Apparatus and method for cleaning particulate matter and chemical contaminants from a hand

• US 6,706,243 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2000
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intecon Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Sias, Ralph M., Sias, Heath E., Stewart, Therese, Foster, Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONLEY, SEAN EVERETT
• Application Number:
  US09/564,290
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 422/28, 422/292, 134/95.2, 134/95.3, 134/30, 134/57.R, 134/102.2, 134/102.3, 134/200, 134/201, 604/289
• US Class Current: 422/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/14 Plasma, i.e. ionised gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/122 Chambers for sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/02 Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005

Abstract

An apparatus has a hand-cleaning volume sized to receive a gloved or ungloved human hand. The apparatus includes a mechanical-cleaning device and a chemical-cleaning device, operated sequentially to remove particles and chemical contaminants such as organics. The mechanical-cleaning device has a pressurized gas source positioned to direct a flow of pressurized activated gas into the hand-cleaning volume, and a gas-source vent communicating with the hand-cleaning volume to remove the pressurized activated gas after it has passed over the hand. The chemical-cleaning device has an activating nebulizer operable to emit an activated cleaning mist into the hand-cleaning volume so that the activated cleaning mist contacts the hand in the hand-cleaning volume. The hand is cleaned by directing a flow of pressurized ionized gas over the hand, and thereafter flowing a mist of activated cleaning solution over the hand. The cleaning solution preferably includes hydrogen peroxide.

Claims

1. A hand cleaning apparatus comprising:

a hand-cleaning volume, the hand-cleaning volume being sized to receive a human hand;

a mechanical-cleaning device, including

a pressurized gas source positioned to direct a flow of pressurized gas into the hand-cleaning volume,

a source of pressurized gas in communication with an inlet of the pressurized gas source,

a pressurized gas activator intermediate the source of pressurized gas and said pressurized gas source, and

a gas-source vent communicating with the hand-cleaning volume and being operable to remove pressurized gas from the hand-cleaning volume;

a chemical-cleaning device, including

a first source of a first cleaning solution

an activating nebulizer operable to emit an activated cleaning mist into the hand-cleaning volume, the activating nebulizer including

a vaporizer which creates a mist of the first cleaning solution,

an activator which activates the mist of the first cleaning solution, the activator being selected from the group consisting of a plasma source and an ionizer, the vaporizer and the activator being located outside of the hand-cleaning volume, and

means for causing the activated mist of the first cleaning solution to flow into the hand-cleaning volume; and

a controller operable to activate the mechanical-cleaning device and to activate the chemical-cleaning device in response to the receipt of a human hand in the hand-cleaning volume and during different time periods in which a human hand is present in the hand-cleaning volume.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source of the pressurized gas is a source of balanced ionized air.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further includes at least one of a particle counter and chemical sensor in communication with the hand-cleaning volume.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the activated cleaning mist is selected form the group consisting of an ionized cleaning mist and a plasma-activated cleaning mist.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source of the cleaning solution comprises a source of hydrogen peroxide.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a housing, and an opening in the housing, the opening being sized to permit a person to place a hand into the hand-cleaning volume.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further including a negative-pressure source within the housing adjacent to the opening, whereby gas within the housing is preferentially drawn into the negative-pressure source rather than escape through the opening.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chemical-cleaning device further includes a second source of a second cleaning solution in communication with the inlet of the nebulizer, and wherein the controller is further operable to activate the mechanical-cleaning device, the chemical-cleaning device using the first source of the first cleaning solution, and the chemical-cleaning device using the second source of the second cleaning solution during different time periods.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second source of the second cleaning solution comprises a source of an aqueous second mixture of disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate and a surfactant.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first cleaning solution comprising hydrogen peroxide.

11. A method for cleaning a hand, comprising the steps of directing a flow of pressurized activated gas over the hand, and thereafter flowing a mist of an activated cleaning mist of a cleaning solution over the hand, the activated cleaning mist being selected from the group consisting of an ionized cleaning mist and a plasma cleaning mist.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the activated gas is selected from the group consisting of an ionized gas and a plasma-activated gas.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the cleaning solution comprises a source of hydrogen peroxide.

14. The method of claim 11, including an additional step, after the step of flowing a mist, of flowing a second mist of a second cleaning solution over the hand.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second cleaning solution comprises a source of an aqueous second mixture of disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate and a surfactant.