Soap dispenser having reward program

• US 6,542,568 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1999
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Copeland, James L., Howes, Ronald Bruce Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUBIN, MARGARET R
• Application Number:
  US09/458,478
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 377/16, 377/21, 377/26
• US Class Current: 377/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

A system for rewarding and encouraging compliance with a predetermined personal hygiene standard in a hygiene compliance program. The system comprises a fluid dispenser. The fluid dispenser includes an actuator. A sensor is connected to the actuator. A processor in electrical communication with the sensor. The processor is configured to increment a count when the sensor is actuated, relate the count to the identification code, and compare the count to a predetermined number.

Claims

1. A method for rewarding and encouraging compliance with a predetermined personal hygiene standard in a hygiene compliance program, the method utilizing an electronic fluid dispenser, the method comprising:

entering a user'"'"'s unique identification code;

activating the fluid dispenser;

sensing activation of the dispensing mechanism;

incrementing a count, the count corresponding to the number of times the fluid dispenser has been activated under the entered unique identification code;

displaying a message when the count equals a predetermined number; and

associating an incentive reward to the corresponding predetermined number.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising displaying the incremented count.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined number is programmable.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising entering an acknowledgment when the incremented count equals the predetermined number.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the activation step occurs within a predetermined period of entering the user'"'"'s unique identification code.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the predetermined period is 8 seconds.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein incrementing a count is performed by a microcontroller.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the microcontroller is battery powered.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the dispensing apparatus is a hand soap dispenser.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein sensing activation of the dispensing mechanism is performed by closing a switch.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein entering a user'"'"'s unique identification code is performed by pressing keys on a keypad.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the keypad is formed from four push-button switches.

13. The method according to claim 1 further comprising dispensing a fluid.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the act of dispensing a fluid includes dispensing a soap.

15. A system for rewarding and encouraging compliance with a predetermined personal hygiene standard in a hygiene compliance program, the system comprising:

a fluid dispenser, the fluid dispenser including an actuator;

a sensor connected to the actuator;

a processor in electrical communication with the sensor, the processor configured to increment a count when the actuator is actuated, relate the count to an identification code, compare the count to a predetermined number, and generate a message when the count equals the predetermined number; and

a display arranged to display the message.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the predetermined number is randomly generated.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to display the message when the count is greater than the predetermined number.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising a keypad in electrical communication with the processor.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor is selected from the group consisting essentially of:

a microprocessor and a microcontroller.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the processor is in electrical communication with firmware, the firmware embodying computer code.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising memory in communication with the processor, the memory configured to store a plurality of identification codes and a plurality of counts, each count being related to different identification code.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve from memory at least one of the identification codes and related count from memory and display the retrieved identification code and related count on the display.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the sensor is a switch.

24. The system of claim 15 wherein the fluid dispenser defines a reservoir, the system further comprising:

fluid within the reservoir.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the fluid is a soap.