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US 2014/0231450 A1Published application
Electronic soap dispenser
AssigneeMasco Corporation of Indiana
InventorsMichael Scot Rosko, Alfred Charles Nelson, Jeffrey L. Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic soap dispenser includes an upper dispensing head supported above a sink deck, and a liquid soap reservoir and a pump assembly supported below the sink deck. A capacitive sensor is operably coupled to the dispensing head. A controller is in electrical communication with the capacitive sensor and activates the pump assembly in response to input from the capacitive sensor.
Claims32
An electronic soap dispenser comprising:
- a dispensing head configured to be supported above a mounting deck and including an outlet;
- a lower reservoir operably coupled to the dispensing head and configured to be supported below the mounting deck;
- a pump assembly operably coupled to the lower reservoir, the pump assembly configured to be supported below the mounting deck and to pump liquid soap from the lower reservoir to the outlet of the dispensing head;
- a capacitive sensor operably coupled to the dispensing head;
- and
- a controller in electrical communication with the capacitive sensor, the controller configured to receive an output signal from the capacitive sensor and to distinguish between a proximity output signal from the capacitive sensor when a user is positioned in a detection area near the dispensing head, and a touch output signal from the capacitive sensor when a user touches the dispensing head.
3 more elements
An electronic soap dispenser comprising:
- a dispensing head configured to be supported above a mounting deck, the dispensing head including a spout body;
- a dispensing tube received within the spout body and defining an outlet;
- a lower reservoir configured to be supported below the mounting deck, the lower reservoir including an upper neck operably coupled to the dispensing head;
- a pump assembly operably coupled to the lower reservoir and configured to pump liquid soap from the lower reservoir to the outlet of the dispensing tube;
- a supply tube extending within the lower reservoir, the supply tube extending from a lower end fluidly coupled to the pump assembly to an upper end extending within the upper neck of the lower reservoir;
- and
- a tube retainer securing the lower end of the dispensing tube to the spout body, the tube retainer including a downwardly facing funnel portion receiving the upper end of the supply tube to define a releasable fluid coupling between the dispensing tube extending above the mounting deck and the supply tube extending below the mounting deck.
4 more elements
An electronic soap dispenser comprising:
- a dispensing head including a spout body;
- a mounting base configured to be supported above a mounting deck and releasably coupled to the dispensing head;
- a lower reservoir operably coupled to the dispensing head and configured to be supported below the mounting deck;
- a pump assembly operably coupled to the lower reservoir and configured to pump liquid soap from the lower reservoir to the dispensing head;
- a controller in electrical communication with the pump assembly;
- and
- an electrical connector between the dispensing head and the controller, the electrical connector including a first electrical contact supported for movement by the dispensing head, and a second electrical contact in selective electrical communication with the first electrical contact supported on the mounting base wherein the electrical connector is configured to maintain electrical communication as the dispensing head is rotated relative to the mounting base.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.