Automatic cleaning-liquid dispensing device

• US 4,989,755 A
• Filed: 11/21/1989
• Issued: 02/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guey-Chuan Shiau
• Original Assignee: Guey-Chuan Shiau
• Inventors: Shiau, Guey-Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DeRosa, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US07/439,301
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 222/52, 222/63, 222/642, 222/648, 222/649, 4/623, 4/624, 141/351, 141/348, 141/360, 141/361, 141/362
• US Class Current: 222/63
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

An automatic cleaning-fluid dispensing device includes: a containing structure for containing cleaning fluid; a sensing device disposed on a base member being installed in the lower portion of said containing structure wherein said base member is provided with an outlet, a sensing circuit disposed on a circuit board, a motor arrangement electrically connected to the sensing circuit, an outlet for passing a light source of the sensing circuit therefrom so as to detect the presence of an external object closing on the light source; and a dispensing mechanism, which is composed of a push structure functionally connected with the driving motor and a pumping structure operatively engaged with the push structure, installed on the base member in connection with the sensing device; whereby when an external object closes to the sensing device, a given amount of the contained cleaning fluid in the containing structure will be automatically supplied for cleaning purposes.

Claims

1. An automatic cleaning-fluid dispensing device comprising:

a containing structure having an upper containing unit for containing cleaning fluid therein, a cleaning fluid orifice located in a bottom side of said upper containing unit and a lower housing having an open section in a back side thereof connected to said bottom side;

a sensing means located within said open section of said lower housing for performing external-object sensing operation;

said sensing means including a base plate having an outlet formed in conjunction with said open section of said lower housing, a motor arrangement including an eccentric gear driven by a driving motor, and a microswitch for actuating said motor arrangement; and

a dispensing means installed in said lower housing and having a push structure functionally connected with said sensing means for providing a sway action and a pumping structure operatively engaged with said push structure for drawing cleaning fluid from said upper containing unit according to said sway action of said push structure;

said push structure positioned on top of said driving motor and formed with a push member and a guide frame, said push member including an inside open recess situated on top of said eccentric gear of said motor arrangement and an arch-shaped member fixed on a back side of said push member for making contact with said microswitch of said sensing means, and said guide member fixed onto said driving motor and having a sliding slot slidingly engaging said push member so as to provide said sway action by enabling said push member to be pushed to sway left and right by action of said eccentric gear of said driving motor thereon;

said pumping structure supported by said base plate and including a suction nozzle resiliently provided at one end thereof, an inlet port located at another end thereof in communication with said suction nozzle and communicatively connected to said cleaning fluid orifice of said upper containing unit, and a flow tube communicatively linked between said suction nozzle and said outlet of said base plate;

so that when an external object under said lower housing is sensed by said sensing means, said sensing means will be energized to rotate said driving motor causing said eccentric gear to push said push member to sway left and right against said suction nozzle to supply a given amount of cleaning fluid from said upper containing unit onto the external object for cleaning purposes, as well as to turn off said driving motor to stop flow of said cleaning fluid.

2. An automatic cleaning-fluid dispensing device according to claim 1 wherein said sensing means further comprises:

said base plate having a first support member, a second support member for supporting said pumping structure, and a plurality of fitting openings respectively provided thereon, installed in the bottom side of said lower housing through said open section thereof;

said eccentric gear said of motor arrangement connected to a motor shaft of said driving motor and located at a top end of said motor arrangement for being actuated to rotate thereat; and

a sensing circuit disposed on a circuit board, having said microswitch as a part thereof electrically coupled with said driving motor and photoelectric elements arranged thereon, fixed on said first support member of said base plate with said photoelectric elements located near said outlet of said base plate for emitting detecting light therefrom so as to sense the presence of the external object and actuate said motor arrangement therewith.