Entertaining or advertising hygiene apparatus

• US 7,782,214 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Healthmark LLC
• Original Assignee: Healthmark LLC
• Inventors: Lynn, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Toan N
• Assistant Examiner(s): McNally; Kerri
• Application Number:
  US11/323,759
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0076 Body hygiene; Dressing; Knot tying

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed which involve an improved way to coerce use of a soap dispenser (or other hygiene device). A soap dispenser according to at least one embodiment, includes a teaching or entertaining device that is fun and informative that is triggered when the soap dispenser is utilized. The soap dispenser may also be utilized as an advertising tool.

Claims

1. A soap dispenser that provides entertainment during use, comprising:

a dispensing device intended to be used by multiple different persons;

an identification device interfaced with the soap dispenser, the identification device operable to automatically identify an individual user of the soap dispenser; and

an information sharing device interfaced with the soap dispenser, the information sharing device operable to communicate a large variety of information pre-selected by the identified user of the soap dispenser in order encourage more frequent use of the soap dispenser.

2. The soap dispenser of claim 1, wherein the information informs the user of a minimum time period for use of the soap dispenser.

3. The soap dispenser of claim 1, further comprising memory associated with the information sharing device, the memory operable to store the information communicated to the user.

4. The soap dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a remote computer interfaced with the information sharing device, the remote computer operable to store the information communicated to the user.

5. The soap dispenser of claim 4, wherein the remote computer communicates with the information sharing device over the Internet.

6. The soap dispenser of claim 5, wherein the information sharing device allows the user to select the information from a plurality of web sites.

7. The soap dispenser of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a plurality of packets including digital information.

8. The soap dispenser of claim 1, wherein the identification device comprises a radio frequency identification device (RFID).

9. The soap dispenser of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a trivia question.

10. The soap dispenser of claim 9, wherein an answer to the trivia question is delayed for a period of time that corresponds to a minimum time period that the user should use the soap dispenser.

11. A method for entertaining a user of a soap dispenser intended to be used by multiple persons, comprising:

providing an information sharing device operable to be interfaced with the soap dispenser;

automatically identifying an individual user of the soap dispenser using an identification device interfaced with the soap dispenser;

receiving an activation signal at the information sharing device when the soap dispenser is used; and

communicating from the information sharing device to the identified user after receipt of the activation signal a large variety of information pre-selected by the user in order to encourage more frequent use of the soap dispenser.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising informing the user of a minimum time period for use of the soap dispenser based on the activation signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the information sharing device is operable to interface with the Internet to communicate information to the user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the information communicated to the user at a specified time using a news reader program.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification device comprises a radio frequency identification device (RFID).

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising downloading the information from the Internet to the information sharing device based on the identity of the user.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the information comprises an advertising message.