WASH CHAMBER FOR AUTOMATED APPENDAGE-WASHING APPARATUS
First Claim
1. An automated cleaning station to at least partially clean at least a portion of at least one appendage of a user using at least one fluid, comprising:
- a body;
a rotatable wash chamber associated with the body, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end and an axis of rotation;
an appendage receiving cavity located within the wash chamber, the appendage receiving cavity adapted for being accessible by the portion of the at least one appendage through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber;
a plurality of nozzles disposed on the wash chamber, the plurality of nozzles adapted to project the at least one fluid into the appendage receiving cavity; and
a fluid conveyance structure adapted to deliver the at least one fluid directly to at least one nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, wherein the fluid conveyance structure is adjacent to a void space, wherein the fluid conveyance structure is offset from a center of the wash chamber at least a first radial distance, the center substantially collocated along the axis of rotation of the wash chamber, wherein the void space is located at a second radial distance from the center of the wash chamber, and wherein the first radial distance is substantially equal to the second radial distance for a given longitudinal position along a longitudinal length of the wash chamber, wherein the void space is not filled with the at least one fluid;
whereby, during operation of the wash chamber, the at least one fluid flows in from a fluid inlet, through the fluid conveyance structure and the at least one nozzle, and into the appendage receiving cavity.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wash cylinder or chamber for an automated cleaning station to clean an object or a person'"'"'s body part includes nozzles on the interior of the cylinder, the nozzles of one embodiment comprising an increasing roll angle providing a novel spray pattern. Additionally, embodiments of the invention include fluid guidance and conveyance structures, angled nozzles, sealing structures, finger guards, nozzle ribs, wash chamber seating mechanisms and drains, and nozzle inlays having a plurality of nozzles. Also disclosed are methods of washing an object or body part using a wash cylinder or chamber and methods of assembling a wash cylinder or chamber.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An automated cleaning station to at least partially clean at least a portion of at least one appendage of a user using at least one fluid, comprising:
-
a body; a rotatable wash chamber associated with the body, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end and an axis of rotation; an appendage receiving cavity located within the wash chamber, the appendage receiving cavity adapted for being accessible by the portion of the at least one appendage through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber; a plurality of nozzles disposed on the wash chamber, the plurality of nozzles adapted to project the at least one fluid into the appendage receiving cavity; and a fluid conveyance structure adapted to deliver the at least one fluid directly to at least one nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, wherein the fluid conveyance structure is adjacent to a void space, wherein the fluid conveyance structure is offset from a center of the wash chamber at least a first radial distance, the center substantially collocated along the axis of rotation of the wash chamber, wherein the void space is located at a second radial distance from the center of the wash chamber, and wherein the first radial distance is substantially equal to the second radial distance for a given longitudinal position along a longitudinal length of the wash chamber, wherein the void space is not filled with the at least one fluid; whereby, during operation of the wash chamber, the at least one fluid flows in from a fluid inlet, through the fluid conveyance structure and the at least one nozzle, and into the appendage receiving cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of at least partially cleaning at least a portion of an appendage of a user using an automated cleaning station, comprising:
-
initiating a flow of a first fluid into a wash chamber of the automated cleaning station, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and the second end connected to the automated cleaning station, the wash chamber including an axis of rotation, the wash chamber including an appendage receiving cavity, the appendage receiving cavity being accessible through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber and being adapted to receive the at least a portion of the appendage for washing; rotating the wash chamber; conveying the first fluid directly to at least a first nozzle of a plurality of nozzles, the conveying including routing the first fluid through a fluid conveyance structure that delivers the first fluid to the first nozzle, the fluid conveyance structure located adjacent to a void space, wherein the void space is not filled with the at least one fluid; and projecting the first fluid through the first nozzle and into the appendage receiving cavity; wherein the wash chamber is rotated about the axis of rotation at least during the step of projecting the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. An automated cleaning station to at least partially clean at least a portion of at least one object using at least one fluid, comprising:
-
means for housing; means for receiving the portion of the object, the means for receiving residing within at least a portion of the means for housing; means for rotating the means for receiving, wherein the means for rotating is adapted for rotating the means for receiving around the portion of the at least one object; means for establishing a flow of the at least one fluid into the means for receiving; means for conveying the at least one fluid, wherein the means for conveying is adjacent to a void space; and a plurality of nozzles adapted for projecting the at least one fluid, wherein the plurality of nozzles receives the at least one fluid from the means for conveying, wherein the at least two nozzles of the plurality of nozzles are separated by an arc distance and are each separated from a center of the means for receiving by a substantially equal radial distance, and wherein the void space is located along a portion of the arc distance. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
-
Specification