# US 2014/0190519 A1 · Cleaning and disinfecting apparatus for treating containers for human excretions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190519 A1 - Document ID: US20140190519A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/206,926 - Filed: 2014-03-12 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-14 - Assignees: MEIKO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: MEIKO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Marijan Simundic; Ingo Wiegand; Thomas Peukert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190519A1 ## CPC - B08B 9/08: Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks - A61G 9/02: Cleaning devices {(washing and rinsing machines for crockery and tableware A47L15/00)} - A61L 2/24: Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation - A47L 15/4223: {Devices for water discharge, e.g. devices to prevent siphoning, non-return valves} - A61L 2103/15: Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) ## Abstract A cleaning and disinfecting apparatus for treating at least one container for human excretions. The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus comprises at least one cleaning chamber with at least one fluid device for applying at least one cleaning fluid to the container. The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus is configured to carry out at least one cleaning program, wherein, in the cleaning program, the container is emptied and the cleaning fluid is applied thereto. The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus furthermore has at least one image detector. The image detector is configured to identify at least one property of the container. The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus is configured to influence the cleaning program in accordance with the identified property. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cleaning and disinfecting apparatus for treating a container for human excretions, comprising: a cleaning chamber having a fluid device for applying a cleaning fluid to the container; a holder for holding the container, the holder having a loading position outside of the cleaning chamber and a cleaning position within the cleaning chamber, wherein, in the loading position the container can be introduced into the holder and removed from the holder by a user, and in the cleaning position the cleaning fluid can be applied to the container positioned in the holder; an outflow comprising an odor trap; the apparatus configured to carry out a cleaning program comprising the following steps: emptying the container automatically, wherein, when emptying, the container is pivoted and/or tilted from a transport position in which the container contents remain in the container into an emptying position in which the container points downward such that the container contents can flow out of the container and into the outflow; applying the cleaning fluid to the container; and an image detector arranged outside of the cleaning chamber and being configured to identify a property of the container prior to and/or during insertion of the container into the cleaning chamber, wherein the processor is configured to influence the cleaning program in accordance with the identified property. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image detector comprises at least one camera. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a movable door, at least one holder for holding the container being connected to the door, wherein the image detector is configured to identify the property of the container in the holder when the door is open. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the movable door is a flap. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image detector is configured to identify the property in the loading position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the property is selected from the group consisting of: a kind of the container; a filling of the container with human excretions; a degree of soiling of the container; a kind of soiling of the container; a suitability of the container for cleaning in the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus; one or both of a location or a position of the container. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the property is a kind of the container, wherein the kind of the container is one or both of a container type or a container shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the property is a filling of the container with human excretions, wherein the filling of the container is one or both of a filling amount or a kind of filling. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the property is a filling of the container with human excretions, wherein the filling of the container is an identification as to whether or not a watery filling is present. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the influencing of the cleaning program is selected from: a selection of a suitable cleaning program from a list of cleaning programs; a suggestion for a suitable cleaning program to a user of the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus; an influencing of at least one parameter of the cleaning program; a temperature of the cleaning fluid; an actuation of various nozzles; an application on the goods to be cleaned by nozzles which change in position; one or both of a prevention of the cleaning program or at least one subsequent cleaning program step of the cleaning program being carried out; an addition of at least one additional cleaning program step to the cleaning program; one or both of an output of at least one warning or at least one notification to a user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the influencing of the cleaning program is an influencing of at least one parameter of the cleaning program, wherein the influencing of the cleaning program is an influencing of a parameter selected from the group consisting of a duration of at least one cleaning program step in the cleaning program, a change in at least one concentration of at least one component of the cleaning fluid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the parameter is a change in at least one concentration of at least one component of the cleaning fluid, wherein the change in the at least one component of the cleaning fluid is one or both of a concentration of at least one cleaning agent and at least one disinfecting agent in the cleaning fluid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus is further configured to carry out at least one learning program, wherein, in the learning program, at least one container with at least one known property is introduced into a visual range of the image detector by a user, wherein the property is identified by means of the image detector and an influencing of the cleaning program corresponding to the property can be specified by the user and can be stored in the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein, in the learning program, at least one container with at least one known property is introduced in a holder by a user. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus includes at least one process sensor in an interior of the cleaning chamber, wherein the process sensor is configured to identify a degree of soiling of the container, wherein the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus is configured to modify a sequence of the cleaning program in accordance with the identified degree of soiling. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the process sensor is an optical process sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus is configured to modify one or both of a composition of the cleaning program or at least one parameter of at least one cleaning program step of the cleaning program, in accordance with the identified degree of soiling. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus is further configured to identify at least one cleaning result by means of the image detector after carrying out the cleaning program. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus has at least one warning device for outputting at least one warning to a user. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus is configured such that at least one object in at least one danger area of the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus is identified by means of the image detector. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A method for treating at least one container for human excretions, by using a cleaning and disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising the following steps: emptying the container; applying cleaning fluid to the container that is positioned in the cleaning chamber; identifying at least one property of the container with the image detector; and influencing the cleaning program in accordance with the identified property. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein at least one image of the container is recorded by means of the image detector. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method for treating at least one container for human excretions as claimed in claim 21, wherein the container is emptied during the cleaning program within the cleaning chamber.