CA2264681A1 - Method and apparatus for enforcing hygiene - Google Patents

Abstract

A system of hygienic control employing a name tag (10) to be attached to each worker in a hygienically controlled area. Each name tag (10) has a clear signaling light source (28) thereon indicating the worker is sanitary, and an unsanitary signaling light source (26) thereon indicating the worker has not practiced the proper sanitation procedures. The unsanitary light source (26) is enabled when the worker enters a sanitation area, such as a rest room, and is disabled when the worker has washed his/her hands with soap and water. Also, the clear signaling light source (28) is enabled when the worker has complied with the proper sanitation procedure.

Description

(D\1O\(.J'1J>-(4)5)!-'10ll1213141516171819202122CA 02264681 1999-02-26wo 93109251 PCT/US96/14276METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENFORCING HYGIENETechnical FieldThis invention relates to improvements in methods andapparatus for enforcing hygiene.Thehospitals have been well known for many years.dangers of unclean practices in restaurants andBacteria andother microbial organisms which are the cause of many conta-gious diseases are capable of being transmitted from infectedindividuals to many other people if sanitary conditions are notmaintained in such setting where the micro-organisms thrive andwhere people are susceptible to receiving into their bodiessuch microbial micro-organisms.At the present time, many diseases, such as hepatitis, havebeen found to be transmittable due to a failure of people towash their hands with soap and water after using a publictoilet.food distribution field to wash their hands each time theyIn fact, some public health laws require those in theenter the toilet facilities before they resume their duties.In the main, the requirement for employees to wash theirhands is attempted by the posting of signs and/or intermittentchecks by supervisory personnel.Background ArtSome efforts to produce systems for enforcing hygienicpractices in such facilities as restaurants and hospitals havekD(D\IO'\L)"l¢I>b.J[\)}-‘r—- +—=’n—-N +4 ol--‘U.)i-'51>l-‘U'l|---‘ONI-‘\7F‘(DI--‘\OI\.)OI\)!-'NNMU)I\.)51>NU1[0O\t\)\‘l[U(DNKOL»)OU)F—'L»)[QLA)U)U)»I>-L»)U136CA 02264681 1999-02-26wo 93/09251 PCT/US96/14276-2-been proposed. However, known prior systems have relied insuch tools-as audible signals to workers who exit a toiletfacility without having done such things as turn on a waterfaucet or operate a hand drying apparatus. Such systems do notassure that the worker has washed his or her hands with soapand water and can be easily circumvented.Disclosure Of The InventionThe present invention provides a system and method forrequiring workers in a hygienically controlled area to washtheir hands with soap and water before exiting an associatedsanitation area. A name tag is provided for each worker whichhas both a clear signaling light and an unsanitary signalinglight source thereon. The signaling light is enabled when theworker wearing the name plate enters the sanitation area andis not disabled until the worker has washed his/her hands withsoap and water. When such washing has been completed, theclear signaling light is enabled.The means for enabling the unsanitary signaling light whenthe worker enters the sanitation area is preferably accom-plished with a digitally encoded radio frequency transmitterto reduce the possibility of an accidental enabling of theunsanitary signaling light in a regular working area.The means for disabling the unsanitary signaling light ispreferably accomplished by using an infrared transmitter, thesignals from which can be received by a receiver on the nameThistransmitter is preferably enabled by a detector associated withtag within a limited distance from the transmitter.a hand dryer in the sanitation area. The detector is prefera-bly responsive to a certain range of dilution of a detectablegas being emitted from the soap mixture as the worker's handsare being dried. By providing a limited range of dilutionsensitivity, circumvention of the system will be difficult.Brief Description Of The DrawingsFigure 1 is a typical layout of a work area with restrooms; 'Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a name tag whichl*-’OKOCXJ\70\(.J'1n&bJl\)l-‘I-’i—'I-‘t\)|—‘DJP-‘11>F‘U‘!f-‘O‘\l—‘\19-‘COI-‘K0[0Ol\.)0-‘Nl\)l\)U.)NuhI\)U1[0ONN\)[0CDIx)10U.)C)U)P‘Lu[\JU)L»)U.)53>3536CA 02264681 1999-02-26wo 93/09251 PCT/US96/14276-3-will be worn by each person to be monitored;Figure 3 is a block diagram of the electrical/electroniccomponents contained in a name tag;Figure 4 is a block diagram relating to a radio frequencytransmitter employed in enabling an unsanitary signaling lighton a name tag; and,Figure 5 is a bock diagram of an infrared transmitteremployed in disabling the unsanitary signaling light when aperson has washed his/her hands with soap and water.Best Mode for Carrying out the InventionSystem Overviewrequired to work (Fig. 1) incontrolled area Zone A will wear a name tag. This name tag willPeople a hygienicallyindicate at all times whether the person has followed sanitaryhealth habits as determined, (i.e.Oklahoma State Department of Health under Section 3-201). Thecontain circuitry to allow a green lightfor example, by statutesname tag shallemitting diode (a clear signaling light) to flash approximatelyone half second every ten seconds to indicate that the personis following correct procedures. Two zones, Zone A indicatingthe person's normal working area, and Zone B described as therest room or designated area for practicing sanitary healthhabits (sanitation area), shall be established. When the personenters Zone B, the name tag shall flash a red light emittingdiode (an unsanitary signaling light) approximately one secondevery ten seconds as a result of a digitally encoded radiomounted in Zone B andfrequency transmitter (Transmitter I)triggered. by the door. After‘ washing with a special soapmixture which will contain a dilute concentration of alcohol,a gas detector associated with the hand dryer will enable aninfrared transmitter (Transmitter II). The transmitter II willcause the name tag to return to the safe (green flashing lightemitting diode) condition.The system is comprised of three specific components:1.) a name tag with an infrared receiver, a radio— frequency receiver and digital control logic.5-‘O-KOG)\10'\U1t¥>(.Ul\)I-'I-'9-‘|—‘I\)I-‘(JJl-‘95F‘U‘!l-'ONl-'\ll-‘COI--‘K0I\)ON9-‘NN[OWNuhl\)U1NO’\N<1[0OJ[0‘.0L»)OLA)I-‘LONLa)OJDJrl>0.)U1UJONCA 02264681 1999-02-26wo 93/09251 PCT/US96/14276_ 4 -2.) a radio frequency transmitter (digitally encoded)Which can be triggered at a predetermined interval.3.) a hand dryer equipped with an infrared transmitterwhich can be triggered by an alcohol detector whichregisters concentration levels in the “safe region”and is inhibited when the concentration level isabove or below the “safe region” concentration.Detailed DescriptionThe name tag and associated high level block diagram isshown by Fig. 2 and 3. The actual name tag 10 may be, forexample, 7.62 cm. (3 in.) wide x 3.18 cm. (1 1/4 in.) high x1.27 cm (1/2 in.) deep. The name tag can be powered by batter-ies 12 (Fig. 3) or solar power depending upon the application.The name tag 10 contains surface mount electronic devices, bothdiscrete and integrated silicon, which allow several thousandequivalent digital logic gates, as well as analog circuitry tobe contained in a very small area.The block diagram (Fig. 3) shows two receivers. One 14 isan infrared receiver capable of detecting an infrared transmit-(20The other receiver 16 is a radio frequency type. Due toted signal at distance from, for example, zero to 6.1 Mft.).the very short antenna arrangement on the name tag 10 itself,the receiver 16 has a limited range of, for example, 15.24 M(50 ft.) to 30.48 M (100 ft.).Zone B is actually much smaller than this in practice. Also,the R.F. will becontrolled to avoid false triggering of the receiver 16 whenThis is actually desirable sincetransmitter power level (Transmitter I)the person is in Zone A. Two control flip flops, 18 and 20, onecounter 22, and one timer 24 are all included in the name tag10 as part of the digital logic. The digital logic provides thefollowing:1.) a two second oscillator 22 which provides a clock togate all digital signals.2.) a timer which disables the R.F. receiver 16 on thetag 10 for approximately 15 to 30 seconds after theinfrared receiver 14 has detected a signal. Thisl.O(13\lO‘\U1nI>(;Jt\)l-‘10ll12131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536CA 02264681 1999-02-26wo 93/09251 PCT/US96/14276-5-allows the person time to leave Zone B withoutallowing the R.F. receiver 16 to detect a newlytransmitted signal.3.) a control flip flop 18 which determines whether thered 26 or green 28 light emitting diode will flash.a control flip flop 20 which disables the R.F.receiver 16 until the timer 24 determines it is4.)appropriate for the receiver to function again.Industrial ApplicabilityName tag operationThe name tag 10 contains its own power supply 12, such as4 each 1.25 volt nickel cadmium batteries, which provides 5.0volts. This power supply can be recharged as necessary by115All circuitry, where possible, is CMOS (Complimentaryeither solar cells or from a more conventional source,V.A.CMetal Oxide Semiconductor) to minimize the power consumptionand prolong battery life. When the name tag 10 is powered onby pinning the on the person, infrared receiver 14, a radiofrequency receiver 16, and necessary digital logic (18, 20, 22,and 24)Upon powering on the name tag 10 the first time, the lightthe red lightemitting diode 26 is blinking. This insures that the personis activated.control flip flop 18 is reset, therefore,must begin the work period. by’ practicing sanitary healthhabits.infrared signal the light control flip flop 18 is set and theWhen the infrared receiver 14 detects a transmittedgreen light emitting diode 28 will begin blinking on approxi-mately 1/10th of a second every two seconds. This timingcontrol signal is generated by a two second oscillator 22 whichgenerates a 100 millisecond strobeevery two seconds. This signal is fed to the control lead (C),of light control flip flop 18 which enables the output of thelight control flip flop 18.When the person enters Zone B, the radio frequency trans-is for example, a door activatedmitter I triggered by,magnetic switch as will be discussed below. The radio frecque—(I)\10\U1»bbJt\.)P-"101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536CA 02264681 1999-02-26wo 98/09251 PCT/US96/14276-5-ncy receiver 16 intercepts the digitally encoded R.F. carrierand sends a logic low to an inverter, 30, which is nanded withthe output of the R.F. control flip flop 20, in the nand gate32. If the R.F. control flip flop 20 has been set by the timer24 out line then the nand gate 32, is enabled and a logic lowwill reset the light control flip flop 18. When the lightcontrol flip flop 18 is reset, the red light emitting diode 26will turn on approximately 100 milliseconds every two seconds.The red light emitting diode 26 will continue to blink until14.thean infrared carrier is receivedAt that time the light controlby the infrared receiverflip flop 18 is set andgreen light emitting diode 28 is allowed to blink atpreviously mentioned duty cycle. However, the output of thethetimer 24 which will allow the timer to count the output pulsesinfrared receiver 14 is also routed to the reset line ofof the two second oscillator 22. The same infrared outputsignal is routed to the reset line of the R.F. control flipflop 20. This will cause the Q output to become a logic low,thus disabling thesignals received will not reset the light control flip flop 18.nand gate 32, so that any radio frequencyThe radio frequency signals will remain disabled until thetimer out signal from 24 goes to a logic low at the end of thetimer counting sequence of approximately’ twenty to thirtyseconds At that time theR.F. control flip flop 20 is set and the Q output goes to athusallowing R.F. signals to reset the light control flip flop 18when R.F.allows a person in Zone B who has properly followed thethirty tocasually exit Zone B. Thus, the unsanitary signaling light 26(adjustable for a given situation).logic high. The znand gate 32 is once again enabled,signals are received by receiver 16. This featuresanitary health habits, approximately secondswill remain disabled, and the clear signaling light 28 willremain enabled when the person re—enters the work area A.As shown by Fig. 4.transmitter I may be enabled by either a magnetically operatedThe digitally encoded radio frequencydoor switch 34 associated with the door leading to a sanitationthe-CA 02264681 1999-02-26wo 93/09251 PCT/US96/14276-7-area, or by a shorting plug 36, each of which enables thetransmitter I through suitable trigger circuitry 38 in a mannerwell known in the art. The switch 34 would be mounted tomomentarily enable the transmitter I each time the door to thesanitation area is opened; whereas the shorting plug wouldprovide an intermittent operation of the transmitter I, suchas enabling the transmitter I for one second every thirtyseconds.The transmitter I is, as previously stated a radio fre-quency type operating with a carrier frequency of for example,49 or 72 MHZ, and a field strength of less than, for example,10,000 microvolts/meter at 3 meters. The actual field strengthrequired is less than the maximum permitted by the FederalCommunications Commission. The field strength is adjustable byselecting the effective length of the antenna 40 of thetransmitter. A circuit such as provided by National Semiconduc-tors LM 1871, 2900Semiconductor Dr., Santa Clara, California 95052-8090, may beobtainable from National Semiconductor,used and provides a digitally encoded (6 channel) R.F. signal.As shown by Fig. 5, the output of the infrared transmitterII is through a suitable lens 42, and the transmitter II isenabled and disabled by suitable trigger circuitry 44 as willbe known to those skilled in the art. As previously men-tioned, the transmitter II will be mounted in association withthe hand dryer 46 in the rest room or other sanitation area andarranged such as to transmit an infrared signal to the receiver14 in the name tag 10 when a person is drying his or her handsat the hand dryer. The light output of the transmitter II ismodulated with, for example, a 32.7 KHZ carrier and pulse codemodulation to improve the signal to noise ratio and eliminatefalse triggering of the infrared receiver 14 on the name tag10A suitable soap dispenser 48 will be provided adjacent thehand dryer 46 to contain a soap mixture containing a detectablegas emitting substance, such as alcohol. As the person usingthe sanitation facilities dries his/her hands with the handOLO<I)\‘lO‘\U'lrl>(A)l\Ji—‘CA 02264681 1999-02-26wo 98/09261 PCTIUS96/14276-3-dryer, the gas emitted from the person's hands will be suitablydetected to enable the transmitter II when that concentrationswithin a safe range. For example, when the gas emittingsubstance is alcohol, the safe concentration levels will be inthe range of about 50 to about 1,000 parts per million. Thus,a person will have difficulty circumventing the requiredhygienic procedures as, for example, by not using soap duringthe hand washing procedure. In other words, if the person usingthe facilities does not perform the hand washing operation inan acceptable manner, the unsanitary signaling light 26 willnot be disabled when the person's hands are being dried.When the detectable gas emitting substance is alcohol, thetrigger circuitry 44 can be initiated by one or more alcoholdetectors 50,Instrument Mfg; Co., Seton Business Center, 4701 Mt. Hope Dr.,such as Model 12 LG manufactured by the DavisBaltimore, MD 21215. With this arrangement, one of the detec-tors 50 may be adjusted to detect the alcohol concentration inand thesecond alcohol detector 50 can be adjusted to respond tothe safe range to enable the trigger circuitry 44,concentrations above and below the safe range to disable thetrigger circuitry 14 and prevent the transmitter II from beingenabled.Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement ofparts or elements, as well as steps and procedures, heretoforeset forth in the specification and shown in the drawing withoutdeparting from the spirit of the inventions defined in thefollowing claims.

Claims (30)

Claims

1. A system for encouraging workers in a hygienically controlled area (zone A) to wash their hands before exiting an associated sanitation area (zone B), comprising: a name tag (10) for each worker, a clear signaling light (28) on each name tag, an unsanitary signaling light (26) on each name tag, means (16,20,32,38) for enabling the unsanitary signaling light (26) on a name tag when the worker wearing the name tag enters the sanitation area, and means (14,18,20,24) for disabling the unsanitary signaling light that said worker has likely washed his/her hands with soap and water, and then enabling the clear signaling light (28) on said name tag.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the first mentioned means (16,20,32,38) includes a first transmitter positioned in the sanitation area (zone B) and a compatible receiver (16) on each name tag.

3. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said first transmitter is a digitally encoded transmitter.

4. A system as defined in claim 2 characterized further to include means (22) for enabling the first transmitter intermittently.

5. A system as defined in claim 2 characterized further to include means (38) for enabling the first transmitter I for a predetermined time period when a worker enters the sanitation area (zone B).

6. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein the first transmitter I is a radio frequency transmitter.

7. A system as defined in claim 6 wherein the first transmitter I is digitally encoded transmitter.

8. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the second mentioned means (14,18,20,24) includes a soap mixture (48) in the sanitation area (zone B) having a dilute concentration of a detectable gas emitting substance therein.

9. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said substance is alcohol.

10. A system as defined in claim 8 characterized further to include a water supply (48) and a hand dryer (46) in the sanitation area adjacent the soap mixture (48), and a second transmitter II, and a detector means (50) associated with the hand dryer (46) and the second transmitter II responsive to said detectible gas for enabling the second transmitter.

11. A system as defined in claim 10 wherein said detector means (50) enables the second transmitter II only when it detects a concentration of said detectible gas within a preselected range.

12. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein said preselected range is selected to more assuredly indicate the worker has washed his/her hands with soap and water.

13. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein said substance is alcohol and said range is between about 50 and about 1,000 parts per million.

14. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the second mentioned means (14,18,20,24) includes means (18,20,24,32) for preventing the first mentioned means (16,20,32,38) from reenabling the unsanitary signaling light (26) for a predetermined period of time and after the unsanitary signaling light has been disabled, whereby the said worker has time to exit the sanitation area.

15. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the clear signaling light includes a green light emitting diode (28).

16. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the unsanitary signaling light includes a red light emitting diode (26).

17. A method for encouraging workers in a hygienically controlled area (zone A) to wash their hands before exiting an associated sanitation area (zone B) comprising the steps of, attaching a name tag (10) on each worker having a clear signaling light (28) and an unsanitary signaling light (26) thereon, enabling the unsanitary signaling light (26) when a worker wearing one of said name tag (10) enters the sanitation area (zone B) and disabling the unsanitary light signal and enabling the clear signaling light that said worker has likely washed his/her hands with soap and water in the sanitation 11 area.

18. The method defined in claim 17 characterized further to include, positioning a first transmitter I in the sanitation area (zone B) and a compatible receiver (16) on each name tag (10) for enabling the unsanitary signaling light (26) on each name tag.

19. The method defined in claim 18 wherein the first transmitter is digitally encoded.

20. The method defined in claim 18 characterized further to include the step of enabling the transmitter intermittently.

21. The method defined in claim 18 characterized further to include the step of enabling the first transmitter for a predetermined time period when a worker enters the sanitation area.

22. The method defined in claim 18 wherein the first transmitter is radio frequency transmitter (16).

23. The method defined in claim 22 wherein the first transmitter is digitally encoded.

24. The method defined in claim 17 characterized further to include the step of locating a soap mixture (48) in a sanitation area having a dilute concentration of detectable gas emitting substance therein.

25. The method defined in claim 24 wherein said substance is alcohol.

26. The method defined in claim 24 wherein the sanitation area (zone B) has a water supply (48) and wherein the method is a hand dryer (46) adjacent the soap mixture (48) and characterized further to include the steps of, locating a second transmitter II in the sanitation area; locating a detector (50) in association with the hand dryer (46) and the second transmitter; and enabling the second transmitter when the detector senses the given concentration of said gas.

27. The method defined in claim 26 characterized further to include a step of, enabling the second transmitter only when the detector detects a concentration of said detectible gas within a preselected range.

28. The method defined in claim 27, wherein said range is selected to more assuredly indicate that the worker has washed his/her hands.

29. The method defined in claim 27 wherein said substance is alcohol and said range is between about 50 and about 1,000 parts per million.

30. The method defined in claim 17 characterized further to include the step of preventing the reenabling of the unsanitary signaling light (26) for a predetermined period of time after the unsanitary signaling light has been disabled.