Fluid dispenser

• US 6,209,751 B1
• Filed: 09/14/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gerenraich Family Trust
• Original Assignee: Woodward Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Regla, Peter A., Pribonic, Edward M., Goodin, John W., Gerenraich, Kenneth B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Application Number:
  US09/395,435
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 222/52, 222/181.1, 222/181.3, 222/207, 222/212, 222/325, 222/544, 222/547, 222/559, 141/351
• US Class Current: 222/52
• 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

Abstract

A fluid dispenser includes a disposable reservoir for containing a fluid and a tube depending therefrom for dispensing measured quantities of fluid. The tube includes a fluid dispensing orifice and a plunger for forcing measured quantities of fluid through the orifice. A solenoid disposed adjacent tube magnetically engages and moves the plunger in order to cause the plunger to force the measured quantities of fluid through the orifice. A control system is provided which includes a Theremin antenna for sensing the presence of a user'"'"'s hand beneath the orifice and providing electrical current to the solenoid to enable the solenoid to magnetically engage and move the plunger.

Claims

1. A fluid dispenser comprising:

a housing;

reservoir means, disposed in said housing, for containing a supply of fluid;

tubular means for receiving fluid from said reservoir means by the force of gravity, said tubular means having an orifice and a valve seat disposed at a dispensing end of said tubular means;

a plunger slidably disposed within said tubular means for movement between a first and a second position, said plunger having an opening therethrough for enabling fluid to flow past the plunger and a valve face for sealably engaging said valve seat in the plunger first position;

solenoid means disposed in said housing adjacent said tubular means, for magnetically engaging and moving said plunger from the first position to the second position upon activation of said solenoid means by electrical current, the second position being above the first position with said valve face disengaged from said valve seat, movement of said plunger to the second position causing fluid flow past said plunger into a tubular means lower portion;

spring means, disposed within said tubular means, for forcing said plunger to the first position upon deactivization of said solenoid means in order to force fluid in the tubular means lower portion through said orifice and provide sealing pressure between the valve face and valve seat to prevent fluid leakage;

first one-way valve means for preventing fluid in a tubular means lower portion from flowing past said plunger as the plunger moves to the first position and enabling fluid from a tubular means upper portion to flow into the tubular means lower portion as the plunger moves to the second position; and

control means for sensing the presence of a user'"'"'s hand beneath said orifice and providing electrical current to said solenoid means for a duration of time.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said tubular means is fixed to said reservoir means and removable therewith from said housing.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said solenoid means has a torroidal shape and said tubular means is removably disposed therethrough.

4. The fluid dispenser according to claim 1 further comprising means for enabling self-cleaning of the valve face and valve seat, the means for enabling self-cleaning including mating angular surfaces on the valve face and valve seat in order to provide sliding engagement therebetween to expel any coagulated fluid.

5. The dispenser according to claim 1 further comprising second one-way valve means for preventing fluid flow out of the tubular means upper portion as the plunger moves to the second position and enabling fluid flow into the tubular means upper portion on the plunger moves to the first position.

6. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes a Theremin antenna for sensing the presence of the user'"'"'s hand.

7. The dispenser according to claim 6, wherein said Theremin antenna is disposed at a bottom of said housing in a spaced apart relationship with said valve seat and has an aperture for passage of fluid therethrough.

8. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said aperture is disposed in a relatively horizontal portion of said Theremin antenna, and said antenna further includes upstanding portion means for enabling the antenna to generally conform to a shape of a user'"'"'s palm.

9. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said plunger, valve seat and antenna are vertically aligned to enable movement of said plunger, via activation of said solenoid means by said control means, by vertical upward and downward movement of a user'"'"'s palm below the antenna, said control means providing electrical current to said solenoid means upon each upward movement of the user'"'"'s palm.

10. The dispenser according to claim 6, wherein said control means includes a second sensor means for sensing the presence of the user'"'"'s hand and processing means for providing electrical current to said solenoid means upon confirmation of both the Theremin and the second sensor means sensing the presence of the user'"'"'s hand.

11. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes first and second sensor means for sensing the presence of the user'"'"'s hand and processing means for providing electrical current to said solenoid means only upon confirmation of both sensors means sensing the presence of the user'"'"'s hand.

12. The dispenser according to claim 1 further comprising light sensor means for deactivating said control means at a low light level in order to conserve electrical power.

13. A fluid dispenser comprising:

disposable reservoir means for containing a fluid and including tubular means, depending from the reservoir and receiving fluid therefrom, for dispensing different measured quantities of said fluid, said tubular means including a fluid dispensing orifice;

plunger means for forcing said measured quantities of fluid through said orifice;

solenoid means disposed adjacent said tubular means for magnetically engaging and moving said plunger means causing said plunger means to force said measured quantities of fluid through said orifice; and

control means including a Theremin antenna for sensing a duration of the presence of a user'"'"'s hand beneath said orifice and providing a corresponding electrical current to said solenoid means to enable said solenoid means to magnetically engage and move said plunger to dispense the different measured fluid quantities dependent of the duration of user'"'"'s hand presence, said Theremin antenna being disposed below said plunger means at a spaced apart distance therefrom and having an aperture for passage of fluid therethrough.

14. The dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said antenna further includes upstanding portion means for enabling the antenna to generally conform to the shape of a user'"'"'s palm.

15. The dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said plunger means and antenna are vertically aligned to enable movement of said plunger means, via said solenoid means and control means, by vertical upward and downward movement of a user'"'"'s palm below said antenna, said control means providing electrical current to said solenoid means upon each upward movement of the user'"'"'s palm.

16. The dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said solenoid means is torroidal and said tubular means is removably disposed therethrough.

17. The dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said plunger means is disposed within said tubular means for movement between a first and a second position, said plunger means having an opening therethrough for enabling fluid to flow past said plunger means, said tubular means including an orifice valve having a valve seat and a valve face, said valve face being fixed to said plunger means.

18. The dispenser according to claim 17 wherein said solenoid means is disposed adjacent said tubular means in a position for moving said plunger means between a first and a second position, said valve face sealably engaging said valve seat in the first position, the second position being above the first position with said valve face disengaged from said valve seat, movement of said plunger means to the second position causing fluid flow past said plunger means into a tubular means lower portion.

19. The dispenser according to claim 18 further comprising spring means, disposed within said tubular means, for forcing said plunger means to the first position upon deactivization of said solenoid means in order to force fluid in the tubular means lower portion through said orifice and provide sealing pressure between the valve face and valve seat to prevent fluid leakage.

20. The dispenser according to claim 19 further comprising first one-way valve means for preventing fluid in the tubular means lower portion from flowing past said plunger as the plunger moves to the first position and enabling fluid in a tubular meals upper portion to flow into the tubular means lower portion as the plunger moves to the second position.

21. The dispenser according to claim 20 further comprising second one-way valve means for preventing fluid flow out of the tubular means upper portion as the plunger moves to the second position and enabling fluid flow into the tubular means upper portion as the plunger moves to the first position.

22. The dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said control means includes a second sensor means for sensing the presence of the user'"'"'s hand and processing means for providing electrical current to said solenoid means only upon confirmation of both the Theremin antenna and the second sensor means sensing the presence of the user'"'"'s hand.

23. The dispenser according to claim 13 further comprising light sensor means for deactivating said control means at a low light level in order to conserve electrical energy.

24. A fluid dispenser comprising:

a housing;

a reservoir, removably attached to said housing, for containing a supply of fluid;

a tube for receiving fluid from said reservoir by the force of gravity, said tube having an orifice and a valve seat disposed at a dispensing end of said tubular means;

a plunger slidably disposed within said tube for movement between a first and a second position, said plunger having an opening therethrough for enabling fluid to flow past the plunger and a valve face for sealably engaging said valve seat in the plunger from the first position to the second position upon activation of said solenoid means by electrical current, the second position being above the first position with said valve face disengaged from said valve seat, movement of said plunger to the second position causing fluid flow past said plunger into a tube lower portion;

a spring, disposed within said tube, for forcing said plunger to the first position upon deactivization of said solenoid means in order to force fluid in the tubular means lower portion through said orifice and provide sealing pressure between the valve face and valve seat to prevent fluid leakage; and

a control system including a sensor for sensing the presence of a user'"'"'s hand beneath said orifice and providing electrical current to said solenoid for direction of time, said sensor comprising a Theremin antenna, said control system including a second sensor for sensing the presence of the user'"'"'s hand and processing means for providing electrical current to said solenoid means only upon confirmation of both the Theremin antenna and the second sensors sensing the presence of the user'"'"'s hand.

25. The fluid dispenser according to claim 24 further comprising means for enabling self-cleaning of the valve face and valve seat, said last mentioned means including mating angular surfaces on the valve face and valve seat in order to provide sliding engagement therebetween to expel any coagulated fluid.

26. The dispenser according to claim 24 wherein said tube is fixed to said reservoir and removable therewith from said housing.

27. The dispenser according to claim 26 wherein said solenoid has a torroidal shape and said tube is removably disposed therethrough.

28. The dispenser according to claim 27 further comprising a first one-way valve for preventing fluid in the tubular means lower portion from flowing past said plunger as the plunger moves to the first position and enabling fluid in a tube upon portion to flow into the tube lower portion as the plunger moves to the second position.

29. The dispenser according to claim 28 further comprising a second one-way valve for preventing fluid flow out of the tube upper portion as the plunger moves to the second position and enabling fluid flow into the tube upper portion as the plunger moves to the first position.

30. The dispenser according to claim 24 wherein said Theremin antenna is disposed at a bottom of said housing in a spaced apart relationship with said valve seat and having an aperture for passage of fluid therethrough.

31. The dispenser according to claim 30 wherein said aperture is disposed in a relatively horizontal portion of said Theremin antenna, and said antenna further includes upstanding portion means for enabling the antenna to generally conform to the shape of a user'"'"'s palm.

32. The dispenser according to claim 30 wherein said plunger, valve seat and antenna are vertically aligned to enable movement of said plunger, via activation of said solenoid means by said control means, by vertical approval and downward movement of a user'"'"'s palm below the antenna, said control means providing electric current to said solenoid means upon each upward movement of the user'"'"'s palm.