Fluid dispenser with sensor for determining the volume of fluid in a collapsible container

A method comprising:

• providing a fluid dispenser, the fluid dispenser having a distance measuring sensor;
• providing a collapsible bottle, the collapsible bottle containing a fluid to be dispensed from the fluid dispenser;
• coupling the collapsible bottle to the fluid dispenser so that a preselected surface of the collapsible bottle is positioned in a measurement path of the sensor;
• activating the fluid dispenser to dispense an allotment of the fluid from the collapsible bottle, the collapsible bottle collapsing as the fluid is dispensed from the collapsible bottle;
• using the sensor to measure a distance between the sensor and the preselected surface of the collapsible bottle, the distance changing as the collapsible bottle collapses;
• and
• determining a volume of the fluid contained in the collapsible bottle based on the distance between the sensor and the preselected surface of the collapsible bottle;
• wherein the fluid dispenser has a second distance measuring sensor;
• wherein, when the collapsible bottle is coupled to the fluid dispenser, a second preselected surface of the collapsible bottle is positioned in a measurement path of the second sensor;
• the method further comprising:
• using the second sensor to measure a distance between the second sensor and the second preselected surface of the collapsible bottle;
• wherein the volume of the fluid contained in the collapsible bottle is determined based on the distance between the sensor and the preselected surface of the collapsible bottle, and the distance between the second sensor and the second preselected surface of the collapsible bottle.

A method comprising:

• providing a fluid dispenser, the fluid dispenser having a distance measuring sensor;
• providing a collapsible bottle, the collapsible bottle containing a fluid to be dispensed from the fluid dispenser;
• coupling the collapsible bottle to the fluid dispenser so that a preselected surface of the collapsible bottle is positioned in a measurement path of the sensor;
• activating the fluid dispenser to dispense an allotment of the fluid from the collapsible bottle, the collapsible bottle collapsing as the fluid is dispensed from the collapsible bottle;
• using the sensor to measure a distance between the sensor and the preselected surface of the collapsible bottle, the distance changing as the collapsible bottle collapses;
• and
• determining a volume of the fluid contained in the collapsible bottle based on the distance between the sensor and the preselected surface of the collapsible bottle;
• wherein the fluid dispenser is a production fluid dispenser;
• wherein the sensor is a production sensor;
• and
• wherein the collapsible bottle is a production collapsible bottle;
• the method further comprising:
• providing a test fluid dispenser, the test fluid dispenser having a distance measuring test sensor;
• providing a test collapsible bottle, the test collapsible bottle containing a test fluid to be dispensed from the test fluid dispenser;
• coupling the test collapsible bottle to the test fluid dispenser so that a preselected surface of the test collapsible bottle is positioned in a measurement path of the test sensor;
• activating the test fluid dispenser to dispense an allotment of the test fluid from the test collapsible bottle, the test collapsible bottle collapsing as the test fluid is dispensed from the test collapsible bottle;
• measuring a volume of the test fluid contained in the test collapsible bottle at various stages of collapse;
• using the test sensor to measure a distance between the test sensor and the preselected surface of the test collapsible bottle at each of the various stages of collapse;
• establishing a correlation between the volume of the test fluid contained in the test collapsible bottle and the distance between the test sensor and the preselected surface of the test collapsible bottle at the various stages of collapse;
• and
• using the correlation to determine the volume of the fluid contained in the production collapsible bottle based on the distance between the production sensor and the preselected surface of the production collapsible bottle.