Apparatus and method to dispense feminine hygiene products using a motion sensor
A dispenser of feminine hygiene products, including feminine pads and tampons activated by a motion sensor. A motion of a person's hand or other object within a given distance from the motion sensor will close an electronic circuit causing a motor to rotate. The motor is attached to a shaft which rotates. The shaft retains a feminine product dispenser. The feminine product dispenser transports one of the feminine hygiene products to a retrieval tray. A time delay reduces the likelihood of or prevents someone from continuously activating the motion sensor to dispense all of the products in the machine.
1. A method for dispensing feminine hygiene products from a product dispenser including a door, the method comprising:
providing a first motion sensor adjacent a first rail and a second motion sensor adjacent a second rail each being configured to detect a motion provided by a moving object;
providing a built in a time delay for the product dispenser;
activating a first activation of a product dispensing in response to a first motion sensed by the first motion sensor;
dispensing a first product in response to the first motion sensed;
activating a second activation of a product dispensing in response to a second motion sensed by the second motion sensor;
determining a time delay between the activating the first activation and activating the second activation; and
not dispensing a second product in response to the second motion if the time delay has not elapsed.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising dispensing the second product in response to the second activation once the time delay has elapsed.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing a first motion sensor and a second motion sensor includes wherein: i) the first motion sensor is configured to dispense the first product and not the second product in response to the first motion; and ii) the second motion sensor is configured to dispense the second product and not the first product in response to the second motion.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first product and the second product are different types of products, wherein the first motion sensor only activates the first activation of the first product, and the second motion sensor only activates the second activation of the second product.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the first product and the second product are the same type of product.
6. The method of claim 3 further comprising dispensing the first product at a first aperture having a first product configuration and dispensing the second product at a second aperture having a second product configuration different than the first product configuration.
7. The method of claim 3 further comprising adjusting a first sensitivity of the first motion sensor and adjusting a second sensitivity of the second motion sensor such that the first motion does not affect the second motion sensor and the second motion does not affect the first motion sensor.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
identifying an opening time when the door is moved to an open position; and
not dispensing either the first product or the second product if the door is in the open position.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing a first motion sensor and a sensor motion sensor includes: i) a first motion sensor configured to dispense the first product in response to the first motion; and ii) a second motion sensor configured to dispense the second product in response to the second motion.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first product and the second product are different types of products.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first product and the second product are the same type of product.
12. The method of claim 9 further comprising dispensing the first product at a first aperture having a first product configuration and dispensing the second product at a second aperture having a second product configuration different than the first product configuration.
13. The method of claim 9 further comprising adjusting a first sensitivity of the first motion sensor and adjusting a second sensitivity of the second motion sensor such that the first motion does not affect the second motion sensor and the second motion does not affect the first motion sensor.
14. A method for dispensing feminine hygiene products from a product dispenser including a door, the method comprising:
providing one or more motion sensors each being configured to detect a motion provided by a moving object;
identifying a delay time;
identifying a first time in response to a first motion sensed by one of the motion sensors;
dispensing a first product in response to the first motion;
identifying a second time in response to a second motion sensed by one of the motion sensors;
determining an elapsed time between the first time and the second time;
not dispensing a second product in response to the second motion if the elapsed time is less than the delay time;
identifying an opening time when the door is moved to an open position; and
not dispensing either the first product or the second product if the door is in the open position
identifying a closing time when the door is moved to a close position;
identifying a third time in response to a third motion after door is moved to the close position;
identifying an elapsed time between the closing time and the third motion time; and
dispensing one of the first product and the second product if the elapsed time is greater than a stop time.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising dispensing the second product in response to the second motion if the elapsed time is greater than the delay time.