Wash chamber for automated appendage-washing apparatus
First Claim
1. An automated cleaning station to at least partially clean at least a portion of at least one appendage of a person using at least one fluid, comprising:
- a body;
a rotatable wash chamber associated with the body, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end, the wash chamber including an axis of rotation;
an appendage receiving cavity located within the wash chamber, the appendage receiving cavity adapted for being accessible by the portion of the at least one appendage through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber;
a first set of nozzles disposed on the wash chamber in a ring configuration, the first set of nozzles located proximate to the first end of the wash chamber, wherein each nozzle of the first set nozzles is adapted to produce a spray that is projected at a pitch angle of between 15 and 35 degrees and at a roll angle of substantially 0 degrees;
a second set of nozzles disposed on the wash chamber in a helical pattern along a length of the wash chamber, the second set of nozzles including a first nozzle located proximate to the opening in the first end of the wash chamber, wherein each nozzle of the second set of nozzles is adapted to produce a spray pattern that is projected at a pitch angle of substantially 0 degrees, wherein a first spray pattern associated with the first nozzle is projected at a first roll angle, wherein a second spray pattern associated with a second nozzle of the second set of nozzles is projected at a second roll angle, the second roll angle being different from the first roll angle, and wherein a remainder of the second set of nozzles each have a corresponding spray pattern oriented at progressively greater roll angles;
at least one off-helix nozzle disposed on the wash chamber;
whereby the first and second sets of nozzles, and the at least one off-helix nozzle are operable to receive the at least one fluid and to project the fluid into the appendage receiving cavity.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wash cylinder or chamber for an automated cleaning station to clean an object or a person'"'"'s body part includes nozzles on the interior of the cylinder, the nozzles of one embodiment comprising an increasing roll angle providing a novel spray pattern. Additionally, embodiments of the invention include fluid guidance and conveyance structures, angled nozzles, sealing structures, finger guards, nozzle ribs, wash chamber seating mechanisms and drains, and nozzle inlays having a plurality of nozzles. Also disclosed are methods of washing an object or body part using a wash cylinder or chamber and methods of assembling a wash cylinder or chamber.
233 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An automated cleaning station to at least partially clean at least a portion of at least one appendage of a person using at least one fluid, comprising:
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a body; a rotatable wash chamber associated with the body, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end, the wash chamber including an axis of rotation; an appendage receiving cavity located within the wash chamber, the appendage receiving cavity adapted for being accessible by the portion of the at least one appendage through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber; a first set of nozzles disposed on the wash chamber in a ring configuration, the first set of nozzles located proximate to the first end of the wash chamber, wherein each nozzle of the first set nozzles is adapted to produce a spray that is projected at a pitch angle of between 15 and 35 degrees and at a roll angle of substantially 0 degrees; a second set of nozzles disposed on the wash chamber in a helical pattern along a length of the wash chamber, the second set of nozzles including a first nozzle located proximate to the opening in the first end of the wash chamber, wherein each nozzle of the second set of nozzles is adapted to produce a spray pattern that is projected at a pitch angle of substantially 0 degrees, wherein a first spray pattern associated with the first nozzle is projected at a first roll angle, wherein a second spray pattern associated with a second nozzle of the second set of nozzles is projected at a second roll angle, the second roll angle being different from the first roll angle, and wherein a remainder of the second set of nozzles each have a corresponding spray pattern oriented at progressively greater roll angles; at least one off-helix nozzle disposed on the wash chamber; whereby the first and second sets of nozzles, and the at least one off-helix nozzle are operable to receive the at least one fluid and to project the fluid into the appendage receiving cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A cleaning station, comprising:
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(a) a body; (b) a rotatable wash chamber associated with the body, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end, the wash chamber including an axis of rotation; (c) an appendage receiving cavity located within the wash chamber, the appendage receiving cavity adapted to receive, though an opening in the first end of the wash chamber, at least a portion of at least one appendage of a person and contact, the at least a portion of the at least one appendage, with at least one cleaning fluid; (d) a plurality of nozzles positioned along a length of the wash chamber to spray the at least one cleaning fluid into the chamber to contact the at least a portion of the at least one appendage when the at least a portion of the at least one appendage is positioned in the wash chamber; wherein at least one of the following is true of the plurality of nozzles; (i) the nozzles have differing pitch angles, wherein, for a selected nozzle, a pitch angle is an angle of intersection between a nozzle plane defined by a nozzle orifice and a first plane normal to at least a portion of an adjacent surface of the wash chamber; (ii) the nozzles have differing roll angles, wherein, for a selected nozzle, a roll angle is an angle between a nozzle orifice and a selected second plane and wherein the roll angle is measured in a third plane defined by to at least a portion of an adjacent surface of the wash chamber. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An automated cleaning station to at least partially clean at least a portion of at least one appendage of a person using at least one fluid, comprising:
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a body; a rotatable wash chamber associated with the body, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end, the wash chamber including an axis of rotation; an appendage receiving cavity located within the wash chamber, the appendage receiving cavity adapted for being accessible by the portion of the at least one appendage through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber; a first set of nozzles disposed on the wash chamber in a ring configuration, the first set of nozzles located proximate to the first end of the wash chamber, wherein each nozzle of the first set nozzles is adapted to produce a spray that is projected at a pitch angle of between 15 and 35 degrees and at a roll angle of substantially 0 degrees; a second set of nozzles disposed on the wash chamber in a helical pattern along a length of the wash chamber, the second set of nozzles including a first nozzle located proximate to the opening in the first end of the wash chamber, wherein each nozzle of the second set of nozzles is adapted to produce a spray pattern that is projected at a pitch angle of substantially 0 degrees, wherein a first spray pattern associated with the first nozzle is projected at a first roll angle, wherein a second spray pattern associated with a second nozzle of the second set of nozzles is projected at a second roll angle, the second roll angle being different from the first roll angle, and wherein a remainder of the second set of nozzles each have a corresponding spray pattern oriented at progressively greater roll angles; at least one off-helix nozzle disposed on the wash chamber; wherein the second set of nozzles includes; the first nozzle, wherein the first roll angle is between 0 and 15 degrees; the second nozzle, wherein the second roll angle is between 15 and 30 degrees, wherein the second nozzle is adjacent to the first nozzle; the remainder of the second set of nozzles including; a third nozzle for producing a third spray pattern projected at a third roll angle of between 30 and 45 degrees, wherein the third nozzle is adjacent to the second nozzle; a fourth nozzle for producing a fourth spray pattern projected at a fourth roll angle of between 45 and 60 degrees, wherein the fourth nozzle is adjacent to the third nozzle; a fifth nozzle for producing a fifth spray pattern projected at a fifth roll angle of between 60 and 75 degrees, wherein the fifth nozzle is adjacent to the fourth nozzle; and a sixth nozzle for producing a sixth spray pattern projected at a sixth roll angle of between 75 and 90 degrees, wherein the sixth nozzle is adjacent to the fifth nozzle whereby the first and second sets of nozzles, and the at least one off-helix nozzle are operable to receive the at least one fluid and to project the fluid into the appendage receiving cavity.
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Specification