Service island wash station enclosure

• US 5,257,423 A
• Filed: 06/12/1992
• Issued: 11/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Protoco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: LEER Manufacturing Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Jacobsen, Sam J., Georgeson, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US07/898,901
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: D15/9.1-9.3, 141/98, 4/619, 4/625-631, 4/638, 4/643, 4/644, 4/646, 4/652, 4/650, 4/653, 4/654, 4/665, 312/228, 312/229
• US Class Current: 4/630
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 1/00 Wash-stands; Appurtenances therefor devices for washing the hair or scalp A45D19/00; basins used in manual washing or cleaning of crockery, table-ware, cooking-ware, or the like A47L17/02; with appurtenances for curative purposes A61H
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 9/20 Pillar fountains or like apparatus for dispensing drinking water

Abstract

A wash station enclosure for installation proximate self-service gas pumps and for use by users of said pumps has a cabinet with a top surface with a flush-mounted washbasin therein. A spigot protrudes above the washbasin and communicates with a freshwater tank within the cabinet. An overhang is supported by two vertical supports which are affixed to the sides of the cabinet and support the overhang over and above the washbasin to form a sheltered space. The water within the freshwater tank is kept at a comfortable hand washing temperature by an electric heater. An electric pump communicates with the freshwater tank to cause water to flow from the tank to the spigot in response to activation of a switch. Heat lamps are mounted in the overhang soffit. The heat lamps are activated at the same time as the water flow to illuminate the washbasin and the area around it and to warm the hands of a user of the wash station by infrared radiation. The wash station enclosure is connected to the pavement in a service zone defined between vehicle traffic lanes and is accessible to both lanes.

Claims

1. An outdoor hand wash station in combination with an elongated service zone defined between two vehicle traffic lanes, said wash station being installed proximate to self-service gas pumps located in said service zone for use by users of said pumps for hand washing, said wash station comprising:

(a) a cabinet dimensioned to fit within said elongated service zone, the cabinet defining an enclosed volume and having a top surface with a wash basin mounted in said top surface, wherein supports extend upwardly from the top surface on opposite sides of the wash basin transverse to said elongation, and an overhang extends between the supports above the cabinet top surface, wherein the support and the overhang define a sheltered space above the wash basin for shielding the hands of the user from weather elements, said space being accessible by users of the gas pumps from either of the vehicle traffic lanes; and

(b) a supply of water located within the cabinet enclosed volume and connected to discharge water into the washbasin via a spigot which is located on one of said opposite sides.

2. The wash station of claim 1 wherein an upwardly extending support has a windshield washing unit mounted thereon.

3. The wash station of claim 1 further comprising a trash receptacle mounted to the cabinet beneath the windshield washing unit.

4. The wash station of claim 1 wherein the overhang has a lower surface spaced above the cabinet top surface and further comprising an overhead paper towel dispenser mounted on the lower surface of the overhang.

5. The wash station of claim 1 including at least one radiant heat unit affixed thereto for radiating heat into the sheltered space, wherein the heat unit is activated by a water initation switch.

6. The outdoor hand wash station of claim 1 wherein the supply of water is contained in a wash water tank, and further comprising:

(a) a switch mounted on the station for initiating the flow of water from the wash water tank through the spigot;

(b) a drain line extending from the washbasin drain to the wash water tank; and

(c) a filter disposed between the water spigot and the wash water tank to filter the wash water, the filter being connected such that the wash water leaving the wash water tank will pass through the filter to remove impurities and particulates prior to entry into the wash basin.

7. The wash station of claim 6 wherein the filter is an activated charcoal filter.

8. The wash station of claim 6 wherein the switch is electrically connected to an electrically driven pump adapted to pump water from the wash water tank through the filter to the spigot.

9. The wash station of claim 6 wherein the switch for initiating the flow of water emits a beam of light which passes over the washbasin and wherein the interruption of the beam initiates the flow of water into the washbasin.

10. The wash station of claim 6 further comprising an electric heater disposed within the wash water tank and adapted to heat water located therein.

11. The wash station of claim 6 further comprising a windshield washing unit mounted to a support.

12. The wash station of claim 11 further comprising a trash receptacle mounted to the cabinet beneath the windshield washing unit.

13. The wash station of claim 6 wherein the overhang has a lower surface spaced above the top surface of the cabinet and an overhead paper towel dispenser is mounted on the lower surface of the overhang.

14. The wash station of claim 6 further comprising a submersible pump located within the wash water tank and connected to the filter to pump wash water from the wash water tank to the filter, and wherein actuation of the switch causes the pump to pump wash water through the filter and out the water spigot outlet.

15. The wash station of claim 6 wherein the filter has two in-line fine grain activated charcoal filters.

16. The wash station of claim 6 further comprising at least one radiant heat unit affixed thereto for radiating heat onto a user'"'"'s hands, wherein the heat unit is activated by the water initiation switch.

17. The wash station of claim 16 further comprising a timing circuit activated by the switch, wherein the timing circuit initiates the flow of water from the water spigot for a first predetermined time period and the timing circuit activates the radiant heat units for a second predetermined time period which is longer than the first time period.

18. The hand wash station of claim 1 wherein the service zone defined alongside a vehicle traffic lane comprises as island which extends upwardly from the level of the vehicle traffic lane.