Systems and Methods Involving Product Dispensers

• US 20130018506A1
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cittadino, Antonio M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,813,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/240
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

A method includes determining whether an object is sensed by a sensor, dispensing a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed, setting an object clear time value to a first value, setting a first timer to a first time period and starting the timer, starting a second timer with the set object clear time, determining whether the first timer has expired, determining whether an object is sensed by the sensor responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired, determining whether the second timer has expired responsive to determining that an object is not sensed by the sensor, setting the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the second timer has expired.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing a product, the method comprising:

determining whether an object is sensed by a sensor;

dispensing a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor;

setting an object clear time value to a first value;

setting a first timer to a first time period and starting the first timer;

starting a second timer with the set first value of the object clear time;

determining whether the first timer has expired past its set first time period;

determining whether an object is sensed by the sensor contemporaneously with and responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired;

determining whether the second timer has expired past the first value responsive to determining that an object is not contemporaneously sensed by the sensor; and

setting the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the second timer has expired.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether an object is sensed by the sensor responsive to determining that the first timer has expired; and

setting the object clear time value to a second value responsive to determining that the object is sensed by the sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises delaying determining whether the object is sensed by the sensor responsive to determining that the first timer has expired for a third time period prior to determining whether the object is sensed by the sensor responsive to determining that the first timer has expired.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises incrementing a dispense counter prior to dispensing the product and then subsequently dispensing product.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the first timer has expired prior to determining whether the object is sensed by the sensor; and

clearing the dispense counter responsive to determining that the first timer has expired prior to determining whether the object is sensed by the sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether a dispense counter setting is engaged responsive to determining that the second timer has expired;

determining whether the dispense counter has an incremented value greater than a threshold value responsive to determining that the dispense counter setting is engaged;

setting the first timer to a fourth time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the dispense counter has an incremented value greater than the threshold value;

determining whether the first timer has expired; and

setting the first timer to the second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the first timer has expired; and

turning off the visual indicator responsive to starting the first timer with the second time period setting.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time period is less than eight seconds, the second time period is less than 45 seconds, and first value is less than one second.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the second value is less than 4 seconds and the third time period is less than one second.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the fourth time period is less than six seconds.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the product includes a flowable liquid.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes:

turning on a visual indicator responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor; and

turning off the visual indicator responsive to starting the first timer with the second time period setting.

12. A dispensing system comprises:

a sensor;

a product dispensing portion; and

a processor communicatively connected to the sensor, the product dispensing portion, the processor operative to determine whether an object is sensed by the sensor, dispense a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor, set an object clear time value to a first value, set a first timer to a first time period and starting the first timer, start a second timer with the set object first value of the object clear time, determine whether the first timer has expired past its set time period, determine whether an object is sensed by the sensor contemporaneously with and responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired, determine whether the second timer has expired past the first value responsive to determining that an object is not contemporaneously sensed by the sensor, set the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the second timer has expired.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operative to determine whether an object is sensed by the sensor responsive to determining that the first timer has expired, and set the object clear time value to a second value responsive to determining that the object is sensed by the sensor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative to delay for a third time period prior to determining whether the object is sensed by the sensor responsive to determining that the first timer has expired.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operative to increment a dispense counter prior to dispensing the product.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operative to determine whether the first timer has expired prior to determining whether the object is sensed by the sensor, and clear the dispense counter responsive to determining that the first timer has expired prior to determining whether the object is sensed by the sensor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further operative to determine whether the dispense counter setting is engaged responsive to determining that the second timer has expired, determine whether the dispense counter has an incremented value greater than a threshold value responsive to determining that the dispense counter is active, set the first timer to a fourth time period and start the first timer responsive to determining that the dispense counter has an incremented value greater than the threshold value, determine whether the first timer has expired, and set the first timer to the second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the first timer has expired, and turn the visual indicator off responsive to starting the first timer with the second time period setting.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the first time period is less than eight seconds, the second time period is less than 45 seconds, and first value is less than one second.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the second value is less than 4 seconds and the third time period is less than one second.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the fourth time period is less than six seconds.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the product includes a flowable liquid.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the system further includes a visual indicator communicatively connected to the processor, wherein the processor is further operative to turn on the visual indicator responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor, and turn off the visual indicator responsive to starting the first timer with the second time period setting.

23. A method for dispensing a product, the method comprising:

determining whether an object is sensed by a sensor;

incrementing a dispense counter;

dispensing a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor;

determining whether the dispense counter has an incremented value greater than a threshold value;

setting the first timer to a first time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the dispense counter has an incremented value greater than the threshold value;

determining whether the first timer has expired; and

setting the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the first timer has expired.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises setting the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the dispense counter has an incremented value less than the threshold value.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises:

turning on a visual indicator responsive to determining that an object is sensed by the sensor; and

turning off the visual indicator responsive to starting the first timer with the second time period setting.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

turning on a visual indicator responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor; and

turning off the visual indicator responsive to starting the first timer with the second time period setting.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the first timer has expired responsive to setting the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer; and

clearing the dispense counter responsive to determining that the first timer has expired.

28. A method for dispensing a product, the method comprising:

determining whether an object is sensed by a sensor;

turning on a visual indicator responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor;

dispensing a product;

determining whether the sensor is obstructed; and

turning off the visual indicator responsive to determining that sensor is not obstructed.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the determining whether the sensor is obstructed includes determining whether an object is sensed by the sensor and setting a delay timer responsive to determining that the object is sensed by the sensor.