APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING HYGIENE
First Claim
1. An apparatus for monitoring hygiene, comprising:
- a dispensing device for dispensing a sanitizera first sensor associated with the dispenser of a sanitizer, said first sensor being activated when sanitizer has been dispensed;
a second sensor having one view of a portal to an area requiring sanitary conditions for detecting when an individual has passed through the portal;
a third sensor having another view of a portal to the area requiring sanitary conditions for detecting when an individual has passed through the portal; and
a programmed controller connected with said first sensor, the second sensor, and third sensor;
the controller having programming logic that compares the activation times of said second and third sensor and produces an alert signal and an unsafe passage signal indicating the direction in which an individual has passed through said portal without having activated the first sensor.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for monitoring and reporting hand washing at a sanitizing station employs a sensor for signaling the dispensing of a sanitizer from a dispenser and a sensor module detecting the direction of passage of an individual into and out of a portal, such as the entrance to a sanitary area. The apparatus operates in a normal mode and a bypass mode. In the normal mode, the apparatus responds to the sensor indicating that an individual has not dispensed sufficient sanitizer to mitigate the spread of germs from care giver/health care worker to patient, and sounds an alarm when the individual passes through the portal in a particular direction, for example into or out of the sanitary area. Separate signals can be generated and recorded for each direction of passage through the portal. In the bypass mode, the alarm is not sounded and allows passage into and out of the sanitary area when a sanitary condition is not needed.
65 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring hygiene, comprising:
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a dispensing device for dispensing a sanitizer a first sensor associated with the dispenser of a sanitizer, said first sensor being activated when sanitizer has been dispensed; a second sensor having one view of a portal to an area requiring sanitary conditions for detecting when an individual has passed through the portal; a third sensor having another view of a portal to the area requiring sanitary conditions for detecting when an individual has passed through the portal; and a programmed controller connected with said first sensor, the second sensor, and third sensor; the controller having programming logic that compares the activation times of said second and third sensor and produces an alert signal and an unsafe passage signal indicating the direction in which an individual has passed through said portal without having activated the first sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for monitoring hygiene practices of personnel, comprising:
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a dispensing device for dispensing a sanitizer; a first sensor associated with the dispensing device, said first sensor being activated when a quantity of sanitizer has been dispensed; a sensor module for detecting when an individual has passed through a portal and producing signal indicative of the direction of passage through the portal; an alarm device; a controller in communication with the first sensor, the sensor module, and the alarm device, and activating the alarm device and generating an unsafe passage signal indicating an individual has passed through the portal in a specific direction of passage without activating said first sensor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for monitoring and enhancing hygiene, comprising:
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providing a first sensor in association with a dispensing device that dispenses a sanitizer, the sensor being activated to produce a signal when a quantity of sanitizer has been dispensed; providing a sensing module to detect when an individual has passed through a portal associated with a sanitary area and the direction of passage of the individual through the portal; activating an alarm device in response to the sensing module to signal an unsafe passage when an individual passes through the portal in a specific direction of passage without a signal from the first sensor. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification