NL2017113B1 - Method to determine the amount of sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method to determine the amount of sheet as present on a roll of sheet as positioned on a rotatable roll carrier and wherein the diameter of the roll of sheet decreases intermittently in time by providing a lever resting on the roll of sheet and rotatably fixed to a point not being the roll of sheet or the rotatable roll carrier and measuring the change in position of the lever

Description

Patent center

The Netherlands

(21) Application number: 2017113 © Application submitted: 06/07/2016

Θ 2017113

BI PATENT @ Int. CL:

A47K 10/32 (2016.01) A47K 10/34 (2016.01)

(Tl) Application registered: (73) Patent holder (s): 15/01/2018 GAB ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT B.V. in Haarlem. (43) Application published: (72) Inventor (s): Patent granted: Wilhelmus Everhardus Ganzeboom 15/01/2018 in Haarlem. (45) Patent issued: 31/01/2018 (74) Agent: ir. M. Cramwinckel in Steenwijk.

(54) METHOD TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF SHEET (57) The invention is directed to a method to determine the amount of sheet as present on a roll or sheet as positioned on a rotatable roll carrier and the diameter of the roll of sheet decreases intermittently in time by providing a liver resting on the roll or sheet and rotatably fixed to a point not being the roll or sheet or the rotatable roll carrier and measuring the change in position of the liver.

NL BI 2017113

This patent has been granted regardless of the attached result of the research into the state of the art and written opinion. The patent corresponds to the documents originally submitted.

METHOD TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF SHEET

The invention is directed to a method to determine the amount of sheet as present on a roll or sheet as positioned on a rotatable roll carrier and the diameter of the roll or sheet decreases intermittently in time.

US2015 / 0066207 describe a hand towel dispenser provided with sensors to determine the quantity of hand towel roll which is used. A set of three sensors measure a change magnetic field due to a change in distance between the magnet and sensor. This provides information regarding the amount or sheet as present on the roll.

A problem of the method or US2015 / 0066207 is its complexity. The present inventions aims to provide a simpler method.

This is achieved by the following method. Method to determine the amount of sheet as present on a roll or sheet as positioned on a rotatable roll carrier and bearing the diameter of the roll of sheet decreases intermittently in time by providing a liver resting on the roll and sheet and rotatably fixed to a point not being the roll or sheet or the rotatable roll carrier and measuring the change in position of the lever.

Applicants found that by measuring the change in position or the deliver a simple method is obtained. In existing sheet dispensers only a lever has to be added. Because the liver rests upon the roll of sheet the liver, at least the part of the liver which contacts the roll of sheet, will move from one position to a next position when the diameter of the roll of sheet decreases intermittently in time. The decrease of the diameter of the roll or sheet results by rolling or a length of sheet. For example by manual force.

The change in position of the liver may be measured by measuring a change in a magnetic field due to the change of position or either a magnet positioned on the lever or a magnetic sensor, magnetometer, positioned on the lever. For example a magnetometer may be used to measure the change or position of the lever. The magnetic force measured may be the natural magnetic force or caused by a magnetic material positioned near the magnetometer. Suitably use is made of the magneto resistive effect which may include the Anisotropic MagnetoResistive (AMR) effect, the Tunnel MagnetoResistive (TMR) effect, the Giant MagnetoResistive (GMR) effect and the Colossal MagnetoResistive (CMR) effect. The magnetic material may be an example of the liver and the magnetometer positioned in a stationary position nearby or vice versa. The lever will move vertically under the influence of gravity. The magnetometer measures a displacement of the liver, i.e. its absolute position and displacement or the incremental displacement relative to a reference point. The lever will rotatably be fixed to a point not being the roll of sheet. The angle of rotation of the axis at this point can also be measured by fixing a magnet to the rotating axis and measuring the angle of rotation of the axis by a sensor mounted co-axial or perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Examples of suitable magnetometer sensors are those obtained from Sensitec GmbH, Lahnau, Germany.

Preferably the change in position of the liver is measured by one or more inertial navigation sensors fixed to the liver. The one or more inertial navigation sensors measure a change in the angle made by the liver and a predetermined plane. Suitably the inertial navigation sensor include one or more sensors chosen from the group of an accelerometer sensor, a gyroscope sensor and a magnetometer. Preferably the sensor is an accelerometer sensor, more preferably at least a single axis accelerometer and most preferably a single axis accelerometer. Such a sensor can accurately measure the angle with respect to the vertical gravity vector. When this angle is known the exact position of the liver is known and thus the diameter of the roll of sheet. Thus the accelerometer sensor which is connected to and moves with the liver can measure the displacement accurately. Thus a more accurate estimate can be made of the diameter of the roll or sheet and thus of the amount of sheet present on the roll of sheet. The accelerometer sensor is preferably a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Sensor (MEMS).

Suitably the measured amount or sheet is stored as amount or sheet data on a computer-readable storage media located at the roll of sheet. The amount of sheet data may be stored on computer-readable storage media, such as RAM or Flash memory, located on the roll of sheet. Preferably the storage medium and the sensor or sensors described above are combined in one functional unit.

Suitably the stored amount of sheet data is continuously or intermittently communicated by a wireless communication to an external device. Such communication may be any wireless communication and suitably a low energy communication means. This is advantageous because no connection to the grid nor large batteries will then be required. Preferably the low energy communication means a so-called wireless personal area network (PAN) system such as for example INSTEON, IrDA, Wireless USB, Bluetooth, WIFI, ZWave, ZigBee or a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN). The external device may be any device which can store this data, manipulate this data and / or re-transmitted this data or optionally manipulated data to a next device. For example, the low energy communication typically communicates with an external device in the proximity or the roll of sheet. To collect data from multiple roll or sheets it may be preferred that the external device comprises a so-called gateway and which gateway can re-transmit this data or optionally manipulated data to a next device. The gateway may be a dedicated gateway positioned in the proximity of the roll or sheet or be a part of a mobile device such as a tablet, a mobile phone or laptop computer. The gateway can communicate to the next device via a cable network, wireless communication, such as WIFI, broadband internet access or any other computer networking technology.

The next device may be a computer server. For example the external device which collects the data when in the proximity or a variety or different roll or sheets may be a tablet, laptop or mobile phone which re-transmit the data to a computer server. The data will be processed by software running on the computer server and the manipulated data may be presented on the tablet or mobile phone. The software running on the computer server may be a centralized inventory management logic which can determine the optimal strategy for replacing a roll or sheet and / or maintaining a sufficient inventory or replacement roll or sheets. This is advantageous for the users or dispensers including the roll or sheets using the method according to the invention because they can predict when a roll or sheet need replacement. This information is also useful for the provider of the replacement roll or sheets because it is known how much and when replacement roll or sheets are required for continuous operation and keep stock low.

Preferably the data as generated by the software running on the computer server will be presented on the tablet, laptop or mobile phone as a virtualized output or the software running on the computer server. This is advantageous because less computing power is then required for the external mobile devices and the most up to date information is available for every user.

Alternatively with respect to the above it is also possible that the external device uses the amount or sheet data to determine if or when the roll or sheet needs to be replaced by another roll or sheet. For this purpose the external device should have enough computing power to perform this determination.

Communication with this external device may be initiated automatically when the external device is in proximity or the roll of sheet.

The one or more inertial navigation sensors, optional storage medium, processor and wireless communication may require electrical energy to function. Preferably a battery is used such as a lithium ion battery. In some cases it may be preferred to use a relatively small battery, such as a replaceable battery like a 3 volt coin cell CR2032 or CR2450 battery. The required energy may also be generated using photovoltaic or by the movement of the actuator as illustrated in the prior art publication.

The one or more inertial navigation sensors are preferably Micro-Electro-Mechanical Sensors (MEMS). The sensors may be obtained as a set of MEMS, for example combining 10 sensors including support for light, digital microphone, magnetic sensor, humidity, pressure, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, object temperature and ambient temperature. These sensors may be used advantageously. Preferably temperature data and humidity data are used to more precisely predict the length of sheet on the roll of sheet. This because the relation between the diameter of the roll or sheet and the length of the sheet present on the roll or sheet is partly determined by the ambient humidity and / or temperature. The measured data may be communicated with the external device and optionally the computer server as described above. For example excessive temperatures may indicate a fire, humidity may indicate leakage, the measurement of light may give an indication the usage of the room where the device is placed or when a roll or sheet has been replaced. An example of a suitable combination sensor is the CC2650 Sensor Tag as obtained from Texas Instruments.

Preferably the roll or sheet, roll carrier and deliver part of a sheet dispenser. The paper dispenser is a manually operated paper dispenser. The invention is also directed to a paper dispenser including a roll or sheet material positioned on a rotatable roll carrier and one or more rotatable rollers and optionally one or more rotating drives rotatably associated with the roll carrier and / or with the rollers and a sheet output opening, a liver resting on the roll or sheet and rotatably fixed to a part of the paper dispenser and being the dispenser is provided with a sensor suitable to use measure the change in position of the liver. Preferred details of the paper dispenser are described for the method according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a paper dispenser according to the invention and suited for use in the invented method. Figure 1 is the paper disposable type. Shown is a paper dispenser (1) having a roll of sheet (2) material positioned on a rotatable roll carrier (3) and one or more rotatable rollers (4) and a sheet output opening (5). Also shown is a liver (6) resting on the roll or sheet (2) and rotatably fixed to a part (7) or the paper dispenser (1). A sensor (8) is fixed to the liver (6).

Figure 2 shows a hand towel dispenser (9) having a roll of sheet (10) material positioned on a rotatable roll carrier (11) and one or more rotatable rollers (12) and a sheet output opening (13). The used sheet is collected on a used sheet roll (14). A lever (15) rotatably fixed to a part (18) or the towel dispenser (9). A sensor (16) is fixed to the liver (15).

Figure 3 shows a dispenser or Figure 1 or 2 as part of a toilet environment communicating by means of a Blue Tooth communication 20 with a mobile external device 21, such as a tablet or mobile phone. The communication is initiated when the user 22 enters the toilet environment. The Bluetooth communication 20 will have to be in its advertisement mode in order to initiate the connection with the mobile device 21. The advertisement mode may be activated every 0.1 to 10 seconds, ie the minimum time at which a user will typically be in the space , or alternatively activated when the light is turned on using a light sensor which may be part of the set of sensors comprised in one device. The mobile external device may provide user 22 information regarding the amount or sheet as present on the roll or sheet or paper dispenser 1 and provide information if the roll or sheet needs to be replaced by another roll or sheet. Such communications is preferably by means of an output screen provided by the mobile device. The mobile device may be provided with software suited to manipulate the received data via communication 20 to obtain the above information and / or instructions. The data received by the mobile device 21 may be sent via a broad band internet communication 23 to a central computer server 24. The software running on central computer server 24 can manipulate data received from different dispensers.

Claims (20)

CONCLUSIONS A method for determining the amount of sheet material present on a sheet roll positioned on a rotatable roll carrier, wherein the diameter of the sheet roll decreases over time, by providing a lever that rests on the sheet roll and which is rotatably mounted at a point that is not the sheet roller or the rotatable roller carrier, and by measuring the change in the position of the lever. A method according to claim 1, wherein the change in the position of the lever is measured using one or more inertial navigation sensors mounted on the lever. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more inertial navigation sensors measure a change in the angle formed by the lever relative to a predetermined plane. The method of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the inertial navigation sensors comprise one or more sensors selected from the group of an accelerometer sensor, a gyroscope sensor, and a magnetometer. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in the position of the lever is measured by measuring a change in a magnetic field as a result of the change in the position of either a magnet positioned on the lever or of a magnetic sensor positioned on the lever. The method of claim 1, wherein the lever is rotatably fixed at a point that is not the sheet roller along an axis of rotation, and wherein the change in the position of the lever is measured by measuring the angle of rotation of the axis, and this by attach the magnet to the shaft, and by measuring the rotation angle of the shaft using a sensor that is mounted coaxially with or perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the measured amount of sheet material is stored in the form of sheet amount data on a computer-readable storage medium located in the sheet roll. The method of claim 7, wherein the stored amount of sheet data is transferred continuously or periodically to an external device using a wireless communication link. The method of claim 8, wherein the device is a mobile device. A method according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the wireless communication connection is established using low-energy communication means. The method of claim 10, wherein the low-energy communication means are in the form of a wireless personal area network (PAN) or a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN). The method of any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the external device uses the amount of sheet data to determine if and when the sheet roll should be replaced with a new sheet roll. The method of any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the external device transfers the received data to a centralized software inventory management system that is executed on a subsequent external device, wherein the centralized software inventory management system is programmed to deliver an output with respect to to the fact whether and when the skin roll must be replaced by a new skin roll. The method of claim 13, wherein the external mobile device is a tablet, a laptop, or a mobile phone, and wherein the output provided by the following external device is displayed on the tablet, on the laptop, or on the mobile phone, and this in the form of virtual output. The method of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the following external device is a computer server. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the sheet roll, the roll carrier, and the lever are parts of a sheet dispensing device. The method of claim 16, wherein the paper delivery device is a manually operated paper delivery device. A paper dispenser comprising a roll of sheet material positioned on a rotatable roll carrier, as well as one or more rotatable rollers, and optionally one or more rotary drives rotatably associated with the roll carrier and / or with the rollers, and with a sheet dispensing opening, with a lever resting on the sheet roll and rotatably mounted on a part of the paper dispensing device, and wherein the dispensing device is provided with a sensor adapted to change the position of the lever during use to measure. A paper delivery device according to claim 18, wherein one or more inertial navigation sensors are attached to the lever. A paper delivery device according to claim 18 or claim 19, wherein a battery and low energy communication means are mounted on the lever. 1/2 7 6 8 16 15 18