Apparatus and method for wirelessly powered dispensing

• US 8,816,536 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Borke, Brian S., Lanouette, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): DHILLON, JAGDEEP S
• Application Number:
  US13/303,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20120133213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 222/52, 222/63, 222/333, 700/258, 700/236, 700/231, 340/573.1, 340/854.8, 340/538.16, 340/12.38, 342/42
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence

Abstract

A system includes a dispenser and a transmitter. The dispenser is configured to support and dispense product. The dispenser includes: a housing; an antenna disposed and configured to receive electromagnetic energy that originates from the transmitter; a power supply disposed within the housing and configured to convert the electromagnetic energy received at the antenna into DC (direct current) power; a dispenser mechanism configured and disposed to dispense the product from the dispenser on command; a controller disposed in operable communication with the power supply and the dispenser mechanism; and, an actuator disposed in operable communication with the controller. Upon actuation of the actuator, and upon presence of the DC power, the controller is responsive to facilitate action by the dispenser mechanism to dispense the product. The transmitter is configured to transmit electromagnetic energy and is disposed in operable communication with the dispenser.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a dispenser configured to support and dispense a product; and

a transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic energy, and disposed in operable communication with the dispenser;

wherein the dispenser comprises;

a main housing;

a battery housing disposed within the main housing, the battery housing comprising electrical terminals;

a plurality of battery cells disposed within the battery housing and electrically connected to the electrical terminals of the battery housing, the plurality of battery cells configured to provide DC (direct current) power;

an antenna disposed outside of the battery housing and configured to receive the electromagnetic energy that originates from the transmitter;

a power supply disposed within the main housing and outside of the battery housing, the power supply configured to convert the electromagnetic energy received at the antenna into DC (direct current) power;

a dispenser mechanism configured and disposed to dispense the product from the dispenser on command;

a controller disposed in operable communication with the power supply and the dispenser mechanism;

a connection disposed between the controller, the battery housing, and the power supply, the connection configured to selectively provide DC power to the controller from the plurality of battery cells during a first operating mode and from the power supply during a second operating mode; and

an actuator disposed in operable communication with the controller;

wherein upon actuation of the actuator, and upon presence of DC power, the controller is responsive to facilitate action by the dispenser mechanism to dispense the product.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a boost converter to provide the DC power at a stepped up voltage on an output side of the boost converter relative to an input side of the boost converter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises:

an energy conversion device disposed and configured to convert the electromagnetic energy received at the antenna into DC (direct current) power at a first voltage level;

a boost converter comprising a boost converter controller, the boost converter configured and disposed to convert the DC power at the first voltage level into DC power at a second voltage level greater than the first voltage level; and

an energy storage device electrically connected in power communication with the energy conversion device and the boost converter, the energy storage device configured to receive and store the DC power at the first voltage level, the boost converter configured to controllably discharge energy from the energy storage device and to deliver the DC power at the second voltage level to the controller.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the energy storage device comprises a capacitor or a rechargeable battery.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the power supply further comprises an energy storage inductive device electrically connected between the energy storage device and the boost converter controller, the boost converter controller configured to switch the energy storage inductive device in and out of a circuit path configured to deliver the DC power at the second voltage level.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the connection comprises a switch configured to selectively connect the controller to the plurality of battery cells during the first operating mode and to the power supply during the second operating mode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a regulator to provide the DC power at a regulated DC voltage.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the connection is configured to select between the first operating mode and the second operating mode of the connection.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to select the first operating mode of the connection when the dispenser mechanism is operational and the second operating mode of the connection when the dispenser mechanism is not operational.

8. A power unit for a product dispenser configured for battery operation, the dispenser having a main housing and a battery housing with electrical terminals disposed within the main housing, the power unit comprising:

an antenna configured to receive electromagnetic energy; and

a power supply disposed and configured to convert the electromagnetic energy received at the antenna into DC (direct current) power;

wherein the antenna and the power supply are configured to fit within the battery housing, and wherein the power supply is configured to electrically connect to the electrical terminals of the battery housing.

9. The power unit of claim 8, wherein the power supply comprises a boost converter to provide the DC power at a stepped up voltage on an output side of the boost converter relative to an input side of the boost converter.

10. The power unit of claim 8, wherein the power supply comprises:

an energy conversion device disposed and configured to convert the electromagnetic energy received at the antenna into DC (direct current) power at a first voltage level;

a boost converter comprising a boost converter controller, the boost converter configured and disposed to convert the DC power at the first voltage level into DC power at a second voltage level greater than the first voltage level; and

an energy storage device electrically connected between the energy conversion device and the boost converter, the energy storage device configured to receive and store the DC power at the first voltage level, the boost converter configured to controllably discharge energy from the energy storage device and to deliver the DC power at the second voltage level to a controller of the product dispenser.

11. The power unit of claim 10, wherein the energy storage device comprises a capacitor or a rechargeable battery.

12. The power unit of claim 10, wherein the power supply further comprises an energy storage inductive device electrically connected between the energy storage device and the boost converter controller, the boost converter controller configured to switch the energy storage inductive device in and out of a circuit path configured to deliver the DC power at the second voltage level.

13. A handheld meter, comprising:

a housing;

an antenna disposed and configured to receive electromagnetic energy that originates outside of the housing;

a tuned circuit disposed in electrical communication with the antenna;

a detector circuit disposed in electrical communication with the tuned circuit; and

an output device disposed in electrical communication with the detector circuit, the output device being configured to provide information to a user that relates to a signal strength of the electromagnetic energy received at the antenna;

wherein the information relates to an amount of RF energy available for powering one or more product dispensers, and relates to an orientation of a receiving antenna of an associated one of the product dispensers for generating optimal power at a location of interest for placement of the associated one of the product dispensers.

14. The meter of claim 13, wherein the output device comprises a voltage sensor.

15. The meter of claim 13, wherein the antenna is a first antenna disposed and configured to receive vertically polarized electromagnetic energy, the tuned circuit is a first tuned circuit, and the detector circuit is a first detector circuit, and wherein the meter further comprises:

a second antenna disposed and configured to receive horizontally polarized electromagnetic energy, the second antenna oriented orthogonal with respect to the first antenna;

a second tuned circuit disposed in electrical communication with the second antenna; and

a second detector circuit disposed in electrical communication with the second tuned circuit;

wherein the output device is disposed in electrical communication with the first detector circuit and the second detector circuit, the output device configured to provide the information to the user that relates to a signal strength of the vertically polarized electromagnetic energy received at the first antenna, and/or the horizontally polarized electromagnetic energy received at the second antenna.

16. The meter of claim 15, wherein the second antenna is disposed and configured to receive a lateral component of the horizontally polarized electromagnetic energy, and wherein the meter further comprises:

a third antenna disposed and configured to receive a longitudinal component of the horizontally polarized electromagnetic energy, the third antenna oriented orthogonal with respect to the first antenna and orthogonal with respect to the second antenna;

a third tuned circuit disposed in electrical communication with the third antenna; and

a third detector circuit disposed in electrical communication with the third tuned circuit;

wherein the output device is disposed in electrical communication with the first detector circuit, the second detector circuit, and the third detector circuit, the output device configured to provide the information to the user that relates to a signal strength of the vertically polarized electromagnetic energy received at the first antenna, and/or a signal strength of the lateral component of the horizontally polarized electromagnetic energy received at the second antenna, and/or a signal strength of the longitudinal component of the horizontally polarized electromagnetic energy received at the third antenna.

17. The meter of claim 13, wherein the output device comprises a user interface, and wherein the meter further comprises a processing circuit disposed in electrical communication with the detector circuit and the user interface, the processing circuit responsive to machine executable instructions which when executed by a processor informs the user as to whether the signal strength of the electromagnetic energy received at the antenna is increasing or decreasing as the meter is moved from one location to another.

20. A system comprising:

a dispenser configured to support and dispense a product; and

a transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic energy, and disposed in operable communication with the dispenser;

wherein the dispenser comprises;

a main housing;

a battery housing disposed within the main housing and configured to house a plurality of battery cells, the battery housing comprising electrical terminals configured to connect to the plurality of battery cells;

an antenna disposed within the battery housing and configured to receive the electromagnetic energy that originates from the transmitter;

a power supply disposed within the battery housing and electrically connected to the electrical terminals of the battery housing, the power supply configured to convert the electromagnetic energy received at the antenna into DC (direct current) power;

a dispenser mechanism configured and disposed to dispense the product from the dispenser on command;

a controller disposed in operable communication with the power supply and the dispenser mechanism; and

an actuator disposed in operable communication with the controller;

wherein upon actuation of the actuator, and upon presence of DC power, the controller is responsive to facilitate action by the dispenser mechanism to dispense the product.

21. A system comprising:

a dispenser configured to support and dispense a product; and

a transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic energy, and disposed in operable communication with the dispenser;

wherein the dispenser comprises;

a main housing;

an energy storage device housing disposed within the main housing and configured to house an energy storage device, the energy storage device housing comprising electrical terminals configured to connect to the energy storage device;

an antenna disposed within the energy storage device housing and configured to receive the electromagnetic energy that originates from the transmitter;

a power supply disposed within the energy storage device housing and electrically connected to the electrical terminals of the energy storage device housing, the power supply configured to convert the electromagnetic energy received at the antenna into DC (direct current) power;

a dispenser mechanism configured and disposed to dispense the product from the dispenser on command;

a controller disposed in operable communication with the power supply and the dispenser mechanism; and

an actuator disposed in operable communication with the controller;

wherein upon actuation of the actuator, and upon presence of DC power, the controller is responsive to facilitate action by the dispenser mechanism to dispense the product.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the energy storage device comprises a battery.