Spray dispenser

• US 9,044,522 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2012
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Gasper, Thomas P., Hoppe, Christopher S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, LIEN M
• Application Number:
  US13/623,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20130068786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 222/41, 222/52, 222/63, 222/129, 222131-142, 222/333, 222/187, 222645-649, 239461-542, 239 34- 60, 239/71, 239/73, 239/63, 239/67
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2038 Holders or dispensers for pressurized insecticide, e.g. pressurized vessels, cans
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/111 Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/125 emanating multiple odours
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/14 using sprayed or atomised substances including air-liquid contact processes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/262 by clockwork, motor, electric or magnetic means operating without repeated human input
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/386 actuation occurring by moving the aerosol container relative to the outer shell or external container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/68 Dispensing two or more contents , e.g. sequential dispensing or simultaneous dispensing of two or more products without mixing them

Abstract

A spray dispenser includes a housing for placement in a space. The housing is adapted to receive at least one container having a material therein for emission into the space in response to at least one of a timer, manual actuation and sensory input. The spray dispenser further includes at least three sensors distributed around a perimeter of the housing for the detection of sensory input.

Claims

1. A spray dispenser, comprising:

a housing for placement in a space, wherein the housing is adapted to receive at least one removable container having a material therein for emission into the space in response to at least one of a timer, manual actuation, and sensory input; and

at least three sensors distributed around a perimeter of the housing for the detection of sensory input,

wherein the at least three sensors are disposed equidistantly about a perimeter of the housing on the same plane.

2. The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are distributed around the perimeter such that if the housing is placed near an obstruction that blocks two of the at least three sensors, at least one of the remaining sensors is capable of detecting sensory input.

3. The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the space is a room having at least one corner of a wall that defines a right angle obstruction, and wherein at least one of the sensors is capable of dispensing sensory input if the housing is disposed adjacent the corner.

4. The spray dispenser of claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor that is capable of dispensing sensory input has a partially obstructed sensory field of view.

5. The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein four sensors are disposed equidistantly about a perimeter of the housing on the same plane.

6. The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the space is a room having at least one corner of a wall that defines a right angle obstruction, and wherein the housing includes at least five sensors, of which at least one of the at least five sensors has an unobstructed sensory field of view if the housing is disposed adjacent the corner.

7. The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the space includes an obstruction defined by a right angle, and wherein a user does not have to orient the housing to provide at least one of the sensors with the ability to detect sensory input.

8. The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the at least three sensors include one or more of a light sensing element, such as a photodetector, photodiode light detector, photoresistor, photodiode, or phototransistor, a passive infrared sensor, a motion sensor, an acoustic sensor, a humidity sensor, and a chemical sensor.

19. The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the dispenser is configured such that an emission triggered by a sensor is in a direction different than a direction of sensing for the sensory input.

20. The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the dispenser is configured to remain stationary during an emission.

9. A spray dispenser, comprising:

a housing adapted to receive at least one removable container therein; and

a plurality of sensors provided about a perimeter of the housing, wherein each sensor has a field of view in which the sensor may detect sensory input,

wherein a total viewing field of 360 degrees is provided about the housing, and

wherein the sum of the sensors field of view about the total viewing field is at least between 20%-100% thereof.

10. The spray dispenser of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors are equidistantly spaced about the perimeter of the housing.

11. The spray dispenser of claim 10, wherein the plurality of sensors are radially spaced from a longitudinal axis of the housing on the same plane.

12. The spray dispenser of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors are light sensing elements.

13. The spray dispenser of claim 12, wherein each sensor has a field of view of about 20 degrees.

14. A dispenser system, comprising:

a housing adapted to receive at least one removable container therein; and

a plurality of sensors provided about a perimeter of the housing and pointing in different directions, wherein each of the sensors has a field of view to detect sensory input,

wherein at least one sensory gap exists between at least two of the plurality of sensors in which sensory input is not detected.

15. The dispensing system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a number N of sensors positioned about the perimeter of the housing, wherein if an additional sensor were provided about the perimeter of the housing the reduction in the sum total of the sensory gaps would be reduced by less than 25%.

16. The dispensing system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a number N +1 of sensors positioned about the perimeter of the housing, wherein if an additional sensor were provided about the perimeter of the housing the reduction in the sum total of the sensory gaps would be reduced by less than 20%.

17. The dispensing system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensors are light sensing elements.

18. The dispensing system of claim 17, wherein each sensor has a field of view of about 20 degrees.