Cover release mechanism for a dispenser

1. A wall-mounted dispenser comprising:

a backplate mounted to affix the dispenser to a wall structure, said backplate having a catch proximate a top of said backplate and a base extension proximate a bottom of said backplate;

a cover pivotally secured to said backplate proximate a bottom of said backplate to move between an open position, at which the dispenser may be refilled, and a closed position, at which the dispenser may be actuated, said cover including a latch that engages said catch in said closed position, with the engagement thereof serving to hold said cover in said closed position;

an elongate bar secured to said backplate and having a yoke end opposite a latch release end, said elongate bar being biased so that said latch release end rests proximate said latch on said cover, said latch release end being biased in a direction away from said latch; and

a yoke extending from said yoke end of said elongate bar to a left terminal end accessible at a left hole in said base extension and a separate and distinct right terminal end accessible at a separate and distinct right hole in said base extension, wherein pressing on said left or right terminal end moves said elongate bar against its bias and causes said latch release end to contact and remove said latch from said catch, permitting said cover to be moved to its open position.

2. The wall-mounted dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising:

a dispensing outlet; and

a hands-free dispensing sensor that, upon sensing the presence of an object near said dispensing outlet, effects a dispensing of product without the need for human manipulation of the dispenser, wherein the placement of said hands-free dispensing sensor is such that it does not sense the presence of an object pressing upon said left or right terminal end of said yoke.

3. The wall-mounted dispenser of claim 1 , wherein said elongate bar is biased by resilient arms extending from said elongate bar into arm guides in said backplate, said resilient arms being deformed within said arm guides when said first or second terminal ends of said yoke is pressed, then reverting back toward their normal shape when that pressure is removed from said first or second terminal ends.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein, when said left terminal end is pressed to cause said latch release end to contact and remove said latch from said catch, the right terminal end serves as the fulcrum for the upward movement of said yoke, and when said right terminal end is pressed to cause said latch release end to contact and remove said latch from said catch, the left terminal end serves as the fulcrum for the upward movement of said yoke.

5. A dispenser comprising:

a dispensing zone;

at least one sensor having a sensing area encompassing said dispensing zone, the dispenser dispensing product at the dispensing zone when said at least one sensor senses the presence of an object at said sensing area;

a backplate having a catch;

a base extension;

a cover pivotally secured to said backplate to move between an open position, at which the dispenser may be refilled, and a closed position, at which the dispenser may be actuated, said cover including a latch that engages said catch in said closed position, with the engagement thereof serving to hold said cover in said closed position;

an elongate bar secured to said backplate and having a latch release end, said elongate bar being biased so that said latch release end rests proximate said latch on said cover, said latch release end being biased in a direction away from said latch; and

a yoke extending from said elongate bar to a left terminal end accessible at a left hole in said base extension and a separate and distinct right terminal end accessible at a separate and distinct right hole in said base extension, wherein pressing on said left or right terminal end moves said elongate bar against its bias and causes said latch release end to contact and remove said latch from said catch, permitting said cover to be moved to its open position, said left and right terminal ends of said yoke being positioned outside of said sensing area.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 , wherein, when said left terminal end is pressed to cause said latch release end to contact and remove said latch from said catch, the right terminal end serves as the fulcrum for the upward movement of said yoke, and when said right terminal end is pressed to cause said latch release end to contact and remove said latch from said catch, the left terminal end serves as the fulcrum for the upward movement of said yoke.

7. The dispenser of claim 5 , wherein the dispensing zone is located below said base extension.