GB2411344A

GB2411344A - Self cleaning door handle

Info

Publication number: GB2411344A
Application number: GB0403463A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Arthur Kelly; B J Freeman; Barry James Freeman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-17
Filing date: 2004-02-17
Publication date: 2005-08-31
Also published as: GB0403463D0

Abstract

Disclosed is an assembly including a door handle and strip of flexible material impregnated with disinfectant from a reservoir, looped around the handle. The handle is either drivable through the loop, (typically a circular handle) or the loop is drivable along the handle (typically a linear handle, fig. 11) so to clean the handle, the driving force provided by, such as, an electric motor. The arrangement may find application in the field of cleaning door handles at regular intervals, which are used regularly by many different people, such as in public buildings, hospitals and the like.

Description

, 241 1 344 SELF CLEANING/DISINFECTING DOOR HANDLE

Description

This is a device for reducing the possibility of the transmission of disease and infection through contact of the hand with handles by multiple users in public places where there may be an appreciable risk of this happening, such as public lavatories, hospitals, doctor's surgeries.

According to the present invention a continuous loop of flexible material impregnated with a suitable disinfectant cleaning fluid is moved along the handle after use by some suitable mechanical or electro-mechanical means, thereby automatically cleaning and disinfecting it before the next person uses it. The movement of the loop along the handle may be effected either by the loop of material moving along the handle or the handle moving through the loop of material. These two methods are illustrated by

Example 1

According to the present invention there is a ring handle ( 1) supported by a series of drive pulleys (2) and held in position by holding pulleys (6) applying pressure to the outside ofthe ring handle (1) the holding pulleys (6) being able to rotate freely as the ring handle (1) turns.

The geared ring drive pulley (3) is driven by an electric motor (4) through the motor gear (5) and gear teeth cut onto one edge of the geared ring drive pulley (3). The other ring drive pulleys (2) are driven by a drive belt (10) passing around the centre of each ring drive pulley (2). Pressure is applied to the holding pulleys by a spring (8) attached to the top of each holding pulley bracket (7). The other ends ofthe holding pulley brackets (7) are pivoted onto the handle frame (9). When the drive motor (4) is energised the ring handle (1) is able to rotate freely (see fig.1 side view, fig.2 rear view and fig.3 front view).

The cleaning cord assembly ( 1 1) may be considered separately or even as a replaceable cartridge device which can be attached or removed from the ring handle assembly at will for the purpose of replacing the cleaning fluid or disinfectant or fitting a replacement cord.

The cleaning cord assembly or cartridge ( 1 1) is fitted to the ring handle frame (9) in such a way that the cord drive pulley (12) engages with the drive motor gear (5) and rotates each time the drive motor (4) is energised (see fig.6 and fig.7).

The Cleaning/disinfecting cord ( 14) which is a continuous loop of flexible material can now be threaded around the cord guides attached to the cord cassette (11) see figs 8 and 9 and passed around the plumb pulley (23) which can now be lowered into the reservoir (15).

The cleaning cord (14) is passed through the inside of the ring handle ( 1) by pulling the cleaning cord (14). The plumb pulley (13) rises to the top of the reservoir (15) allowing the cleaning cord (14) to be looped over the ring handle (1) and also passed around the cord drive pulley ( 12). The cord plumb pulley is now able to drop down inside the reservoir (15) and in so doing tension the cleaning cord (14) around the ring handle (1) (fig.10).

By filling the reservoir (15) with cleaning fluid or disinfectant the cleaning cord (14) will become impregnated by energizing the drive motor (4). The ring handle (1) will rotate at the same time turning the cord drive pulley (12) attached to the cord cassette (11). The cleaning cord (14) will now be driven around the guides attached to the cord cassette (11) and also around the ring handle ensuring that the cleaning cord (14) comes into contact with the complete outside surface ofthe ring handle (1) whilst rotation continues.

The cord plumb pulley will also rotate indicated that the cleaning cord (14) is intact.

If the reservoir is made of a transparent material the level of fluid can be monitored and the rotating plumb pulley (13) indicates that the cord is intact.

Example 2

To clean/disinfect a linear handle tube a similar arrangement to that shown in fig 8 and fig 9 is used, but as in the example the linear handle tube (1) is not able to move through the loop of the cleaning/disinfecting cord (14) the cord (14) must be moved along the handle tube.

This is achieved by a threaded screw (21) moving a cord saddle (22) along the lead screw and thereby transferring the cleaning cord (14) along the length of the handle tube (1) and by reversing the direction ofthe lead screw (21) transferring the cleaning cord to the opposite end ofthe handle tube (1). See Fig 11.

The configuration of the loop of cleaning/disinfecting cord (14) is shown in fig 12.

The lead screw (21) is driven by drive motor (16) via pulleys (19) and drive belt (20).

The cleaning cord (14) is driven by worm wheel (a8) via worm drive (17) and pulleys (19) coupled by a drive belt (20) which is attached to the opposite end of the lead screw (21).

The cleaning cord ( 14) tension is maintained by the plumb pulley ( 12) suspended in the reservoir (15). See fig 11.

Claims

Claims 1. A device for cleaning and/or disinfecting a handle or other

suitable surface by means of a looped cord or tape of suitable material being driven around the outside circumference of the handle or surface and impregnated with a cleaning and/or disinfecting medium thereby constantly presenting a fresh surface of the cord or tape to the handle or surface to effect cleaning and/or disinfecting.
2. A device as in claim 1 where the cord or tape passes through a reservoir of the cleaning and/or disinfecting medium thereby constantly re-impregnating the cord or tape with the cleaning and/or disinfecting medium.
3. A device as in claims 1 and 2 where the moving loop of cord or tape is held in a fixed position and the handle or surface is made to move through the cord or tape loop by manual, mechanical, electromechanical or other means.
4. A device as in claims I and 2 where the handle or surface remains static and the cord or tape loop is made to travel along the handle by manual, mechanical, electromechanical or some other means.