System and method for dispensing soap

1. A method to dispense soap from a fluid dispensing system, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) presenting a tube having a tube end disposed at a first position within an indented portion of a spout of the fluid dispensing system;

(ii) sensing an object below the tube end;

(iii) in response to sensing the object, expelling said soap from the tube end by drawing the tube end further within the indented portion to a second position; and

(iv) returning the tube end to the first position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein returning the tube end to the first position draws soap into the tube end.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein sensing an object below the tube end includes detecting an infrared signal that is reflected off the object.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein drawing the tube end further within the indented portion to a second position includes activating a torque of a motor to rotate an actuator arm of a pump hammer so that the actuator arm contacts a flange on a pump actuator and urges the pump actuator downward to overcome a spring bias.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein drawing the tube end further within the indented portion to a second position includes stalling the motor so that the spring bias overcomes the torque of the motor to urge the pump actuator upwards.

6. The method of claim 1 , subsequent to expelling soap from the tube end, the method further comprising:

incrementing a counter; and

if the counter is less than 900, then returning to (ii), or

if the counter equals 900, then at least one of lighting a low soap level light indicator and issuing an audible signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , subsequent to (ii) sensing an object below the tube end, the method further comprising:

sensing a voltage level of a power source; and

if the voltage is greater than 4.85 volts, then performing (iii), or

if voltage is less than 4.85 volts, then at least one of lighting a low power level light indicator and issuing an audible signal.