Automatic liquid soap supply device

• US 5,299,713 A
• Filed: 09/17/1992
• Issued: 04/05/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: INAX Corporation (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: INAX Corporation (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saitoh, Shiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bomberg, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US07/945,910
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 4/623, 4/628, 4/605, 4/638, 222/51, 222/63, 222/66, 222/642, 222/255, 222/263, 222/265, 222/266, 222/279, 222/330, 222/252
• US Class Current: 222/51
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

An automatic liquid soap supply device is formed of: a plurality of sub-units each having a use detection circuit for detecting the use of a liquid soap supply tap and a pump driving circuit connected with the use detection circuit, pumps each disposed to each of the sub-units, connected to each of the pump driving circuits for supplying a liquid soap to each of the supply taps and a main unit having a single power source circuit connected with each of the use detection circuits.

Claims

1. An automatic liquid soap supply device comprising:

a plurality of liquid soap supply taps to eject liquid soap,

a plurality of sub-units associated with the respective liquid soap supply taps, each sub-unit having a sensor for sensing presence of a hand located under the liquid soap supply tap, a use detection circuit connected to the sensor and a pump driving circuit connected to and activated by said use detection circuit,

a reservoir for storing the liquid soap to supply the liquid soap to the respective liquid soap supply taps,

pumps disposed to the respective sub-units, each pump being connected to each pump driving circuit for supplying the liquid soap in the reservoir to each supply tap, and

a main unit having a single power source circuit connected with each of said use detection circuits

so that each pump is driven to supply the liquid soap to the liquid soap supply tap when the sensor detects the hand.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a level detection circuit for detecting a level of the liquid soap in the reservoir so that each pump is actuated when said sensor detects the hand while said level detection circuit detects the level higher than a predetermined level.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein a detection signal is inputted to the use detection circuit from the sensor when the hand put below the supply tap is detected.

4. A device as defined in claim 2, further comprising a level sensor disposed in the reservoir to provide a detection signal to the level detection circuit.

5. A device as defined in claim 2, further comprising an indication lamp which is lighted-up by the level detection circuit when the level of the liquid soap in the reservoir is below the predetermined level.