Dispensing device
View Patent ↗Among other things, a dispensing device and/or a refill container are provided. The dispensing device may comprise a dispenser component configured to dispense a refill material. A sensor component may be configured to identify an optical property (e.g., whether an optical brightener is present in the refill material) of the refill material. The dispensing device may evaluate the optical property against an optical profile to determine whether the refill material is a valid refill material (e.g., comprises the optical brightener) or an invalid refill material (e.g., does not comprise the optical brightener). Operation of the dispensing device may be enabled based upon the refill material being the valid refill material. If the refill material comprises the invalid refill material, then operation of the dispensing device may be disabled and/or a flush option (e.g., evacuating the invalid refill material from the dispensing device) may be activated.
1. A dispensing device for dispensing a material, comprising:
a housing configured to receive a refill material;
a dispenser component configured to dispense the refill material;
a sensor component configured to identify an optical property of the refill material; and
a lockout component configured to:
evaluate the optical property against an optical profile to determine whether the refill material is a valid refill material or an invalid refill material, wherein the refill material is determined to be the valid refill material when the evaluation of the optical property against the optical profile determines that the refill material comprises an optical brightener; and
enable operation of the dispenser component to dispense the refill material responsive to the refill material being the valid refill material.
2. The dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor component comprises:
an emitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward the refill material; and
a collector configured to detect electromagnetic radiation that has interacted with the refill material.
3. The dispensing device of claim 2 , comprising:
an actuator configured to detect a dispense request, wherein the emitter is configured to emit the electromagnetic radiation toward the refill material responsive to the actuator detecting the dispense request.
4. The dispense device of claim 2 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is visible light.
5. The dispense device of claim 2 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is ultraviolet light.
6. The dispense device of claim 2 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is infrared light.
7. The dispensing device of claim 2 , wherein the collector is disposed diametrically opposite the emitter relative to the refill material.
8. The dispense device of claim 1 , comprising:
an actuator configured to detect a dispense request, wherein the sensor component is configured to initiate the identification of the optical property of the refill material responsive to the actuator detecting the dispense request.
9. The dispense device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor component is configured to:
generate a signal based upon electromagnetic radiation detected by the sensor component, the electromagnetic radiation having interacted with the refill material;
determine a change in the electromagnetic radiation due to an interaction of the electromagnetic radiation with the refill material; and
identify the optical property of the refill material based upon the change.
10. The dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the refill material is determined to be the valid refill material when the evaluation of the optical property against the optical profile determines that the refill material comprises a specified amount of the optical brightener.
11. The dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the lockout component is configured to:
disable operation of the dispenser device responsive to the refill material being the invalid refill material.
12. The dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the lockout component is configured to:
evacuate the invalid refill material from the dispensing device responsive to the refill material being the invalid refill material.
13. The dispensing device of claim 1 , comprising an indicator configured to provide an invalid refill alert responsive to the refill material being the invalid refill material.
14. A dispensing device for dispensing a material, comprising:
a dispenser component configured to dispense a refill material;
a sensor component configured to identify an optical property of the refill material; and
a lockout component configured to:
evaluate the optical property against an optical profile to determine whether the refill material comprises an optical brightener; and
enable operation of the dispenser component to dispense the refill material responsive to determining that the refill material comprises the optical brightener.
15. The dispensing device of claim 14 , wherein the sensor component comprises:
an emitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward the refill material; and
a collector configured to detect electromagnetic radiation that has interacted with the refill material.
16. The dispensing device of claim 14 , comprising:
an actuator configured to detect a dispense request, wherein the sensor component is configured to initiate the identification of the optical property of the refill material responsive to the actuator detecting the dispense request.
17. The dispense device of claim 14 , wherein the sensor component is configured to:
determine a change in electromagnetic radiation due to an interaction of the electromagnetic radiation with the refill material; and
identify the optical property of the refill material based upon the change.