Surgeon hand and arm scrubbing apparatus

• US 3,918,987 A
• Filed: 11/09/1973
• Issued: 11/11/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Surgistat Incorporated 9870 East Alameda Avenue Denver Company A Company General Partnership
• Original Assignee: Rudolph J. Kopfer
• Inventors: Kopfer, Rudolph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bleutge, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US05/414,360
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 134/191,195,199,113,95,34,36,58R,57D 15/21D,21R,320 298/1 308/DIG.1 277/DIG.5 128/66 34/202 239/602
• US Class Current: 134/95.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2210/00 Combinations of water taps, soap dispensers and hand dryers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/80 Implements for cleaning or washing the skin of surgeons or patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/065 Hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 35/00 Baths for specific parts of the body electric circuits therefor A61H33/005; specific components therefor A61H33/60

Abstract

A pair of cavities are provided in a housing for receiving hands and forearms, a plurality of nozzles within each of the cavities eject streams of fluids inwardly at predetermined rates and pressures in order to exert a net force on the inserted hands and forearms sufficient to support their weight within each cavity so that they do not touch the interior surface of the cavity and thereby remain uncontaminated after the washing procedure.

Claims

1. A HAND AND FOREARM SPRAY CLEANING APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A PAIR OF CAVITIES THEREIN, EACH CAVITY HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SYMMETRY AND BEGIN SUITABLE FOR RECEIVING A SEPARATE HAND AND FOREARM, A PLURALITY OF NOZZLES WITHIN EACH CAVITY WHICH ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE AXIS OF SYMMETRY, AND MEANS FOR PUMPING FLUID THROUGH THE NOZZLES AT A PREDETERMINED RATE AND PRESSURE SO AS TO EXERT A NET FORCE ON THE

2. A hand and forearm spray cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for pumping fluid further comprises means for pumping a soap and water solution, water alone, heated air, a sterilizing vapor, and warm air in a sequence of timed stages.

3. A hand and forearm spray cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 2 further comprising display means mounted on the housing for visually displaying each stage in the timed sequence of the pumping means.

4. A hand and forearm spray cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for pumping fluid further comprises means for evacuating air and water from the cavities.

5. A hand and forearm spray cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the cavities are lined with a waterproof, resilient material in which at least some of the plurality of nozzles are integrally incorporated, the resilient material including a manifold passage for connecting the incorporated nozzles with the means for puMping the fluid.

6. A hand and forearm spray cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising actuator means for adjusting the vertical position of a portion of the housing.

7. A hand and forearm spray cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the housing has exterior front and top walls, the cavities being open through at least the front wall of the housing.

8. A hand and forearm spray cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein the cavities are additionally open through the top wall of the housing.

9. A hand and forearm spray cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 8 further comprising means for spraying a substantially continuous sheet of fluid across the cavity openings in the top wall of the housing to provide a fluid barrier across the top wall cavity openings.

10. A hand and forearm spray cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 7 further comprising means for discharging a substantially continuous sheet of gas across the cavity openings in the front wall of the housing to provide a fluid barrier across the front wall cavity openings.

11. A hand and forearm spray cleaning apparatus comprising a housing having at least one cavity therein, each cavity having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and being suitable for receiving at least a separate hand, a plurality of nozzles within each cavity which are directed toward the axis of symmetry, and means for pumping fluid through the nozzles at a predetermined rate and pressure so as to exert a net force on the inserted hand sufficient to support its weight within each cavity.