Multi-purpose Hand Washing Station

• US 20150225932A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradley Fixtures Corporation (Bradley Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bradley Fixtures Corporation (Bradley Corporation)
• Inventors: Figurski, Mark A., Rundberg, Michelle L., Loberger, John M., McCallum, Terry Lee, Renner, Jason M., Jaworski, Jeffery S., Dhein, Theodore E., Gallmann, Dale William
• Granted Patent: US 10,100,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/48 Drying by means of hot air hair-drying devices A45D20/00; curative hot-air baths A61H33/06; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2005/1218 Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2210/00 Combinations of water taps, soap dispensers and hand dryers
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/12 for liquid or pasty soap
• 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: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K

Abstract

A multi-purpose hand washing station is disclosed that includes a hand dryer attached to a basin. The hand dryer includes a top air plenum and a bottom air plenum. A grid molded into each air plenum provides structural support to the plenums. Both the top and bottom air plenums include a plurality of air outlets that direct pressurized air from a blower for hand drying. An air hose that supplies pressurized air to the bottom air plenum includes a water trap that prevents water from flowing into the air outlets, down the air hose, and to the blower. A soap dispenser mounted on the basin dispenses liquefied soap for hand washing and is refillable by opening a lid on the soap dispenser and pouring liquefied soap into a funnel insert where it travels through a fill port into a reservoir.

Claims

1. A soap dispenser comprising:

a lid with a first and a second end;

a hinge attached to the first end of the lid;

a clasp attached to the second end of the lid;

a base with a first end connected to the hinge and a second end configured to removably engage with the clasp;

a fill port located on the base and configured to receive a fluid;

a funnel insert attached to the base and including a channel recessed into a perimeter of the funnel insert and in fluid communication with the fill port, the funnel insert configured to flow the fluid to the fill port;

a reservoir mount attached to the base and in fluid communication with the fill port;

a reservoir secured to the reservoir mount for storing a fluid, the reservoir in fluid communication with the fill port; and

a level sensor including a float attached to a rod and submergable in the fluid within the reservoir to sense a level of fluid within the reservoir.

2. The soap dispenser of claim 1 comprising:

a provision for a screw to hold the lid closed more securely;

a soap pump in fluid communication with the reservoir; and

a soap outlet integrated on the base in fluid communication with the soap pump, the soap outlet configured to dispense the fluid within the reservoir.

3. The soap dispenser of claim 2 further comprising a basin attached to the soap dispenser, the reservoir, and the soap pump;

a level sensor including a float slidingly engaged to a rod and submergable in the fluid within the reservoir to sense a level of fluid within the reservoir.

4. The soap dispenser of claim 1 further comprising an indicator light for indicating the sensed level of fluid within the reservoir, wherein the float is attached to the distal end of the rod allowing the rod to pivot about the base.

5. The soap dispenser of claim 3 further comprising:

a clasp key for releasing the clasp;

a provision for a fastener adjacent to the clasp;

a support structure attached to the basin;

a faucet attached to the basin;

a hand dryer attached to the basin;

a top air plenum attached to the basin; and

a bottom air plenum attached to the basin.

6. An air plenum comprising:

a top half shell with an interior side and an exterior side;

a bottom half shell with an interior side and an exterior side;

an interior space formed by the top half shell engaging the bottom half shell;

a plurality of air outlets included on one of the top half shell and the bottom half shell;

at least one air inlet in fluid communication with the interior space configured to attach to an air hose; and

at least one grid formed of a plurality of raised shapes molded into at least one side of either one of the top half shell and the bottom half shell, the at least one grid configured to provide structural support when an air pressure is supplied to the interior space by the air.

7. The air plenum of claim 6 wherein the plurality of raised shapes forming the grid may include a plurality of circles or polygons.

8. The air plenum of claim 6 wherein each one of the top half shell and the bottom half shell includes a grid on the exterior side.

9. The air plenum of claim 6 wherein each one of the top half shell and the bottom half shell includes a grid on the interior side.

10. The air plenum of claim 6 wherein each one of the top half shell and the bottom half shell includes a grid on both the interior and exterior side.

11. The air plenum of claim 6 further comprising an upper plenum hood configured to enclose a top air plenum.

12. The air plenum of claim 11 comprising a basin configured to attach to a bottom air plenum and a top air plenum.

13. The air plenum of claim 12 further comprising a support structure attached to a wall, the support structure configured to support the basin.

14. A multi-purpose hand washing station comprising;

a basin attached to a wall by a support structure;

a top air plenum hood attached to the basin;

a top air plenum attached within the top air plenum hood and suspended over the basin;

at least one air inlet included in the top air plenum;

an air outlet included in the top air plenum;

a bottom air plenum attached to a bottom side of the basin and mounted directly below the top air plenum;

at least one air inlet included in the bottom air plenum;

an air outlet extending from a top side of the basin included in the bottom air plenum;

a blower mounted below the basin and configured to supply an air pressure to the top air plenum and the bottom air plenum;

a first air hose with a first and a second end, the first end connected to at least one air inlet of the top air plenum and the second end connected to the blower;

a second air hose with a first and second end, the first end connected to at least one air inlet of the bottom air plenum, the second hose including a vertical length extending from the at least one air inlet of the bottom air plenum in an upward vertical direction, and a bend extending the second hose in a downward vertical direction and attaching the second end of the second air hose to the blower; and

a fastener attaching the bend to the top air plenum hood and configured to locate the bend within the top plenum hood.

15. The multi-purpose hand washing station of claim 14 further comprising at least one grid formed of a plurality of raised ribs molded into each one of the top air plenum and bottom air plenum, the at least one grid configured to provide structural support to an interior space of the top and bottom air plenum when an air pressure is supplied to the interior space by the first and second air hose.

16. The multi-purpose hand washing station of claim 14 wherein the basin and the support structure are attached to a soap dispenser and a faucet.

17. The multi-purpose hand washing station of claim 14 wherein the plurality of air outlets of the top air plenum and the bottom air plenum are oriented to generally point toward one another.

18. The multi-purpose hand washing station of claim 14 wherein the first air hose and the second air hose comprise any one of a rigid tubing, a molded tubing, a flexible tubing, and a corrugated tubing, rubber tubing, vinyl tubing, silicone tubing, plastic tubing, hard molded tubing, or any other known air supply ducting.

19. The multi-purpose hand washing station of claim 14 wherein the top air plenum hood comprises a top air plenum hood top half attached to a top air plenum hood bottom half with a plurality of screws.

20. The multi-purpose hand washing station of claim 14 further comprising:

a plurality of air outlets and an air inlet on the blower, wherein the second ends of the first and second air hose attach to the plurality of air outlets of the blower with fasteners.