Apparatus and method for detecting a dispensing event in a bulk product dispensing system

Abstract

An apparatus 200 for detecting a dispensing event in a bulk product dispensing system having multiple bulk product hoppers (110a, 110b in figure 1). The apparatus comprises a sensor arrangement 210 for detecting flow of product through a detection zone 211, the sensor arrangement comprising a transmitter module 210a and a receiver module 210a. In use, the flow of product from a hopper (420 in figure 4), through the detection zone, causes an infra-red beam between the transmitter module and receiver module to be altered. The apparatus includes at least one retainer for retaining the sensor arrangement about the detection zone. Hoppers are held by fixture 230 comprising arms 234, 236 extending from a mounting mechanism 232, 238 for the hopper. The apparatus is used in dispensing a bulk loose product (e.g. coffee) into customer re-usable container for weighing in a supermarket environment. The sensors detect flow then communicate with the point-of-sale device to bring up the product code on the menu for the particular product in order to weigh, price and produce a label for the re-usable container.

Images