GB2298851A - Hygiene station - Google Patents

Abstract

A hygiene station (1) comprises a soap tank (3), supported by a wall-mounted support (5), and a soap dispensing means. Each time a quatity of soap is dispensed a counter is incremented. The current count is displayed on a display 7. A security key means is provided and operation of the security key means, e.g. insertion in a socket (8) on the support (5) resets the counter.

Description

Hygiene Station Description The present invention relates to a hygiene station.

The development of health and safety legislation places an increasing burden on the management of restaurants, food processing businesses and the like, to ensure that their staff wash their hands properly and frequently. It is wellknown that soap is essential for hands to be properly washed. This is recognised in the design of the "Wash 'n' Rinse" product sold by Wash 'n' Rinse Inc. of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA which comprises a hygiene station including soap dispensing means, means for generating a soap signal indicative of the dispensing of soap and a totalizer which is incremented in response to soap being dispensed.The totalizer provides a record of the tvt- number of hand-washes with soap which may be used by management of a restaurant, food processing business or the like, to monitor the hand-washing activity of its staff.

The totalizer can be a useful management tool for a period after installation when only a few digits of the totalizer have been used.. However, in practice, the totalizer value loses its impact once 4 or more digits are used and its effectiveness requires that the totalizer value is regularly monitored and recorded. The high turnover of staff in the catering industry means that it is easy for the monitoring of the totalizer value to be dropped.

It is an aim of the present invention to overcome the afore-mentioned problem.

According to the present invention, there is provided a hygiene station comprising soap dispensing means, means for generating a soap signal indicative of the dispensing of soap, a display device, control input means and control means, wherein the control means is responsive to the soap signal to increment a count value and cause the display to display said count value, and responsive to a predetermined security key entry operation of the control input means to reset said count value. The key entry operation may comprise entering a code into a key pad either on the hygiene station or a remote unit.

Such a remote unit may plug into the station or signal it using electromagnetic waves, e.g. infra-red. If a remote key unit is used, the code may be stored within the remote unit so that it does not need to be remembered by the responsible person. A physical key could also be used with a key switch to perform the key entry operation.

Preferably, the station includes a clock means and the display device is responsive to the clock means to display a time. The time may be displayed in 12 or 24 hour format or as a time elapsed, e.g. from the start of a shift.

Preferably, the station includes data logging means for logging data comprising a record of soap dispensing operations by the soap dispensing means. The data logging means may comprise a memory, e.g. RAM or a magnetic media, which can be interrogated for processing by a remote computer.

Preferably, the station also comprises a non-resettable counter means, wherein the control means is responsive to the soap signal to increment the count value of the counter means. For improved confidence that hands are being washed correctly, the counter means may only be incremented after a full hand wash cycle has been completed. The soap signal may be generated directly from a soap dispensing operation or from another operation which can only occur after soap has been dispensed. The counter means may be implemented using software, hardware or firmware.

In a broad aspect, the present invention is concerned only with the dispensing of soap. However, it is often convenient to supply both soap and water from a single unit. Thus, a hygiene station may conveniently include piping, an electrically controllable valve for controlling the flow of water along the piping and a proximity detector for detecting a person in hand-washing relation to the station, wherein the control means is responsive to the proximity detector to control the valve and soap dispensing means according to a predetermined hand washing regime. An suitable regime would comprise the steps of: (a) opening the valve for a first period; (b) closing the valve and dispensing soap, if the output of the proximity detector still indicates a person in hand-washing relation to the station; and (c) opening the valve for a second period.The proximity detector may be arranged to detect a hand in a position to receive water or soap. However, it could be arranged to detect a person standing by the station. The proximity detector may be active, e.g.

using an IR transmitter and an IR receiver, or passive, e.g. heat detecting.

Preferably, soap is only dispensed is a person's hands are present, e.g. for W ... - g, fu r yrrurrruuuru Conveniently, the present invention provides an add-on unit for a conventional soap tank, comprising a shelf portion containing the soap dispensing means and arranged to receive a tank, the soap dispensing means being configured to receive soap from the tank.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a hygiene station according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a key device for the station of Figure 1; Figure 3 is bottom view of the station of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a rear view of the station of Figure 1 with the back panel removed; Figure; is a block schematic of the electronics module of the station of Figure 1; Figures 6 are a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the station of Figure 1; Figures 7a to 7m illustrate the display of the station of Figure 1; and Figure 8 shows a second embodiment of a hygiene station according to the present invention; Figure 9 is a block schematic of the electronics module of the station of Figure 8; Figure 10 shows an electronic key of a third embodiment of a hygiene station according to the present invention; and Figure 11 illustrates a process for configuring third embodiment of a hygiene station..

Referring to Figure 1, a hygiene station 1 comprises a generally L-shaped body 2 and a soap tank 3. The soap tank 3 has a removable lid 3a and is supported on a shelf portion 4 formed by the lower part of the body 2. The rear part 5 of the body 2 extends upwardly beyond the soap tank 3 and has its upper front margin 6 chamfered. A two row liquid crystal display (LCD) 7 is located on the chamfered portion 6 of the body 2. A socket 8 is mounted on the top face 9 of the body 2.

Referring to Figure 2, an electronic key 10 comprises a jack plug 11 and an electronic module 12. The electronic module 12 is coupled to the jack plug 11 by a lead 13 and is provided with a push button 14. The electronics module 12 stores a code which is output to the jack plug 12 when a user presses the button 14.

Referring to Figure 3, the bottom of the shelf portion 4 is provided with a water inlet for receiving inflow piping 15, a soap and water outlet 17, two infra-red light emitting diodes 18, an infra-red sensitive transistor 19 and an inlet 20 for electrical power.

Referring to Figure 4, an electronics module 21 is mounted within the rear part 5 together with a float switch 22 for deteaing when the level of soap in the tank 3 is low, a solenoid valve 23, coupled to the inlet piping 15 for controlling the flow of washing water, and an electrically controllable soap dispensing valve 24. The output of the solenoid valve 23 is coupled with the output of the soap dispensing valve 24 to the soap and water outlet 17.

Electrical power is supplied to the electronics module 21 via a lead 25 which passes through the inlet 20 to a mains power supply unit (PSU) 26. Control signals are applied to the solenoid valve 23, the soap dispensing valve 24 and LCD 7 through respective signal wires 27, 28, 29 from the electronics module 21. The electronics module 21 receives control signals from the socket 8 and the float switch 22 via respective signal wires 30, 31. An infra-red sensor unit 41 is located in the shelf portion 4, adjacent the solenoid valve 23 and the soap dispensing valve 24. The infra-red sensor unit 41 include the infra-red light emitting diodes 18 and the infra-red sensitive transistor 19, and supplies a signal, indicative of the presence of an object, e.g. a hand, below the soap and outlet 17, to the electronics module 21.Electrical power is supplied to the infra-red sensor unit 41 from the electronics module 21.

Referring to Figure 5, the electronics module 21 comprises primarily a microcontroller 32, a ROM 33 storing a program for controlling the operation of the station 1, a RAM 34 for storing variable data required during operation of the station 1, an LCD driver 35, a UART 36, a clock unit 44 and a bus 37 which links the microcontroller 32, the ROM 33, the RAM 34, the LCD driver 35, the UART 36 and the clock unit 44. In addition to being coupled to the bus 37, the microcontroller 32 receives an input signal from the float switch 22 via signal wire 31 and an input signal from the infra-red sensor circuit 41 via signal wire 38, and outputs control signals for the solenoid valve 23 and the soap dispensing valve 24 via respective buffer amplifiers 39, 40 and signal wires 27, 28.

In the interests of clarity, the power distribution within the electronics module 21 is not shown in detail in Figure 5. However, a voltage supply circuit 42, comprising the necessary voltage regulators, is provided. A backup battery 43 is also provided in association with voltage supply circuit 42 so that data stored in the RAM 34 is not lost during a failure of the power supply and to allow a suitable warning message to be displayed by the LCD 7. The voltage supply circuit 42 also applies a signal to the microcontroller 32 which indicates whether mains power is still being provided to the station.

The hygiene station 1 described above can be provided in two forms. In a first form, the station 1 is responsible for the supply of washing water. In the second form, the station 1 is not responsible for the supply of washing water, in which case no water supply is coupled to the solenoid valve 23 and indeed the solenoid valve 23 may be omitted.

The operation of a hygiene station 1 of the first form, under the control of a program stored in the ROM 33, will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7m.

Referring to Figure 6, on start up the microcontroller 32 performs step S1 to display the message shown in Figure 7a on the LCD 7. The message shown in Figure 7a is the default message and comprises: the current time "16:22", whether the station is in autopurge mode "PG", the total number of hand washes in the present session "THW123" and the phrase "WASH YOUR HANDS". The display may be static or may change with time, for instance the phrase "WASH YOUR HANDS" could be alternated with an client defined phrase or an advertisement.

At step S2, microcontroller 32 checks to see if the station 1 is to be reset by interrogating the UART 36. If the station 1 is not to be reset, the microcontroller 32 checks the signal from the voltage supply unit 42 to determine whether the station still has mains power, step S3, and the signal from the float switch 22 to determine whether there is adequate soap , step S4.

If both of these conditions are met, the microcontroller 32 determines whether it is time to perform a purge operation, step S5.

If it is not time to perform a purge operation, the microcontroller 32 checks the signal from the infra-red sensor unit 41 to determine whether there are any hands under the station 1, step S6. If no hands are detected, the microcontroller 32 returns to step S2. However, if hands are detected, the microcontroller 32 causes the LCD 7 to display the message shown in Figure 7b, step S7. Then the microcontroller 32 opens the solenoid valve 23 for a predetermined period, step S8. As water has flowed through the station 1 at step S8, the purge timer is reset at step S9.

After the flow of water at step S8, the microcontroller 32 again checks that there are hands under the station 1 at step S10. If hands are detected, the microcontroller 32 displays the message shown in Figure 7c on the LCD 7, step S11, and then opens the soap dispensing valve 24 for a predetermined period, step S12. Once the soap dispensing valve 24 has been opened, the microprocessor increments the "total hand wechocn and the "hand washes in the present shift" values stored in the RAM 34, step S13.

At the succeeding step S14, the microcontroller 32 displays the message shown in Figure 7d on the LCD 7. During this step, the microcontroller 32 continuously modifies the displayed message to indicate the time remaining, before rinsing water is supplied, in the positions indicated with an "X".

Once, the soaping up time has elapsed, the microcontroller 32 changes the displayed message to that shown in Figure 7e. Then the solenoid valve 23 is opened again to supply rinsing water and the microcontroller 32 updates the positions indicated by "X"s to show the time remaining for rinsing, step S16.

At the end of rinsing, the message shown in Figure 7f is displayed for a short period at step S17 before operation returns to step S1..

Returning now to step S2, if a user has inserted the electronic key 10 into the socket 8 and presses the button 14, a code is transmitted from the electronics module 12 of the key 10 to the UART 36. The reception of this code by the UART 36 will be detected by the microcontroller 32 and step S18 will be carried out. At step S18, the received code is compared with a code stored in the ROM 33 and, if the codes match, step S19 is performed. Step S19 comprises resetting the total hand washes in the present shift value to 7ero; the "total hand washes" count value remains unchanged. After the resetting of the "total hand washes in present shift" value, the microcontroller 32 causes the message shown in Figure 7g to be displayed for short period, step S20.

Operation then returns to step S1.

If the codes do not match at step S18, the message shown in Figure 7h is displayed (step S21) and operation is halted until the station is powered down and restarted. This enables an authorised user to detect that someone has attempted to compromise the station 1. The backup battery 43 will protect the "total hand washes in present shift" and the "total hand washes" values during the restarting procedure.

If it is determined at step S3 that the mains power has been lost, operation passes to step S22 where the microcontroller 32 causes the message shown in Figure 7i to be displayed. Thereafter, the microcontroller 32 repeatedly checks for the retablishment of mains power at step S23 and on the return of mains power operation passes back to step S1.

If it is determined at step S4 that the level of soap in the soap tank 3 is low, step S24 is performed, wherein it is determined whether the soap tank 3 is actually empty. If the tank is not empty, step S25 is carried out and the display is caused to alternate the message shown in Figure 7j with the default message shown in Figure 7a, where otherwise only the default message would be shown. However, if the tank 3 is in fact empty, the message shown in Figure 7k is displayed and operation halted until the soap tank 3 is refilled and the station 1 powered down and up again, step S26.

If it is determined that a purge is due at step S5, the display is changed to show the message shown in Figure 71, step 527, while the solenoid valve 23 is opened to purge the piping 15 and the solenoid valve 23, step S28, and the purge time is reset, step S29. The purpose of the purging is to avoid the build up of bacteria in the piping 15 and the solenoid valve 23.

If it is detected that hands have been removed at step S10, step S30 is performed to display the message shown in Figure 7m for a short period before operation passes back to step S1 without soap being dispensed or the hand wash count values being incremented.

The foregoing description of the operation of the station is merely by way of example. The skilled person could readily modify the program to allow for alternatives. For example, in the absence of soap, it may be considered desirable to continue operation with water supply only with a suitable warning message alternating with any current instruction message.

AAsc, the stattion could repeatedly ^çk for the presence of hands to ensure that a person washes their hands thoroughly. Should it be determined that hands have been removed during the washing cycle, the hand wash counters would not be incremented.

A water flow sensor could be added to the station 1 with a link to the microcontroller 32. In such a station 1, the microcontroller 32 could cause a suitable warning message to be displayed in the event of a loss of water supply.

It may also be considered desirable to carry out one or more of the test steps, such as steps S2, S3, S4, S6 or S6, more frequently than shown in Figure 6.

The operation of the station 1 in its second form is as described above but with steps S5, S7, S8, S9, S10, S15, S16, S27, S28, S29 and S30, i.e. those related to water supply, omitted.

Referring to Figure 8, a hygiene station 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is substantially the same as that shown in Figure 1.

However, the socket 8 is replaced by a key pad 50 located in an extended region of the chamfered portion 6 of the body 2 and a multiway connector 52 is mounted in a side wall of the rear part 5 of the body 2. The connector 52 may be as specified for RS-232 communication. Internally, the second embodiment is also substantially the same a the first embodiment. However, the electronics module 21 is suitably modified to take account of the key pad 50 and the connector 52.

Referring to Figure 9, the UART 36 of Figure 5 has been replaced by an interface 53 for the key pad 50 and a UART 54 has been added to provide an interface to the connector 52.

The embodiment of Figure 8 can also be in two forms, one of which controls water supply and another wrick does not. The operation of this embodiment is substantially as described with respect to the first embodiment. However, the step S2 is modified to check for operation of the key pad 50 or reception of a code via the connector 52. Furthermore, events such as soap dispensing or error conditions, are logged in the RAM 34 with time and date codes.

Alternatively, this data could be stored on a fixed or removable recording media, such as a magnetic disk.

The connector 52 may be permanently or intermittently connected to an external computer which can communicate with the microcontroller 32. The logged data can then be transmitted to the external computer by the microcontroller 32 for analysis. In the case of intermittent connection, a custom handheld unit could be provided to retrieving the logged data.

The connector 52 could be replaced by a transmitter and a receiver for a wireless communications link, using rf or optical signals.

In the foregoing embodiments, the timings of the various stages of the washing cycle are preset. However, a third embodiment allows an authorised person to configure the washing cycle and other aspects of the station as desired.

Referring to Figure 10, an electronic key 60 comprises an electronics module 61, a jack plug 62 and a lead 63 coupling the electronics module 61 and the jack plug 62. Four function keys 64, 65, 66, 67 are provided on the electronics module. The function keys 64, 65, 66, 67 may be colourcoded or marked with indicia indicating their purpose.

The station of the third embodiment is as shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5 but programmed to take advantage of the electronic key 60 of Figure 10.

The operation of the station of the third embodiment is substantially as for the first embodiment except that the reset procedure steps S18, S1P, S20 a~n~d S21 are replaced by a routine as illustrated in Figure 11.

Referring to Figure 10 and 11, which particularly illustrates the information displayed by the display 7 and the required user operations, following step S2 of Figure 6, the display 7 is caused to show message D1. If no further action is taken by the authorised person within a predetermined period, operation returns to step S1 of Figure 6. Although not shown for the sake of clarity, operation will return to step S1 of Figure 6 from any point in the routine of Figure 11, if none of the keys 64, 65, 66, 67 is operated for the predetermined period. This means that staff are not prevented from using the station if a manager is called away during resetting and forgets to remove the electronic key. Operation also returns to step S1 of Figure 6 if the authorised person presses the THIS/OK key 66 of the electronic key 60.

If the authorised person presses the NEXT/+ key 67, the display 7 changes to show message D2. Pressing the THIS/OK key 66 causes the station to enter a cycle time setting routine. The first message D3 of the cycle time setting routine indicates the period set for pre-soap water supply. This value can be incremented and decremented by pressing the NEXT/+ key 67 and the LAST/- key 65 respectively. Once the correct period is displayed, the THIS/OK key 66 is pressed to move on to the next period to be set.

Messages D4 to D8 are displayed for setting the soap dispensing time, the soaping up time, the rinsing water supply time, the purge duration and the period between purges. Pressing the THIS/OK key 66 at display D8 brings up message D1 again.

If the NEXT/+ key 67 is pressed in response to message D2, message D9 is displayed. Pressing the THIS/OK key 66 at this point enters the station into a time and date setting routine during which messages D10 to D13 are displayed The time and date are set in the same manner as the cycle periods.

Pressing the s TXT/ + key 67 in response to fO message D9 brings up message D14. If the THIS/OK key 66 is now pressed, the "total hand washes in present shift" value is reset to zero. Finally, pressing the NEXT/+ key 67 when message D14 is displayed causes message D15, showing the total hand washes" value, to be displayed. Message D1 is then brought up by pressing the NEXT/+ key 67.

If the displayed message D1, D2, D9, D14, D15 includes LAST, pressing the LAST/- key 65 returns the display to the previous message.

Pressing the soap test key 64 causes the station to dispense one portion of soap.

In another embodiment, each worker is allocated an electronic key 10 or a PIts number. The hygiene station 1 operates in a standby mode during which it is unresponsive to its proximity detector. In the standby mode, the microcontroller 32 repeatedly checks for a user inserting his key 10 or entering his PIN using the keypad 50. Once the code has been entered, the microcontroller 32 displays an acknowloging message on the LCD 7 and the station 1 proceeds as set out above. However, the workers ID, derived from the entered code, is logged together with the details of the wash event. Thus, it can be determined when each worker washes his hands and also whether the wash was thoroughly perform, that is that soap was used. If the washing operation is not started within a predetermined time, the station 1 logs the fact and returns to its standby mode.

In a simplified embodiment, a sensor, such as a microswitch, could be arranged to detect operation of a soap demand lever of a conventional soap dispenser. Operation of the microswitch would alert a control unit to increment a counter. The control unit would require as a minimum, a resettable counter, a count display and a key switch arranged to reset the counter when operated.

In operation, the hygiene station would usually be either mounted over a wash basin or be formed as a single unit with a wash basin. However, this would not be essential if the station was not responsible for the delivery of washing water.

Claims (12)

Claims

1. A hygiene station comprising soap dispensing means, means for generating a soap signal indicative of the dispensing of soap, a display device, control input means and control means, wherein the control means is responsive to the soap signal to increment a count value and cause the display to display said count value, and responsive to a predetermined security key operation of the control input means to reset said count value.

2. A hygiene station according to claim 1, including a dock means and wherein the display device is responsive to the clock means to display a time.

3. A hygiene station according to claim 2, including data logging means for logging data comprising a record of soap dispensing operations by the soap dispensing means.

4. A hygiene station according to claim 3, wherein the logging data includes a record of error conditions.

5. A hygiene station according to any preceding claim, comprising a counter means, wherein the control means is responsive to the soap signal to increment the count value of the counter means, the counter means being non-resettable.

6. A hygiene station according to any preceding claim, including a portable electronic key device, wherein the control input means comprises an electrical socket arranged to operatively receive the key device.

7. A hygiene station according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control input means comprises a key pad, and the control means is arranged to compare a sequence, entered using the control input means with a stored code, and reset the counter if the entered sequence corresponds the stored code.

8. A hygiene station according to any preceding daim, including piping, an electrically controllable valve for controlling the flow of water along the piping and a proximity detector for detecting a person in hand-washing relation to the station, wherein the control means is responsive to the proximity detector to control the valve and soap dispensing means according to a predetermined hand washing regime.

9. A hygiene station according to claim 7, wherein the regime comprises the steps of: (a) opening the valve for a first period; (b) closing the valve and dispensing soap, if the output of the proximity detector still indicates a person in hand-washing relation to the station; and (c) opening the valve for a second period.

10. A hygiene station according to any preceding claim, comprising a shelf portion containing the soap dispensing means and arranged to receive a tank, the tank having an outlet configured for the supply of soap to the soap dispensing means.

11. A hygiene station according to claim 8, wherein soap is dispensed only in response to the proximity detector detecting the presence of a person in hand-washing relation to the station at least at the beginning and the end of a predetermined period.

12. A hygiene station substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.