Usage competent hand soap dispenser with data collection and display capabilities

• US 6,707,873 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Copeland, James L., Howes, Ronald B. Jr., Thompson, Luke P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, Tuan T.
• Application Number:
  US10/163,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20020150198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 377/13, 377/15, 377/16, 462/3, 222/613, 222/628, 222/187.3
• US Class Current: 377/13
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1208 by means of a flexible dispensing chamber
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

A device which measures individual employee usage of a liquid product or hand soap dispenser as part of an overall hygiene compliance program. The dispenser consists of a self-contained keypad/display module which is attached to a standard hand soap dispenser. An employee enters a unique personal ID code and then activates the dispenser. The dispenser counts all inputs to the dispenser in order to generate meaningful data for management. Alternatively, the dispenser may only track and report total usage and not account for individual employee usage.

Claims

1. A data collecting hand soap dispenser comprising:

(a) a dispenser comprising a reservoir for holding a source of hand soap, and a push bar for dispensing hand soap from the reservoir to outside the dispenser, wherein the dispenser is constructed to dispense hand soap as a result of depressing the push bar;

(b) a counting apparatus that counts each time the push bar is activated;

(c) a keypad for entering employee identification codes; and

(d) a microprocessor comprising a data collection or manipulation system that monitors usage of the dispenser as a result of input from the counting apparatus.

2. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir is constructed for containing least 50 ml of hand soap.

3. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir is constructed for containing about 100 ml to about 5 liters of hand soap.

4. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir is constructed for containing about 150 ml to about 1000 ml of hand soap.

5. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising, provided within the reservoir, a cartridge or flexible bag containing hand soap.

6. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the hand soap comprises sanitizing hand soap.

7. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the cartridge or flexible bag comprises a dispensing port from which the hand soap can be delivered to a user.

8. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the dispensing port comprises a flexible tube.

9. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the flexible tube comprises a valve that prevents back flow of the hand soap into the cartridge or flexible bag.

10. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the push bar, when activated, compresses the flexible tube to express the hand soap from the flexible tube.

11. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the dispenser is constructed to dispense about 0.2 ml to about 5 ml hand soap.

12. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the dispenser is constructed to dispense about 0.5 ml to about 3 ml hand soap.

13. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser further comprises a cover for enclosing the reservoir.

14. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the counting apparatus comprises a pressure switch that is activated each time the push bar is depressed.

15. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a numerical display constructed for showing the employee identification codes.

16. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the keypad comprises 4 buttons.

17. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is constructed for reporting the total number of hand soap doses dispensed during a time period.

18. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is constructed for reporting the total amount of hand soap used during a time period.

19. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is constructed for releasing information to a supervisor upon entry of an identification number in the key pad.

20. A data collecting liquid product dispenser comprising:

(a) a dispenser comprising a reservoir, a cartridge or flexible bag containing a liquid product and a flexible tube for dispensing the liquid product, and a push bar for dispensing the liquid product from the cartridge or flexible bag to outside the dispenser, wherein the dispenser is constructed to dispense hand soap as a result of depressing the push bar;

(b) a counting apparatus that counts each time the push bar is activated;

(c) a key pad for entering employee identification codes; and

(d) a microprocessor comprising a data collection or manipulation system that monitors usage of the dispenser as a result of input from the counting apparatus and from the key pad.

21. A data collecting liquid product dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the cartridge or flexible bag is constructed for containing at least about 50 ml of the liquid product.

22. A data collecting liquid product dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the liquid product comprises a sanitizer material.

23. A data collecting liquid product dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the liquid product comprises a hand soap.

24. A data collecting liquid product dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the flexible tube comprises a valve that prevents back flow of the liquid product into the cartridge or flexible bag.

25. A data collecting liquid product dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the push bar, when activated compresses the flexible tube to express the liquid product from the flexible tube.

26. A data collecting liquid product dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the counting apparatus comprises a pressure switch that is activated every time the flexible tube is compressed.

27. A data collecting hand soap dispenser comprising:

(a) a dispenser comprising a reservoir for holding a source of hand soap, and a push bar for dispensing hand soap from the reservoir to outside the dispenser;

(b) a counting apparatus that counts each time the push bar is activated;

(c) a keypad for entering employee identification codes;

(d) a microprocessor comprising a data collection or manipulation system that monitors usage of the dispenser as a result of input from the counting apparatus; and

(e) a battery for energizing the keypad and the microprocessor.

28. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the reservoir is constructed for containing at least 50 ml of hand soap.

29. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the reservoir is constructed for containing about 100 ml to about 5 liters of hand soap.

30. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the reservoir is constructed for containing about 150 ml to about 1000 ml of hand soap.

31. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, further comprising, provided within the reservoir, a cartridge or flexible bag containing hand soap.

32. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 31, wherein the hand soap comprises sanitizing hand soap.

33. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 31, wherein the cartridge or flexible bag comprises a dispensing port from which the hand soap can be delivered to a user.

34. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 33, wherein the dispensing port comprises a flexible tube.

35. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 34, wherein the flexible tube comprises a valve that prevents back flow of the hand soap into the cartridge or flexible bag.

36. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 34, wherein the push bar, when activated, compresses the flexible tube to express the hand soap from the flexible tube.

37. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 36, wherein the dispenser is constructed to dispense about 0.2 ml to about 5 ml hand soap.

38. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 36, wherein the dispenser is constructed to dispense about 0.5 ml to about 3 ml hand soap.

39. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the dispenser further comprises a cover for enclosing the reservoir.

40. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the counting apparatus comprises a pressure switch that is activated each time the push bar is depressed.

41. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, further comprising a numerical display constructed for showing the employee identification codes.

42. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the keypad comprises 4 buttons.

43. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the microprocessor is constructed for reporting the total number of hand soap doses dispensed during a time period.

44. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the microprocessor is constructed for reporting the total amount of hand soap used during a time period.

45. A data collecting hand soap dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the microprocessor is constructed for releasing information to a supervisor upon entry of an identification number in the key pad.