Manual and touch-free convertible fluid dispenser

• US 8,783,511 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: UltraClenz LLC (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Snodgrass, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Durand, Paul R
• Assistant Examiner(s): LONG, DONNELL ALAN
• Application Number:
  US12/150,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20090266842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,279 Days
• Field of Search: 222/52, 222/63, 222/325, 222/333, 222/179, 222/179.5, 222/351, 222/326, 222/181.3, 222/278, 141/351
• US Class Current: 222/52
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

A convertible fluid dispenser for dispensing personal care hygiene products has a chassis adapted to accept either a manual actuating unit or an automatic actuating unit, for upgrading or maintenance.

Claims

1. A dispensing system for dispensing a personal hygiene product, comprising:

a housing with a chassis, said housing adapted to removeably accept an actuating unit causing dispensing of personal hygiene product wherein the actuating unit is a manual-type capable of operating in only a manual-mode, or is an automatic-type capable of operating in only an automatic-mode, wherein the automatic-type actuating unit comprises an automatic actuator which causes dispensing of personal hygiene product in response to detecting the presence of a user in the vicinity of, but spaced from, the housing, and wherein the housing is capable of accepting both the manual-type and the automatic-type actuating units one at a time; and

a cover adapted to enclose the actuating unit in the chassis when in a closed position, and to enable removal of the actuating unit when in an open position;

wherein the housing comprises the manual-type actuating unit during manual operation and the housing comprises the automatic-type actuating unit during automatic operation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuating unit comprises a manual actuator which dispenses personal hygiene product in response to movement of an actuating mechanism by a user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the manual actuator is adapted to be actuated by a hand of a user.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the manual actuator is adapted to be actuated by a foot of a user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the automatic actuator is actuated by an infrared sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the automatic actuator is actuated by an ultrasonic sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the automatic actuator is actuated by a capacitive sensor.

8. A dispenser for dispensing a personal hygiene product, comprising:

a housing having a chassis;

said housing adapted to removeably accept a manual actuating unit within the housing, the manual actuating unit operable only in a manual-mode and having a connector for connecting to a source of personal hygiene product and causing dispensing of the product when the actuating unit is manually actuated;

said housing also adapted to removeably receive an automatic actuating unit having a connector for connecting to a source of hygiene product, and a detector for detecting the presence of a user in proximity to but spaced from the housing for causing dispensing of product in response to said detections, the automatic actuating unit operable only in an automatic-mode;

said manual and automatic actuating units being capable of being interchanged within the chassis; and

a cover adapted to enclose the actuating unit in the chassis when in a closed position, and to enable removal of the actuating unit when in an open position;

wherein the housing comprises the manual actuating unit during manual operation and the housing comprises the automatic actuating unit during automatic operation.

9. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the manual actuating unit comprises a manual actuator which dispenses personal hygiene product in response to movement of an actuating mechanism by a user.

10. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein the manual actuator is adapted to be actuated by a hand of a user.

11. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein the manual actuator is adapted to be actuated by a foot of a user.

12. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the automatic actuating unit detects the presence of a hand of a user.

13. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the automatic actuating unit detects the presence of a body of a user.

14. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the automatic actuating unit comprises an infrared sensor.

15. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the automatic actuating unit comprises an ultrasonic sensor.

16. A dispensing system for dispensing personal hygiene product, comprising:

a housing with a chassis;

a manual actuating unit adapted to be removeably received within the housing, the manual actuating unit being capable of operating in only a manual-mode having a connector for connecting to a source of personal hygiene product, and for causing dispensing of the product when the actuating unit is manually actuated by a user, said manual actuating unit being removable and replaceable by another manual actuating unit, and also being removable and replaceable with an automatic actuating unit being capable of operating in only an automatic-mode, wherein the automatic actuating unit comprises an automatic actuator which dispenses personal hygiene product in response to detecting the presence of a user in the vicinity of but spaced from the housing; and

a cover adapted to enclose the actuating unit in the chassis when in a closed position, and to enable removal of the actuating unit when in an open position;

wherein the housing comprises the manual actuating unit during manual operation and the housing comprises the automatic actuating unit during automatic operation.

17. A dispensing system for dispensing personal hygiene product, comprising:

a housing with a chassis;

an automatic actuating unit adapted to be removeably received within the housing, the automatic actuating unit being capable of operating in only an automatic mode and having a connector for connecting to a source of personal hygiene product, and for causing dispensing of the product when the automatic actuating unit detects the presence of a user in the vicinity of but spaced from the automatic actuating unit, said automatic actuating unit being removable and replaceable by another automatic actuating unit being capable of operating in only an automatic-mode, and also being removable and replaceable with a manual actuating unit being capable of operating in only a manual-mode; and

a cover adapted to enclose the actuating unit in the chassis when in a dosed position, and to enable removal of the actuating unit when in an open position.

wherein the housing comprises the manual actuating unit during manual operation and the housing comprises the automatic actuating unit during automatic operation.