Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02597190 2007-08-13
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Title
TOUCHLESS OPTICALLY CONTROLLED DISPENSER
Scope of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates to an optically controlled dispensing mechanism
and, more
particularly, to a dispenser whose operation is controlled by optical sensors
which can be
moved to assume different sensing positions.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Touchless dispensers are known in which a dispenser operates by sensing
the
presence of a user's hand below a discharge outlet. As one such touchless
system, it is known
to provide an emitter which emits electromagnetic radiation and a sensor
adapted to sense
electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sensor which has been reflected off
the hand of a
user disposed below the discharge outlet. Dispensing occurs when light
reflected from the
hand of a user under the discharge outlet is received by the sensor. In the
absence of a hand
disposed under the discharge outlet dispensing is not desired to occur.
[0003] Typical known soap dispensers have their hand sensing systems including
the
sensor and emitter disposed to be fixed relative to the dispenser to dispense
when the hand is
located at a desired position underneath the dispenser.
[0004] The present inventors have appreciated that disadvantages arise when
sensors are
placed, for example, above reflective tabletops or sinks in that reflection of
electromagnetic
radiation from the sensor off the countertop or sink can reach the sensor
causing false
activations. The present inventors have appreciated that with many soap
dispensers in which
the hand sensing systems direct the electromagnetic radiation virtually
vertically downwardly,
it can be difficult to locate a dispenser at a sufficient height above a
countertop or sink to
avoid false activations.
Summary of the Invention
[0005] To at least partially overcome these disadvantages and difficulties of
the previously
known devices, the present invention provides a touchless dispenser in which a
hand sensing
system, preferably including a sensor and an emitter to receive radiation from
the emitter
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reflected off a hand of a user, is adjustable to permit the sensor and emitter
to be disposed at
different orientations relative to the dispenser.
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a touchless dispenser
which
permits easy adjustment of the direction that the sensor and emitter of a hand
sensing system
are directed relative to the remainder of the dispenser.
[0007] In one aspect, the present invention provides an automatically
controlled apparatus
whose operation is controlled at least in part by the input of a signal that
an object is sensed in
a selected positioned relative the apparatus, the apparatus having an emitter
to emit
electromagnetic radiation and a sensor to sense electromagnetic radiation
emitted by the
emitter which is reflected off an object suitably positioned relative the
apparatus, the
improvement comprising a carriage member mounted to the apparatus for relative
pivoting
about a pivot axis,
the emitter and sensor carried by carriage member,
the emitter being generally directional emitting radiation to emanate
outwardly from
the emitter generally along a longitudinal emission axis,
the sensor being generally directional and sensing radiation which emanates
generally
along a longitudinal sensing axis terminating in the sensor,
the emission axis and the sensing axis generally disposed in a common plane
which
includes the horizontal axis. Preferably, the apparatus is an automatic
dispensing apparatus
for dispensing material onto the hand of a user when positioned under a
dispensing outlet for
the material to be dispensed.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0008] Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will be come
apparent
from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings
in which:
[0009] Figure 1 is a pictorial view of a dispenser assembly in accordance with
a first
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0010] Figure 2 is a pictorial exploded view of the dispenser assembly shown
in Figure 1;
[0011] Figure 3 is a pictorial view showing assembly of the reservoir assembly
and
backplate assembly shown in Figure 2;
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[0012] Figure 4 is a schematic pictorial side view showing the relative
positioning of a
user's hand relative the reservoir assembly and an activation unit of the
dispenser of Figures 1
and 3;
[0013] Figure 5 is an exploded pictorial view of the reservoir assembly shown
in Figures
2 and 3;
[0014] Figure 6 is a pictorial view showing the assembled bottle, valve
member, piston
chamber forming member and piston shown in Figure 5;
[0015] Figure 7 is a pictorial top rear view of the collar shown in Figure 5;
[0016] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the dispenser
assembly 10
shown in Figure 1;
[0017] Figure 9 is an exploded pictorial front view of the backplate assembly
shown in
Figure 2;
[0018] Figure 10 is a rear pictorial view of the activation unit shown in
Figure 9;
[0019] Figure 11 is a schematic exploded pictorial front view of the
activation unit shown
in Figure 9;
[0020] Figure 12 is a schematic exploded pictorial bottom view of selected
components of
the activation unit shown in Figure 10;
[0021] Figure 13 is an exploded pictorial rear view of the top and bottom
elements of the
carriage member shown in Figure 12;
[0022] Figure 14 is a schematic pictorial assembled view of the circuit board
and carriage
member shown in Figure 11; and
[0023] Figure 15 is a schematic side view of Figure 4.
Detailed Description of the Drawings
[0024] Reference is made to Figure 1 which illustrates a dispenser assembly 10
in
accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The
dispenser
assembly 10, as best seen in Figure 2, includes a removable reservoir assembly
12 adapted to
be secured to a housing formed by a combination of a backplate assembly 14, a
presser
member 15 and a shroud 16. As seen in Figure 9, the backplate assembly 14
includes a
reservoir support bridge 200, a backplate front housing 202, a backplate rear
housing plate
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204, a battery pack 206 and an activation unit 48. The battery pack 206 and
the activation
unit 48 are received inside an enclosed compartment formed between the
assembled backplate
front housing 202 and backplate rear housing plate 204. An electrical wire 208
electrically
connects batteries in the battery pack 206 with electronic/electric components
in the activation
unit 48.
[0025] Referring to Figure 2, the reservoir support bridge 200 is supported on
a generally
forwardly directed face plate 17 of the backplate front housing 202 from which
a horizontally
disposed support plate 18 of the support bridge 200 extends forwardly
supported by two side
plates 19. The presser member 15 is pivotally mounted to the support bridge
200 between the
two side plates 19 with stub axles 20 received in journaling bores 21 in each
of the side plates
19. The housing is completed by the shroud 16 being coupled to the backplate
assembly 14 to
substantially enclose the support bridge 200 and the presser member 15. The
reservoir
assembly 12 is adapted to removably couple to the assembled housing with a
piston 32 of a
pump assembly 25 of the reservoir assembly 12 becoming coupled to the presser
member 15.
Activation Unit
[0026] The backplate assembly 14 includes and carries the activation unit 48
best seen in
Figures 4, 9 to 12 and 15. The activation unit 48 includes as schematically
shown in Figure 11,
an internal drive assembly including an electric motor 49 which rotates via a
series of gears 50,
a drive wheel 51 carrying an eccentrically mounted axially extending
externally mounted cam
post 52. The cam post 52 couples to an inner end of the presser member 15 such
that in
rotation of the drive wheel 51 in one full revolution, the presser member 15
is pivoted about its
stub axles 20 downwardly and then upwardly, returning to the same position.
The presser
member 15 is coupled to piston 32 of the pump assembly 25 of the reservoir
assembly 12.
[0027] In one cycle of operation, the motor 49 is operated so as to rotate the
drive wheel 51
360 degrees and thus move the presser member 15 and hence the piston 32 in a
single stroke
inwardly and outwardly to dispense an allotment of fluid from the bottle 22 of
the reservoir
assembly out a discharge outlet 34 of the piston 32. The motor 49 is an
electric motor and its
operation may be controlled by a control mechanism receiving various inputs.
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[0028] The activation unit 48 shown is adapted provide touchless operation of
the
dispenser in a manner in which, as seen in Figure 4, the presence of a user's
hand 210
underneath the discharge outlet 34 is sensed by a hand sensing system. The
hand sensing
system includes an electromagnetic radiation emitter 53 located at the bottom
front of the
activator unit 48 to direct radiation downwardly and forwardly towards the
position the user's
hand 210 is to be placed and an electromagnetic radiation sensor 54 also
located at the bottom
front of the activator unit 48 to sense radiation reflected off the user's
hand 210. The hand
sensing system, on suitable receipt of reflected radiation from the hand,
provides a suitable
signal to the control mechanism indicating the presence of the hand, for
example, satisfying at
least one condition for operation of the motor.
[0029] The activation unit 48 is schematically shown in a pictorial exploded
view in Figure
11 as having a lid 212 which mates with a base 214 to provide a substantially
enclosed internal
compartment therebetween for mounting of a circuit board 216 and the internal
drive assembly
218 as well as a carriage member 220. The motor 49 is adapted to be mounted to
the circuit
board 216 electrically coupled thereto. The various gears 50 are journalled at
each of their
ends to the lid 212 and the base 214 with suitable openings provided through
the circuit board
and permitting, for example, coupling of one of the gears 50 through the lid
212 to carry and
rotate the drive whee151. The circuit board 216 carries the emitter 53 and
sensor 54 of the
hand sensing system electrically coupled thereto by flexible wiring 223 and
224. The carriage
member 220 carries two generally cylindrical sockets 225 and 226 to securely
receive,
respectively, the emitter 53 and the sensor 54 secured therein coaxially
within one of the
sockets 225 and 226 of the carriage member 220.
[0030] As best seen in Figure 12, the assembled carriage member 220 has a pair
of stub
axles 228, one at each end, coaxially disposed and providing cylindrical
outwardly directed
journaling surfaces. The lid 212 has side walls 230 which carry inwardly
directed sockets 232
within which the stub axles 228 of the carriage member are to be received such
that the
carriage member becomes journalled to the lid 212 for pivoting about a general
axis indicated
as 234. The stub axles 228 are held in the sockets 232 against removal by
portions of a front
wall 236 of the base 214 closing the open ends of the sockets 232 when the lid
212 and base
214 are secured together.
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[0031] The carriage member 220 has a support bar 238 extending parallel to the
stub axles
228 and coupling the sockets 225 and 226 fixedly together. A removable handle
member 240
is shown coupled to the carriage member 220 extending forwardly from the
support bar 238
centered between the two sockets and extending radially relative to an axis
441 through the
stub axles 228. A pair of catch arms 242 extend radially from the support bar
238 spaced from
each other on either side of the handle member 240, however, at a different
angle relative to the
axis 441 of the stub axles 228 than the handle member 240. Each of the catch
arms 242
extends from an inner end where it is coupled to the support bar 238 to a
distal end 244. Each
catch arm 242 carries an inwardly extending semi-spherical boss 245 proximate
its end 244.
The front wa11236 of the base 214 carries a locating bridge 246 with a pair of
side surfaces 248
each of which has an array of semi-circular recesses 250 disposed at different
locations in an
arc about the pivot axis 234 when the lid 212 is coupled to the base 214. In
an assembled
actuation unit 48 as shown in Figure 10, with the carriage member 220
journalled in the
sockets 232 for pivoting about the pivot axis 234, the catch arms 242 are
disposed outwardly of
each of the side surfaces 248 of the locating bridge 246 with the bosses 245
adapted to be
received in any one of the recesses 250 so as to locate the carriage member
220 at one of a
number of different rotational positions about the axis 234. In Figures 10 and
15, the array of
recesses 250 is shown to include three recesses and the carriage member 220 is
shown as being
located in an intermediate of the recesses 250.
[0032] As seen in Figure 1, the removable handle 240 when coupled to the
carriage
member 22 extends forwardly and is adapted to manually be grasped by an
installer's hand and
forcibly urged to move the bosses 245 out of one pair of the recesses 250 into
another pair.
[0033] The emitter 53 comprises a lamp which is generally configured so as to
be generally
directional, that is, to direct electromagnetic radiation to emanate outwardly
from the emitter
generally along a longitudinal emitter axis 253 and, similarly, the sensor is
generally
directional so as to sense radiation which emanates generally along a
longitudinal sensor axis
254 terminating in the sensor as seen in Figure 14. Each of the sockets 255
and 256 effectively
act as a shroud which assists in substantially preventing any transmission of
electromagnetic
radiation therethrough and effectively serves to assist in directionalizing
the emitter 53 and the
sensor 54 so as to restrict emissions or reception of either to radiation
passing through the outer
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ends of the sockets 225 and 226. The emitter axis 253 and the sensor axis 254
are disposed in
a common plane which includes the pivot axis 234 about which the carriage
member 220 is
journalled to the activation unit 48. Similarly, the handle 240 is shown as
extending
substantially in the same plane. The emitter axis 253 and sensor axis 254 are
angled relative to
each other so as to converge in the plane including the pivot axis 234 a
convergent point at a
fixed distance from the pivot axis 234. With these emitter axis 253 and sensor
axis 254 each
disposed at the same relative angle to the pivot axis 234, the convergent
point is located
centered between the sockets 225 and 226 as preferred for symmetrical location
and
arrangement on the dispenser although this is not necessary.
[0034] Referring to Figure 15, there is illustrated by an arrow 262 in side
view, the
common plane containing each of the emitter axis 253 and the sensor axis 254
when the catch
arms 242 are secured with their bosses in the intermediate recess 250. Arrows
261 and 263
show the position of this common plane if the carriage member 220 is rotated
to have the catch
arms 242 engaged in the lowermost and uppermost recesses 250, respectively.
[0035] Reference is made to Figure 13 which shows the carriage member 220 as
being
formed from a top element 270 and a bottom element 271 which are adapted to
snap-fit
together as with catches 272 on the top element 270 to pass through and snap-
fit into openings
273 in the bottom element 271. The top element 270 carries half of the stub
axle 222 while the
bottom 271 carries the other half. Similarly, the top element 270 carries a
top half of the
socket 225 and the top half of the socket 226 and the bottom element 271
carries a bottom half
of the socket 225 and a bottom half of the socket 226. On snap-fitting the top
270 to the
bottom 271, the emitter 53 is received coaxially within the socket 225 against
removal and the
sensor 54 is received coaxially within the socket 226 against removal.
[0036] By positioning the carriage member 220 to assume any one of the upper,
intermediate, or lower positions indicated by the arrows 261, 262 and 263 in
Figure 15, the
ability of hand sensing system to avoid undesired reflection off a permanent
object such as a
countertop located underneath the discharge outlet 34 will vary. As well,
there may be a
preferred location and distance below the dispensing outlet 34 for a hand to
be placed and
sensed, for example, as shown in Figure 15 as with the carriage member in the
intermediate
position represented by arrow 262. However, in certain environments, for
example, due to the
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presence of a countertop below the dispenser which restricts the ability of a
hand to be located
in positions above the countertop, may render it advantageous for the carriage
member to be
moved to assume, for example, a position corresponding to that represented by
the arrow 261
which will more readily sense a hand at a higher position. Similarly, in
certain environments,
it may be difficult to mount the dispenser other than at relatively high
heights on a wall in
which case a person using the dispenser may well be inclined to place their
hand at a position
farther below the discharge nozzle 34. In this case, placing the carriage
member 220 into a
position corresponding to that indicated by arrow 263 would facilitate a hand
being sensed at a
lower position underneath the discharge outlet.
[0037] Referring to Figure 5, it is generally preferred if the carriage member
220 is capable
of being disposed such that the sensors 53 and 54 point virtually vertically
downward or,
preferably, no more than about ten degrees from the vertical. This is believed
preferred to
allow good sensing to ensure there is no dispensing before the hand is
underneath the discharge
outlet 34. However, insofar as there may be provided, for example, some
surface such as a
reflective countertop below the dispenser, then the difficulty arises that
radiation from the
emitter can bounce off the surface being reflected to the emitter and, thus,
provide an false
activation when there is no hand of a user under the discharge outlet 34. By
adjusting the angle
of the carriage member 220 to be increased, for example, to different angles
such as 15 degrees
or 20 degrees, or 25 degrees or 30 degrees or 35 degrees to the vertical or
any angle in ranges
therebetween, the difficulty with reflection as from a flat countertop surface
can be reduced
and typically eliminated. The present invention provides a convenient
arrangement in which
when a dispenser is installed on the wall, if there are problems with false
readings as due to
reflection, then the relative angle of the sensors altered to a vertical can
be suitably directed.
[0038] It is believed that preferred angles for directing the sensors is in
the range of 5
degrees to about 35 degrees, more preferably, in the range of about 10 degrees
to about 30
degrees. In the preferred embodiment, the carriage member 220 is intended to
be able to be
located at angles of 10 degrees, 20 degrees and 30 degrees from the vertical.
It is appreciated
that a plurality of recesses may accommodate a plurality of different angles
as may be desired.
[0039] It is not necessary that the point of coincidence be disposed at the
hand or
necessarily above or below the hand. For proper operation of the hand sensing
device, it is
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merely necessary that radiation from the sensor 53 is adequately reflected
from the hand so as
to be received by the emitter 54. The pivotable carriage member 220 provides a
simple
mechanism for easy adjusting of the hand sensing system to optimally sense
hands at different
positions and locations relative to the dispenser, and/or to avoid problems
with reflected
radiation from permanent elements of the environment about the dispenser.
[0040] In the preferred embodiment as best shown in Figures 13 and 14, the
handle
member 240 a separate removable element from the carriage member 220 and not
integrally
formed as part of the carriage member 220. In this regard, the handle member
240 has an
elongate portion 300 from which an elongate plug like key member 302 extends
longitudinally
at one end. The key member 302 has a rectangular cross sectional shape shaped
and sized to fit
inside a complementary rectangular key hole 304 in the carriage member 220
seen in Figure
14. With the key member 302 engaged in the keyhole 304, the handle member 240
extends
about a notional longitudinal 276 shown in Figure 141ying centered between the
axis 253 and
254 all in the common plane. For ease of explanation of the invention the
removable handle
member 240 is shown coupled to the carriage member in each of Figures 1 to 4,
8 to 12 and 15
although in use in dispensing the handle member 240 should preferably be
removed. The
handle member 24 is not necessary and the handle member 240 could be
eliminated and some
other positioning mechanism may be provided for manual movement of the
carriage member
220 or permitting access to the carriage member 220 as, for example, by use of
a tool such as a
screwdriver or the end of a cylindrical pencil. For example, with the handle
member 240 could
be removed and a flat head screwdriver could be inserted into the keyhole 304
in the support
bar 238 as seen in Figure 14.
[0041] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 9, the backplate front housing 202 has
three
openings 281, 282 and 283 located in its lower wall 284 complementary to the
locations of the
sockets 225, handle 220 and socket 226, respectively. The openings 281 and 283
are disposed
below the sockets 225 and 226 and are of a size to permit radiation from the
emitter 53 to pass
outwardly and radiation for the sensor 54 to pass inwardly in all desired
rotational positions of
the carriage member 220. Similarly, the opening 282 provides an opening
through which the
handle member 240 may extend for manual engagement and manipulation and
permits the
handle member 240 to assume any corresponding desired rotational positions of
the carriage
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member 220. Insofar as the handle member 240 may be eliminated, then the
central opening
282 may provide an access point for a tool to engage the carriage member 220.
[0042] The face plate 17 of the backplate housing 202 has an opening 285
through which
the drive wheel 51 may extend for engagement with the gears 50 within the
activation unit 48.
[0043] The face plate 17 also includes two openings 286 and 287 to receive two
key
shrouds 57 and 58 carried on the activation unit lid 212 and which are to
receive a key emitter
55 and key sensor 56 of an optional key system as discussed hereafter.
[0044] In the preferred embodiment, engagement between the bosses on the catch
arms and
the recesses in the bridging member provide for discrete pre-set adjustment of
the carriage
member 220 to have the sensors at a plurality of different angles. It is to be
appreciated that
the device could be arranged to provide for the dispensing angle to be any
desired angle within
a range as, for example, by having the catch arms merely frictionally engage
the sides of the
retaining bridge.
[0045] In the preferred embodiments, the socket members 225 and 226 are shown
as being
fixed to the carriage member 220 against movement. This is preferred, however,
it is to be
appreciated that a carriage member could be further modified so as to provide
an arrangement
for changing the angle at which the socket members 225 and 226 converge
towards each other,
preferably, with the movement of the sockets being constrained to remain
symmetrical relative
to the pivot axis although this is not necessary.
Reservoir Assembly
[0046] As best seen in Figure 5, the reservoir assembly 12 comprises a
reservoir bottle 22,
a pump assembly 25 and a key collar 26. The bottle 22 has a threaded neck 27
about an outlet
28. A locking tab 29 extends forwardly and axially relative to the threaded
neck 27 and is of
generally rectangular shape in horizontal, axial cross-section having flat
parallel side faces
and an end face normal thereto. The pump assembly 25 includes a piston chamber
forming
member 30 having an outer flange 31 which is internally threaded such that the
outer flange
31 may be threadably engaged onto the threaded neck 27. The pump assembly 25
further
includes a piston 32 and a valve member 33. The piston 32 is reciprocally
movable coaxially
within a cylindrical chamber formed within the piston chamber forming member
30 so as to
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dispense fluid from inside the bottle 22 out of the outlet 28 internally
through the piston 32
and out a discharge opening 34 of the outer end of the piston 32.
[0047] The bottle 22 and pump assembly 25 is shown assembled in Figure 6. To
the
assembly as shown in Figure 6, the key collar 26 is applied by sliding the
collar 26 axially
upwardly such that the collar 26 comes to be engaged in a snap-fit upon the
outer flange 31
against removal from the outer flange 31 and with the locking tab 29 engaging
in a slotway 46
on the collar 26 so as to prevent rotation of the collar 26 relative to the
bottle 22. As seen in
Figure 7, the collar 26 has an axial upper end 35 and an axial lower end 36
with a central,
generally cylindrical opening 37 extending therethrough. A generally
cylindrical side wall 38
about the opening 37 carries approximate the lower end 36 three radially
inwardly extending
lower shoulder members 39 presenting stop shoulders 80 directed axially toward
the upper
end 35. Approximate the upper end 35, the side wall 38 includes three radially
inwardly
directed upper shoulder members 40. The upper shoulder members 40 have a catch
surface
81 directed towards the lower end 36 and a bevelled camming surface 82
directed towards the
upper end 35. On sliding of the collar 26 coaxially upwardly onto the outer
flange 31, the
camming surface 82 of the upper shoulder members 40 engage with an outer lower
surface 83
of the outer flange 31 biasing the upper shoulder members 40 radially
outwardly to permit the
outer flange 31 to move relative the collar 26 axially toward the lower end 36
into the opening
37 of the collar 26. Once an upper end 84 of the outer flange 31 becomes
located below the
upper shoulder member 40, the upper shoulder member 40 returns to its inherent
unbiased
position with the catch surface 81 disposed above the upper end 84 of the
outer flange 31
radially inwardly therefrom thus locking the outer flange 31 between the stop
shoulders 80 of
the lower shoulder member 39 and the catch surface 81 of the upper shoulder
member 40.
[0048] The collar 26 carries on its upper end 35 a pair of upwardly extending
lock tabs 45
providing a slotway 46 therebetween. The slotway 46 is sized to closely
receive the locking
tab 29 of the bottle 22 therebetween. When coupling the collar 26 onto the
assembled bottle
22 and pump assembly 25, the slotway 46 is circumferentially aligned with the
locking tab 29
on the bottle 22 such that the reservoir assembly 12 when fully assembled as
shown in Figure
2 has the locking tab 29 on the bottle 22 received within the slotway 46
preventing relative
rotation of the collar 26 and bottle 12. In the reservoir assembly 12 as shown
in Figure 2, the
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piston chamber forming member 30 and the collar 26 are secured to the bottle
22 against
removal. That is, the key collar 26 and piston chamber forming member 30 are
preferably
secured on the bottle 22 substantially against removal other than by
significant breaking or
deformation of the bottle 22 or key collar 26.
[0049] The extent to which removal or attempted removal of the collar 26
and/or pump
assembly 25 is possible or is not possible, or may require destruction of one
or more of the
bottle 22, key collar 26 or piston chamber forming member 30 can be selected
as desired. For
example, at the time of assembly, the bottle 22, piston chamber forming member
30 and collar
26 can be permanently secured together as with glue or by sonic welding.
[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the interior side wa1138 of the collar 26
may be
knurled with axially extending alternating ribs and slotways only partially
shown at 170 in
Figure 7 such that a complementarily knurled outer surface of the outer flange
31 having
axially extending alternating ribs and slotways may couple with ribs on the
side wa1138
preventing relative rotation of the piston chamber forming member 30 relative
to the collar 26
once the collar is applied.
[0051] With the backplate assembly 14, presser member 15 and shroud 16
assembled and,
for example, secured to a wall, the assembled reservoir assembly 12 may be
coupled thereto
by the reservoir assembly 12 moving vertically downwardly relative the
backplate assembly
14 with the collar member 26 and pump assembly 25 to pass vertically
downwardly through
an opening 190 in the plate 18, and the entire reservoir assembly 12 then
being urged
rearwardly to engage a rear support portion 191 of the plate 18 above the
collar 26 and below
a lower shoulder 192 on the bottle placing the piston 32 into a position for
coupling with or in
which it is coupled with the presser member 15. Removal of the reservoir
assembly 12 is
accomplished by reversed movement forwardly then upwardly.
[0052] The presser member 15 is coupled to the piston 32 by engagement between
catch
members (not shown) carried by the presser member 15 with an engagement flange
54 on the
piston 32. Such catch members and engagement may be similar to that described
in U.S.
Patent 5,373,970 to Ophardt dated December 20, 1994, the disclosure of which
is
incorporated herein by reference, which engagement necessarily results on
coupling of the
reservoir assembly 12 with the backplate assembly 14.
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Optical Key System
[0053] The activation unit 48 is shown to also includes portions of an
optional optical key
system for determining if the reservoir assembly 12 is compatible with the
activation unit 48,
that is, whether the reservoir assembly 12 meets pre-selected criteria to
permit use with the
activation unit 48. The circuit board 216 of the activation unit 48 includes
an electromagnetic
radiation key emitter 55 and an electromagnetic radiation key sensor 56. The
lid 21 of the
activation unit 48 includes on an upper portion of its front face a pair of
hollow shrouds 57
and 58 which are directed forwardly. The key emitter 55 is received in the
generally
cylindrical shroud 57 about a lamp of the key emitter 55 and the key sensor 56
is received in
the generally cylindrical shroud 57 about a lamp of the key emitter. The
shrouds 57 and 58
substantially prevent any transmission of electromagnetic radiation
therethrough and
effectively serve to directionalize the key emitter 55 and key sensor 56 so as
to restrict
emissions or receptions of either to light passing through the outer end of
the shrouds 57 and
58. As best seen in Figures 4 and 7, the collar 26 has two arms 60 and 61
which extend
rearwardly from the collar 26 toward each of the key emitter 55 and key sensor
57. The collar
26 provides an electromagnetic radiation wave guide from an end face 62 at the
end of arm 60
through the collar 26 to the face 63 at the end of the arm 61 providing an
outlet to the wave
guide. The wave guide is schematically illustrated in dashed lines as 64 in
Figure 7 as
extending in a generally U-shape within a U-shaped rim 65 of material disposed
proximate
the upper end 35 of the collar 26 about its outer periphery.
[0054] Referring to Figure 4, electromagnetic radiation emitted by the key
emitter 55
enters the wave guide 64 via the inlet end face 62 and is conducted via the
wave guide 64
through the collar 26 with electromagnetic radiation to exit the wave guide 64
via the outlet
end face 63 with the radiation exiting the wave guide via the outlet end face
63 to be sensed
by the key sensor 56. The activation unit 48 includes a key control system
under which as a
prerequisite to dispensing, having regard to the electromagnetic radiation
emitted by the key
emitter 55, the electromagnetic radiation sensed by the key sensor 56 is to
comply with one or
more pre-selected parameters. As by way of a non-limiting example, the key
emitter 55 may
emit electromagnetic radiation within a selected range of wave lengths and, in
the absence of
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the key sensor 56 sensing electromagnetic radiation within the range of
emitted radiation, the
motor 49 may not be permitted to operate. Thus, in the simplest case, should a
non-compliant
reservoir assembly 12 which has the bottle 22, pump assembly 25 but not the
collar 26, be
coupled to the backplate assembly 14 and would not have a wave guide, the
radiation of a
selected wavelength emitted by key emitter 55 would not be directed to or
sensed by the key
sensor 56 and the control mechanism of the activation unit would not permit
dispensing.
[0055] In the preferred embodiment, the collar 26 may preferably be formed as
by
injection molding from a plastic material which permits transmission of
electromagnetic
radiation therethrough. As is known to a person skilled in the art, various
plastic materials
such as polycarbonate plastics can be used which provide a resultant product
having
electromagnetic radiation transmitting properties. Radiation which may enter
the light
transmitting collar 26 as by being directed normal to the inlet end face 62
will, to some
extent, be reflected internally by reason of such light impinging at
relatively low angles on the
external surfaces of the collar forming effectively the sides of the wave
guide. A portion of
the radiation directed into the collar 26 is passed through the collar 26 as
around the U-shaped
external rim 65 with some proportion of the radiation to be directed
substantially
perpendicular to the exit end face 63 to exit the wave guide and be sensed by
the key sensor
56.
[0056] The collar 26 may be formed as unitary element all from the same
radiation
transmitting properties or may be formed from a number of different materials.
For example,
to increase internal reflection, exterior surfaces of the collar 26 especially
about the rim 65
could be coated with a reflective material other than on the inlet end face 62
and the outlet end
face 63. The collar 26 may be formed such that merely a U-shaped portion of
the collar, for
example, substantially corresponding to the U-shaped rim 65 may comprise light
transmitting
materials and the remainder of the collar may be formed of other plastic
materials.
[0057] The collar 26 may be formed to incorporate therein one or more pre-
existing
optical fibres, for example, disposed to extend internally within the U-shaped
rim as with an
inlet end of an optical fibre to be presented at the inlet end face 62 and an
outlet end of the
optical fibre to be presented at an outlet end face 63.
14
CA 02597190 2007-08-13
[0058] In accordance with the present invention, the electromagnetic radiation
for the key
emitter may be selected having regard to pre-selected parameters. These
parameters may
include radiation within one or more ranges of wavelengths, electromagnetic
radiation within
one or more ranges of intensity, polarized electromagnetic radiation, and
electromagnetic
radiation within one or more ranges of duration and at one or more different
points in time.
[0059] The wave guide which is provided may have electromagnetic radiation
transmitted
properties selected from a plurality of properties and including the ability
to transmit one or
more ranges of wavelengths and or the ability to block one or more ranges of
wavelengths, the
ability to restrict the intensity of electromagnetic radiation which can be
transmitted through
the wave guide, preferably, as a function of most of the wave guide. The
transmission
properties may restrict the transmission of radiation having a first range of
wavelengths yet
permit transmission of radiation having a range of second wavelengths.
[0060] As to the nature of electromagnetic radiation to be used, many
conventionally
available sensors and/or emitters are available for use in emitting and
sensing electromagnetic
radiation in the visible light spectrum. This is not necessary, however, and
electromagnetic
radiation outside the visible spectrum may be used. This could be advantageous
as, for
example, to mask the nature of any modular components which may comprise a
portion of a
wave guide. For example, whether or not any modular wave guide element may
appear to
have a visible colour such as blue, red or yellow, insofar as it is adapted
for transmission of
non-visible electromagnetic radiation, then the presence or absence of colour
in the modular
unit could assist in fooling an imitator.
[0061] In accordance with the preferred embodiment, a circuit board 216 is
provided plus
simplified carrying of electronics and ease of electrical coupling of the
motor 49, the hand
sensing system components including the sensor 53 and the emitter 54 and the
optional key
system including the key emitter 55 and the key sensor 57. In accordance with
the present
invention, it is not necessary that a key system be provided and thus would be
appreciated that
in this case the dispenser could be provided without the key emitter 55 or key
sensor 56 or
their shrouds and without the collar 26. The embodiment disclosed would
function with the
elimination of these elements and, for example, with the reservoir assembly to
be inserted
comprising that merely shown in Figure 6.
CA 02597190 2007-08-13
[0062] While the invention has been described with reference to preferred
embodiments,
many modifications and variations will now occur to persons skilled in the
art. For a
definition of the invention, reference is made to the following claims.
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