Patent ID: 9555429
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: A47K,B05B,G01F

Claim:
1. A dispenser to dispense material from a refill container, comprising: a controller adapted to store an initial quantity value defining the amount of material carried by the refill container; an actuator coupled to said controller, said actuator configured to be actuated on a random basis; a pump adapted to be operatively coupled to the refill container, said pump also coupled to said controller, wherein when said actuator is engaged, said pump dispenses a predetermined amount of said material from the refill container according to a shot size value maintained by said controller, said controller updating a cumulative usage value maintained thereby by said shot size value, and generating a current quantity value based on the difference between said initial quantity value and said cumulative usage value; a timer associated with said controller, said timer configured to update a total time value, such that said timer is started by said controller to update said total time value from an initial value when said refill container is coupled to said pump; and an indicator coupled to said controller; wherein said controller generates an average usage value based on said cumulative usage value and said total time value, whereupon said controller generates a service interval value that identifies the remaining operational life of the refill container based on said current quantity value and said average usage value, said service interval value displayed by said indicator.