Wash chamber for appendage-washing method
First Claim
1. A method of at least partially cleaning at least a portion of at least one appendage using an automated cleaning station, comprising:
- initiating a flow of a first fluid through a fluid inlet disposed on a wash chamber of the automated cleaning station, the wash chamber including an inner member and an outer member, the outer member and inner member each including a cylinder portion and a frusto-conical portion, each frusto-conical portion including a flat surface and a sloped surface, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and the second end connected to the automated cleaning station, the wash chamber including an axis of rotation, the wash chamber including an appendage receiving cavity and an annular cavity, the appendage receiving cavity being located within the inner member, the appendage receiving cavity being accessible through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber and being adapted to receive the at least a portion of the appendage for washing, the annular cavity being located between the inner member and the outer member, the inner member including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface facing the appendage receiving cavity and the second surface facing the annular cavity, wherein the fluid flows into the annular cavity prior to the appendage receiving cavity;
establishing a fluid pressure within the annular cavity; and
projecting the first fluid from the annular cavity through a plurality of nozzles and into the appendage receiving cavity, the plurality of nozzles being disposed on the inner member portion and the first fluid being projected as a result of the fluid pressure established within the annular cavity, wherein the nozzles comprise a first, a second and a third set of nozzles;
wherein the first set of nozzles is disposed on the inner member in a ring proximate to the first end of the wash chamber, wherein each nozzle of the first set nozzles produces a spray that is projected at a pitch angle of between 15 and 35 degrees and at a roll angle of substantially 0 degrees;
wherein the second set of nozzles is disposed on the inner member in a helical pattern along a length of the cylinder portion of the inner member, 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 steeper than the first roll angle, and wherein a remainder of the second set of nozzles each have a corresponding spray pattern oriented at progressively steeper roll angles;
wherein the third set of nozzles is disposed on the frusto-conical portion of the inner member; and
wherein the wash chamber is rotated about the axis of rotation at least during the step of projecting the fluid.
3 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.
244 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of at least partially cleaning at least a portion of at least one appendage using an automated cleaning station, comprising:
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initiating a flow of a first fluid through a fluid inlet disposed on a wash chamber of the automated cleaning station, the wash chamber including an inner member and an outer member, the outer member and inner member each including a cylinder portion and a frusto-conical portion, each frusto-conical portion including a flat surface and a sloped surface, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and the second end connected to the automated cleaning station, the wash chamber including an axis of rotation, the wash chamber including an appendage receiving cavity and an annular cavity, the appendage receiving cavity being located within the inner member, the appendage receiving cavity being accessible through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber and being adapted to receive the at least a portion of the appendage for washing, the annular cavity being located between the inner member and the outer member, the inner member including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface facing the appendage receiving cavity and the second surface facing the annular cavity, wherein the fluid flows into the annular cavity prior to the appendage receiving cavity; establishing a fluid pressure within the annular cavity; and projecting the first fluid from the annular cavity through a plurality of nozzles and into the appendage receiving cavity, the plurality of nozzles being disposed on the inner member portion and the first fluid being projected as a result of the fluid pressure established within the annular cavity, wherein the nozzles comprise a first, a second and a third set of nozzles; wherein the first set of nozzles is disposed on the inner member in a ring proximate to the first end of the wash chamber, wherein each nozzle of the first set nozzles produces a spray that is projected at a pitch angle of between 15 and 35 degrees and at a roll angle of substantially 0 degrees; wherein the second set of nozzles is disposed on the inner member in a helical pattern along a length of the cylinder portion of the inner member, 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 steeper than the first roll angle, and wherein a remainder of the second set of nozzles each have a corresponding spray pattern oriented at progressively steeper roll angles; wherein the third set of nozzles is disposed on the frusto-conical portion of the inner member; and wherein the wash chamber is rotated about the axis of rotation at least during the step of projecting the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method, comprising:
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providing a cleaning station, comprising; (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; and (d) a plurality of nozzles positioned along a length of the wash chamber; receiving, through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber, at least a portion of at least one appendage of a person in the appendage receiving cavity; contacting, the at least a portion of the at least one appendage, with at least one cleaning fluid; spraying, by the plurality of nozzles, the at least one cleaning fluid into the wash chamber to contact the at least a portion of the at least one appendage when the at least a portion of the at least on appendage is positioned in the wash chamber; and 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 (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method, comprising:
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providing a cleaning station, 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; 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; 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; and at least one off-helix nozzle disposed on the wash chamber; receiving, in the appendage receiving cavity, at least a portion of at least one appendage, through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber; receiving, by the first and second sets of nozzles and the at least one off-helix nozzle, at least one fluid; producing, by each nozzle in the first set of nozzles, a spray pattern and projecting, into the appendage receiving cavity, the spray pattern at a pitch angle of between 15 and 35 degrees and at a roll angle of substantially 0 degrees; and producing, by each nozzle in the second set of nozzles, a spray pattern and projecting, into the appendage receiving cavity, the spray pattern at a pitch angle of substantially 0 degrees;
wherein a first spray pattern associated with the first nozzle of the second set of nozzles 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. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method, comprising:
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providing a cleaning station to clean at least a portion of a user; initiating a flow of a first fluid through a fluid inlet on a rotatable wash chamber of the cleaning station, wherein the rotatable wash chamber is adapted to be operatively interconnected to the cleaning station; establishing a fluid pressure within an annular cavity of the cleaning station; projecting the first fluid from the annular cavity through a plurality of nozzles positioned on the wash chamber and into an appendage receiving cavity; wherein at least one of the following is true of the plurality of nozzles; (1) each of the plurality of nozzles is adapted to project the first fluid at a different pitch angle; (2) each of the plurality of the nozzles is adapted to project the first fluid at a different roll angle. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification