US20220346605A1

US20220346605A1 - Method and system for dispensing a wet paper towel providing a sanitization function

Info

Publication number: US20220346605A1
Application number: US17/547,198
Authority: US
Inventors: Travis Kramer; Bryan Dowd; Mike Mulligan; Juan Fernandez
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Medtekk Inc
Priority date: 2020-12-09
Filing date: 2021-12-09
Publication date: 2022-11-03
Also published as: WO2022125844A1; EP4258963A1; EP4258963A4

Abstract

Disclosed are example embodiments of systems and methods for dispensing a wet towel. An example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel to a user includes a housing having an opening. The example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel also includes an input sensor within the housing for sensing that a user is requesting the wet towel. Additionally, the example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel includes a roll of dry paper towels within the housing. The example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel includes a reservoir containing fluid within the housing. The example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel also includes a drive mechanism for grabbing towels from the roll of dry paper towels and advancing paper towels from the roll of dry paper towels toward the opening in the housing. Additionally, the example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel includes a fluid-distribution system located adjacent to an opening in the housing, the fluid-distribution system moving the fluid from the reservoir and spraying the fluid on the dry paper towels to produce the wet towel for dispensing from the opening in the housing.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY UNDER 35 U.S.C. § 119

The present application for patent claims priority to Provisional Application No. 63/199,134 entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING A WET PAPER TOWEL PROVIDING A SANITIZATION FUNCTION” filed Dec. 9, 2020, hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates generally to the field of dispensing a towel, specifically and not by way of limitation, some embodiments are related to dispensing a paper towel that is wetted immediately before the dispensing process.

BACKGROUND

Frequent hand washing is a critical aspect of proper hygiene, in the health care and food service industries, as well as many other industries. Further, it is necessary to sanitize surfaces (e.g., medical equipment, chairs, tables, and door handles) in health care, educational, and food service facilities. Wet towels may also be used to sanatize and/or disinfect body parts in the medical industry or for other cleaning, sanatizing, or disinfecting needs.
Touchless automatic towel dispensers are now used in various facilities and provide better hygiene by not requiring the user to touch the device to cause the towel to be dispensed. However, these automatic towel dispensers dispense only dry paper towels.
A need exists for an improved automatic towel-dispensing system that dispenses wet paper towels to the user.

SUMMARY

In one example implementation, an embodiment includes a towel-dispensing system for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.
Disclosed are example embodiments of systems and methods for dispensing a wet towel. An example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel to a user includes a housing having an opening. The example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel also includes an input sensor within the housing for sensing that a user is requesting the wet towel. Additionally, the example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel includes a roll of dry paper towels within the housing. The example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel includes a reservoir containing fluid within the housing. The example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel also includes a drive mechanism for grabbing towels from the roll of dry paper towels and advancing paper towels from the roll of dry paper towels toward the opening in the housing. Additionally, the example dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel includes a fluid-distribution system located adjacent to an opening in the housing, the fluid-distribution system moving the fluid from the reservoir and spraying the fluid on the dry paper towels to produce the wet towel for dispensing from the opening in the housing.
In another implementation, a towel-dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel to a user includes a housing having an opening, an input sensor within the housing for sensing that a user is requesting the wet towel, a roll of dry paper towels within the housing, and a reservoir containing fluid. The system also includes a drive mechanism for grabbing towels from the roll of dry paper towels and advancing paper towels from the roll toward the opening in the housing. The system further includes a fluid-distribution system located within the housing. The fluid-distribution system moves the fluid from the reservoir and sprays the fluid on the dry paper towels to produce the wet towel as it is being dispensed from the opening in the housing.
The features and advantages described in the specification are not all-inclusive. In particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the disclosed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description, is better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate a plurality of embodiments and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles involved and to enable a person skilled in the relevant art(s) to make and use the disclosed technologies.

FIG. 1 illustrates a towel-dispensing system for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates the internal components of the towel-dispensing system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an expanded view of the drive mechanism for the towel-dispensing system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates an assembled towel-dispensing system for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

FIG. 5 illustrates sub-assemblies of the towel-dispensing system for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

FIGS. 6A-6B illustrates an exploded view of the towel-dispensing system for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of the towel-dispensing system for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

FIG. 8 illustrates various views of a towel-dispensing system for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of the fluid-distribution system of the towel-dispensing system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the process by which the wet paper towels are dispensed from the towel-dispensing system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 illustrates a wet paper towel that has been dispensed from the towel-dispensing system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example dual battery charger and batteries in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of fluid tanks, pumps, and verious other components in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

FIG. 14 illustrates another example of fluid tanks, pumps, and verious other components in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

FIG. 15 illustrates two example systems in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of an example method in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.

The figures and the following description describe certain embodiments by way of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles described herein. Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. It is noted that wherever practicable similar or like reference numbers may be used in the figures to indicate similar or like functionality.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts.
Several aspects of example systems will now be presented with reference to various apparatus and methods. These apparatus and methods will be described in the following detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings by various blocks, components, circuits, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively referred to as “elements”). These elements may be implemented using various components, hardware, electronic hardware, computer software, or any combination thereof. Whether such elements are implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example towel dispensing system 10 that includes a housing having a front cover 12. In the illustrated example, the front cover 12 includes a dispensing opening 14 at its lower region. The front cover 12 further includes a window 16 through which an internal motion sensor or internal motion sensors may detect when a user has placed his or her hand or hands in the region of the dispensing opening 14, which may be a triggering mechanism for the dispensing system 10 to activate and dispense a wet paper towel. In some examples, though not illustrated in FIG. 1, the dispensing system 10 may include a battery to provide power to the drive mechanisms and fluid-dispensing systems. An example battery and battery system for the dispensing system are discussed with respect to FIG. 12, discussed below. In another example embodiment, the battery may be a rechargeable battery that may be charged by solar and ambient light via receptors on the housing of the dispensing system 10. In another example embodiment, disposable batteries may be used. Alternatively, power may be applied from an electrical connection in the wall (or nearby) to which the dispensing system 10 is mounted. For example, a power jack may provide power to the example towel dispensing system 10. In some examples, a transformer may convert the voltage to a lower AC voltage and then to a DC voltage and a DC power jack may be used. Other embodiments may use any known appropriate power source. The “window” 16 (or another window) may also provide an indication of fluid level. In another embodiment, window 16 may be used for a motion sensor glass. Additionally, in some example towel dispensing systems 10, a paper towel level window may be provided. Furthermore, in some examples towel dispensing systems 10, a control button may allow for dispensing a towel without dispensing the liquid. Additionally, an example embodiment may also include indicators for indicating a state of the unit, e.g., waiting, dispensing a towel, dispensing a towel without liquid, wetting a towel, or other states.
In an example aspect, the dispensing system 10 may use one or more of various fluids or disinfectants. For example, in an example aspect, the dispensing system 10 may use one or more of disinfectants such as Hypochlorous Acid HOCl, Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide H2O2, quaternary based disinfectant, alcohol, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, peracetic acid, citric acid, or any other suitable disinfectant or combination of disinfectant, or fluids such as water, window cleaner, detergents, degreasers, abrasives, buffing compounds, leather conditioner, soap, hands soap, gels, or any other suitable fluid (or gels) or combination of fluids (or gels), including, but not limited to combinations of disinfectants and fluids.
Some example embodiments may use disinfection fluid only. Some embodiments may use sanitizing fluid and disinfecting fluid. In some embodiments, fluid canister or fluid container may be able to use multiple options for multiple liquids, oils, gels, or other materials to be applied to the towel as the towel is dispensed.
FIG. 2 illustrates the internal components of the dispensing system 10 after the front cover 12 has been opened from a mounting base 18, (in other embodiments, the front cover may be detachable) which may typically be connected to a wall. A roll of dry paper towels 20 may be rotationally mounted within the housing, e.g., on arms that may hold a paper roll. A drive mechanism 22 may be mounted below the paper-towel roll 20 and serves the function of advancing (e.g., pulling) paper towels downwardly from the paper-towel roll 20. The drive mechanism 22 may include input devices 24 (e.g., mechanical buttons) for controlling the velocity of the movement of the towels, the length of towel to be dispensed. In an embodiment, manual operation of the drive mechanism 22 may be used when a new paper roll 20 is mounted in the dispensing system 10, e.g., to feed paper from the roll 20. In an example, a paper roll's leading end may be fed into an inlet region 26 of the drive mechanism 22. The drive mechanism 22 may cause the paper from the roll 20 to be fed into the inlet region 26 and then exit from an outlet region 28, which may be adjacent to the dispensing opening 14 on the front cover 16 when the drive mechanism is in its operational position, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The drive mechanism 22, may typically include a motor that may be powered by a battery in the housing. In another embodiment, the motor that may be powered from an external electrical power source such as an external AC plug, AC/DC adapter/transformer, or an external battery.
FIG. 2 also illustrates a fluid reservoir 30 and a feed line 32 that allows fluid to move into a region of the drive mechanism 22 for wetting the paper towels. In an example embodiment, the feed line 32 may be located below the reservoir 30, allowing a gravity feed arrangement.
An aspect may include multiple arm spindle sizes to support different cores or coreless towel rolls. Some arm spindles may support a core. Some arm spindles may support coreless towel rolls. By using different arm spindles different cores or coreless towel rolls may be supported.
FIG. 3 illustrates further details of the drive mechanism 22 within the dispensing system 10. In the illustrated example of FIG. 3, the outlet region 28 includes six spray nozzles 40 that are mounted in the structure defining the outlet region 28. Though six spray nozzles 40 are illustrated, the present invention contemplates other numbers of spray nozzles 40. A fluid-dispensing system 45 may be located adjacent to or within the outlet region 28 and may typically include the various fluid lines, actuation devices, pumps, and associated electronics for causing fluid, which may initially be contained in the reservoir 30 (FIG. 2), to be dispensed from the nozzles 40. One embodiment of the fluid-distribution system 45 is described in more detail below. In an example embodiment, the spray nozzles 40 may provide a conical-shape spray pattern at about a 45-degree angle. In other embodiments, the spray nozzles 40 used may provide more of a linear spray pattern, or other patterns such that the plurality of nozzles provide approximately equal saturation across the width of the paper towel. In another embodiment, a single spray nozzle may be used.
Various examples embodiments relate to spraying fluid onto paper towels. In other examples, e.g., variations of all of the other examples described herein, the systems and methods may use a spray bar, a drip bar, a wetting pool, a vapor chamber, or any other appropriate system, device(s), or method to wet the towel.
FIG. 4 illustrates an assembled towel-dispensing system 10 for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein. In the illustrated example embodiment of FIG. 4, the assembled towel-dispensing system 10 may be 317.4 mm by 419.71 mm by 226.78 mm. It will be understood, however, that other sizes are also possible. For example, sizes may be modified for different towel sizes.
FIG. 5 illustrates sub-assemblies of the towel-dispensing system for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein. As illustrated in FIG. 5, some example embodiments may include a modular design to allow for quick and/or easy replacement of main functional sub-assemblies such as towel dispensing and fluid dispensing.
A paper towel roll is illustrated in FIG. 5 (as well as other figures). One example embodiment may be designed to work with 7¼′ width paper towel rolls. Other example embodiments may be designed to work with other width paper towel rolls. Some example embodiments may be designed to work with multiple paper towel rolls widths, e.g., individually. Some embodiments may hold multiple paper rolls. Some embodiments may hold multiple paper rolls of different sizes.
In an example embodiment, the unit may be designed with towel support arms that may be easy to replace. This is not only part of the modular design but may also allow for flexibility later if a different sized towel width is desired. In some examples, a different size towel roll may be used by replacing these two arms, if needed, along with the towel dispensing subassembly module. In an example embodiment, the towel dispensing sub-assembly module may not need replacing when a new paper towel width is equal to or lesser than the one currently being used as the towel dispensing sub-assembly module will still fit in the opening. In these cases, a simple new guide cover (e.g., may be snap in) to center the shorter width towel would be enough.
This subassembly module is the main constraint in the width of towels that can be used. The 2 arms are inherently flexible in a horizontal plane to allow the easy insertion and removal of the paper towel roll and as such can accommodate slightly different towel roll widths. Currently in the market the main towel roll width being sold is around 8″. To limit the width of towels used in the unit to 7¼″ the towel input feed opening slot in the towel dispensing subassembly is where this limitation happens.
The top towel roll holding area has a hinged access cover that is lockable. The cover of this example embodiment has 2 sight windows on either side of the cover that allow the user to visually examine how much of the paper towel roll is left. Other example embodiments may have one wi. Another example may have more than two sight windows.
FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of the towel-dispensing system for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein.
In an example embodiment, the unit has two sets of thru-beam infrared sensors located on the front face of the unit. The sensors may slightly protrude from the front face and have recessed openings in the center to allow the user to swipe a finger(s) through that recess area to break the beam and trigger the sensor. This type of sensor design may be more reliable and results in the dispensing function triggered only when desired with no possibility or at least less possibility for false triggering, in some embodiments.
While the sensor thru-beam remains broken (e.g., a trigger situation) the unit may be programmed to continually perform the dispense function requested. A single swipe thru the sensor area may produce a single dispensing function whereas when the user keeps their finger(s) (or other body parts) in the sensor area it will produce a continuous dispensing function until the finger(s) are removed from the sensor trigger area.
In an example embodiment, each sensor may control a preprogrammed dispensing function. One sensor may trigger a dispensing function of the paper towels only whereas the second sensor triggers a dispensing function of the sanitizing fluid-soaked towel. In this way, the user may get either a dry or fluid-soaked sanitized towel of their choice. Therefore, these thru-beam sensors may be used, as a set of proximity sensors may not work effectively in this situation. The proximity sensor may not be able to differentiate the motion in front of the sensor to know which dispensing function to trigger and either the wrong one or both may end up being triggered.
The thru-beam sensors being used may also allow for future generations of this product to be designed and configured to dispense multiple types of paper towels and/or fluids. An example embodiment may allow for a single fluid dispensing function. Other embodiments may allow for a bigger unit that may hold and dispense two, three, or more different types of sanitizing fluids simultaneously. Each fluid type may have its own trigger thru-beam sensor to activate dispensing of that particular fluid type in addition to the dry paper towel dispensing function.
FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of the towel-dispensing system for 10 dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a paper towel roll may be near the top. Rollers may be used to dispense the paper towels. The rollers may be driven by gears. In an example embodiment, the cleaner solution may be near the bottom of the unit. A pump may cause a solution to be sprayed onto the paper towel(s) as described herein, e.g., through the spray head(s). Various sensors may provide control inputs to a printed wire board to control the function as described herein.
FIG. 7 illustrates the inner mechanisms from an example design of one example embodiment where the pump and plumbing required to dispense the fluid onto the towel is not all self-contained in, e.g., a “fluid cartridge.” In th illustrated embodiment of FIG. 7, the pump, fluid tank and spray heads are all independent of each other and located in different places within the unit. FIG. 7 also illustrates a printed wire board (PCB) and batteries located fixed to the rear wall. In another example embodiment much of these components may be integrated into the towel dispensing sub-assembly (see FIGS. 5 and 6).
FIG. 8 illustrates various views of a towel-dispensing system for dispensing wet towels in accordance with the systems and methods described herein. For example, the towel-dispensing system may be open to insert and remove a roll of paper towels. The lid may have a window to allow a user to see if a roll of paper towels is loaded and/or how much of the paper towel roll is left. The unit may include a paper length selector and a lock as well as the sensors and LEDs as described herein. An example embodiment may have a lift cover to engage the pump. The illustrated example may include rail slots for holding the position of the container. An example may include a wall mount. In an example embodiment, an adapter inlet may be a port, plug, or cap on a fluid tank thru which the fluid may be syphoned out from the fluid tank and into the fluid delivery system. The adapter inlet may have a hose connected to it on the bottom side of the adapter inlet inside the tank. The hose may sit on the bottom of the tank to syphon out the fluid since, in some embodiments, the tank may not be a gravity feed system. (In other embodiments, the tank may be a gravity feed system.) That cap may be sealed so the fluid does not leak out of the fluid tank. Additionally, in some embodiments, the cap or other portion of the tank may be punctured or penetrated in order to make the necessary connection to the rest of the fluid system. In one example version the puncturing may be achieved by inserting the fluid tank into the unit and lifting the tank up to engage the “adapter inlet” with a male connector that may punctures or penetrate the seal.
In the example embodiment the pump, plumbing system and spray heads are independent and not all self-contained in the same module. In the illustrated example of FIG. 8, the fluid tank has an “adapter inlet” which may be a sealed connection port between the tank and the plumbing system which will syphon the fluid from the tank. There is a tube connected inside the tank to the “adapter inlet” which is long enough to sit on the bottom of the fluid tank to syphon the fluid out from the bottom of the tank. The fluid tank may then be inserted into the bottom opening using guide rails (e.g., “rail slots”) which act to both engage and hold the fluid tank as well as to guide the fluid tank into that lower opening. The “rail slots” may be a recess in either side of the tank that mates up with a protruding rail/tab on the main unit. Once the tank is fully recessed into that bottom opening then the user would engage the connection between the fluid tank and the fluid dispensing system by wither lifting up those two tabs on either side of the opening or by closing the bottom cover which could also actuate the lifting function to engage the adapter inlet with the fluid dispensing system. In this particular embodiment on the bottom of that vertical top wall closest to the top of the fluid tank is the male connector port that would pierce the “adapter inlet” thereby giving the fluid dispensing system access to the sealed fluid container.
FIG. 9 schematically illustrates one preferred embodiment of the fluid-distribution system 45. In an example embodiment, fluid may be stored in the reservoir 30, and may initially be moved into the fluid-distribution system 45 via a gravity feed line 32. A pump 47 may be used to increase the pressure on the fluid so that it can be sprayed from the spray nozzles 40. The fluid that is under increased pressure may then pass into the fluid line 49, which may initially be closed by a valve 51. The valve 51 may be a solenoid-activated valve. When the valve 51 is opened, fluid may enter a manifold system 53 under pressure, which leads to the spray nozzles 40, causing fluid to be sprayed onto the moving paper towel. Power for the pump 47 and the solenoid valve 51 may be supplied by a battery within the housing, a battery outside the housing, external AC power, solar power, or any other suitable power source.
Though not shown, the fluid-distribution system 45 may also include a thermal control system that serves to control the temperature of the fluid within the fluid lines (e.g., the fluid line 49 and/or the manifold 53) just before the fluid is sprayed onto the advancing paper towels. As one example, cooling certain fluids (e.g., alcohol-based solutions) may help to minimize the evaporation of the fluid on the towel as it exits the dispensing system 10 and while in use on a user's hands or a surface to be cleaned. As another example, providing a warm fluid on a towel may provide a more comforting use. The thermal control system may include a thermoelectric device(s) (e.g., battery-operated) that adds heat to or removes heat from the fluid by use of a miniature heat exchanger associated with one or more of the fluid lines.
FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart for the process of using the towel-dispensing system 10. The towel-dispensing system 10 may be activated by a user's hand(s) being sensed at the window 16 in the outer cover 12 of FIG. 1 by a sensor, typically by use of a motion sensor (although other sensor(s) such as thermal sensors, thru-beam sensors, or other sensors may be used). A processor within the towel-dispensing system 10 may be connected to the sensor and, upon sensing the presence of the user from the sensor, e.g., with a hand or other body part near the sensor, the processor may activate a motor within the drive mechanism 22 that may cause a gripping device to grab the leading end region of the paper towel roll and advance it downwardly. (As used herein, “grabbing” may include receiving an edge from a manual feed of paper, self-priming, advancing, or otherwise receiving the paper for wetting or other processing of the towel.) At the same time (or shortly thereafter), the fluid-distribution system 45 may be activated to cause the advancing paper towel to be sprayed with the fluid as the paper towel exits the outlet region 28. Thus, the drive mechanism 22 may be still pulling a dry towel, which may then be wetted as the towel exits the outlet region 28. The outlet region 28 of the drive mechanism 22 may be adjacent to the dispensing opening 14 of the front cover 12. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the dispensing opening 14 of the front cover 12 of the system 12 may then dispense the now wetted towel 20 a for the user. The user may then pull the wetted towel, which may be cut by a hidden knife-like structure within the housing and adjacent to the outlet region 28. An aspect may include an auto towel cut or perforate feature. For example, a roller-based cutter may be used to cut towel rather that user having to pull towel against blade. In another example embodiment, however, the user may have to pull towel against blade.
In one embodiment, the reservoir 30 (e.g., FIG. 2) may contain at least about 20 ounces of fluid, e.g., when full, and preferably more. In one embodiment, the fluid may be a mixture of hypochlorous acid at a concentration of about 500 ppm free available chlorine. The weight of the dry paper towels on the roll 20 may generally be between 0.5 lbs. and 2.0 lbs., although other embodiments may use higher or lower weight rolls. In one example embodiment, when the paper-towel roll 20 has an 8-inch width and is advanced to produce a 12-inch length of towel, the nozzles 40 apply approximately 5 milliliters of the fluid. Thus, in the 96 square inch towel segment, there is approximately 0.05 ml of fluid per square inch of towel, which may be enough saturation to maintain the towel in a wet state during subsequent use. As noted above, the towel-dispensing system 10 includes the input devices 24 for controlling the length of towel to be dispensed, such that towels longer than 12 inches or shorter than 12 inches can be dispensed. Thus, different lengths can still have the same amount of fluid per square inch (e.g., 0.04 ml. to 0.06 ml. per square inch) of towel. In an example embodiment, a processor of the system 10 may include a memory device with a look-up table that may call for a certain fluid-spray rate that may be a function of the velocity of travel of the paper towels.
In one aspect, the hands-free paper dispensing system may include a plastic housing to contain components including, for example, fluid lines connecting a fluid reservoir, a solenoid valve, a fluid pump and spray nozzles. The dispensing system may further include electrical wiring, traces on a printed wire board, or some combination of the two to connect motion sensor(s), circuit control boards, the solenoid valve, the fluid pump, and the towel-roll motor. The fluid reservoir is preferably contained in the plastic housing. The process may be initiated by waving hands in front of the motion sensor(s), for example. The sensor may initiate the motor of the drive mechanism to unroll a paper towel. The sensor may also initiate fluid to be moved from fluid reservoir by releasing the solenoid valve. Simultaneously (or nearly simultaneously), the pump may also be initiated, and fluid may then travel from reservoir through spray nozzles and onto towel roll inside of the plastic housing. In an example embodiment, the towel dispenser may provide the user with a fluid-saturated towel.
In some embodiments, any one of 3-4 fluids may be selected to be dispensed by the unit. The 3-4 fluids cannot commingle in some embodiments. For example, in some cases, an adverse and possibly dangerous chemical reaction may take place if fluids co-mingle. In other embodiments, e.g., depending on the fluids used, it may be possible that two or more fluids may co-mingle. For example, two or more fluids may need to be used together at the same time to achieve a certain desired function. The use of the individual function thru-beam sensors may allow for all these different scenarios and functional variations. For example, the triggering of one particular sensor may be programmed in the system, e.g., in an IC chip or processor, for example, to dispense fluid #1 and #3 only onto the paper towel.
In an example embodiment, the fluid cartridge may be designed to be self-contained with all the parts and/or components that come into contact with any given fluid (e.g., spray heads, tubes/plumbing, pump, fluid tank, or other parts or components.) and the parts or components may be easily interchanged and replaceable to avoid the fluid commingling issue. Each fluid cartridge may be designed to hold only a particular fluid in the removeable fluid tank that goes inside the fluid cartridge assembly. This may be accomplished in an example embodiment by having recessed notches and/or grooves in the side of the fluid tank that may correspond and mate with raised notches and/or grooves in the inside wall of the fluid cartridge. This is one example method to ensure that only the proper fluid tank is used with the corresponding fluid cartridge and to avoid the fluid commingling issue. There is only a finite number of notches and/or grooves or combinations of the notches and/or grooves that may be used because space may be limited on the side walls of the fluid tank and on the side walls of the corresponding fluid cartridge. However, in some example systems, the number of different fluid types that may be used with the unit and the combinations of available notches and/or grooves may suffice.
Some embodiments may allow for the use of an integrated circuit (IC), microchip, or other electronic component or components as well as one or more sensor(s) for reading to know when a different fluid has been inserted into the unit which could trigger a cleaning cycle, a purging cycle, or a cleaning cycle and purging cycle that may run a small amount of purging fluid onto towel to be disposed of and allow for the use of a new type of fluid through the same hydraulic system. The purging fluid may be colored, distilled water, fluid from the previous cycle, fluid from the current cycle, or any other appropriate fluid for purging the fluid lines or other areas including fluid. The purging may allow for positive identification of the fluid whether using “notches/grooves” or chip reading.
In an example embodiment, the fluid dispensing sub-assembly may be designed for one handed operation and ease of replacing the fluid cartridge and/or just the fluid tank. The sub-assembly may be mounted on a lockable pull-out drawer mechanism with a safety stop so the drawer will not fully come out or be disengaged from the main unit unless desired. The front vertical wall of the drawer may have a sight window to allow the user to see the fluid level in the inside of the fluid tank. In one aspect, there may be a horizontal rail on the bottom of the front drawer surface which may help support the drawer weight when the drawer, e.g., when fully extended when the unit is used on a flat surface such as a table or countertop. In an example embodiment, there may also be a notch on the bottom front of the drawer to facilitate opening the drawer. The fluid cartridge may be positively engaged and/or secured in the drawer, so that the fluid cartridge does not move or come out while the fluid tank is being replaced. The fluid tank may have a recessed rectangular area on the top right side for the user to grab to facilitate the removal and insertion of the fluid tank in the fluid cartridge. The fluid tank cap may be designed to mate and interlock with the fluid cartridge connector.
In an example embodiment, the fluid cartridge connector may have two piercing needles that penetrate the silicone/rubber membrane on the fluid tank cap to syphon out the fluid. The silicone and/or rubber membrane may be “self-healing” similar to how an injectable medicine vial works so that the fluid tank may be removeable from the fluid cannister and may not leak out any fluid after the silicone/rubber membrane has been pierced by the two needles. In an example embodiment, inside the fluid tank may be a hose on one end connected to the fluid tank cap and on the other end having a weighted syphon endcap. The hose and syphon endcap (or similar) may be needed for the fluid to be syphoned from the bottom area of the tank in an example that is not a gravity feed system. The fluid tanks may be designed to be disposable and not refillable by the user. Although in some embodiments a version of the fluid tanks that is refillable may be used. The fluid cartridge pump may be powered by metal contacts located on both the fluid cartridge and the fluid drawer. When the drawer is open, the power supply may automatically cut off to prevent and accidental fluid discharge into the air and possibly the user's face, e.g., when the user is nearby the open drawer.
An example embodiment may include three individual spray heads mounted on the top front surface of the fluid cartridge. The number and location of the spray heads may vary. In an example embodiment, it has been found that three spray heads may be a preferable number needed for lowest cost and best towel fluid saturation function, e.g., in some example systems. The three spray heads may be oriented in a vertical manner and may dispense the fluid upwards, working against gravity. In an example, working against gravity may be a good design option in order to make the fluid cartridge easily replaceable and avoid potential issues with the fluid spray going onto the user standing in front of the unit. One of the concerns of the design, with the fluid being sprayed up onto the bottom surface of the towel, is the possibility of the fluid stream not all being absorbed by the towel as well as fluid dripping from the towel back down onto the unit. One of the concerns was the possibility of the different fluids commingling in or on the unit (or both). To prevent or resolve this, the fluid cartridge may be designed with a recessed area surrounding the spray heads to capture and act as a reservoir for any extraneous fluid. Since each fluid cartridge is designed to only work with a given fluid tank or fluid type, any excess fluid may be self-contained in the corresponding fluid cartridge and thus prevent any commingling issues. In addition to this functional fluid cartridge feature some embodiments may also be designed such that the towel dispensing outlet opening area may have three funnel shaped channels thru which the fluid spray may travel in order to saturate the towel. The funnel shaped channels may be designed to guide any extra fluid back into the fluid cartridge recessed reservoir area described above. One other safety feature or function may be added to the design or operation of the unit to prevent the unit from spraying the fluid, in addition to the fluid cartridge drawer being open, in the event there are no paper towels in the unit, or the paper towel is jammed and there is no towel to absorb the fluid being dispensed. The unit may have a built-in sensor(s) to detect when there are no paper towels in the upper towel holding compartment as well as when there is no towel present in the fluid dispensing area, e.g., due to a paper jam for example. In either case the unit may automatically shut down the unit's dispensing operations until the new roll is installed, or the paper jam is cleared.
In an example embodiment, the back of the unit may be configured with multiple notched openings in the housing edges to allow the cord to feed into the unit while allowing it to sit flush against the wall or mounting surface. There may also be multiple clips/notches inside the rear structural wall of the unit to hold and secure the cord in place.
In an example embodiment, there may be multiple keyhole notches in the back of the unit to allow for wall mounting. A leveling sight glass may be mounted on the unit to facilitate its level installation on a mounting wall.
In an example embodiment, the unit may include a PCB on which is located a main IC chip which controls all the unit's features and functions. The IC has multiple inputs that are connected to the multiple sensors, two thru-beam sensors for towel only or wet towel dispensing function and no paper/paper jam sensor. Additional sensors can be used to monitor certain conditions and functions such as low paper towel roll, low fluid level, open compartment, etc., and trigger a warning to the user or cutoff the unit's operation. A power ON/OFF switch is also connected to an IC chip input to control the unit's power status. The battery pack may also be monitored by the IC chip and will produce a warning when the battery power drops below a certain threshold voltage, so the user knows they need to recharge it. The IC's programming may control the sequence of outputs on the IC chip to activate the towel dispensing mechanism only, when triggered, as well as the combined towel and fluid dispensing functions when triggered. In an example embodiment, the timing and duration of the IC chip outputs to the various motors may be optimized so the towel is dispensed as rapidly as possible while still allowing the fluid dispensing function to saturate the paper towel properly and fully. This may impact the overall performance of the unit because the towel may need to be properly saturated for it to satisfy its disinfection/sterilization function. Both the towel dispensing speed as well as the fluid dispensing speed/volume can be adjusted and controlled thru either the IC chip programming, the gear system on the towel dispensing sub-assembly rollers or it's motor, the fluid dispensing pump size and specifications, the fluid dispensing plumbing or the specifications of the spray head(s). Another embodiment may include a user-controlled function/feature to adjust the volume of fluid being dispensed. In some examples, the output voltage and current may be controlled to the various motors to control the motor's speed.
One of the design goals with this unit was to make it modular to easily replace major assemblies. This was due in part to the potential for some of the fluid dispensing parts to get clogged over time. In particular, the spray heads may be most susceptible to this issue, the plumbing tubing walls can also get pinched and bind together from the peristaltic pump rollers. In addition, some of the fluids that will be used with this unit and in particular the hypochlorous acid, are corrosive to certain metals and can leave a salt residue on surfaces over time. This combination of oxidation properties and residue buildup were major considerations in the design of this unit and why a peristaltic pump was selected as the fluid distribution pump which has no direct contact with the fluid being dispensed. There were multiple types of pumps that were tested for use in this unit and could be used but the peristaltic pump may work well in chemical environments with some of the fluids the unit may dispense. All the fluid dispensing parts are self-contained in the fluid cartridge sub-assembly thereby making it simple and easy to replace the whole cartridge as needed.
A peristaltic pump, also commonly known as a roller pump, is a type of positive displacement pump used for pumping a variety of fluids. The fluid is contained in a flexible tube fitted inside a circular pump casing. Most peristaltic pumps work through rotary motion, though linear peristaltic pumps have also been made. The rotor has a number of “wipers” or “rollers” attached to its external circumference, which compress the flexible tube as they rotate by. The part of the tube under compression is closed, forcing the fluid to move through the tube. Additionally, as the tube opens to its natural state after the rollers pass, more fluid is drawn into the tube. This process is called peristalsis and is used in many biological systems such as the gastrointestinal tract. Typically, there will be two or more rollers compressing the tube, trapping a body of fluid between them. The body of fluid is transported through the tube, toward the pump outlet. Peristaltic pumps may run continuously, or they may be indexed through partial revolutions to deliver smaller amounts of fluid.
The initial design of the unit featured a spray bar versus spray heads. The spray bar featured a hollowed tube with multiple holes on the bottom surface to allow the fluid to be dispensed. This bar was inside the unit and located above the paper towel path so the fluid dispensing function may occur on the top surface of the paper towel versus an embodiment where the spray is dispensed on the bottom surface of the paper towel. The spray bar would be connected to a discharge tube coming from the pump. It would be replaceable but would require more time and effort to disconnect it from the fluid discharge tube which is why example embodiment described herein may be preferred. One example embodiment may use three spray heads, but alternate embodiments can have just one spray head with a wide-angle dispersion head design or multiple spray heads with a narrower spray beam. There are multiple possible combinations of spray head(s) and/or spray bar(s) to produce the required fluid dispersion and towel saturation requirements.
A future embodiment of this product can include multiple fluid cartridges simultaneously. Since some of the fluids cannot commingle due to potential negative chemical reactions it is imperative that each fluid dispensing cartridge/system be self-contained and independent, meaning each cartridge may have its own pump, plumbing system and spray heads. An example embodiment may have some changes to accommodate multiple fluid cartridges. In addition to increasing the size of the unit to accommodate more fluid cartridges, more fluid selection sensors would be used to control the dispensing of any of the particular fluid cartridges in the unit. The IC chip may have revised programming to control the additional functions.
Some embodiments of the multi-fluid cartridge may have different fluid tanks that have a connector cap offset from each other that would correspond and mate with offset receiver ports on the unit is disclosed. Another embodiment may have three fluid tanks with offset notches to differentiate which fluid tank contains which fluid. In these two embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 13-14, as with some embodiments, each fluid tank/cartridge may have the fluid tank or cartriges own independent pump, plumbing system and spray heads to avoid the fluid commingling in the unit. Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the canisters may be different shapes, e.g., to indicate different fluids.
An an example embodiment includes the towel dispensing opening/area to be central to the unit versus what some other models where the towel is dispensed from the lower portion of the unit. Having the towel be dispensed from the center of the unit solves a problem with prior art units that cannot be used on a table or countertop being that the towel dispensed would make contact with those surfaces thereby contaminating the towel. It would also be very difficult to grab the dispensed towel since it would not be hanging down off the unit for easy access to it. This problem becomes even more pronounced when a wet towel is dispensed whereby the wet towel can stick to the surface on which the unit is resting.
The design of the unit is such as it will fit in the space between most top cabinets and countertops. In this mounting configuration the above problem also exists for prior art units with bottom towel dispensing functions. Where space is a concern in certain professional and medical environments this embodiment solves that issue. An alternate embodiment was also discussed whereby the unit is attached to a portable base/stand module to further stabilize the unit on a table or countertop. Some embodiments are stable, and weight balanced with both the fluid drawer opened and the fluid drawer closed as well as with the fluid tanks full, half empty or fully empty.
The size and volume of the fluid tanks may be 1.2 L in some example embodiments, but the size and/or capacity of a fluid tank may vary. Generally, the fluid tank may be limited based on the size of the housing. However, in some embodiments, a fluid tank may be external to the housing.
Some embodiments, may be meant to be used with a single type of fluid only, had all the fluid dispensing parts fixed inside the unit and not removeable, with just the fluid tank removeable. These embodiments featured the spray heads both externally on the front of the unit as well as internally directing the fluid downward onto the top surface of the towel. In these embodiments it is also possible to have multiple types of fluids used with the unit, but it would require a fluid plumbing and spray head cleaning extra step before a new fluid tank is installed. A special neutralizing fluid would need to be run through the unit to flush out and neutralize the prior fluid in the system. This extra step may be both cumbersome and may have a risk that the user forgets to flush the fluid system before installing a new fluid tank which is why some embodiment do not function in this way.
In an example embodiment the fluid dispensing heads may be exposed on the front central surface of the unit versus some designs where the spray heads are internal to the unit. This design was efficient and meant for the fluid spray to be applied to the backside of the towel as it was being dispensed from the unit. It was decided that this design option was too risky as the spray head's fluid trajectory could be directly in line with the user's face and in particular their eyes. This situation is possible if the unit dispensed the fluid without a towel present to absorb it. Some embodiments may overcome this by adding a sensor(s) to detect a paper towel in the fluid spray path but any malfunction of that sensor or defect with the unit could still result in the fluid being sprayed without a towel present and injure the user and create potential liability issues.
The unit was originally designed to dispense either a fixed towel length (which can be user selected via a switch inside the unit to be any fixed size, for example “small” 6″, “medium” 10″ and “large” 12″) or the unit can be set (also via a switch) to a continuous dispensing function where the user would place their hand in front of the proximity sensor and so long as they kept it there the sensor would remain triggered and keep dispensing the towel as one continuous sheet until the sensor is deactivated by removing the hand. In an example, the preset single towel length dispensing function may also be included in the final production unit
Another design option is having a button on the front of the unit that when pressed/triggered would dispense a dry towel only with no fluid. There are several options for dispensing just a dry paper towel that are all user triggered via some action whether pressing a button, as described above, or triggering a particular sensor as in the latest embodiment.
The unit may dispense both a liquid and a gel type of fluid, although the unit may be configured to work optimally with a liquid in some embodiments. Other example units may dispense a liquid or a gel type of fluid.
An aspect may include an arm nipple that may be spring loaded for easy installation/removal. The arm nipple may be for when a system uses a rigid arm assembly to better control towel width and support the towels better. An example may include spring loaded spindles for the towel roll to ride on. The spindles may be of different sizes to support different size cores. The core sizes may then mate up with the towel type that pairs best with the fluid type chosen for that particular machine ensuring that the proper towels may be used with the proper fluids.
An aspect may include a sensor or button for isopropyl alcohol for medical instrument cleaning.
An aspect may include an auto cleaning feature or an auto purging feature for plumbing the system when inserting a new cartridge.
An aspect may include multiple towel formulations for various uses. For example, different types of towels may be used for different fluids, disinfectants and fluids, liquids, oils, gels, or other materials that may be sprayed or otherwise added to the towels.
FIG. 12 illustrates an example dual battery charger and batteries in accordance with the systems and methods described herein. The charger may be configured to charge two batteries at a time. In other example embodiments, one, three, or more batteries might be charged at a time. The charger may be powered by a wall outlet, a dc source, solar, a larger battery, or any other suitable source of electric power, e.g., through a cord connected to the wall outlet, the dc source, solar, the larger battery, or any other suitable source of electric power. The battery charger may have indications of the state of charge, e.g., using LEDs. In some examples, a key to the indications may be printed on the battery charger. The batteries may include a switch to lock them in place when the batteries (or a single battery) are being charged. The switch may be used to lock the battery or batteries in the unit in an example embodiment.
In an example embodiment, the unit may be powered by either a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack or an AC/DC adapter. In an example, the operating voltage of the unit is 7.4V DC. An example battery pack may include two lithium-ion rechargeable 18650 3.7V DC batteries connected in series to achieve the 7.4V DC rating. Other example may use other voltages, other battery types, or other numbers of battery cells, for example. In the illustrated example, each of the batteries may have an approximate capacity of around 2200 mAh. The specifications of the individual batteries or the battery pack, as a whole, may be modified in order to achieve an extended battery life. In one example, the unit draws approximately 2A per dispensing cycle for the wet paper towel function. As such, under this battery pack configuration the unit may be able to dispense around 1600 pieces of 12″ long wet paper towel sections. The estimated battery recharge time in the illustrated example may be around 3-4 hours.
The battery pack may be inserted into a recessed rectangular area on the top wall of the main towel dispensing sub-assembly. There are two semi-circular recessed cutouts on either side to facilitate the user being able to grab the battery pack for easy removal. The unit can work from either the battery pack or the AC/DC adapter. If there is a battery present in the unit and the AC/DC adapter is simultaneously plugged in, then the AC/DC adapter will both power the unit and recharge the battery at the same time. If the AC/DC adapter is plugged in and there is a power outage or interruption in the 120V power line, then the unit will automatically switch to the battery and once the power disruption is resolved and the AC/DC adapter is back online it will resume powering the unit and recharging the battery simultaneously.
FIG. 16 is a flowchart of an example method 1600 in accordance with the systems and methods described herein. The method 1600 may be a method for dispensing a wet towel to a user. The method 1600 may include sensing that a user is requesting the wet towel using an input sensor (1602). The method 1600 may also include grabbing towels from a roll of dry paper towels and advancing paper towels from the roll of dry paper towels toward an opening in a housing using a drive mechanism (1604). Additionally, the method 1600 may include moving a fluid from a reservoir containing the fluid within the housing and spraying the fluid on the dry paper towels to produce the wet towel for dispensing from the opening in the housing using a fluid-distribution system (1606).
An example embodiment may include eyelets for wall mounting.
An example embodiment may include one or more stainless steel needles or pins for inserting into a fluid canister. For example, an example embodiment may include two stainless steel needles or pins for inserting into a fluid canister. In an aspect, the stainless steel may be SAE 304 stainless steel.
An example embodiment may include one or more paper delivery arms.
An example embodiment may include switches for length control. For example, a switch system may be used for paper length control by using two switches that may work in tandem. One switch may need to be set first to a fixed towel length dispensing mode (e.g., versus the continuous towel dispensing mode) and once set the first switch may trigger an input with a controller such as a processor, microprocessor, FPGA, or any other sutable device, including any other sutable electronic component, so that the component used may be set to go into the fixed towel dispensing mode. In an example embodiment, a second switch may have three positions that correspond with three preset towel lengths which may be called “small” (6″ for example), “medium” (8-10″ for example), and “large” (12″ length for example). It will be understood that these are only examples. Multiple additional switches, or switches with more or fewer settings may be used such that the paper length may have more or fewer than 3 different sizes. For example, a device may have anwhere from 1 to 100 sizes, or even more. Furthermore, the lengths of the example sizes are just examples. Other sizes are possible. The sizes may be anywhere from the smallest cuttable amount of towel, which would depend on the cutter used as large as an entire roll of paper, or the length of an entire roll of paper divided by the number of towels dispensed. For example, ⅓ the length of the roll in the example above. These are not thought to be practicle examples. Rather, the point is that the sizes can vary widely, as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
Once this switch is set to the required length setting of the 3 possible preset lengths available it will trigger the corresponding input in the IC chip which in turn will trigger the motor for the required time to dispense the preset towel length selected. Everything having to do with both the towel and fluid dispensing functions and any variations are pretty much controlled by the IC chip and it's algorithms. The switches, sensors, etc are connected to its inputs where the algorithm continuously reads/scans them for changes and then issues/triggers the corresponding output(s) to the motor, pump, LED lights, etc., to carry out the requested function.
An example embodiment may include a rechargeable battery pack. In an example embodiment, the rechargeable battery pack may be designed specifically to fit within the housing of the unit.
An example embodiment may include a peristaltic pump.
An example embodiment may include one or more spray nozzles.
An example embodiment may include one or more gears to drive the paper feed. For example, the gears may drive one or more paper rollers. In an example embodiment, the rollers may be silicone rollers.
An example embodiment may include a paper cutting switch to cause the paper to be cut. The switch may be manual or may be controlled by the unit, e.g., one or more processors in the unit. The switch may complete a circuit that drives the paper against a paper cutting tool. In another embodiment, the switch may complete a circuit that drives the paper cutting tool against the paper.
An example embodiment may include a fluid canister and a plastic and/or silicone core lid.
Various examples discuss various items within the housing, e.g., the input sensor, an input sensor, a roll of dry paper towel, a reservoir containing fluid within the housing, etc. These are examples. In other embodiments, one or more of the various items may be outside the housing, attached to the housing, in a seperate housing, or any combination of these. For example, in another embodiment, the input sensor may be disposed outside the unit and protruding from, e.g., the face of the unit, or in other directions. In another example, the paper towel roll may be in another unit. This other unit may have a seperate spray unit attached to it, e.g., to retrofit earlier units.
One or more elements or aspects or steps, or any portion(s) thereof, from one or more of any of the systems and methods described herein may be combined with one or more elements or aspects or steps, or any portion(s) thereof, from one or more of any of the other systems and methods described herein and combinations thereof, to form one or more additional implementations and/or claims of the present disclosure.
One or more of the components, steps, features, and/or functions illustrated in the figures may be rearranged and/or combined into a single component, block, feature or function or embodied in several components, steps, or functions. Additional elements, components, steps, and/or functions may also be added without departing from the disclosure. The apparatus, devices, and/or components illustrated in the Figures may be configured to perform one or more of the methods, features, or steps described in the Figures. The algorithms described herein may also be efficiently implemented in software and/or embedded in hardware.
Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Some portions of the detailed description are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the methods used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared or otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers or the like.
It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following disclosure, it is appreciated that throughout the disclosure terms such as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system's memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display.
Finally, the algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description below. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the invention as described herein.
The figures and the following description describe certain embodiments by way of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles described herein. Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. It is noted that wherever practicable similar or like reference numbers may be used in the figures to indicate similar or like functionality.
The foregoing description of the embodiments of the present invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the present invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims of this application. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Likewise, the particular naming and division of the modules, routines, features, attributes, methodologies and other aspects are not mandatory or significant, and the mechanisms that implement the present invention or its features may have different names, divisions and/or formats.
Furthermore, as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art, the modules, routines, features, attributes, methodologies and other aspects of the present invention can be implemented as software, hardware, firmware or any combination of the three. Also, wherever a component, an example of which is a module, of the present invention is implemented as software, the component can be implemented as a standalone program, as part of a larger program, as a plurality of separate programs, as a statically or dynamically linked library, as a kernel loadable module, as a device driver, and/or in every and any other way known now or in the future to those of ordinary skill in the art of computer programming.
Additionally, the present invention is in no way limited to implementation in any specific programming language, or for any specific operating system or environment. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of blocks in the processes/flowcharts disclosed is an illustration of example approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of blocks in the processes/flowcharts may be rearranged. Further, some blocks may be combined or omitted. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various blocks in a sample order and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.
The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. Combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” include any combination of A, B, and/or C, and may include multiples of A, multiples of B, or multiples of C. Specifically, combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” may be A only, B only, C only, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C, where any such combinations may contain one or more member or members of A, B, or C. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. The words “module,” “mechanism,” “element,” “device,” and the like may not be a substitute for the word “means.” As such, no claim element is to be construed as a means plus function unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.”

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing system for dispensing a wet towel to a user, comprising:

a housing having an opening;

an input sensor within the housing for sensing that a user is requesting the wet towel;

a roll of dry paper towels within the housing;

a reservoir containing fluid within the housing;

a drive mechanism for grabbing towels from the roll of dry paper towels and advancing paper towels from the roll of dry paper towels toward the opening in the housing; and

a fluid-distribution system located adjacent to opening in the housing, the fluid-distribution system moving the fluid from the reservoir and spraying the fluid on the dry paper towels to produce the wet towel for dispensing from the opening in the housing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid-distribution system includes a fluid line, a pump, a valve, and nozzles, the valve being located in the fluid line before the nozzles and after the pump.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the input sensor is a motion sensor allowing for the dispensing of the wet towel without the user touching the dispensing system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid is sprayed onto the dry towel to create a coverage of about 0.04 to about 0.06 milliliter per square inch.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the fluid is sprayed onto the dry towel to create a coverage of about 0.05 milliliter per square inch.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the input sensor causes activation of the drive mechanism and the fluid-distribution system.

7. A method for dispensing a wet towel to a user, the method comprising:

sensing that a user is requesting the wet towel using an input sensor;

grabbing towels from a roll of dry paper towels and advancing paper towels from the roll of dry paper towels toward an opening in a housing using a drive mechanism; and

moving a fluid from a reservoir containing the fluid within the housing and spraying the fluid on the dry paper towels to produce the wet towel for dispensing from the opening in the housing using a fluid-distribution system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein moving the fluid from the reservoir includes using a fluid line, a pump, a valve, and nozzles, the valve being located in the fluid line before the nozzles and after the pump.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the input sensor is a motion sensor allowing for the dispensing of the wet towel without the user touching a dispensing system implementing the method.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the fluid is sprayed onto the dry towel to create a coverage of about 0.04 to about 0.06 milliliter per square inch.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the fluid is sprayed onto the dry towel to create a coverage of about 0.05 milliliter per square inch.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising causing activation of the drive mechanism and the fluid-distribution system based on an input from the input sensor.