Prevention system and preventing method against infectious diseases, and apparatus for supplying fluids

• US 6,523,193 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saraya Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Saraya Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Saraya, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US09/977,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20020050006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 426/2, 426/3, 451/8, 456/9, 459/1, 461/9, 462/3, 462/4, 462/5, 462/6, 462/8, 463/8, 466/8, 467/8, 433/88, 433/97
• US Class Current: 4/623
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2005/1218 Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/12 for liquid or pasty soap
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0088 Liquid substances
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/05 Arrangements of devices on wash-basins, baths, sinks, or the like for remote control of taps remote control of taps or the like per se F16K

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method of effectively preventing infection, and provides a fluid supply apparatus capable of being preferably used for the system. A fluid supply apparatus is disposed near a doorway of a hall of an ordinary household. The fluid supply apparatus includes a water supply function performed by a water supply nozzle, a gargle discharge function performed by a gargle nozzle, a disinfectant discharge function performed by a disinfectant nozzle, and a sink. A body detection sensor for detecting a human body that enters a room is provided above the doorway. When the body detection sensor detects a body, a voice output apparatus outputs a voice prompting the person to gargle and wash hands.

Claims

1. A fluid supply apparatus comprising:

a sink having an upper surface and a recess in said upper surface;

a common unit-body including a base pedestal fixed on said upper surface of said sink, at least a portion of said base pedestal being formed hollow, and said common unit-body including a pipe-shaped body mounted on said base pedestal and arranged along at least part of a far periphery of said recess opposite a near periphery of said recess closest to a user; and

a plurality of fluid supply mechanisms for supplying different kinds of fluids, each of said fluid supply mechanisms including a respective discharge port at a predetermined location on said common unit-body disposed on an upper portion of a sink.

2. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of fluid supply mechanisms comprises at least two fluid supply mechanisms for supplying at least one of hand washing water, warm water, soapy water, a disinfectant, a gargle fluid, and warm air.

3. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of fluid supply mechanisms is operable to supply one of hand washing water, warm water, soapy water, a disinfectant, and a gargle fluid.

4. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a detection sensor for detecting a user'"'"'s operating motion to use a fluid to be supplied from a respective discharge port, said detection sensor being arranged at a vicinity of said respective discharge port and being operable to generate a signal to operate a respective one of said fluid supply mechanisms corresponding to said respective discharge port after detecting the user'"'"'s operating motion so as to automatically supply fluid from said respective discharge port.

5. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 4, wherein said plurality of fluid supply mechanisms includes a gargle fluid supply mechanism for supplying a gargle fluid, said gargle fluid supply apparatus including a gargle discharge switch operable to start said gargle fluid supply mechanism so as to discharge gargle fluid from said discharge port of said gargle fluid supply mechanism.

6. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of fluid supply mechanisms includes a chemical fluid supply mechanism for supplying a chemical from a chemical container to a corresponding discharge port, said common unit-body further including an alarm device for providing an alarm when a remaining amount of said chemical in said chemical container is reduced below a predetermined level.

7. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base pedestal of said common unit-body is formed of synthetic resin so as to have a generally U-shaped cross section with an open upper side and a lower plate, said pipe-shaped body being supported on an upper surface of said base pedestal and being formed of metal and having a threaded hole at a predetermined location in a lower part thereof, said pipe-shaped body being fastened to said base pedestal by a screw member threaded into said threaded hole from a bottom of said base pedestal, said base pedestal being fastened to said sink by metal washers and screw members arranged above and below said bottom plate of said base pedestal.

8. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a single accommodation case arranged at a vicinity of said sink for accommodating elements of each fluid supply mechanism, piping elements, and electric wiring elements therein.

9. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 8, wherein all remaining basic constituent elements of each fluid supply mechanism, all remaining piping elements, and all remaining electric wiring elements not accommodated in said accommodation case are arranged inside at least one of said pipe-shaped body and said base pedestal, except that each discharge port is arranged on said pipe-shaped body.

10. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sink has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

11. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein said common unit-body is divided into a plurality of unit-body pieces arranged along said at least part of a far periphery of said recess.

12. A fluid supply apparatus comprising:

a sink having a recess;

a plurality of fluid supply mechanisms for supplying different kinds of fluids, each of said fluid supply mechanisms having a respective discharge port on an upper portion of said sink; and

a plurality of detection sensors for detecting a user'"'"'s operating motion to use a fluid to be supplied from a respective discharge port of a respective one of said fluid supply mechanisms, each detection sensor being arranged at a vicinity of said respective discharge port and being operable to generate a signal to operate said respective one of said fluid supply mechanisms corresponding to said respective discharge port after detecting the user'"'"'s operating motion so as to automatically supply fluid from said respective discharge port;

wherein said plurality of detection sensors comprises a central detection sensor arranged at a position corresponding to an approximate center of a far periphery of said recess opposite a near periphery of said recess closest to a user, and comprises other detection sensors, said plurality of detection sensors being oriented such that a detecting direction of said central detection sensor points to an approximate center of said recess, and such that a detecting direction of each of said other detection sensors points away from said approximate center of said recess and closer to a location of the user by a predetermined angle.

13. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a common unit-body, said discharge port of each fluid supply mechanism being provided at a predetermined location on said common unit-body, and said common unit-body being arranged on said upper portion of said sink.

14. The fluid supply apparatus of claim 13, wherein said common unit-body includes a base pedestal fixed onto said upper surface of said sink, and includes a pipe-shaped body mounted on said base pedestal, said discharge port of each fluid supply mechanism being provided at a predetermined location on said pipe-shaped body.

15. A prevention system for preventing infectious diseases, comprising:

a fluid supply apparatus provided with a sink and a plurality of fluid supply mechanisms for supplying different kinds of fluids, having at least a hand washing function and a gargle fluid supply function, and to be arranged near a doorway in a building;

a human body detection sensor for detecting a person entering into the building from the doorway; and

a voice output apparatus for outputting a vocal sound to prompt the person to conduct gargling and hand washing when the human body detection sensor detects the person.

16. A method of preventing infectious diseases, comprising:

disposing a fluid supply apparatus near a doorway in a building, wherein the fluid supply apparatus is provided with a sink and a plurality of fluid supply mechanisms for supplying different kinds of fluids, and having at least a hand washing function and a gargle fluid supply function; and

outputting a vocal sound to prompt a person to conduct gargling and hand washing when the person enters into the building from the doorway.