Abstract: A piston pump for dispensing fluid from a reservoir, an improved vacuum relief arrangement in which a passageway for flow of air from the atmosphere into the reservoir is provided at least in part through a piston-forming element of the piston pump.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser having a pump mechanism that dispenses a dose of fluid when a movable pump member of the pump mechanism is moved between an extended position and a retracted position. A pump engagement body engages with the movable pump member for effecting movement of the movable pump member. A first cam surface and a second cam surface are connected to the pump engagement body, at least one of the first cam surface and the second cam surface comprising an adjustable cam surface whose location relative to the pump engagement body is selectively adjustable. A camming body engages with the first cam surface and the second cam surface to effect movement of the pump engagement body, and a dose adjustment mechanism allows the location of the adjustable cam surface relative to the pump engagement body to be selected.

Abstract: A floor supported free standing dispenser assembly including a fluid dispenser coupled to an upper end of the dispenser assembly and a fall arrest bumper member which will engage with a floor to reduce damage from any impact with the floor should the stand or dispenser assembly be tipped over.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser having a temperature sensor that senses a temperature of an external surface presented by a user's hand, and a pump mechanism that is configured to dispense fluid onto the user's hand when the pump mechanism is activated. It is determined whether the fluid has been dispensed onto the user's hand based, at least in part, on the temperature of the external surface presented by the user's hand.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser with a fluid pump for dispensing fluid on movement of an actuator, and an air pump for delivering a stream of air through at least one sound generator on movement of the actuator. The sound generator produces at least two sounds as the actuator is moved from a first position to a second position, with each sound produced in a different time period during a cycle of operation, or differing from the other sound in respect of one or more detectable sound characteristics, such as duration, frequency, temporal alignment, amplitude, and/or timbre. The time period of each sound is a function of the relative location of the actuator between the first and second positions.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser comprising at least one fluid outlet for dispensing a fluid onto an object; a fluid collector for collecting at least some of the fluid after the fluid has contacted the object; and a fluid analyzer for analyzing at least some of the fluid collected by the fluid collector. The fluid dispenser has at least one feature that is selected to cause at least some of the fluid that contacts the object to fall into the fluid collector. The at least one feature preferably comprises at least one of: a location of the at least one fluid outlet; a guide element that guides an orientation of the object; and a dispensing sequence that includes at least two temporally distinct dispensing events.

Abstract: A system comprising a storage member and a load cell. The storage member is for storing a product. The load cell measures a force applied to the load cell. At least part of the force applied to the load cell is provided, directly or indirectly, by a weight of the product. The system is configured to determine a quantity of the product based, at least in part, on the force measured by the load cell.

Abstract: A fluid dispensing system including a fluid dispenser that is operable in a stand-alone mode, and a housing that is configured to removably receive the fluid dispenser for operation of the fluid dispenser in a housed mode. When the fluid dispenser is placed on top of a horizontal support surface for operation of the fluid dispenser in the stand-alone mode, a pump mechanism of the fluid dispenser is manually activatable to dispense an allotment of fluid by manually depressing an activation member of the pump mechanism.

Abstract: A hand cleaning foam dispenser, including a reservoir providing a supply of foamable liquid; an air compartment providing a supply of air; a foam generator that mixes the foamable liquid and the air to produce a foam; a liquid pump for delivering the foamable liquid to the foam generator; an air pump for delivering the air to the foam generator; and a wave emitter that emits a wave into the air compartment to sanitize the air compartment.

Abstract: A foam dispenser with a pump mechanism that mixes a liquid with air to generate foam. The pump mechanism includes a first stage pump and a second stage pump. The first stage pump delivers the liquid and a first volume of the air through a first foam generator to generate a first foam. The second stage pump delivers the first foam and a second volume of the air through a second foam generator to generate a second foam.

Abstract: A fluid dispensing system including a fluid dispenser that is operable in a stand-alone mode, and a housing that is configured to removably receive the fluid dispenser for operation of the fluid dispenser in a housed mode. When the fluid dispenser is placed on top of a horizontal support surface for operation of the fluid dispenser in the stand-alone mode, a pump mechanism of the fluid dispenser is manually activatable to dispense an allotment of fluid by manually depressing an activation member of the pump mechanism. When the fluid dispenser is received by the housing for operation of the fluid dispenser in the housed mode, the pump mechanism is activatable by activating an actuation mechanism of the housing.

Abstract: A dispenser with a replaceable cartridge containing a product to be dispensed, and a housing configured to removably receive the cartridge. The cartridge has a surface that is marked with a first marking, and the housing has a surface that is marked with a second marking. The housing is configured so that, when the cartridge is received by the housing, the first marking and the second marking together form a machine readable code that is detectable from outside of the housing.

Abstract: A method of managing a plurality of washrooms in a facility for servicing by service personnel and, more particularly, for establishing servicing operations which provide for service of at least selected of the dispensers before their consumable product supply falls below a pre-selected refill value.

Abstract: A method of storing a product that contains a volatile component within a fluid storage reservoir formed with enclosing walls having a permeability that permits limited passage of the volatile component from the storage reservoir to the atmosphere, preferably with the method increasing the shelf life of the product stored, and a fluid storage reservoir with a first container containing the fluid product to be dispensed including the volatile component and a second container containing a sacrifice material including the same volatile component with an intermediate transfer wall shared by both the first container and the second container for transfer of the volatile component between the first container and the second container. The product preferably is a surface cleaner or a hand sanitizer including 30 to 95% ethanol.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser having a temperature sensor that senses a temperature of an external surface presented by a user’s hand, and a pump mechanism that is configured to dispense fluid onto the user’s hand when the pump mechanism is activated. It is determined whether the fluid has been dispensed onto the user’s hand based, at least in part, on the temperature of the external surface presented by the user’s hand.

Abstract: A direct isopropanol fuel cell adapted for use in ambient conditions and utilizing as fuel isopropanol and water preferably with isopropanol at relatively high concentrations representing 30% to 90% isopropanol.

Abstract: A method of managing a plurality of washrooms in a facility for servicing by service personnel and, more particularly, for establishing servicing operations which provide for service of at least selected of the dispensers before their consumable product supply falls below a pre-selected refill value.

Abstract: A mouth insert for a flexible pouch. The mouth insert defines a passageway that extends along an axis from an axially outer end of the mouth insert to an axially inner end of the mouth insert. The mouth insert is flexible and includes a sealing portion and a lip portion. The sealing portion is for forming a sealed connection to the flexible pouch. The lip portion is configured to extend axially outwardly from the flexible pouch. The lip portion has an axial height that is less than ? of the axial height of the mouth insert.

Abstract: A valvular conduit, preferably a Tesla valvular conduit, in which a plug member is coaxially received within a bore in a sleeve member and in which passageways are defined between the plug member and the sleeve member within interior walls configured to permit mixing of fluid flowing through the passageways in at least one direction, preferably, the relatively free passage of fluid through the passageways upstream but increased the resistance to downstream flow of the fluid through each passageway.

Abstract: An improved foam piston pump in which a multiple of air pumps are disposed coaxially about a piston member and spaced axially along the piston member, preferably coaxially with a liquid pump for discharging air and liquid as foam. Each air pump is preferably provided by a modular piston within a modular casing assembly such that arrangements with one, two or more identical air pumps can be assembled from a plurality of the same modular components.