Personal compliance dispenser

• US 8,976,031 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gotohti.Com Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gotohti.Com Inc.
• Inventors: Ophardt, Heiner
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghayour, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aziz, Adnan
• Application Number:
  US13/441,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20120256741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/108 Means for counting the number of dispensing strokes
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/62 Arrangements for supporting spraying apparatus, e.g. suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A portable personal dispenser assembly comprising a combination of a dispenser and a communication enabled, portable handheld pocket-sized, personal computer in which the pocket-sized personal computer performs compliance monitoring of use of the dispenser and preferably controls and powers the use of the dispenser.

Claims

1. A personal hand hygiene monitoring unit carried on a person for monitoring of hand hygiene,

the unit comprising a hand sanitizing fluid dispenser and a portable handheld pocket-sized personal computing device,

the dispenser comprising a dispenser housing, a reservoir for containing a fluid, a pump and a discharge outlet,

the dispenser housing carrying the reservoir, the pump and the discharge outlet,

the pump coupled to the reservoir,

the pump is a manually operated pump in which a piston is moved by a user to dispense the fluid from the reservoir out the discharge outlet,

the dispenser including a sound producing reed which generates a sound when the piston is moved by a user to dispense the fluid,

wherein on the piston being moved by a user to dispense the fluid, the piston engages the reed and the reed is deflected by the piston to produce the sound,

the computing device having a computer housing, and within the computer housing a controller, a user interface, a battery, a microphone for sensing the sound, and a data communication device for transmission of data from the computing device,

the dispenser housing mechanically coupled to the computer housing,

the controller monitoring when the pump is activated by sensing the sound with the microphone and providing for the transmission via the data communication device the data representative of the sound sensed by the microphone to a remote computer.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device has a removable battery cover covering a substantial portion of surface of the computing device, the dispenser fixedly secured against removal to the battery cover.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1 including a stand coupled to the unit and movable between a closed position in which the stand lies proximate to the unit and an open position in which the stand extends away from the unit for engaging a horizontal support surface to support the unit on the support surface with the discharge outlet at a location relative the surface that fluid may be discharged from the dispenser onto a person'"'"'s hand adjacent the outlet and above the surface.

4. A unit as claimed in claim 3 wherein the stand is pivotally mounted to the dispenser for pivoting between the closed position and the open position.

5. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data communication device is communication enabled for Wi-Fi communication capability.

6. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a cell phone, smart phone and a personal digital assistant.

7. The unit as claimed in claim 1 in which the pump is a piston pump in which the piston is reciprocally movable relative to a piston chamber-forming body.

8. The unit as claimed in claim 7 in which the piston chamber-forming body is fixedly secured to the dispenser housing,

reed is carried on the dispenser housing.

9. A unit as claimed in claim 7 including a stand coupled to the unit and movable between a closed position in which the stand lies proximate to the unit and an open position in which the stand extends away from the unit for engaging a horizontal support surface to support the unit on the support surface with the discharge outlet at a location relative the surface that fluid may be discharged from the dispenser onto a person'"'"'s hand adjacent the outlet and above the surface.

10. A unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a cell phone, smart phone and a personal digital assistant.

11. A personal hand hygiene unit carried on a person for monitoring of hand hygiene,

the unit comprising a hand sanitizing fluid dispenser and a portable handheld pocket-sized personal computing device,

the dispenser comprising a dispenser housing, a reservoir for containing a fluid, a pump and a discharge outlet,

the dispenser housing carrying the reservoir, the pump and the discharge outlet,

the pump coupled to the reservoir,

the pump is a manually operated pump in which a piston is moved by a user to dispense the fluid from the reservoir out the discharge outlet,

the dispenser including a sound producing reed which generates a sound when the piston is moved by a user to dispense the fluid,

wherein on the piston being moved by a user to dispense the fluid, the piston engages the reed and the reed is deflected by the piston to produce the sound,

the computing device having a computer housing, and within the computer housing a controller, a user interface, a battery, a microphone for sensing the sound, and a data communication device for transmission of data from the computing device,

the dispenser housing mechanically coupled to the computer housing,

the controller monitoring when the pump is activated by sensing the sound with the microphone and providing for the transmission via the data communication device the data representative of the sound sensed by the microphone to a remote computer,

the unit including a stand coupled to the unit and movable between a closed position in which the stand lies proximate to the unit and an open position in which the stand extends away from the unit for engaging a horizontal support surface to support the unit on the support surface with the discharge outlet at a location relative the surface that fluid may be discharged from the dispenser onto a person'"'"'s hand adjacent the outlet and above the surface.

12. A unit as claimed in claim 11 wherein the stand is pivotally mounted to the dispenser for pivoting between the closed position and the open position.

13. A unit as claimed claim 12 wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a cell phone, smart phone and a personal digital assistant.