# US 2019/0171244 A1 · Hands-free dispensers with managed power consumption > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0171244 A1 - Document ID: US20190171244A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/271,982 - Filed: 2019-02-11 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-17 - Assignees: GOJO Industries, Inc. - Applicants: GOJO Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Jackson W. Wegelin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171244A1 ## CPC - G05F 1/66: Regulating electric power - A47K 5/1217: {Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism} - G05B 13/02: electric - H03K 17/941: {using an optical detector (H03K17/968 takes precedence)} - H03K 17/945: Proximity switches (H03K17/96 takes precedence) - H03K 2217/0036: Means reducing energy consumption - Y10T 137/86389: Programmer or timer - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Exemplary embodiments of dispensers are disclosed herein. An exemplary dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion includes a housing, an actuator, a processor, a battery power supply and a sensor for detecting a user. The sensor for detecting a user operates in first duty cycle or a second duty cycle. Operating in the second duty cycle consumes less power than operating in the first duty cycle. The sensor operates in the first duty cycle if a user is detected and the sensor operates in the second duty cycle if the sensor does not detect a user and a selected period of time has elapsed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion comprising: a housing; an actuator; a processor; a first sensor; a second sensor; wherein the second sensor has a first duty cycle and a second duty cycle; wherein the second duty cycle consumes less power than the first duty cycle; wherein the second sensor is configured to detect a user; wherein upon detection of a user by the second sensor, the actuator is actuated; and wherein, activation of the first sensor causes the second sensor to switch from the second duty cycle to the first duty cycle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 1 wherein the second sensor is an infrared sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 1 wherein the second sensor is an detects the presence of a user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 1 wherein the first sensor detects the presence of a user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 1 wherein the second sensor switches from the first duty cycle to the second duty cycle after a period of time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 1 wherein the second sensor switches from the first duty cycle to the second duty cycle after the first sensor stops detecting a person. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 1 wherein the second sensor switches from the first duty cycle to the second duty cycle after the first sensor stops detecting ambient light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 1 wherein the second sensor switches from the first duty cycle to the second duty cycle after the first sensor stops detecting motion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 1 wherein the second sensor switches from the first duty cycle to the second duty cycle after the first sensor stops detecting a sound. ### Claim 10 A dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion comprising: a housing; an actuator; a processor; a first sensor for detecting a user; wherein the first sensor operates in first duty cycle and a second duty cycle; wherein operating in the second duty cycle consumes less power than operating in the first duty cycle; wherein the first sensor operates in the first duty cycle if a user is detected; wherein the first sensor operates in the second duty cycle if the first sensor does not detect a user and if a condition is met. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 10 wherein the first sensor is an infrared sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 10 wherein the condition is met if a selected period of time has elapsed since the first sensor detected a user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 10 wherein the condition is met if a second sensor does not detect a person. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 10 wherein the condition is met if a second sensor does not detect a motion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 10 wherein the condition is met if a second sensor does not detect ambient light over a selected threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 10 wherein the first sensor detects the presence of a user. ### Claim 17 A dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion comprising: a housing; an actuator; a processor; a battery power supply; a sensor for detecting a user; wherein the sensor operates in first duty cycle and a second duty cycle; wherein operating in the second duty cycle consumes less power than operating in the first duty cycle; wherein the sensor operates in the first duty cycle if a user is detected; wherein the sensor operates in the second duty cycle if the sensor does not detect a user and a selected period of time has elapsed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 17 wherein the first duty cycle is greater than 2 times a second and wherein the second duty cycle is less than 2 times a second. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 17 wherein the sensor operates at a third duty cycle and the third duty cycle is greater than the second duty cycle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The dispenser for dispensing soap, sanitizer or lotion of claim 19 wherein the first duty cycle is greater than 2 times a second, the second duty cycle is less than 2 times a second and the third duty cycle is greater than 3 times a second.