Hygienic Assurance System for Monitoring the Hand Washing of an Individual

U.S. Patent : 8,529,481

Inventor : Sheikh Moussa Drammeh

As attorney for the inventor of the innovative new Hygienic Assurance System we are currently seeking investors and manufacturing companies to license, purchase patent rights or enter into a royalty agreement for this timely invention. Interested parties can reach the attorney at the contact numbers listed at the bottom of this page.

The present invention relates generally to a hygienic assurance system and, more specifically, to a room providing a standard bathroom facility having the addition of a plurality of sensors to control and initiate a plurality of visual and audible signals used to ensure and remind users to wash their hands. Also included are recording and indicating means to enforce and identify users in violation of a required hygienic practice post operative of using said facilities.

Invention Objects & Goals

to provide a hygiene assurance system whereby the user may be identified monitored and reminded to wash their hands after using a bathroom facility

to provide a hygiene assurance system utilizing a plurality of sensors to detect the usage of individual bathroom fixtures

to provide a hygiene assurance system having sensors mounted to the entrance of a bathroom facility to detect and record the ingress and egress of a user through said entrance

to provide a hygiene assurance system wherein said sensors includes a toilet and/or urinal sensor(s) to detect use of said toilet and/or urinal

to provide a hygiene assurance system wherein said sensors includes a sink water sensor to detect use of said sink

to provide a hygiene assurance system having a plurality of audible and visual reminders to a user to wash their hands

to provide a hygiene assurance system having a camera providing pictures or video recordings of the user of a bathroom facility

Patent Drawings

The following pictures are meant to display possible physical characteristics of the present invention and are not to be taken in a limiting sense. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 Hygiene Assurance System 34 doorknob

12 user 36 connection terminal of 19

14 user's hands 38 contact

16 camera 40 door frame

18 doorknob sensor 42 drain line

19 door frame sensor connector 44 control panel of 22

20 restroom 46 user controls of 44

21 commode water usage sensor 48 digital display of 44

22 sink water usage sensor 50 coupling of 22

24 commode 52 remote connection to microprocessor

26 sink 54 microprocessor

28 door of 20 56 memory

30 audio speaker 58 printer

32 visual indicator 60 data transmission cable

patent drawing

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1 is an illustrative view of the present invention 10 in use. Shown is the present invention 10, a systematic method of ensuring and monitoring the washing of a user's 12 hands after their usage of a rest room facility 20. The present invention 10 comprises a camera 16, a plurality of door 28 sensors 18, 19, water usage sensors 21, 22 affiliated with the various fixtures such as a commode 24 and sink 26 to monitor the usage thereof by the user 12 upon entering and exiting the room that their hands must be washed before leaving the room 20. An audio speaker 30 and visual indicators 32 are also provided to remind the user 12 to wash their hands and assure they were adequately washed.

patent drawing

FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2 is an illustrative view of the present invention 10 in use. Shown is the present invention 10 activated upon the user 12 entering through the door 28 the restroom 14. The camera 16 identifies the user 12 upon entry through the door 28. The commode water usage sensors 21 detect when a commode 24 (which hereinafter refers to all toilets, urinals and the like) has been flushed and a processor is informed that the sink 26 should be used immediately thereafter. The sink water usage sensors 22 then determine whether the sink 26 has been used and if the duration was adequate for cleaning the hands 14 of the user 12.

patent drawing

FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3 is an illustrative view of the doorknob sensor 18 of the present invention. Shown are the door knob sensors 18 of the present invention that function individually to sense touch of its respective doorknobs 34 to indicate either the ingress or egress of an individual though the door 28 into the facility thereby transmitting that data through a data transmission cable 60 and executing predetermined functions such as a specific audio message or visual indicator as a reminder to the user when entering and leaving the rest room facility.

patent drawing

FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the doorframe sensor 19. Shown are the connection terminals 36 of the present invention that serve to indicate the opening and closing of the door 28 along with acting as a transmission line to maintain the integrity of the data transmission cable 60 between the door 28 and door handle sensors to the door frame 40 of the outside wall where the signal can then be directed to a cpu.

patent drawing

FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the sink water usage sensor 22 of the present invention that functions as a monitor for water usage outfitted to the sink's 26 drainage line42 to monitor for an amount of water sufficient to wash one's hands as determined by an integral control panel 44 with user controls 46 and digital display 48. The water used can be specifically monitored and sent to a memory source via a remote connection 52. Couplings 50 are provided on the top and bottom of the sink water usage sensor 22 for ease in installation.

patent drawing

FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6 is an illustrative view of the visual indicator 32 and audio speaker 30. Shown are the two primary communication devices of the present invention comprising a lighted display 32 for visual messaging and a speaker 30 for emitting verbal instructions or an alarm.

patent drawing

FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7 is a chart depicting the components of the present invention 10. The doorknob sensors 18 are in send a signal through the connection terminals 36 to the processor 54. The water sensors 21, 22 transmit data to the processor 54 to determine if the water ran for at least 16 seconds to count as a hand wash. Appropriate audible 30 and visual 32 messages are initiated. A memory 56 and printer 58 are provided to store data and photos for later review and transfer to hard copy.

patent drawing

FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8 is a chart depicting the system of the present invention 10. Shown is a chart showing the course of events taken through the present invention 10 by its components and human interaction whereby an entering user 12 is greeted then monitored by a camera 16 and upon leaving the user turns the doorknob 34 and the doorknob sensor 18 activates a visual display 32 and audible alarm 30 with an inadequate washing alert or thank you farewell message depending on the result of the sink water usage sensor 22. The user flushes the toilet and a commode water user sensor 21 informs a processor 54 that the sink should be used and the sink water usage sensor 22 assures that the sink is operated for at least sixteen seconds for an adequate hand washing. A memory 56 and printer 58 are provided to store data and photos for later review and transfer to hard copy. Additionally the present invention includes a camera 16 facing the entrance that may be utilized when rewound to pinpoint and identify a user in violation of not washing their hands. The camera 16 has a time stamp and also enables a manager/supervisor to remotely view the comings and goings in the restroom from an office.