Dispensers and dispenser systems for precisely controlled output dosing of soap or sanitizer

#The present invention relates generally to touch free soap and sanitizer dispenser systems and more particularly dispensers that have precisely controlled output dosing of soap or sanitizer.

#In hands-free (or touch-free) dispensers, a liquid or foam pump is typically activated by an actuator that drives the pump through a drive cycle to dispense a dose of fluid. The liquid pumps and foam pumps primarily used in today's soap and sanitizer dispensers are dome pumps and piston pumps. A few dispensers utilized rotary displacement pumps.

#Rotary displacement pumps, which are pumps that have a plurality of rollers on a wheel that rotate and compress a dispense tube (these pumps are often used in devices such as, for example, intravenous drip systems) have fairly precise dose sizes, however the dispense speeds are not practical for dispensing a dose of soap or sanitizer. In addition, creating foam soap or sanitizer with a rotary displacement pump is not feasible due to the speed of dispense required.

#These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a generic illustrative schematic of an exemplary dispenser having a removable refill unit;

#FIG. 2 is an exemplary removable refill unit;

#The following includes definitions of exemplary terms used throughout the disclosure. Both singular and plural forms of all terms fall within each meaning. Except where noted otherwise, capitalized and non-capitalized forms of all terms fall within each meaning.

#“Circuit communication” as used herein indicates a communicative relationship between devices. Direct electrical, electromagnetic and optical connections and indirect electrical, electromagnetic and optical connections are examples of circuit communication. Two devices are in circuit communication if a signal from one is received by the other, regardless of whether the signal is modified by some other device. For example, two devices separated by one or more of the following—amplifiers, filters, transformers, optoisolators, digital or analog buffers, analog integrators, other electronic circuitry, fiber optic transceivers or satellites—are in circuit communication if a signal from one is communicated to the other, even though the signal is modified by the intermediate device(s). As another example, an electromagnetic sensor is in circuit communication with a signal if it receives electromagnetic radiation from the signal. As a final example, two devices not directly connected to each other, but both capable of interfacing with a third device, such as, for example, a CPU, are in circuit communication.

#Also, as used herein, voltages and values representing digitized voltages are considered to be equivalent for the purposes of this application, and thus the term “voltage” as used herein refers to either a signal, or a value in a processor representing a signal, or a value in a processor determined from a value representing a signal.