Surgical prep hand cleaning

• US 4,219,367 A
• Filed: 10/05/1978
• Issued: 08/26/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George R. Cary Jr, Stocker R. Cary
• Original Assignee: George R. Cary Jr, Stocker R. Cary
• Inventors: Cary, George R. Jr., Cary, Stocker R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fisher, Richard V.
• Application Number:
  US05/949,388
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 134/29, 134/93, 134/36, 134/40, 134/199, 422/28, 422/266, 4/1, 4/166, 4/187 R, 239/10, 239/101, 239/102, 239/310, 239/543, 239/544, 239/545
• US Class Current: 134/29
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 7/04 Mechanical washing or cleaning devices, hand or mechanically, i.e. power operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/80 Implements for cleaning or washing the skin of surgeons or patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/065 Hands

Abstract

Apparatus and method for facilitating the washing of a person'"'"'s hands to achieve surgical cleanliness in a simple, effective manner. A transparent hollow sphere has a pair of hand openings formed in it, with a pair of pulsating water jet spray heads mounted on the sphere to direct intersecting sprays of water onto a person'"'"'s hands placed through the hand openings in the sphere. One spray head is mounted in substantially the same horizontal plane as the hand openings, and between them, and the other spray head is mounted in substantially the same vertical plane as the one spray head, about 60° to 135° around the circumference of the sphere with respect to the one spray head. By operating a foot pedal, water is delivered under pressure to the spray heads which pulse the water onto the person'"'"'s hands, the water then draining through an opening in the bottom of the sphere to be sewered. A soap dispenser may be provided within the sphere.

Claims

1. Apparatus for facilitating the washing of a person'"'"'s hands, comprising

a chamber;

means defining a pair of horizontally spaced and substantially vertically coincident openings in said chamber for receiving a person'"'"'s hands therein;

a pair of pulsating liquid jet spray heads capable of delivering liquid at generally about 50 psi at a pulsing rate of generally about 800 pulses per minute;

means for mounting said heads in said chamber so that said heads direct jets of liquid therefrom into the volume defined by said chamber, and so that the jets of liquid therefrom intersect in the volume, and so that said heads are disposed in a common vertical plane between said chamber hand openings; and

means defining a drain opening in a lower portion of said chamber.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for dispensing soap into the chamber, said means provided in a top portion of said chamber.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising conduit means for delivering water to said spray heads, and valve means operatively associated with said conduit means for selectively blocking or allowing passage of water to said spray heads from a source of pressurized water, and foot operable control means located beneath said chamber for controlling operation of said valve means.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for supplying water under pressure to said spray heads, and foot operable control means located beneath said chamber for controlling operation of said water supplying means.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for mounting said spray heads further comprise means for mounting said spray heads so that the jets issuing therefrom make an angle of about 60°

to about 135°

with respect to each other.

6. Apparatus as recited in claims 1 or 5 wherein said means for mounting said spray heads further comprise means for mounting said spray heads so that the jets issuing therefrom have a downward velocity component.

7. Apparatus as recited in claims 1 or 5 wherein said chamber is generally spherical, and wherein said means for mounting said spray heads further comprise means for mounting one of said spray heads so that it is in a common horizontal plane with said hand openings, and between said openings, and so that the other of said spray heads is above said hand openings;

and wherein said means defining said hand openings further comprises means for defining said hand openings so that they are less than 180°

apart around the circumference of said spherical chamber, and above a horizontal plane bisecting said spherical chamber.

8. Apparatus for facilitating the washing of a person'"'"'s hands comprising

a transparent, rigid, hollow sphere defining a chamber;

means defining a drain opening in the bottom of said sphere, with a drainpipe leading downwardly from said sphere;

support means substantially concentric with said drainpipe for supporting said sphere at a vertically raised position from a horizontal surface;

means defining a pair of openings spaced horizontally along said sphere, in said sphere, for receiving a person'"'"'s hands therein, the openings being less than about 90°

apart;

a first pulsating water jet spray head capable of delivering water at generally about 50 psi, at a pulsing rate of generally about 800 pulses per minute;

means for mounting said first spray head so that it is substantially in a common horizontal plane with said hand openings, disposed between said hand openings;

means for supplying water under pressure to said spray head; and

foot-operable control means located beneath said sphere, adjacent the horizontal surface supporting said sphere, for controlling operation of said water supplying means.

9. Apparatus as recited in claim 8 further comprising a second pulsating spray head capable of delivering water at generally about 50 psi at a pulsing rate of generally about 800 pulses per minute;

means for mounting said second pulsating spray head on said sphere in a common vertical plane with said first pulsating spray head so that it directs a jet of water into said chamber with a downward velocity component and so that it is disposed about 60°

to about 135°

around the circumference of said sphere from said first pulsating spray head.

10. A method of hand cleansing utilizing a chamber with a pair of horizontally spaced hand openings therein, with a pair of pulsating water jet spray heads disposed in a common vertical plane and directed into the interior of the chamber so that jets issuing therefrom have a downward velocity component and intersect at an angle of about 60°

to about 135°

, one of the spray heads being located in substantially a common horizontal plane with the hand openings and between the hand openings, and a drain opening being provided in the bottom of the chamber, said method comprising the steps of;

delivering pure water to the spray heads,

issuing jets of pure water from the spray heads at about 50 to 100 psi at a pulsing rate of about 800-1200 pulses per minute while a person'"'"'s hands are positioned within the chamber, until the desired degree of cleanliness of the hands has been achieved, and

withdrawing the water sprayed into the chamber through the drain opening, and sewering it.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 comprising the further step of dispensing surgical soap onto a person'"'"'s hands while positioned within the chamber.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 comprising the further step of applying an antiseptic foam to the person'"'"'s hands outside the chamber prior to the placement of the person'"'"'s hands into the chamber.

13. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein the steps are practiced until surgical cleanliness is achieved.