IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0346198
(2008-12-30)
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등록번호 |
US-7754021
(2010-08-02)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Barnhill, Paul R.
- Johannsen, Thomas M.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Resurgent Health & Medical, LLC
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
11 인용 특허 :
172 |
초록
▼
A wash cylinder or chamber for an automated cleaning station to clean an object or a person's body part includes nozzles on the interior of the cylinder, the nozzles of one embodiment comprising an increasing roll angle providing a novel spray pattern. Additionally, embodiments of the invention incl
A wash cylinder or chamber for an automated cleaning station to clean an object or a person's body part includes nozzles on the interior of the cylinder, the nozzles of one embodiment comprising an increasing roll angle providing a novel spray pattern. Additionally, embodiments of the invention include fluid guidance and conveyance structures, angled nozzles, sealing structures, finger guards, nozzle ribs, wash chamber seating mechanisms and drains, and nozzle inlays having a plurality of nozzles. Also disclosed are methods of washing an object or body part using a wash cylinder or chamber and methods of assembling a wash cylinder or chamber.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A method, comprising: initiating a flow of a first fluid into a rotatable wash chamber of a cleaning station, the rotatable wash chamber including a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and the second end connected to the cleaning station, the wash chambe
What is claimed is: 1. A method, comprising: initiating a flow of a first fluid into a rotatable wash chamber of a cleaning station, the rotatable wash chamber including a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and the second end connected to the cleaning station, the wash chamber including an axis of rotation, the wash chamber including an appendage receiving cavity located within and defined by the wash chamber, the appendage receiving cavity being accessible through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber and being adapted to receive at least a portion of the appendage for washing, wherein the wash chamber comprises a housing enclosing substantially the appendage receiving cavity, the appendage receiving cavity being accessible by the at least one appendage through an opening in the housing; rotating the wash chamber; conveying the first fluid directly to at least one nozzle of a plurality of nozzles disposed on the housing, the conveying including routing the first fluid through a fluid conveyance structure that delivers the first fluid to the at least one nozzle, the fluid conveyance structure located adjacent to a void space, wherein the fluid conveyance structure is offset from a center of the wash chamber at least a first radial distance, the center being substantially collocated along the axis of rotation of the wash chamber, wherein the void space is located at a second radial distance from the center of the wash chamber, wherein the first radial distance is substantially equal to the second radial distance for a given longitudinal position along a longitudinal length of the wash chamber, and wherein, when the fluid conveyance structure is filled with the first fluid, the void space is not filled with the first fluid; and projecting the first fluid through a fluid inlet, through the fluid conveyance structure, and the at least one nozzle, and into the appendage receiving cavity; wherein the wash chamber is rotated about the axis of rotation at least during the step of projecting the fluid. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid conveyance structure includes a tube extending from a fluid manifold proximate to the fluid inlet to the at least one nozzle of the plurality of nozzles and wherein the wash chamber is free of an outer housing. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid conveyance structure conveys the first fluid to a subset of the plurality of nozzles, the subset including the at least one nozzle but not all of the plurality of nozzles, wherein the fluid conveyance structure is a tube, wherein each of a plurality of tubes services a multi-member set of nozzles, and wherein the plurality of tubes are in fluid communication with a common manifold. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the void space is spaced apart from the fluid conveyance structure along an arc length of the wash chamber, wherein the fluid conveyance structure comprises the first fluid, and wherein, at the same time, the void space is free of the first fluid. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wash chamber further comprises an inner member, an outer member, and an annular cavity located between the inner member and the outer member, wherein the fluid conveyance structure and the void space are located between the inner member and the outer member. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid conveyance structure comprises one or more of a tube, duct, channel and groove, wherein the housing comprises inner and outer cylinders, and wherein an annular space between the inner and outer cylinders is divided into one or more fluid conveyance structures and one or more void spaces. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid conveyance structure includes a first fluid duct extending from a fluid manifold proximate to the fluid inlet at an end of the wash chamber, to the at least one nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, wherein the housing comprises inner and outer cylinders, and wherein an annular space between the inner and outer cylinders is divided into one or more fluid conveyance structures and one or more void spaces. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the housing comprises inner and outer cylinders, wherein an annular space between the inner and outer cylinders is divided into one or more fluid conveyance structures and one or more void spaces, and wherein the plurality of nozzles includes: a first set of nozzles disposed on cylindrical portion of the wash chamber in a helical pattern; wherein the first fluid duct connects each nozzle in the first set of nozzles to the fluid manifold. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the fluid conveyance structure includes a second fluid duct and the plurality of nozzles includes a second set of nozzles disposed on the wash chamber in a ring proximate to the first end of the wash chamber, wherein the second fluid duct connects each nozzle in the second set of nozzles to the fluid manifold. 10. The method of claim 9, where the first fluid duct and the second fluid duct are interconnected. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid conveyance structure delivers the first fluid to a discrete subset of the plurality of nozzles, the discrete subset comprising the at least one nozzle and at least a second nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, and wherein the void space is not enclosed fully by the housing. 12. A method, comprising: providing a cleaning station, comprising a rotatable wash chamber; an appendage receiving cavity located within and enclosed substantially by a housing member, the appendage receiving cavity being accessible, by at least a portion of an appendage of a user, through an opening in the wash chamber; a plurality of nozzles disposed on the wash chamber; and at least one fluid conveyance structure positioned in the annular space and in communication with at least one nozzle, the at least one fluid conveyance structure dividing the annular space into fluid carrying and non-fluid carrying portions, whereby, when the fluid carrying portion comprises the at least one cleaning fluid, the non-fluid carrying portion is free of the at least one cleaning fluid; rotating the rotatable wash chamber; conveying at least one cleaning fluid to at least one nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, the conveying including routing the at least one cleaning fluid through the fluid conveyance structure that delivers the at least one cleaning fluid to the at least one nozzle; and projecting the at least one cleaning fluid through the plurality of nozzles and into the appendage receiving cavity. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the fluid conveyance structure conveys the at least one cleaning fluid to a subset of the plurality of nozzles, the subset including the at least one nozzle but not all of the plurality of nozzles, wherein the fluid conveyance structure is a tube, wherein each of a plurality of tubes services a multi-member set of nozzles, and wherein the plurality of tubes are in communication with a common manifold. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one fluid conveyance structure comprises a plurality of fluid conveyance structures and wherein the fluid conveyance structures are in communication with a common manifold. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the manifold comprises an fluid input and a protrusion positioned on a surface opposite the fluid input to redirect the at least one cleaning fluid flowing through the fluid input, and wherein the protrusion is sloped. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein at least first and second nozzles of the plurality of nozzles are mounted on a common inlay, the inlay being removably disposed on the wash chamber, and wherein the first and second nozzles receive the at least one fluid from a common fluid conveyance structure. 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the housing member comprises inner and outer cylinders, wherein an annular space between the inner and outer cylinders is divided into one or more fluid conveyance structures and one or more void spaces, and wherein the one or more fluid guidance structures comprises one or more of a tube, duct, channel, and groove. 18. A method, comprising: providing a cleaning station, comprising: a rotatable wash chamber, the wash chamber comprising a housing; an appendage receiving cavity located within and substantially enclosed by the housing, the appendage receiving cavity being accessible, by at least a portion of an appendage of a user, through an opening in the housing; a plurality of nozzles disposed on the housing; and a plurality of fluid conveyance structures positioned at discrete intervals on an exterior of the housing and in communication with the plurality of nozzles, wherein a substantial portion of the housing exterior is free of fluid conveyance structures; conveying at least one cleaning fluid to the plurality of nozzles, the conveying including routing the at least one cleaning fluid through the plurality of fluid conveyance structures that delivers the at least one cleaning fluid to the plurality of nozzles; and projecting the at least one cleaning fluid through the plurality of nozzles and into the appendage receiving cavity. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of fluid conveyance structures are in fluid communication with a common manifold. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein a plurality of the nozzles provide spray patterns that differ in at least one of a roll angle and a pitch angle.
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