Flexible mounting system for hand hygiene dispensers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10667654-B2
Application number	US-201816023974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Apr 1, 2015
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A flexible mounting system for a chemical product dispenser includes a dispenser holder and at least one mounting apparatus. The dispenser holder may be attached to the mounting apparatus by means of a releasable connection mechanism. The releasable connection mechanism may provide for attachment of the dispenser holder to the mounting apparatus in multiple orientations. In one example, the mounting apparatus includes a mounting bracket configured for mounting to a support object, such as a wall, table, counter top, cabinet, shelf, cart etc. In another example, the mounting apparatus includes a mounting clamp configured for mounting to ledges, poles, bedrails, handles, etc.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A product dispenser mounting system comprising:
a dispenser holder, the dispenser holder including:
a dispenser holder body configured to receive a product dispenser;
the dispenser holder body further including:
a sidewall having a front surface and a back surface and having a projection extending outwardly from the back surface of the sidewall; and
a back plate positioned proximate the back surface of the sidewall, the back plate further including a first aperture and aligned substantially with the projection extending outwardly form the back surface of the sidewall; and

a latch positioned between the back plate and the back surface of the sidewall, the latch including a second aperture, the walls of the second aperture defining a locking side and an unlocking side, the latch further moveable between a first locked position and a second unlocked position; and

a mounting clamp configured for fixedly mounting on a support object, the mounting clamp including:
a first jaw providing a first inward clamping surface;
a second jaw having a proximal end pivotally attached to a proximal end of the first jaw, the second jaw providing a second inward clamping surface, the first jaw and the second jaw moveable with respect to each other to apply a clamping force to the support object; and
an attachment post including:
a base portion having a shape configured to fit within the first aperture of the back plate in one or more orientations; and
a post portion extending outwardly from a top surface of the first jaw, the post portion including a cap having a diameter that is relatively larger than a diameter of the post portion, the cap further providing a bottom locking surface,

such that when the base portion of the attachment post is fit within the first aperture of the back plate, the walls of the second aperture defining the locking side engage the bottom locking surface of the cap when the latch is in the first locked position.

2. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 wherein the mounting clamp further includes an adjustment knob configured to adjust a distance between the first inward clamping surface and the second inward clamping surface.

3. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 wherein the mounting clamp further includes a tip portion pivotally attached to a distal end of the second jaw, the tip portion providing a third inward clamping surface.

4. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 wherein the support object includes one of a wall, a cabinet, a pole, a post, a counter, a table, a shelf, and a cart.

5. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 wherein the product dispenser is a manual pump bottle.

6. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 further comprising:
a sensor that detects actuation of the product dispenser; and
an indicator that is activated in response to each detected actuation of the product dispenser.

7. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 further comprising:
a sensor that detects actuation of the product dispenser; and
a counter that increments a count in response to each detected actuation of the product dispenser.

8. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 wherein data associated with detected actuations of the product dispenser is received and analyzed by a hand hygiene compliance computing system.

9. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 wherein the base portion of the attachment post and the first aperture both have a shape comprising a regular n-sided polygon such that dispenser holder is maintained in a selected one of the one or more orientations when the dispenser holder is connected to the attachment post.

10. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 , the base portion of the attachment post having a size and a shape configured to fit within the first aperture in one or more orientations such that dispenser holder is maintained in a selected one of the one or more orientations when the dispenser holder is connected to the attachment post.

11. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 , the back plate further including one or more guiderails configured to slidably receive the latch,
the second aperture of the latch further including a first wider end having a diameter that is relatively wider than a diameter of the cap and a second narrower end having a diameter that is relatively narrower than the diameter of the cap, and wherein the latch is slidably moveable along the guiderails to move the second narrower end of the second aperture with respect to the attachment post such that the locking side of the latch engages the bottom locking surface of the cap.

12. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 11 wherein the latch is further slidably moveable along the guiderails to move the first wider end of the second aperture with respect to the attachment post such that the dispenser holder may be removed from the mounting clamp.

13. The product dispenser mounting system of claim 1 wherein the post portion of the attachment post further includes a bore extending longitudinally therethrough sized to receive a projection extending outwardly from a surface of the product dispenser holder when the attachment post is received into the aperture of the product dispenser holder.

14. A mounting clamp configured for fixedly mounting on a support object and for removable connection to a product dispenser holder, the mounting clamp comprising:
a first jaw providing a first inward clamping surface;
a second jaw having a proximal end pivotally attached to a proximal end of the first jaw, the second jaw providing a second inward clamping surface, the first jaw and the second jaw moveable with respect to each other to apply a clamping force to the support object; and
an attachment post including:
a base portion having a shape configured to fit within an aperture of the product dispenser holder in one or more orientations; and
a post portion extending outwardly from a top surface of the first jaw, the post portion including a cap having a diameter that is relatively larger than a diameter of the post portion, the cap further providing a bottom locking surface, the post portion of the attachment post further including a bore extending longitudinally therethrough sized to receive a projection extending outwardly from a surface of the product dispenser holder when the attachment post is received into the aperture of the product dispenser holder.

15. The mounting clamp of claim 14 , the base portion of the attachment post having a shape comprising a regular n-sided polygon and sized to cooperate with the aperture of the product dispenser holder such that the dispenser holder is maintained in a selected one of the one or more orientations when the attachment post is received into the aperture of the dispenser holder.

16. The mounting clamp of claim 14 wherein the mounting clamp further includes an adjustment knob configured to adjust a distance between the first inward camping surface, the second inward clamping surface.

17. The mounting clamp of claim 14 wherein the mounting clamp further includes a tip portion pivotally attached to a distal end of the second jaw, the tip portion providing a third inward clamping surface.

18. The mounting clamp of claim 14 wherein the support object includes one of a wall, a cabinet, a pole, a post, a counter, a table, a shelf, and a cart.

19. The mounting clamp of claim 14 wherein the product dispenser is a manual pump bottle.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Schultz Andrew M
• Gilbertson Sarah E
• Anderson Daniel D
• Littau Cheryl A

Classifications

• A47K5/12

  for liquid or pasty soap · CPC title

• F16B2/10

  using pivoting jaws · CPC title

• A47K2201/025

  with resilient locking device · CPC title

• B05B15/62

  Arrangements for supporting spraying apparatus, e.g. suction cups · CPC title

• A47K5/1215

  applied by a peristaltic action · CPC title