Dispensing – Automatic control – Constant weight – volume or pressure control by output
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-23
2001-09-25
Jacyna, J. Casimer (Department: 3751)
Dispensing
Automatic control
Constant weight, volume or pressure control by output
C222S052000, C222S063000, C222S420000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293428
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dropping control mechanism for soap feeding device with easy dropping setting and waterproof characteristics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional soap feeding device comprises a housing, a drive means, an infrared sensor, and a feeding means. A reservoir for storing soap is provided in the housing. A barrel is attached to the outlet in the bottom of the soap reservoir. A slidable valve provided is in the barrel. Valve is a plate member having a plurality of through holes, an annular membrane adhered to the wall of the barrel, a spindle passed through the valve, a spring put on upper part of the spindle, a poppet sleeved on the lower part of the spindle, a tube provided on the side of barrel, an extruder sleeved on the tube, a connecting rod having one end pivotably connected to the extruder, a cam pivotably connected to the other end of the connecting rod, a motor, and a gear set for passing the motion of the motor to the cam.
The infrared sensor is activated when the transmitted ray is interrupted by an object (e.g., hand) which in turn causes motor to drive the feeding means. Then extruder is compressed to extrude soap through the outlet. Once a predetermined amount of soap is extruded the feeding means is deactivated by a dropping control mechanism (not further shown). Thus stops the extrusion of soap.
But this is unsatisfactory for the purpose for which the invention is concerned for the following reasons:
1. The setting of dropping is factory preset. For example, one drop or two drops. User is not allowed to set the device to drop more in each stretching out of one's hand. However, there are occasions such as in the hospital a large amount of soap required in each stretching out of one's hand. The only way to obtain such large amount of soap is to stretch out one's hand repeatedly until the required amount of soap is reached. This is quite inconvenient.
2. The extruder may vibrate during the extrusion process. This causes a not so smooth operation of soap feeding device. Thus the feeding means needs to be improved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a dropping control mechanism for soap feeding device. The mechanism can be set by user based on demand in order to extrude a required amount of soap including a plurality of drops from the soap feeding device in one stretching out of one's hand.
To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides a dropping control mechanism for soap feeding device. Soap feeding device is mounted in a housing comprising an upper housing having a soap reservoir and a cover hinged to the soap reservoir, and a lower housing having a control assembly consisting of a power source, a sensor means, a transmission means including a drive means, a reduction gear set, and a crankshaft, and a feeding means.
Sensor means comprises a circuit board, a setting switch on circuit board extended through hole in the bottom of lower housing, a waterproof silicone switch enclosed the setting switch such that user may press the silicone switch to set the dropping of the soap feeding device, an infrared sensor, and an LED indicator for indicating the number of drops in each stretching out of one's hand. In setting the dropping, user may press the silicone switch a desired number of times.
The power source is activated once the infrared sensor senses the stretching out of one's hand. Then motor of the drive means is activated to cause reduction gear set to rotate. An eccentric ring having to hooks is provided on the gear. Each hook is hooked on the engagement end of crankshaft. As such, the rotation of the gear may cause the engagement end to move the cylindrical end of the L-shaped crankshaft. The movement of the cylindrical end is defined by the pair of dips raised on the bottom of lower housing. Thus the cylindrical end of the L-shaped crankshaft is limited to a reciprocating motion.
Also, the cylindrical end of the L-shaped crankshaft is inserted in the end of movable extruder of feeding means. As such, the bellow-like extruder may compress air into a barrel. The vibration of the cylindrical end of the L-shaped crankshaft during the extrusion of extruder as experienced in the prior art is eliminated due to the insertion of cylindrical end into the clips in the lower housing. Thus a smooth extrusion of soap is effected.
Barrel is in fluid communication with the outlet in the bottom of soap reservoir of upper housing. Barrel comprises a slidable plate-shaped valve having a plurality of through holes, an annular membrane adhered to the wall of the barrel, a spindle extended down from the valve, a spring anchored on top of the valve, a cap on top of spring, the periphery of cap engaged with the top of barrel, a plurality of apertures on the cap for permitting soap to flow through into barrel, and a poppet member having a center hole put on the spindle and a poppet. The seat of poppet member is biased against the bottom hole of barrel for blocking soap passage when the soap feeding device is not activated.
When extruder is compressed, valve is moved up due to the upward movement of poppet actuated by extruder. As a result, the bottom hole of barrel is open to permit soap to pass for extruding through the outlet in the bottom of lower housing. In the immediate expansion of extruder, crankshaft moves back to its original position which in turn causes a sucking effect in barrel. As a result, soap is supplied from soap reservoir to the barrel through apertures and poppet.
A pivot member is formed in the lower housing. A push-button switch is also formed on circuit board. A projection is provided on an eccentric position of large gear. Projection will engage with one end of pivot member when extruder is compressed by the rotation of large gear. As such, the other end of pivot member presses the push-button switch once in each extrusion of soap. Above extrusion may repeat until the times of dropping set by user in advance has been reached. Once reached, the drive means is deactivated by the circuit board.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 6036056 (2000-03-01), Lee et al.
patent: 6203759 (2001-03-01), Pele et al.
patent: 6213354 (2001-04-01), Kay
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Jacyna J. Casimer
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