Dispensing system with material level detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9913562-B2
Application number	US-201514620149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2015
Priority date	Feb 11, 2014
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

A dispensing system comprises a first electronic sensor and a controller. The first electronic sensor may be configured to detect a first change from a first amount of a fluid product in a dispensing system reservoir to a second amount of the fluid product in the dispensing system reservoir. The controller may be coupled to the first electronic sensor and configured to receive a first signal from the first electronic sensor indicative of the first change. The dispensing system reservoir may be disposed in the dispensing system. A method for determining a remaining service interval for a dispensing system reservoir is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing system comprising:
a dispensing system reservoir disposed within the dispensing system;
a housing member attached to a first rail and a second rail;
a movable mount configured to move along the first rail and the second rail;
a first electronic sensor comprising a first membrane, wherein the first membrane comprises a first conductive layer disposed between the movable mount and a first dielectric layer, a second conductive layer attached to the housing member, and the first dielectric layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, wherein the first electronic sensor is disposed between the first rail and the second rail, wherein the first electronic sensor is configured to:
detect a first change in fluid product of the dispensing system reservoir based upon force from the dispensing system reservoir displacing the movable mount along the first rail and the second rail against the first membrane; and

a controller coupled to the first electronic sensor and configured to receive a first signal from the first electronic sensor indicative of the first change.

2. The dispensing system of claim 1 , comprising:
a second electronic sensor comprising a second membrane, wherein the second membrane comprises a third conductive layer disposed between the movable mount and a second dielectric layer, a fourth conductive layer attached to the housing member, and the second dielectric layer disposed between the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer, wherein the second electronic sensor is disposed between the first electronic sensor and the second rail, wherein the second electronic sensor is configured to:
detect a second change in fluid product of the dispensing system reservoir based upon force from the dispensing system reservoir displacing the movable mount along the first rail and the second rail against the second membrane.

3. The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a second signal from the second electronic sensor indicative of the second change.

4. The dispensing system of claim 2 , wherein the first electronic sensor and the second electronic sensor are affixed to the housing member.

5. A dispensing system comprising:
a dispensing system reservoir disposed within the dispensing system;
a housing member attached to a first rail and a second rail;
a movable mount configured to move along the first rail and the second rail;
a first electronic sensor comprising a first membrane, wherein the first membrane comprises a first conductive layer disposed between the movable mount and a first dielectric layer, a second conductive layer attached to the housing member, and the first dielectric layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, wherein the first electronic sensor is disposed between the first rail and the second rail, wherein the first electronic sensor is configured to:
detect a first change in fluid product of the dispensing system reservoir based upon force from the dispensing system reservoir displacing the movable mount along the first rail and the second rail against the first membrane; and

a second electronic sensor comprising a second membrane, wherein the second membrane comprises a third conductive layer disposed between the movable mount and a second dielectric layer, a fourth conductive layer attached to the housing member, and the second dielectric layer disposed between the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer, wherein the second electronic sensor is disposed between the first electronic sensor and the second rail, wherein the second electronic sensor is configured to:
detect a second change in fluid product of the dispensing system reservoir based upon force from the dispensing system reservoir displacing the movable mount along the first rail and the second rail against the second membrane.

6. The dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein the second electronic sensor comprises an electroactive polymer material.

7. The dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein the second electronic sensor is positioned between the housing member and the movable mount.

8. The dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein the first electronic sensor and the second electronic sensor are affixed to the housing member.

9. The dispensing system of claim 5 , comprising:
a controller coupled to the first electronic sensor and configured to receive a first signal from the first electronic sensor indicative of the first change.

10. The dispensing system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a second signal from the second electronic sensor indicative of the second change.

11. The dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein the second electronic sensor is disposed between the first rail and the second rail.

12. The dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein the first electronic sensor is disposed between the first rail and the second electronic sensor.

13. The dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein the first electronic sensor comprises an electroactive polymer fluid product.

14. The dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein the first electronic sensor comprises a flexible polymeric fluid product.

15. The dispensing system of claim 9 , wherein the first signal corresponds to an amount of stress applied to the first membrane from the force from the dispensing system reservoir pushing against the first membrane.

16. The dispensing system of claim 10 , wherein the second signal corresponds to an amount of stress applied to the second membrane from the force from the dispensing system reservoir pushing against the first membrane.

17. A dispensing system comprising:
a dispensing system reservoir disposed within the dispensing system;
a housing member attached to a first rail and a second rail;
a movable mount configured to move along the first rail and the second rail;
a first electronic sensor comprising a first membrane, wherein the first membrane comprises a first conductive layer disposed between the movable mount and a first dielectric layer, a second conductive layer attached to the housing member, and the first dielectric layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, wherein the first electronic sensor is disposed between the first rail and the second rail, wherein the first electronic sensor is configured to:
detect a first change in fluid product of the dispensing system reservoir based upon force from the dispensing system reservoir displacing the movable mount along the first rail and the second rail towards the first membrane;

a second electronic sensor comprising a second membrane, wherein the second membrane comprises a third conductive layer disposed between the movable mount and a second dielectric layer, a fourth conductive layer attached to the housing member, and the dielectric layer disposed between the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer, wherein the second electronic sensor is disposed between the first electronic sensor and the second rail, wherein the second electronic sensor is configured to:
detect a second change in fluid product of the dispensing system reservoir based upon force from the dispensing system reservoir displacing the movable mount along the first rail and the second rail towards the second membrane; and

a controller coupled to the first electronic sensor and the second electronic sensor and configured to receive a first signal from the first electronic sensor indicative of the first change and a seco

Assignees

• Gojo Ind Inc

Inventors

• Wegelin Jackson William
• Ciavarella Nick Ermanno
• Proper Scott Theodore
• Corney Richard E

Classifications

• A47K5/1217 Primary

  Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism · CPC title

• A47K5/1211

  using pressure on soap, e.g. with piston (A47K5/1201 takes precedence; using squeeze bottles or the like A47K5/122) · CPC title

• A47K5/16

  with mechanical drive · CPC title

• A47K2005/1218

  Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap · CPC title

• A47K5/1202

  dispensing dosed volume (A47K5/1201 takes precedence) · CPC title