Patent Application
20160060092
The embodiments herein relate generally to devices for dispensing fluids.
Individuals use a wide variety of fluids every day such as soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, moisturizers and food items such as sauces and condiments including, but not limited to, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, or the like. These fluids are typically dispensed from a container by squeezing the container or using a mechanical component such as a hand pump. However, these storage containers are undesirable because they are difficult to use and/or inefficient. In particular, these containers do not easily dispense fluid that remains on the bottom or side walls of the container. This results in a 5-10% waste of product and money. In addition, these containers do not dispense a specific quantity of fluid desired by a user.
U.S. Patent Application Publications 2013/0140323 and 2013/0264355, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,573,443 disclose a variety of soap and/or fluid dispensers. However, these devices are disadvantageous because they do not allow a user to efficiently select a desired quantity of fluid to be dispensed from a plurality of predetermined quantities. In addition, these devices are limited because they can only be used with certain sized fluid containers. This is because the fluid containers are stored within the housing members of the devices.
As such, there is a need in the industry for a fluid dispensing apparatus that efficiently dispenses a desired amount of fluid from a container, which overcomes the limitations of the prior art.
An interactive electronic fluid dispensing apparatus configured to allow a user to select a desired amount of fluid to be dispensed is provided. The apparatus comprises a housing unit comprising an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, wherein the inlet pipe is detachably coupled to a fluid container, a control assembly disposed within the housing unit and operably connected to the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, a microprocessor disposed within the housing unit and coupled to a power source, and a user interface affixed to the housing unit and operably connected to the microprocessor, wherein the user interface is configured to receive an input corresponding to a fluid amount selected from a plurality of fluid amounts, thereby enabling the microprocessor to transmit signals to the control assembly to extract the selected fluid amount from the container through the inlet pipe and dispense the fluid amount through the outlet pipe.
The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention will be made below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein the figures disclose one or more embodiments of the present invention.
As depicted in
In a preferred embodiment, display 22 is a LCD display. However, any alternative type of display known in the field may be used such as a LED display. Display 22 may be a touch screen display, which eliminates the need for input buttons 18. It shall be appreciated that display 22 may present to a user any variety of information including, but not limited to, amount of fluid to be dispensed, amount of fluid remaining in the container, time and date information, or the like.
As depicted in
Motherboard 24 comprises any electrical components known in the field such as control chips, microprocessors, memory storage units, or the like. It shall be appreciated that motherboard 24 comprises any computer programs and/or algorithms required to implement the functionality of the apparatus. Input buttons 18, motion sensors 26, display 22, control valve 12, vacuum pump 14, piston 38 and outlet rotor 20 are operably connected to motherboard 24 by wires (not shown). Batteries 30 are secured within battery compartment 34 and are configured to supply power to motherboard 24. In a preferred embodiment, batteries 30 comprise three AAA batteries. However, it shall be appreciated that an alternative number and type of batteries can be used instead. In an alternative embodiment, the electronic fluid dispensing apparatus may be directly connected to an external power outlet.
In operation, a user secures the cap of fluid container 40 around inlet pipe 10 of the electronic fluid dispensing apparatus. The user controls the apparatus via input buttons 18. In an embodiment of the invention, a first input button 18 is an On/Off switch, which enables and disables the apparatus. A second input button 18 allows a user to select a fluid amount to be dispensed from a plurality of predetermined fluid amounts. For example, the user can depress the second input button 18 to select 1 ml, 5 ml, 7 ml or 10 ml. However, it shall be appreciated that motherboard 24 can be easily reprogrammed to include any alternative group of fluid amounts. A third input button 18 allows the apparatus to dispense fluid from fluid container 40 in a continuous mode. A fourth input button 18 controls outlet rotor 20, which rotates outlet pipe 28 to a desired position. Display 22 presents to the user a status of the apparatus and any inputs entered via input buttons 18.
A user selects a desired fluid amount via input button 18. The electronic fluid dispensing apparatus extracts the selected amount of fluid 42 from fluid container 40. Fluid 42 follows the pathway shown in
It shall be appreciated that the components of the electronic fluid dispensing apparatus described in several embodiments herein may comprise any known materials in the field and be of any color, size and/or dimensions. It shall be appreciated that the components of the electronic fluid dispensing apparatus described herein may be manufactured and assembled using any known techniques in the field.
Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that numerous design configurations may be possible to enjoy the functional benefits of the inventive systems. Thus, given the wide variety of configurations and arrangements of embodiments of the present invention the scope of the invention is reflected by the breadth of the claims below rather than narrowed by the embodiments described above.
