METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INDICATING FUTURE NEED FOR PRODUCT REPLACEMENT OF RANDOM-USE DISPENSING

• US 20090204256A1
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Wegelin, Jackson W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,555,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/244
• 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 method for indicating when to replace material in a dispenser:

setting an activation count to a number representative of the amount of dispenses remaining;

setting a service interval for the dispenser over a number of units of time;

decrementing said activation count upon each activation of the dispenser;

calculating a running average of material usage representative of one unit of time;

comparing said activation count with the product of said running average and said service interval; and

indicating the dispenser requires refilling when said product is greater than said activation count.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said units of time are weeks.

3. A dispenser for dispensing product, comprising:

an activation count setting means for setting an activation count;

a means for setting a service interval for allowing entry of a service interval representative of the number of units of time before next service;

a dispensing mechanism;

an indication means;

a controller; and

a switch associated with said dispensing mechanism that generates a voltage received by said controller that decrements an activation count associated with the number of dispenses of material, wherein said controller compares said activation count with the product of said service interval and average of material usage representative of one unit of time, said controller sending a signal to said indication means when said product is greater than said activation count.

4. The dispenser of claim 3 said means for setting a service interval includes a selector comprising a potentiometer and a dial that comprises a label representative of the number of units of time before next service.

5. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said activation count setting means comprises a potentiometer and a dial that comprises a label representative of the number of units of product before next service.

6. The dispenser of claim 3 further comprising:

a refill cartridge; and

said activation count setting means comprises an RFID tag positioned on said refill cartridge.

7. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said units of time is weeks.

8. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said number of units of time has six different settings.

9. The dispenser of claim 7, wherein the average usage and activation count is placed in a nonvolatile storage once per day.

10. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said service interval is preprogrammed in said controller.

11. The dispenser of claim 3 further comprising:

a refill cartridge; and

said means for setting a service interval comprises an RFID tag positioned on said refill cartridge.

12. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said activation count is preprogrammed into said controller.

13. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said activation count is manually reset to an initial value when a refill is replaced.

14. The dispenser of claim 11 wherein said activation count is reset to an initial value when a unique serial number on said RFID is recognized.

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

a controller maintaining an initial quantity value defining the amount of material carried by the refill container;

an actuator coupled to said controller;

a pump adapted to be operatively coupled to the refill container, said pump also coupled to said controller, wherein when said actuator is engaged, said pump dispenses an amount of said material from the refill container according to a shot size value maintained by said controller, said controller updating a cumulative usage value maintained thereby by said shot size value, and generating a current quantity value based on the difference between said initial quantity value and said cumulative usage value;

a timer associated with said controller to update a timed count value, said timer initiated when said refill container is coupled to said pump; and

an indicator coupled to said controller;

wherein said controller generates an average usage value based on said cumulative usage value and said timed count value, whereupon said controller generates a service interval value based on said current quantity value and said average usage value, said service interval value displayed by said indicator.

16. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein said actuator comprises a proximity sensor.

17. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein said initial quantity value is input to said controller via a keypad coupled thereto.

18. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein said indicator comprises a plurality of illuminable identifiers that are associated with predetermined usage values, such that said illuminable identifier associated with said usage value that is closest in magnitude to said service interval value is illuminated.

19. A dispenser, comprising:

a refill container carrying an initial amount of material;

a controller configured to maintain an initial quantity value defined by said initial amount of material maintained by said refill container;

an actuator coupled to said controller;

a pump coupled to said controller and to said refill container, wherein when said actuator is engaged, said pump dispenses an amount of said material from said refill container according to a shot size value maintained by said controller, said controller updating a cumulative usage value maintained thereby by said shot size value, and generating a current quantity value based on the difference between said initial quantity value and said cumulative usage value;

a timer coupled to said controller to update a timed count value, said timer initiated when said refill container is coupled to said pump; and

an indicator coupled to said controller;

wherein said controller generates an average usage value based on said cumulative usage value and said timed count value, whereupon said controller generates a service interval value based on said current quantity value and said average usage value, said service interval value displayed by said indicator.

20. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein said actuator comprises a proximity sensor.

21. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein said refill container maintains a refill memory unit that communicates said initial quantity value to said controller when said refill container is coupled to said pump.

22. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein said indicator comprises a plurality of illuminable identifiers that are associated with predetermined usage values, such that said illuminable identifier associated with said usage value that is closest in magnitude to said service interval value is illuminated.

23. The dispenser of claim 19, further comprising a keypad coupled to said controller to communicate said initial quantity value to said controller.

24. A method of determining the remaining service interval of a refill container, comprising:

providing a dispenser to dispense material from a refill container, said refill container having an initial amount of said material;

providing an indicator maintained by said dispenser;

dispensing material from said refill container in a predetermined shot size;

monitoring the total dispensement of said material from said initial amount;

generating an average usage value based on the total dispensement of said material over a period of time;

generating a service interval value indicating the remaining durational operating life of said refill container based on the remaining quantity of said material and said average usage value; and

indicating said service interval value via said indicator.

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

a controller maintaining an initial quantity value defining the amount of material carried by the refill container, said controller including a timer that maintains a timed count value that is updated at a predetermined interval;

an indicator coupled to said controller;

an actuator coupled to said controller;

a pump coupled to said controller and adapted to be operatively coupled to the refill container, said controller initiating said timer when the refill container is coupled to said pump, such that when said actuator is engaged, said pump dispenses an amount of material from the refill container according to a predetermined shot size value and said controller updates a cumulative usage value maintained thereby by said shot size value;

wherein said controller calculates an average usage value from the division of said cumulative usage value and said timed count value, said controller calculating a service interval from the division of said average usage value and said timed count value that is communicated via said indicator.

26. The dispenser of claim 25, wherein said actuator comprises a proximity sensor.

27. The dispenser of claim 25, wherein said initial quantity value is communicated to said controller via a keypad coupled thereto.

28. The dispenser of claim 25, wherein said indicator comprises a plurality of illuminable identifiers that are associated with predetermined usage values, such that said illuminable identifier associated with said usage value that is closest in magnitude to said service interval value is illuminated.

29. A dispenser, comprising:

a refill container carrying an initial amount of material;

a controller configured to maintain an initial quantity value defined by said initial amount of material maintained by the refill container, said controller including a timer that maintains a timed count value that is updated at a predetermined interval;

an indicator coupled to said controller;

an actuator coupled to said controller;

a pump coupled to said controller and adapted to be operatively coupled to the refill container, said controller initiating said timer when the refill container is coupled to said pump, such that when said actuator is engaged, said pump dispenses an amount of material from the refill container according to a predetermined shot size value and said controller updates a cumulative usage value maintained thereby by said shot size value;

wherein said controller calculates an average usage value from the division of said cumulative usage value and said timed count value, said controller calculating a service interval from the division of said initial quantity value by said average usage value that is communicated via said indicator.

30. The dispenser of claim 29, wherein said actuator comprises a proximity sensor.

31. The dispenser of claim 29, wherein said refill container maintains a refill memory unit that communicates said initial quantity value to said controller when said refill container is coupled to said pump.

32. The dispenser of claim 29, further comprising a keypad coupled to said controller to communicate said initial quantity value to said controller.

33. The dispenser of claim 29, wherein said indicator comprises a plurality of illuminable identifiers that are associated with predetermined usage values, such that said illuminable identifier associated with said usage value that is closest in magnitude to said service interval value is illuminated.

34. A method of determining the remaining service interval of a refill container, comprising:

providing a dispenser to dispense material from a refill container, said refill container having an initial amount of said material;

providing an indicator maintained by said dispenser;

dispensing material from said refill container;

monitoring the total dispensement of said material;

generating an average usage value based on the total dispensement of said material over a period of time;

generating a service interval value indicating the remaining durational operating life of said refill container based on the initial quantity of said material divided by said average usage value; and

indicating said service interval value via said indicator.