I find I have little patience with slow machinery. Yes, it only takes a few seconds for the automatic paper towel dispenser to dispense a towel for me, but that's too long.

Instead of a little motor slowly winding out a paper towel, use a little motor to slowly wind a spring. Then when the ir sensor notices your hand approaching, use the power of the spring to quickly spit out a paper towel.
-- Worldgineer, Dec 30 2010

Automatic IR-based paper towel dispenser http://www.instruct...Y/Things-Needed.jpg
for [po] [Worldgineer, Dec 30 2010]

what is a motorised paper towel dispenser? can't you just *pull*?

& impatient wet hands is/are just pervy!
-- po, Dec 30 2010


now you're just being difficult!
-- po, Dec 30 2010


[po] Nope, you'll break it. The automatic ones have little infrared sensors, and when they sense your hands they wind out a towel. Then you pull, to shear the sheet from the roll.
-- Worldgineer, Dec 30 2010


but why motorise something when you can just pull!? sounds pretty half-baked to me - lovely to see you again though!
-- po, Dec 30 2010


The pull type seem to break often. I assume someone thought this motorized version could reduduce operator error. Of course that's only if you don't end up pulling before it's done dispensing because you're impatient.
-- Worldgineer, Dec 30 2010


how can you break a block of tissues that you just pull? that's silly.
-- po, Dec 30 2010


Ah, I thought you were talking about the old type of automatic paper towel dispensers. I assume the main goal behind automatic paper towel dispensers is to use a cheaper continuous roll of paper towels.

Or maybe it's all just marketing.
-- Worldgineer, Dec 30 2010


I don't mind the speed so much as the pre-specified amount per swipe/tug.
They should be swipe dependent, as in; he longer you hold your hand over the sensor the longer the sheet it spits out, up to a maximum of course.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 31 2010


I have to agree with [po]. Variable-length, variable-rate, on- demand paper towel dispensing has been accomplished here in the UK by means of an entirely manual system, which is far more sophisticated than anything based on simple electronics.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 31 2010


I believe in the idea of making the task of grabbing for the paper towel faster, less thought, less electrical brain energy used, less hand to eye power, the point being less stress. Let's put a pneumatic pump on the floor, and the foot actuated press would send the towel out, and no need to tear the towel free from a roll. One quarter of a second after the floor to towel button is hit the saved compressed air shoots out the towel, into the air, and the hand grabs it, eight to ten inches or so away from its roll. The test for the machine would be to perform tasks a thousand times and then find out with the training and the knack for doing it what time is gained. The paper towel could be the string, the tool, the bag, or any number of things, especially in processes that are duplicated hundreds of times a day or week. A partial second of time saved is still a creation of wealth. This wealth can be converted to ice cream, which can be a royal mess to tidy up, which is why we need the device.
-- Steven J Scannell, Dec 31 2010



random, halfbakery