Liquid dispenser
First Claim
1. A liquid dispenser, comprising a spout having a fluid conduit therein, a nozzle attached to the end of the spout and having an orifice in communication with the fluid conduit, said orifice being open in a downwardly facing direction and having at least a gravity-reactive portion of said fluid conduit which is in immediate communication with said nozzle being above said orifice, said nozzle being shaped and dimensioned to avoid dripping of a liquid having a known viscosity in said gravity-reactive portion of said fluid conduit, a liquid reservoir, an electrically-actuated pump in fluid communication with the reservoir and with the fluid conduit, said fluid conduit containing during normal operation of said dispenser a column of liquid continuous from said pump and extending to said nozzle, said pump including a solenoid and a plunger and being adapted to pump liquid from the reservoir to the fluid conduit and out the orifice, means for activating the pump including an electromagnetic energy emitter and an electromagnetic energy detector, one of said emitter and detector being mounted in the spout and the other mounted with the nozzle with the emitter directed toward the detector, and circuit means responsive to the interruption of received light at the detector for activating the pump for a controlled cycle to dispense a measured amount of liquid, whereby the shape of said nozzle supports the weight of the liquid in said gravity-reactive portion of said fluid conduit.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrically operable liquid soap dispenser responsive to the presence of a user dispenses a measured amount of soap on demand. It has a spout with a fluid conduit therein connecting a soap reservoir and a nozzle. A pump draws soap from the reservoir during a stroke of its plunger and depending on the embodiment, ejects a measured amount of soap during a subsequent plunger downstroke or upstroke. At least one check valve regulates the flow of soap from the reservoir to an orifice at the nozzle. The soap path from the reservoir to the nozzle is kept full of soap so that a single cycle of the pump is sufficient to eject the desired amount of soap. The orifice is sized and shaped so as to prevent dripping while maintaining soap at the nozzle ready to be ejected. A light beam emitter and detector control operation of the pump.
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Citations
34 Claims
- 1. A liquid dispenser, comprising a spout having a fluid conduit therein, a nozzle attached to the end of the spout and having an orifice in communication with the fluid conduit, said orifice being open in a downwardly facing direction and having at least a gravity-reactive portion of said fluid conduit which is in immediate communication with said nozzle being above said orifice, said nozzle being shaped and dimensioned to avoid dripping of a liquid having a known viscosity in said gravity-reactive portion of said fluid conduit, a liquid reservoir, an electrically-actuated pump in fluid communication with the reservoir and with the fluid conduit, said fluid conduit containing during normal operation of said dispenser a column of liquid continuous from said pump and extending to said nozzle, said pump including a solenoid and a plunger and being adapted to pump liquid from the reservoir to the fluid conduit and out the orifice, means for activating the pump including an electromagnetic energy emitter and an electromagnetic energy detector, one of said emitter and detector being mounted in the spout and the other mounted with the nozzle with the emitter directed toward the detector, and circuit means responsive to the interruption of received light at the detector for activating the pump for a controlled cycle to dispense a measured amount of liquid, whereby the shape of said nozzle supports the weight of the liquid in said gravity-reactive portion of said fluid conduit.
- 26. A liquid dispenser for automatically dispensing a measured quantity of liquid to a user, comprising a proximity detection means for sensing the presence of a user in a detection zone at the liquid dispenser, control means responsive to the detection means when a user is detected, said control means including a means for activating a pump for dispensing the measured quantity of liquid and electrical inhibiting means for effectively locking out the operation of the liquid dispenser for a predetermined minimum interval immediately following the dispensing of liquid to the user, said pump including a solenoid and a plunger.
Specification