Hand washing-device

• US 20040083547A1
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Genie et Environnement
• Original Assignee: Genie et Environnement
• Inventors: Mercier, Joel
• Application Number:
  US10/149,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083547A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/623
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

The invention concerns a sanitary device comprising:

a cleaning volume (32) defined by walls and open on one side (49);

means (38, 43) for detecting the presence of hands in said volume;

means (34, 36, 41) for projecting a fluid (39) onto hands present in the cleaning volume.

Claims

1. / A sanitary device comprising:

a cleaning volume (32) defined by walls and open on one side (49);

means (34, 36, 41) for projecting a fluid (39) into the cleaning volume;

emission means (38) for emitting radiation or for emitting ultrasound into the cleaning volume;

reception means for receiving radiation or ultrasound reflected by the walls of the cleaning volume, said reception means emitting a signal in response to radiation or ultrasound dependent on the presence of hands in said volume; and

means (43) for treating the signals emitted by the reception means, said treatment means controlling said means for projecting a fluid so that said fluid is projected over said hands.

2. / A device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid (39) is contained in a removable pouch (36) connected to said means (34, 36, 43) for projecting a fluid (39) via connecting means.

3. / A device according to claim 2, wherein the removable pouch (36) is contained in a compartment located on the top or rear of the device.

4. / A device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the means (34, 36, 43) for projecting a fluid (39) into the cleaning volume comprise a spray nozzle.

5. / A device according to claim 4, wherein the spray nozzle comprises a coaxial jet.

6. / A device according to claim 5, wherein the jet is provided with grooves for causing the fluid to swirl while it is being projected into the cleaning volume.

7. / A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the means for projecting fluid comprise a peristaltic pump.

8. / A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the cleaning volume (32) is a volume with no roughness.

9. / A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the cleaning volume (32) forms part of a shell (31) formed from a single piece.

10. / A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising electronic means (43) for initiating projection of fluid (39) when hands are detected in the cleaning volume (32).

11. / A device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the radiation emitted into the cleaning volume is electromagnetic radiation.

12. / A device according to claim 11, wherein the radiation emitted into the cleaning volume is infrared electromagnetic radiation.

13. / A device according to claim 11 or claim 12, further comprising means for detecting, at regular intervals, any variation in the intensity of the reflected radiation compared with a reference intensity for said reflected radiation.

14. / A device according to claim 13, wherein the intensity of the reflected radiation is detected as a mean over periodic intervals with a predetermined period.

15. / A device according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the reception means detect reflected pulses over periodic intervals with a predetermined period.

16. / A device according to one of claims 13 to 15, further comprising means for detecting any variation in the reference intensity of the reflected radiation.

17. / A device according to claim 16, wherein a variation in the reference intensity of the reflected radiation is detected as a mean over a given period.

18. / A device according to one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the emission means, reception means and signal treatment means operate synchronously.

19. / A device according to one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the emission means emit coded pulses.

20. / A device according to one of claims 1 to 19, comprising display means indicating to a user who has introduced his/her hands into the cleaning volume a request (66-2) for withdrawing said hands from the cleaning volume after a certain cleaning period.

21. / A device according to one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the means for projecting or spraying a fluid comprise a pump and a pump motor.

22. / A device according to claim 21, wherein the device further comprises means (163, 166, 170) for limiting the current supplied to the motor if the latter ceases to operate.

23. / A device according to claim 21 or claim 22, further comprising means (164, 174, 166, 170, 178) for analyzing a current from the pump motor.

24. / A device according to one of claims 21 to 23, further comprising a battery and means (158, 174, 180, 182, 183) for controlling the motor speed independently of the voltage of the battery.

25. / A device according to any one of claims 1 to 23, further comprising means for supplying a voltage to the device, and means (90) for stopping the means (34, 36, 43) for projecting a fluid from operating when the power supply voltage drops below a given threshold value.

27. / A system according to claim 25, connected to a syringe and/or a needle and/or a plunger to produce a connection with a pouch (36) or a receptacle.

26. / A connecting system for a pouch of fluid (36), comprising a connection tube (50) and a jet tip (34).