# US 12,009,689 B2 · Dispenser energy on refill unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,689 B2 - Document ID: US12009689B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/033,855 - Filed: 2020-09-27 - Published: 2021-04-01 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-27 - Assignees: GOJO Industries, Inc. - Applicants: GOJO Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Jackson William Wegelin; Chip W. Curtis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009689B2 ## CPC - A47K 5/1217: {Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism} - H02J 7/345: {using capacitors as storage or buffering devices} - H02J 7/16: Regulation of the charging current or voltage by variation of field - H02J 7/443: {using passive battery identification means, e.g. resistors or capacitors (identification by mechanical connections H02J7/751)} - H02J 7/94: in response to battery current - A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract A dispenser for dispensing a material includes a circuit in communication with a battery and a rechargeable energy storage device. The circuit places the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device in series during a dispense event such that an actuator that facilitates dispensing the material during the dispense event receives power from the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device during the dispense event. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dispenser for dispensing a material, comprising: a circuit in communication with a battery and a rechargeable energy storage device, the circuit placing the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device in series during a dispense event such that an actuator that facilitates dispensing the material during the dispense event receives power from the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device during the dispense event, wherein the circuit places the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device in parallel in the absence of the dispense event such that the battery recharges the rechargeable energy storage device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the battery recharges the rechargeable energy storage device to less than about 75% of a rated capacity of the rechargeable energy storage device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the battery recharges the rechargeable energy storage device to less than about 50% of a rated capacity of the rechargeable energy storage device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The dispenser of claim 1, comprising: a pump in communication with the material, wherein the actuator is in communication with the pump to actuate the pump to dispense the material during the dispense event. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable energy storage device comprises a capacitor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable energy storage device comprises a rechargeable battery. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable energy storage device comprises a plurality of capacitors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The dispenser of claim 7, wherein during the dispense event, the rechargeable energy storage device provides a voltage to the actuator that is equal to the added voltages of each of the plurality of capacitors and the battery. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dispenser of claim 1, wherein a voltage rating of the actuator is greater than a voltage of the battery. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a transistor and a charge pump configured to provide a voltage to the transistor to change a state of the transistor, thereby causing the battery to be placed in series with the rechargeable energy storage device. ### Claim 11 A dispenser for dispensing a material, comprising: a pump in communication with the material; an actuator in communication with the pump to actuate the pump to dispense the material during a dispense event; and a circuit in communication with a battery and a rechargeable energy storage device, the circuit placing the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device in electrical communication with the actuator during the dispense event such that the actuator receives power from the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device during the dispense event, wherein the circuit places the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device in parallel in the absence of the dispense event such that the battery recharges the rechargeable energy storage device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The dispenser of claim 11, comprising: a refill unit containing the material, wherein the pump is in communication with the refill unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the battery is on the refill unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The dispenser of claim 13, comprising: a housing, wherein at least one of the pump, the actuator, the circuit, or the rechargeable energy storage device is on the housing and the refill unit is selectively attachable to the housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The dispenser of claim 14, wherein the rechargeable energy storage device is on the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the rechargeable energy storage device comprises a plurality of capacitors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The dispenser of claim 16, wherein during the dispense event, the rechargeable energy storage device provides a voltage to the actuator that is equal to the added voltages of each of the plurality of capacitors and the battery. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the circuit places the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device in series during the dispense event. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the battery has a voltage of less than about 3 volts. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the rechargeable energy storage device is a supercapacitor. ### Claim 21 A method of operating a dispenser for dispensing a material, comprising: placing a battery and a rechargeable energy storage device of the dispenser in series during a dispense event such that an actuator that facilitates dispensing the material during the dispense event receives power from the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device during the dispense event; and placing the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device in parallel in the absence of the dispense event such that the battery recharges the rechargeable energy storage device. ### Claim 22 A dispenser for dispensing a material, comprising: a pump in communication with the material; an actuator in communication with the pump to actuate the pump to dispense the material during a dispense event; a battery; and a rechargeable energy storage device, wherein the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device are in series during the dispense event such that the actuator receives power from the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device during the dispense event, wherein the battery and the rechargeable energy storage device are in parallel in the absence of the dispense event such that the battery recharges the rechargeable energy storage device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The dispenser of claim 22, comprising: a refill unit containing the material, wherein the pump is in communication with the refill unit and the battery is on the refill unit. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The dispenser of claim 23, comprising: a housing, wherein at least one of the pump, the actuator, or the rechargeable energy storage device is on the housing and the refill unit is selectively attachable to the housing.