Hand washing alert

• US 4,896,144 A
• Filed: 09/29/1988
• Issued: 01/23/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Naomi C. Bogstad
• Original Assignee: Naomi C. Bogstad
• Inventors: Bogstad, Naomi C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Regan, Maura K.
• Application Number:
  US07/250,536
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 340/691, 340/692, 340/573, 340/545, 340/603
• US Class Current: 340/691.6
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

A warning system is adapted to warn someone to wash their hands prior to leaving or entering a facility in which hand washing is important. The system includes a door activated system that can be either visible or audible or both and can include a door locking system and a remote signalling system. The warning system is armed when the door is opened to permit entry into the facility and is de-activated upon the acutation of hand-washing facilities. In one embodiment, the system is used in a bathroom and the warning system can be activated by the flushing of a toilet.

Claims

1. A warning means for use in a facility and which is adapted to remind people to wash their hands prior to leaving the facility, comprising:

a frame-mounted switch mounted on a door frame of an ingress/egress door of a facility which includes a handwashing means;

a switch activating means mounted on the ingress/egress door in a position to actuate said frame-mounted switch;

a recorded message playing means;

a recorded message on said recorded message playing means that is adapted to remind someone to wash their hands;

a speaker means connected to said recorded message playing means and located in the facility for broadcasting said recorded message in the facility;

an egress switch means mounted to be activated by a person prior to such person exiting the facility;

a control unit connecting said frame-mounted switch and said egress switch to said recorded message playing means and activating said playing means after said frame-mounted switch has been actuated by said door being opened to permit someone to enter the facility and after said egress switch has been activated prior to said door being opened to permit someone to exit the facility;

power means connected to said frame-mounted switch, to said egress switch means, to said control unit, to said recorded message playing means and to said speaker means;

a visible alarm mounted in the facility adjacent to said door and connected to said control unit to be activated when said recorded message playing means is activated, said visible alarm containing a message adapted to remind someone to wash their hands, and means connected to said visible alarm to de-activate said visible alarm after a person has exited the facility, said visible alarm being connected to said power means; and

a lock on said door and a lock control means connected to said door lock and to said control unit to prevent said door from being opened to permit egress from the facility until said facility hand washing means has been activated, said lock and said lock control means being connected to said power means.

2. The warning means defined in claim 1 wherein the door includes a egress handle located inside the facility and a ingress handle located outside the facility, each of said handles including a signal generating means which is connected to said control unit for sending a signal to said control unit when the handle associated therewith is grasped to open said door for identifying which handle has been used to operate said door.

3. The warning means defined in claim 2 wherein said handwashing means includes a warm air generating hand dryer.

4. The warning means defined in claim 2 wherein said handwashing means includes a soap dispenser.

5. The warning means defined in claim 2 wherein said handwashing means includes a water-dispensing faucet.

6. The warning means defined in claim 1 further including an ingress pressure pad located outside the facility adjacent to said door and an egress pressure pad located inside the facility adjacent to said door, means in each of said pressure pads for generating an electric signal when a person steps on said pressure pad when moving through said door, and means connecting the pressure pad signal generating means of each of said pressure pads to said control unit for sending a signal to said control unit when the pressure pad associated therewith has been stepped on by a person passing through the door for permitting said control unit to identify whether said door is being opened to permit ingress to the facility or to permit exit from the facility according to whether said ingress pressure pad signal is received by said control unit or said egress pressure pad signal is received by said control unit, each of said pressure pad signal generating means being connected to said power means.

7. The warning means defined in claim 1 wherein said lock control means includes lock de-activating means for de-activating said lock when someone attempts to open the door to enter the facility, said lock de-activating means being connected to said power means.

8. The warning means defined in claim 1 wherein said speaker means is located adjacent to said door.

9. The warning means defined in claim 1 further including a surge protector connected to said control unit.

10. The warning means defined in claim 1 further including signal generating means connected to a toilet element in the facility and to said control unit.

11. The warning means defined in claim 1 further including a remote signalling means connected to said control unit.

12. The warning means defined in claim 7 further including a door lock control means includes an override means.

13. The warning means defined in claim 1 further including a presence detector located adjacent to the door.