Solar Powered Dispenser System

• US 20150313422A1
• Filed: 05/01/2015
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OP hygiene IP Gmbh
• Original Assignee: OP hygiene IP Gmbh
• Inventors: Ophardt, Heiner, Jones, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,756,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1211 using pressure on soap, e.g. with piston A47K5/1201 takes precedence; by squeezing A47K5/122
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 14/00 Arrangements for collecting, re-using or eliminating excess spraying material arrangements integral with nozzles B05B1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/042 PV modules or arrays of single PV cells supporting structures for PV modules H02S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for dispensing hand cleaning fluid material including a dispenser with a rechargeable battery powered by a solar generator, a remote electrically powered light source spaced from the dispenser directing light onto the solar panel of the dispenser and a control mechanism controlling the operation of the light source in relation to the status and operation of the dispenser.

Claims

1. A method for providing for an electrically powered dispenser of hand cleaning fluid within a building,

the method comprising:

providing a solar element commonly mounted with the dispenser supported by the building,

providing a light source wired to receive power from the building electrical power such that light emitted from the light source is received by the solar element,

generating electrical power with the solar element from the light emitted by the light source received by the solar element and providing the electrical power generated by the solar element to the dispenser;

controlling the electrical power generated by the solar element by the control of the operation of the light source by wireless communication from the dispenser to the light source.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the dispenser is not wired to an AC or DC building electrical source, and

the light source is mounted to a ceiling or to a wall of the of the building at a height below the light source.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the light source includes a light emitter of light, a light controller, and a wireless light communicator;

the light source electrically coupled to the electrical power source;

controlling the operation of the light emitter with the light controller by control of the delivery of electrical power to the light emitter;

the solar element and the dispenser are coupled together proximate each other and spaced from the light emitter;

the dispenser comprising;

a reservoir for a fluid to be dispensed, a pump to dispense the fluid from the dispenser;

a dispenser controller, and a wireless dispenser communicator;

controlling operation of the pump with the dispenser controller;

locating the solar element and the light emitter relatively juxtapositioned spaced from each other with the light emitted by the emitter directed toward and received by the solar element,

generating electrical power with the solar element from the light emitted by the light emitter received by the solar element and providing the electrical power generated to the dispenser,

controlling operation of the light emitter with the dispenser controller and the light controller together controlling operation of the light emitter in relation to the status or the operation of the dispenser by wireless communication between the dispenser controller and the light controller via the wireless dispenser communicator and the wireless light communicator.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the dispenser is a touchless dispenser which includes a hand sensor to sense the presence of a person'"'"'s hand proximate an outlet for the pump,

operating the pump to dispense fluid onto the person'"'"'s hand when the dispenser controller determines with the sensor the presence of a person'"'"'s hand under the outlet.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein controlling the operation of the light emitter having regard to information selected from information regarding the status or the operation of the dispenser;

information regarding the status and operation of the light emitter, and information regarding time.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the dispenser further includes a rechargeable power source, wherein said power generated by the one solar element charges the rechargeable power source,

monitoring with the dispenser controller the status of the rechargeable power source and controlling the operation of the emitter to maintain the status of the rechargeable power source within a certain range of being fully recharged.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the dispenser is mounted on a stand supported by a floor of the building remote from walls of the building, and the light source is mounted to a ceiling of the building above the dispenser.

8. A method as claimed in claim 3 including:

directing with the light emitter a beam of light through atmospheric air away from the light emitter toward the solar element within a cone about an axis passing through the light emitter,

the cone defined within a divergence angle circumferentially about the axis, and a radius of the cone increasing with distance from the light emitter toward the solar element, and the divergence angle is less than 10 degrees.

9. A method as claimed in claim 3 in which the light emitter includes a mount by which the light emitter is mounted to the building, moving the light emitter to relative positions relative the mount to position the light emitter to direct the emitted light toward the solar element.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 including monitoring with the dispenser controller the power generated by the solar element and providing feedback to assist in moving the light emitter to one of the relative positions relative the mount to position the light emitter to direct a maximum amount of light energy on the solar element.

11. A method as claimed in claim 3 including a freestanding support stand with a base for engaging the floor of the building,

the stand extending upwardly from the base,

the solar element is mounted to the support stand,

the dispenser comprising a plurality of said dispensers, each mounted to the support stand with the dispenser controller of each dispenser electrically coupled to the solar element mounted to the support stand.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

the solar element comprises a common element mounted to the support stand,

the dispenser controller is a common controller mounted to the support stand, and

the dispenser controller of each dispenser comprising at least in part the common controller.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a rechargeable common power source mounted to the support stand and coupled to said common controller,

generating said power by said common element charger and delivering it to said rechargeable power source, and

each dispenser controller is electrically coupled to the common power source.

14. A method as claimed in claim 3 including:

dispensing with the pump the fluid from the dispenser downwardly out of a discharge outlet;

providing a drip tray with an upwardly directed tray catch surface located below the outlet,

providing a vertically extending hand space between the outlet and the drip tray above the drip tray within which a person'"'"'s hands may be placed to receive fluid dispensed downwardly from the outlet,

catching fluid falling downwardly from the outlet or from the person'"'"'s hand located in the hand space in the drip tray,

the tray catch surface permitting light incident thereon to pass through the tray catch surface, and

passing the light through the tray catch surface to the solar element below the tray catch surface.

15. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the dispenser further includes a rechargeable power source, wherein said power generated by the one solar element charges the rechargeable power source,

monitoring with the dispenser controller the status of the rechargeable power source and controlling the operation of the emitter to maintain the status of the rechargeable power source within a certain range of being fully recharged.

16. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the dispenser is mounted on a stand supported by a floor of the building remote from walls of the building, and the light source is mounted to a ceiling of the building above the dispenser.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 in which the light emitter includes a mount by which the light emitter is mounted to the building, moving the light emitter to relative positions relative the mount to position the light emitter to direct the emitted light toward the solar element.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 including monitoring with the dispenser controller the power generated by the solar element and providing feedback to assist in moving the light emitter to one of the relative positions relative the mount to position the light emitter to direct a maximum amount of light energy on the solar element.

19. A system for controlling electrical power from a solar element to an electrically powered fluid dispenser by the control of a light source spaced remote from the solar element, wherein:

the light source includes;

a light emitter of light,

a light controller, and

a wireless light communicator;

the light source electrically coupled to an electrical power source;

the light controller controlling the operation of the light emitter by control of the delivery of electrical power to the light emitter;

the solar element and the dispenser are coupled together proximate each other and spaced from the light emitter;

the dispenser comprising;

a reservoir for a fluid to be dispensed,

a pump to dispense the fluid from the dispenser;

a dispenser controller controlling operation of the pump, and

a wireless dispenser communicator;

the solar element and the light emitter relatively juxtapositioned spaced from each other with the light emitted by the emitter directed toward and received by the solar element,

the solar element generates electrical power from the light emitted by the light emitter received by the solar element and provides the electrical power to the dispenser,

the dispenser controller and the light controller together controlling operation of the light emitter in relation to the status or the operation of the dispenser by wireless communication between the dispenser controller and the light controller via the wireless dispenser communicator and the wireless light communicator.

20. A solar powered fluid dispenser comprising:

a reservoir for a fluid to be dispensed,

a pump to dispense the fluid from the dispenser downwardly out of a discharge outlet;

a drip tray located below the outlet,

a vertically extending hand space provided between the outlet and the drip tray above the drip tray within which a person'"'"'s hands may be placed to receive fluid dispensed downwardly from the outlet,

the drip tray having an upwardly directed tray catch surface to catch fluid falling downwardly from the outlet or from the person'"'"'s hand located in the hand space,

the tray catch surface permitting light incident thereon to pass through the tray catch surface,

a solar element located below the tray catch surface to receive the light passing through the tray catch surface and generate electrical power.