Patent ID: 7320418

Claim:
A system for controllably dispensing an aerosol sanitizer onto a door handle, the sanitizer being contained in a replaceable aerosol can having a valve and a delivery tube in fluid connection therewith, the delivery tube being seated on the valve and having a remote nozzle through which the aerosol sanitizer is sprayable, comprising: a housing sized to seat the aerosol can therein; a motor; a control circuit having a processor configured to selectively energize the motor with an energization signal; a first gear system coupling the motor to the delivery tube and arranged so that energization of the motor moves the first gear system which then displaces the delivery tube so as to momentarily open the valve of the aerosol can; a sensor disposed within the housing and responsive to displacement of the delivery tube to deliver state signals to the control circuit; wherein the control circuit includes software executing within the processor and configured to prevent delivery of the energization signal in the event that the state signals fail at least one prescribed condition.