Water-Powered Hand-Washing System and Method
First Claim
1. A hand-washing system powered by water, comprising:
- a work enclosure that includes;
an upper end when said work enclosure is in use;
a lower end when said work enclosure is in use, said lower end spaced from said upper end;
a longitudinal central axis extending between said upper end and said lower end;
a sidewall extending between said upper end and said lower end;
a closure substantially closing said lower end;
an interior space substantially defined by said sidewall and said closure; and
a spray nozzle located at said upper end, said spray nozzle having an inlet, an inlet water pressure at said inlet during use, and a spray exit orifice configured to provide a spray of water at an outlet flow rate (Q) and a nozzle exit velocity (V) during use, said spray nozzle configured so that
1) the outlet flow rate is at least 0.7 gallons per minute when the inlet water pressure is 20 pounds per square inch and
2) said spray nozzle has a V/Q ratio of at least 20 gallons-per-minute per feet-per-second, wherein said spray exit orifice is oriented to direct the spray of water into said interior space;
wherein said sidewall contains a digit portal receiving at least one digit of a hand of a human user during use and configured to allow the human user to point the at least one digit toward said upper end during use of the hand-washing system.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hand-washing system for washing fingernail beds and cuticular regions of human fingers and thumbs (collectively “digits”). The hand-washing system includes a work enclosure for containing ones of the digits and a high-velocity, high-flow water spray during a washing operation. The work enclosure defines an interior space, part of which defines an energy-dissipation region that, during use, provides a water reservoir for dissipating energy in the high-velocity, high flow water spray. The work enclosure includes a high-energy spray nozzle and a digit portal sized to receive the four fingers of one hand simultaneously in closed-fingered, upwardly-curled configuration. A mixing valve may be provided to allow a user to adjust the temperature of the water during washing. A quick-disconnect fluid-coupling assembly may also be provided and be used to quickly select between work enclosures of differing size.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A hand-washing system powered by water, comprising:
a work enclosure that includes; an upper end when said work enclosure is in use; a lower end when said work enclosure is in use, said lower end spaced from said upper end; a longitudinal central axis extending between said upper end and said lower end; a sidewall extending between said upper end and said lower end; a closure substantially closing said lower end; an interior space substantially defined by said sidewall and said closure; and a spray nozzle located at said upper end, said spray nozzle having an inlet, an inlet water pressure at said inlet during use, and a spray exit orifice configured to provide a spray of water at an outlet flow rate (Q) and a nozzle exit velocity (V) during use, said spray nozzle configured so that
1) the outlet flow rate is at least 0.7 gallons per minute when the inlet water pressure is 20 pounds per square inch and
2) said spray nozzle has a V/Q ratio of at least 20 gallons-per-minute per feet-per-second, wherein said spray exit orifice is oriented to direct the spray of water into said interior space;wherein said sidewall contains a digit portal receiving at least one digit of a hand of a human user during use and configured to allow the human user to point the at least one digit toward said upper end during use of the hand-washing system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A water-powered hand-washing system for washing digits of a hand including four contiguous three-phalanx fingers and an opposing thumb, the water-powered hand-washing system comprising:
a work enclosure that includes; an upper end when the hand-washing system is in use; a lower end when the hand-washing system is in use, said lower end spaced from said upper end; a longitudinal central axis extending between said upper end and said lower end; a sidewall extending between said upper end and said lower end; a closure substantially closing said lower end; an interior space substantially defined by said sidewall and said closure; and a spray nozzle located at said upper end, said spray nozzle having an inlet, an inlet water pressure at said inlet, and a spray exit orifice configured to provide a spray of water at an outlet flow rate (Q) and a nozzle exit velocity (V), said spray nozzle configured so that the outlet flow rate is at least 1.5 gallons per minute when the inlet water pressure is 40 pounds per square inch and said spray nozzle has a V/Q ratio of at least 30 gallons-per-minute per feet-per-second, wherein said spray exit orifice is oriented to direct the spray of water into said interior space, said spray nozzle configured to provide a fan-shaped spray having an included angle of at least 25°
;wherein said sidewall contains a digit portal spaced from said closure so as to define an energy dissipation region for containing a reservoir of water for dissipating energy in the spray of water when the hand-washing system is operating in an upright position with said upper end located above said lower end, said digit portal having a laterally elongate finger receiving-region for receiving simultaneously the four three-phalanx fingers in a closed-fingered, upwardly curled arrangement, and further having a thumb notch extending toward said upper end of said work enclosure, said thumb notch for receiving the thumb in an orientation that allows the human user to point the tip of the thumb toward said upper end of the work enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
Specification