Patent ID: 8622242
Filing Date: 2014-01-07
Classification: A47K,G07C

Abstract:
1. A product dispenser unit for receipt of a refill unit having a reservoir of a product, the dispenser unit comprising: a housing configured to accept the refill unit; an infrared sensor provided by said housing; an actuator configured to actuate a pump to dispense at least a portion of the product in the refill unit wherein the refill unit is made from polymeric material and has a taggant dispersed uniformly throughout the material of the refill unit which when subjected to infrared radiation generated by said infrared sensor causes the taggant to emit predictable and repeatable emission characteristics so that the dispenser unit can identify the refill unit as an appropriate and authorized refill unit, where different densities of taggant are provided in different refill units to vary the strength of infrared energy emitted from the taggant; and said infrared sensor configured to distinguish between infrared radiation emitted from different refill units and to control actuation of said pump in response thereto.