GB2421897A

GB2421897A - A door handle including means for cleaning the users hand

Info

Publication number: GB2421897A
Application number: GB0500100A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Hood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-01-06
Filing date: 2005-01-06
Publication date: 2006-07-12
Also published as: GB0500100D0

Abstract

A door handle 2 having a chamber 8 for receipt of a sanitizing solution and a porous grip portion 4 with a fluid connection to the chamber 8 such that when a person grasps the grip 4 to exit a room a sanitizing solution is released on to their hand. The chamber 8 may be refillable. A warning signal may be produced when the chamber 8 is empty and a visual indicator may be present to indicate the presence of the sanitizer. The handle 2 may include two distinct areas, one including the sanitizer and one without the sanitizer.

Description

DOOR HANDLE

The present invention relates to an improved door handle having sanitizing properties.

Failure to wash hands, particularly after using the toilet, is a major cause of disease. Germs from unwashed hands can be easily transferred to food, surfaces and other people giving rise to, for example, gastroenteritis, hepatitis A, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), or even the common cold. Unfortunately, many people do not wish their hands after using the bathroom and a prominent surface contaminated by the hands of such people is to the door handle on the exit from the bathroom. This has the disadvantage that when a sanitary person who has adequately washed their hands leaves the bathroom they must grasp the contaminated handle in order to exit, leading to cross-contamination of their own hands. Therefore, even a person who takes great care in trying to prevent the spread of infectious disease can, inadvertently, be spreading such disease.

It is particularly desirable to stop the spread of disease in the above described manner in establishments where people have reduced or immature immunity such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, nurseries, and where people are involved in the preparation or consumption of food.

No-touch exits are known which incorporate a sensor which detects the presence of a person as they exit a room, the sensor then activating a door opening mechanism to automatically open the door. However, such systems are expensive, prone to failure, and prone to user impatience with the user still touching the door in order to facilitate a swifter exit. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simpler and more cost effective solution to the above described problem.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a door handle in which at least a portion of a surface of the handle comprises a hand sanitizer.

Door handle is intended to cover various means of opening a door including for example, knobs, push pads/plates/bars, switches and levers.

The hand sanitizer may be refillable.

The hand sanitizer may compromise a chamber for holding a hand sanitizing solution and means to deliver the solution to the surface of handle. The chamber may compromise a refill port which may be in the form of a oneway valve.

The chamber may be integral to the handle.

The chamber may have a warning indicator to provide a signal when the chamber needs refilling. The indicator may be visual and/or audible.

At least a portion of the surface of the handle may comprise a porous cover having a fluid connection to the chamber.

The portion of the handle containing the hand sanitizer may have a visual indicator to provide details of the presence of the hand sanitizer.

The hand sanitizer may include a soap and/or antibacterial agent. The antibacterial agent may compromise at least one of tricolsan, triclocarban, chloroxylenol (PCMX), or ethyl alcohol.

In a preferred embodiment the door handle comprises two distinct sections one comprising said hand sanitizer, the other free of said sanitizer to provide means of using the handle without contacting the hand sanitizer.

By way of example only, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a door handle constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the line A-A of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of a second embodiment of door handle; Fig. 4 is a side view of the door handle of Fig. 3, the upper section of which is sectioned to illustrate the inside thereof Fig. 5 is a plan view of the door handle of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a schematic front view of a third embodiment of door handle; Fig. 7 is a side view of the door handle of Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a plan view of the door handle of Fig. 6.

A handle arrangement 2 according to a first embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a tubular grip 4 and a tubular neck 6 disposed substantially perpendicular thereto. The neck 6 is arranged to be fitted to a door in order to activate a door release mechanism when the grip 4 is grasped by a user and turned. The handle 2 is modified in accordance with the invention as follows: The handle 2 is hollow and forms a chamber 8 for receipt of a sanitizing solution. The neck 6 is provided with a refill port 10 in the form of a one-way valve which enables a sanitizing solution to be poured into the chamber 8. As best illustrated in Fig. 2 the grip 4 portion of the handle 2 comprises a tubular metallic main body 12 which contains said chamber 8 and which is surrounded by a peripheral cover 14. The body 12 comprises a plurality of pores 15 extending between the chamber 8 and cover 14. The cover 14 is made of a resilient porous material which absorbs sanitizing solution from the chamber 8.

The handle functions as follows: When a person grasps the grip 4 in order to exit, for example a restroom, compression of the cover 14 releases sanitizing solution onto their hand. Therefore, if a person grasps the handle with an unwashed hand, the sanitizing solution first cleans the hand of that person and then neutralises any bacteria transferred to the grip 4, preventing such from being passed to the next person to grasp the handle 2. Upon release of pressure on the grip 4, the porous nature of the cover 14 draws replacement solution from the chamber 8.

The neck 6 of the handle 2 is provided with a window 16, through which the solution can be viewed to provide an indication of when the chamber 8 needs refilling through port 10. The sanitizing solution contains a dye to make it readily visible. It also comprises a scent to mask the odour of the sanitizing formula.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 4, in which an alternative form for door handle 2 is illustrated, this time in the form of a push plate or pad, the handle 2 comprises two sections, an upper section 18 and a lower section 20. The upper section 18 contains the chamber 8 and its outer surface is encapsulated by the cover 14. As in the previous embodiment when a person pushes on the handle 2 contact with the cover 14 releases sanitizing solution onto their hand and the cover 14, once the pressure is released, is replenished via absorption through pores 15 in metal plate 12 with fresh sanitizing solution. However, in this instance the lower section 20 of the handle 2 is not encapsulated by the sanitizing cover 14. This provides a person with allergies or sensitive skin a choice on whether to operate the handle by touching the sanitizing cover 14 or by directly contacting bare metallic surface 22 of the handle to thereby avoid contact with a potential allergen. The handle in this instance is clearly marked to indicate the difference between the two sections.

Referring to Figs. 6 to 8 a further arrangement of handle 2 is illustrated in which the grip 4 is elongated and split into two sections, an upper and lower section 18 and 20 respectively. Similar to the embodiment of Fig. I the upper section 18 is surrounded by the cover 14 and contains the chamber 8. The surface of the lower section 20 is of a metallic material. The handle operates to provide a sanitizing solution to the hand of the person grasping the grip 4 of the handle 2 in the same manner as the previous embodiment.

The chamber 8 has been described as having a viewing window in order for a maintenance operative to check to see when the chamber 8 needs to be refilled, it is to be understood that other means could be provided, for example a probe connected to an electronic circuit to measure depth of the solution and which is operable to light a warning led or provide a warning beep when the chamber needs refilling.

It is to be understood that other types of handle such as knobs, switches and levers could be adapted to include a hand sanitizer as described herein.

Although the chamber has been described as being integral to the handle it is to be understood that the chamber could be in a separate unit which can be connected to the handle to supply sanitizing solution to the surface of the handle. The separate unit may be disposable once empty or provided with a refill port. The refill port has been described as comprising a one-way valve, but could be in the form of a bore with a removable stopper. The cover and chamber could be combined as an integral unit and could be refillable or disposable.

Claims

Claims (0 1. A door handle in which at least a portion of a surface of the

handle comprises a hand sanitizer.
2. A door handle according to claim 1, wherein the hand sanitizer is refillable.
3. A door handle according to claim I or 2, wherein the hand sanitizer comprising a chamber for holding a hand sanitizing solution and means to deliver the solution to the surface of handle.
4. A door handle according to claim 3, wherein the chamber comprises a refill port.
5. A door handle according to claim 4, wherein the refill port comprises a one- : .. wayvalve. S. **SS

S. ***
6. A door handle according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the chamber is integral to : thehandle * S
7. A door handle according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the chamber has * . : 15 a warning indicator to provide a signal when the chamber needs refilling. *SSS

*
8. A door handle according to claim 7, wherein the indicator is visual and/or audible.
9. A door handle according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein at least a portion of the surface of the handle comprises a porous cover having a fluid comiection to the chamber.
10. A door handle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the portion of the handle containing the hand sanitizer has a visual indicator to provide details of the presence of the hand sanitizer.
11. A door handle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the the hand sanitizer includes a soap andlor antibacterial agent.
12. A door handle according to claim 11, wherein the antibacterial agent compromises at least one of tricolsan, triclocarban, chioroxylenol (PCMX), or ethyl alcohol.
13. A door handle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the door handle comprises two distinct sections one comprising said hand sanitizer, the other free of said sanitizer to provide means of using the handle without contacting the hand sanitizer.
14. A door handle constructed and adapted to operate substantially as described * * herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. **.. *... * S *SS5 *

**..S. * S S. * S... S... S *