Dispenser and method

• US 20080185395A1
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Allegheny-Singer Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Allegheny-Singer Research Institute
• Inventors: Sahud, Andrew Graham
• Application Number:
  US11/701,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20080185395A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/36
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

A dispenser for monitoring content in a container which includes a holder for holding the container. The dispenser includes a lever engaged with the holder which when depressed, releases a portion of the content in the container. The depression of the lever is a dispensing event. The dispenser includes a tracker engaged with the lever for keeping track by counting the number of dispensing events. The dispenser includes an indicator in communication with the tracker for indicating how much content is remaining in the container as a function of dispensing events. A method for monitoring content in a container includes the steps of depressing a lever engaged with a housing holding the container which releases a portion of the content in the container, the depression of the lever being a dispensing event. There is the step of tracking with a tracker engaged with the lever the number of dispensing events by counting the number of dispensing events. There is the step of indicating with an indicator in communication with the tracker how much content is remaining in the container as a function of dispensing events.

Claims

1. A dispenser for monitoring content in a container comprising:

a holder for holding the container;

a lever engaged with the holder which when depressed, releases a portion of the content in the container, the depression of the lever being a dispensing event;

a tracker engaged with the lever for keeping track by counting the number of dispensing events; and

an indicator in communication with the tracker for indicating how much content is remaining in the container as a function of dispensing events.

2. A dispenser as described in claim 1 including an outlet port through which the content is released from a container.

3. A dispenser as described in claim 2 wherein the tracker includes a counter that counts the dispensing events.

4. A dispenser as described in claim 3 wherein the indicator includes at least one light that activates after a predetermined number of dispensing events.

5. A dispenser as described in claim 4 wherein the tracker includes a track lever with a gear having sprockets and a gear that engages the sprockets, when the lever is moved, the sprockets move the gear.

6. A dispenser as described in claim 5 wherein the tracker includes an electric counter that is advanced and records each time there is a dispensing event.

7. A dispenser as described in claim 6 including a battery disposed in the housing.

8. A dispenser as described in claim 7 including a fly wheel engaged with the gear, when the gear moves, the gear causes the fly wheel to spin.

9. A dispenser as described in claim 8 wherein the battery is rechargeable, and the fly wheel is disposed in a magnetic field, when the lever is depressed and the gear moves, the fly wheel is caused to spin and generate a current which charges the battery.

10. A dispenser as described in claim 9 including a processor disposed in the housing, and an input device for inputting input to the processor.

11. A dispenser as described in claim 10 wherein when the housing is opened for the container to be replaced, the light is reset to indicate the container is full of content.

12. A method for monitoring content in a container comprising the steps of:

depressing a lever engaged with a housing holding the container which releases a portion of the content in the container, the depression of the lever being a dispensing event;

tracking with a tracker engaged with the lever the number of dispensing events by counting the number of dispensing events; and

indicating with an indicator in communication with the tracker how much content is remaining in the container as a function of dispensing events.

13. A method as described in claim 12 wherein the tracking step includes the step of counting with a counter the dispensing events.

14. A method as described in claim 13 wherein the indicating step includes the step of activating at least one light as a predetermined number of dispensing offense.

15. A method as described in claim 14 wherein the tracking step includes the step of moving a track lever when the lever is depressed which has sprockets that engage a gear which moves the gear.

16. A method for monitoring soap in a container comprising the steps of:

depressing a lever engaged with a housing holding the container which releases a portion of the soap in the container, the depression of the lever being a dispensing event;

tracking with a tracker engaged with the lever the number of dispensing events by counting the number of dispensing events; and

indicating with an indicator in communication with the tracker how much soap is remaining in the container as a function of dispensing events.