Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100230198 | AUTOMATED VEHICLE AND SYSTEM UTILIZING AN OPTICAL SENSING SYSTEM - An automated vehicle includes a vehicle body, a power source, one or more motors, running gear for facilitating movement, and an optical system. The one or more motors are housed within the vehicle body and are in operable connection with the power source, and the running gear are in operable connection with the one or more motors. The optical system includes one or more optical sensors positioned generally at an underside of the vehicle body. The one or more optical sensors are configured to generate an output in response to a path. The optical system is configured to regulate an amount of power supplied to the one or more motors in response to the output generated by the one or more optical sensors. | 09-16-2010 |
20100314429 | SENSING RETRACTING LEADING EDGE IN AUTOMATIC TOWEL DISPENSER - Dispensing towels includes, using a motor assembly configured to cause a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from a housing of the dispenser and to cause the toweling to be subsequently retracted back into the housing, (a) the step of extending the toweling exterior of the housing for grasping by a user; and (b) subsequent thereto, the steps of (1) retracting the toweling into the housing the motor assembly; (2) sensing a leading edge of the toweling, using a sensor, while retracting the toweling; and (3) ceasing retracting of the toweling into the housing the motor assembly as a function of sensing the leading edge of the toweling using the sensor. The toweling is advanced by the motor assembly such that a line of perforations in the toweling, along which the user tears the toweling, is located downstream of the sensor. | 12-16-2010 |
20110068209 | SENSING RETRACTION OF PERFORATED PAPER TOWELS WITHIN HOUSING AFTER DISPENSING - A towel dispenser includes: a housing for receiving toweling; a motor assembly that causes a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from the housing such that a line of perforations in the toweling along which a user tears the toweling is located downstream of the sensor, and the toweling to be retracted into the housing after the leading edge has been extended; and a sensor that senses a leading edge of the toweling during retraction of the toweling. The sensor causes the motor assembly to cease retracting the toweling into the housing as a function of the sensing of the leading edge of the toweling. The toweling may be a roll of perforated paper towels. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068210 | LENGTH LEARN SEQUENCE FOR DISPENSING IN AUTOMATIC TOWEL DISPENSER - A towel dispenser includes a housing, a sensor, and a motor assembly that causes in response to a hand: a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from the housing a multiple of a predetermined unit length (PUL), optionally plus a further extent that is less than PUL; and then to be retracted. The motor assembly ceases retracting based on sensing the leading edge of the toweling. PUL is set in a length learn sequence by: retracting the toweling until a leading edge of the toweling is sensed; advancing the toweling a preset extended length greater than at least a distance between immediately adjacent lines of perforations in the toweling; retracting the toweling until a leading edge of the toweling is sensed while measuring a length by which the toweling is retracted; and determining the difference between the preset extended length and the measured retracted length. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068211 | DISPENSING PERFORATED PAPER TOWELS FROM TOWELING RECEIVED WITHIN RECESS OF LOADING DOOR - Dispensing towels includes: the step of extending the toweling exterior of the housing for grasping by a user; and subsequent thereto, the step of retracting the toweling into the housing. The housing includes a main body, and a loading door that is configured to rotate relative to the main body between a closed position, in which the housing is configured to extend toweling there from, and an open position, in which the housing is configured to receive toweling therein. The loading door serves as a towel carrier and has a curved surface defining a cavity within which a roll of paper towels is received and retained in floating engagement therewith. The roll of paper towels rolls and slides on the curved surface when unwinding during said step of extending the toweling exterior of the housing for grasping by a user. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068212 | DISPENSER WITH TOWELING RECEIVED WITHIN RECESS OF LOADING DOOR - A towel dispenser includes a housing including a main body; a loading door that is configured to rotate relative to the main body between a closed position, in which the housing is configured to dispense towels there from, and an open position, in which the housing is configured to receive toweling therein; and a guide system that is configured to guide the toweling within the housing while towels are dispensed from the housing. The loading door serves as a towel carrier and has a curved surface defining a cavity configured to receive the roll of paper towels in floating engagement therewith such that the roll of paper towels rolls and slides on the curved surface during unwinding. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068213 | ENGAGING AND DISPLACING DRIVEN ROLLER OF TOWELING DISPENSER BY CLOSING LOADING DOOR - A method of dispensing toweling includes: extending the toweling exterior of the housing for grasping by a user; and subsequently retracting the toweling into the housing. The housing includes a main body, a loading door configured to rotate relative to the main body between open and closed positions; and a guide system including a first roller attached to the main body and having a first toothed surface, and a second roller attached to the loading door and having a second toothed surface that is configured to mesh with the first toothed surface. At least one end of the first roller moves such that an axis of rotation of the first roller moves relative to the main body of the housing. Moving the loading door into the closed position after loading toweling within the dispenser results in the first roller being urged into engagement with the second roller when the loading door enters the closed position and the second roller acting on the first roller so as to displace at least one end of the first roller when the loading door enters the closed position. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068214 | MESHING DRIVEN ROLLERS OF TOWEL DISPENSER BY CLOSING LOADING DOOR - A towel dispenser includes a main body; a loading door that rotates relative to the main body between open and closed positions; and a guide system that is configured to guide the toweling within the housing while towels are dispensed from the housing. The guide system includes a first roller attached to the main body and having a first toothed surface, and a second roller attached to the loading door and having a second toothed surface that is configured to mesh with the first toothed surface. The toothed surfaces of the first roller and the second roller mesh together when the loading door moves into the closed position from the open position and do not preclude the loading door from moving into the closed position from the open position. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068215 | DISPENSING PAPER TOWELS FROM MOUNTED AUTOMATIC TOWEL DISPENSER - A method of dispensing towels from toweling with a dispenser includes extending the toweling exterior of a housing of the dispenser for grasping by a user; and subsequent thereto, retracting the toweling into the housing. The housing includes extension walls located proximate opposite exterior sides of the housing that extend above a top side of the housing. The method further includes, as a preliminary step, mounting the dispenser to the underside of a fixture, including removing a portion of each extension wall along a score line so as to adjust the distance from the underside of the fixture below which the top side of the housing is mounted. The fixture may be a shelf or a cabinet. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068216 | MOUNTED AUTOMATIC TOWEL DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING PAPER TOWELS - A towel dispenser includes a housing for receiving toweling comprising a roll of paper towels. The housing includes extension walls located proximate opposite exterior sides of the housing that extends above a top side of the housing. Each extension wall includes a weakened line extending parallel to a weakened line of the other extension walls, whereby the extent above the top side at which each extension walls extends may be changed. The extent represents a distance from the underside of a fixture below which the top side of the housing is mounted when the towel dispenser is installed under the fixture. The fixture may be a shelf or cabinet. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068217 | ACCOMMODATING RETRACTION OF EXCESS TOWELING BACK INTO HOUSING OF AUTOMATIC TOWEL DISPENSER - A method of dispensing towels from toweling with a dispenser includes: extending the toweling exterior of a housing of the dispenser for grasping by a user; and subsequent thereto, retracting the toweling into the housing. The toweling includes a roll of paper towels and the dispenser is configured to unwind roll of paper towels during extension of toweling from the housing but not rewind the roll of paper towels during subsequent retraction of toweling into the housing. A back side of the housing includes an opening that is configured such that excess toweling gathering within the housing may fall there through as a result of retraction back into the housing of excess toweling dispensed but not taken. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068218 | AUTOMATIC TOWEL DISPENSER THAT ACCOMMODATES RETRACTION OF EXCESS TOWELING BACK INTO HOUSING - A towel dispenser includes a housing for receiving toweling. The housing includes: a main body, a loading door, a guide system, and a motor assembly configured to cause a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from the housing and to cause the toweling to be retracted into the housing after the leading edge has been extended. The loading door is configured to rotate relative to the main body between a closed position, in which the housing is configured to dispense towels there from, and an open position, in which the housing is configured to receive toweling therein. A back side of the housing includes an opening configured to permit excess toweling to fall there through during retraction of the toweling back into the housing by the motor assembly, whereby the towel dispenser accommodates retraction of excess toweling that is extended, but not taken. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068219 | TRANSMISSION ARRANGEMENT IN AUTOMATIC TOWEL DISPENSER - A towel dispenser includes a main body; a loading door that rotates relative to the main body between open and closed positions; and a guide system that is configured to guide the toweling within the housing while towels are dispensed from the housing. The guide system includes a first roller attached to the main body and having a toothed surface proximate a first end thereof, and a second roller attached to the loading door and having a toothed surface proximate a first end thereof that is configured to mesh with the toothed surface of the first roller. A transmission connects a motor to a second end of the first roller, the second end of the first roller being opposite the first end of the first roller. | 03-24-2011 |
20120125707 | AUTOMATED VEHICLE AND SYSTEM UTILIZING AN OPTICAL SENSING SYSTEM - An automated vehicle includes a vehicle body, a power source, one or more motors housed within the vehicle body and in operable connection with the power source, running gear in operable connection with the one or more motors for facilitating movement and supporting the vehicle body upon a surface, and an optical system. The optical system includes an optical sensor for detecting light reflected from the surface and generating an output in response to the light reflected, and one or more light sources, each light source capable of projecting light on the surface. Furthermore, the optical system is configured to regulate an amount of power supplied to the one or more motors in response to the output generated by the optical sensor. | 05-24-2012 |
20140021287 | AUTOMATIC TOWEL DISPENSER - Dispensing towels includes, using a motor assembly configured to cause a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from a housing of the dispenser and to cause the toweling to be subsequently retracted back into the housing, (a) the step of extending the toweling exterior of the housing for grasping by a user; and (b) subsequent thereto, the steps of (1) retracting the toweling into the housing using the motor assembly; (2) sensing a leading edge of the toweling, using a sensor, while retracting the toweling; and (3) ceasing retracting of the toweling into the housing using the motor assembly as a function of sensing the leading edge of the toweling using the sensor. The toweling is advanced by the motor assembly such that a line of perforations in the toweling, along which the user tears the toweling, is located downstream of the sensor. | 01-23-2014 |