Power management system for dispensers

• US 10,079,502 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SmartWave Technologies Corp.
• Original Assignee: Smart Wave Technologies Inc. (SmartWave Technologies Corp.)
• Inventors: Zosimadis, Peter, Waterhouse, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US14/736,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20150280441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 307154
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/36 with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3625 with electronic control means
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/12 for liquid or pasty soap
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/002 Intermediate AC, e.g. DC supply with intermediated AC distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

A power management system for dispensers is described. The system includes a controller connected to a lower power zero net voltage (ZNV) power source. A power rectification circuit (PRC) converts ZNV power to higher voltage direct current (HVDC) power. An energy storage system connected to the HVDC power source receives and stores HVDC power within the energy storage system which is selectively provided to a dispenser motor load connected to the energy storage system. The system provides an effective solution to the problem of transferring power from a low power battery source on a disposable product to a dispenser as well as providing a system that minimizes corrosion at the electrical interface between the disposable product and the dispenser particularly in higher humidity environments.

Claims

1. A system for managing power delivery to a dispenser, the system comprising:

a controller operatively connected to a lower power zero net voltage (ZNV) power source, the controller having a power rectification circuit (PRC) for converting the ZNV power source to a higher voltage direct current (HVDC) power source;

at least one energy storage system operatively connected to the HVDC power source for receiving and storing HVDC power within the at least one energy storage system; and

a dispenser load operatively connected to the at least one energy storage system;

a low power direct current (LPDC) power source operatively connected to a switching circuit for converting the LPDC power source to a ZNV power source and wherein the ZNV power is operatively connected to the controller; and

a data circuit operatively connected to the switching circuit;

wherein the ZNV power source comprises alternate positive and negative voltage pulses of equal but opposite voltages and wherein data within the data circuit is blended to the alternate positive and negative voltage pulses of the ZNV power source as alternating positive and negative voltage data pulses having a lower voltage representative of data within the data circuit.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to selectively direct HVDC power to the at least one energy storage system to charge the at least one energy storage system and to selectively direct power from the at least one energy storage system to the dispenser load based on load demand.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein the energy storage system includes at least one capacitor.

4. The system as in claim 3 further comprising an auxiliary power cell operatively connected to the HVDC power source for receiving and storing HVDC power within the auxiliary power cell and wherein the controller is configured to selectively direct HVDC power to each of the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell to charge the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell and to selectively direct power from the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell to the dispenser load based on load demand.

5. The system as in claim 4, where the controller prioritizes power to the dispenser load from the at least one capacitor ahead of the auxiliary power cell.

6. The system as in claim 4 where the auxiliary power cell is a non-rechargeable battery.

7. The system as in claim 3 wherein the controller includes at least one switch operatively connected between the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell for selectively directing power to either the at least one capacitor or auxiliary power cell to charge either the at least one capacitor or auxiliary power cell.

8. The system as in claim 7 wherein the controller includes voltage measuring circuitry operatively connected to the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell for measuring the voltage of the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell and wherein the controller prioritizes power delivery from the HVDC power source to the at least one capacitor or auxiliary power cell based on actual measured voltage of the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell.

9. The system as in claim 8 wherein the controller prioritizes power delivery from the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell to the dispenser load based on actual measured voltage of the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell.

10. The system as in claim 3 wherein when there is no dispenser load demand, the controller directs HVDC power to either the at least one capacitor and auxiliary battery to trickle charge the at least one capacitor and auxiliary battery.

11. The system as in claim 1 wherein the controller includes a decoding circuit for interpreting the data pulses within the ZNV power source.

12. The system as in claim 1 where the switching circuit and LVDC power source are operatively connected to a replaceable component connectable to the controller through a detachable electrical interface.

13. The system as in claim 12 where the detachable electrical interface includes non-moving electrical contacts between the replaceable component and dispenser.

14. The system as in claim 12 where the detachable electrical interface includes moving contacts between the consumable and dispenser.

15. The system as in claim 12 wherein the replaceable component moves relative to the dispenser during operation and the replaceable component and dispenser collectively include an energy recapture system operatively connected to the replaceable component and dispenser for capturing kinetic energy within the at least one energy storage system and/or auxiliary power cell.

16. A method of transferring power from a first energy storage system in a replaceable component to a second energy storage system in a second component across a contact interface between the replaceable component and the second component and for managing power in the second component for delivery to an electrical load configured to the second component, the method comprising the steps of:

a. inverting direct current from the first energy storage system in the replaceable component to a zero net voltage (ZNV) signal, the first energy storage system having a low power direct current (LPDC) power source that is operatively connected to a switching circuit for converting the direct current to the ZNV signal, the switching circuit being operatively connected to a data circuit;

b. transferring the ZNV signal across the contact interface to the second component;

c. rectifying the ZNV signal to higher voltage direct current (HVDC) power using a controller, the controller receiving the ZNV signal and having a power rectification circuit (PRC) for converting the ZNV signal to the HVDC power;

d. charging the second energy storage system with the HVDC power for storing the HVDC power within the second energy storage system; and

e. releasing energy from the second energy storage system to the electrical load based on user demand, the electrical load being operatively connected to the second energy storage system;

wherein the ZNV signal comprises alternate positive and negative voltage pulses of equal but opposite voltages, wherein the method further comprises the step of blending data within the data circuit into the ZNV signal as alternating positive and negative voltage data pulses which have a lower voltage relative to the alternate positive and negative voltage pulses, and wherein the data pulses are representative of data within the replaceable component.

17. The method as in claim 16 wherein the second energy storage system includes at least one capacitor and a second power cell system and step d includes selectively charging the at least one capacitor or the second power cell system.

18. The method as in claim 17 wherein step d includes prioritizing charging of the at least capacitor before charging the second power cell system.

19. The method as in claim 18 wherein step e includes prioritizing the release of power to the electrical load from the at least one capacitor.

20. The method as in claim 16 further comprising the step of decoding data within the ZNV power signal within the second component and interpreting that data for assessing if the replaceable component is authorized for use with the second component.

21. The method as in claim 16 wherein when the replaceable component moves relative to the second component during operation, the method further comprises the step of recapturing kinetic energy of the replaceable component for use within the second component.