Abstract: A towel dispenser includes: a housing for receiving toweling; a motor assembly that causes a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from the housing such that a line of perforations in the toweling along which a user tears the toweling is located downstream of the sensor, and the toweling to be retracted into the housing after the leading edge has been extended; and a sensor that senses a leading edge of the toweling during retraction of the toweling. The sensor causes the motor assembly to cease retracting the toweling into the housing as a function of the sensing of the leading edge of the toweling. The toweling may be a roll of perforated paper towels.

Abstract: A towel dispenser includes a housing, a sensor, and a motor assembly that causes in response to a hand: a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from the housing a multiple of a predetermined unit length (PUL), optionally plus a further extent that is less than PUL; and then to be retracted. The motor assembly ceases retracting based on sensing the leading edge of the toweling. PUL is set in a length learn sequence by: retracting the toweling until a leading edge of the toweling is sensed; advancing the toweling a preset extended length greater than at least a distance between immediately adjacent lines of perforations in the toweling; retracting the toweling until a leading edge of the toweling is sensed while measuring a length by which the toweling is retracted; and determining the difference between the preset extended length and the measured retracted length.

Abstract: A towel dispenser includes a housing for receiving toweling comprising a roll of paper towels. The housing includes extension walls located proximate opposite exterior sides of the housing that extends above a top side of the housing. Each extension wall includes a weakened line extending parallel to a weakened line of the other extension walls, whereby the extent above the top side at which each extension walls extends may be changed. The extent represents a distance from the underside of a fixture below which the top side of the housing is mounted when the towel dispenser is installed under the fixture. The fixture may be a shelf or cabinet.

Abstract: A method of dispensing towels from toweling with a dispenser includes extending the toweling exterior of a housing of the dispenser for grasping by a user; and subsequent thereto, retracting the toweling into the housing. The housing includes extension walls located proximate opposite exterior sides of the housing that extend above a top side of the housing. The method further includes, as a preliminary step, mounting the dispenser to the underside of a fixture, including removing a portion of each extension wall along a score line so as to adjust the distance from the underside of the fixture below which the top side of the housing is mounted. The fixture may be a shelf or a cabinet.

Abstract: A towel dispenser includes a main body; a loading door that rotates relative to the main body between open and closed positions; and a guide system that is configured to guide the toweling within the housing while towels are dispensed from the housing. The guide system includes a first roller attached to the main body and having a toothed surface proximate a first end thereof, and a second roller attached to the loading door and having a toothed surface proximate a first end thereof that is configured to mesh with the toothed surface of the first roller. A transmission connects a motor to a second end of the first roller, the second end of the first roller being opposite the first end of the first roller.

Abstract: Dispensing towels includes, using a motor assembly configured to cause a leading edge of the toweling to be extended from a housing of the dispenser and to cause the toweling to be subsequently retracted back into the housing, (a) the step of extending the toweling exterior of the housing for grasping by a user; and (b) subsequent thereto, the steps of (1) retracting the toweling into the housing the motor assembly; (2) sensing a leading edge of the toweling, using a sensor, while retracting the toweling; and (3) ceasing retracting of the toweling into the housing the motor assembly as a function of sensing the leading edge of the toweling using the sensor. The toweling is advanced by the motor assembly such that a line of perforations in the toweling, along which the user tears the toweling, is located downstream of the sensor.

Abstract: An automated vehicle includes a vehicle body, a power source, one or more motors, running gear for facilitating movement, and an optical system. The one or more motors are housed within the vehicle body and are in operable connection with the power source, and the running gear are in operable connection with the one or more motors. The optical system includes one or more optical sensors positioned generally at an underside of the vehicle body. The one or more optical sensors are configured to generate an output in response to a path. The optical system is configured to regulate an amount of power supplied to the one or more motors in response to the output generated by the one or more optical sensors.