Power systems for touch free dispensers and refill units containing a power source

• US 9,172,266 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Curtis, Chip W., Wegelin, Jackson W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buechner, Patrick M
• Application Number:
  US13/770,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20140234140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 222/52, 222/63, 2221811-1813, 222/325, 307/110, 320/103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1211 using pressure on soap, e.g. with piston A47K5/1201 takes precedence; by squeezing A47K5/122
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/14 Foam or lather making devices for shaving A45D27/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/16 with mechanical drive food mixers A47J43/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007188 the charge cycle being controlled or terminated in response to non-electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/02 without intermediate conversion into ac

Abstract

Electronic dispensers and refill units for electronic dispensers. An exemplary electronic dispenser includes a housing, a processor and a first battery secured to the dispenser. The first battery provides power to the processor. The dispenser further includes actuator drive circuitry for causing the dispenser to move an actuator to dispense fluid from a refill unit. In addition, the dispenser includes a rechargeable energy storage device for providing power to the actuator drive circuitry. Circuitry for charging the rechargeable energy storage device is also provided. The dispenser includes a holder for holding a refill unit and a connector for releasably connecting to a second battery that is provided with the refill unit. The second battery is installed in the connector when a refill unit is installed in the dispenser and removed from the connector when the refill unit is removed from the dispenser.

Claims

1. An electronic dispenser comprising:

a housing;

a processor;

a first battery secured to the dispenser;

the first battery providing power to the processor;

actuator drive circuitry for causing the dispenser to operate an actuator motor;

a rechargeable energy storage device, separate from the first battery, for providing power to the actuator drive circuitry and the actuator motor;

circuitry for charging the rechargeable energy storage device;

a holder for holding a refill unit; and

a connector for releasably connecting to a second battery that is secured to a refill unit when a refill unit is installed in the dispenser and disconnecting from a second battery when a refill unit is removed from the dispenser;

wherein the voltage of the second battery is less than the voltage required for the actuator drive circuitry to operate a pump on the refill unit.

2. The electronic dispenser of claim 1 wherein the rechargeable energy storage device for providing power to the actuator drive circuitry is a plurality of capacitors.

3. The electronic dispenser of claim 2 further comprising circuitry for placing the plurality of capacitors in parallel to charge the capacitors and circuitry for placing the plurality of capacitors in series to provide power to the actuator drive circuitry.

4. The electronic dispenser of claim 1 wherein the rechargeable energy storage device for providing power to the actuator drive circuitry is one or more rechargeable batteries.

5. The electronic dispenser of claim 4 further comprising circuitry for boosting the voltage of the one or more rechargeable batteries to provide power to the actuator drive circuitry.

6. The electronic dispenser of claim 5 wherein boost circuitry boosts the voltage from about 2 volts to over about 4 volts.

7. The electronic dispenser of claim 1 further comprising the refill unit and the second battery secured to the refill unit.

8. The electronic dispenser of claim 1 wherein the first battery for supplying power to the processor is permanently affixed to the dispenser.

9. The electronic dispenser of claim 1 further comprising circuitry to charge the rechargeable device to a charge that is less than the full capacity of the rechargeable device.

10. The electronic dispenser of claim 9 wherein the circuitry for charging the rechargeable energy storage device charges the rechargeable device to less than about 75% of capacity.

11. The electronic dispenser of claim 9 wherein the circuitry for charging the rechargeable energy storage device charges the rechargeable device to less than about 50% of capacity.

12. The electronic dispenser of claim 1 further comprising circuitry to determine that a refill unit is depleted and circuitry to deplete the charge in the second battery secured to the refill unit when it is detected that the refill unit is depleted.

13. An electronic dispenser comprising:

a housing;

actuator drive circuitry for driving a pump;

a processor;

a first power source for powering the processor;

a plurality of capacitors;

capacitor control circuitry for charging the plurality of capacitors in parallel and

for placing the plurality of capacitors in series to power the actuator charge circuitry; and

circuitry for electrically coupling to a second battery that is secured to and removable with a refill unit,

wherein the second battery supplies the power to charge the plurality of capacitors.

14. The electronic dispenser of claim 13 further comprising the refill unit having the second battery.

15. An electronic dispenser comprising:

a housing configured to receive a refill unit, the refill unit having

a container for holding a fluid,

a pump for pumping fluid from the container, and

a disposable battery provided with the refill unit; and

an electrically operated actuator to operate the pump of the refill unit,

wherein the disposable battery of the refill unit has an initial voltage that is less than the voltage required to operate the electrically operated actuator.

16. The electronic dispenser of claim 15 wherein the disposable battery is a single “

AA”

sized battery.

17. The electronic dispenser of claim 15 wherein the disposable battery has a voltage of less than about 3 volts.

18. The electronic dispenser of claim 15 further comprising liquid in the refill unit.

19. The electronic dispenser of claim 15 further comprising a processor powered by a battery installed in the dispenser that is not removable with the refill unit.