Fluid Dispenser with Cleaning/Maintenance Mode

• US 20130075420A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jr., Ralph Hallett Dean
• Inventors: Tramontina, Paul Francis, Halls, Malcolm C., Dean, Ralph Hallett Jr.
• Application Number:
  US13/241,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20130075420A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2005/1218 Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1205 Dispensing from the top of the dispenser with a vertical piston
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/16 with mechanical drive food mixers A47J43/04
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/001 Snap-on-twist-off type connections
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0056 with an additional opening for filling or refilling
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0075 Two outlet valves being placed in a delivery conduit, one downstream the other
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1052 Actuation means locking means therefor B05B11/1059; the dispensing stroke being affected by the stored energy of a spring B05B11/109
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1087 Combination of liquid and air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1097 with means for sucking back the liquid or other fluent material in the nozzle after a dispensing stroke
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0037 including sieves, porous members or the like

Abstract

The present invention provides an automatic liquid/foam dispenser with a deactivation means that allows cleaning/maintenance of the nozzle and sink without the dispenser dispensing the liquid/foam during cleaning/maintenance.

Claims

1. An electronic fluid dispenser comprising:

a. a reservoir for holding a fluid to be dispensed;

b. a pump having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the pump draws the fluid from the reservoir through the inlet and expels the fluid through the outlet;

c. a dispensing tube directly or indirectly connected to the outlet of the pump;

d. a nozzle which is adapted to receive the dispensing tube and to dispense the fluid to a user;

e. a motor;

f. an attenuator in communication with the motor, wherein the attenuator activates the pump to dispense the fluid from the dispenser when the motor is activated;

g. a processor in communication with the motor;

h. a sensor to detect the presence of a user, the sensor in communication with the processor such that when the sensor detects the presence of a user, the sensor provides an input to the processor; and

i. a switching means for deactivating the fluid dispenser, the switching means is in communication with the processor;

wherein when the switching means is activated, the switching means provides an input to the processor, and the processor is configured to cease the dispenser from dispensing the fluid for a period of time.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the switching means comprises a mechanical switch.

3. The fluid dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the mechanical switch comprises a push button, or a toggle switch.

4. The fluid dispenser according to claim 2, wherein fluid dispenser further comprises a motor housing, wherein the processor and motor are located in the motor housing and the mechanical switch is located on the motor housing.

5. The fluid dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the mechanical switch is located on the nozzle.

6. The fluid dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the switching means comprises an electronic switch.

7. The fluid dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the electronic switch comprises a touchscreen, a sensor, a pattern recognition program, a remote transmitter with a wireless receiver.

8. The fluid dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the electronic switch is a pattern recognition program which is incorporated into the processor, wherein the processor is configured to recognize a pattern input from the sensor.

9. The fluid dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is located on a sensor circuit and the processor is configured to deactivate the sensor circuit for the set period of time when a signal is received from the switch means.

10. The fluid dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the period of time is between 15 seconds and 10 minutes.

11. The fluid dispenser according to claim 10, where the period of time is between 20 seconds and 5 minutes.

12. The fluid dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the period of time is between 30 seconds and 3 minutes.

13. The dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a suck back mechanism located between the outlet of the pump and the dispensing tube.

14. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises a liquid soap, a liquid sanitizer, a gel soap, a foam soap precursor or a foaming sanitizer precursor.

15. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is mounted above the counter via a mounting means which extends through the counter.

16. The dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply connected to the processor, sensor and motor.

17. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser is an in-counter dispenser with the nozzle and sensor located above the counter.

18. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the processor is programed to adjust the range of the sensor from a short range sensor to an extended range sensor, when the switching means is activated.

19. A method of deactivating a fluid dispenser for a period of time, said method comprising

a. providing a fluid dispenser having a motor, a pump, a sensor, a processor and a switching means;

b. activating the switching means;

c. sending a signal from the switching means to the processor,

d. having the processor deactivate the fluid dispenser for a period of time, when the signal is received from the switching means.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the set period of time is between 15 seconds and 10 minutes.

21. The method according to claim 20, where the set period of time is between 20 seconds and 5 minutes.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the set period of time is between 30 seconds and 3 minutes.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the sensor is located on a sensor circuit and the processor deactivates the fluid dispenser by deactivating the sensor circuit for the set period of time when a signal is received from the switch means.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the switching means is activated by inputting a pattern into the sensor, and the processor is configured to recognize the pattern which will cause the processor to deactivate the fluid dispenser.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein the switching means is activated by blocking the sensor for a duration of time, and the processor is configured to recognize the duration of time as a signal to deactivate the dispenser.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to deactivate the dispenser for a period of time proportion to the period of time in which the sensor is blocked.

27. The method according to claim 19, wherein when the switching means is activated, the processor adjusts the range of the sensor from a short range sensor to an extended range sensor, wherein the processor continues to deactivate the dispenser so long as the sensor detects an object or and moving in or around a sink in which the dispenser is installed.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the processor has a maximum period of time before the sensor is reset to a short range sensor.