Electronic towel dispenser

A continuous towel dispenser includes a sensor which detects the disruption of the radio frequency (RF) field below the dispenser's cabinet caused by movement of a user's hands in withdrawing unused towel from a towel from supply roller and provides a control signal to a towel dispensing motor coupled to a supply roller allowing the towel to be dispensed for a predetermined time period corresponding to a desingated towel length. At the same time, a control signal initiates downward displacement of a towel idler bar allowing a length of used towel to also be withdrawn from the cabinet. After a predetermined time interval, e.g., 5 seconds, a towel takeup cycle is automatically initiated by upward displacement of the idler bar followed by a reversal in the direction of rotation of the towel takeup roller. The towel takeup cycle continues for a designated time period or until a stall current in a towel takeup motor is detected indicating that all of the towel has been withdrawn into the cabinet. Inhibit means prevents additional unused towel from being withdrawn during a hand drying cycle.