WO2011069624A1

WO2011069624A1 - Wireless monitoring of a disinfectant dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2011069624A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/007383
Authority: WO
Inventors: Udo Jorczyk; Bastian Urban
Original assignee: Fachhochschule Gelsenkirchen
Priority date: 2009-12-08
Filing date: 2010-12-06
Publication date: 2011-06-16
Also published as: DE102009057132B4; DE102009057132A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a metering dispensing device (1), in particular for disinfectant, comprising a dispenser unit (2), which has a dispensing opening (4) and can be connected to a container filled with a medium to be dispensed, further comprising a housing (5) that at least partially surrounds the dispenser unit (2). The metering dispensing device (1) has a transmitter unit (6) and a trigger means by means of which the transmitter unit (6) can be activated when the metering dispensing device (1) is actuated, wherein when the transmitter unit (6) is activated, said unit transmits a radio telegram comprising an identifier identifying the metering dispensing device (1). The invention further relates to a method and system for monitoring metering dispensing devices (1) of said type, wherein at least one metering dispensing device (1) sends a radio telegram to a receiver unit (10) and said receiver unit relays the radio telegram to a central evaluating unit (12) connected for communication purposes to the receiver unit (10), wherein the evaluating unit (12) is equipped to log radio telegrams.

Description

Wireless disinfectant dispenser monitoring

The present invention relates to a dispensing device, in particular for disinfectants, comprising a dispensing opening

Dispenser unit which is connectable to a container which is filled with a medium to be dispensed, further comprising a housing at least partially surrounding the dispenser unit. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system and method for monitoring the use of metering dispensers.

Such Dosierspendevorrichtungen are well known. They are used to provide liquid, viscous or pasteurized media from a container in a certain amount. In this case, wall-mounted models or models for placement are known, for example as a soap dispenser or as a disinfectant dispenser, as used in particular in medical practices and hospitals. These are used for hygiene, so that nosocomial infections are avoided.

It is observed that it is common in hospitals and clinics

preventable infections comes as a result of which patients die. According to one study, every tenth patient in Europe is hospitalized, and nearly one in seven is in intensive care.

Targeted disinfection of the hands, such as hand washing and hand wracking, can make a major contribution to reducing the nosocomial infection. For this reason, there is a great need to improve the quality of

Monitor and steadily improve hand hygiene in public facilities such as hospitals or retirement homes. For example, it is known

CONFIRMATION COPY Disinfectant dispenser with electronics and a memory to provide information on the number and timing of operations

be stored. Via an electrical interface, this data can be read out and processed manually. The disadvantage here is that a considerable amount of personnel and time is necessary to manually read each of these donor facilities in a facility with a variety of disinfectant dispensers. The effort would ultimately be substantial

Supplement additional costs to the donor.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a Dosierspendevorrichtung, in particular for disinfectants, which can be monitored in a simple and cost-effective manner with regard to their operation, so that from the frequency and timing of actuation of the Dosierspendevorrichtung conclusions about the consumption of the medium to be dispensed in In the case of a disinfectant, in particular, hygiene can be drawn in the device using the dosing dispenser.

This object is achieved by the metering dispenser according to claim 1, as well as the system according to claim 9 and the method according to claim 13. Advantageous developments of the invention are formulated in the subclaims.

According to the invention, a metering dispenser, in particular for

A disinfectant is proposed, comprising a dispensing opening

comprising dispenser unit which is connectable to a container which is filled with a medium to be dispensed, further comprising a housing at least partially surrounding the dispenser unit, wherein the dispensing device comprises a transmitting unit and a triggering means, by means of which the transmitter unit can be activated upon actuation of the dispensing device, and wherein the transmitting unit emits a radio telegram with an identifier identifying the Dosierspendevorrichtung upon activation.

The basic idea of the present invention is that a

Dosierspendevorrichtung emits a radio telegram with an identifier when they are actuated, which uniquely identifies the Dosierspendevorrichtung. Such a thing Radio telegram can be received by a receiving device and the frequency of actuation of the dosing dispenser can be evaluated in a specific time interval. In the case of a disinfectant to be dispensed, valuable information about the hygiene of the persons operating the dosing dispenser can be obtained with the aid of the dosing dispenser according to the invention. A precise monitoring of Spendemittelverbrauchs, especially the hand disinfectant consumption is thereby possible.

The wireless technology integrated in the dosing dispenser eliminates the need for cabling to transmit measurement data. Rather, a dosing dispenser according to the invention can be flexibly mounted or set down at any place of use.

In principle, the dosing dispenser according to the invention can have an electrical triggering means for activating the transmitting unit. Alternatively, the release means may be purely mechanical. In another

Embodiment variant may also be an electrically-mechanical release means or in each case an electrical and a mechanical release means may be present, so that in the event of a defect of a triggering means nevertheless the activation of the

Sending unit is ensured by the other triggering means. It is also possible to provide a plurality of transmission units in the dosing dispenser, it being possible for a respective tripping center to activate a transmission unit.

The use of an electrical release device is particularly useful

Dosierspendevorrichtungen meaningful, which are operated without contact. As a rule, such a dispensing device has an electronic system and a sensor system connected thereto, by means of which an approach of an object to the dispensing opening can be detected. An object may, for example, be a hand or a user's hands, in the case of an approach to the dispensing opening, the electronics both actuates the dispenser unit and dispensing a dispensing medium and activates the transmitting unit, so that a radio telegram is sent with the identification of Dosierspendevorrichtung. The triggering means may be formed in this case by the electronics, which transmits the transmission unit an activation signal. In the embodiment with a mechanical release means, the dispenser unit of the dispenser according to the invention can be a manually movable

Have actuating means, the mechanical movement of the triggering means to a triggering mechanism of the transmitter unit is transferable. The

Actuating means can be operated manually, wherein it can perform a lifting, pivoting or rotating movement, which is transmitted to the triggering means. This transmits the movement in turn to the release mechanism of the

Transmission unit. The trigger mechanism may, for example, an electrical

Contact or a mechanical switch of the transmitting unit.

The actuating means may preferably be one of the dispenser unit

be protruding donor lever. This may extend, for example, bow-shaped from a right side of the housing to the left side of the housing. Alternatively, it can be designed with one arm and arranged on one side of the housing. The dispensing lever may be pivotable about an axis or movable in a linear lifting movement. The rotary or lifting movement is transmitted from the triggering means to the triggering mechanism of the transmitting unit.

In particular, for this embodiment, it is advantageous if the

Transmitter unit is structurally integrated in the dispenser unit. In this case, the mechanical power transmission paths are kept short, so that the release means can be structurally simple, for example, as a lever, rocker or rotationally fixed as connected to the pivot axis spring tongue. This shows that

Triggering means on a force receiving end, which is mechanically in connection with the actuating means or mechanically connectable with this. Furthermore, the triggering means has a force-emitting end, which on the

Triggering mechanism of the transmitting unit acts and can be brought into mechanical connection with this or is mechanically in communication.

Generally, however, causes the structural integration of the transmitting unit in the

Dispenser unit that the Dosierspendevorrichtung is compact. Furthermore, the structural integration favors the handling of the dosing dispenser in the event that these or at least the removable from the housing dispenser unit in an autoclave can be sterilized. In this case, a transmission unit arranged outside the dispenser unit does not have to be connected or disconnected via electrical or mechanical connection means with another component of the dosing dispenser.

Preferably, the transmitting unit can be encapsulated. This is particularly recommended for the embodiment in which the transmitting unit is structurally integrated in the dispenser unit, so that the transmitting unit is sufficiently protected during autoclaving.

As an alternative to the structural integration of the transmitting unit in the dispenser unit, the transmitting unit can be arranged below the container with the medium to be dispensed. This has the advantage that encapsulation of the transmitting unit can be dispensed with. The transmitting unit does not need to be autoclaved together with the dispenser unit so that the risk of damage is avoided. In particular, the transmitting unit can be held at least indirectly on the housing. For example, the transmitting unit can rest on a transverse web or be connected to such, which the side walls of the

Housing connects below the container with each other.

For the power supply of the transmitting unit may be present in the Dosierspendevorrichtung a battery. The disadvantage here, however, is that the battery can not supply the transmitting unit with sufficient energy in the event of a dropped battery voltage, so that in this case the Dosierspendevorrichtung emits no radio telegrams when actuated. Activities were thus unrecognized, so that the statistical result of an evaluation of the

Actual frequency is falsified. Furthermore, an empty battery must be changed manually, which leads to additional manpower and time. It is therefore advantageous if the transmitting unit is designed to be energy self-sufficient. For this purpose, the transmitting unit may have a triggering mechanism which generates electrical energy for feeding the transmitting unit from the movement of the actuating means transmitted to it. A transmitting unit with such a

Triggering mechanism is known from DE 103 15 765 A1 and can be used here. Alternatively, the electrical energy required for the transmitting unit can be generated via solar cells from an existing light irradiation.

The dosing dispenser according to the invention may be part of a system for monitoring these one or more dosing dispensers

is set up. This system comprises at least one dosing dispenser of the type described above, a receiving unit receiving a radio telegram which can be transmitted by the dosing dispenser, and a central evaluation unit in communication connection with the receiving unit, wherein the

Evaluation unit is set up to log wireless telegrams.

Preferably, this logging can be done by adding to a

received radio telegram the identifier of the radio telegram emitted Dosierspendevorrichtung together with a date of the date and / or date stamp datum is stored in a list. Alternatively, the logging can also be done in a database. This has the advantage that the access to the identifier or identifiers and / or to the reception time for

Evaluation purposes, in particular a sorting or selection of a certain Dosierspendevorrichtung and / or a specific time interval is possible.

The communication between the local receiving unit and the central

Evaluation unit can be wired. For this purpose, the receiving unit can be connected to a network structure, for example a LAN (Local Area Network). In a preferred embodiment, the receiving unit is connected to the evaluation unit via WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network). This has the advantage that no additional lines have to be laid to the receiving unit. The system according to the invention can therefore be retrofitted particularly advantageously into existing building structures without intervention in the building substance, with only one connection to an existing wireless

Network is needed. Such networks are regularly available in hospitals or other public buildings.

Preferably, the system of the invention can be a variety of

Comprising dosing dispensers and a plurality of receiving units, wherein each receiving unit communicates with the central evaluation unit and each receiving unit of at least one Dosierspendevorrichtung locally

assigned. A receiving unit then forms, together with the at least one dosing dispenser associated therewith, with a functional group that can be arranged in a geographical area of a building, for example in a room such as a treatment room or an operating room lock. In this case, the receiving unit, for example, centrally located on the ceiling of the room or a hallway and the Dosierspendevorrichtung in close proximity to a sink in a treatment or hospital room or the toilet or be attached to the wall. Furthermore, one can

Receiving unit also be associated with two or more Dosierspendevorrichtungen. These can then be set up or mounted at different locations, in particular different rooms in the reception area of the receiving unit.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for monitoring the use of Dosierspendevorrichtungen of the type described, wherein a

Dosierspendevorrichtung emits a radio telegram with a Dosierspendevorrichtung identifying identifier, the radio telegram received by a receiving device and from this to a central

Evaluation unit is transmitted, wherein the evaluation unit logs the radio telegram, in particular with the identification of Dosierspendevorrichtung and a date and / or time stamp stores. The storage can be done in a list and / or a database.

Subsequently, the evaluation unit can perform an evaluation of the stored radio telegrams. Here, for example, the frequency of

Actuation of a specific Dosierspendevorrichtung referred to a

determined period. Is the Dosierspendevorrichtung a

Disinfectant dispenser can thus provide a conclusive statement about the

Hygiene of the house are determined in which the Dosierspendevorrichtung is set up or mounted. Further advantages and features of the invention will be explained with reference to the following description of an embodiment and the accompanying figures. Show it:

Figure 1: View of a Dosierspendevorrichtung from the front

Figure 2: View of a Dosierspendevorrichtung invention from behind

Figure 3: Schematic representation of a system for wireless

Disinfectant dispensers monitoring

For assessing hand hygiene in hospitals, it is necessary to track the use of disinfectant. This can be done in a particularly simple, efficient and cost effective way by monitoring the

Disinfectant dispensers take place. FIG. 1 shows a metering dispenser 1 in the form and function of a disinfectant dispenser. Of the

Disinfectant dispenser 1 has a dispenser unit 2 which is at least partially surrounded by a housing 5. The dispenser unit 2 can be removed from the housing 5, so that it can be sterilized in an autoclave. The housing is substantially U-shaped and consists of two side legs which are interconnected at their upper open ends via a connecting plate 5a. The housing 5 is formed by a U-shaped bent aluminum sheet. The connecting plate 5a forms a lid for the dispenser unit 2, the

removably inserted into the housing 5.

The dispenser unit 2 has a downwardly directed tube, which rests in a container, not shown, with disinfectant or can be inserted. The container is pressure-tight with an upper container opening with the dispenser unit 2

connected. The disinfectant dispenser 1 is a pump dispenser, in which by the actuation of pressure in the container is given, as a result of which disinfectant in the container is placed over the pipe for pressure equalization to the outside. The dispenser unit 2 has a dispenser nose 3 which protrudes from the housing, the dispenser unit 2 and the container, so that hands can be held under the dispenser nose 3. The donor nose 3 has on its underside a

Dispensing opening 4, which has an outlet opening of the tube 7 for the

Represents disinfectant.

The dispenser unit 2 of the disinfectant dispenser 1 also has a

bow-shaped actuating means 8, which protrudes from the dispenser unit 2 and can be actuated by manual force in a vertical lifting movement. By this operation, pressure is generated in the disinfectant container, as a result of which disinfectant exits the dispensing opening 4.

In the lower region, the housing 5 has an L-shaped transverse web 9, which connects the two lower ends of the side legs of the housing 5 on the inside to stabilize the housing 5. The disinfectant container is supported in the state used in the disinfectant dispenser on the

horizontal leg of the crosspiece 9 from.

FIG. 2 shows the disinfectant dispenser 1 according to FIG. 1 in a rear view. Schematically illustrated is a self-powered transmission unit 6, which is structurally integrated in the dispenser unit 2. In addition, an alternative arrangement of the transmitting unit 6 in the disinfectant dispenser 1 is displayed simultaneously in FIG. In this variant, the transmitting unit 6 is arranged below the disinfectant container to be used and held on the crossbar.

If the bow-shaped actuating means 8 is moved in a substantially vertical direction downwards, this movement is transmitted to an unillustrated mechanical release means, wherein the triggering means in the

Movement plugging force on a trigger mechanism, not shown, the transmitting unit 6 transmits. The trigger mechanism converts to a

Electromagnetic action, the movement into an electrical energy pulse sufficient to activate the transmitting unit, i. to induce a

Send radio telegram. To illustrate, the motion converter of a Fahraddynamo be considered, which linear movements in transforming electricity. The motion converter is designed as a button, which is supplied with power by the actuation and transmits the radio telegram. The dynamo is only pressed extremely short. Nevertheless, the short-voltage pulse is sufficient to supply the electronics of the transmitter. Each transmitter 6 has its own identification number (ID), which is a unique identifier for identifying the disinfectant dispenser 1. This can be stored in a memory of the transmitting unit 6. It is transmitted with the telegram, whereby the transmitted data can be assigned exactly to a donor 1.

FIG. 3 shows a system according to the invention for monitoring

Disinfectant dispensers 1, with four such example here

Disinfectant dispenser 1 are shown. These are each assigned to a room 13. The system further comprises two receiving units 10. One of the receiving units is arranged in the same space 13 as its associated disinfectant dispenser 1. The other receiving unit 10 is disposed outside of two rooms, in each of which a disinfectant dispenser 1 is located. The receiving units 10 are connected via a LAN 11 to an evaluation unit 12. Alternatively, the communication link 11 can also be made via WLAN, wherein the receiving units 10 in this case corresponding to a WLAN transmitter and the evaluation has a WLAN receiver.

If one of the disinfectant dispensers 1 is actuated, it emits a radio telegram with an identifier identifying it. This radio telegram is received by the nearest receiving device 10 and transmitted by the latter to the central evaluation unit 12. This logs the receipt of the

Radio telegram, wherein the identifier of the sent disinfectant dispenser 1 is stored with a date and time stamp in a list.

The present invention proposed Dosierspendevorrichtung, which may be a hand disinfectant dispenser in particular, are with a state of the art

Radio technology equipped, which allows independent of the location of the dispenser 1 and independent of external power supply to store and evaluate the number of actuation and operating times of each donor 1. The evaluation is extremely variable and can be any donor 1, any Donor groups or all existing donors 1 include. In addition, it is possible to evaluate individual time periods for individual or multiple donors 1. On request, statistics are automatically generated which represent the information obtained in a compressed form and allow quick conclusions to be drawn about the overall quality of hygiene. The time required for the production of statistics is thus limited to the hospital staff to a minimum. Through the use of wireless technologies in both the

Dosierspendevorrichtung 1 as well as the receiving device is a

Maximum flexibility and above all a retrofitting guaranteed. There are no additional communication lines to the

Dosierspendevorrichtungen 1 or the receiving devices 10 are placed. Rather, the receivers 10 can be easily and quickly integrated into an existing intranet 11, which minimizes the installation costs of the system according to the invention.

Since the metering dispensing devices 1 according to the invention have no batteries or rechargeable batteries, the monitoring according to the invention requires

Dosierspendevorrichtungen 1 no additional maintenance. By using the system according to the invention or the proposed method, a fully automatic monitoring of

Dosierspendevorrichtungen 1 and in particular the disinfectant consumption done. It creates an authentic database that can be used to assess the quality of hand hygiene.

The system according to the invention makes it possible to carry out cost-effective, automatic and, if desired, unnoticed direct checks of the regulations on hand disinfection (HD), the so-called "HD compliance". Even entire clinics can be monitored in real time. The personnel costs are reduced to a minimum, since the monitoring is fully automated.

For several dosing dispenser 1 only one receiver 10 is necessary, the

for example, can be arranged on a hospital corridor. This collects the data of the hand disinfectant dispenser 1 and passes it over the internal

Network of the hospital to a central evaluation computer 12 For example, a commercial PC on, which logs the operation of the hand disinfectant dispenser 1. The logs can be used to generate meaningful statistics for any observation period as needed. Based on these statistics, it is easy to draw conclusions about the quality of hand hygiene. Depending on the number of donors 1 used so individual problem areas, such as surgical lock, intensive care unit, isolation, etc. can be identified. Occurring irregularities in the

Hand disinfectant consumption can thus be located directly, which makes targeted countermeasures.

In order to ensure a secure data transmission, collisions between telegrams several transmitters 6 are to be avoided. If telegrams receive several transmitters 6 at the same time, then there is a collision / overlap of the data, which leads to errors. To avoid this, the telegrams are extremely short. Furthermore, the transmission electronics is designed so that the telegram of the transmitter 6 is transmitted several times in succession and randomly delayed. So data collisions are very unlikely.

The reception radius of a receiving device 10 is approximately 10-12 meters within a building, so that the energy of the transmission of the

Radio telegrams required electromagnetic fields is minimal. If this range is not sufficient to cover a building wing, then the use of low-cost radio repeaters for range enlargement is possible.

The wireless and energy self-sufficient technology allows extremely flexible and uncomplicated use of the intelligent hand dispenser 1. The small design of the transmitter components 6 makes it possible to carry out the new hand dispenser 1 in conventional designs, without changing the type of operation of the dispenser 1 is changed. Users do not have to get used to a new technique.

In an advantageous development of the metering dispenser according to the invention, the latter can have a measuring sensor, by means of which the filling level of the

Dispensing agent container is monitored. The sensor determines a continuous measurand. For this task, so-called radio-sensor modules are available. These modules are used to acquire measurement data from an external sensor, as well as its power supply. The energy supply takes place here via a small solar cell. Thanks to a built-in energy storage, the modules are capable of being productive even when completely darkened, even over several days. The sensor data are not recorded continuously with the radio module but at periodic intervals and transmitted with the telegram. The determined sensor data can be used to analyze and track the disinfectant consumption more extensively.

Claims

claims

1. dosing dispenser (1), in particular for disinfectant, comprising a dispensing opening (4) having dispenser unit (2) which is connectable to a container which is filled with a medium to be dispensed (4), further comprising a dispenser unit (2 ) at least partially

surrounding housing (5), characterized in that it has a

Transmitting unit (6) and a release means, by means of which the

When the dosing dispenser (1) is actuated, the transmitting unit (6) can be activated, wherein the transmitting unit (6) transmits a radio telegram with an identifier identifying the dosing dispenser (1) when it is activated.

2. Dosierspendevorrichtung (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is actuated without contact, wherein the triggering means is formed by an electronic device which activates the transmission unit (6) in the case of an approach of an object to the dispensing opening (4).

3. Dosierspendevorrichtung (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the dispenser unit (2) has a movable actuating means (8) whose mechanical movement of the triggering means to a

Triggering mechanism of the transmitting unit (6) is transferable.

4. dosing dispenser (1) according to claim 1 or 3, characterized

in that the transmission unit (6) is structurally integrated in the dispenser unit (2).

5. dosing dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitting unit (6) is encapsulated.

6. dosing dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 3 or 6, characterized in that the transmitting unit (6) below the Container is arranged, in particular at least indirectly on the housing (5) is held.

7. dosing dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitting unit (6) is energy self-sufficient, by means of the Auslösemechanismusses from the movement of the actuating means (8) electrical energy for feeding the transmitting unit (6) can be generated.

8. dosing dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one solar cell for feeding the transmitting unit (6).

9. A system for monitoring Dosierspendevorrichtungen (1) comprising at least one Dosierspendevorrichtung (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, a one of the Dosierspendeeinrichtung (1) emanating

Radio telegram receiving receiving unit (10) and one with the

Receiving unit (10) in communication connected central evaluation unit (12), wherein the evaluation unit (12) is adapted to log radio telegrams.

10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the

Evaluation unit (12) stores the identifier of the dispensing device (1) emitted by the radio telegram in a list and / or a database with a date and / or time stamp that indicates the reception.

11. System according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the

Receiving unit (10) via WLAN to the evaluation unit (12) is connected.

12. System according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of Dosierspendevorrichtungen (1) and a plurality of receiving units (10), wherein each receiving unit (10) with the central evaluation unit (12) is in communication and Each receiving unit (10) is assigned at least one Dosierspendevorrichtung (1) locally.

13. A method for monitoring the use of Dosierspendevorrichtungen (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a Dosierspendevorrichtung (1) emits a radio telegram with the Dosierspendevorrichtung (1) identifying identifier, the radio telegram from a receiving device (10) is received and transmitted from this to a central evaluation unit (12), wherein the evaluation unit (12) logs the radio telegram, in particular with the identification of Dosierspendevorrichtung (1) and a date and / or time stamp stores.

14. The method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the storage is carried out in a list and / or a database.

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an evaluation of the stored radio telegrams is carried out such that the frequency of actuation of a certain Dosierspendevorrichtung (1) is determined based on a certain period.