Method and apparatus for generating ozone containing fluid and foam

• US 20110108410A1
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OP hygiene IP Gmbh
• Original Assignee: OP hygiene IP Gmbh
• Inventors: Ophardt, Heiner
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/157.44
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1207 Dispensing from the bottom of the dispenser with a vertical piston
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

A dispensing apparatus including a product dispenser in which product is dispensed by manual movement of an activation mechanism as, for example, by moving a lever with a person'"'"'s hand, arm or foot. The dispensing apparatus includes an electrical generator for generating electrical energy as a result of the manual movement of the activation mechanism, preferably by electromagnetic induction, electrochemistry or piezoelectricity. The electrical energy from the generator may be utilized in the dispensing apparatus to power a data communication unit for receiving information about the product dispenser and transmitting the information to a receiver, preferably but not necessarily wirelessly. The relative amounts of electrical energy generated may be used to estimate the amount of fluid dispensed and the extent to which a fluid reservoir is full.

Claims

1. A method of generating ozone containing fluid comprising:

providing a pump having an air compartment,

operating the pump in a cycle of operation including the steps of drawing atmospheric air into the air compartment and discharging air from the air compartment,

generating ozone within the air compartment from air in the air compartment by conversion within the air compartment of oxygen in the air within the air compartment into ozone to form ozonated air in the air compartment,

mixing the ozonated air with a flowable fluid to form a ozonated fluid-air mixture, and

passing the ozonated fluid-air mixture out a discharge outlet.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein generating ozone within the air compartment comprises irradiating air in the compartment with radiation adequate to convert the oxygen in the air into ozone.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the radiation is ultra violet radiation.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of generating ozone creates an initial ozone concentration in the air in the compartment of at least 0.1% by volume immediately after creating the ozone.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the step of generating ozone creates an initial ozone concentration in the air in the compartment in the range of 0.05% to 5% by volume.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluid comprises a liquid which is capable of foaming,

the method including passing the ozonated air and the flowable fluid simultaneously through a foam generator to generate foam for discharge out the discharge outlet.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pump having a liquid chamber compartment in communication with a reservoir containing the flowable fluid, the cycle of operation of the pump including the steps of drawing liquid into the liquid compartment, and discharging liquid from the liquid compartment, including discharging the liquid from the liquid compartment before mixing the liquid with the ozonated air.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the pump is a manually operated pump coupled to an electrical generator for generating electrical energy such that on a user manually operating the pump the generator generates electrical energy,

the method including manually operating the pump to generate electricity with the generator and using the electricity generated to generate ozone within the air compartment.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the impeller is movable relative the pump housing in a the cycle of operation in which the air compartment having a variable volume which changes from a minimum volume to a maximum volume.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pump is a rotary displacement pump.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the method includes controlling the generation of ozone in the air chamber such that if a predetermined period of time passes after last generation of ozone without discharge of air from the air compartment generating additional ozone within the air compartment from air in the air compartment by conversion within the compartment of oxygen in the air within the compartment into ozone.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of generating ozone creates an initial ozone concentration in the air in the compartment immediately after creating the ozone which initial ozone concentration is selected to meet one of a plurality of pre-determined minimum ozone concentrations,

determining a level of a threat of infection to persons proximate the discharge outlet, and

selecting the one of the plurality of pre-determined minimum ozone concentrations as a function of the threat of infection to provide an increased initial ozone concentration with an increase in the determined level of threat of infection.

8. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pump comprises a housing and an impeller movable within the housing, the air compartment and the liquid compartment formed within the housing between the housing and impeller,

the air compartment is defined at least in part by a wall of the housing which is transmits ultraviolet radiation,

the method including passing ultraviolet radiation through the wall into the air chamber to irradiate air in the compartment with radiation adequate to convert the oxygen in the air into ozone.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pump is a piston pump.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the piston pump having a piston-forming element reciprocally coaxially slidable within a piston chamber-forming member in which the air compartment and the liquid compartment are formed between the piston-forming element and the piston chamber-forming member,

the air chamber is defined in part by a wall of the piston chamber-forming member which is transmits ultraviolet radiation,

the method including passing ultraviolet radiation through the wall into the air chamber to irradiate air in the compartment with radiation adequate to convert the oxygen in the air into ozone.

14. A method as claimed in claim 8 including discharging the liquid from the liquid compartment into the air compartment.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 including discharging ozonated air and liquid from the air compartment through a foam generator to generate the ozonated fluid-air mixture as a foam for discharge out the discharge outlet.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the piston-forming element is reciprocally movable relative the piston chamber-forming member in a the cycle of operation between a retracted position and an extended position, the air compartment having a variable volume which changes from a minimum volume to a maximum volume, the volume of the air compartment being at the maximum volume when the piston-forming element is in a first position of the retracted position and the extended position, the volume of the air compartment being at the minimum volume when the piston-forming element is in a second position of the retracted position and the extended position different than the first position,

carrying out the step of generating ozone in each cycle including generating ozone after the piston-forming element has reached the first position.

19. A hand cleaner dispenser dispensing ozone containing fluid onto a user'"'"'s hand comprising:

a fluid containing reservoir,

a pump mechanism including a housing and an impeller movable within the housing,

an air compartment and a liquid compartment formed within the housing between the housing and impeller,

the impeller movable relative the housing in a cycle of operation (a) to successively draw atmospheric air into the air compartment and discharge air from the air compartment and (b) to successively draw liquid from the reservoir into the liquid compartment and discharge liquid from the liquid compartment,

the air compartment defined at least in part by a wall of the housing which is transmits ultraviolet radiation,

an emitter of ultraviolet radiation when activated directs ultraviolet radiation through the wall into the air compartment to irradiate air in the air compartment with ultraviolet radiation adequate to convert oxygen in the air in the air compartment into ozone forming ozonated air,

a mixing chamber for simultaneous passage of ozonated air which has been discharged from the air compartment and fluid which has been discharged from the liquid compartment.

20. A method of generating ozone containing fluid comprising:

drawing atmospheric air into an air compartment,

generating ozone within the air compartment from air in the air compartment by conversion within the compartment of oxygen in the air within the compartment into ozone to form ozonated air,

discharging the ozonated air from the air compartment,

mixing the ozonated discharged air with a flowable fluid to form a ozonated fluid-air mixture, and

passing the ozonated fluid-air mixture out a discharge outlet.