Salt and ice melt product dispenser system

Abstract

A granular product dispenser is provided for residential or commercial use to spread salt/ice melt on walkways, drive-ways, and paths during the winter. Operation of the dispenser will be controlled through the use of an interactive website that will allow a user to turn the device ON/OFF wirelessly. Unlike current handheld dispensers, this device is intended to be placed on a porch or mounted along a path/driveway and controlled without manual operation. The dispenser includes an enclosed hopper to store melt product, a series of motors to control the flow and distribution of this product, and all electronics necessary to control the dispenser system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dispenser unit comprising:
 a housing unit comprising a base, an upper front panel, a lower front panel, a rear panel, two or more side panels, and a top panel, said upper front panel and lower front panel defining a dispenser opening, and   an interior unit comprising a lower section, a middle section, and an upper section;   wherein the lower section comprises a plurality of lower vertical supports connected to the base of the housing unit, and a lower motor positioned in a first motor holder,   the middle section comprises a middle platform disposed on the vertical supports, a dispensing wheel facing the dispenser opening and positioned in a dispensing wheel spindle hole in the middle platform aligned above the lower motor holder and connected to the lower motor by a first shaft, and a middle motor positioned in a second motor holder,   the upper section comprises an upper platform disposed on the vertical supports above the middle section, a feed control wheel in a feed control wheel spindle hole in the upper platform aligned above the middle section motor holder and connected to the middle motor by a second shaft, an upper vertical support, and a movable feed control slide positioned in the upper vertical support for opening and closing a feed control hole in the upper platform,   and further wherein portions of each of the upper platform, the upper vertical support, the rear panel, and at least one side panel define a space for storing salt/ice melt.   
     
     
         2 . A dispenser unit comprising:
 a housing unit comprising a base, an upper front panel, a lower front panel, a rear panel, two or more side panels, and a top panel, said upper front panel and lower front panel defining a dispenser opening, and   an interior unit comprising a lower section, a middle section, and an upper section;   wherein the lower section comprises a plurality of lower vertical supports connected to the base of the housing unit, and a lower motor positioned in a first motor holder,   the middle section comprises a middle platform disposed on the vertical supports, a dispensing wheel facing the dispenser opening and positioned in a dispensing wheel spindle hole in the middle platform aligned above the lower motor holder and connected to the lower motor by a first shaft, and a vibration motor positioned in a vibration motor holder,   the upper section comprises an upper platform disposed on the vertical supports above the middle section, an upper vertical support, and a movable feed control slide positioned in the upper vertical support for opening and closing a feed control hole in the upper platform,   and further wherein portions of each of the upper platform, the upper vertical support, the rear panel, and at least one side panel define a space for storing salt/ice melt.   
     
     
         3 . A dispenser unit comprising:
 a housing unit comprising a base, an upper front panel, a lower front panel, a rear panel, two or more side panels, and a top panel, said upper front panel and lower front panel defining a dispenser opening, and   an interior unit comprising a lower section, a middle section, and an upper section;   wherein the lower section comprises a plurality of lower vertical supports connected to the base of the housing unit, a motor positioned in a motor holder and connected to a gear box,   the middle section comprises a middle platform disposed on the vertical supports, and a dispensing wheel facing the dispenser opening and positioned in a dispensing wheel spindle hole in the middle platform aligned above and connected to the gear box,   the upper section comprises an upper platform disposed on the vertical supports above the middle section, a feed control wheel in a feed control wheel spindle hole in the upper platform aligned above and connected to the gear box, an upper vertical support, and a movable feed control slide positioned in the upper vertical support for opening and closing a feed control hole in the upper platform,   and further wherein portions of each of the upper platform, the upper vertical support, the rear panel, and at least one side panel define a space for storing salt/ice melt.   
     
     
         4 . The dispenser unit of any one of  claims 1 - 3 , wherein the upper section further comprises a motor connected to the feed control slide. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser unit of any one of  claims 1 - 3 , wherein the upper section further comprises a linear solenoid connected to the feed control slide. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser unit of any one of  claims 1 - 4 , wherein the upper section further comprises a vertical support cap positioned on top of the vertical support. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser unit of any one of  claims 1 - 5 , wherein the interior unit further comprises a microcontroller connected to the motors. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser unit of  claim 6 , wherein the microcontroller is a WiFi-enabled microcontroller. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser unit of any one of  claims 1 - 7 , wherein the motors are servo motors. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser unit of any one of  claims 1 - 8 , further comprising insulation material. 
     
     
         11 . A method for dispensing salt or ice melt, said method comprising:
 providing the dispenser unit of any one of  claims 1 - 9 ,   filling the dispenser unit with salt and/or ice melt, and   operating the dispenser unit to dispense the salt and/or ice melt.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , where operating the dispenser unit comprises activating the unit by a wireless device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the wireless device is selected from a cellular device, a Bluetooth device, and an internet-enabled device.