Hand washing device

• US 6,029,292 A
• Filed: 02/18/1999
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gerald J. Leiferman, Mary Leiferman
• Original Assignee: Gerald J. Leiferman, Mary Leiferman
• Inventors: Leiferman, Gerald J., Leiferman, Mary
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Khoa D.
• Application Number:
  US09/252,108
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 4/621, 4/622, 4/604, 4/605, 4/606, 4/615, 4/661, 4/675, 4/676, 4/677, 4/678, 4/623, 251/354, 137/801, 15/104.92, 15/222, 401/6, 401/7
• US Class Current: 4/621
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/06 connected to supply pipe or to other external supply means A46B11/0003 and A46B11/0006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 7/046 water-flow operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A hand washing device for helping handicapped people with only one hand and people with one hand in a cast wash the free hand. The hand washing device includes a scrubbing member that is adapted to be coupled to a faucet. The scrubbing member is adapted for being rubbed by a hand of a user for cleaning the hand. The scrubbing member has a water reservoir formed inside of it. The water reservoir is in fluid communication with the faucet. The scrubbing member has a plurality of apertures that extend through it and provides openings into the water reservoir of the scrubbing member. The apertures are adapted to permit passage of water through them.

Claims

1. A hand washing device for use with a faucet having a spout and for assisting in washing a hand, said hand washing device comprising:

a scrubbing member being adapted for being rubbed by a hand of a user for cleaning the hand;

said scrubbing member having a water reservoir formed therein, said water reservoir having an inlet adapted for being directly coupled to said spout of said faucet such that said scrubbing member is positioned adjacent to said spout, said water reservoir being in fluid communication with said faucet;

said scrubbing member having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough and providing openings into said water reservoir of said scrubbing member, said apertures being adapted for permitting passage of water therethrough;

wherein said scrubbing member is generally hand shaped and has a palm portion and a plurality of finger portions outwardly extending from said palm portion; and

wherein said plurality of finger portions have at least a portion of said plurality of apertures disposed therein.

2. The hand washing device of claim 1, wherein said finger portions are spaced apart to permit insertion of fingers of the hand of a user between said finger portions.

3. The hand washing device of claim 1, wherein said scrubbing member has a valved coupling member adapted for coupling to said spout, said valved coupling member having a spring valve assembly for opening and closing said valved coupling member, said spring valve assembly restricting passage of water through said valve coupling member when said scrubbing member is in a resting position, said spring valve assembly permitting passage of water through said valve coupling member into said water reservoir of said scrubbing member when said scrubbing member is pivoted away from said resting position.

4. The hand washing device of claim 3, wherein said valved coupling member comprises an annular ring having first and second ends and an axis extending between said ends, said valved coupling member having a spring receiving portion extending from said second end of said annular ring, said annular ring having a first hole extending centrally therethrough and a pair of second holes extending therethrough between said first and second ends thereof, said spring valve assembly comprising a valve plate being positioned adjacent said first end of said annular ring for opening and closing said first hole of said annular ring, a pair of arms being pivotally coupled to said valve plate and extending through said second holes of said annular ring, an annular pivoting member being pivotally coupled to a free end of each of said arms, a deformable trough coupled to an inner surface of said first hole of said annular ring and coupled to an upper opening into a lumen through said annular pivoting member, and a spring for biasing said annular pivoting member away from said annular ring.

5. The hand washing device of claim 3, wherein said valved coupling member having a threaded engaging portion extending from said first end of said annular ring and adapted for threaded coupling to said spout.

6. The hand washing device of claim 4, wherein an upper portion of an outer surface of said annular pivoting member tapers together towards said annular ring.

7. The hand washing device of claim 1, wherein said scrubbing member comprising a resilient material and a rough cover covering said resilient material.

8. The hand washing device of claim 1, wherein said scrubbing member is generally rectangular and has a curved end extending outwardly in a direction towards a distal end of said spout.

9. A hand washing system for assisting in washing a hand, said hand washing device comprising:

a sink basin;

a faucet having a spout extending from said sink basin, said spout having proximal and distal ends;

a scrubbing member being coupled to said spout of said faucet such that said scrubbing member is positioned adjacent to said spout, said scrubbing member being adapted for being rubbed by a hand of a user for cleaning the hand;

said scrubbing member being generally hand shaped and having a palm portion and a plurality of elongate generally cylindrical finger portions extending outwardly from said palm portion, said palm portion and said finger portions each having a generally annular transverse cross sections such that a water reservoir is formed in said scrubbing member, said water reservoir being in fluid communication with said faucet;

said finger portions being spaced apart to permit insertion of fingers of the hand of a user between said finger portions;

said palm portion and each of said finger portions of said scrubbing member having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough and providing openings into said water reservoir of said scrubbing member, said apertures being adapted for permitting passage of water therethrough;

said scrubbing member having opposed sidewalls, a pair of lateral ends, and a back end positioned opposite said finger portions;

a length of said scrubbing member being defined between an outermost fingertip and said back end of said scrubbing member, said length of said first scrubbing member being between about 4 and 7 inches;

a width of said scrubbing member being defined between said sidewalls of said scrubbing member, said width of said scrubbing member being between about 1 and 21/2 inches;

a height of said scrubbing member being defined between said lateral ends of said palm portion of said scrubbing member, said height of said scrubbing member being between about 3 and 5 inches;

said scrubbing member having a valved coupling member coupled thereto adapted for coupling to said proximal end of said spout, said valved coupling member comprising an annular ring having first and second ends and an axis extending between said ends;

said valved coupling member having a generally cylindrical threaded engaging portion extending from said first end of said annular ring and adapted for threaded coupling to said spout;

said valved coupling member having a generally cylindrical spring receiving portion extending from said second end of said annular ring;

said annular ring having a first hole extending centrally therethrough and a pair of second holes extending therethrough between said first and second ends thereof;

said valved coupling member having a spring valve assembly, said spring valve assembly comprising a valve plate being positioned adjacent said first end of said annular ring for opening and closing said first hole of said annular ring, a pair of arms being pivotally coupled to said valve plate and extending through said second holes of said annular ring, an annular pivoting member being pivotally coupled to a free end of each of said arms, a deformable trough coupled to an inner surface of said first hole of said annular ring and coupled to an upper opening into a lumen through said pivoting member, and a spring for biasing said pivoting member away from said annular ring;

wherein pivoting of said pivoting member with respect to said axis of said annular ring lifts at least one of said arms thereby lifting said valve plate such that said first hole of said annular ring is opened;

an upper portion of an outer surface of said pivoting member tapering together towards said annular ring;

said scrubbing member comprising a resilient material and a rough cover covering said resilient material;

said scrubbing member being generally rectangular and having a curved end extending outwardly in a direction towards said distal end of said spout of said faucet, said scrubbing member having a generally annular transverse cross sections such that a water reservoir is formed in said scrubbing member, said water reservoir being in fluid communication with said faucet;

said scrubbing member having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough and providing openings into said water reservoir of said scrubbing member, said apertures being adapted for permitting passage of water therethrough;

said sink basin having a sensor adapted for detecting placement of an object under said faucet;

said faucet having an electronic valve for selectively opening and closing said faucet, said electronic valve being in electrical communication with said sensor, said electronic valve opening said faucet when an object is detected under said faucet, said electronic valve closing said faucet when no object is detected under said faucet.

10. A band washing device for use with a faucet having a spout extending above a sink basin and for assisting in washing a hand, said hand washing device comprising:

a scrubbing member being adapted for being rubbed by a hand of a user for cleaning the hand;

said scrubbing member having a water reservoir formed therein, said water reservoir being in fluid communication with said faucet;

said scrubbing member having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough and providing openings into said water reservoir of said scrubbing member, said apertures being adapted for permitting passage of water therethrough; and

wherein said water reservoir has an inlet adapted for being directly coupled to said spout of said faucet such that said scrubbing member is suspended above said sink basin and water expelled from said plurality of apertures is caught by said sink basin.

11. The hand washing device of claim 10, wherein said scrubbing member is generally hand shaped and has a palm portion and a plurality of finger portions outwardly extending from said palm portion.

12. The hand washing device of claim 11, wherein said finger portions are spaced apart to permit insertion of fingers of the hand of a user between said finger portions.

13. The hand washing device of claim 10, wherein said scrubbing member has a valved coupling member adapted for coupling to said spout, said valved coupling member having a spring valve assembly for opening and closing said valved coupling member, said spring valve assembly restricting passage of water through said valve coupling member when said scrubbing member is in a resting position, said spring valve assembly permitting passage of water through said valve coupling member into said water reservoir of said scrubbing member when said scrubbing member is pivoted away from said resting position.

14. The hand washing device of claim 13, wherein said valved coupling member comprises an annular ring having first and second ends and an axis extending between said ends, said valved coupling member having a spring receiving portion extending from said second end of said annular ring, said annular ring having a first hole extending centrally therethrough and a pair of second holes extending therethrough between said first and second ends thereof, said spring valve assembly comprising a valve plate being positioned adjacent said first end of said annular ring for opening and closing said first hole of said annular ring, a pair of arms being pivotally coupled to said valve plate and extending through said second holes of said annular ring, an annular pivoting member being pivotally coupled to a free end of each of said arms, a deformable trough coupled to an inner surface of said first hole of said annular ring and coupled to an upper opening into a lumen through said annular pivoting member, and a spring for biasing said annular pivoting member away from said annular ring.

15. The hand washing device of claim 13, wherein said valved coupling member having a threaded engaging portion extending from said first end of said annular ring and adapted for threaded coupling to said spout.

16. The hand washing device of claim 14, wherein an upper portion of an outer surface of said annular pivoting member tapers together towards said annular ring.

17. The hand washing device of claim 10, wherein said scrubbing member comprising a resilient material and a rough cover covering said resilient material.

18. The hand washing device of claim 10, wherein said scrubbing member is generally rectangular and has a curved end extending outwardly in a direction towards a distal end of said spout.