Automatic fluid dispenser

A dispenser comprising:

• a housing defining a longitudinal direction, a horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal, and a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the horizontal directions, the housing includinga base configured to stably rest on a support surface that is parallel to the longitudinal direction and the horizontal direction;
• and
• a top portion positioned above the base such that a gap between the base and top portion is present, the top portion defining a cavity having a stop face, a lower wall for supporting a fluid reservoir, an opening extending through the lower wall directly above the gap, and an upper wall opposite the lower wall, the upper wall defining an insertion aperture sized to receive the fluid reservoir, the cavity is configured to receive a body of the fluid reservoir including a neck, the opening configured to receive the neck of the fluid reservoir when the body thereof is positioned within the cavity;
• a pressing member positioned within the cavity and configured to contact a second surface of the fluid reservoir and a first surface of the fluid reservoir substantially opposes the second surface and contacts the stop face of the top portion, the pressing member being slidable within the cavity along an actuator direction between a start position and an end position, the actuator direction being within 20 degrees of parallel to the longitudinal direction, the opening being positioned between the pressing member and the stop face along the actuator direction and being closer to the stop face than to the pressing member along the actuator direction when the pressing member is in the start position;
• an actuator coupled to the pressing member and the actuator configured to urge the pressing member progressively toward the opening to compress the fluid reservoir and express fluid therefrom in multiple discrete amounts;
• a proximity sensor mounted in the top portion and configured to detect movement within the gap and produce and output in response to detecting the movement;
• and
• a controller operably coupled to the actuator and proximity sensor and configured to activate the actuator in response to receiving the output from the proximity sensor.