Patent ID: 7325767

Claim:
A hands-free paper towel dispenser comprising: (a) a housing for containing at least one roll of paper towels; (b) a sensor for detecting an object adjacent the housing and for generating an object detection signal and a dispense signal when an object is detected; (c) a dispensing mechanism arranged and configured within the housing for dispensing paper toweling upon receipt of the dispense signal, the dispensing mechanism including a drive roller and a motor in driving engagement with the drive roller; (d) control circuitry including a sensor length circuit having at least two different resistor settings for generating different pre-set sensor length signals, and a microprocessor arranged and configured to receive the object detection signal and the sensor length signals and to control the power provided to the sensor based on the sensor length signals, and each pre-set sensor length signal defines a pre-set level of power that is provided to the sensor based on the respective sensor length signal; and (e) at least one battery providing power to the sensor, to the motor and to the control circuitry.