Mounting system for towel dispenser

Abstract

A towel dispenser mounting system includes a mounting component; a sensor; and a dispenser. The sensor is directly attached to the wall and the dispenser is mounted to the wall through attachment of the mounting component to the wall. The dispenser contains a roll of material for dispensing towels, and the sensor is configured to detect a distance from the sensor to the roll, whereby an amount of towels to be dispensed may be calculated and/or an amount of towels already dispensed may be calculated. The sensor is located within a housing of the dispenser when the dispenser is attached to the mounting component; a back wall of the housing of the dispenser defines an opening through which the sensor is partially received. The mounting component also defines an opening through which the sensor extends. Mounting a dispenser to a wall to which a sensor is attached is also disclosed.

1 . A dispenser mounting system, comprising:
 (a) a mounting component;   (b) a sensor; and   (c) a dispenser;   (d) wherein the mounting component is directly attached to a wall;   (e) wherein the sensor is directly attached to the wall; and   (f) wherein the dispenser is directly attached to the mounting component.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser contains a roll of material for dispensing paper towels, and wherein the sensor is configured to detect a distance from the sensor to the roll of material whereby an amount of material to be dispensed may be calculated and/or an amount of material that has already been dispensed may be calculated. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a “time of flight” sensor for detecting a distance extending between the sensor and the roll of material. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is located within a housing of the dispenser when the dispenser is attached to the mounting component. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein a back wall of a housing of the dispenser defines an opening through which the sensor is received when the dispenser is mounted to the mounting component. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor is only partially received within the housing of the dispenser when the dispenser is mounted to the mounting component. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting component defines an opening through which the sensor extends when the sensor and the mounting component are attached to the wall. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor extends approximately an inch from the wall and wherein the mounting component comprises a mounting plate that extends approximately 0.25 inches from the wall. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser contains a roll of material for dispensing paper towels, and wherein the sensor is located proximate the roll of material. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor is not directly connected to the dispenser. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor is attached only to the wall and is not attached to either the mounting component or to the dispenser. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a power source in the form of a battery. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a power source in the form of a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a wireless transmitter for communicating data from the sensor regarding a distance extending between the sensor and a roll of material contained within the dispenser for dispensing paper towels. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor is configured to communicate wirelessly via Bluetooth communications. 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor is configured to communicate wirelessly via Wi-Fi communications. 
     
     
         17 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor is configured to communicate wirelessly via cellular communications. 
     
     
         18 . A dispenser mounting system, comprising:
 (a) a mounting component;   (b) a sensor; and   (c) a dispenser;   (d) wherein the mounting component is attached to a wall;   (e) wherein the sensor is attached to the mounting component; and   (f) wherein the dispenser is attached to the mounting component with the sensor extending through an opening in a housing of the mounting component.   
     
     
         19 . The dispenser mounting system of  claim 18 , wherein the dispenser contains a roll of material for dispensing paper towels, and wherein the sensor is configured to detect a distance from the sensor to the roll of material, whereby an amount of material to be dispensed may be calculated and/or an amount of material already dispensed may be calculated. 
     
     
         20 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A dispenser mounting system, comprising:
 (a) a dispenser; and   (b) means for attaching the dispenser to a wall such that a senor that is independently mounted to the wall is located within the dispenser proximate to a roll of material for dispensing paper towels contained within the dispenser when the dispenser is attached to the wall by said means.   
     
     
         33 - 45 . (canceled)