Soap Dispenser With Authentication Check Of The Refill

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing a product, the dispenser comprising a base unit (2) into which a refill (1) containing the product is removably insertable in a fixed position. The refill has a taggant ink (12) on part of its external surface. The base has a light source (13) to illuminate the ink. The light source has a first wavelength and the taggant ink is arranged to cause the ink to emit light at a second different wavelength. A sensor (14) receives light emitted by the taggant ink upon illumination by the light source. A control circuit receives signal indicative of the wavelength of the detected light from the sensor, compares it with stored data, and prevents operation of a dispensing mechanism unless the refill is authentic.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 122,671, filed 12 Mar. 2014, which is a U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT / GB2012 / 051186, filed 25 May 2012, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 490,691, filed 27 May 2011, and GB 1118109.6, filed 20 Oct. 2011, all herein fully incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]The present invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing a product.[0003]In particular, it relates to a dispenser of the kind having a base unit containing a dispensing mechanism and a refill which is removably insertable into the base.[0004]Such dispensers can be used, for example, for dispensing fluids. These may be liquid soaps and the like, or may be used to dispense fluid food stuff such as sauces with a mustard or ketchup-like consistency. They may also be aerosol type dispensers for dispensing air freshener and the like, or dispensers ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]As specified in the Background Section, there is a great need in the art to identify technologies for cost-effective authentication syst

Problems solved by technology

Further, the system lacks versatility as the base can only ever detect one type of refill.

It cannot be configured to detect different refills in different products.

Although such systems are commonly used, they are relatively expensive in that they require each refill to be provided with an RFID tag.

In a low-cost system, where every penny which can be shaved off the cost of the refill is critical, this expense can be significant.

Also, the physical size of the bar-code, together with the space required for the scanner which detects the bar-code means that the space required for such a system is relatively large.

Also, the

Images