Patent Abstract:
A fluid dispensing device, a battery package for a fluid dispensing device, and a method of assembling a fluid dispensing device. The dispensing device has a housing defining a passage having an outlet, and fluid being dispensed through the passage and out of the outlet. The dispensing device also has a powered component. The battery package has a battery cell and a capacitor operable to power the powered component. The battery cell and the capacitor are encapsulated as a unitary battery package. The unitary battery package is supportable in the housing.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/802,412, filed Mar. 13, 2013, which claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/719,287, filed Oct. 26, 2012, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a dispensing device and a battery for powering the dispensing device. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A typical automatic dispensing device includes a sensor, such as a motion sensor, and a solenoid controlled based on a signal from the sensor to dispense a substance, such as a fluid. 
         [0004]    In one independent embodiment, the invention provides a fluid dispensing device. The fluid dispensing device may generally include a housing defining a passage having an outlet, a sensor operable to sense a condition and to send a signal based on the sensed condition, a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense fluid through the passage and out of the outlet, a solenoid controlled, based on the signal from the sensor, to cause the dispensing mechanism to dispense fluid, and a hybrid battery disposed in the housing and operable to power the solenoid. 
         [0005]    In another independent embodiment, the invention provides a battery package for a fluid dispensing device. The dispensing device includes a housing defining a passage having an outlet, fluid being dispensed through the passage and out of the outlet, and a powered component. The battery package may generally include a battery cell and a capacitor operable to power the powered component. The battery cell and the capacitor may be encapsulated as a unitary battery package, and the unitary battery package may be supportable in the housing. 
         [0006]    In yet another independent embodiment, the invention provides a method of manufacturing a fluid dispensing device. The method may generally include providing a housing for the fluid dispensing device, the housing defining a passage having an outlet, fluid being dispensed through the passage and out of the outlet, encapsulating a battery cell and a capacitor as a unitary battery package, and supporting the unitary battery package in the housing. 
         [0007]    In a further independent embodiment, the invention provides a fluid dispensing device. The fluid dispensing device may include a housing defining a passage having an inlet, an inlet chamber communicating with the inlet, an outlet, an outlet chamber communicating with the outlet, a pressure chamber in communication with the inlet chamber, a vent passage in selective communication between the pressure chamber and atmosphere, and an opening between the pressure chamber and the vent passage. The fluid dispensing device may also include a sensor operable to sense a condition and to send a signal based on the sensed condition, and a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense fluid through the passage and out of the outlet, the dispensing mechanism including a piston movably supported in the passage between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber. 
         [0008]    The fluid dispensing device may also include a solenoid controlled, based on the signal from the sensor, to cause the dispensing mechanism to dispense fluid, the solenoid being operable to selectively place the pressure chamber in communication with the vent passage to thereby cause the dispensing mechanism to dispense fluid. The solenoid may include an armature movable between a first position, in which communication between the pressure chamber and the vent passage is inhibited, and a second position, in which communication between the pressure chamber and the vent passage is allowed, the armature being movable between the first position and the second position. In the first position, a portion of the armature may close the opening. The fluid dispensing device may also include a power source operable to power the solenoid. 
         [0009]    In still another independent embodiment, the invention provides a method of manufacturing a hybrid battery for a fluid dispensing device, the hybrid battery having a battery cell and a capacitor. The method may generally include encapsulating the battery cell and the capacitor as a unitary battery package. 
         [0010]    Other independent aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description, claims and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a battery package. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded view of the battery package shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the battery package shown in  FIG. 1  with the top removed. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective cutout view of a dispensing device, such as a flushometer, including the battery package shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the flushometer shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the flushometer shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the flushometer shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0018]      FIGS. 8A-8I  are cross sectional views of a portion of the flushometer shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a cutout view of another dispensing device, such as a faucet, including the battery package shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a faucet. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 11-15  are perspective views of other dispensing devices, such as, for example, a soap or lotion dispenser, a commercial metered shower system, an in-wall flushometer, an in-fixture urinal flushing system, and an in-tank touchless toilet flushing system, respectively, including the battery package shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Before any independent embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other independent embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Use of “consisting of” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass only the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof. Further, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward”, “rearward”, “left”, “right”, “upward” and “downward”, etc., are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrate a battery package  10  including a hybrid battery having a battery cell  12  and a capacitor  14 . The battery cell  12  may include an alkaline battery, a lithium-based battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery), etc. The capacitor  14  may include a lithium-ion capacitor, or other suitable types of capacitor. For example, the hybrid battery may include a 9 volt high purity lithium battery cell packaged with a lithium-ion capacitor. 
         [0024]    In the illustrated construction, the battery package  10  also includes a cup  16  and resin  18 . The hybrid battery (e.g., the battery cell  12  and the capacitor  14 ) is encapsulated, for example, within the cup  16  which is filled with the resin  18 . The cup  16  may be formed of a polymer in a vacuum forming process, a thermoforming process, thin wall injection molding, etc. The resin  18  may include polyurethane, epoxy, acrylic, silicone, UV curable materials, etc., which either completely harden or form a rubber-like consistency. 
         [0025]    In the illustrated embodiment, the cup  16  is a thin-walled molded cup and the resin  18  includes epoxy. The resin  18  fills the cup  16  and includes a top layer sealing off the top of the cup  16  that is thick enough to cover terminals  15 ,  17  and exposed wires or connections  19  between the battery cell  12  and the capacitor  14 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the wires  19  include a first portion encapsulated within the resin  18  and a second portion (e.g., insulated wires) passing out of the resin  18  for connection to powered components. In some embodiments, the battery package  10  also includes a cap (not shown) coupled to and sealed with the top of the cup  16  (e.g., by the resin  18 ) for assisting in the mounting or holding of the battery package  10  in the dispensing device  20 , which will be described in greater detail below. 
         [0026]    The cup  16  and resin  18  encapsulate the battery cell  12  and the capacitor  14  to, for example, protect the battery cell  12  and the capacitor  14  from contamination (e.g., by fluid, water, other contaminants, etc.). Encapsulating the battery cell  12  and the capacitor  14  in the cup  16  and resin  18  may also minimize the overall package size, minimize the expense of potting material (e.g., the resin  18 ), and/or allow for full encapsulation of the battery cell  12 . Depending on the material used, for installation, the cup  16  may be retained or peeled away from the resin  18 . 
         [0027]      FIGS. 4-8I  illustrate a dispensing device  20  including the battery package  10 . The illustrated dispensing device  20  is a flushometer. In other constructions, the dispensing device  20  may include another type of dispensing device, such as, for example, a faucet (see  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 ), a soap, lotion or other fluid dispenser (see  FIG. 11 ), a commercial metered shower system (see  FIG. 12 ), an in-wall flushometer (see  FIG. 13 ), an in-fixture urinal flushing system (see  FIG. 14 ), an in-tank touchless toilet flushing system (see  FIG. 15 ), a paper towel (or other item/article) dispenser (not shown), etc. 
         [0028]    The dispensing device  20  includes a housing  22 , a sensor  24 , a solenoid  26  and a dispensing mechanism  28  (e.g., a flushing mechanism, a valve or other dispensing device) for dispensing a substance, material, item, article, etc. As illustrated in  FIGS. 4-8I , the battery package  10 , the sensor  24 , the solenoid  26  and the dispensing mechanism  28  are all disposed within the housing  22  of the dispensing device  20 . The sensor  24  may be a touchless sensor such that the illustrated dispensing device  20  is a touchless flushometer. The housing  22  may include a window  42  for a portion of the sensor  24  that senses a condition external to the housing  22 , such as the presence of a user. 
         [0029]    The battery package  10  powers the solenoid  26 . Specifically, the battery cell  12  charges the capacitor  14 , and the capacitor  14  powers the solenoid  26  when activated by the sensor  24 . The solenoid  26  is activated in response to a signal from the sensor  24 . For example, the sensor  24  may be a motion or light sensor, and the solenoid  26  is activated when the sensor  24  signals a flushing condition, such as the presence of a user followed by the non-presence of the user. 
         [0030]    The battery package  10  may also power the sensor  24 . For example, the battery cell  12  may power the sensor  24 . In other constructions (not shown), the sensor  24  may include its own separate power source. 
         [0031]    The dispensing mechanism  28 , e.g., a water flushing mechanism of the illustrated flushometer, is illustrated in  FIGS. 8A-8I . The dispensing mechanism  28  may include a piston  30 , a valve seat  48 , a piston bleed hole  50  and, defined by the housing  22 , an inlet chamber  32 , a pressure chamber or pressure envelope  34 , an atmospheric vent  36 , and an outlet chamber  38 . In other embodiments, other dispensing mechanisms  28  may be employed (e.g., a dispensing mechanism including a diaphragm and a diaphragm vent, etc.). 
         [0032]    Arrows in  FIGS. 8A-8I  illustrate water flow in the dispensing mechanism  20 . With reference to  FIGS. 8A-8B , the inlet chamber  32  is fluidly connected to a source of pressurized water (not shown; e.g., utility water), receiving the pressurized water through an inlet  46  ( FIG. 8B ). The piston  30  includes at least one bleed hole  50  ( FIG. 8B ) fluidly connecting the inlet chamber  32  to the pressure envelope  34 , and pressurized water flows from the inlet chamber  32  to the pressure envelope  34  through the bleed hole  50  in the piston  30 . The pressure envelope  34  is connected to an atmospheric vent  36 , which vents to the outlet chamber  38  and, thus, to atmosphere. The outlet chamber  38  feeds water into the flush (e.g., into a urinal) to flush the urinal (or other fixture). 
         [0033]    The solenoid  26  includes an armature  40  movable axially between a first position (e.g., a non-dispensing or non-flush position (see  FIGS. 8A-8C )), in which the solenoid  26  inhibits the dispensing device  20  from dispensing, and a second position (e.g., a dispensing or flush position (see  FIGS. 8D-8E )). The solenoid  26  is energized by the capacitor  14 , at least momentarily causing the armature  40  to move from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position. In the illustrated construction, the armature  40  latches in each of the first and second positions after the charge from the capacitor  14  ceases. Each time the solenoid  26  is energized, the armature  40  moves from one position to the other (from the first position to the second position, and vice versa). 
         [0034]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 8A-8B , in the first position, the armature  40  is extended away from the body of the solenoid  26  and fluidly separates the pressure envelope  34  from the atmospheric vent  36  such that the pressure envelope  34  cannot fluidly communicate with the atmospheric vent  36 . The armature  40  includes an armature seal  52  for sealing off a vent opening or vent hole  54  ( FIG. 8I ) to the atmospheric vent  36 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 8C  illustrates the dispensing device  20  in the non-dispensing position. With the solenoid  26  de-energized and the armature  40  latched in the first position, the armature seal  52  closes off the atmospheric vent  36 , allowing the water pressure above the piston  30  in the pressure envelope  34  to balance the inlet water pressure in the inlet chamber  32 , which forces the piston  30  against the valve seat  48  shutting off the dispensing mechanism  28 . 
         [0036]    In the second position (see  FIGS. 8D-8E ), the solenoid  26 , activated in response to a “flush” signal from the sensor  24 , allows the dispensing device  20  to dispense. In the illustrated construction, the armature  40  retracts toward the body of the solenoid  26  and opens the passage between the pressure envelope  34  and the atmospheric vent  36 , fluidly connecting the pressure envelope  34  to the atmospheric vent  36 . The pressurized water vents from the pressure envelope  34  through the atmospheric vent  36  to the outlet chamber  38  and is dispensed or flushed. With the pressure envelope  34  depressurized (when the solenoid  26  is in the second position), the piston  30 , which is pressurized from below by water pressure in the inlet chamber  32 , displaces axially upwardly (e.g., towards the solenoid  26  in the illustrated construction), initiating the flush to the urinal or other fixture. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 8D , when the solenoid  26  is momentarily energized from the first position, the armature  40  retracts, allowing water above the piston  30  in the pressure envelope  34  to vent out, thereby reducing the water pressure above the piston  30  in the pressure envelope  34 . A magnet or other mechanism (not shown) holds the armature  30  in place (e.g., in the latched position), eliminating the need to continuously power the solenoid  26 . 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 8E , the pressure differential between the sides and top of the piston  30  forces the piston  30  up, allowing a primary flow of water to flow through the dispensing mechanism  28  between the piston  30  and valve seat  48 . In addition to the primary flow through the dispensing mechanism  28 , a small trickle flow continues through the piston bleed hole  50 , to the pressure envelope  34  and out the atmospheric vent  36  and joins with the primary flow. 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIG. 8F , after a predetermined time period (or after a “stop flush” condition is sensed by the sensor  24 ), the solenoid  26  is momentarily powered in a reverse polarity, freeing the armature  40  from the “latch” (e.g., the magnetic hold) and allowing it to return to the first position (see  FIGS. 8A-8C ) thereby resealing the atmospheric vent  36 . Even though the vent  36  is closed, water continues to trickle through the piston bleed hole  50 , allowing the pressure envelope  34  to re-pressurize. 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 8G , as the pressure in the pressure envelope  34  builds, the piston  30  moves back down, sealing against the valve seat  48  to terminate the flush. Movement of the piston  30  can be controlled by sizing the bleed hole  50  and determining the mass of the piston  30 . As shown in  FIG. 8H , when the piston  30  reseats, the pressure in the pressure envelope  34  equalizes with the inlet pressure in the inlet chamber  32 . 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 8I , the speed at which the piston  30  jumps up at the start of the flush determines power at which the flush initiates. The size of the vent hole  54  drives piston speed by controlling the rate at which the pressure envelope  34  above the piston  30  evacuates. A larger vent hole  54  equates to a faster piston  30 . However, a larger vent hole  54  may require a stronger solenoid  26  to overcome internal pressure (pressure =force/area). The force a solenoid can produce is a function of the start position of the armature  40  relative to the overall stroke. By balancing the diameter of the vent hole  54  and the retraction distance (stroke) of the armature  40  against the solenoid power, a diaphragm having a diaphragm vent can be eliminated, which may simplify the assembly, reduce material failures, etc. The illustrated dispensing mechanism  28  may also quickly purge entrapped air for consistent flush volume. 
         [0042]    In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the solenoid uses a diaphragm to amplify the speed of the system. In such an embodiment, the armature retracts from a diaphragm vent, or diaphragm bleed hole. The smaller volume of water above the diaphragm is quickly vented, allowing the diaphragm to retract, exposing a larger portion (e.g., a larger diameter portion) of the diaphragm vent such that the larger volume of water above the piston can evacuate quickly. 
         [0043]    In another alternative embodiment (not shown), a larger diaphragm may be used in place of the piston with a bleed hole to communicate between the inlet chamber  32  and the pressure envelope  34 . The pressure envelope  34  could communicate with a diaphragm vent either by direct solenoid control or by way of a smaller diaphragm/solenoid combination. 
         [0044]      FIG. 9  illustrates another dispensing device  20 ′, such as a faucet, including the battery package  10 . The dispensing device  20 ′ is similar to the dispensing device  20 , described above and illustrated in  FIGS. 4-8 , and common elements are identified by the same reference number 
         [0045]    The dispensing device  20 ′ includes a housing  22 ′, a sensor  24 ′, a solenoid  26 ′ and a dispensing mechanism  28 ′ for dispensing water. As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the battery package  10 , the sensor  24 ′, the solenoid  26 ′ and the dispensing mechanism  28 ′ are all disposed within the housing  22 ′ of the dispensing device  20 ′. The sensor  24 ′ may be a touchless sensor such that the illustrated dispensing device  20 ′ is a touchless faucet. The housing  22 ′ may include a window  42 ′ for a portion of the sensor  24 ′ that senses a condition external to the housing  22 ′, such as the presence of a user. 
         [0046]    The battery package  10  powers the solenoid  26 ′, as described above with respect to  FIGS. 8A-8I . In the construction illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the dispensing mechanism  28 ′ is a water dispensing mechanism for a faucet. 
         [0047]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-15 , the invention may generally provide, among other things, a dispensing device having a compact and contaminant resistant battery package disposed within the housing of the dispensing device to power the dispensing mechanism. Thus, the need for a separate and remote battery, external from the housing of the dispensing device, may be eliminated.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4