear strip 44, and (though not shown) the throat 24 after normal operation dispensing. During this normal dispensing operation, the motor can rotate the drive roller 38 in a first direction (e.g., counterclockwise) to dispense the web material. The control circuit 108 can monitor the encoder 62 to count the number of revolutions of the drive roller 38, thereby controlling how much web material is dispensed. Therefore, if the control circuit 108 is programmed to dispense twelve (12)-inch web material, the motor will rotate the drive roller 38 forty-eight (48) times. In some embodiments, the number of motor rotations can be counted and used to determine how much web material has been dispensed. Furthermore, for a twelve (12)-inch web material to be dispensed, there must be twelve (12)-inch web material below the tear strip 44. In the initial stage (e.g., loading a new roll into the dispenser 10), the drive roller 38 rotates several revolutions to advance the web material from the roll gap 45 to the tear strip 44, in… Figure 3B The distance is represented as "X".

[0048] To ensure that no blockage occurs during dispensing, for example, in response to actuation of the motor or drive roller 38 or a signal from the user proximity sensor 64, the control circuit 108 monitors the blockage sensor 53 to determine whether the tail of the web material is properly discharged into the throat 24 (and impliedly discharged from that throat). If the blockage sensor 53 detects the presence of web material at the throat 53, then the dispenser 10 continues its normal operation.

[0049] However, if the blockage sensor 53 does not detect the presence of web material (e.g., at the throat 24 or at another location downstream of the tear strip 44 on the path toward the throat 24), then the distributor 10 enters a blockage relief mode based on the premise that the web material must be blocked or mis-fed in the distribution path, such as... Figure 3C As shown, the fabric material has, for example, undesirably clumped together and collected behind the tear strip 44, preventing it from being properly fed through the dispensing path and out of the throat 24. The tear strip 44 is a common component that, because it partially protrudes into the dispensing path to be torn by the user's pull, fabric material may get stuck on the tear strip or have difficulty passing through it, which can cause minor blockages or misfeeding points.

[0050] In one implementation, the dispensing mechanism 30 (e.g., via programming in the control circuit 108) first causes the motor to rotate the drive roller 38 to dispense an additional length of material in an attempt to push out the blockage, which will also be tracked by the encoder 62. For example, the dispensing mechanism 30 may dispense an additional three (3) inches of web material. If the blockage sensor 53 still does not detect the presence of web material, then the dispenser 10 remains in blockage relief mode.

[0051] Then, the dispensing mechanism 30, for example, retracts the web material by a first length, positioning the tail 66 (also referred to as the leading edge) of the web material between the roll gap 45 and the tear strip 44. In some embodiments, this position between the roll gap 45 and the tear strip 44 is chosen because (i) the tear strip 44 is a potential candidate point for blockage or misfeeding as described above, so retracting the web material upstream of the tear strip 44 (i.e., closer to the roll gap 44) eliminates this potential blockage point, and (ii) preventing the web material from retracting upstream of the roll gap (e.g., before the web material is fed into the roll gap from roll 12) prevents the web material from being released from the roll gap in a non-automatic (i.e., without the assistance of a maintenance technician) manner, so as to reliably refeed the web material into the roll gap 45 and thus prevent further dispensing of the web material.

[0052] To retract the web material, the dispensing mechanism 30 can cause the motor to rotate the drive roller 38 in a second direction (e.g., clockwise) to retract the web material (e.g., loosely winding a portion of the unwound web material back over the roll gap 45). In some embodiments, the control circuit 108 determines a first length based on the number of revolutions of the drive roller 38 or motor required to advance the web material to its current length. For example, the distance “X” (the distance between the roll gap 45 and the tear strip 44) and / or the number of revolutions of the drive roller 38 or motor required to advance the web material a distance X can be specified in the programming of the control circuit 108. Using this information and accessing memory storing encoder data specifying the number of revolutions of the drive roller 38 to induce, for example, an initial dispensing of twelve (12) inches and a subsequent three (3) inch unblocking attempt, the control circuit 108 can determine the first length. For example, if the distance X is one (1) inch, the initial distribution is twelve (12) inches, the unblocking attempt is three (3) inches, and the one (1) inch distribution requires four (4) drive roller rotations, then the control circuit 108 determines that a sixteen-inch distribution requires sixty-four (64) drive roller 38 rotations (16 inches × 4 rpm).

[0053] Thus, in order to retract the tail 66 of the fabric strip between the roll gap 45 and the tear strip 44, the dispensing mechanism 30 must rotate the drive roller 38 back to the roll gap 45, which is a full 16 inches and 15 inches. This places the tail 66 at the tear strip 44, which is one (1) inch from the roll gap 45, as determined by distance X. Therefore, the dispensing mechanism 30 must rotate the drive roller 38 back and forth between sixty-four (64) (16 inches × 4 rpm) and sixty (60) (15 inches × 4 rpm) revolutions to place the tail 66 between the roll gap 45 and the tear strip 44. In this example, the first length will be between fifteen (15) and sixteen (16) inches (or sixty (60) and sixty-four (64) revolutions of the drive roller 38). To provide tolerance, in some embodiments, the first length will be selected such that it halve the distance between the roll gap 45 and the tear strip 44 (or otherwise fall between them). In this example, this would be fifteen and a half inches (15.5) or sixty-two (62) times to drive the rollers at 38 revolutions. This retraction is... Figure 3D The figure shows... Figure 3C The clusters in the sample have been removed.

[0054] In some embodiments, in addition to retracting the web material, the dispenser 10 can also retract or otherwise move the tear strip 44 away from the dispensing path, thereby making it easier for the web material to pass through the tear strip 44 during dispensing. Once the tail 66 of the web material has passed the tear strip 44, the tear strip 44 can be moved back to its normal position. The function of moving or retracting the tear strip 44 is described in detail in PCT application PCT / US2019 / 059151 “ELECTRONIC TOWEL DISPENSER WITH LOWPOWER MODE”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0055] Then, the dispensing mechanism 30 (e.g., after retraction) dispenses a second length of web material that is longer than the first length in an attempt to dispense the web material during normal operation, thereby placing the tail 66 of the web material in a position accessible to the user, such as... Figure 3E As shown. In some embodiments, after retraction, the dispensing mechanism 30 is configured such that the web material is dispensed at least past the tear strip 44 in order to determine whether the blockage has been cleared, for example, by whether the blockage sensor 53 detects web material (the blockage sensor may be configured to detect web material just after the tear strip 44 or at any other location down the dispensing path toward the throat 24).

[0056] In some embodiments, after the control circuit 108 detects a blockage or misfeed, the dispensing mechanism 30 immediately begins to retract the web material so that the distance between the tail 66 and the roll gap is no greater than X, i.e., the tail 66 is located between the roll gap 45 and the tear strip 44. In this embodiment, there is no initial effort (i.e., before retraction) to further advance the web material to "push out" the blockage as described above.

[0057] All relevant portions of the documents referenced in the specific implementation are incorporated herein by reference; any reference to any document should not be construed as an admission that it is prior art concerning the invention. In the event of any conflict between the meaning or definition of any term in this written document and any meaning or definition of a term in the documents incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this written document shall prevail.

[0058] Those skilled in the art will recognize that this disclosure may be embodied in many forms other than the specific embodiments described and contemplated herein. Specifically, the various features described in conjunction with the various embodiments and drawings should not be construed as applicable only to those embodiments and / or drawings. Rather, each described feature may be combined with any other feature in various contemplated embodiments, with or without any other feature described in conjunction with these features. Therefore, deviations in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

[0059] Implementation Plan

[0060] Implementation Plan 1 A dispenser for dispensing web material from a web material roll, the dispenser comprising: a housing including a rear panel and a front cover, and having an internal volume for receiving the web material roll; a tear strip at least partially located within the housing; a dispensing mechanism at least partially located within the housing, the dispensing mechanism including a pressure roller and a drive roller defining a gap therebetween, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the web material from the web material roll by a dispensing length in response to a user request, and wherein during the dispensing, the web material being dispensed first passes through the gap, then through the tear strip, and then exits the housing such that the leading edge of the web material being dispensed is outside the housing; a blockage sensor configured to detect a blockage during or after the dispensing of the web material; and wherein in response to a blockage, the dispensing mechanism is configured to (i) retract the web material to place the leading edge of the web material between the gap and the tear strip, and (ii) then dispense the web material to place the web material through the tear strip.

[0061] Implementation Plan 2 The tissue dispenser as described in embodiment 1, wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a motor engaged with the drive roller and configured to rotate the drive roller in a first direction and in a second direction other than the first direction in response to a user request to retract the fabric strip.

[0062] Implementation Plan 3 The tissue dispenser as described in embodiment 2 includes an encoder configured to count the revolutions of one of the motor and the drive roller to distribute the fabric strip material to the dispensing length.

[0063] Implementation Plan 4 As described in embodiment 3, the tissue dispenser wherein retracting the fabric strip by a first length includes rotating the drive roller in the second direction based on the number of revolutions counted to distribute the dispensing length.

[0064] Implementation Plan 5 The tissue dispenser as described in any one of embodiments 2 to 4, wherein the blockage sensor includes an infrared sensor.

[0065] Implementation Plan 6 The tissue dispenser as described in any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the second length is equal to the dispensing length.

[0066] Implementation Plan 7 The tissue dispenser as described in any one of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the roll of material is a tissue roll.

[0067] Implementation Plan 8 A method comprising: in response to detecting a blockage, driving a motor to rotate a drive roller in a second direction to retract a leading edge of a web material to (i) a roll gap defined between a pressure roller and the drive roller and (ii) a tear strip; and after the retraction, driving the motor to rotate the drive roller in a first direction other than the second direction to advance the leading edge away from the roll gap.

[0068] Implementation Plan 9 As described in embodiment 8, detecting blockage includes monitoring the presence of material in the throat of the distributor.

[0069] Implementation Plan 10: As described in embodiment 9, detecting the blockage includes determining that the material in the throat is not present.

[0070] Implementation Plan 11The method of any one of embodiments 8 to 10, wherein driving the motor to rotate the drive roller in the second direction includes counting at least one of the motor rotations and the drive roller rotations.

[0071] Implementation Plan 12 The method of any one of embodiments 8 to 11, wherein driving the motor to rotate the drive roller in a first direction includes driving the drive roller to position the leading edge past the tear strip.

[0072] Implementation Plan 13 The method of any one of embodiments 8 to 12, wherein a drive motor is driven to rotate a drive roller in a second direction and the drive motor is driven to rotate the drive roller in a first direction, repeated multiple times.

[0073] Implementation Plan 14 A dispenser for dispensing web material from a web material roll, the dispenser comprising: a dispensing mechanism including a pressure roller and a drive roller defining a gap therebetween, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the web material from the web material roll in response to a user request, and wherein during the dispensing, the leading edge of the web material being dispensed first passes through the gap, then through the tear strip, and then exits the housing such that the leading edge is outside the housing; a blockage sensor configured to detect a blockage during or after the dispensing of the web material; and wherein in response to a blockage, the dispensing mechanism is configured to (i) retract the web material to place the leading edge of the web material between the gap and the tear strip, and (ii) then advance the leading edge of the web material through the tear strip.

[0074] Implementation Plan 15 The dispenser as described in embodiment 14, wherein the dispensing mechanism includes a motor engaged with the drive roller and configured to rotate the drive roller in a first direction and in a second direction other than the first direction in response to a user request to retract the web material.

[0075] Implementation Plan 16 The dispenser as described in embodiment 15 includes an encoder configured to count the revolutions of one of the motor and the drive roller to dispense the material web.

[0076] Implementation Plan 17 As described in embodiment 16, the distributor wherein retracting the web material includes rotating the drive roller in the second direction based on the number of revolutions counted to distribute the web material.

[0077] Implementation Plan 18The dispenser as described in any one of embodiments 15 to 17, wherein the blockage sensor includes an infrared sensor.

[0078] Implementation Plan 19 The dispenser as described in any one of embodiments 15 to 18, wherein the roll of material is a tissue roll.

[0079] Implementation Plan 20 The dispenser as described in any one of embodiments 15 to 19 includes a user proximity sensor configured to actuate the dispensing mechanism in response to an object entering the sensing field of the user proximity sensor.

[0080] Implementation Plan 21 A dispenser for dispensing web material from a web material roll, the dispenser comprising: a dispensing mechanism including a pressure roller and a drive roller defining a gap therebetween, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the web material from the web material roll by rotating the drive roller in response to a user request, and wherein during dispensing, the leading edge of the web material being dispensed first passes through the gap, then through the tear strip, and then exits the housing such that the leading edge is outside the housing; a blockage sensor configured to detect a blockage condition during or after dispensing the web material; and wherein, in response to a blockage condition:

[0081] The dispensing mechanism is configured to rotate the drive roller a specified number of revolutions in an attempt to advance the leading edge of the material web; and

[0082] In response to determining that the blockage condition still exists, the dispensing mechanism is configured to (i) retract the web material to place the leading edge of the web material between the roll gap and the tear strip, and (iii) then advance the leading edge of the web material through the tear strip.

[0083] Implementation Plan 22 The dispenser as described in embodiment 21, wherein the specified rotation speed is less than the rotation speed at which the web material is dispensed from the web material roll in response to the user's request.

[0084] Implementation Plan 23 A method comprising: in response to detecting a blockage, driving a motor to rotate a drive roller in a second direction to retract a leading edge of a web material to (i) a roll gap defined between a pressure roller and the drive roller and (ii) a tear strip; and after the retraction, driving the motor to rotate the drive roller in a first direction other than the second direction to advance the leading edge away from the roll gap.

[0085] Implementation Plan 24The method of embodiment 23 includes, in response to detecting the blockage and before the retraction, driving the motor to rotate the drive roller in the first direction, and then determining whether the blockage still exists.

[0086] When describing elements of this disclosure or its preferred embodiments, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” are intended to indicate the presence of one or more of that element. The words “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive, meaning that additional elements beyond those listed may be present. While this specification contains numerous specific implementation details, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope of any invention or claimable content, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments of a particular invention. Certain features described in this specification in the context of individual embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments. Furthermore, although features may be described above as functioning in certain combinations, or even initially claimed, one or more features from a claimed combination may be removed from the combination in some circumstances, and the claimed combination may be for sub-combinations or variations thereof.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll of web material, the dispenser comprising: a housing comprising a back panel and a front cover, and having an interior volume that houses the roll of web material; a tear bar at least partially located in the housing; a dispensing mechanism at least partially located in the housing, the dispensing mechanism comprising a drive roller and a pressure roller that define a nip therebetween, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense a dispensing length of the web material from the roll of web material in response to a user request, and wherein during the dispensing, the web material being dispensed first passes through the nip, then through the tear bar, and then exits the housing such that a leading edge of the web material being dispensed is outside of the housing; a jam sensor configured to detect a jam condition during or after the dispensing of the web material; and wherein in response to a jam condition, the dispensing mechanism is configured to (i) retract the web material to place the leading edge of the web material between the nip and the tear bar, and (ii) then dispense the web material to place the web material through the tear bar.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a motor engaged to the drive roller and configured to rotate the drive roller in a first direction in response to the user request, and to rotate the drive roller in a second direction different from the first direction to retract the web material.

3. The dispenser of claim 2, comprising an encoder configured to count a number of revolutions of one of the motor and the drive roller to dispense the dispensing length of the web material.

4. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein retracting the web material comprises rotating the drive roller in the second direction based on the number of revolutions counted to dispense the dispensing length.

5. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the jam sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein dispensing the web material to place the web material through the tear bar comprises dispensing the web material the dispensing length.

7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the roll of web material is a roll of paper towels.

8. A method of operating the dispenser of any of claims 2-5, comprising: in response to detecting a jam condition, driving a motor to rotate a drive roller in a second direction to retract a leading edge of a web material between (i) a nip defined between a pressure roller and the drive roller and (ii) a tear bar; and after the retracting, driving the motor to rotate the drive roller in a first direction different from the second direction to advance the leading edge away from the nip.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting a jam condition comprises monitoring for a presence of web material in a throat of the dispenser. ​ 10. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting the jam condition comprises determining that the web material is not in the throat.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein driving a motor to rotate the drive roll in the second direction comprises counting at least one of motor revolutions and drive roll revolutions.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein driving the motor to rotate the drive roll in the first direction comprises driving the drive roll to place the leading edge past the tear bar.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein driving a motor to rotate the drive roll in the second direction and driving the motor to rotate the drive roll in the first direction are repeated a plurality of times.

14. A dispenser for dispensing web material from a roll of web material, the dispenser comprising: a dispensing mechanism comprising a pressure roll and a drive roll defining a nip therebetween, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the web material from the roll of web material in response to a user request, and wherein during the dispensing, a leading edge of the web material being dispensed first passes through the nip, then a tear bar, and then exits a housing such that the leading edge is outside the housing; a jam sensor configured to detect a jam condition during or after the dispensing of the web material; and wherein in response to a jam condition, the dispensing mechanism is configured to (i) retract the web material to place the leading edge of the web material between the nip and the tear bar, and (ii) then advance the leading edge of the web material past the tear bar.

15. The dispenser of claim 14, wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a motor engaged to the drive roll and configured to rotate the drive roll in a first direction in response to the user request, and to rotate the drive roll in a second direction different from the first direction to retract the web material.

16. The dispenser of claim 15, comprising an encoder configured to count revolutions of one of the motor and the drive roll to dispense the web material.

17. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein retracting the web material comprises rotating the drive roll in the second direction based on the revolutions counted to dispense the web material.

18. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein the jam sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

19. The dispenser of claim 14, wherein the roll of web material is a roll of paper towels.

20. The dispenser of claim 14, comprising a user proximity sensor configured to actuate the dispensing mechanism in response to an object entering a sensing field of the user proximity sensor.

Images