Patent Publication Number: US-8525662-B2

Title: Out of product indicator

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Industrial dryers used in hotels and the like sometimes employ dryer blocks that are mounted inside the dryer to condition fabrics and the like being dried. The dryer blocks condition the fabrics and the like for such reasons as to prevent static, to provided a fabric softener sanitizer, to provide a water repellant, to provide a deodorizer, to provide a bleach, to provide a soil repellant, to provide due-transfer inhibitors, to provide fiber protecting polymers, to provide fiber smoothers, to provide UV light absorbers, to provide anti-wrinkle agents, etc. The dryer blocks include a solid product of select substances that rubs off on the materials as the materials engage the solid product in a rotating drum of the dryer. After a period of time a substantial portion of the solid product is rubbed off and should be replaced. 
     For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a method of indicating to the operator that it is time to replace the solid product. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The above-mentioned problems of current systems are addressed by embodiments of the present invention and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification. The following summary is made by way of example and not by way of limitation. It is merely provided to aid the reader in understanding some of the aspects of the invention. 
     In one embodiment, an out of product indicator is provided. The out of product indicator includes a power generator, a sensor and an alarm. The power generator is configured to generate power based on an interaction with at least one aspect of the device it is coupled. The sensor is configured to determine when a product is low. The alarm is coupled to receive power generated by the power generator. Moreover the alarm is activated based on an output of the sensor. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention can be more easily understood and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the detailed description and the following figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a dispenser of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of a product system of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an out of product indicator of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4A  is a top view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional side view along line A-A of the dispenser illustrated in  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 5A  is a top view of a dispenser of another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional side view along line B-B of the dispenser illustrated in  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 6A  is an end cross-sectional view of a dispenser including a product system of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6B  is an end cross-sectional view of another dispenser including a product system of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of a dryer having a dispenser of one embodiment coupled thereto; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of an alarm system of one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of a power generator of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     In accordance with common practice, the various described features are not drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize specific features relevant to the present invention. Reference characters denote like elements throughout Figures and text. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventions may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims and equivalents thereof. 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide an alarm system that is self powered. In particular, embodiments include a light sensor and alarm that are powered by a power generator. Embodiments of the power generator use an aspect, such as heat or motion, of a device it is mounted to generating power. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a dispenser  100  of an embodiment is illustrated. The dispenser  100  is adapted to hold a product, such as product  202  of product system  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Product  202  may be a fabric conditioner used in a dryer or other product that is dispensed during use. The dispenser  100  in this embodiment further includes a support plate  102  upon which a product carrier  206  is supported. Also included are tabs  110  that extend from support rail  112  and a retaining member  106  that retains the product carrier  206  in the dispenser  100 . In this embodiment, to load the product  202  in the dispenser  100 , the retaining member  106  is depressed into void  108  while edges  204  (mating tabs) of the product carrier  206  are slid in tracks formed by tabs  110 . Once the product system  200  is in place, the retaining member  106  is released. The retaining member  106  is made from material that has a biasing force that causes the retaining member  106  to move back to its original location thereby locking the product system  200  on the dispenser when it is released. The structure for coupling the product system  200  to the dispenser  100  is merely an example method. Other methods could be used and the present invention is not limited to a specific method. Moreover, other examples of coupling structures and methods are illustrated in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,026, issued on Dec. 18, 2007, entitled “Product Dispenser and Carrier,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,640, issued on Jun. 28, 2005, entitled “Product Dispenser and Carrier,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,740 issued on Aug. 24, 2004, entitled “Product Dispenser and Carrier,” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,723 issued on Apr. 26, 2005 entitled “Product Dispenser and Carrier,” which are all herein incorporated by reference. 
     Dispenser  100  of  FIG. 1  further includes a housing  104  that houses an out of product circuit  300  (illustrated in  FIG. 3 ). The housing  104  in this example includes a light aperture  114  and an alarm aperture  116 . The light aperture  114  is used in conjunction with a light sensor as further described below and the alarm aperture  116  provides a passage upon which an alarm signal can travel to indicate the product  202  has become low. A block diagram of an out of product circuit  300  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The out of product circuit  300  includes an alarm circuit  301  and a power source circuit  306 . As illustrated, the alarm circuit  301  includes a sensor  302 . In one embodiment the sensor  302  is a light sensor that detects light intensity. When a select predefined light intensity is reached, an alarm  304  of the alarm circuit  301  is activated. Examples of light sensors that could be used include phototransistors and photodarlingtons. In embodiments, the sensor  302  is positioned under the product  202  in the housing  104 . Once the product wears away to let enough illumination of light into the sensor  302 , the alarm  304  is activated. In one embodiment, the alarm increases in intensity as the more and more product is worn away. The sensor  302  in one embodiment is positioned under the light aperture  114  of the dispenser  100 . Moreover, in embodiments, the product carrier  206  has a similar aperture (not shown) so that only the product  202  is between the sensor  302  and any illumination. Illumination is provided in one embodiment when a door to a dryer is opened and light enters the dryer. Hence, in this embodiment, the alarm  304  of the out of product circuit  300  will only be activated when the dryer door is open so that someone is near to hear the alarm. The amount of light needed to activate the alarm can be adjusted in embodiments to achieve a desired activation. Although, the sensor  302  is described as a light sensor above, it will be understood that any type of sensor that can detect when a product is low or out could be used. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to light sensors. 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the out of product circuit  300  includes a power source circuit  306  for the sensor  302  and the alarm  304  of the alarm circuit  301 . In embodiments, the power source circuit  306  includes a power generator  308  that generates energy and a power storage device  310  to store energy generated by the power generator  308 . The power generator  308  generates power as the result of its interaction with an aspect of the dryer. Hence, no external power is needed in embodiments to operate the alarm system  300 . In one embodiment, the power generator  308  generates power from the motion of a drum of a dryer. In another embodiment, the power generator  308  generates power from heat within the dryer. This power generator  308  embodiment implements a thermoelectric device such as, but not limited to, thermocouples, thermopiles and Peltier Effect devices to generate power. The power generator  308  embodiment using the motion aspect of the drum to generate power is further described in relation to  FIG. 9  described below. 
       FIG. 4A  further illustrates a top view of dispenser  100 .  FIG. 4B  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the dispenser  100  along line A-A. This view illustrates the out of product circuit  300  positioned within the housing  104 . As illustrated, the housing  104  forms a cavity  402  in which the out of product circuit  300  is housed. Also illustrated is light aperture  114  that is positioned to let light enter the sensor  302  of the out of product circuit  300 .  FIGS. 5A and 5B  further illustrate a dispenser  100  having a product system  200  mounted thereon. In particular,  FIG. 5A  illustrates a top view of a dispenser  100  and a product system  200 .  FIG. 5A  also illustrates another embodiment that includes a light pipe  502  to direct light into the sensor  302 . In  FIG. 5B , a cross-sectional side view of the dispenser  100  and product system  202  along line B-B of  FIG. 5A  is illustrated. In this view the function of the light pipe  502  is illustrated. As illustrated, in this embodiment, the light pipe  502  allows light to enter the alarm system  300  even though all of the product  202  has not been worn down to the support plate  102  of the product carrier  206 . The remaining product  202  in this embodiment may be unusable because in some embodiments it will be flush with or below walls of the dispenser  100 . The height of the light pipe  502  extends a select distance from the support plate  102  of the product carrier  206 . The select distance is such that the light pipe  502  becomes exposed when the useable product  202  has worn away.  FIG. 6A  illustrates a cross-sectional end view of an embodiment using a light pipe.  FIG. 6A  illustrates, in this embodiment, the light pipe  502  is part of the product carrier  206 . The light pipe  502  aligns with a light aperture  614 A of the support plate  102  of the dispenser  100 . Also illustrated in  FIGS. 6A and 6B  is that the light aperture  614 A and  614 B is in a different location in the support plate than the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Hence, the present invention is not limited to a specific location regarding the light aperture.  FIG. 6B  illustrates a cross-sectional end view of an embodiment using just a light aperture  614 B. As illustrated in this embodiment, the product carrier  206  includes a carrier aperture  602  that aligns with the light aperture  614 B in the support surface  102 . Although, only one light aperture  614 A and associated light pipe  502  is illustrated, more than one light aperture and associated light pipe could be used. For example, in an embodiment, multiple light apertures each having an associated light pipe of a different height is used to indicated product levels at different stages of use. For example, a first aperture with an associated first light pipe that is relatively tall could indicate that 50% of the product is left, a second aperture with an associated second light pipe that is relatively short (or none at all) could indicate the product is out and a third aperture with an associated third light pipe that has a height between the first and second light pipes could indicate that 25% of the product is left. 
     The dispenser  100  in one embodiment is mounted to a dryer fin  702  mounted to a drum  704  of a dryer  700  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . As briefly discussed above, the movement of the dryer fin  702  causes the power generator  308  of the alarm system  300  to generate power. Although, the dispenser  100  is illustrated as being mounted on a dryer fin  702  it can also be mounted on any surface that moves such as, but not limited to, the drum  704  of the dryer  700 . The power generated is then used to operate the alarm circuit  301 . An example of an alarm circuit  301  in an embodiment is illustrated in the schematic diagram of  FIG. 8 . This example alarm circuit  301  includes a first rail  802  and a second rail  804 . A power supply, such as power supply circuit  306 , provides power to the alarm circuit  301  via the first rail  802  and the second rail  804 . In particular, the first rail  802  is coupled to Vcc and the second rail  804  is coupled to ground of the power supply circuit  306 . In this embodiment a switch  806  is placed in the first rail  802  to selectively turn on and off the alarm circuit  301 . A phototransistor  808  and a variable resistor  810  are coupled across the first and second rails  802  and  804 . In particular, a collector of the phototransistor  808  is coupled to the first rail  802  and an emitter of the phototransistor  808  is coupled to a first end of the variable resistor  810 . A second end of variable resistor  810  is coupled to the second rail  804 . The activation portion of the variable resister  810  is coupled to a first node  830  that is coupled to the connection between the emitter of the phototransistor  808  and the first end of the variable resistor  810 . The variable resistor  810  (potentiometer) is used to tune the light threshold at which the alarm  824  is activated. First node  830  is coupled to a second input  816 B of a comparator  816 . The comparator  816  is part of a comparator circuit LM339A. Comparator circuit LM339A is known in the art and is made by various manufactures. Another part of the LM339A is part  818  which indicates power and ground pins that are coupled across the first rail  802  and the second rail  804  respectively. A first resistor  812  and a second resistor  814  are further coupled in series across rail  802  and rail  804 . A second node  832  is coupled between the first and second resistors  812  and  814 . The second node  832  is coupled to a first input  816 A to the comparator  816 . An output  816 C of the comparator  816  is coupled to a base of transistor  822 . A third resistor  820  is coupled across rail  802  and the base of transistor  822 . A collector of transistor  822  is coupled to the first rail  802 . An emitter of transistor  822  is coupled to first input to a speaker  824 . A second input to speaker  824  is coupled to the second rail  804 . 
     In operation, when switch  806  is closed and select amount of light (dependant of the sensitivity of the phototransistor  808 ) hits the phototransistor  808 , the base of the phototransistor  808  is activated to allow current from the first rail  802  to pass through the collector and emitter of the phototransistor  808  to node  830 . The comparator  816  compares the voltage difference between nodes  830  and node  832 . When a select difference is detected, a signal is output from output  816 C of the comparator  816 . The output signal from output  816 C of the comparator  816  causes the base of transistor  822  to pass current from the first rail  802  through the emitter and collector of transistor  822  thereby powering the alarm  824 , which in this embodiment is a speaker. Although a speaker  824  is used as an alarm in this embodiment to generate a sound, other types of alarms could be used, such as but not limited to, lights. The circuit of  FIG. 8  is only an example of an alarm circuit  301 . Any type of circuit that is activated upon the detection of light can be used. Hence, the present invention is not limited to a specific circuit. Moreover, in some embodiments the alarm intensity is increased with an increase of light intensity. This is accomplished by operating a transistor in an “active” mode instead of a “saturation mode” or with the use of a photo-resistor. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , an example power source  306  schematic diagram of an embodiment is illustrated. This embodiment uses a magnet  903  contained in a bobbin  904  that passes through a conductive coil  906 . In particular, the motion of the drum  704  of the dryer  700  rotating is used to pass the magnet  904  that is in the bobbin  904  back and forth through the conductive coil  906 . An electromagnetic field (EMF) is generated each time the magnet  904  passes through the coil  906  according to Faraday&#39;s law of magnetic induction which is ε=−NdΦ/dt. Where N is the number of coil loops and Φ is the magnetic flux in webers. The EMF creates current pulses or AC signals. The current pulses are applied to a power storage device  914  such as a rechargeable battery, capacitor, super capacitor etc. In the embodiment of  FIG. 9 , a full bridge rectifier  908  is used to convert AC signals formed by the EMF pulses into a DC signal used to charge the power storage device  914 . The full bridge rectifier  908  in this embodiment includes diodes  910 - 1  through  910 - 4 . The power storage device  914  is coupled to provide power to the alarm circuit  301 . The size of the magnet  903 , the length of bobbin  904  and the number of coils  906  in the power source  306  are selected based on a desired output of power needed for the alarm circuit  304  and the sensor  302 . In one embodiment, the power circuit  306  includes more than one set of coils, magnets and bobbins  904 . Power source  306  as described above is merely an example of a power source circuit that could be used. Any power source circuit using motion, such as but not limited to, the motion provided by a dryer to generate power could be used. Moreover, any power source circuit using heat such as, but not limited to, thermoelectric devices and Peltier devices and the like could be used. Hence, the present invention is not limited to a specific power generating circuit. 
     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement, which is calculated to achieve the same purpose, may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.