Patent ID: 8261941

Claim:
A fluid dispenser for dispensing a fluid, said fluid dispenser comprising: a housing dimensioned to receive a container for holding a fluid to be dispensed, said housing having a cover movable between a closed position and an open position; a roller assembly disposed in said housing, said roller assembly being dimensioned to engage a portion of said container, said roller assembly including a holder and a roller rotatably attached to said holder, said holder being rotatable about an axis of said roller assembly such that said roller is movable along a path between a first container-engaging position and a second container-engaging position, said roller dimensioned to engage and roll along a portion of said container when said roller moves in a first direction from said first container-engaging position to said second container-engaging position, thereby dispensing said fluid from said container; a first sensor for providing a signal indicative of the position of said roller along said path; a volume control switch for varying a volume of fluid to be dispensed, said volume control switch having multiple fixed positions, each of said fixed positions associated with a different volume of fluid to be dispensed; a motor operable to rotate said holder in a first direction and in a second direction, said second direction being opposite said first direction; a second sensor for sensing an object in a predetermined area near said housing; a light source operable to emit a beam of visible light therefrom, said beam of light intersecting said predetermined area; and a controller programmed such that when said second sensor senses an object in said predetermined area, said controller 1) energizes said light source to illuminate a target location where said fluid from said container is to be dispensed; 2) determines said second container-engaging position of said roller based on said position of said volume control switch; 3) energizes said motor to rotate said holder in said first direction such that said roller engages and moves along said path from said first container-engaging position to said second container-engaging position thereby dispensing said desired volume of fluid from said container based on said position of said volume control switch; and 4) energizes said motor to rotate said holder in said second direction, opposite said first direction, wherein said roller moves along said path from said second container-engaging position back to said first container-engaging position.