Soap Dispenser With Authentication Check Of The Refill

A dispenser for dispensing a product, the dispenser comprising a base unit containing a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the product;

• a refill containing the product and being removably insertable into the base in a fixed position in which the product can be dispensed by the dispensing mechanism, the refill having a taggant ink on part of its external surface;
• the base being provided with a non-scanning light source positioned to illuminate the ink when the refill is inserted into the base in the correct orientation, the light source having a first wavelength and the ink being arranged to cause the ink to emit light at a second different wavelength;
• a sensor to receive light emitted by the ink upon illumination by the light source;
• and
• a control circuit to receive a signal indicative of the wavelength of the detected light from the sensor, compare it with stored data to determine whether the shift in wavelength of the detected light caused by the ink indicates that the refill is authentic, and prevent operation of the dispensing mechanism unless the refill is authentic.