Device and methods for depositing materials on hard surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11701681-B2
Application number	US-202017121826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2020
Priority date	Jun 13, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2023
Grant date	Jul 18, 2023

Abstract

A device and method for applying a material to a hard surface. The device has a sensor and one or more applicator nozzles. The device further includes a reservoir for containing a material to be deposited, and a CPU. The method includes providing information from the sensor about the surface to the CPU, which uses the information to identify where the material is to be deposited and/or how much to deposit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of depositing a composition comprising antibacterial agents on a hard surface, the method comprising the steps of:
identifying the hard surface onto which the composition will be deposited;
providing a device having a sensor, a reservoir for the composition, a CPU, and at least one microfluidic die comprising at least one nozzle;
locating the sensor over at least a portion of the hard surface;
activating the sensor to sense bacteria on the hard surface;
providing acquired information on the bacteria to the CPU;
instructing the CPU to calculate the location of the bacteria on the hard surface; and
activating the at least one nozzle to deposit the composition on the hard surface at the location of the bacteria.

2. The method of claim 1 , including the additional step of sensing the hard surface after the compostions has been deposited thereon.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic die includes a plurality of nozzles.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic die includes a heating element or an electromechanical actuator.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CPU is configured to activate the one or more nozzles in a discontinuous deposition pattern.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CPU is configured to activate the one or more nozzles in a continuous deposition pattern.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number and or frequency of nozzles fired can be adjusted by a user of the device.

8. The method of claim 1 where the one or more nozzles are disposed in an array that is a linear configuration, multiple rows, off-set, sine wave, curved, circular, or saw tooth arrangements.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises an illumination source configured to illuminate the surface to be sensed.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor utilizes color, brightness, reflectance, refractance temperature, texture, depth, width, length, odor, and mixtures thereof.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Bush Stephan Gary
• De Castro Ted
• Frankenbach Gayle Marie
• Gruenbacher Dana Paul
• Morand Kenneth Lee
• Rabe Thomas Elliot
• Sherman Faiz Feisal
• Policicchio Nicola John
• Sawin Philip Andrew
• Carter Jeremy Michael

Classifications

• B05C17/0052 Primary

  Accessories therefor · CPC title

• A47L13/26

  Other cleaning devices with liquid supply arrangements (such arrangements on floor-polishing machines A47L11/00, on scrapers A47L13/03, on mops A47L13/22; cloths, pads, or the like containing cleaning agents A47L13/17, A47L13/19) · CPC title

• A61L2/18

  Liquid substances · CPC title

• B05C17/00503

  Details of the outlet element (B05C17/00523 takes precedence; nozzles for deformable tubular containers B65D35/38) · CPC title

• C11D3/3723

  Polyamines or polyalkyleneimines · CPC title