US 12,376,711 B2
Product dispenser holder with compliance module
Nicholas Joseph Steinmetz, St Paul, MN (US); Jeffrey Rospierski, Alden, NY (US); Sarah E. Johnson, St Paul, MN (US); Viktor Slobodyan, Burnsville, MN (US); and David L. Snodgrass, Stuart, FL (US)
Assigned to Ecolab USA Inc., Saint Paul, MN (US)
Filed by Ecolab USA Inc., St. Paul, MN (US)
Filed on Feb. 12, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/439,111.
Application 18/439,111 is a continuation of application No. 18/182,810, filed on Mar. 13, 2023, granted, now 11,918,158.
Application 18/182,810 is a continuation of application No. 17/648,248, filed on Jan. 18, 2022, granted, now 11,602,248, issued on Mar. 14, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/139,634, filed on Jan. 20, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0180369 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
Int. Cl. A47K 5/12 (2006.01); B05B 12/00 (2018.01); B05B 15/62 (2018.01)
CPC A47K 5/1217 (2013.01) [A47K 5/1205 (2013.01); B05B 12/004 (2013.01); B05B 15/62 (2018.02); A47K 2005/1218 (2013.01); A47K 2201/00 (2013.01); A47K 2201/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor module for a product dispenser holder, the sensor module comprising:
an actuation sensor that generates a dispenser actuation signal;
an actuation button comprising:
a main body portion; and
at least one cap portion extending upwardly from a top side of the main body portion and sized to extend through at least one aperture in a base of a dispenser holder body of the product dispenser holder, wherein when an actuation force is applied to a pump of a product dispenser held by the dispenser holder body, the pump is actuated to dispense a dosage amount of a product from a product reservoir of the product dispenser and when the actuation force is applied to the pump, a substantially downward force is applied to the at least one cap portion of the actuation button, causing actuation of the actuation sensor to generate the dispenser actuation signal;
processing circuitry configured to detect a dispense event upon receipt of the dispenser actuation signal;
a communication module configured to, after the processing circuitry detects the dispense event:
attempt to communicate with a compliance badge using a short-range wireless communication protocol; and
if the processing circuitry successfully communicates with the compliance badge, receive identification information from the compliance badge, wherein the identification information includes compliance badge identification information or user identification information,
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate dispense event data corresponding to the dispense event, and wherein the sensor module is configured to determine at least one or more of an amount of remaining product, an empty product bottle, or a product bottle replacement.