Dispenser with roll transfer mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12539003-B2
Application number	US-202118550989-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2021
Priority date	Apr 28, 2021
Publication date	Feb 3, 2026
Grant date	Feb 3, 2026

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing dispensable product is provided. The dispenser includes a housing having an interior volume so as to retain the dispensable product. The dispenser also includes a front cover assembly and a backplate that each form at least a portion of the housing. The front cover assembly includes a front plate having a first side and a second and opposite side. The first side forms the exterior of the dispenser and the second side faces the interior volume. A printed circuit board is disposed on the second side of the front plate. The back plate includes a first side and a second and opposite side facing the interior volume. One or more power packs are disposed on the second side of the backplate. The printed circuit board is powered by the one or more power packs when the front cover assembly is in a closed position.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A dispenser for dispensing a dispensable product, comprising:
a housing having an interior volume so as to retain a dispensable product; a front cover assembly forming at least a portion of the housing, the front cover assembly including a front plate having a first side and a second and opposite side, the first side forming an exterior of the dispenser, the second side facing the interior volume, a printed circuit board disposed on the second side of the front cover assembly; a backplate forming at least a portion of the housing, the backplate including a first side and a second and opposite side, the first side forming an exterior of the dispenser, the second side facing the interior volume, one or more power packs disposed on the second side of the backplate; wherein the backplate includes a housing member, wherein the one or more power packs are disposed in the housing member; wherein a first electronic interface is disposed on an external surface of the housing member and is configured to electronically couple the one or more power packs to a second electronic interface disposed on the second side of the front plate when the front cover assembly is in a closed position; and wherein the printed circuit board is powered by the one or more power packs when the front cover assembly is in a closed position, wherein one or more light emitting devices are disposed on the printed circuit board and when the front cover assembly is in an open position the first and second electronic interfaces are not connected.

2 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein disconnection of the first electronic interface and the second electronic interface indicates to a server system or a computing device that the dispenser is fully stocked with product.

3 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board comprises an activation sensor capable of powering the one or more light emitting devices when a user is located within a certain distance from the dispenser.

4 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the front plate includes a first layer comprising an opaque material and a second layer comprising a transparent material, wherein a border of the second layer is formed on at least a portion of the external surface of the dispenser, wherein the one or more light emitting devices are configured to light up at least a portion of the border.

5 . The dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the first layer includes a transparent logo thereon, wherein the one or more light emitting devices are configured to illuminate at least a portion of the logo.

6 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein a protection plate is disposed between the second side of the front plate and the interior volume of the dispenser.

7 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a holding member configured to hold a supply of folded sheets in the interior volume of the dispenser.

8 . The dispenser of claim 1 , comprising a second front cover assembly including a second printed circuit board, wherein the second printed circuit board is configured to provide a different functionality to the dispenser.

9 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein one or more smaller power packs are disposed on the printed circuit board, wherein the one or more smaller power packs are capable of powering the printed circuit board when the front cover assembly is in an open position.

10 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board includes one or more refill detection sensors for indicating when a low product condition exists.

11 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board includes one or more user detection sensors.

12 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board includes one or more components configured to receive and transmit data via a wireless protocol.

13 . The dispenser of claim 12 , wherein the wireless protocol includes Long Range (LoRa), Near Field Communication (NFC), High-Frequency (HF) RFID, Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) RFID, Ultra-wideband (UWB), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.4, Thread, Zigbee, Wirepass, Encoean/ISO/IEC 14543.3.1x, WiFi or IEEE 802.11, cellular services (e.g., 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE), 5G, etc.), NarrowBand-Internet of Things (NB-IoT), and combinations thereof.

14 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board is configured to power an electromechanical lock configured to open the dispenser when an electronic key is interfaced with the electromechanical lock.

15 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispensable product comprises one or more rolls of sheet material.

16 . The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispensable product comprises a liquid dispensable product.

17 . The dispenser of claim 1 , comprising a dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing for dispensing the dispensable product.

Assignees

• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Green Jonathan
• Erzen Klemen
• Oberdorf Jos

Classifications

• A47K5/12 Primary

  for liquid or pasty soap · CPC title

• A47K10/38 Primary

  the web being rolled-up · CPC title

• H05K2201/10106

  Light emitting diode [LED] · CPC title

• A47K2010/3668

  Detection of the presence of a user · CPC title

• A47K2010/3233

  Details of the housing, e.g. hinges, connection to the wall · CPC title