Hand Protection Barrier Dispenser

• US 20120173017A1
• Filed: 03/08/2012
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hankscraft Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hankscraft Inc.
• Inventors: Balkin, Kenneth R., Tollefson, Catherine C., Balkin, Judith L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,651,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/32 Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 17/003 Dispensers or holders for protecting covers for toilet bowls, seats or covers combined with seats A47K13/24

Abstract

A hand protection barrier dispenser for dispensing disposable sanitary barriers for temporarily covering the hand and providing complete hand protection is disclosed which dispenses the hand protection barriers in a manner so that they may easily be donned by a user thereof. The hand protection barrier operates to open each of the hand protection barriers into a position to be readily donned and dispensed. The hand protection barrier dispenser dispenses only a single hand protection barrier at a time.

Claims

1. A hand protection barrier dispenser for dispensing hand protection barriers from a stack of such hand protection barriers each having an opening therein near a top end thereof, said hand protection barrier dispenser comprising:

a housing including a receptacle in which the stack of hand protection barriers may be installed for dispensing;

a source of pressurized gas located in the housing;

a valve which is located in the housing and is connected to the source of pressurized gas, the valve allowing the passage of the pressurized gas therethrough when the valve is in an open position and preventing the passage of the pressurized gas therethrough when it is in a closed position; and

at least one nozzle mounted in the hand protection barrier dispenser and connected to the valve to receive pressurized gas from the valve when the valve is in the open position and direct the pressurized gas toward the opening in a top one of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers in a manner that opens the top hand protection barrier to facilitate a user inserting the user'"'"'s hand through the opening in the top hand protection barrier to don the top hand protection barrier;

wherein the top hand protection barrier donned by a user may be removed from the stack of hand protection barriers by pulling the top hand protection barrier in which the user'"'"'s hand is located away from the remainder of the stack of hand protection barriers.

2. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the receptacle has first and second sides and first and second ends and wherein the stack of hand protection barriers is installed in the receptacle with the top ends of the hand protection barriers located adjacent the first end of the receptacle.

3. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 2, wherein the hand protection barriers are essentially rectangular and have corners adjacent to which apertures are located, the hand protection barriers in a stack being held together with a spool disposed in the apertures adjacent each corner of the hand protection barriers in the stack, each spool having an aperture extending therethrough, wherein the receptacle additionally comprises:

a dispenser mounting peg mounted adjacent to each of four corners in the receptacle each of which corners is defined between an intersection between one of the first and second sides and one of the first and second ends;

wherein the stack of hand protection barriers is installed by mounting the plurality of spools of the stack of hand protection barriers onto a corresponding one of the dispenser mounting pegs.

4. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 3, wherein the stack of hand protection barriers additionally comprises a collar encasing the top ends of the hand protection barriers including two of the corners thereof, the spools adjacent these corners also extending through apertures located in the collar, and wherein the dispenser mounting pegs having the spools adjacent these corners also extending through apertures located in the collar mounted thereon being arranged and configured in the receptacle to maintain the collar and the top ends of the hand protection barriers in a position close adjacent the receptacle.

5. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 2, wherein the receptacle is arranged and configured to have a V-shaped cross-section with the apex of the “

V”

extending in a direction essentially parallel to and midway between the first and second sides of the receptacle;

wherein when the stack of hand protection barriers is installed in the receptacle the stack of hand protection barriers is also arranged and configured in a V-shaped cross-section with the apex of the “

V”

extending in a direction essentially parallel to and midway between the first and second sides of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers.

6. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 5, wherein the receptacle comprises:

a rectangular elevated floor that extends intermediate the first and second sides of the receptacle, but which is spaced away from the first end of the receptacle in a manner arranged and configured to elevate the openings of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers above the top ends of the hand protection barriers to facilitate the ability of the pressurized gas from the at least one nozzle to open the top one of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers.

7. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 5, wherein the openings of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers each have a folded-over cuff that facilitates the top hand protection barrier in the stack of hand protection barriers remaining open once it has been opened.

8. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 5, wherein the at least one nozzle is arranged in a position and configured to open the top hand protection barrier.

9. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 2, wherein the at least one nozzle is mounted in the hand protection barrier dispenser in a position adjacent the first end of the receptacle.

10. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein substantially the entire receptacle is open on a top side to allow the stack of hand protection barriers to be visible when the stack of hand protection barriers is mounted in a position to be dispensed.

11. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the source of pressurized gas comprises:

a canister of compressed CO, gas.

12. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 11, wherein the source of pressurized gas additionally comprises:

a manifold assembly for receiving the canister of compressed CO, gas; and

a pressure regulator connected to the manifold assembly for adjusting the pressure of the pressurized gas provided to the valve.

13. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one nozzle comprises:

a plurality of nozzles, wherein at least one of the plurality of nozzles is arranged and configured to initially open the top one of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers, and wherein at least another one of the plurality of nozzles is arranged and configured to fully open the top one of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers and/or maintain the top one of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers in an open position.

14. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 13, additionally comprising:

a T-shaped nozzle stand having a hollow interior defining a pressure manifold, wherein the pressure manifold is connected to receive pressurized gas from the valve, wherein a first nozzle is located at the approximate midpoint of the vertical leg of the “

T”

of the T-shaped nozzle stand and second and third nozzles respectively located at opposite ends of the horizontal top of the “

T”

of the T-shaped nozzle stand.

15. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 1, additionally comprising:

an electronic system for operating the hand protection barrier dispenser to open the hand protection barrier, wherein the electronic system comprises;

an electronic system board;

one or more batteries located in the housing and electrically connected to the electronic system board;

a solenoid for operating the valve, the solenoid being electrically connected to the electronic system board; and

a system sensor for detecting the proximity of a user'"'"'s hand at a location adjacent to the opening of the top hand protection barrier in the stack of hand protection barriers.

16. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 15, wherein the system sensor comprises:

a signal source for generating an optical or high frequency signal; and

a signal sensor for detecting the reflected optical or high frequency signal if the optical or high frequency signal is reflected from a sufficiently close proximity to the system sensor.

17. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 15, wherein the electronic system is arranged and configured to operate the hand protection barrier dispenser to open the hand protection barrier a predetermined time period after the detection by the system sensor of a user'"'"'s hand at a location sufficiently proximal the opening of the top hand protection barrier in the stack of hand protection barriers;

wherein the predetermine time period is sufficiently long to allow the user'"'"'s hand detected proximal the opening of the top hand protection barrier in the stack of hand protection barriers to engage and remove the top hand protection barrier from the stack of hand protection barriers such that the next hand protection barrier in the stack of hand protection barriers is opened subsequent to the removal of the top hand protection barrier.

18. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 17, wherein the predetermined time period is between three and twenty seconds.

19. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 15, wherein the electronic system is arranged and configured to operate the hand protection barrier dispenser to open the hand protection barrier upon the detection by the system sensor of a user'"'"'s hand at a location sufficiently proximal the opening of the top hand protection barrier in the stack of hand protection barriers.

20. A hand protection barrier dispenser as defined in claim 15, additionally comprising:

an indicator LED visible from the exterior of the housing, wherein the electronic system is arranged and configured to count the number of detections by the system sensor of a user'"'"'s hand at a location sufficiently proximal the opening of the top hand protection barrier in the stack of hand protection barriers and to display an alarm signal by flashing the indicator LED when the electronic system that only a predetermined number of the hand protection barriers remain in the stack of hand protection barriers.

21. A hand protection barrier dispenser for dispensing hand protection barriers from a stack of such hand protection barriers each having an opening therein near a top end thereof, said hand protection barrier dispenser comprising:

a housing including a receptacle in which the stack of hand protection barriers may be installed for dispensing, wherein the receptacle has first and second sides and first and second ends and wherein the stack of hand protection barriers is installed in the receptacle with the top ends of the hand protection barriers located adjacent the first end of the receptacle, and wherein the receptacle is arranged and configured to have a V-shaped cross-section with the apex of the “

V”

extending in a direction essentially parallel to and midway between the first and second sides of the receptacle;

a source of pressurized gas located in the housing;

a valve which is located in the housing and is connected to the source of pressurized gas, the valve allowing the passage of the pressurized gas therethrough when the valve is in an open position and preventing the passage of the pressurized gas therethrough when it is in a closed position;

at least one nozzle mounted in the hand protection barrier dispenser and connected to the valve to receive pressurized gas from the valve when the valve is in the open position, the at least one nozzle being arranged in a position and configured to direct the pressurized gas toward the opening in a top one of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers in a manner that opens the top hand protection barrier to facilitate a user inserting the user'"'"'s hand through the opening in the top hand protection barrier to don the top hand protection barrier;

a system sensor for detecting the proximity of a user'"'"'s hand at a location adjacent to the opening of the top hand protection barrier in the stack of hand protection barriers; and

an electronic system for operating the valve in response to a signal from the system sensor to provide pressurized gas to the at least one nozzle to open the hand protection barrier;

wherein the top hand protection barrier donned by a user may be removed from the stack of hand protection barriers by pulling the top hand protection barrier in which the user'"'"'s hand is located away from the remainder of the stack of hand protection barriers.

22. A hand protection barrier dispenser for dispensing hand protection barriers from a stack of such hand protection barriers each having an opening therein, said hand protection barrier dispenser comprising:

a receptacle in which the stack of hand protection barriers may be installed for dispensing;

a source of pressurized gas located in the housing;

a valve connected to the source of pressurized gas and allowing the passage of the pressurized gas therethrough when the valve is in an open position; and

a nozzle mounted connected to the valve to receive pressurized gas from the valve when the valve is in the open position and direct it toward the opening in a top one of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers to open the top hand protection barrier;

wherein the top hand protection barrier may be removed from the stack of hand protection barriers by pulling it away from the remainder of the stack of hand protection barriers.

23. A method of dispensing hand protection barriers from a stack of such hand protection barriers with a hand protection barrier dispenser, the hand protection barriers each having an opening therein near a top end thereof, said method comprising:

installing the stack of hand protection barriers in a receptacle in the hand protection barrier dispenser;

providing a source of pressurized gas located in the housing;

controlling the passage of the pressurized gas with a valve that is connected to the source of pressurized gas, the valve allowing the passage of the pressurized gas therethrough when it is in an open position and preventing the passage of the pressurized gas therethrough when it is in a closed position;

directing the pressurized gas through at least one nozzle receiving pressurized gas from the valve when the valve is in the open position toward the opening in a top one of the hand protection barriers in the stack of hand protection barriers in a manner that opens the top hand protection barrier to facilitate a user inserting the user'"'"'s hand through the opening in the top hand protection barrier to don the top hand protection barrier; and

pulling the top hand protection barrier in which the user'"'"'s hand is located away from the remainder of the stack of hand protection barriers to remove the hand protection barrier donned by the user from the stack of hand protection barriers.