Energy saving electric soap dispenser

Abstract

An electric soap dispenser is provided with a housing; a cover; a reservoir; a valve; a nozzle; an electric motor; a gear system; an arm having one end rotatably disposed in the gear system; a link having one end pivotably secured to an other end of the arm and loosely put on the nozzle; an electric control unit; a sensor; and a power source. The electric control unit actuates the electric motor upon receiving a signal from the sensor, the actuated electric motor rotates the gear system, one end of the arm rotates 180-degree to move the link upward to open the valve thereby flowing liquid soap from the reservoir to the nozzle, and one end of the arm rotates further 180-degree to move the link downward to close the valve thereby stopping the flowing and deactivating the electric motor. Power demand is greatly reduced when in use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric soap dispenser comprising:
 a housing;   a cover releasably secured to the housing;   a reservoir configured to store liquid soap;   a valve communicating with the reservoir;   a nozzle communicating with the valve;   a gear system;   an electric motor for driving the gear system;   an arm having one end rotatably disposed in the gear system;   a link having one end pivotably secured to an other end of the arm and loosely put on the nozzle;   an electric control unit for controlling actuation of the electric motor;   a trigger sensor for detecting the presence of an object and generating a trigger signal; and   a power source electrically connected to both the electric control unit and the electric motor;   wherein the electric control unit actuates the electric motor upon receiving the trigger signal from the trigger sensor, the actuated electric motor rotates the gear system, one end of the arm rotates  180 -degree to move the link upward to open the valve thereby flowing a predetermined amount of liquid soap from the reservoir to the nozzle via the valve, and one end of the arm rotates further  180 -degree to move the link downward to close the valve thereby stopping the flowing and causing the electric control unit to deactivate the electric motor.