Patent Application
20190335976
The present invention relates generally to an automated threshold sanitizing apparatus. More so, the present invention relates to a sanitizing apparatus that cleans and sanitizes the soles of footwear and feet in a hands-free manner by dispensing a pre-saturated sanitized sheet across the threshold for the user to clean and sanitize the soles; whereby a receiving roller draws the sanitized sheet from a dispensing roller to advance a predetermined section of the sheet across the threshold; whereby the receiving and dispensing rollers are housed in a cartridge on opposite sides of the threshold, and that enable replacement of respective rollers; whereby a sensor detects motion across the threshold, such as footwear moving away from the sheet, and transmits a signal to a motor, so that the motor drives a gear roller that meshes with, and rotates, the receiving roller; and whereby a contaminated section of the sheet is rolled onto the receiving roller for disposal, and replaced by a new sheet that is dispensed across the threshold.
The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
Typically, footwear, such as footwear, sandals, socks, etc., and even feet are carriers of multiple contamination agents that are often introduced into interiors of homes, hospitals, schools, and offices from various sources of contamination. Although any portion of the footwear is known to carry contamination, due to contact with contamination from surfaces, the majority of contamination is carried on the soles of footwear and bare feet.
Often, people acquire a great deal of dirt on the soles of their footwear. Surfaces such as roads and sidewalks have a high content of food waste, animal excrement, organic decompositions, dirt and debris. This dirt contains harmful bacteria that could pose serious health risks if brought into a household or dwelling. If dirt is not removed prior to entry, it can be tracked into a building and deposited on clean floors. Dirt left on floors results in an unclean appearance and promotes the proliferation of harmful bacteria.
It is known that doormats can reduce the risk of unclean floors and bacterial growth by providing a surface that may be rubbed upon to affect the removal of dirt. Entry mats are commonly placed outside the doorways of homes, office buildings and businesses to remove dirt and debris from the soles of footwear prior to an individual's entry into the building. Unfortunately, these mats are typically simple, carpeted or moisture-absorbing surfaces that collect particulate dirt and debris. After continual use, these mats become imbedded with dirt, dust and debris that limit their usefulness when cleaning a user's feet or footwear.
Further, a difficulty, however, with most mats is that they are directed toward a single function, that is, the mat is generally a normal wiping mat that enables the user to simply apply the shoe to the mat with a rubbing or scuffing motion to the shoe to wipe the dirt and other material from the shoe. With such single function mats, the shoe does not get particularly clean and there is no way to include some disinfecting function to rid the shoe of potentially harmful materials that can then be spread to other areas, such as the inside of the home or automobile of the person.
A quick wipe on a doormat will only clean so much and has no disinfecting capabilities, leaving the floors and carpets to absorb what is left on the soles of the footwear or from the bare feet. The door mat itself can become a central point in actually infecting visitors since numerous visitors actually wipe their feet and leave germs, viruses and the like on the mat for the next person to encounter.
Typically, vacuuming the carpets where children often play cannot adequately remove all the bacteria, germs, and dirt which the mat misses and which can filter deep into the floor coverings. Because of this lack of hygiene on entry to homes and businesses, to be fully protected floors must be mopped with a disinfectant and carpets steam cleaned often to kill or remove contaminants missed at the door. Furthermore, in medical facilities shoe coverings are worn in operating rooms, but in moving around the hospital from room to room medical personnel have the potential of carrying infectious materials from one place to another on their shoes.
Often, contaminated footwear is a major concern, especially in hospital settings. Often, hospitals have isolation wards for people that have highly contagious diseases such as necrotizing fasciitis and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The hospitals attempt to control the spread of such diseases by maintaining a negative air pressure in these wards (so air flows in when a door is opened), constant filtration of the air in the wards, constant germicidal treatment, wearing of disposable outer garments, etc.
It is also known that workers in agricultural fields are constantly walking in fertilizers and insecticides, which cling to their feet and can impregnate their footwear. Working with animals creates additional problems where individuals are required to walk through fresh feces that can cling to their footwear.
Other proposals have involved cleaning the soles of feet and footwear. The problem with these cleaning methods and systems is that they do not both clean and sanitize the soles of the feet or footwear. Also, the sanitizing sheet or pad is not positioned for cleaning the soles of the footwear or feet in a hands-free manner. Even though the above cited footwear cleaning methods and systems meet some of the needs of the market, an automated threshold sanitizing apparatus. More so, the present invention relates to a sanitizing apparatus that cleans and sanitizes the soles of footwear and feet in a hands-free manner by dispensing a pre-saturated sanitized sheet across the threshold for the user to clean and sanitize the soles is still desired.
Illustrative embodiments of the disclosure are generally directed to an automated threshold sanitizing apparatus. The sanitizing apparatus serves to clean and sanitize the soles of footwear and feet in a hands-free manner, and prior to a user's entry across a threshold. The sanitizing apparatus dispenses a pre-saturated sanitized sheet across the threshold for the user to clean the soles of the footwear and feet prior to entering a building. A dispensing roller and a receiving roller advance a predetermined section of the sheet across the threshold, such that a contaminated section of the sheet is rolled onto the receiving roller for disposal, and replaced by a new sheet from the dispensing roller. Both rollers are housed in a cartridge that includes a lid for enabling access to replace and discard the rollers.
The pre-saturated sanitized sheet is maintained in a taut configuration between the rollers to prevent lateral movement by the sheet while the footwear and feet are wiping. After the user cleans and sanitizes the soles of the footwear or feet, and crosses the threshold, a sensor detects absence of the user. The sensor transmits a signal based upon the motion or presence of the object, such as the footwear moving away from the threshold.
The signal actuates the motor for a predetermined duration that is sufficient to advance a fresh section of the sheet onto the threshold. The motor drives a gear roller having teeth that mesh with the outer surface of the receiving roller. This causes the receiving roller to draw the sheet across the threshold until a new section of the sheet is made available for the subsequent users to similarly clean and sanitize the soles of the footwear and feet. The contaminated section of the sheet rolls onto the receiving roller where the receiver roller and contaminated sheets are subsequently removed for disposal.
In another aspect, the receiving cartridge and the dispensing cartridge are disposed in a spaced-apart relationship separated by a threshold.
In yet another aspect, the threshold comprises a doormat.
In yet another aspect, the sanitizing formulation of the pre-saturated sanitized sheet comprises ethanol.
In yet another aspect, the dispensing cartridge is generally rectangular.
In yet another aspect, the dispensing cartridge is fabricated from at least one of the following: stainless steel, aluminum, metal, a rigid polymer, and wood.
In yet another aspect, the motor comprises an electrical motor.
In yet another aspect, the fastening mechanism of the receiving roller includes at least one of the following: a slot, a plurality of hooks, a clamp, and an adhesive.
In yet another aspect, the receiving cartridge is generally rectangular.
In yet another aspect, the receiving cartridge is fabricated from at least one of the following: stainless steel, aluminum, metal, a rigid polymer, and wood.
In yet another aspect, the apparatus further comprises a track extending between the dispensing and receiving cartridges.
In yet another aspect, the pre-saturated sanitized sheet advances parallel with the track.
In yet another aspect, the sensor is a motion sensor.
In yet another aspect, the signal is transmitted to the motor.
In yet another aspect, the object comprises footwear or feet.
In yet another aspect, the sensor transmits the signal based upon the footwear or feet moving away from between the dispensing and receiving cartridges.
In yet another aspect, the object comprises footwear or feet wipe across the section of pre-saturated sanitized sheet between the dispensing and receiving cartridges.
One objective of the present invention is to provide a hands-free system capable of cleaning and sanitizing the soles of footwear across a threshold.
Another objective is to provide an automated threshold sanitizing apparatus that sanitizes in addition to cleaning footwear and bare feet.
Another objective is to provide an automated threshold sanitizing apparatus for more effectively cleaning, sanitizing, refreshing, and deodorizing bare feet.
Another objective is to provide a disposable pre-saturated sanitized sheet for cleaning and sanitizing the soles of the footwear and feet.
Yet another objective is to maintain the pre-saturated sanitized sheet in a taught disposition between the rollers, so as to prevent lateral movement as a user wipes the feet.
Yet another objective is to provide access inside the dispensing cartridge to replace the finished roll of pre-saturated sanitized sheet; and access inside the receiving cartridge to discard the contaminated sheet.
Yet another objective is to provide a cleaning and sanitizing apparatus that can be placed anywhere in a residential or commercial structure where desired.
Yet another objective is to provide a cleaning and sanitizing apparatus that is visually attractive, portable, easy to maintain, and easy to use.
Other systems, devices, methods, features, and advantages will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims and drawings.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views of the drawings.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “rear,” “right,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
An automated threshold sanitizing apparatus 100 is referenced in
The easy disposability, sanitizing formulation, and automatic advancement and replacement of the pre-saturated sanitized sheet 102 across the threshold 200 helps address the issue of contaminants 204 on the footwear 206, such as germs, bacteria, pathogens, chemicals, toxins, and debris on the soles of the footwear 206 being tracked across a threshold 200 by sanitizing, disinfecting, and cleaning the soles of the footwear 206; and sanitizing, refreshing, cleaning, and deodorizing the soles of bare feet crossing threshold 200.
As
Apparatus 100 dispenses a pre-saturated sanitized sheet 102 in incrementally new, clean sections across the threshold 200 for the user to clean the soles of the footwear 206 and feet prior to crossing the threshold 200. A dispensing roller 106 and a receiving roller 124 work together to advance a clean section of the sheet 102 across the threshold 200, such that a contaminated section of the sheet 102 is rolled off the threshold 200 and onto receiving roller 124 for disposal, and replaced by the new sheet from the dispensing roller 106. Both rollers 106, 124 are housed in a cartridge 116, 136 that includes a lid 118, 138 for enabling access to replace the spent dispensing roller 106 and discard the contaminated receiving roller 124.
Pre-saturated sanitized sheet 102 is maintained in a taut configuration between the rollers 06, 124 to prevent lateral movement by the sheet 102 while the footwear 206 and feet are wiping. After the user cleans and sanitizes the soles of the footwear 206 or feet, and crosses the threshold 200, a sensor 144 detects absence of the footwear 206 or feet. Sensor 144 then transmits a signal 146 based upon the motion, or presence of the object 202. Signal 146 actuates the motor 134 for a predetermined duration. Motor 134 drives a gear roller 130 having teeth 132 that mesh with the outer surface 108 of the receiving roller 124.
Consequently, this causes receiving roller 124 to draw the sheet 102 a predetermined distance across threshold 200, or until a clean section of the sheet is made available for the subsequent users to clean and sanitize the soles of the footwear 206 and feet. The contaminated section of the sheet is drawn into receiving cartridge 136 and rolled onto receiving roller 124. Apparatus 100 is sufficiently lightweight and mobile to be placed across any threshold 200 in a residential, commercial, medical, science, or agricultural structure.
As referenced in
In some embodiments, dispensing roller 106 is defined by a dispensing outer surface 108 and an inner surface 110. Outer surface 108 of dispensing cartridge 116 rotatably carries pre-saturated sanitized sheet 102 in a rolled configuration. Pre-saturated sanitized sheet 102 is defined by a free end 104, which attaches to a receiving roller 124, discussed below. Pre-saturated sanitized sheet 102 is also unique in its disposable characteristics, such as being presoaked in a sanitizing formulation. The sanitizing formulation is configured to enable a user to wipe the soles of footwear 206 and feet for sanitizing. Sheet 102 is also sufficiently rigid to wipe off contaminants 204 and large debris, such as mud and sand.
During the process of a user wiping the footwear 206 or bare feet back and forth across the pre-saturated sanitized sheet 102, the cleaning and sanitization fluid is transferred to the soles of the footwear 206 or feet of the user, and the back and forth wiping motion results in the cleaning and sanitization of the soles. The back and forth wiping motion also facilitates the evaporation of the cleaning and sanitization fluid.
The formulation of the sanitizer that saturates sheet 102 may include readily commercially available sanitizing formulations that are currently used in numerous applications, safe, tested to kill and reduce the number of germs and viruses, and approved by the EPA and FDA, respectively. In one non-limiting embodiment, ethanol forms a substantial amount of the active ingredient, and also contain moisturizers to prevent drying of the skin. Though in other embodiments, other sanitizing formulations may be used.
As
Sheet 102 positions above threshold 200 to enable cleaning and sanitizing of the soles of footwear 206 and feet. A fastening mechanism 128 on outer surface 126 of receiving roller 124 is configured to anchor a free end 104 of sheet 102 to receiving roller 124. Receiving roller 124 is urged to rotate, so as to draw in the contaminated sections of sheet 102 from dispensing roller 106 after footwear 206 and feet are cleaned and sanitized.
Turning now to
In some embodiments, apparatus 100 may further utilize receiving roller 124 to attach to, and receive the free end 104 of sheet 102. Receiving roller 124 is defined by an outer surface 126 having a fastening mechanism 128. Fastening mechanism 128 is configured to anchor the free end 104 of sheet 102 to receiving roller 124. Fastening mechanism 128 may include, without limitation, a slot, a plurality of hooks, a clamp, and an adhesive. This allows dispensing roller and receiving roller to attach to sheet 102 from opposite ends across the threshold 200.
In some embodiments, a receiving cartridge 136 is configured to contain and provide access to the receiving roller 124. Receiving cartridge 136 is defined by a plurality of receiving sidewalls 140 that form a generally rectangular shape effective for retaining the cylindrically shaped receiving roller 124. Receiving cartridge 136 is further defined by a receiving lid 138 that opens and closes to access a receiving cavity 142. This access may be useful for replacing the receiving roller 124. For example,
Looking again at
As discussed above, the frictional engagement between bushing 112 and inner surface 110 of dispensing roller 106 creates a lag on the pull from receiving roller 124. This works to retain pre-saturated sanitized sheet 102 in a generally taut configuration across the threshold 200. Specifically, the taut configuration maintains a tension across the sheet 102 in the approximate area between the rollers 106, 124 and across the threshold 200 where the user would wipe the feet or footwear 206. This helps to prevent lateral movement as a user wipes the feet during cleaning and sanitization.
Turning back to
In one non-limiting embodiment, a sensor 144 detects the absence of an object 202 between dispensing cartridge 116 and receiving cartridge 136—or across the threshold 200. Object 202 may include footwear 206, feet, lower limbs, or wheelchair components. Sensor 144 may include a motion sensor that transmits a signal 146 to the motor 134. Signal 146 is configured to command the motor 134 to power gear roller 130 for a predetermined duration, so as to draw a section of the sheet 102 from dispensing cartridge 116 to receiving cartridge 136. In essence, transmittal of signal 146 is based upon the footwear 206 or feet moving away from between the dispensing and receiving cartridge 116, 136; or after the user finishes wiping the feet. In one non-limiting embodiment, signal 146 is a radio signal.
The predetermined duration for actuating the motor 134 is sufficient to displace a contaminated section of the sheet from the threshold 200, and replace with a new section of sheet 102. In one embodiment, the duration of motor operation may be 2-6 seconds. In any case, pre-saturated sanitized sheet 102 is advanced from dispensing cartridge 116 to the receiving cartridge 136 until a clean section of the sheet 102 covers the threshold 200.
As discussed above, pre-saturated sanitized sheet 102 is disposable. Thus as shown in
In operation, as shown in
These and other advantages of the invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following written specification, claims and appended drawings.
Because many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalence.
