Electronically keyed dispensing systems and related methods utilizing near field frequency response

• US 20060124662A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Joseph Kanfer
• Inventors: Waterhouse, Paul, Rosenkranz, Mark E., Reynolds, Aaron R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,621,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/23
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17506 Refilling of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0811 provided with coded information
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A dispensing system is disclosed which utilizes an electronically powered key device and/or identification code associated with a refill container to preclude the need for mechanical keys. The system utilizes a near field frequency response to determine whether a refill container is compatible with a dispensing system. In particular, the refill container is provided with a coil terminated by one of a number of capacitors. The container is received in a housing that provides a pair of coils that are in a spatial relationship with the installed refill container'"'"'s coil. By energizing one of the housing'"'"'s coils, the other coil detects a unique electronic signature generated by the container'"'"'s coil. If the signature is acceptable, the dispensing system is allowed to dispense a quantity of material. The system also provides a unique latching mechanism to retain the container and ensure positioning of all the coils.

Claims

1. A refill container for receipt in a dispensing system, the container comprising:

an enclosure for carrying dispensable material;

a pump mechanism coupled to said enclosure;

a nozzle operatively connected to said pump mechanism, wherein actuation of said pump mechanism dispenses a quantity of material through said nozzle; and

an identifier spaced apart from said enclosure, wherein said identifier has one of a selected number of electronic signatures.

2. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein said selected number of signatures corresponds to a different number of dispensing systems in which the enclosure can be received.

3. The refill container according to claim 1, further comprising:

a neck for carrying said pump mechanism and said nozzle, wherein said identifier is disposed around said neck and maintained a predetermined distance away from said enclosure.

4. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein said identifier comprises a coil having a capacitor connected thereto, wherein a value of said capacitor determines said electronic signature.

5. The refill container according to claim 4, further comprising:

a neck maintaining said pump mechanism and said nozzle; and

a ring carrying said identifier and disposed around said neck and maintained a predetermined distance away from said enclosure.

6. The refill container according to claim 5, wherein said ring is attached to said neck.

7. The refill container according to claim 6, wherein said ring is removable from said neck.

8. The refill container according to claim 7, wherein said ring is permanently secured to said neck.

9. The refill container according to claim 5, wherein said ring is coded according to said capacitor value.

10. The refill container according to claim 9, wherein said ring is color coded according to said capacitor value.

11. The refill container according to claim 9, wherein said ring has tactile indicia corresponding to said capacitor value.

12. The refill container according to claim 5, wherein said identifier generates an electromagnetic signature when an electric field is placed in close proximity thereto.

13. The refill container according to claim 1 further comprising:

a collar for carrying said identifier in said spaced apart relationship with said enclosure.

14. The refill container according to claim 13, wherein said collar has an exterior surface and an interior surface with a collar opening therethrough, said pump mechanism received in said collar opening.

15. The refill container according to claim 14, further comprising:

an identification ring carried by said collar, said identification ring carrying said identifier.

16. The refill container according to claim 15, wherein said interior surface of said collar has at least one detent which secures said collar to said enclosure.

17. The refill container according to claim 14, further comprising:

a locking ridge extending from said exterior surface, said locking ridge having a leading edge and a trailing edge.

18. The refill container according to claim 17, wherein said locking ridge has an alignment slot extending at least from said leading edge toward said trailing edge.

19. The refill container according to claim 18, wherein said enclosure provides at least one orientational tab, and wherein said collar provides a notch for receiving said at least one orientational tab.

20. The refill container according to claim 19, wherein said alignment slot is aligned with said notch.

21. The refill container according to claim 17, wherein said locking ridge has a plurality of ramp slots, each of said ramp slots having at least a ramp edge.

22. The refill container according to claim 17, wherein said locking ridge has an alignment slot spaced radially apart from said ramp slots.

23. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein said identifier is spaced apart from said enclosure a uniform distance to allow for communications with the dispensing system.

24. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein said pump and nozzle are carried by a neck of said enclosure and said identifier is disposed about said neck.

25. The refill container according to claim 24, wherein said identifier is coaxial with said neck.

26. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein said enclosure is characterized by at least one of a protrusion and a recess configured for engagement with a corresponding one of a recess and protrusion in the dispensing system to maintain said identifier in an operative position when said refill container is associated with the dispensing system.

27. The refill container according to claim 26 wherein said enclosure is axially received by the dispensing system which results in selective engagement by the dispensing system to retain the enclosure.

28. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein said selected number of electronic signatures substantially span a range of frequencies.

29. The refill container according to claim 28, wherein said range of frequencies is from about 10 Hz to about 10 KHz.

30. The refill container according to claim 28, wherein said range of frequencies is segmented into said selected number of electronic signatures.

31. The refill container according to claim 30, wherein at least one of said selected signatures in said range of frequencies is generated upon exposure to an electric field.

32. A dispensing system, comprising:

a refill container having a dispensing interface extending axially therefrom;

an identification collar disposed about said dispensing interface; and

a module for detachably receiving said identification collar and selectively actuating said dispensing interface when said identification collar is deemed compatible by said module.

33. The system according to claim 32 further comprising:

a container release mechanism carried by said module for axially, receiving said identification collar, said release mechanism having one of an alignment rib and a slot mateable with the other of one of said alignment rib and said slot carried by said identification collar.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein said release mechanism comprises:

a biased cam which is deflected upon receipt of said identification collar, wherein said cam holds said refill container upon deflection of said cam.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein said container release mechanism comprises:

a mounting ring having an exterior surface opposite an interior surface, said mounting ring having at least one axial channel contiguous with a lateral opening, said mounting ring interior surface having said alignment rib, said mounting ring exterior surface having a slide ring ledge; and

a slide ring rotatably received by said mounting ring and supported by said slide ring ledge, said slide ring having a least one alignment lock having a locking ramp, wherein said alignment lock is slidably received in said material opening,

said slide ring biased so that said locking ramp is maintained in a position furthest from said axial channel.

36. The system according to claim 33 wherein said identification collar comprises:

a circumferential locking ridge having said slot for receiving said alignment rib and at least one ramp slot having a ramp edge which engages said locking ramp when said refill container is inserted into said container release mechanism.

37. The dispensing system according to claim 32, wherein said module further comprises:

a drive assembly having a post movable in a circular motion; and

a tray having a drive wall with a drive slot extending therethrough that receives said post, and a nozzle plate extending from said drive wall, said nozzle plate having a nozzle hollow to receive said dispensing interface.

38. The dispensing system according to claim 32, wherein said module further comprises:

a drive assembly having a post movable in a circular motion;

a tray having a drive wall with a drive slot extending therethrough that receives said post, said tray having a nozzle collar with a nozzle opening therethrough, said nozzle collar having a plurality of lift tines and a plurality of push tines extending radially inwardly;

said dispensing interface having a nozzle rim received in said nozzle opening, said lift tines engaging said nozzle rim during a dispense cycle and said push tines engaging said nozzle rim during a return cycle.

39. The dispensing system according to claim 32, further comprising:

a housing cover which at least partially encloses said refill container and said module, said housing cover having a plurality of stepped rings directed toward said dispensing interface.

40. A dispensing system, comprising:

a housing having an emitting device and a receiving device;

a refill container carrying a material and an electronic key, said refill container receivable in said housing;

an operational mechanism associated with one of said housing and said refill container; and

a controller in communication with said emitting and receiving devices, said controller having a matching key;

said emitting device generating a first signal that passes to said electronic key, said electronic key emitting a second signal in response thereto, said second signal being received by said receiving device for comparison to said matching key to selectively enable said operational mechanism.

41. The system according to claim 40, wherein said refill container comprises:

an enclosure for carrying said material;

a pump mechanism coupled to said enclosure; and

a nozzle operatively connected to said pump mechanism, wherein actuation of said pump mechanism dispenses a quantity of material through said nozzle.

42. The system according to claim 41, wherein said housing comprises:

a pump actuator for receiving at least said nozzle, said pump actuator carrying said emitting device and said receiving device in a spaced apart relationship, wherein said electronic key is received in said spaced apart relationship.

43. The system according to claim 42, wherein said emitting and receiving devices are coils connected to said controller, and

wherein said electronic key comprises a key coil having a key capacitor connected thereto, wherein said key capacitor has a key capacitance value.

44. The system according to claim 43, wherein said matching key has a matching capacitor, and wherein a value of said matching capacitor must be substantially equivalent to said key capacitance value said refill container to enable said operational mechanism.

45. The system according to claim 42, wherein said pump actuator is annular with a nozzle opening therethrough and wherein said emitting and receiving coils are axially aligned with said key coil when said refill container is received in said pump actuator.

46. The system according to claim 41, wherein said electronic key has one of a selected number of electronic signatures.

47. The system according to claim 46, wherein said selected number of signatures corresponds to different variations of dispensing systems in which the refill container can be received.

48. The system according to claim 42, wherein said matching key is a digital key that generates a reference value which must be substantially equivalent to said electronic key.

49. The system according to claim 48, wherein said electronic key comprises a key coil having a key capacitor connected thereto.

50. The system according to claim 49, further comprising:

an infrared sensor proximally positioned about said dispensing interface, said controller connected to said infrared sensor, said controller initiating a dispensing cycle of said dispensing interface when said infrared sensor detects the presence of a target.

51. The system according to claim 50, wherein said controller adjusts an amount of energy emitted by said sensor depending on detection of said target for a predetermined period of time.

52. A container that carries dispensable material for receipt in a dispensing system, the container comprising:

a structure for carrying dispensable material;

a dispensing interface associated with said structure that facilitates dispensing of a quantity of the dispensable material; and

an identifier spaced apart from said structure, wherein said identifier has one of a selected number of electronic signatures.

53. The container according to claim 52, wherein said identifier and said structure have a gap therebetween to maintain said identifier in an operative position when said structure is within the dispensing system.

54. The container according to claim 53, further comprising:

a ring for carrying said identifier, wherein said ring remains in a consistent spatial relationship with respect to said structure even after depletion of the dispensable material.

55. The container according to claim 53, wherein said operative position is non-contacting with the dispensing system.

56. A dispensing system, comprising:

a refill container having a dispensing interface to dispense material;

a plurality of infrared sensors proximally arranged about said dispensing interface to detect the presence of a target; and

a controller coupled to said plurality of infrared sensors, said controller initiating a dispensing cycle of said dispensing interface when said plurality of infrared sensors detects the presence of a target in a normal operation mode, said controller initiating an auto-ranging routine to determine an amount of infrared energy to be emitted by said plurality of infrared sensors while in said normal operation mode.

57. The dispensing system according to claim 56, wherein at least one of said plurality of infrared sensors emits infrared energy, and at least one of said plurality of infrared sensors detects infrared energy.

58. The dispensing system according to claim 57, wherein said emitting infrared sensor is angularly oriented so that the infrared energy is directed to the target which angularly reflects the infrared energy toward said detecting infrared sensor which is angularly oriented to receive the reflected infrared energy.

59. The dispensing system according to claim 58, wherein said emitting and detecting infrared sensors are oriented at about a same angle about said dispensing interface.

60. The dispensing system according to claim 57, wherein said controller in said auto-ranging routine decreases the amount of infrared energy emitted by said at least one infrared emitting sensor until said target is not detected, if said at least one infrared detecting sensor detects the presence of said target for a predetermined period of time.

61. The dispensing system according to claim 57, wherein said controller in said auto-ranging routine increases the amount of infrared energy emitted by said at least one infrared sensor when said target is not detected for at least a predeterminded period of time.