ELECTRONICALLY KEYED DISPENSING SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS UTILIZING NEAR FIELD FREQUENCY RESPONSE

• US 20090314800A1
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Joseph Kanfer
• Inventors: Rosenkranz, Mark E., REYNOLDS, Aaron R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,556,121 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 refill container is disclosed which utilizes an enclosure with at least one orientational tab and a neck that carries a pump mechanism with a nozzle. The refill container provides a collar with a notch that receives the orientational tab and axially receives the neck. The refill container is axially received by a release mechanism of a dispenser housing.

Claims

1. A refill container comprising:

an enclosure for carrying dispensable material, said enclosure having at least one orientational tab;

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;

a neck extending from said enclosure and carrying said pump mechanism and said nozzle; and

an identification collar having a notch, wherein said identification collar is axially received on said neck and said at least one orientational tab is received in said notch.

2. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein said neck further comprises a locking edge, and said identification collar has at least one detent that bears against said locking edge.

3. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein said identification collar provides a circumferential locking ridge interrupted by an alignment slot.

4. The refill container according to claim 3, wherein said alignment slot is substantially aligned with said notch and maintains a fixed orientation with respect to said orientational tab.

5. The refill container according to claim 4, wherein said alignment slot is defined by a ramp edge.

6. A refill container used in a dispensing system which provides a container release mechanism having a mounting ring with at least one axial channel contiguous with a lateral opening and a slide ring rotatably received by the mounting ring, wherein the slide ring has at least one alignment lock with a locking ramp slidably receivable in the mounting ring'"'"'s lateral opening, the refill 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;

a neck extending from said enclosure and carrying said pump mechanism and said nozzle; and

a collar axially received on said neck, said collar having a ramp edge adapted to engage the locking ramp.

7. The refill container according to claim 6, wherein said enclosure has at least one orientational tab and said collar has a notch for receiving at least one said orientational tab.

8. The refill container according to claim 7, wherein said collar provides a circumferential locking ridge interrupted by an alignment slot which is defined by said ramp edge.

9. The refill container according to claim 8, wherein said alignment slot is aligned with said notch so that said pump mechanism can be axially received in the container release mechanism.

10. A method of installing a refill container into a dispenser which provides a container release mechanism, comprising:

providing a refill container with a dispenser interface extending axially therefrom and an orientational tab;

installing a collar around the dispenser interface with a notch which receives said orientational tab, said collar carrying an identifier aligned with respect to the orientational tab; and

axially inserting said refill container into the container release mechanism which receives said identifier and holds said refill container.

11. A refill container used in a dispensing system comprising:

an enclosure that carries 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;

a neck extending from said enclosure and carrying said pump mechanism and said nozzle;

a collar axially received on said neck; and

means for orienting said collar with respect to said neck so that the refill container is adapted for receipt in the dispensing system.