Controllable door handle sanitizer system and method
First Claim
1. A system for controllably dispensing an aerosol sanitizer onto a door handle, the sanitizer being contained in a replaceable aerosol can having a valve and a delivery tube in fluid connection therewith, the delivery tube being seated on the valve and having a remote nozzle through which the aerosol sanitizer is sprayable, comprising:
- a housing sized to seat the aerosol can therein;
a motor;
a control circuit having a processor configured to selectively energize the motor with an energization signal;
a first gear system coupling the motor to the delivery tube and arranged so that energization of the motor moves the first gear system which then displaces the delivery tube so as to momentarily open the valve of the aerosol can;
a sensor disposed within the housing and responsive to displacement of the delivery tube to deliver state signals to the control circuit;
wherein the control circuit includes software executing within the processor and configured to prevent delivery of the energization signal in the event that the state signals fail at least one prescribed condition.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Controlled sanitizing by dispensing a germicide, such as a disinfectant, antibacterial solution or cleansing agent at intervals. A system can include a housing sized to seat an aerosol can and a control circuit that operates to momentarily open a valve on the aerosol can through action of a gear system upon an aerosol delivery tube. A sensor responds to displacement of the delivery tube to deliver state signals to the control circuit. The control circuit prevents action of the gear system in the event that the state signals fail at least one prescribed condition. A method registers at least the displacement of the delivery tube via the sensor and prevents subsequent displacements and hence subsequent sanitizing in the event that the sensor has not registered at least the displacement of the delivery tube. The method ensures that a suitable aerosol can has been properly loaded in the dispenser.
102 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A system for controllably dispensing an aerosol sanitizer onto a door handle, the sanitizer being contained in a replaceable aerosol can having a valve and a delivery tube in fluid connection therewith, the delivery tube being seated on the valve and having a remote nozzle through which the aerosol sanitizer is sprayable, comprising:
-
a housing sized to seat the aerosol can therein; a motor; a control circuit having a processor configured to selectively energize the motor with an energization signal; a first gear system coupling the motor to the delivery tube and arranged so that energization of the motor moves the first gear system which then displaces the delivery tube so as to momentarily open the valve of the aerosol can; a sensor disposed within the housing and responsive to displacement of the delivery tube to deliver state signals to the control circuit; wherein the control circuit includes software executing within the processor and configured to prevent delivery of the energization signal in the event that the state signals fail at least one prescribed condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for ensuring proper loading of an aerosol can within a dispenser, the aerosol can containing a sanitizer, comprising the steps of:
-
automatically displacing a delivery tube connected to a valve of the aerosol can to open the valve and dispense the sanitizer through and from the delivery tube at an interval and free of any manual activation; registering at least the displacement of the delivery tube using a sensor; preventing subsequent automatic displacement of the delivery tube at the interval in the event that the sensor has not registered at least the displacement of the delivery tube.
-
Specification