Hand cleaning systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11576535-B2
Application number	US-202117340970-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2021
Priority date	Jun 5, 2020
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

An integrated hand cleaning system includes a hand cleaning housing including dispensing spout and a sensor. An actuator is operatively connected to the housing. A cleaning substance reservoir is in fluid communication with the dispensing spout. A controller is operatively connected to the sensor and to the actuator. The controller is configured to activate the actuator based on detection of a user's hand by the sensor. A method for controlling a hand cleaning system includes receiving, with a controller, a sensor signal from a sensor in a hand cleaning housing. The method includes activating an actuator of a hand cleaning system with the controller based on the sensor signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated hand cleaning system comprising:
a hand cleaning housing including dispensing spout and a sensor;
an actuator operatively connected to the housing;
a cleaning substance reservoir in fluid communication with the dispensing spout; and
a controller operatively connected to at least one other lavatory device, to the sensor and to the actuator, wherein the actuator and the sensor are in electrical communication with at least one power source, wherein the controller is configured and adapted to sequence power to the actuator with the controller depending on whether the at least one other lavatory device is drawing power, wherein the controller is configured to activate the actuator based on detection of a user's hand by the sensor.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cleaning substance reservoir includes a plurality of separate portions, each of the plurality of separate portions in selective fluid communication with the dispensing spout depending on a user input.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured and adapted to be operatively connected to at least one other lavatory system.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hand cleaning housing is at least partially mounted on a cabin wall.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the cabin wall is dividing between a lavatory area and a seating area.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hand cleaning housing is made from a non-flammable material.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hand cleaning housing is made from stainless steel.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is outside of the hand-cleaning housing.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the power source is at least one of a vibration or UV harvesting energy device.

10. A hand cleaning system for an aircraft, the hand cleaning system comprising:
a hand cleaning housing mounted to a wall in a cabin of an aircraft, the housing including dispensing spout and a sensor;
an actuator operatively connected to the housing; and
a cleaning substance reservoir in fluid communication with the dispensing spout;
a controller operatively connected to at least one other lavatory device, to the sensor and to the actuator, wherein the actuator and the sensor are in electrical communication with at least one power source, wherein the controller is configured and adapted to sequence power to the actuator with the controller depending on whether the at least one other lavatory device is drawing power.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the cleaning substance reservoir includes a plurality of separate portions, each of the plurality of separate portions in selective fluid communication with the dispensing spout depending on a user input.

12. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the wall in the cabin divides between a lavatory area and a seating area.

13. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the hand cleaning housing is made from a non-flammable material.

14. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the hand cleaning housing is made from stainless steel.

15. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the reservoir is outside of the hand-cleaning housing.

16. A method for controlling a hand cleaning system, the method including:
receiving, with a controller, a sensor signal from a sensor in a hand cleaning housing; and
activating an actuator of a hand cleaning system with the controller based on the sensor signal; and
sequencing power to the actuator with the controller depending on whether another lavatory device is drawing power.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising dispensing at least one hand cleaning substance from at least one reservoir through a spout of the hand cleaning housing.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , further comprising tracking a liquid level of the at least one reservoir with the controller by tracking a count of times dispensing the at least one hand cleaning substance occurs.

19. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising tracking an actuator life of the actuator with the controller by tracking a count of times dispensing the at least one hand cleaning substance occurs.

20. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the power source is at least one of a vibration or UV harvesting energy device.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Mckee Jefferey
• Vaninetti Travis J
• Hensler Michael W
• Munson Thomas
• Hashberger Frank
• Vignal Pierre J
• Bajekal Sanjay

Classifications

• A47K5/1217 Primary

  Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism · CPC title

• B64D11/02 Primary

  Toilet fittings · CPC title

• B64D11/00

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A47K5/1202

  dispensing dosed volume (A47K5/1201 takes precedence) · CPC title