Self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station

• US 5,670,945 A
• Filed: 09/19/1996
• Issued: 09/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan R. Applonie
• Original Assignee: Alan R. Applonie
• Inventors: Applonie, Alan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/715,883
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/541, 340/573, 340/565, 340/552, 340/567, 307/112, 307/113, 307/116, 422/105, 422/106, 422/116, 4/619, 4/623
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands

Abstract

A self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station having a basin capable of holding an antiseptic solution to be situated near the entrance to a food handling area. A first proximity detector determines when an individual is approaching both the basin and the entrance. The basin contains a first moisture-proof switch and a second moisture-proof switch the activation of which switches must be done simultaneously; these switches are so situated that a user cannot accomplish such simultaneous activation with a single hand. A second proximity detector determines when an individual has passed beyond the basin toward the entrance. And a logic unit receives electrical inputs from the first proximity detector, the second proximity detector, the first moisture-proof switch, and the second moisture-proof switch to determine when an individual has approached both the basin and the entrance but passed beyond the basin toward the entrance without having simultaneously activated the first moisture-proof switch and the second moisture-proof switch. When such a determination is made, an output signal is generated by the logic unit, which output signal activates an alarm.

Claims

1. A self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station, which comprises:

a basin capable of holding an antiseptic solution;

a first moisture-proof switch situated within the basin such that when the basin contains antiseptic solution reaching at least to a predetermined level, a user'"'"'s hand can only activate the first moisture-proof switch when such hand is completely immersed in the antiseptic solution;

a second moisture-proof switch situated within the basin in such a location that the first moisture-proof switch and the second moisture-proof switch cannot be simultaneously activated with a single hand and such that when the basin contains antiseptic solution reaching at least to a predetermined level, a user'"'"'s hand can only activate the second moisture-proof switch when such hand is completely immersed in the antiseptic solution;

a first proximity detector to be oriented to determine when an individual is approaching both the basin and an entrance to a food-handling area and to assure that there is no path an individual can use to reach the entrance to the food-handling area without having been detected by said first proximity detector;

a second proximity detector to be oriented to determine when an individual has passed beyond the basin toward the entrance to the food-handling area and to assure that there is no path an individual can use to reach the entrance to the food-handling area without having been detected by the second proximity detector; and

a logic unit which is electronically connected to receive electrical inputs from the first proximity detector, the second proximity detector, the first moisture-proof switch, and the second moisture-proof switch and to use such inputs to determine when an individual has approached both the basin and the entrance but passed beyond the basin toward the entrance without having simultaneously activated the first moisture-proof switch and the second moisture-proof switch as well as to produce an output signal when the determination has been made that an individual has approached both the basin and the entrance but passed beyond basin toward the entrance.

2. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an alarm which is electrically connected to receive the output signal from the logic unit and to be activated by such output signal.

3. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the first proximity detector is a passive infrared detector; and

the second proximity detector is a passive infrared detector.

4. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the first proximity detector is an ultrasonic detector; and

the second proximity detector is an ultrasonic detector.

5. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a lock which is electrically connected to receive the output signal from the logic unit and to be activated by such output signal.

6. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 5, wherein:

the first proximity detector is a passive infrared detector; and

the second proximity detector is a passive infrared detector.

7. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 5, wherein:

the first proximity detector is an ultrasonic detector; and

the second proximity detector is an ultrasonic detector.

8. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a first sleeve attached to the basin, which first sleeve has a first aperture that allows a first hand and arm of a user to be inserted into said first sleeve and which first sleeve has a second aperture that permits the fingertips of the user'"'"'s first hand to approach and activate only the first moisture-proof switch; and

a second sleeve attached to the basin, which second sleeve has a first aperture that allows a second hand and arm of a user to be inserted into said second sleeve and which second sleeve has a second aperture that permits the fingertips of the user'"'"'s second hand to approach and activate only the second moisture-proof switch.

9. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

an alarm which is electrically connected to receive the output signal from the logic unit and to be activated by such output signal.

10. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 9, wherein:

the first proximity detector is a passive infrared detector; and

the second proximity detector is a passive infrared detector.

11. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 9, wherein:

the first proximity detector is an ultrasonic detector; and

the second proximity detector is an ultrasonic detector.

12. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

a lock which is electrically connected to receive the output signal from the logic unit and to be activated by such output signal.

13. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 12, wherein:

the first proximity detector is a passive infrared detector; and

the second proximity detector is a passive infrared detector.

14. The self-monitoring hand-sanitizing station as recited in claim 12, wherein:

the first proximity detector is an ultrasonic detector; and

the second proximity detector is an ultrasonic detector.

15. A process for monitoring the sanitizing of hands, which comprises:

providing a basin capable of holding an antiseptic solution;

attaching a first moisture-proof switch within and to the basin such that when the basin contains antiseptic solution reaching at least to a predetermined level, a user'"'"'s hand can only activate the first moisture-proof switch when such hand is completely immersed in the antiseptic solution;

attaching a second moisture-proof switch within and to the basin in such a location that the first moisture-proof switch and the second moisture-proof switch cannot be simultaneously activated with a single hand and such that when the basin contains antiseptic solution reaching at least to a predetermined level, a user'"'"'s hand can only activate the second moisture-proof switch when such hand is completely immersed in the antiseptic solution;

orienting a first proximity detector to determine when an individual is approaching both the basin and an entrance to a food-handling area and to assure that there is no path an individual can use to reach the entrance to the food-handling area without having been detected by said first proximity detector;

orienting a second proximity detector to determine when an individual has passed beyond the basin toward the entrance to the food-handling area and to assure that there is no path an individual can use to reach the entrance to the food-handling area without having been detected by the second proximity detector; and

electronically connecting a logic unit to receive electrical inputs from the first proximity detector, the second proximity detector, the first moisture-proof switch, and the second moisture-proof switch and to use such inputs to determine when an individual has approached both the basin and the entrance but passed beyond the basin toward the entrance without having simultaneously activated the first moisture-proof switch and the second moisture-proof switch as well as to produce an output signal when the determination has been made that an individual has approached both the basin and the entrance but passed beyond basin toward the entrance.