Dispenser and Contaminant Sensor

• US 20140253336A1
• Filed: 11/01/2012
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ophardt Hygiene AG
• Original Assignee: OP hygiene IP Gmbh
• Inventors: Ophardt, Heiner
• Granted Patent: US 9,437,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/32 Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 13/26 Mounting devices for seats or covers hinges A47K13/12
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3226 collecting data of usage
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/12 for liquid or pasty soap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1205 Dispensing from the top of the dispenser with a vertical piston
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1211 using pressure on soap, e.g. with piston A47K5/1201 takes precedence; by squeezing A47K5/122
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/04 Determining presence or kind of microorganism; Use of selective media for testing antibiotics or bacteriocides; Compositions containing a chemical indicator therefor C12Q1/6897 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A fluid dispenser including a contaminant sensor and methods of use of such a fluid dispenser to monitor contaminants either alone or in an array of similar dispensers within a facility.

Claims

1-50. -50. (canceled)

51. A method of monitoring a contaminant in a facility comprising:

providing at spaced locations about a facility, a plurality of fluid dispensers each adapted to dispense a cleaning fluid onto a person'"'"'s hands,

dispensing with each dispenser the fluid onto a person'"'"'s hands to clean the persons hands,

providing each dispenser with a sensor carried by the dispenser open to the environment about the dispenser and capable of detecting the presence and relative level of the contaminant,

generating, for each dispenser periodically over time, signals representative of the level of the contaminant on each sensor at different times,

converting the signals to data representative of the level of the contaminant on each sensor at different times, comparing the level of the contaminant sensed with one or more thresholds and determining if the level of contaminant does not meet the thresholds.

52. A method as claimed in claim 51 wherein the contaminant is selected from the group consisting of a biologic contaminant, a gas, and a by-product of combustion.

53. A method as claimed in claim 51 wherein the contaminant is a biologic contaminant.

54. A method as claimed in claim 53 wherein:

providing each of the sensors to be removably coupled to the dispenser for removal and replacement,

removing from time to time each sensor and replacing the removed sensor with a replacement sensor,

sensing the removal of or the replacement of each sensor as a function of time,

utilizing the length of time from said removal or replacement of each sensor as a factor in calculating the level of contaminants on each dispenser periodically over time.

55. A method as claimed in claim 54 wherein:

each dispenser includes a housing and a reservoir containing the fluid, each reservoir removably coupled to the housing for removal and replacement,

providing each sensor to be mechanically linked to a respective one of the reservoirs against separation from the respective one of the reservoir,

removing each reservoir from time to time and replacing each reservoir with a replacement reservoir to which a replacement sensor is mechanically linked against separation.

56. A method as claimed in claim 53 including:

communicating the signals from the dispensers to a common processor, and

monitoring the level of contaminants on each dispenser periodically over time.

57. A method as claimed in claim 56 including:

providing the dispensers to include a plurality of manually operated dispensers,

wherein the step of communicating the signals from each dispenser to the common processor comprises communicating the signals wirelessly from the dispenser.

58. A method as claimed in claim 53 including:

providing each sensor with a communications capability and having each sensor communicate wirelessly the signals to at least one of a communications system provided on the dispenser and a communications system provided remote from the dispenser.

59. A method as claimed in claim 53 including:

calculating periodically contaminant group levels for two or more groups of the dispensers based on a function of the level of contaminants on each dispenser over selected periods of time,

comparing the contaminant group levels for a first of said groups with the contaminant group levels for a second of said groups, and when the contaminant group levels for the first of said groups varies from the contaminant group levels for the second of said groups instituting a counter measure towards reducing contaminant group levels for one of the first of said groups and the second of said groups.

60. A method as claimed in claim 59 wherein the counter measure is selected from the group of:

(a) increasing a dosage of fluid dispensed in a single activation of the pump for each dispenser in one of the first of said groups and the second of said groups over a dosage of fluid dispensed in a single activation of the pump for each dispenser in the other of the first of said groups and the second of said groups,

(b) changing the fluid that each dispenser in one of the first of said groups and the second of said groups dispenses over the fluid that each dispenser dispenses in the other of the first of said groups and the second of said groups to have greater or different cleaning or disinfecting properties,

(c) introducing different hygiene compliance policies in areas of the facility containing one of the first of said groups and the second of said groups over hygiene compliance policies in areas of the facility containing in the other of the first of said groups and the second of said groups, and

(d) providing different vaccinations and or medication to persons in areas of the facility containing one of the first of said groups and the second of said groups over vaccinations and or medication provided to persons in areas of the facility containing the other of the first of said groups and the second of said groups.

61. A method as claimed in claim 52 wherein the sensor is an electronic sensor.

62. A method as claimed in claim 51 in which the plurality of dispensers comprises a number of the dispensers which is selected from the group consisting of at least 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 1000.

63. A method as claimed in claim 54 including:

sensing the time of each activation of each dispenser to dispense the fluid, and

modifying the thresholds having regard to the number of the activations.

64. A method as claimed in claim 63 including:

determining the location of each dispenser within the facility, and

modifying the thresholds having regard to the location of each dispenser within the facility.

65. A method as claimed in claim 54 including:

determining the location of each dispenser within the facility, and

modifying the thresholds having regard to the location of each dispenser within the facility.

66. A method as claimed in claim 51 including:

providing the dispenser with an actuator member with a surface for engagement by the user to activate the dispenser to dispense fluid,

providing the sensor for each dispenser mounted on the surface wherein in engagement of the actuator member to activate the dispenser the person engages the sensor.

67. A method as claimed in claim 58 including communicating the signals from the sensors to a common processor, via at least one of the communication systems provided on the dispenser and the communication system remote from the dispenser, and

monitoring the level of contaminants on each dispenser periodically over time.

68. A method as claimed in claim 53 wherein the contaminant is a biologic contaminant.

69. A method as claimed in claim 68 wherein the biologic contaminant is selected from the group consisting bacteria and viruses.

70. A method as claimed in claim 69 wherein the biologic contaminant is a bacterium.