Patent ID: 9603493
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: A47K,E03C,E03D,G01D,G01F

Claim:
1. An electronic soap dispenser comprising: a dispensing head including an outlet; a pump operably coupled to a soap storage reservoir to pump the liquid soap from the soap storage reservoir to the outlet of the dispensing head; a capacitive sensor operably coupled to the dispensing head, the capacitive sensor including an electrode, a first sense wire coupled to the electrode, and a second sense wire spaced apart from the electrode; and a controller coupled to the first and second sense wires of the capacitive sensor, the controller being programmed to receive first and second output signals the first and second sense wires, respectively, to determine a difference signal from a difference between the first and second output signals, to analyze the difference signal to detect actuation of the capacitive sensor by a user, and to selectively actuate the pump to dispense soap from the outlet of the dispensing head in response to a detected actuation of the capacitive sensor by the user.