Patent ID: 9226624
Filing Date: 2016-01-05
CPC Classification: A47K,G01J,H03K

Claim Text:
1. A fluid dispenser comprising: a dispensing outlet; a fiber optic cable extending to a location proximate the dispensing outlet; a light source for generating a light pulse, said light pulse traveling from said light source through the fiber optic cable to said location; a sensor for sensing light received via the fiber optic cable from said location, said light comprising at least one of ambient light and a reflection of said light pulse; a comparator for receiving a signal from said sensor corresponding to said sensed light, for amplifying said signal, for determining if there is a reflection of said light pulse in said sensed light or if said sensed light is ambient light, and for generating a transistor-transistor logic (TTL) signal if the reflection of said light pulse is determined; a microcontroller separate from said comparator for receiving the TTL signal from said comparator; a capacitor coupled to the light source, wherein discharging of said capacitor causes the generation of said light pulse, said capacitor discharging in 5 milliseconds or less after said comparator determines that the sensed light is ambient light; and a pump for pumping a fluid to the dispenser outlet in response to a signal received from said microcontroller in response to said TTL signal.