Adjustable solar-power unit for a dispenser

An adjustable solar-power unit to power a dispenser includes a support housing maintaining a receiving aperture to rotatably retain a solar panel carrying holder therein. The adjustable solar-power unit is configured to be mounted remotely from the dispenser or may be configured to be integral with a housing that maintains the components of the dispenser. The holder may be rotated or pivoted so that the angle of incidence of the ambient light can be substantially perpendicular with that of the solar elements carried by the holder to generate an optimal amount of electrical power therefrom in order to power the dispenser.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Generally, the present invention relates to dispensers for dispensing material. In particular, the present invention is directed to solar-powered dispensers. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an adjustable solar-power unit for a dispenser in which the angle of the solar elements may be adjusted to enhance the capture of solar energy.

BACKGROUND ART

Touch-free and other automatic dispensers require electrical power in order to dispense material from a refill container. For example, in the case of touch-free soap dispensers, soap is automatically dispensed upon the detection of a user's hand via an IR (infrared) sensor. While some dispensers may utilize a wired power source, such as a wall outlet, this restricts the location at which the dispenser may be mounted to those areas where such outlets are available. To overcome this, many touch-free or automatic dispensers utilize a portable power source, such as a battery, thereby allowing the dispenser to be mounted in any desired location.

Batteries, however, require frequent replacement, which is costly, and as such, dispensers that utilize solar power would be beneficial. Furthermore, there is a need for an adjustable solar-power unit that is configured to be integral with a dispenser. Additionally, there is a need for an adjustable solar-power unit that may be mounted in a remote location separate from a dispenser. Still yet, there is a need for an adjustable solar-power unit that is manufactured as a flat section and then folded via living hinges, so as to reduce manufacturing costs. In addition, there is a need for an adjustable solar-power unit having a holder to adjust the position of a solar element with respect to ambient light.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An adjustable solar-power unit to power a dispenser comprising a support housing having a pair of opposed retainers; a holder maintaining a pair of opposed pivots extending therefrom that are rotatably retained by said retainers; and at least one solar element carried by said holder and adapted to be electrically coupled to the dispenser, wherein said holder is rotatably moved to adjust the angle of said at least one solar element with respect to incoming ambient light received thereby, in order to generate power for the dispenser.

A dispenser for dispensing material comprising a housing maintaining a pair of opposed retainers; a holder having a pair of opposed pivots extending therefrom that are rotatably retained by said retainers; at least one solar element carried by said holder; a dispenser controller electrically coupled to said solar element; a pump coupled to said dispenser controller, said pump adapted to dispense said material from said dispenser; and an actuator coupled to said dispenser controller, wherein said solar element is rotatably adjusted to position said solar element to adjust the amount of ambient light received thereby to power said dispenser controller, such that said pump dispenses material from the dispenser when said actuator is engaged.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Solar-powered dispensers are configured with various solar panels or solar cells that are affixed to the dispenser housing to capture and convert the solar energy from the ambient light that is incident thereon into electrical power. The converted electrical power is then used to directly power the dispenser or to charge a rechargeable battery or capacitor maintained within the dispenser housing. However, the angle in which light is incident upon the surface of the solar panel or solar cells directly affects the amount of electrical power that is converted by the solar panels.

For example, in certain scenarios, dispensers may be configured with various solar panels and solar cells positioned in a predetermined and standard position in relation to the ambient light source and may provide sufficient power for full or supplemental power to the dispenser. However, due to many factors, including but not limited to the reduced size and surface area provided for placement of solar panels on many dispensers, the often low levels of ambient light from sunlight and/or artificial light within a room, and the placement of dispensers on or near walls or near other shadow-causing objects, the placement of the solar panels at a predetermined angle in relation to the ambient light source may not be sufficient to generate adequate energy. That is, due to the various locations in which a dispenser may be mounted, the angle in which ambient light is incident upon the solar panel or solar cells is often not optimal for the efficient generation of electrical power. As such, it is foreseen that many solar-powered dispensers generate an insufficient amount of electrical power in which to adequately power the dispenser, thus leading to unsatisfactory dispenser performance. Thus, therefore there is a need to provide a solar unit for a dispenser, whereby a rotating solar unit allows for the adjustment of the angle between the solar panel or solar cell and the light incident thereon that is provided by an ambient light source within the area in which the dispenser is placed.

An adjustable solar-power unit to energize a dispenser10is generally referred to by the numeral20, as shown inFIG. 1of the drawings. The adjustable solar-power unit20, as shown inFIG. 1, maintains a support housing30that rotatably retains a holder40that includes one or more solar elements50. For the purposes of the following discussion, the term “solar element” is defined as any solar panel, solar cell, photovoltaic device, or portion thereof that is capable of converting solar energy into electrical power. The solar elements50are electrically coupled to the dispenser10to provide operational power thereto. The rotatable holder40allows the one or more solar elements50to be positioned so that they are optimally oriented to capture the maximum amount of incoming ambient light. For example, by rotating the holder40to a position whereby the solar elements50are oriented perpendicular to incident ambient light, the solar elements50are allowed to operate at their highest level of power output, which allows the dispenser10that is coupled thereto to be optimally powered. As such, the adjustable solar-power unit20may be mounted at any desired location that is in the proximity of a light source60, as shown inFIG. 2, to thereby remotely power the dispenser10, as well as any other fixture70, including but not limited to: automatic faucets; automatic toilets; dispensers of viscous material, such as soap, sanitizer, and lotion; towel dispensers; tablet dispensers; wipe dispensers; personal-hygiene object dispensers; automatic-flush toilet systems; automatic faucets; and automatic air-deodorant spray systems.

Continuing toFIG. 3, the support housing30of the adjustable solar-panel unit20includes a receiving aperture100that is sized and dimensioned to receive the holder40therein. In addition, the support housing30also maintains a pair of opposed retainers110that receive and pivotably retain corresponding cylindrical pivots120that extend from each end130and132of the holder40, thus allowing the holder40to be rotated to any desired position. It should be appreciated that the support housing30may be formed from any suitable material, such as plastic or metal.

As shown inFIGS. 4-5, the holder40is configured so that it can be manufactured as a substantially flat section, having an interior surface150and an exterior surface152, that is folded in a manner to form the operative holder40that is able to pivot or rotate within the support housing30. As such, the holder40comprises a central section202that is surrounded by opposed lateral support sections210and212and opposed pivot sections220and222, which maintain one of the pivots120. In one aspect, the holder40may comprise a unitary section of material, such as plastic or aluminum. Thus, folding the lateral support sections210,212and the pivot sections220,222with respect to the central section202results in a plurality of foldable living hinges being formed at the interface between the central section202and each of the lateral support sections210,212and pivot sections220,222. Specifically, living hinges230,232are respectively formed at the interface between the central section202and the lateral support sections210,212, while living hinges240,242are respectively formed at the interface between the central section202and the pivot sections220,222. The living hinges230,232,240,242allow the holder40to be formed from a flat section of material, such as plastic, and then later configured as the finished operative holder40, shown inFIGS. 6 and 7. As such, the lateral support sections210,212and the pivot sections220,222fold about respective living hinges230,232and240,242so that they are oriented at a substantially right angle to that of the central section202once folded. It should be appreciated that the lateral support sections210,212may be configured to have an arcuate or curved profile to facilitate their rotating movement within the receiving aperture100of the support housing30.

In order to maintain the orientation of the lateral support sections210,212and the pivot sections220,222with respect to the central section202when folded, the lateral support sections210,212include respective pairs of locking tabs250and252at each of their ends254,256, while the pivot sections220,222include a pair of attachment apertures260,262at each of their ends264,266. As such, when the sections210,212,220,222of the holder40are folded so as to be at a substantially right angle to the central section202, the attachment apertures260,262receive locking tabs250,252, respectively, which co-act to retain the sections210,212,220,222at a substantially right angle to the central section202. Alternatively, the lateral support sections210,212and the pivot sections220,222may be retained to one another via any other suitable means, including adhesive, rivets, screws, or the like.

Continuing, the solar elements50are attached to the exterior surface152of the central section202using any suitable means of fixation, such as adhesive for example. Disposed upon the interior surface150of the central section202of the holder40is a power connector280that electrically couples the dispenser10to the solar elements50via a removable power line300. While the power line300may be removably attached to the power connector280, it is also contemplated that the power line300may be directly coupled to the solar elements50, thereby foregoing the need of the power connector280. As such, the power line300supplies power to the dispenser10to enable its operation of dispensing various material or items therefrom in a manner to be discussed.

Returning toFIG. 1, the dispenser10includes a housing340, which may be comprised of any suitable material, such as plastic or metal for example. The housing340carries a controller350, which comprises the necessary hardware and/or software needed to carry out the functions to be discussed. Coupled to the controller350is a pump360that is in operative communication with a replaceable refill container370, which maintains any suitable material or item to be dispensed, such as soap. An actuator380coupled to the controller150initiates a dispensing cycle of an amount of material from a nozzle390. The actuator380may comprise a manually-actuated button, lever, or other device that when physically engaged, prompts the controller350to actuate the pump360, so as to dispense material from the refill container370. Alternatively, the dispenser100may be configured to enable touch-free operation, such that the actuator380is configured as a proximity sensor, such as an IR (infrared) sensor, whereupon the presence of the user's hand initiates the dispensement of material from the refill container370. Thus, to energize the controller350and the other components of the dispenser10to enable its operation, power generated by the solar elements50is delivered to the controller350via the power line300, where the power is formatted in a manner compatible for the operation of the dispenser10.

Thus, the adjustable solar-power unit20may be placed in a region that receives solar energy but is remotely located from the dispenser10, which is beneficial, as it allows power to be supplied to one or more dispensers10that may not be placed in regions with adequate ambient light to enable the operation of the solar elements50.

In another embodiment, the holder40of the adjustable solar-power unit20may be made integral with the housing340that maintains the components of the dispenser10, such as a manually-operated dispenser or a touch-free dispenser, as shown inFIG. 8. Such a configuration is beneficial when the dispenser10is mounted in a region having a suitable amount of ambient light that allows the solar elements50to generate sufficient power therefrom to operate the dispenser10. Furthermore, the holder40may be made with any other fixture, as previously discussed, where such a configuration is desirable.

It should be appreciated that the dispenser10may be configured so that it is directly powered by the power generated by the solar panels50. Or the dispenser10may include a rechargeable power source400, such as a rechargeable battery or capacitor (not shown), which is recharged by the power supplied by the solar panels50, thus allowing uninterrupted operation of the dispenser10when ambient lighting is available or not available.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that one advantage of one or more embodiments of the present invention is that an adjustable solar-power unit provides an adjustable holder that can be positioned to allow the solar elements carried thereby to be positioned to enhance that amount of electrical power generated therefrom to power a dispenser. Another advantage of the present invention is that the adjustable solar-power unit may be located remotely from the dispenser. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the adjustable solar-power unit may form a housing in which the components of the dispenser are maintained. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the holder may be formed as a plurality of flat sections that are rotated via living hinges to form the holder.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.