Hand and forearm cleansing apparatus

• US 4,817,651 A
• Filed: 10/26/1987
• Issued: 04/04/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Iconn Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Scientific Growth, Inc.
• Inventors: Crisp, William E., Smith, Judson L., Kudlicki, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/112,299
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 134/102, 134/179, 134/180, 134/181, 134/182, 134/199, 134/201, 422/28, 422/292, 4/619, 4/620, 128/366, 239/242, 239/750, 239/264, 604/289, 15/210, 132/74.5
• US Class Current: 134/102.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/80 Implements for cleaning or washing the skin of surgeons or patients

Abstract

Cleansing apparatus comprising a pair of rotating cylinders with spray nozzles in the walls thereof. The cylinders provide cylindrical cleansing chambers which have their axes displaced from each other at an angle of approximately 30 degrees to comfortably receive the hands and forearms of a user. Certain of the nozzles in each cylinder are disposed in a helical array to sweep the forearm of the user with cleansing fluid as the cylinder is rotated. Each cylinder preferably has an inner liner and an outer liner with space there between providing a passageway for cleansing fluid to the nozzles which are preferably formed in the inner liner. An elastomeric support for each cylinder is provided. A blower may be associated with the cylinders for drawing air into the cylinders to reduce external splashing of cleansing fluid.

Claims

1. In hand and forearm cleansing apparatus, a cylinder having an inner surface forming a cleaning chamber, said cylinder being rotatable about its axis and having an open end through which the hand and forearm of the user enters the cleansing chamber, nozzle means in the wall of said cylinder, said nozzle means presenting no significant protruberances on the inner surface of the cylinder, means for conveying cleansing fluid to said nozzle means, and means for rotating said cylinder.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle means comprises a series of nozzles disposed in a helical array in the cylinder wall.

3. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the disposition of the helical array of nozzles and the direction of rotation of the cylinder is such that each longitudinal strip of forearm surface is subjected to a series of sprays of cleansing fluid from said nozzle means commencing near said open end of the cylinder and progressing toward the hand.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the cylinder has smooth corrugations therein, and said nozzle means comprises a plurality of nozzles positioned on the corrugations to direct water inwardly of the cylinder and away from said open end of the cylinder.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that the axis of said cylinder is at an angle to the horizontal with the open end elevated with respect to the opposite end and means for draining fluid from the region of the opposite end of the cylinder.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further including blower means for drawing air into the open end of said cylinder through said cleansing chamber and through said draining means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a chamber containing said cylinder, and said blower means is adapted to evacuate air from said chamber to draw air into the open end of the cylinder through said cleansing chamber and through said draining means.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a stationary cleansing fluid conduit forming a part of said fluid conveying means, said cylinder being rotatably mounted on said conduit at said opposite end.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said cylinder is supported by an elastomeric mounting for said cleansing fluid conduit and a plurality of elastomeric rollers engaging the cylinder in the vicinity of its open end.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that the cylinder is comprised of an outer liner and an inner liner, said liners having a space there between to permit cleansing fluid to pass therethrough to said nozzle means.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising dam means disposed in said space in the vicinity of said nozzle

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said nozzle means. means are position entirely in said inner liner.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said inner liner is corrugated.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a stationary cleansing fluid conduit communicating with the space between said liners and said cylinder is rotatably mounted on said conduit at the end thereof opposite said open end.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising blower means for drawing air into said chamber through the open end of said cylinder.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a chamber containing said cylinder, and said blower means is adapted to evacuate air from said chamber to draw air into the open end of the cylinder.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a stationary cleansing fluid conduit forming a part of said fluid conveying means, said cylinder being rotatably mounted on said conduit at the end thereof opposite said open end.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said cylinder is supported by an elastomeric mounting for said cleansing fluid conduit and a plurality of elastomeric rollers engaging the cylinder in the vicinity of its open end.

19. In hand and forearm cleansing apparatus, a pair of cylinders having inner surfaces forming cleansing chambers, said cylinders being rotatable about their axes and each having an open end through which a hand and forearm of a user enters the cleansing chamber therein, the axes of said cylinders being displaced from each other at an angle to comfortably receive the hands and forearms of a user, nozzle means in the walls of said cylinders, said nozzle means presenting no significant protruberances on the inner surface of either cylinder, means for conveying cleansing fluid to said nozzle means, and means for rotating said cylinders.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the said angle of displacement is from approximately 20 degrees to approximately 40 degrees.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the axes of said cylinders are also displaced at an angle to the horizontal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the angle of displacement from the horizontal is approximately 10 degrees.