Motion-Activated, Upward-Directed Soap Dispenser

Abstract

A motion-activated soap dispenser is provided having a vertically directed motion detector and a vertically oriented dispensing stream of hand cleaning solution. The device comprises a counter or wall mounted housing having a reservoir of hand soap or hand sanitizer that is ejected in short bursts in an upward direction and onto a user's palm placed over a top-mounted motion sensor. The reservoir is a refillable liquid container that is pumped for its contents, or alternatively the reservoir is a replaceable cartridge of compressed hand cleaning solution that utilizes internal pressure to eject the contents therefrom. The solution is routed through a conduit and into a nozzled aperture along the upper portion of the housing, whereby the solution is dispensed in liquid or foam consistency. An electric motor and timer circuit controls the burst of dispensed fluid from the reservoir, upon activation by the motion detector change in state.

I claim: 
     
         1 ) A motion-sensing hand cleaning solution dispenser, comprising:
 a housing having sidewalls, a base, and an upper portion;   a motion sensor along said upper portion for monitoring movement above said housing;   an aperture through said upper portion for dispensing a pressurized cleaning solution therethrough;   a cleaning solution reservoir within said housing for storing said cleaning solution;   an electric motor for communicating said cleaning solution from a reservoir, through a conduit, and through said upper portion aperture;   a control circuit for energizing said electric motor and receiving signals from said motion sensor;   a power source;   said cleaning solution dispensing upwardly from said housing upper portion aperture upon said electric motor energizing when a user's hand is placed over said motion sensor.   
     
     
         2 ) The device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said cleaning solution reservoir further comprises a pressurized cartridge having a valve;   said electric motor operably actuating said valve to release said pressurized cleaning solution into said conduit.   
     
     
         3 ) The device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said electric motor drives a plunger element that opens said cartridge nozzle;   said plunger element connected to said electric motor by way of a gear train and a drive arm, wherein said plunger element actuates in a linear path as said electric motor rotates said gear train.   
     
     
         4 ) The device of  claim 2 , wherein said pressurized cartridge is removable and replaceable. 
     
     
         5 ) The device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said electric motor connects to a piston within a cylinder;   said piston and cylinder connected to said cleaning solution conduit;   said electric motor operably driving said piston within said cylinder to draw said cleaning solution from said reservoir into an intake and pressurizing said solution to communicate said solution through said conduit and through said upper portion aperture.   
     
     
         6 ) The device of  claim 5 , wherein said electric motor drives said piston element by way of a piston rod. 
     
     
         7 ) The device of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said electric motor drives said piston element by way of a piston rod;   said piston rod connected to said electric motor by way of a gear train, wherein said piston rod actuates in a linear path for said piston as said electric motor rotates said gear train.   
     
     
         8 ) The device of  claim 1 , wherein said cleaning solution is a liquid soap. 
     
     
         9 ) The device of  claim 1 , wherein said cleaning solution is a liquid hand sanitizing solution. 
     
     
         10 ) The device of  claim 1 , wherein said upper portion aperture further comprises a foam nozzle that transforms said cleaning solution into a foam consistency.