Electric soap dispenser

• US 8,096,445 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
• Original Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
• Inventors: Yang, Frank, Sandor, Joseph, Cardenas, Orlando
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): LONG, DONNELL ALAN
• Application Number:
  US12/024,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20080185399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 222/52, 222/63, 222/251, 222/333, 222/638, 222/23, 222/148, 222/14, 222/1, 222/644
• US Class Current: 222/52
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

An electric soap dispenser that includes sensors for detecting the presence of an object. The dispenser can be configured to dispense an amount of liquid soap, for example, upon detecting the presence of an object. The dispenser can include various features for enhancing the performance thereof. For example, the dispenser can include an additional button for manual operation of the pump. Additionally, the dispenser can detect the voltage of a power supply and compensate for a drop in voltage of the power supply so as to produce more uniform dispensations of the liquid product.

Claims

1. A battery-powered electric hand soap dispenser comprising:

a housing;

at least one battery supported by the housing;

a reservoir configured to store liquid soap, the reservoir having an outlet, the reservoir being supported by the housing;

a pump disposed in the housing, the pump having an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the reservoir;

an electric motor supported by the housing for driving the pump, the electric motor being powered by the battery;

a soap discharge nozzle in fluid communication with the pump with a soap conduit, the nozzle directed generally downwardly;

a trigger sensor configured to detect the presence of an object, wherein the trigger sensor comprises a control routine configured to check whether a predetermined frequency of a plurality of reflected infrared light pulses has been received, and wherein the trigger sensor further comprises a light emitter device configured to emit the infrared light pulses at the predetermined frequency and a light receiver device, the trigger sensor being triggered when the light receiver device detects the plurality of the pulses of the reflected light at the predetermined frequency;

an electronic control unit connected to the trigger sensor and to the electric motor, the electronic control unit configured to activate the light emitter device of the trigger sensor to generate the pulses of infrared light, the electronic control unit further configured to actuate the electric motor upon receiving a signal from the trigger sensor, until an amount of liquid soap has been ejected from the nozzle, the electronic control unit comprising;

a light read module configured to read and store values corresponding to ambient light, the light read module comprising a routine that compares ambient light values to the reflected light pulses to diminish the risk of false triggers;

a power supply sense module configured to sense a power Supply voltage and create a scaled motor drive time value;

a fault detection module configured to stop operation of the motor and to provide an indication of a fault if the battery'"'"'s power is below a predetermined level;

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to dispense an amount of liquid soap only after a predetermined time period has elapsed from a previous ejection of liquid soap; and

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to actuate the motor so as to drive the pump so as to dispense liquid soap in predetermined amounts.

2. A portable electric soap dispenser comprising:

a housing;

a power supply supported onboard the dispenser;

a reservoir configured to store liquid soap, within the dispenser, the reservoir comprising an outlet;

a pump comprising an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the reservoir;

an electric motor for driving the pump, the electric motor being powered by the power supply;

a soap discharge nozzle and a soap conduit in fluid communication with the pump

a trigger sensor configured to detect the presence of an object, wherein the trigger sensor comprises a control routine configured to check whether a predetermined frequency of a plurality of light pulses has been received, and wherein the trigger sensor further comprises a light emitter device configured to emit the pulses of light at the predetermined frequency and a light receiver device, the trigger sensor being triggered when the light receiver device detects the plurality of the pulses of the reflected light at the predetermined frequency;

an electronic control unit connected to the trigger sensor, the electronic control unit configured to activate the light emitter device of the trigger sensor to generate the pulses of infrared light; and

an ambient light reading module configured to determine if ambient light values are different from the plurality of light pulses to decrease the occurrence of false detections.

3. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the power supply is a battery.

4. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the trigger sensor is triggered only when the light receiver device detects the pulses of the reflected light at the predetermined frequency for a specified period of time.

5. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the light emitted and received by the trigger sensor is infrared.

6. An electric soap dispenser comprising:

a housing;

a power supply supported by the housing;

a reservoir configured to store liquid soap, the reservoir being supported by the housing;

a pump disposed in the housing, the pump having an inlet connected to the outlet of the reservoir;

an electric motor supported by the housing and driving the pump, the electric motor being powered by the power supply;

a soap discharge nozzle connected to the pump with a soap conduit;

a trigger sensor configured to detect the presence of an object, wherein the trigger sensor comprises a light emitter device configured to emit infrared light; and

an electronic control unit connected to the trigger sensor and to the electric motor, the electronic control unit configured to activate the light emitter device of the trigger sensor to generate infrared light, the electronic control unit further configured to actuate the electric motor upon receiving a signal from the trigger sensor, until an amount of liquid soap has been ejected from the nozzle, the electronic control unit further comprising a light read module configured to read and store values corresponding to ambient light, the light read module comprising a routine that compares detected light from the trigger sensor to ambient light to decrease the occurrence of false detections.

7. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 6, further comprising a power supply sense module configured to sense a power supply voltage and create a scaled motor drive time value, wherein the light read module calibrates and stores ambient light values prior to each time the power supply sense module senses a power supply voltage.

8. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to use the stored calibrated values to prevent false triggering of the trigger sensor.

9. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to compare a first intensity of light detected by the sensor, to compare the first intensity to a stored value of ambient light, and to determine if the first intensity if greater than the stored value of ambient light.

10. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the electric motor only if the first intensity is greater than the ambient light.

11. A portable, internally powered electric soap dispenser comprising:

a housing;

an onboard power supply

a soap reservoir;

a pump;

an electric motor configured to be powered by the power supply;

a soap discharge nozzle;

a trigger sensor configured to detect the presence of an object by checking for a predetermined reflection frequency of infrared light pulses, and wherein the trigger sensor further comprises a light emitter device configured to emit the infrared light pulses at the predetermined frequency and a light receiver device, the trigger sensor being triggered when the light receiver device detects the plurality of the pulses of the reflected infrared light at the predetermined frequency; and

a light read module for receiving ambient light to produces calibrated light values, the light read module comprising a routine that compares the calibrated values to the values received from the trigger sensor; and

an electronic control unit connected to the trigger sensor and to the electric motor, the electronic control unit configured to activate the light emitter device of the trigger sensor to generate the pulses of infrared light, the electronic control unit further configured to actuate the electric motor upon receiving a signal from the trigger sensor until an amount of liquid soap has been ejected from the nozzle, the electronic control unit further comprising a power supply sense module configured to sense a power supply voltage and create a scaled motor drive time value.

12. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the power supply is a battery.

13. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the electric control unit first reads a dispense switch and starts the motor prior to creating a scaled motor drive time value.

14. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the electric control unit first delays and senses a power source prior to creating a scaled motor drive time value.

15. The electronic soap dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the power supply module is configured first to place a load on the power supply, and then to sense a power supply voltage.

16. An electric soap dispenser comprising:

a housing;

a power supply supported by the housing;

a reservoir configured to store liquid soap, the reservoir being supported by the housing;

a pump disposed in the housing, the pump having an inlet connected to the outlet of the reservoir;

an electric motor supported by the housing and driving the pump, the electric motor being powered by the power supply;

a soap discharge nozzle connected to the pump with a soap conduit;

a trigger sensor configured to detect the presence of an object, wherein the trigger sensor determines whether a predetermined reflection frequency of infrared light pulses has been received, and wherein the trigger sensor further comprises a light emitter device configured to emit the infrared light pulses at the predetermined frequency and a light receiver device, the trigger sensor being triggered when the light receiver device detects a plurality of the pulses of the reflected infrared light at the predetermined frequency;

a light read module comprising a routine that compares ambient light values to the reflected light pulses to diminish the risk of false triggers; and

an electronic control unit connected to the trigger sensor and to the electric motor, the electronic control unit configured to activate the light emitter device of the trigger sensor to generate the pulses of infrared light, the electronic control unit further configured to actuate the electric motor upon receiving a signal from the trigger sensor, until an amount of liquid soap has been ejected from the nozzle, the electronic control unit further comprising a fault detection module configured to stop operation of the motor and to provide an indication Of a fault if the power supply is below a predetermined level.

17. The electric soap dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to remain in a fault detection mode until the electric soap dispenser is reset or a new power source is installed.

18. An electric soap dispenser comprising:

a housing;

a power supply supported by the housing;

a reservoir configured to store liquid soap, the reservoir being supported by the housing;

a pump disposed in the housing, the pump having an inlet connected to the outlet of the reservoir;

an electric motor supported by the housing and driving the pump, the electric motor being powered by the power supply;

a soap discharge nozzle connected to the pump with a soap conduit;

a trigger sensor configured to check whether a predetermined frequency of infrared light pulses has been received, and wherein the trigger sensor further comprises a light emitter device configured to emit the infrared light pulses at the predetermined frequency and a light receiver device, the trigger sensor being triggered when the light receiver device detects a plurality of the pulses of the reflected infrared light at the predetermined frequency;

an electronic control unit connected to the trigger sensor and to the electric motor, the electronic control unit configured to activate the light emitter device of the trigger sensor to generate the pulses of infrared light, the electronic control unit further configured to actuate the electric motor upon receiving a signal from the trigger sensor until an amount of liquid soap has been ejected from the nozzle; and

an ambient light reading module configured to determine if ambient light values are different from the light pulses to decrease the occurrence of false detections;

wherein in the electronic control unit is configured to dispense an amount of liquid soap only after a predetermined time period has elapsed from a previous ejection of liquid soap; and

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to actuate the motor so as to drive the pump and dispense liquid soap in predetermined amounts.

19. The electronic soap dispenser according to claim 18, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to check for a time out while dispensing of soap occurs.

20. The electronic soap dispenser according to claim 19, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to stop the motor and delay a predetermined amount of time prior to resetting if a time out occurs.