Method and device for indicating future need for product replacement of random-use dispensing

• US 10,545,044 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2017
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Wegelin, Jackson W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ade, Garcia
• Application Number:
  US15/412,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20170131130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 705 22
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/12 for liquid or pasty soap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/10 Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1053 combined with means, other than pressure, for automatically opening a valve during actuation; combined with means for automatically removing closures or covers from the discharge nozzle during actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/108 Means for counting the number of dispensing strokes
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/004 comprising sensors for monitoring the delivery, e.g. by displaying the sensed value or generating an alarm B05B12/08 takes precedence; registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus in general G07C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/008 integrated in or attached to a discharge apparatus, e.g. a spray gun
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/081 responsive to the weight of a reservoir or container for liquid or other fluent material; responsive to level or volume of liquid or other fluent material in a reservoir or container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/082 responsive to a condition of the discharged jet or spray, e.g. to jet shape, spray pattern or droplet size
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/00 Apparatus for measuring by volume and delivering fluids or fluent solid materials, not provided for in the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/068 with electrical means G01F15/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 17/00 Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies measuring linear dimensions to determine volume G01B

Abstract

A method and device for indicating whether a dispensable product will require refilling prior to the next scheduled service interval includes tracking the amount of use over a first interval, and calculating a frequency based from the use over the first interval. The quantity remaining is compared with the required amount, which is the product of the number of weeks in the service interval and the calculated frequency. Thus, when the quantity remaining is less that the required amount, a warning will be provided to indicate that the dispensing product should be replaced, as it will be empty before the next service interval.

Claims

1. A dispenser to dispense material from a refill container, the dispenser comprising;

a controller;

a reader coupled to said controller, said reader adapted to communicate with the refill container, such that an initial quantity value associated with an amount of the material carried by the refill container is identified;

an actuator coupled to said controller; and

a pump coupled to said controller, said pump adapted to be operatively coupled to the refill container, wherein when said actuator is actuated, said pump dispenses a predetermined amount of the material from the refill container, whereupon a cumulative usage value is updated by said predetermined amount, and a current quantity value is determined from the difference between said initial quantity value and said cumulative usage value;

wherein a total time value is updated when said refill container is coupled to said pump, such that based on said total time value and said cumulative usage value and average usage value is determined, and

wherein a service interval value is determined based on said current quantity value and said average usage value.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said reader comprises an RFID tag reader.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said actuator comprises a proximity sensor.

4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said service interval is determined by dividing said current quantity value by said average usage value.

18. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said refill container comprises a bar code, and said reader comprises a bar code reader.

19. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said refill container comprises a resistor representative of said initial quantity value.

20. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said refill container comprises a potentiometer enabling manual entry of said initial quantity value.

5. A dispenser to dispense material from a refill container, the dispenser comprising:

a controller;

a reader coupled to said controller, said reader adapted to communicate with the refill container, such that an initial quantity value associated with an amount of the material carried by the refill container is identified;

an actuator coupled to said controller; and

a pump coupled to said controller, said pump adapted to be operatively coupled to the refill container, wherein when said actuator is actuated, said pump dispenses a predetermined amount of the material from the refill container, whereupon a cumulative usage value is updated by said predetermined amount;

wherein a total time value is updated when said refill container is coupled to said pump, such that based on said total time value and said cumulative usage value an average usage value is determined, and

wherein a service interval value is determined based on said initial quantity value and said average usage value.

6. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein said reader comprises an RFID tag reader.

7. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein said actuator comprises a proximity sensor.

8. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein said service interval is determined by dividing said initial quantity value by said average usage value.

15. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein said refill container comprises a bar code, and said reader comprises a bar code reader.

16. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein said refill container comprises a resistor representative of said initial quantity value.

17. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein said refill container comprises a potentiometer enabling manual entry of said initial quantity value.

9. A dispenser to dispense material from a refill container, the dispenser comprising;

a controller;

a reader coupled to said controller, said reader adapted to communicate with the refill container, such that an initial quantity value associated with an amount of the material carried by the refill container is identified;

an actuator coupled to said controller; and

a pump coupled to said controller, said pump adapted to be operatively coupled to the refill container, wherein when said actuator is actuated, said pump dispenses a predetermined amount of the material from the refill container, whereupon a cumulative usage value is updated by said predetermined amount, and a current quantity value is determined from the difference between said initial quantity value and said cumulative usage value;

wherein a total time value is updated when said refill container is coupled to said pump, such that based on said total time value and said cumulative usage value and average usage value is determined, and

wherein a remaining service interval value is determined by dividing said current quantity value by said average usage value.

10. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein said actuator comprises a proximity sensor.

11. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein said refill container comprises an RFID tag and said reader comprises an RFID tag reader that reads said RFID tag.

12. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein said refill container comprises a bar code, and said reader comprises a bar code reader.

13. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein said refill container comprises a resistor representative of said initial quantity value.

14. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein said refill container comprises a potentiometer enabling manual entry of said initial quantity value.