Dispensing device

• US 9,271,612 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2013
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spencer D. Miller
• Original Assignee: Spencer D. Miller
• Inventors: Miller, Spencer D
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase, Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US13/925,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20140375458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 222/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands

Abstract

A dispensing device has a downward-facing outlet for dispensing a material, a mechanism causing material to be dispensed, a first sensor facing in a first horizontal direction, adapted to detect a person approaching the dispensing device, and an alert mechanism. The first sensor, detecting an approaching person, activates the alert mechanism, signaling the approaching person of the presence of the dispensing device.

Claims

1. A dispensing device comprising:

a housing including a front face, a back face, a top face, a bottom face and two opposing side faces;

an outlet on the bottom face for dispensing a sanitizing material;

a mechanism causing the sanitizing material to be dispensed;

a first directional sensor electronically coupled to the dispensing device and facing in a first direction substantially orthogonal to the front face to detect only a person approaching the dispensing device from the front;

a second directional sensor electronically coupled to the dispensing device and facing in a second direction substantially at a right angle to the first direction, to detect only a person passing by one of the side faces;

and

an alert mechanism providing, when activated, a visual or an audible signal;

wherein first sensor, detecting an approaching person, activates the alert mechanism, alerting the approaching person to the presence of the dispensing device, and the second sensor detects the person passing by one of the opposing side faces.

2. The dispensing device of claim 1 further comprising an electronically-activated valve controlling the outlet and a third sensor positioned to sense a user'"'"'s hands in position to accept material dispensed, wherein the third sensor, detecting the person'"'"'s hands, activates the electronically-activated valve, dispensing a preset amount of the sanitizing material via the outlet.

3. The dispensing device of claim 2 further comprising a processor with a coupled data repository, the processor coupled to the electronically-activated valve, to each of the sensors, and to the alert mechanism, wherein the processor executes one or more coded instructions to sense approach of the person, activate the alert mechanism, activate the valve-controlled outlet to dispense material for a pre-set time in an event the person activates the third sensor, whether or not the person activates the second sensor, records these events if and as they occur, and activates a data-reporting mechanism to report the recorded events to a remote destination.

4. The dispensing device of claim 3 wherein the processor, executing the instructions, in the event a person is sensed by the second sensor passing without having activated the third sensor, activates an audio or visual alarm, or both, and reports the event to the remote destination.

5. The dispensing device of claim 4 wherein the processor, following the coded instructions, records events as they occur, and periodically transfers data regarding the events by a network interface.

6. The dispensing device of claim 3 wherein the network interface is a local area network (LAN) interface, a wide area network (WAN) interface, or a wireless interface.

7. A system comprising:

a dispensing device comprising a housing including a front face, a back face, a top face, a bottom face and two opposing side faces, a downward-facing valve-controlled outlet for dispensing a sanitizing material, a first directional sensor coupled to the dispensing device and facing in a first direction substantially orthogonal to the front face to detect only a person approaching the dispensing device from the front, a second directional sensor coupled to the dispensing device and facing in a second direction substantially at a right angle to the first direction, to detect only a person passing by one of the opposing side faces, a third sensor oriented to sense a person'"'"'s hands in position to accept material dispensed from the dispensing device via a valve-controlled outlet, an alert mechanism providing when activated a visual or an audible signal, a data repository adapted to store data and instructions, a data-reporting mechanism adapted to send data to a destination remote from the dispensing device, and a processor coupled to the valve-controlled outlet, to the sensors, to the alert mechanism and to the data repository;

wherein the processor executes one or more coded instructions to sense approach of a person, activate the alert mechanism, activate the valve-controlled outlet to dispense material for a pre-set time in an event the person activates the third sensor, whether or not the person activates the second sensor, records these events if and as they occur, and activates a data-reporting mechanism to report the recorded events over a network connection to a remote server having a coupled data repository.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the remote server, executing coded instructions from a non-transitory physical medium, prepares reports regarding the recorded events, and makes the reports available for download by authorized persons.

9. A sensing and processing device comprising:

a first directional sensor facing in a first direction to detect only a person approaching a dispensing device;

a second directional sensor facing in a second direction to sense a user'"'"'s hands in position to accept material dispensed from the dispensing device;

a third directional sensor facing in a third direction to detect only a person passing by the dispensing device to one side; and

an alert mechanism providing when activated a visual or an audible signal;

wherein the first directional sensor, detecting an approaching person, activates the alert mechanism, alerting the approaching person to the presence of the dispensing device.

10. The sensing and processing device of claim 9 further comprising a processor with a coupled data repository, the processor coupled to a valve-controlled outlet, to all of the sensors, and to the alert mechanism, wherein the processor executes one or more coded instructions to sense approach of a person, activate the alert mechanism, activate the valve-controlled outlet to dispense material for a pre-set time in an event the person activates the second sensor, whether or not the person activates the third sensor, records these events if and as they occur, and activates the data-reporting mechanism to report the recorded events to the remote destination.

11. The sensing and processing device of claim 10 wherein the processor, executing the coded instructions, in the event a person is sensed by the third sensor passing without having activated the second sensor, activates an audio or visual alarm, or both.

12. The sensing and processing device of claim 11 wherein the processor, following the coded instructions, records events as they occur, and periodically transfers data regarding the events by a network interface.

13. The sensing and processing device of claim 12 wherein the network interface is a local area network (LAN) interface, a wide area network (WAN) interface, or a wireless interface.

14. A method for influencing hand cleaning behavior, comprising:

(a) providing a dispensing device having a downward-facing outlet for dispensing a sanitizing material, a mechanism causing the sanitizing material to be dispensed, a first directional sensor facing in a first direction to detect only a person approaching the dispensing device, a second directional sensor detecting when a person'"'"'s hands are in position to receive the material, a third directional sensor facing in a second direction to detect only when the person passes by the dispensing device, and an alert mechanism;

(b) placing the dispensing device proximate a doorway with the third directional sensor facing toward the doorway;

(c) sensing an approaching person, activating the alert mechanism, signaling the approaching person of the presence of the dispensing device;

(d) detecting, by signal from the second directional sensor, if the person passes by the dispensing device and whether or not the third directional sensor was activated; and

(e) in the event that the second directional sensor detects the person passes by the dispensing device without activating the third directional sensor, activates an audio or visual alarm, or both.