Automatic hand washing system

Abstract

The present invention provides an automatic hand washing system for original and retrofit residential and commercial installation and use. The automatic hand washing system dispenses a predetermined amount of soap and water to effectively clean the hands of a user in a short, predetermined amount of time, ensuring that sanitary protocols are followed while conserving natural resources. In this respect, the automatic hand washing system represents an automatic hand washing protocol compliance control system. Advantageously, the automatic hand washing system isolates the soap delivery path from the water delivery path until each is delivered to the hands of the user, preventing self-contamination, allowing the proper viscosity and flow of each to be maintained, eliminating the need for inefficient internal mixing mechanisms, etc. Advantageously, the automatic hand washing system also identifies and certifies the soap source being utilized, such that the integrity of the hand washing process is ensured and a revenue stream for the manufacturer of the automatic hand washing system and/or the provider of the soap source is maintained.

1 . An automatic hand washing system, comprising:
 at least one water inlet connected to a water supply and at least one soap inlet connected to a soap supply;   a faucet assembly connected to the at least one water inlet via at least one water outlet and the at least one soap inlet via at least one soap outlet, wherein a water flow path is isolated from a soap flow path until an end of a nozzle termination is reached by the flow paths;   one or more controllers operable for controlling the amount of and time during which both water and soap are dispensed through the faucet assembly; and   one or more nozzles associated with the nozzle termination operable for dispensing water and soap from the faucet assembly to an object to be washed.   
   
   
       2 . The automatic hand washing system of  claim 1 , wherein the water flow path and the soap flow path are isolated, at least in part, by a dual-lumen fluid supply line. 
   
   
       3 . The automatic hand washing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a proximity sensor associated with the faucet assembly operable for detecting the presence of the object to be washed and initiating the dispensing of the water and soap from the faucet assembly to the object to be washed. 
   
   
       4 . The automatic hand washing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a soap supply comprising an identification and certification mechanism. 
   
   
       5 . The automatic hand washing system of  claim 4 , further comprising a soap supply identification and certification system operable for identifying and certifying the identification and certification mechanism of the soap supply. 
   
   
       6 . The automatic hand washing system of  claim 5 , wherein the soap supply identification and certification system is one of radio frequency identification (RFID) and bar code-based. 
   
   
       7 . The automatic hand washing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a record keeping system operable for identifying and recording the identity of the object being washed each time it is washed. 
   
   
       8 . The automatic hand washing system of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle termination comprises an inner annular wall concentrically disposed within an outer annular wall, the inner annular wall and the outer annular wall collectively defining an inner soap flow lumen and an outer water flow lumen, wherein the inner soap flow lumen is in fluid communication with the soap flow path and the outer water flow lumen is in fluid communication with the water flow path. 
   
   
       9 . The automatic hand washing system of  claim 8 , wherein the nozzle termination further comprises a termination wall defining at least one opening substantially adjacent to the inner soap flow lumen and at least one opening substantially adjacent to the water flow lumen. 
   
   
       10 . A method for providing an automatic hand washing system, comprising:
 providing at least one water inlet connected to a water supply and at least one soap inlet connected to a soap supply;   providing a faucet assembly connected to the at least one water inlet via at least one water outlet and the at least one soap inlet via at least one soap outlet, wherein a water flow path is isolated from a soap flow path until an end of a nozzle termination is reached by the flow paths;   providing one or more controllers operable for controlling the amount of and time during which both water and soap are dispensed through the faucet assembly; and   providing one or more nozzles associated with the nozzle termination operable for dispensing water and soap from the faucet assembly to an object to be washed.   
   
   
       11 . The method for providing the automatic hand washing system of  claim 10 , wherein the water flow path and the soap flow path are isolated, at least in part, by a dual-lumen fluid supply line. 
   
   
       12 . The method for providing the automatic hand washing system of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a proximity sensor associated with the faucet assembly operable for detecting the presence of the object to be washed and initiating the dispensing of the water and soap from the faucet assembly to the object to be washed. 
   
   
       13 . The method for providing the automatic hand washing system of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a soap supply comprising an identification and certification mechanism. 
   
   
       14 . The method for providing the automatic hand washing system of  claim 13 , further comprising providing a soap supply identification and certification system operable for identifying and certifying the identification and certification mechanism of the soap supply. 
   
   
       15 . The method for providing the automatic hand washing system of  claim 14 , wherein the soap supply identification and certification system is one of radio frequency identification (RFID) and bar code-based. 
   
   
       16 . The method for providing the automatic hand washing system of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a record keeping system operable for identifying and recording the identity of the object being washed each time it is washed. 
   
   
       17 . The method for providing the automatic hand washing system of  claim 10 , wherein the nozzle termination comprises an inner annular wall concentrically disposed within an outer annular wall, the inner annular wall and the outer annular wall collectively defining an inner soap flow lumen and an outer water flow lumen, wherein the inner soap flow lumen is in fluid communication with the soap flow path and the outer water flow lumen is in fluid communication with the water flow path. 
   
   
       18 . The method for providing the automatic hand washing system of  claim 17 , wherein the nozzle termination further comprises a termination wall defining at least one opening substantially adjacent to the inner soap flow lumen and at least one opening substantially adjacent to the water flow lumen.