Apparatus for hands-free dispensing of a measured quantity of material

Apparatus for dispensing a measured quantity of fluid, comprising:

• a) an object sensor;
• b) a container carrying a supply of fluid;
• c) a dispense mechanism coupled to said container to control an amount of the fluid to be dispensed;
• d) a pump actuator mechanism coupled to said object sensor, wherein detection of an object by said object sensor cycles said pump actuator mechanism to engage said dispense mechanism which dispenses a measured quantity of the fluid;
• e) a processor coupled to said object sensor and said pump actuator to control at least one operating feature maintained thereby;
• and
• f) a hidden switch carried by the apparatus, wherein actuation of said hidden switch places said processor in an operational feature mode that enables modification of said at least one operating feature.

Apparatus for dispensing a measured quantity of fluid, comprising:

• a) a container carrying a supply of fluid;
• b) a dispense mechanism coupled to said container to control an amount of the fluid to be dispensed;
• c) a pump actuator mechanism coupled to an object sensor, wherein detection of an object by said object sensor cycles said pump actuator mechanism to engage said dispense mechanism which dispenses a measured quantity of the fluid;
• and
• d) a timer associated with said dispense mechanism, said timer being utilized to disable said dispense mechanism to mitigate excessive dispensing of the fluid.

Apparatus for dispensing a measured quantity of fluid, comprising:

• an object sensor which generates an object signal upon detection of an object;
• a container carrying a supply of fluid;
• a dispense mechanism coupled to said container to control an amount of the fluid to be dispensed;
• a pump actuator mechanism, wherein detection of an object by said object sensor cycles said pump actuator mechanism to engage said dispense mechanism which dispenses a measured quantity of the fluid and wherein said pump actuator mechanism converts rotational motion to linear motion to cycle said dispense mechanism;
• a control circuit having a processor to receive said object signal, wherein said processor generates a cycle signal received by said pump actuator mechanism to actuate said dispense mechanism;
• said pump actuator mechanism having a motor for cycling said pump actuator mechanism, said motor having a drive input;
• and
• a position sensor coupled to said pump actuator mechanism to detect an end of dispense cycle, and generate a brake input signal when said end of dispense cycle is detected;
• wherein generation of said brake input signal connects said motor drive input signal to ground to effectively brake said pump actuator mechanism.

Apparatus for dispensing a measured quantity of fluid, comprising:

• an object sensor which generates an object signal upon detection of an object;
• a container carrying a supply of fluid;
• a dispense mechanism coupled to said container to control an amount of the fluid to be dispensed;
• a pump actuator mechanism, wherein detection of an object by said object sensor cycles said pump actuator mechanism to engage said dispense mechanism which dispenses a measured quantity of the fluid and wherein said pump actuator mechanism converts rotational motion to linear motion to cycle said dispense mechanism;
• a control circuit having a processor to receive said object signal, wherein said processor generates a cycle signal received by said pump actuator mechanism to actuate said dispense mechanism, wherein said cycle signal is used to drive a motor and said pump actuator mechanism;
• and
• an overload circuit carried by said control circuit, wherein if said overload circuit detects a voltage value in excess of a predetermined threshold, an overload signal is generated and received by said processor which in turn stops generation of said motor drive signal.

Apparatus for dispensing a measured quantity of fluid, comprising:

• an object sensor which generates an object signal upon detection of an object;
• a container carrying a supply of fluid;
• a dispense mechanism coupled to said container to control an amount of the fluid to be dispensed;
• a pump actuator mechanism, wherein detection of an object by said object sensor cycles said pump actuator mechanism to engage said dispense mechanism which dispenses a measured quantity of the fluid and wherein said pump actuator mechanism converts rotational motion to linear motion to cycle said dispense mechanism;
• and
• a control circuit having a processor to receive said object signal, said control circuit comprising a sensor circuit for said object sensor, and a systems circuit for said processor, wherein said sensor circuit and said systems circuit are maintained on their own respective circuit boards to minimize interference therebetween, and wherein said processor generates a cycle signal received by said pump actuator mechanism to actuate said dispense mechanism.

An apparatus for dispensing a measured quantity of fluid comprising:

• a housing adapted to carry a container that carries a supply of fluid;
• a dispense mechanism adapted to be coupled to the container to control an amount of the fluid to be dispensed;
• an object sensor carried by said housing;
• a pump actuator mechanism coupled to said object sensor, wherein detection of an object by said object sensor cycles said pump actuator mechanism to engage said dispense mechanism which dispenses a measured quantity of the fluid, wherein said pump actuator mechanism shuts down if said object sensor detects excessive use.