Fluid dispenser

• US 8,371,474 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2009
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Tramontina, Paul Francis, Lewis, Richard Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): PANCHOLI, VISHAL J
• Application Number:
  US12/628,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20110127291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 222/52, 222/644, 222/63, 222/333, 222/190, 222/173, 222/642, 222/645, 222/646, 222/135, 222/137, 239 67- 70
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2005/1218 Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1205 Dispensing from the top of the dispenser with a vertical piston
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1001 Piston pumps B05B11/1087, B05B11/1088, B05B11/109 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1097 with means for sucking back the liquid or other fluent material in the nozzle after a dispensing stroke

Abstract

The invention is a method of dispensing a fluid and a dispenser which will dispense an appropriate amount of fluid to effectively clean a user'"'"'s hand, even if the dispenser is inactive for a period of time.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing a fluid to a user from a dispenser, said method comprising

a. providing a dispenser assembly having a sensor, a motor and a pump;

b. detecting the presence of a current user requesting the fluid from the dispenser assembly;

c. determining a lapsed time between a previous request for fluid and the current request for the fluid;

d. comparing the lapsed time to a pre-set time period;

e. activating the motor for a single cycle if the lapsed time is less than the pre-set time period and activating the motor for two or three cycles if the time lapse is greater than the set time period.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises a liquid soap, a liquid sanitizer, a gel soap, a foam soap precursor or a foaming sanitizer precursor.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-set time period is between about 10 minutes and about 6 hours.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the fluid is a foam soap precursor.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the pre-set time between about 10 minutes and about 1 hour.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the volume of fluid is between about 0.45 ml and about 2.0 ml.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the volume of the fluid is between about 0.55 ml and 0.65 ml.