Electrically operated dispensing apparatus and disposable container useable therewith

• US 4,722,372 A
• Filed: 08/02/1985
• Issued: 02/02/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott Paper Company Industrial Highway At Tinicum Island Road Delaware Pennsylvania
• Original Assignee: Louis Hoffman Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Watkins, Richard D., Bohmer, William, DeVito, Ralph J., Langille, Brian R., Kerch, Martha E., Sanders, Charles B., Hoffman, Louis S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cusick, Ernest G.
• Application Number:
  US06/762,126
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 141/1, 141/98, 141/94, 141/348, 141/351, 141/83, 141/360-362, 141/114, 4/623, 4/304, 4/313, 222/52, 222/62, 222/207, 222/212, 222/213, 222/214, 137/562, 250/221, 417/478, 417/479, 128/205.18, 128/205.13
• US Class Current: 141/98
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1209 with chamber in the form of a cylindrical tube
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1214 applied by gravitational force
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/941 using an optical detector H03K17/968 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85946 Faucet connected, sink drained

Abstract

Electrical batteries are integrated with a disposable container of flowable material for powering a dispensing apparatus. The disposable container includes a deformable chamber for containing a predetermined quantity of material to be dispensed, and an electrically energized actuating member deforms the chamber for dispensing the flowable material. The dispensing apparatus is actuated by a photocell system which electrically energizes the actuating member in response to the proximity of a user to the dispensing apparatus without the user contacting the apparatus. The photocell system normally is inactive, and is rendered active by a sensor for detecting the proximity of a user to the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing flowable material comprising:

a disposable container for holding flowable material to be dispensed,

releasing means integrated with the container for releasing a predetermined amount of flowable material from the disposable container when the releasing means is actuated, said releasing means including an elongated chamber connected at one end portion thereof to the interior of the container with the end portion of the chamber having an opening therein, said chamber having a deformable wall portion disposed between its end portions,

actuating means when electrically energized for displacing the deformable wall portion of the chamber for dispensing the flowable material, said actuating means including a pad disposed adjacent the deformable wall portion, a pivotably mounted lever for supporting the pad and an electrical motor coupled to the lever for moving the pad between a rest position and an operating position in which the pad displaces the deformable wall portion of the chamber; and

means engaged with the pivotably mounted lever for deenergizing the electrical motor when the pad supported by the pivotably mounted lever is substantially in the operating position.

2. An apparatus for dispensing flowable material having a disposable, flexible container for holding flowable material to be dispensed, releasing means integrated with and disposable with the container for releasing a predetermined amount of flowable material from the disposable container when the releasing means is actuated, a disposable jacket in which is disposed said flexible container, said releasing means extending through a wall of the jacket so as to be located outside said jacket so that said releasing means can be actuated, actuating means when electrically energized for actuating the releasing means to release the predetermined amount of material and energizing means responsive to an input signal for energizing the actuating means;

characterized in that at least one disposable receptacle is disposed within the jacket adjacent to, and disposable with the jacket and container, said receptacle receiving at least one electrical battery to electrically energize the dispensing apparatus and in which the apparatus further comprises means for providing an electrical connection to the at least one receptacle through a wall of said jacket.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that there is a plurality of disposable receptacles disposed adjacent to, and disposable with the disposable container, a predetermined fraction of the receptacles, less than one, being adapted to contain electrical batteries sufficient to electrically energize the apparatus for dispensing, and in which the means for providing an electrical connection to the at least one receptacle is adapted to be connected only to the predetermined fraction of the receptacles for transmitting electrical energy to the apparatus.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the disposable container is one of a plurality of different disposable containers and in which different predetermined fractions, less than one, of the plurality of receptacles being adapted to contain electrical batteries corresponds to a container which is a different predetermined one of the plurality of different disposable containers.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which the energizing means responsive to an input signal for energizing the actuating means comprises photoelectric means for activating the actuating means with electircal energy in response to the proximity of a portion of the body of a user of the dispensing apparatus adjacent said photoelectric means without the portion of the body of the user contacting the dispensing apparatus, further charcterized by enabling means responsive to the proximity of a portion of the body of a user of the dispensing apparatus without the portion of the body of the user contacting the dispensing apparatus for enabling the photoelectric means so that the actuating means will actuate the releasing means in response to the proximity of a portion of the body of a user adjacent said photoelectric means.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which the photoelectirc means is deenergized prior to being enabled by the enabling means, to thereby reduce the consumption of electrical energy.

7. A disposable device for holding flowable material which is to be released by a dispensing apparatus having an electrically energized actuating means, said disposable device comprising structure for forming a disposable, flexible container for holding flowable material to be dispensed, the container having an opening extending into the interior of the container, releasing means integrated with the container disposed adjacent the opening therein for releasing a predetermined amount of flowable material from the disposable container when the releasing means is actuated by the electrically energized actuating means, a disposable jacket in which is disposed said flexible container, further characterized by structure forming at least one receptacle disposed within the jacket adjacent to, and disposable with the container for receiving at least one electrical battery in the receptacle to electrically energize a dispensing apparatus having means for providing an electircal connection to the at least one receptacle, said jacket including means for permitting said electrical connection to be made to said at least one receptacle within the jacket.

8. The disposable device for holding flowable material in accordance with claim 7 characterized in that there is a plurality of receptacles disposed adjacent to, and disposable with the disposable container, a predetermined fraction of the plurality of receptacles, less than one, being adapted to contain electrical batteries sufficient to electrically energize the apparatus for dispensing, and in which the means for providing an electrical connection to the at least one receptacle is adapted to be connected only to the predetermiend fraction of the receptacles for transmitting electrical energy to the apparatus.

9. A system for initiating operation of a dispensing apparatus in response to the proximity of a portion of the body of a user of the dispensing apparatus without the portion of the body of the user contacting the dispensing apparatus, the dispensing apparatus having actuating means for dispensing material when electrically energized, comprising activating means for activating the actuating means with electrical energy, said activating means including sensing means adapted to be mounted on the dispensing apparatus for sensing electromagnetic radiation applied thereto when said activating means is enabled, and means responsive to a change in electromagnetic radiation sensed by the sensing means when the activating means is enabled and a portion of the body of a user is proximate to the sensing means without the portion of the body of the user contacting the dispensing apparatus for applying electrical energy to the actuating means, characterized by enabling means adapted to be mounted on the dispensing apparatus and responsive to the proximity of a portion of the body of a user of the dispensing apparatus to the enabling means without the portion of the body of the user contacting the dispensing apparatus for enabling the activating means.

10. The system in accordance with claim 9 in which the enabling means comprises detecting means mounted on the dispensing apparatus for detecting a change in ambient light applied thereto when a portion of the body of a user is proximate to the dispensing apparatus without the portion of the body of the user contacting the dispensing apparatus, the detecting of a change in ambient light by the detecting means enabling the activating means.

11. The system in accordance with claim 9 characterized in that the activating means is deenergized prior to being enabled by the enabling means to thereby reduce the consumption of electrical energy.

12. The system in accordance with claim 9 characterized in that the enabling means comprises detecting means for detecting a change in ambient light applied thereto when a portion of a hand of a user is proximate to the detecting means, said enabling means enabling the activating means upon the detection of a change in ambient light.

13. The system in accordnace with claim 9 characterized in that the enabling means for enabling the activating means enables said activating means for a predetermined period of time.

14. The system in accordance with claim 9 further characterized by means responsive to the occurrence of a predetermined number of actuations by the actuating means within a predetermined time interval for preventing operation of the actuating means subsequent to the occurrence.

15. An system in accordance with claim 14 characterized in that the means responsive to the occurrence of a predetermined plurality of input signals within a predetermined time interval for preventing operation of the actuating means comprises means for timing the extent of the predetermined interval, means for counting the plurality of input signals, and means for determining the counting of the predetermined plurality of input signals within the timing of the predetermined interval for preventing operation of the actuating means.

16. The system in accordance with claim 14 further characterized by means responsive to the means for preventing operation of the actuating means subsequent to the occurrence for enabling operation of the actuating means after the passage of a redetermined time period from the time of preventing operation.

17. An apparatus for controlling the operation of a device for dispensing material having releasing means for releasing material to be dispensed and actuating means for actuating the releasing means to release the material characterized by means responsive to an input signal for actuating the actuating means for a predetermiend cycle of operation of the releasing means;

and disabling means responsive to the occurrence of a predetermined number of input signals within a predetermined time interval for preventing operation of the actuating means subsequent to the occurrence.

18. The apparatus in accordance with claim 17 which the disabling means is characterized by means for timing the extent of the predetermined interval, means for counting the plurality of input signals, and means for determining the counting of the predetermined plurality of input signals within the timing of the predetermined interval for preventing operation of the actuating means.

19. The apparatus in accordance with claim 17, further characterized by enabling means responsive to the means for preventing operation of the actuating means subsequent to the occurrence for enabling operation of the actuating means after the passage of a predetermined time period from the time of preventing operation.

20. An apparatus for dispensing flowable material having a disposable container for holding flowable material to be dispensed, means integrated with the container for releasing a predetermined amount of flowable material from the disposable container when the releasing means is actuated, actuating means when electrically energized for actuating the releasing means to release the predetermiend amount of material, said actuating means comprising an electrical motor, further characterized by braking means responsive to the advancement of the motor for braking said motor after the release of a predetermined amount of material.

21. The apparatus in accordance with claim 20 in which the means for braking the electrial motor comprises means for dynamically braking the electrical motor.