Device for dispensing predetermined dosages of flowable material

A dosing dispenser for flowable material, comprising:

• a container having a material introducing aperture and an outlet, through which material freely discharges by gravity only;
• electrically operated valve means having an open state and a closed state and including a nozzle coupled to said outlet, for controlling the passage of material therethrough;
• electromagnetic radiation emitter means located in close proximity to said nozzle, for emitting a controlled radiation beam in the vicinity of said nozzle;
• electromagnetic radiation detector means located adjacent to said emitter means and responsive to radiation emitted from said emitter means and reflected by a body placed along the emitted radiation path;
• said emitter and detector means being affixed in a radiation directing and shielding housing, for determining the directivity of the emitted and reflected radiation;
• said electronic control circuit for controlling said valve means in response to detected radiation reflected by the body placed along the emitted radiation path;
• said control circuit includes means for adjusting the period of time which said valve means is kept in its open state for allowing free passage of material through said nozzle, thereby controlling the amount of material to be discharged, and further includes switch means associated with said detector means for adjusting the detection sensitivity of reflected radiation.