US 4,688,585 AGranted

Automatic washer, especially for cleaning hands and sterilizing articles

AssigneeArzneimittel GmbH Apotheker Vetter & Co. Ravensburg

InventorHelmut Vetter

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Abstract

An automatic washer for cleaning objects, particularly hands, comprises a housing substantially enclosed on all sides with at least one opening for introduction of the objects to be cleaned, at least one nozzle, preferably a plurality of nozzles, for admitting at least one cleaning medium, whereby the nozzles are aligned and oriented appropriately to clean the surfaces of the object to be cleaned positioned in the interior of the housing, a control device detecting and responding to characteristics, particularly the shape, orientation, and position, of the object inserted into the interior of the housing to be cleaned, so as to activate the cleaning process when those characteristics correspond to those preset in the control device, and an operating mechanism which monitors and controls the method and timely running of the cleaning process.

An automatic washer for the reproducible washing of hands and other articles and for preventing the contamination of a surrounding space, said washer comprising:

a box-like housing defining a washing chamber sealed from said surrounding space and formed with at least one wall provided with at least one opening receiving a flexible seal through which a hand to be washed can be inserted;
nozzle means including at least one nozzle orientable in said housing to train a jet of at least one cleaning medium upon an object disposed in said chamber and which can be a hand introduced through said opening;
program-storage means provided with preprogrammed parameters of cleaning processes including:
washing, rinsing and drying fluids constituting respective cleaning media to be discharged by said nozzle means,
patterns of distribution of said cleaning media onto and over objects of various orientations, configurations and types adapted to be disposed in said chamber,
amounts of said cleaning media to be discharged by said nozzle means onto and over objects of various orientations, configurations and types adapted to be disposed in said chamber, and
duration of discharge of said cleaning media by said nozzle means onto and over objects of various orientations, configurations and types adapted to be disposed in said chamber for cleaning and decontamination thereof;
means for detecting and responding to the shape, orientation and position of an object introduced into said chamber and connected to said program-storage means for effecting washing of said object introduced into said chamber in accordance with selected ones of said parameters of cleaning media and of patterns of distribution, amounts of cleaning media and duration of discharge in accordance with the detected shape, orientation and position to ensure complete cleaning of said object introduced into said chamber;
and
means for signalling the completion of a program of washing in accordance with said selected ones of said parameters.

7 more elements

Facts

Application

06/782,491Filed 1 Oct 1985

Priority

EP 85104320.810 Apr 1985

Granted

25 Aug 1987

Term ends

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Classification8 codes

G08B 21/245
Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms: reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
A47K 7/04
Body washing or cleaning implements: mechanical washing or cleaning devices, hand or mechanically, i.e. power operated
A61L 2/24
Disinfection or sterilisation of materials or objects, in general; Accessories therefor: apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
B08B 3/006
Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam: cabinets or cupboards specially adapted for cleaning articles by hand

Abstract

Claims11