Power Management System For Dispensers

• US 20150280441A1
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SmartWave Technologies Corp.
• Original Assignee: SmartWave Technologies Corp.
• Inventors: Zosimadis, Peter, Waterhouse, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,079,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/36 with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3625 with electronic control means
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/12 for liquid or pasty soap
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/002 Intermediate AC, e.g. DC supply with intermediated AC distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

A power management system for dispensers is described. The system includes a controller connected to a lower power zero net voltage (ZNV) power source. A power rectification circuit (PRC) converts ZNV power to higher voltage direct current (HVDC) power. An energy storage system connected to the HVDC power source receives and stores HVDC power within the energy storage system which is selectively provided to a dispenser motor load connected to the energy storage system. The system provides an effective solution to the problem of transferring power from a low power battery source on a disposable product to a dispenser as well as providing a system that minimizes corrosion at the electrical interface between the disposable product and the dispenser particularly in higher humidity environments.

Claims

1. A system for managing power delivery to a dispenser, the system comprising:

a controller operatively connected to a lower power zero net voltage (ZNV) power source, the controller having a power rectification circuit (PRC) for converting the ZNV power source to a higher voltage direct current (HVDC) power source;

at least one energy storage system operatively connected to the HVDC power source for receiving and storing HVDC power within the at least one energy storage system; and

a dispenser load operatively connected to the at least one energy storage system.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein the controller includes means for selectively directing HVDC power to the at least one energy storage system to charge the at least one energy storage system and means for selectively directing power from the at least one energy storage system to the dispenser load based on load demand.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein the energy storage system includes at least one capacitor.

4. The system as in claim 3 further comprising an auxiliary power cell operatively connected to the HVDC power source for receiving and storing HVDC power within the auxiliary power cell and wherein the controller includes means for selectively directing HVDC power to each of the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell to charge the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell and means for selectively directing power from the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell to the dispenser load based on load demand.

5. The system as in claim 4, where the controller prioritizes power to the dispenser load from the at least one capacitor ahead of the auxiliary power cell.

6. The system as in claim 3 wherein the controller includes at least one switch operatively connected between the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell for selectively directing power to either the at least one capacitor or auxiliary power cell to charge either the at least one capacitor or auxiliary power cell.

7. The system as in claim 6 wherein the controller includes voltage measuring means operatively connected to the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell for measuring the voltage of the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell and wherein the controller prioritizes power delivery from the HVDC power source to the at least one capacitor or auxiliary power cell based on actual measured voltage of the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell.

8. The system as in claim 7 wherein the controller prioritizes power delivery from the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell to the dispenser load based on actual measured voltage of the at least one capacitor and auxiliary power cell.

9. The system as in claim 3 wherein when there is no dispenser load demand, the controller directs HVDC power to either the at least one capacitor and auxiliary battery to trickle charge the at least one capacitor and auxiliary battery.

10. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a low power direct current (LPDC) power source operatively connected to a switching circuit for converting the LPDC power source to a ZNV power source and wherein the ZNV power is operatively connected to the controller.

11. The system as in claim 10 wherein the ZNV power source comprises alternate positive and negative voltage pulses of equal but opposite voltages, the system further comprising a data circuit operatively connected to the switching circuit and wherein data within the data circuit is blended to the alternate positive and negative voltage pulses of the ZNV power source as alternating positive and negative voltage pulses having a lower voltage representative of data within the data circuit.

12. The system as in claim 10 wherein the controller includes a decoding circuit for interpreting the data pulses within the ZNV power source.

13. The system as in claim 10 where the switching circuit and LVDC power source are operatively connected to a replaceable component connectable to the controller through a detachable electrical interface.

14. The system as in claim 13 where the detachable electrical interface includes non-moving electrical contacts between the replaceable component and dispenser.

15. The system as in claim 13 where the detachable electrical interface includes moving contacts between the consumable and dispenser.

16. The system as in claim 4 where the auxiliary power cell is a non-rechargeable battery.

17. The system as in claim 13 wherein the replaceable component moves relative to the dispenser during operation and the replaceable component and dispenser collectively include an energy recapture system operatively connected to the replaceable component and dispenser for capturing kinetic energy within the at least one energy storage system and/or auxiliary power cell.

18. A system for managing power delivery to a dispenser load and for transferring power across an electrical interface between a dispenser and a replaceable component of the dispenser, the system comprising:

a replaceable component controller and a first power cell operatively connected to the replaceable component, the replaceable component controller having a power inversion circuit (PIC) for converting direct current power from the first power cell to a zero net voltage (ZNV) power signal;

a first circuit operatively connected to the dispenser for receiving the ZNV power signal across the electrical interface, the first circuit for converting the ZNV power signal to higher voltage direct current (HVDC) power;

at least one power storage device operatively connected to the first circuit for receiving HVDC power;

a second controller operatively connected to the first circuit, at least one power storage device and to a dispenser load, the second controller having;

means for selectively directing HVDC power to the at least one power storage device to charge the at least one power storage device;

means for selectively directing stored power within the at least one power storage device to the dispenser load.

19. The system as in claim 18 further comprising an auxiliary power cell operatively connected to the second controller and wherein the second controller has means for selectively directing HVDC power to the auxiliary power cell.

20. The system as in claim 18, wherein the at least one power storage device includes a capacitor and where the second controller includes means to prioritize power to the dispenser load from the capacitor ahead of the auxiliary power cell.

21. The system as in claim 20 wherein the second controller includes at least one switch operatively connected between the capacitor and auxiliary power cell for selectively directing power to either the capacitor or auxiliary power cell to charge either the capacitor or auxiliary power cell.

22. The system as in claim 20 wherein the second controller includes voltage measuring means operatively connected to the capacitor and auxiliary power cell for measuring the voltage of the capacitor and auxiliary power cell and wherein the second controller prioritizes power delivery from the HVDC power source to the capacitor or auxiliary power cell based on actual measured voltage of the capacitor and auxiliary power cell.

23. The system as in claim 20 wherein the second controller prioritizes power delivery from the capacitor and auxiliary power cell to the dispenser load based on actual measured voltage of the capacitor and auxiliary power cell.

24. The system as in claim 20 wherein when there is no dispenser load demand, the second controller selectively directs HVDC power to one of the capacitor or auxiliary battery to trickle charge the capacitor or auxiliary battery.

25. The system as in claim 18 wherein the ZNV power source comprises alternate positive and negative voltage pulses of equal but opposite voltages, the system further comprising a data circuit operatively connected to the replaceable component controller and wherein data from within the data circuit is blended to the alternate positive and negative voltage pulses of the ZNV power source as alternating positive and negative voltage pulses having a lower voltage representative of data within the data circuit.

26. The system as in claim 25 wherein the second controller includes a decoding circuit for interpreting the data pulses within the ZNV power source.

27. A method of transferring power from a first energy storage system on a replaceable component to a second energy storage system on a second component across a contact interface between the replaceable component and the second component and for managing power on the second component for delivery to an electrical load configured to the second component, the method comprising the steps of:

a. inverting direct current from a lower voltage power cell on the replaceable component to a zero net voltage (ZNV) signal;

b. transferring the ZNV signal across the contact interface to the second component;

c. rectifying the ZNV signal to higher voltage direct current (HVDC) power;

d. charging the second energy storage system with the HVDC power and

e. releasing energy from the second energy storage system to the electrical load based on user demand.

28. The method as in claim 27 wherein the second energy storage system includes at least one capacitor and a second power cell system and step d includes selectively charging the second power cell system or the second energy storage system.

29. The method as in claim 28 wherein step d includes prioritizing charging of the at least capacitor before charging the second power cell system.

30. The method as in claim 29 wherein step e includes prioritizing the release of power to the electrical load from the at least one capacitor.

31. The method as in claim 30 wherein the ZNV power signal comprises positive and negative voltage pulses of equal but opposite voltages, the method further comprising the step of blending data within the replaceable component into the ZNV power source as alternating positive and negative voltage data pulses having a lower voltage relative to the ZNV voltages and wherein the data pulses are representative of data within the replaceable component.

32. The method as in claim 31 further comprising the step of decoding data within the ZNV power signal within the second component and interpreting that data for assessing if the replaceable component is authorized for use with the second component.

33. The method as in claim 27 wherein when the replaceable component moves relative to the second component during operation, the method further comprises the step of recapturing kinetic energy of the replaceable component for use within the second component.