An automatic soap dispenser is a device that dispenses a controlled amount of soap solution (or a similar liquid such as a hand sanitizer). They are often used in conjunction with automatic faucets in public restrooms. They function to conserve the amount of soap used and stem infectious disease transmission.
The idea for the first automated dispenser was submitted by Guey-Chuan Shiau to be patented in 1989. The patent was under the name, "Automatic Cleaning-liquid Dispensing Device". The patent was issued in 1991. The patented device was under the following description: "An automatic cleaning-fluid dispensing device includes: a containing structure for containing cleaning fluid; a sensing device disposed on a base member being installed in the lower portion of said containing structure wherein said base member is provided with an outlet, a sensing circuit disposed on a circuit board, a motor arrangement electrically connected to the sensing circuit, an outlet for passing a light source of the sensing circuit therefrom so as to detect the presence of an external object closing on the light source; and a dispensing mechanism, which is composed of a push structure functionally connected with the driving motor and a pumping structure operatively engaged with the push structure, installed on the base member in connection with the sensing device; whereby when an external object closes to the sensing device, a given amount of the contained cleaning fluid in the containing structure will be automatically supplied for cleaning purposes.". [1]
The implementation of automatic washroom supplies has increased dramatically. An increasing number of public locations and private institutions have been incorporating touchless technology into their washrooms.
Automatic technology has permeated public washrooms. Journalist Michael Sasso once termed it as, "Hygienic Company Brings Space Age to Bathroom." He wrote in reference of the Tampa International Airport. The first automatic urinal was implemented in 1987 and in 16 years, "the airport had 143 automatic urinals, 390 automatic-flush commodes and 276 automatic faucets". [2] Touchless technology has become a regular component of modern washroom facilities.
A study was conducted in the accession area of the clinical microbiology laboratory and the outpatient dentistry department of the University of Virginia Medical Center. Studies were done to evaluate the particular antiseptic solution and the automatic dispensers in a hospital setting. The study was conducted for two months, at the conclusion, the effectiveness of the solution and dispenser was surveyed. Although the particular alcohol antiseptic was disliked because of the skin-drying effect of the alcohol solution, the dispenser itself was recommended for greater use throughout the healthcare facilities. [3]
The filth, poverty, disease that permeated nineteenth century’s society was drastically reduced by revolutionary sanitation movements throughout the twentieth century. Although several other advances... can be etiologically and temporally related to some of these diseases, the causal evidence (e.g., temporal sequence, consistency, biologic plausibility) is consistent with the hypothesis that personal hygiene is one other factor that helped to determine the decline. [4] The advances of hygiene, such as that of the automatic soap dispenser, can be considered as one of the more silent victories of public health and continues to be an important disease prevention strategy, even in this "modern" era when the "gospel of germs" has waned in popularity. [5]
A strong corollary in the decline of the mortality rate is that of hand-washing (National Center for Health Statistics).
When washing hands, the user’s hands are placed under the nozzle and before the sensor. The activated sensor will further activate a pump that dispenses a premeasured amount of soap from the nozzle. [6]
This kind of sensor sends out bursts of microwave or ultrasound energy and waits for the energy to reflect back. In a stagnant situation, the energy will bounce back in a normal pattern. When hands are placed in the basin, the energy emitted from the sensor will bounce back irregularly which triggers the dispensation of soap. [7] Modern sensors used in electronic faucets, electronic flush valves and electronic soap dispensers use Infrared light with wavelength in the range of 850 nm. The sensor employs an emitter and a collector. The emitter emits pulses of infrared light while the collector, which is positioned to face in the same direction as the emitter, "sits" dormant waiting to sense the emitted pulses. When no hands are present in front of the device, no reflection of light takes place, and therefore, no pulse is sensed. When hands are present in the path of the emitted light, a portions of the emitted infrared light is bounced back in the direction of the collector which then becomes excited by the light (in the event a photodiode is used) and generates voltage to switch the pump on. If a photo transistor is utilized, then the photo transistor, upon sensing the infrared pulse, will simply switch the pump on. [8]
This mechanism is composed of two parts, a source of focused light (usually a laser beam) and a light sensor. When the user’s hands are placed in line of the beam of light, the pump mechanism is activated by the disruption that is sensed by the light sensor. [7]
Infrared sensors detect infrared energy that is emitted by one’s body heat. When hands are placed in the proximity of the sensor, the infrared energy quickly fluctuates. This fluctuation triggers the pump to activate and dispense the designated amount of soap. [7]
The advancement of the automatic soap dispenser further creates an even more sterile environment. When various individuals use the pump, they will leave behind a variety of bacterial colonies. These colonies will interbreed and lead to a more resistant strain of bacteria that can re-contaminate different hands and would not be completely eliminated by the anti-bacterial soap. Wider spectra or higher levels of resistance, in the colonies that are present, are due to interaction and/or complementation between the resistance genes. [9] Without having a wide variety of individuals touching the pump, bacterial transmission will be eliminated.
Dispensers will only distribute a set amount of soap per motion activation. A predetermined amount to be dispensed can be set to a highly efficient quantity in which waste will be minimal.
The mechanisms of the dispenser that work for soap may also work for other liquids: soap, hand sanitizer, lotion, laundry detergent etc. The wide range of possibilities extends the use of the dispenser to various other locations other than the bathroom.
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word laser is an anacronym that originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. The first laser was built in 1960 by Theodore Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories, based on theoretical work by Charles H. Townes and Arthur Leonard Schawlow.
A water dispenser, known as water cooler, is a machine that dispenses and often also cools or heats up water with a refrigeration unit. It is commonly located near the restroom due to closer access to plumbing. A drain line is also provided from the water cooler into the sewer system.
The term dispenser typically imply a machine or container which is designed to release a specific amount of its content, usually liquids or powders/fine granular materials.
A passive infrared sensor is an electronic sensor that measures infrared (IR) light radiating from objects in its field of view. They are most often used in PIR-based motion detectors. PIR sensors are commonly used in security alarms and automatic lighting applications.
A motion detector is an electrical device that utilizes a sensor to detect nearby motion. Such a device is often integrated as a component of a system that automatically performs a task or alerts a user of motion in an area. They form a vital component of security, automated lighting control, home control, energy efficiency, and other useful systems.
A lighting control system incorporates communication between various system inputs and outputs related to lighting control with the use of one or more central computing devices. Lighting control systems are widely used on both indoor and outdoor lighting of commercial, industrial, and residential spaces. Lighting control systems are sometimes referred to under the term smart lighting. Lighting control systems serve to provide the right amount of light where and when it is needed.
Level sensors detect the level of liquids and other fluids and fluidized solids, including slurries, granular materials, and powders that exhibit an upper free surface. Substances that flow become essentially horizontal in their containers because of gravity whereas most bulk solids pile at an angle of repose to a peak. The substance to be measured can be inside a container or can be in its natural form. The level measurement can be either continuous or point values. Continuous level sensors measure level within a specified range and determine the exact amount of substance in a certain place, while point-level sensors only indicate whether the substance is above or below the sensing point. Generally the latter detect levels that are excessively high or low.
A refractometer is a laboratory or field device for the measurement of an index of refraction (refractometry). The index of refraction is calculated from the observed refraction angle using Snell's law. For mixtures, the index of refraction then allows to determine the concentration using mixing rules such as the Gladstone–Dale relation and Lorentz–Lorenz equation.
A paper-towel dispenser is a device that dispenses paper towels in a public toilet so that hands can be dried after hand washing. Some are operated by a handle, some by pulling the paper from the dispenser, and others by automatic dispensation in response to a motion sensor.
A soap dispenser is a device that, when manipulated or triggered appropriately, dispenses soap. It can be manually operated using a handle or can be automatic. Soap dispensers are often found in public toilets.
Label dispensers and label applicators are machines built to simplify the process of removing a label from its liner or backing tape. Some are bench-top for dispensing the labels while others include the application of the label to the item. Unlike label printer applicators, they dispense preprinted labels.
A proximity sensor is a sensor able to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact.
The toothpaste pump, also known as a toothpaste pump dispenser, is a device used to contain and dispense toothpaste, akin to a tube. An automatic toothpaste dispenser is a self-starting way to dispense toothpaste.
An instant hot water dispenser or boiling water tap is an appliance that dispenses water at about 94 °C (201 °F) (near-boiling). There are hot-only and hot and cool water models, and the water may be filtered as well as heated. Instant hot water dispensers became popular in the 1970s. Instant hot water dispensers are very similar to portable shower devices; the latter is fitted with a heating element and quickly heats up water, once a switch has been activated.
A resin dispensing system is a technical installation to process casting resin for the purpose of filling, sealing, covering or soaking technical parts, especially in the field of electricity and electronics like transformers, LCDs and other devices of various size.
An automatic faucet or tap is a faucet equipped with a proximity sensor and mechanism that opens its valve to allow water to flow in response to the presence of a user's hands in close proximity. The faucet closes its valve again after a few seconds or when it no longer detects the presence of a user's hands.
A gasoline pump or fuel dispenser is a machine at a filling station that is used to pump gasoline (petrol), diesel, or other types of liquid fuel into vehicles. Gasoline pumps are also known as bowsers or petrol bowsers, petrol pumps, or gas pumps.
LEDDAR is a proprietary technology owned by LeddarTech. It uses the time of flight of light signals and signal processing algorithms to detect, locate, and measure objects in its field of view.
A media dispenser or a culture media dispenser is a device for repeatedly delivering small fixed volumes of liquid such as a laboratory growth medium like molten agar or caustic or volatile solvents like toluene into a series of receptacles. It is often important that such dispensers operate without biological or chemical contamination, and so must be internally sealed from the environment and designed for easy cleaning and sterilization before use. At a minimum, a media dispenser consists of some kind of pump connected to a length of discharge tubing or a spout. Dispensers used in laboratories are also frequently connected to microcontrollers to regulate the speed and volume of the medium as it leaves the pump.
A foam pump, or squeeze foamer and dispensing device is a non-aerosol way of dispensing liquid materials. The foam pump outputs the liquid in the form of foam and it is operated by squeezing. The parts of the foam pump, mostly made from polypropylene (PP), are similar to those of other pump devices. The foaming pump often comes with a protective cap.