Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DOOR LOCKING HAND SANITIZER SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an automated
door locking hand sanitizing system, and, more particularly, to
an automated door locking hand sanitizing system that reminds
and forces a person to wash/disinfect their hands before
permitting entry to or exit from such a facility, thereby
reducing the spread of germs and contagions.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Many diseases, such as hepatitis, have been found to
be transmittable due to a failure of people to wash their hands.
In fact, certain public health laws require those in, for
example, the food distribution field to wash their hands each
time they exit these facilities before they resume their duties.
In areas such as hospitals or labs, the spread of germs and
contagions is a serious health concern. For this reason, many
such facilities post visual signs which are intended to remind a
person to wash their hands before entry/exit, but such signs can
be easily ignored, and thus stronger warning systems are
required if such spread of disease is to be checked or
inhibited. While signs may be innocuous means of warning the
public of the need to wash their hands, with a view to reducing
the spread of germs and contagions, stronger warning means that
provide audible or visual alerts should be used in certain
public facilities to provide these reminders, such as for
employees of a restaurant, hospitals, food processing or
research facilities, or the like.
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Accordingly, there is need for an automated door locking
hand sanitizing system that utilizes a soap/disinfectant
dispenser, and which can provide audible or visual alerts for
use in a facility, such as restaurants, hospitals, food
processing or research facilities, employees of a restaurant,
hospitals, food processing or research facilities, dentist
offices, restaurant entrances, food processing plant entrances,
professional offices, drugstores, schools and day cares,
prisons, turnstiles, restroom stall doors and any other location
where the site owner desires to have every person entering or
exiting through a doorway to sanitize their hands, or the like,
such as on any building that features an automatic/ electric
door opener or door held shut with a magnetic lock or similar
locking device, for ensuring that persons entering or leaving
such a facility must disinfect their hands. There is also a need
for an automated door locking hand sanitizing system that only
permits entry/exit into these facilities once the
soap/disinfectant dispenser has been activated, with a view to
reducing the spread of germs and contagions. To this end, the
present invention effectively addresses this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A general object and advantage of the present invention is
to provide an improved automated door locking hand sanitizing
system that utilizes a soap/disinfectant dispenser, and which
can provide audible or visual alerts for use in a facility, such
as restaurants, hospitals, food processing or research
facilities, employees of a restaurant, hospitals, food
processing or research facilities, dentist offices, restaurant
entrances, food processing plant entrances, professional
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offices, drugstores, schools and day cares, prisons, turnstiles,
restroom stall doors and any other location where the site owner
desires to have every person entering or exiting through a
doorway to sanitize their hands, or the like, or any building
that features an automatic/ electric door opener or door held
shut with a magnetic lock or similar locking device, for
ensuring that persons entering or leaving such a facility must
disinfect their hands.
A still further object and advantage of the present
invention is to provide an improved automated door locking hand
sanitizing system that only permits unalarmed entry/exit into
these facilities once the soap/disinfectant dispenser has been
activated and utilized, with a view to reducing the spread of
germs and contagions.
A still further object and advantage of the present
invention is to provide an improved automated door locking hand
sanitizing system that issues an audio message when the supply
of soap/disinfectant in the soap/disinfectant dispenser is
running low, or when when a battery powered power source is
utilized and power is low.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an automated door locking hand sanitizing system for
controlling access through a doorway comprising a housing being
mounted near to a doorway; a motion/presence detector being
mounted on the housing and being adapted for detecting an
approach of a visitor to the doorway; a door lock mechanism for
locking and unlocking a door permitting entry or exit through
the doorway; a processor being mounted in the housing and being
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electrically coupled to the motion/presence detector; and
message conveying means being mounted on the housing and being
electrically coupled to the processor; product dispensing means
having at least one product dispensing signal emitter integrated
therewith in electronic communication with the microprocessor;
wherein when the product dispensing means are utilized, the at
least one product dispensing signal emitter transmits a signal
to the microprocessor, whereupon, the microprocessor transmits
an unlocking signal to the door lock mechanism to unlock the
door to permit entry or exit by the user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described
below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a front view of the automated door
locking hand sanitizing system of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention relates to an automated door locking
hand sanitizing system, whereby a door will not be unlocked to to
permit entry until a hand sanitizer has dispensed a pre-set
amount of disinfectant. If the hand sanitizer is not utilized,
the door shall remain shut, restricting passage until the hand
sanitizer is used. With reference now to the drawings, and in
particular to Figure 1, the automated door locking hand
sanitizing system of the present invention, generally designated
by the reference numeral 8, will now be described. In one
embodiment, the system of the present invention can be
electrically coupled to a primary power supply (not shown),
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preferably by hardwiring an electrical supply to components of
the system. In an alternative embodiment an alternate power
source, such as, for example, a battery source or through
electrical wiring, or through other means, could also be utilized
as would be apparent to one skilled in the art.
The automated door locking hand sanitizing system 8 is
proximate to a door 1 of an entranceway (or doorway) to a
facility, such as restaurants, hospitals, food processing or
research facilities, dentist offices, restaurant entrances, food
processing plant entrances, professional offices, drugstores,
schools and day cares, prisons, turnstiles, restroom stall doors
and any other location where the site owner desires to have every
person entering or exiting through a doorway to sanitize their
hands, or the like.
A proximity sensor 9 is included in the system 8 and is
adapted for detecting an approach of a visitor to the door 1 of
the entranceway, it being understood that the proximity sensor 9
can be conventional in nature, and can also be a proximity
detector. In a preferred embodiment, a processor (not shown) can
also be included within the system 8 it being understood that the
processor is electrically coupled to other components of the
system, as hereinafter described. It will, of course, be
understood that the location of the processor or the proximity
sensor 9 could be varied, as would be apparent to one skilled in
the art. In an alternative embodiment, the processor can be
housed in, or around the proximity of, the door 1 of the
entranceway, but alternatively may be located in a nearby
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location, or at a remote location from the door 1 or the
entranceway.
A data storage device (not shown) can also be included in
the system 8, and preferably has recorded thereon a message
indicating warnings such as a low supply warnings received from
hand sanitizer 3, it being understood that variations to the type
of information collected and stored by the data storage device
are possible. Examples of such information that could be
collected and stored in the data storage device could include
number of people entering and exiting the building, the number of
people and/or percentage of people who used the hand sanitizer 3,
and malfunction alerts. In an alternative embodiment, the data
storage device can also store a "low battery" warning, that can be
issued through a message conveying apparatus (not shown), when a
battery powered power source is utilized and power is low.
It will be understood that a message conveying apparatus
(not shown) can also be included in the system 8, and could be
arranged to be mounted near to (or upon) any of the hand
sanitizer 3, door 1 or entranceway. It will also be understood
that hand sanitizer 3 is, preferably, arranged to be mounted on
the outside or inside of a building, near an exterior doorway, or
located inside the building's vestibule, and that a second, or
indeed a plurality of hand sanitizers may be utilized to compel
hand sanitization prior to exit or entry. For example, the hand
sanitizer 3 could also be mounted on another component in close
proximity thereto.
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In operation, when approaching the door 1 of the entranceway
2 to a facility, in a preferred embodiment, the system 8 will
issue a voice command asking the approaching visitor to sanitize
their hands. Alternatively, flashing lights or light could also
be utilized to request the approaching visitor to sanitize their
hands. Then, the visitor must first utilize hand sanitizer 3 to
gain unalarmed entry to or exit from the facility through the
door 1 of the entranceway, it being understood that the door 1 is
normally in a locked position, the door being kept in a locked
position by a door lock mechanism, such as a magnetic lock 2 as
shown in Figure 1, or other similar device, for locking and
unlocking the door 1 permitting entry or exit. When the hand
sanitizer 3 is utilized by the visitor before approaching the
door 1 to the entranceway, the hand sanitizer 3 transmits a
signal to the processor, which then deactivates temporarily the
proximity sensor 9 scanning an area immediately adjacent or close
to the door 1 and the entranceway. At the same time, the hand
sanitizer 3 transmits a signal to the processor, whereupon the
processor will issue an unlocking signal to the electric door
strike/lock mechanism 7 of the door 1 to unlock the door to
permit entry or exit for the visitor.
However, it will be understood that if the hand sanitizer 3
has not been utilized, and no signal from the hand sanitizer 3
has been transmitted to the processor, it is to be understood
that the processor will only issue the unlocking signal to the
electric door strike/lock mechanism 7 of the door 1 to unlock the
door if a signal has been received from the hand sanitizer 3. In
this scenario, if the visitor approaches the door 1 to the
entranceway without utilizing the hand sanitizer 3, the processor
will retain the door lock mechanism of the door 1 in a locked
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position to prevent passage through the door 1 until hand washing
has occurred, and the processor then issues the access denied
audio tone to be played through message conveying apparatus, and,
simultaneously also activates the access denied emitter 13 to
provide a visual indication to the visitor that passage is not
permitted. In one embodiment, the visual indication that is given
to the visitor to indicate that passage is permitted can be a
"green" light, and the visual indication that is given to the
visitor to indicate that passage is not permitted is a "red
light", though it will, of course, be understood that numerous
variations as to this can be effected.
To gain entry, as noted above, the visitor utilizes the hand
sanitizer 3 before approaching the door 1 to the entranceway, and
the signal emitter (not shown) from the hand sanitizer 3
transmits a signal to a processor, which then deactivates
temporarily the proximity sensor 9 scanning an area immediately
adjacent or close to the door 1 to the entranceway, and thus
permits entry or exit for the visitor. At the same time,
processor activates access allowed emitter 11 to provide a visual
indication to the visitor that passage is permitted, and,
simultaneously also activates the access allowed audio tone to be
played through message conveying apparatus.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the
processor is, preferably, in electronic radio communication with
the hand sanitizer 3 and other components of the system through
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), electro-magnetic signals,
or a combination thereof, as is conventionally known. It will
also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the electro-
magnetic signals can include infra-red, RF, or any other electro-
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magnetic signal, as are well known in the art. Alternatively, the
connection between these components could also be hard wired.
Preferably the hand sanitizer 3 is mounted near or proximate to
the entranceway, though it will be understood that variations to
the positioning of this are possible.
In a further embodiment, communication in the system 8 can
be effected either through a hard wire connection or via wireless
radio to a remote button 6 that can allow for a release of the
electric door strike/lock mechanism 7. This button 6 can be
installed near the doorway on the inside of the building to allow
exiting by releasing the magnetic lock 2 or electric door
strike/lock mechanism 7, or can be installed at some distance,
say at a custodian's desk, to allow passage of a person not
wishing to use the sanitizer 3. An inside release button 5,or
another button or keyed switch on the system 8 could also be
utilized to release the magnetic lock 2 or electric door
strike/lock mechanism 7.
In a further embodiment, the processor may also issue an
audible message to individuals who are attempting to enter (or
exit) the door 1 to the entranceway, and who have not utilized
the hand sanitizer 3, through the playing of a recorded audio
message or reminder (such as, "Soap and Rinse your hands" or
"please sanitize your hands to gain entry to this building")
through the message conveying apparatus, it being understood that
variations as to the type of message conveyed are possible. In
this embodiment, the audible message is activated when the
visitor has attempted to gain entry/exit by passing through the
door 1 to the entranceway, and the processor recognizes that no
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signal from the hand sanitizer 3 has been transmitted to the
processor, at which point the processor issues a signal to the
message conveying apparatus to issue the recorded access denied
audio tone to the visitor. It will, of course, be understood that
multiple such reminders could be effected, if the processor is so
programmed.
It will also be understood that such reminder messages can
also be conveyed in the form of a visual reminder, such as
through use of an LED sign (not shown), or other types of sounds
that are emitted for the user to hear, it being understood that
variations to these conveyed messages are possible, such as MP3's
for example.
In a still further embodiment, when supplies are low in the
hand sanitizer 3, the hand sanitizer 3 transmits a signal to the
processor to activate the low supply (or low soap) warning to be
played or conveyed (either through an audio of visual reminder)
through the message conveying apparatus. In much the same manner,
when battery power for the system is low, the processor activates
the low battery warning to be played through message conveying
apparatus when this occurs.
In a still further embodiment, an electronic counter and/or
electric eye (not shown) component could be utilized to
physically count the number of people entering/exiting the
building versus the number of signals received by the processor
from hand sanitizer 3.
In a further embodiment, the automated door locking hand
sanitizing system 8 will further comprise an attached shelf 4
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=
for placement on or around the doorway, for the convenience of
placing a coffee or other liquid, a set of keys or small package
that a person wishing to travel through the doorway may be
carrying.
In a further embodiment, the automated door locking hand
sanitizing system 8 will further comprise an accelerometer,
which is designed to detect vandalism attacks. In a still
further embodiment, the automated door locking hand sanitizing
system 8 will further comprise an internal heater in connection
therewith, whereby when the system is utilized outdoors in
exterior installations, operation in cold weather is
facilitated.
The present invention has been described herein with regard
to preferred embodiments. However, it will be obvious to persons
skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications
can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as
described herein.
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