Drip tray

• US 10,004,364 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kieran Richard Hyland
• Original Assignee: Kieran Richard Hyland
• Inventors: Hyland, Kieran Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): ALUNKAL, THOMAS D
• Application Number:
  US14/369,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20140368320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,003 Days
• Field of Search: 340 104, 340 1251, 340 1326, 34053912
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2201/02 Connections to a wall mounted support
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/004 Trays
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/00 Holders or dispensers for soap, toothpaste, or the like specially adapted for shaving soap or cosmetics A45D33/00 - A45D40/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/06 Dispensers for soap
• 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: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

This invention relates to a wall mountable drip tray (1) of the type comprising a mounting plate (5) for mounting the drip tray to a wall, a liquid reservoir (7) extending forwardly from the mounting plate and in which the wall mountable drip tray further comprises monitoring equipment (9) including a proximity sensor (8) for detecting an individual or equipment in the vicinity of the drip tray. The monitoring equipment further comprises a transceiver for communicating with one or more of a remote control unit (23), a fixed network unit (35) and a mobile network unit (37) of a monitoring system (21). By providing such a wall mountable drip tray, existing hand hygiene infrastructure, specifically wall mounted antibacterial liquid dispensers, in an installation can be incorporated into a new monitoring system and will not become obsolete.

Claims

1. A wall mountable drip tray for installation beneath a pre-existing wall mounted antibacterial liquid dispenser, the wall mountable drip tray being, in use, physically separate and distinct from the pre-existing wall mounted antibacterial liquid dispenser and being of the type comprising a mounting plate for mounting the drip tray to a wall, a liquid reservoir extending forwardly from the mounting plate for collection of drips from the antibacterial fluid dispenser and in which the wall mountable drip tray further comprises monitoring equipment including a proximity sensor for detecting an individual or equipment in the vicinity of the drip tray and a transceiver for communicating with a mobile network unit of a monitoring system and at least one remote control unit and a fixed network unit.

2. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the monitoring equipment further comprises a code reader.

3. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the monitoring equipment further comprises a camera for monitoring hand washing performance.

4. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the monitoring equipment further comprises a video camera capable of taking a video clip of the individual using a liquid dispenser associated with the drip tray.

5. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the wall mounted unit is provided with means to monitor a liquid dispenser with which it is associated.

6. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the monitoring equipment further comprises a sensor to detect an identification device carried by a user in the vicinity of the drip tray.

7. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 6 in which the sensor comprises an RFID reader.

8. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the proximity sensor comprises a PIR sensor.

9. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the monitoring equipment further comprises an identification verification module mounted on the drip tray.

10. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the wall mountable drip tray is a fixed network unit of a monitoring system.

11. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting plate is releasably detachable from the body.

12. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting plate comprises at least one mounting point for reception of a fixing member to secure the mounting plate to a wall.

13. A wall mountable drip tray for installation beneath a pre-existing wall mounted antibacterial liquid dispenser, the wall mountable drip tray being, in use, physically separate and distinct from the pre-existing wall mounted antibacterial liquid dispenser and being of the type comprising a mounting plate for mounting the drip tray to a wall, a liquid reservoir extending forwardly from the mounting plate for collection of drips from the antibacterial fluid dispenser and in which the wall mountable drip tray further comprises monitoring equipment including means to monitor a liquid dispenser with which it is associated, a proximity sensor for detecting an individual or equipment in the vicinity of the drip tray and a transceiver for communicating with a mobile network unit of a monitoring system and at least one remote control unit and a fixed network unit.

14. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 13 in which the monitoring equipment further comprises a sensor to detect an identification device carried by a user in the vicinity of the drip tray.

15. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 14 in which the sensor comprises an RFID reader.

16. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 13 in which the monitoring equipment further comprises a camera for monitoring hand washing performance.

17. A wall mountable drip tray for installation beneath a pre-existing wall mounted antibacterial liquid dispenser, the wall mountable drip tray being, in use, physically separate and distinct from the pre-existing wall mounted antibacterial liquid dispenser and being of the type comprising a mounting plate for mounting the drip tray to a wall, a liquid reservoir extending forwardly from the mounting plate for collection of drips from the antibacterial fluid dispenser and in which the wall mountable drip tray further comprises monitoring equipment including a proximity sensor for detecting an individual or equipment in the vicinity of the drip tray, a sensor to detect an identification device carried by a user in the vicinity of the drip tray, and a transceiver for communicating with a mobile network unit of a monitoring system and at least one remote control unit and a fixed network unit.

18. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 17 in which the sensor comprises an RFID reader.

19. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 17 in which the proximity sensor comprises a PIR sensor.

20. The wall mountable drip tray as claimed in claim 17 in which the monitoring equipment further comprises a video camera capable of taking a video clip of the individual using a liquid dispenser associated with the drip tray.