Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TITLE
[0001] An Apparatus for Sanitizing Objects
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present application relates generally to an apparatus for
sanitizing objects.
BACKGROUND
[0003] This section provides background information to facilitate a better
understanding of the various
aspects of the invention. It should be understood that the statements in this
section of this document
are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
[0004] Everyday items such as cell phones, pens, keys and wallets are commonly
covered in germs.
These items are often carried from location to location and are rarely
sanitized which makes them ideal
sources of contamination or disease carriers. While sanitizing wipes may be
used to clean these items,
this creates garbage and over time the cost of sanitizing wipes can be
significant. Other methods of
sanitizing could be beneficial.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0005] There is provided an apparatus for sanitizing objects. A bottom panel
and at least one peripheral
side panel create a container that has a hollow interior and a top entrance. A
fluid conduit is attached to
the at least one peripheral side panel. At least one aperture is positioned on
the at least one peripheral
side panel. The at least one aperture is provided in fluid communication with
the fluid conduit. A fluid
container is provided in fluid communication with the fluid conduit such that
fluid from the fluid
container flows from the fluid container through the fluid conduit and the at
least one aperture into the
hollow interior of the container. A pump is provided for pumping fluid from
the fluid container. An
activator is connected to the pump for activating the pump. A power source
provides power to the
pump.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-14
[0006] In one embodiment, the container is shaped like a cube and has four
peripheral side panels.
[0007] In one embodiment, the fluid conduit wraps around the container at
least twice.
[0008] In one embodiment, the activator in a motion sensor.
[0009] In another embodiment, the activator is a button positioned on the
apparatus.
[0010] In one embodiment, a timer is connected to the pump. The timer is set
to maintain the pump in
an activated state for a predetermined amount of time.
[0011] In one embodiment, a side compartment is provided. The fluid container,
the pump and/or the
power source may be positioned with the side compartment.
[0012] In one embodiment, a nozzle is positioned in fluid communication with
the at least one
aperture. The nozzle is movable to direct the flow of fluid into the hollow
interior.
[0013] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the fluid conduit is
positioned within the at least one
peripheral side panel. At least a portion of the fluid conduit may be
positioned within the at least one
peripheral side panel.
[0014] In one embodiment, the fluid conduit is the at least one side panel.
[0015] In one embodiment, the fluid conduit is integrally formed within the at
least one peripheral
panel.
[0016] In one embodiment, the fluid conduit is positioned within the bottom
panel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] These and other features will become more apparent from the following
description in which
references are made to the following drawings, in which numerical references
denote like parts. The
drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to in
any way limit the scope of
the invention to the particular embodiments shown.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-14
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially in section, of an apparatus for
sanitizing objects.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially in section, of the apparatus
for sanitizing objects.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partially in section, of the apparatus
for sanitizing objects.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the apparatus for
sanitizing objects.
[0022] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view, partially in section, of the apparatus
for sanitizing objects.
[0023] FIG. 6 is a front elevation view, partially in section, of the
apparatus for sanitizing objects.
[0024] FIG. 7 is a perspective view, partially in section, of the apparatus
for sanitizing objects.
[0025] FIG. 8 is a perspective view, partially in section, of the apparatus
for sanitizing objects.
[0026] FIG. 9 is a perspective view, partially in section, of a variation of
the peripheral side panels of the
apparatus for sanitizing objects.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] An apparatus for sanitizing an object, generally identified by
reference numeral 10, will now be
.. described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 9.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 1, an apparatus for sanitizing objects 10 has a
bottom panel 12 and at least one
peripheral side panel 14. Bottom panel 12 and peripheral side panels 14 create
a container 16 that has a
hollow interior 18 and a top entrance 20. While not shown, it will be
understood that a top panel acting
as a lid may be included. In the embodiment shown, container 16 has a cubic
shape with four peripheral
side panels 14. It will, however, be understood by a person skilled in the art
that container 16 may be
any suitable shape with any number of peripheral side panels 14. A fluid
conduit 22 is attached to the
peripheral side panel 14. At least one aperture 24 is positioned on the
peripheral side panels 14 to allow
fluid to flow into hollow interior 18 from fluid conduit 22. Apertures 24 are
in fluid communication with
fluid conduit 22. Apertures 24 are orientated to create a mist that provides
coverage to the entirety of
hollow interior 18 with minimal to no fluid exiting through top entrance 20.
Mist is created by having
apertures 24 that are smaller in diameter than fluid conduit 22 which causes
fluid exiting through
apertures 24 to be under pressure. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5,
apertures 24 are positioned on a
central axis 25 on peripheral side panel 14. It will be understood by a person
skilled in the art that
apertures 24 may be positioned anywhere on peripheral side panel 14. In the
embodiment shown in
FIG. 8, apertures 24 are positioned on peripheral side panels 14 at corners
27. In the embodiment
shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 9, apertures 24 are positioned at several locations
along fluid conduit 22.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-14
[0029] Referring to FIG. 6, a fluid container 26 is provided in fluid
communication with fluid conduit 22.
Fluid from fluid container 26 flows through fluid conduit 22 and apertures 24
into hollow interior 18 of
container 16. A pump 28 is provided for pumping fluid from the fluid container
through fluid conduit 22
and into hollow interior 18 through apertures 24. An activator 30 is connected
to pump 28 to activate
pump 28 under specific circumstances. In the embodiment shown, activator 30 is
a button 34 positioned
on container 16. It will be understood by a person skilled in the art that
button 34 may be positioned in
any suitable location on apparatus 10 but should be easily activatable by the
user. Activation of button
34 may be from direct contact by user or may be from indirect contact such as
through a flexible lid
contacting button 34. Button 34 is provided in electronic communication with
pump 28. Activator 30
may also be a motion sensor 36. It will be understood by a person skilled in
the art that activator 30 may
be any suitable device known to a person skilled in the art. As can be seen in
the embodiment shown,
button 34 and motion sensor 36 may both be used and allow for redundancy in
the apparatus. A power
source 32 provides power to pump 28.
[0030] In the embodiment show in FIG. 2, fluid conduit 22 wraps around
container 16 three times. It
will be understood by a person skilled in the art that fluid conduit 22 may be
wrapped around container
16 only once or many times. A greater number of wraps around container 16 may
result in greater
spraying coverage when combined with additional apertures 24. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 9,
fluid conduit 22 wraps around fifteen times. Apertures 24 may be positioned in
every wrap of fluid
conduit 22 or may be placed in some but not all of wraps. Fluid conduit 22 may
also be attached to
container 16 in different orientations. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7,
fluid conduit 22 is positioned
within peripheral side panels 14 and bottom panel 12. Apertures 24 in bottom
panel 12 causes fluid to
be sprayed upwards.
[0031] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a timer 40 is electronically
connected to pump 28. Timer 40
may be set to maintain pump 28 in an activated state for a predetermined
amount of time. The
predetermined amount of time may be standardized across all apparatus 10 or
may be programmable
by a user. Timer 40 may be a part of an electronic circuit board that contains
a code that links inputs and
outputs between button 30, sensor 34, pump 28 and power source 32 to activate
pump 28 at
appropriate times.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-14
[0032] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, fluid container 26, pump 28 and
power source 32 are
positioned within side compartment 42. Side compartment 42 is positioned
adjacent container 16. In
the embodiment shown, side compartment 42 and container 16 share a common
peripheral side panel
14. It will be understood that side compartment 42 and container 16 may be
separated from each other.
.. In the embodiment shown, motion sensor 36 is positioned within side
compartment 42. Line of sight to
hollow interior 18 is provided through window 44. In the alternative, motion
sensor 36 may be
positioned within window 44. It will be understood by a person skilled in the
art that motion sensor 36
may be positioned in any other suitable location such as adjacent top entrance
20 of container 16 such
that movement of an object through top entrance 20 causes activation of pump
28.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 3, a nozzle 46 may be positioned in fluid
communication with apertures 24.
Nozzles 46 may be movable to direct the flow of fluid into the hollow interior
in a specific direction.
Nozzle 46 may also create greater pressure which in turn causes increased
misting and range of fluid
exiting nozzle 46.
[0034] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, fluid conduit 22 is positioned
within peripheral side panels
14. Fluid conduit 22 may be integrally formed within peripheral side panels 14
by creating void pockets
48. Void pockets 48 are enclosed within peripheral side panels 14 to provide a
path for fluid. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 9, fluid conduit 22 acts as peripheral side panel 14.
Fluid conduit 22 is coiled
around and sealed against itself to prevent leakage between coiled loops.
[0035] While not shown, a drain may be positioned within bottom panel 12 to
allow for drainage of
excess fluid from container 16. When a drain is not provided, excess fluid may
be dumped out, allowed
to evaporate or container 16 may be dried out with a cloth, sponge or other
suitable material.
[0036] Any use herein of any terms describing an interaction between elements
is not meant to limit
the interaction to direct interaction between the subject elements, and may
also include indirect
interaction between the elements such as through secondary or intermediary
structure unless
specifically stated otherwise.
[0037] In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-
limiting sense to mean that
items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned
are not excluded. A
reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not exclude the
possibility that more than one
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-08-14
of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be
one and only one of the
elements.
[0038] It will be apparent that changes may be made to the illustrative
embodiments, while falling
within the scope of the invention. As such, the scope of the following claims
should not be limited by the
preferred embodiments set forth in the examples and drawings described above,
but should be given
the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
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