E-Z Drop Liquid Dispenser

Abstract

The E-Z Drop Liquid Dispenser is a battery powered automated dispenser for shampoos and hair conditioners mountable by suction cups to a bath shower wall. E-Z Drop is equipped with motion sensors and dispenses preset portions of shampoo or conditioner in response to the presence of a bather's hand beneath the appropriate nozzle Compact and rectangular in shape, E-Z Drop is box-like device having two reservoirs. E-Z Drop's casing is fabricated of injection molded thermoplastic that is scratch resistant, impact resistant, lightweight and durable.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) (1) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/814,707 filed Apr. 22, 2013, of common inventorship herewith entitled, “E-Z Drop.”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of liquid dispening accessories, and more specifically to the field of shampoo and hair dispensers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art has put forth several designs for shampoo and hair dispensers. Among these are:

US Patent 2005/0139617 to Richard P. Lewis describes an electronic self contained viscous liquid dispenser that includes a housing defining an internal liquid reservoir. A dispensing pump mechanism is carried by the housing and disposed in liquid communication with the reservoir. The pump mechanism has a delivery end disposed for delivering metered doses of viscous liquid from the reservoir. A mounting assembly is configured for mounting on a supporting wall structure with the housing being releasably attachable to the mounting assembly. An electronic actuating mechanism is carried by a mounting assembly and includes a motor driven actuator that engages with the pump mechanism upon insertion of the housing into the mounting assembly. A motor and associated power supply circuitry is carried by the mounting assembly with the motor being in driving engagement with the motor driven actuator.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,325 to Andreas W. Haase and Wayne R. Sampson describes an automatic dispensing system capable of automatically dispensing a controlled and predetermined amount of a wide variety of products without need for manual manipulation of the dispenser. The dispensing system includes housing with an internal chassis contained within the housing where said internal chassis includes a product chamber and a component chamber. The product chamber receives the dispensable product. A solenoid within the component chamber regulates the flow of the dispensable product from the product chamber. A bladder within the product chamber applies constant pressure to the dispensable product where an air pump connected to the bladder supplies air to the bladder.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,971 to Eliath Pineda describes an automatic shower hair product dispenser for dispensing liquid hair care products and soap. The automatic shower hair product dispenser includes housing with a plurality of reservoirs therein. A lower spout is outwardly extended from a front of the housing towards a bottom of the housing. The lower spout is in fluid communication with a first of the reservoirs of the housing. A first valve is positioned between the first reservoir and the lower spout. An upper spout upwardly extends from the top of the housing adjacent a back of the housing. At least one other reservoir is in fluid communication with the upper spout. This reservoir has a pump for pumping fluid there from into the upper spout.

None of these prior art references describe the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery powered automated dispenser for hair shampoos and conditioners that is mountable to a bath shower wall by suction cups.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a prototypical front diagonal view showing the present invention filled with hair shampoo and conditioner.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative front view showing removable containers, dispensers, sensors, and how the present invention slides on to a vertically aligned mounting base attached to a wall.

FIG. 3 is an illustrative diagonal rear view showing a mounting base, a mounting track, suction cups, and an On Off switch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Personal grooming and hygiene are essential in how individuals present themselves to the world. People eventually perceive each other by words, work and actions, but initial perception is usually by appearance. Attractiveness, cleanliness and dress are immediate indicators of how well we care for ourselves. Basic looks are due to heredity and what one does with their natural material varies from person to person. Many people like to enhance their looks with clean and stylish hair, dealing with hair maintenance their entire lives. People often go to a hair styling salon or a barber shop for periodic professional grooming services, but perform hair grooming procedures on a daily basis in their homes. Individuals step into showers to wash themselves every morning with soap, shampoo and hair conditioners. An individual handles a bar of soap or a container of body wash, a container of shampoo and a container of conditioner. These bars and containers usually are stored in the same shower enclosure where they are used. Consequently, they tend to get slippery and easily slip from one's hand. While dropping a bar of soap on one's toes is bearable, dropping a full container of shampoo or conditioner on one's toes is unbearably painful. The corner or shelf of the shower where one stores shampoo and conditioner tends to become slick and slimy.

The present invention, hereinafter referred to as E-Z Drop Liquid Dispenser, or simply E-Z Drop, is a battery powered automated dispenser for shampoos and hair conditioners mountable by suction cups to a bath shower wall. E-Z Drop is equipped with motion sensors 22 and dispenses preset portions of shampoo or conditioner in response to the presence of a bather's hand beneath the appropriate nozzle. E-Z Drop eliminates clutter of shampoo and conditioner bottles in a shower or bath, along with inconvenience and injuries that occur when a bather drops a container on a shower floor or a foot. Compact and rectangular in shape, E-Z Drop 10 is box-like and measures approximately six inches in height by ten inches in length by five inches in depth. E-Z Drop's casing is fabricated of injection molded thermoplastic that is scratch resistant, impact resistant, lightweight and durable. E-Z Drop contains a gasket sealed and watertight hinged top lid 24. Two interior compartments or reservoirs 26 are disclosed underneath this top lid. One reservoir holds shampoo and the other reservoir holds conditioner. E-Z Drop's front facing side is comprised of a one level window 28 for each of the two interior compartments. The interior compartments are filled by lifting the top lid and pouring shampoo and conditioner into the reservoirs from retail bottles.

E-Z Drop fastens to a bath shower wall by means a mounting base 36 having five suction cups 30 which affix to a vertical surface such as a shower wall. The mounting base 36 supports the device 10 by means of mounting tracks 38 at the lateral edges of the device. Tracks 38 receive the edges of the mounting base. The suction cups of the mounting base are arranged as follows: One suction cup is at each of the four corners and a fifth suction cup is centered among them. The bottom of E-Z Drop is comprised of two dispensing nozzles 32, one for each of the two reservoirs. E-Z Drop is an electronic device powered by four AA cell batteries which are sealed and protected in a gasket sealed and watertight compartment. A watertight On Off power switch 34 on one side of the present invention activates a pair of motion sensors 22, one for shampoo and one for conditioner. When bathers put their hand beneath the nozzle, the sensor for that nozzle activates an electrical circuit. The nozzle valve is opened to allow corresponding shampoo or conditioner to flow out through the nozzle in a timed preset volume. This flow is a gravity feed or is aided by a pair of small internal pumps.

The first embodiment of the present invention is the two compartment system as described above. A second embodiment maintains the two compartments as described above and adds a third compartment adjacent to the second compartment. The function of the third compartment is to store and dispense a liquid soap or body wash. Using this compartment for soap eliminates using bar soap and constantly cleaning its attendant soap scum. Both embodiments of E-Z Drop are produced in a variety of colors to suit consumer taste and color ranges of bathroom decors.

An E-Z Drop installation requires no tools and is simply a matter of pressing the five suction cups firmly against the bath shower wall and then filling each compartment with shampoo, conditioner or body soap. Shampoo, conditioner and body soap containers then are stored in a bathroom cabinet or closet. Simple, effective, clean and hands free, E-Z Drop is easily removable for cleaning and requires no maintenance other than checking liquid levels through the clear front window and periodically replacing the AA batteries. Affordable and durable, E-Z Drop is highly functional in consumer households and institutional establishments such as healthcare facilities and schools.

Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automated dispenser for liquids comprising: a rectangular box-like device having a hinged lid and at least two interior reservoirs, wherein each reservoir has a nozzle for dispensing liquid, further comprising a battery compartment for housing one or more batteries.

2. The dispenser for liquids of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor positioned near the nozzle and dispenses a preset portion of liquid in response to the presence of a bather's hand beneath the nozzle.

3. The dispenser for liquids of claim 2, further comprising suction cups for mounting the device to a vertical surface.

4. The dispenser for liquids of claim 1 wherein the box-like device measures approximately six inches in height by ten inches in length by five inches in depth.

5. The dispenser for liquids of claim 1 wherein the device comprises a casing fabricated of injection molded thermoplastic that is scratch resistant, impact resistant, lightweight and durable.

6. The dispenser for liquids of claim 1 wherein the hinged lid contains a gasket and is watertight.

7. The dispenser for liquids of claim 1 wherein the front facing side comprises a window for each of the two interior reservoirs.

8. The dispenser of liquids of claim 3, wherein the suction cups are attached to a mounting base, wherein the mounting base mounts to a vertical surface, and mounting base supports the device by means of mounting tracks at the lateral edges of the device, wherein the tracks receive the edges of the mounting base.

9. The dispenser of liquids of claim 8 wherein the suction cups of the mounting base are five in number and are positioned with one suction cup at each corner, and one suction cup in the center.

10. The dispenser of liquids of claim 1 wherein the battery compartment is gasket sealed and watertight and is sized to receive four AA cell batteries.

11. The dispenser of liquids of claim 1, further comprising a watertight On Off power switch on one side of the device, wherein the switch activates a motion sensor, which open a valve in the nozzle and dispenses a preset portion of liquid through the nozzle in response to the presence of a bather's hand beneath the nozzle.