APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WIRELESSLY POWERED DISPENSING

• US 20120133213A1
• Filed: 11/23/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,816,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 product; and

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

wherein the dispenser comprises;

a housing;

an antenna disposed and configured to receive the 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;

wherein 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.

2. The dispenser 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 dispenser 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, is 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 dispenser of claim 3, wherein the energy storage device comprises a capacitor.

5. The dispenser of claim 3, further comprising an energy storage inductive device electrically connected between the energy storage device and the boost converter controller, the boost converter controller being 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 dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a battery housing configured to house a plurality of battery cells, the battery housing comprising terminals configured to connect to a plurality of battery cells and to provide power to the controller.

7. The dispenser of claim 6, 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 with the terminals of the battery housing.

8. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery housing configured to house a plurality of battery cells, the battery housing comprising terminals to connect to the plurality of battery cells and to provide battery power to the controller; and

a connection disposed and configured to provide power to the controller from the plurality of battery cells, or alternatively from the power supply, or alternatively from both the plurality of battery cells and the power supply.

9. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the connection is a switch configured to electrically and switchably connect the controller to either the plurality of battery cells or the power supply.

10. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein:

the power supply comprises a regulator to provide the DC power at a regulated DC voltage.

11. A power unit for a product dispenser configured for battery operation, the dispenser having a battery compartment with electrical terminals, 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 compartment, and wherein the power supply is configured to electrically connect with the electrical terminals of the battery compartment.

12. The dispenser of claim 11, 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.

13. The dispenser of claim 11, 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, is 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

a 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.

14. The dispenser of claim 13, wherein the energy storage device comprises a capacitor.

15. The dispenser of claim 13, further comprising an energy storage inductive device electrically connected between the energy storage device and the boost converter controller, the boost converter controller being 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.

16. 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 disposed within an associated one of the product dispensers for generating optimal power at a location of interest for placement of an associated dispenser.

17. The meter of claim 16, wherein the output device comprises a voltage sensor.

18. The meter of claim 16, 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 further comprising:

a second antenna disposed and configured to receive horizontally polarized electromagnetic energy, the second antenna being 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; and

wherein;

the output device is disposed in electrical communication with the first detector circuit and the second detector circuit, the output device being configured to provide the information to a 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.

19. The meter of claim 18, wherein the second antenna is disposed and configured to receive a lateral component of the horizontally polarized electromagnetic energy, and further comprising:

a third antenna disposed and configured to receive a longitudinal component of the horizontally polarized electromagnetic energy, the third antenna being 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; and

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 being configured to provide the information to a 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.

20. The meter of claim 16, wherein the output device comprises a user interface, and further comprising:

a processing circuit disposed in electrical communication with the detector circuit and the user interface, the processing circuit being responsive to machine executable instructions which when executed by a processor informs a 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.