Manually activated penetrating hand sterilizer

• US 20070160515A1
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Mohrman
• Original Assignee: John Mohrman
• Inventors: Mohrman, John
• Application Number:
  US11/405,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20070160515A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation

Abstract

A manually activated penetrating hand sterilizer has been developed as preferred state-of-the-art to improve the means of minimizing or eliminating the bacteria count on the human hands. This improved method sterilizes the primary portion of the hands, skin creases, the top portion the fingernails and under the fingernails. An antibacterial liquid is used under pressure by air compression means to form a liquid mist that is circulated in and around the hands to assure such penetration. When the liquid mist ends the circulating air continues until the hands are dry. Inserting the hands into the sterilizing compartments through the slit in the woven flexible material covering the front of those compartments, thereby pulling an embedded cord that turns a spring-tensioned switch on starting an electric motor and air compressors starts the sterilizer. The antibacterial fluid is forced out of a now pressurized tank to form a mist through a multiplicity of jets. The mist is circulated within the compartments around and penetrating the hands by air through the directional ducts emanating from the air compressors. The sterilizer operation stops when the hands are dry and are withdrawn from the compartments.

Claims

1. In a hand sterilizing system that comprises insertion of hands into front openings thru to the rear portion of sterilizing compartments thereby activating an electrical switch causing air compressors to operate by air pressure forcing antibacterial liquid from a pressure tank into sterilizing compartments while simultaneously causing pressurized room temperature air to enter the sterilizing compartments causing the hands to dry as the antibacterial liquid stops flowing from the pressurized tank and hands withdrawn from the sterilizing compartments are dry and sterilized, the improvement comprising:

(a) The front of the sterilizing compartments are equipped with a flexible woven moisture-resistant material that contains two parts each seamed at the opening with the bottom section containing a stationary elongated cord to form a firm horizontal edge while the upper seam is equipped with a cord that is attached to a spring on one end and a spring-tensioned electrical switch means on the opposite end;

(b) An antibacterial liquid reservoir supply tank provides for a multiplicity of uses of the sterilizer by refilling the smaller pressure tank as it empties with the inlet valve means open to allow antibacterial liquid to flow from the reservoirs supply tank while the outlet valve means from the pressure tank to the sterilizing compartments is closed;

(c) The sterilizing compartments contain multiple horizontal aligned rods at the bottom and top equally spaced as hand rests and identical horizontally aligned rods equally spaced above with spaced grids above and below those rods contain numerous jet openings that serve to form liquid mist along with a resilient material at the back of the compartments to protect finger ends;

(d) The inside of the outer walls and both sides of the center wall of the sterilizing compartments contained compressed directional air openings to cause the antibacterial liquid mist to move in a swirling motion for maximum penetration of cracks and crevices of hands and as the pressurized tank becomes devoid of liquid the forced air continues to flow until the hands dry;

(e) The operating compressors provide air pressure via piping to the pressure tank forcing valve means to activate thereby forcing a selective quantity of antibacterial liquid out of the tank through distribution conduit to the jet mist openings while simultaneously distributing compressed air into the sterilizing compartments;

(f) As dry hands are withdrawn from the sterilizing compartments the spring tensioned switch returns to the off position terminating operation of compressors thereby allowing valve means at the inlet and outlet of liquid pressure tank to operate to allow the pressure tank to be filled from the reservoir supply tank for subsequent use of the sterilizer;

(g) Each sterilizing compartment contains openings at the rear bottom of the housing to provide air exhausts equipped with a receptacle on the outer bottom of the unit containing replaceable absorbent material to collect excessive air and moisture that may emanate from the compartments.

2. The bottom of the sterilizing compartments is also the base section for mounting ancillary functional equipment and the base for the housing that covers the sterilizing compartments, the improvement comprising:

(a) Openings in the back of the base allow filtered air to enter the housing for the compressor air intake and is equipped with an appropriate air filter enclosed in an accessible compartment to allow filter replacement under the bottom;

(b) The housing consists of two sides, a front section that contains openings to allow the hands to be inserted in the sterilizing compartments and is attached to the top section that is hinged to a back section that is wall mounted and is primary support for the base of the housing;

(c) Access to the antibacterial liquid reservoir tank is through an opening on top of the housing and when closed a lock type cap that attaches to the top of the sterilizing compartment to prevent access to the housing interior;

(d) The lock type cap removal permits the front and top sections to swing upward toward the mounting wall as necessary to access the ancillary components of the unit;

(e) The front housing section contains a light bulb that lights up when the unit is in operation and is off as the unit stops operating.

3. Use of the sterilizer allows hands to remain in a resting position while being treated.

4. The versatility of the sterilizer operated in appropriate locations will have a positive effect on reducing hand-borne bacteria.

5. The variable elapsed time of using the sterilizer in operation depends on the designed capacity of the liquid pressure tank.