Touch-Free Pressurized Can Dispenser

• US 20100308076A1
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: UltraClenz LLC (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Snodgrass, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,342,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/52
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/262 by clockwork, motor, electric or magnetic means operating without repeated human input

Abstract

An automatic touch-free dispenser provides dose dispensing of a product from a pressurized can by sensing or detecting the presence of a user'"'"'s hands, and an actuator assembly which tilts the nozzle on the can in response to such detection, to thereby dispense product from the can. The can may hold a healthcare product, such as a sanitizer, food product, or any other fluid product pressurized in a can. The actuator assembly includes a DC motor which drives a cam, which in turn pushes an actuator lever into the nozzle for a certain dispensing time. The number of doses, detection range, and motor speed, can be adjusted.

Claims

1. A dispenser for automatically dispensing an amount of product from a pressurized can having a nozzle which dispenses product when the nozzle is tilted relative to the can, comprising:

a dispenser housing for holding a pressurized dispenser can;

a sensor which senses the presence of a user'"'"'s hands near the dispenser housing; and

an actuator assembly which tilts the nozzle on the can in response to detecting the user'"'"'s hands, whereby an amount of product from the can is dispensed in a touch-free manner.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the actuator assembly comprises a motor and an actuator lever, and wherein the motor, when actuated, moves the actuator lever to tilt the can nozzle.

4. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein the actuator assembly includes a gear arrangement which rotates an eccentrically arranged actuator knob when the motor is energized, and wherein the actuator lever has an opening which receives the actuator knob, and moves the actuator lever to tilt the can nozzle when the motor in energized to cause the actuator knob to move within the opening.

5. The dispenser of claim 4, wherein the actuator lever has an elongated circular profile which fits in the elongated circle opening.

6. The dispenser of claim 4, wherein the actuator lever is mounted at a pivot point at one end to the dispenser housing and wherein the actuator lever has an actuator surface at the other end of the actuator lever which contacts the can nozzle when the actuator lever pivots in a first pivot dispensing position to thereby actuate the can nozzle, and a second pivot non-dispensing position wherein actuator surface does not actuate the can nozzle.

7. The dispenser of claim 1, comprising a time selection switch having selectable positions which control the amount of time the nozzle is tilted to thereby dispense a selectable volume of product, in response to detection of a user'"'"'s hands.

8. The dispenser of claim 7, wherein the selection switch position determines the amount of time the nozzle is tilted in a single dispensing position.

9. The dispenser of claim 7, wherein the selection switch position determines the number of repeated times the nozzle is tilted to dispense a single dosage of product.

10. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a microprocessor connected to the sensor and connected to control the actuator assembly.

11. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a user-settable switch to adjust the sensing range of the sensor.

12. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein the motor comprises a DC motor.

13. The dispenser of claim 1, further including a display which displays status information from the group consisting of dosages dispensed, dosages remaining, identity of user, number of dispensing for a particular user, and expected time for can to be empty.

14. The dispenser of claim 10, including an expansion port connected to the microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor has associated memory to store usage information, and communicates the information to the expansion port for use by a monitoring unit.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of activating comprises tilting the nozzle a plurality of times in response to a single sensing of a user'"'"'s hands.

17. The method of claim 10, further including displaying information on a display on the dispenser relating to the dispensing operations, identity of user, frequency of dosing to user, and expected time for can to be empty.

15. A method of dispensing an amount of product from a pressurized can having a dispensing nozzle, comprising:

providing a dispenser which holds a can of pressurized product;

sensing the presence of a user'"'"'s hands near the nozzle; and

activating an actuating mechanism which tilts the nozzle on the can in response to sensing a user'"'"'s hands, to thereby dispense product from the can.