Automatic fluid dispenser with instructional output

• US 8,453,877 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oro Clean Chemie AG
• Original Assignee: Oro Clean Chemie AG
• Inventors: Ionidis, Georgios
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEMBO, MATTHEW A
• Application Number:
  US12/677,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20100282772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,736 Days
• Field of Search: 222/23, 222/52, 222/63, 222/1, 222/39, 340/573.1, 340/603, 434/428
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1207 Dispensing from the bottom of the dispenser with a vertical piston
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic dispenser for dispensing a fluid and for instructing a user, comprising a) a holder device for a replaceable fluid container, wherein the holder device has a sensor for reading an identification of the replaceable fluid container, b) a delivery device, which enables a dispensing of a fluid from the fluid container, c) one or more touchless proximity sensors for detecting a hand of a user, d) an output device for the time-controlled output of a plurality of visual and/or sound-based instructions of a sequence of instructions to the user, and e) a controller having at least one data memory, wherein in a first data memory sequences of instructions associated with multiple and different replaceable containers and/or the identifications thereof are stored.

Claims

1. An automatic dispenser for dispensing a liquid and for instructing a user, comprising:

a) a receiving device for a replaceable liquid container, wherein the receiving device has a sensor configured to read an identification of the replaceable liquid container;

b) a delivery device configured to permit the dispensing of the liquid from the liquid container;

c) one or more non-contact proximity detectors configured to detect a hand of the user, wherein the proximity detector is provided for initiating the dispensing of the liquid;

d) an output device configured for time-controlled output of a plurality of visual and/or sound-based instructions of a sequence of instructions to the user;

e) a control unit with at least one data memory, wherein the control unit is connected to the proximity detector, to the output device and to the sensor for identification of the replaceable container, and wherein a first data memory stores several sequences of instructions associated with different replaceable containers and/or with the identification thereof,

wherein the control unit is configured, responsive to dispensing of the liquid by the delivery device, to retrieve from the first data memory a first sequence of instructions associated with the liquid container based on the signal of the sensor for reading the identification of the replaceable liquid container, and to transmit the first sequence of instructions to the output device, and

the output device is configured to output the first sequence of instructions received from the control unit.

2. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a punched-hole code, such that a punched tape applied for identification of the liquid container can be read.

3. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of light barriers arranged next to one another, wherein the light barriers are configured to receive the punched tape of the liquid container.

4. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a color code, such that a color pattern arranged as identification on the liquid container can be read.

5. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect magnetic fields, such that one or more magnets arranged as identification on the liquid container can be detected.

6. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation, such that an electromagnetic transmitter arranged as identification on the liquid container can be read.

7. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sensor is configured to detect an intensity of the electromagnetic radiation.

8. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving device for the replaceable liquid container includes at least two securing devices which are arranged asymmetrically and/or are of different diameters and/or are of different shapes and which are provided for form-fit engagement in receiving openings of the replaceable liquid container and ensure an unambiguous arrangement of the replaceable liquid container in the dispenser.

9. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least two securing devices are circular retention pins.

10. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output device is a liquid-crystal display.

11. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 9, wherein the liquid-crystal display has at least 1,024 separately controllable pixels.

12. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sequences of instructions comprise instructions in the form of texts and images.

13. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a plurality of separately controllable light-emitting diodes, which are arranged next to different pictograms.

14. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is connected to at least one control button, which permits manual adjustment of user-specific preferences.

15. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one control button permits adjustment of output formats of the sequences of instructions and display options of the output device.

16. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 14, wherein the user-specific preferences are stored retrievably in a second data memory.

17. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein an electro-mechanically driven ram and a contact face lying opposite the electro-mechanically driven ram are arranged around a flexible outlet tube communicating with the liquid container, wherein the ram is provided for elastic deformation of the flexible outlet tube.

18. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 17, wherein the contact face can be displaced by a mechanical adjustment device in a direction of movement of the ram.

19. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 14, wherein the mechanical adjustment device comprises an adjustment screw that can be actuated by hand.

20. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 18, wherein proximity sensors are arranged on at least two opposite sides of an outlet opening of the outlet tube, such that the liquid from the liquid container communicating with the outlet tube is dispensed directly into the hand of the user independently of a direction of approach.

21. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the several sequences of instructions comprise individual instructions with time details concerning the performance of certain cleaning actions.

22. The automatic dispenser as claimed in claim 21, wherein the sequences of instructions comprise individual instructions concerning the cleaning and/or disinfecting of hands.

23. A method for dispensing a liquid from a replaceable liquid container and for instructing a user using an automatic dispenser, the method comprising the steps in the order of:

detecting, by a proximity detector, a hand of the user;

dispensing the liquid;

reading, by a sensor, an identification of the replaceable liquid container;

retrieving, by a control unit, from among several sequences of time-controlled instructions regarding the use of the dispensed liquid, the instructions being stored in a first data memory in the dispenser, a first sequence of instructions associated with the read identification of the liquid container based on the reading; and

outputting, by an output device, the retrieved first sequence of instructions.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein reading comprises an identification of the replaceable liquid container in the form of a punched tape and the sensor comprises of a plurality of light barriers.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein outputting the retrieved sequence of instructions comprises presenting the sequence of instructions on a liquid-crystal display having at least 1,024 separately controllable pixels, as text information and image information.

26. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein outputting the retrieved sequence of instructions comprises outputting the sequence of instructions by a plurality of chronologically controlled light-emitting diodes, which are arranged next to different pictograms on the dispenser.

27. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein outputting the retrieved sequence of instructions comprises outputting individual instructions from the sequence of instructions in a time-controlled manner and step by step.

28. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein dispensing comprises a cleaning liquid and/or a disinfecting solution.

29. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein outputting with the sequence of instructions includes outputting information and/or directions concerning the performance cleaning actions, in particular directions concerning the cleaning and/or disinfecting of the user'"'"'s hands.