DISPENSERS PROVIDING CONTROLLED DISPENSING AND ASSOCIATED CONTROLLED DISPENSING METHODS

摘要

Dispensers and method for controlled dispensing of products, preferably paper products, are discussed in this patent disclosure. Various embodiments of the present invention can comprise a housing, a separating assembly, a feed mechanism, and an advancing mechanism. The housing can support inner components of the dispenser. The housing can hold a stack of paper product to be dispensed. The separating assembly can comprise a separating member. The separating member can separate one or more napkins from the stack. The separating member can be controlled by a controller for controlled dispensing operations. The feed mechanism can move the separated napkin or napkins toward a dispensing slot for dispensing. The advancing mechanism can advance the stack of napkins such that, as the stack is depleted from one end of the stack, a remainder of the stack is advanced toward the separating member for dispensing. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.