Wash chamber for appendage-washing apparatus

Abstract

A wash cylinder or chamber for an automated cleaning station to clean an object or a person's body part includes nozzles on the interior of the cylinder, the nozzles of one embodiment comprising an increasing roll angle providing a novel spray pattern. Additionally, embodiments of the invention include fluid guidance and conveyance structures, angled nozzles, sealing structures, finger guards, nozzle ribs, wash chamber seating mechanisms and drains, and nozzle inlays having a plurality of nozzles. Also disclosed are methods of washing an object or body part using a wash cylinder or chamber and methods of assembling a wash cylinder or chamber.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . An automated cleaning station comprising:
 a plurality of nozzles for project a spray towards an appendage of a user, wherein each of the plurality of nozzles has a differing pitch angle and/or differing roll angle.   
     
     
         31 . The automated cleaning station of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 a rotatable wash chamber associated with a body, the wash chamber including an inner member and an outer member, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end;   an appendage receiving cavity located within the inner member, the appendage receiving cavity adapted for being accessible by the person through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber;   an annular cavity located between the inner member and the outer member;   a first set of the plurality of nozzles disposed on the inner member, wherein each nozzle of the first set is adapted to produce a spray that is projected at differing pitch angles and at a roll angle of substantially 0 degrees;   a second set of the plurality of nozzles disposed on the inner member, wherein each nozzle of the second set is adapted to produce a spray pattern that is projected at differing roll angles and a pitch angle of substantially 0 degrees;   at least one off-helix nozzle disposed on the inner member;   a third set of the plurality of nozzles disposed on a frusto-conical portion of the inner member;   whereby the first, second, and third sets of nozzles, and the at least one off-helix nozzle are operable to receive the fluid from the annular cavity and to project the fluid into the appendage receiving cavity.   
     
     
         32 . The cleaning station of  claim 31 , wherein the second set of nozzles includes a first nozzle located proximate to the opening in the first end o the wash chamber, wherein a first spray pattern associated with the first nozzle is projected at a first roll angle, wherein a second spray pattern associated with a second nozzle of the second set of nozzles is projected at a second roll angle, the second roll angle being steeper than the first roll angle, and wherein a remainder of the second set of nozzles each have a corresponding spray pattern oriented at progressively steeper roll angles. 
     
     
         33 . The cleaning station of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 a guard comprising an annular recess located on the inner member proximate to the opening in the wash chamber and a cylindrical portion disposed on the body, wherein the guard is received in the annular recess, and wherein an inner surface of the cylindrical portion is flush with the first surface of the inner member;   
     
     
         34 . The cleaning station of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 a drain disposed on the inner member including a drain surface having a plurality of perforations, each perforation being approximately ⅛ to ⅜ inch in diameter   a seal between the inner member and the outer member, the seal comprising an annular ring operatively associated with a circular flange disposed on the outer member; and   a plurality of screws interconnecting the inner member and the outer member, the screws presenting no protrusions into the appendage receiving cavity.   
     
     
         35 . The cleaning station of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 a seating mechanism associated with the body, the seating mechanism adapted to receive a fluid inlet disposed on the wash chamber, the fluid inlet comprising an opening in the outer member and a tubular portion extending from the opening, the fluid inlet providing an entrance for the fluid into the annular cavity, the fluid inlet being radially symmetric with respect to the axis of rotation, wherein the seating mechanism includes an o-ring, the o-ring providing a seal between an interior of the seating mechanism and a receiving basin, the receiving basin adapted to receive fluid exiting the appendage receiving cavity through the drain.   
     
     
         36 . The cleaning station of  claim 30 , wherein the spray pattern associated each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles is at least one of:
 a substantially planar spray;   a spherical spray;   a conical spray;   a pulsed spray; and   a jetted spray.   
     
     
         37 . The cleaning station of  claim 30 , wherein each of the plurality of nozzles have differing pitch angles. 
     
     
         38 . The cleaning station of  claim 30 , wherein each of the plurality of nozzles have differing roll angles. 
     
     
         39 . A method of cleaning a portion of an object using a cleaning station, comprising:
 receiving, by an automated cleaning station, an object to be cleaned;   projecting, by a plurality of nozzles, a spray of a cleaning fluid towards the object, wherein each of the plurality of nozzles have a differing pitch angle and/or differing roll angle.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the projecting step comprises:
 initiating a flow of the cleaning fluid through a fluid inlet disposed on a wash chamber of the automated cleaning station, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and the second end connected to the automated cleaning station, the wash chamber including an axis of rotation, the wash chamber including an object receiving cavity, the object receiving cavity being accessible through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber and being adapted to receive the portion of the object for cleaning;   projecting the first fluid through the plurality of nozzles and into the object receiving cavity, the plurality of nozzles being disposed on the wash chamber, wherein the plurality of nozzles comprise a first and a second set of nozzles;   wherein the first set of nozzles is disposed on the wash chamber in a ring proximate to the first end of the wash chamber, wherein each nozzle of the first set nozzles is adapted to produce a cleaning fluid spray that is projected at differing pitch angles and at a roll angle of substantially 0 degrees;   wherein the second set of nozzles disposed along a length of the wash chamber, wherein each nozzle of the second set of nozzles is adapted to produce a cleaning fluid spray that is projected at differing roll angles and at a pitch angle of substantially 0 degrees; and   wherein the wash chamber is rotated about the axis of rotation at least during the step of projecting the cleaning fluid.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the cleaning fluid spray pattern associated each nozzle of the first set of nozzles is at least one of:
 a substantially planar spray;   a spherical spray;   a conical spray;   a pulsed spray; and   a jetted spray.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the wash chamber includes an inner member and an outer member. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein each of the plurality of nozzles have differing pitch angles. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein each of the plurality of nozzles have differing roll angles. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the wash chamber includes a guard comprising an annular recess located on the inner member proximate to the opening in the wash chamber and a cylindrical portion disposed on the body, wherein the cylindrical guard is received in the annular recess, and wherein an inner surface of the cylindrical portion is flush with the first surface of the inner member; 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the wash chamber includes a seal between the inner member and the outer member, the seal comprising an annular ring operatively associated with a circular flange disposed on the outer member, and a plurality of screws interconnecting the inner member and the outer member, the screws presenting no protrusions into the object receiving cavity. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the wash chamber includes a drain disposed on the inner member including a drain surface having a plurality of perforations. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising contacting a second fluid with the portion of the object located within the wash chamber. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein one of the first fluid and the second fluid comprises water, and wherein one of the first fluid and the second fluid comprises at least one of a soap and a disinfectant. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the object is a body part of a person and further comprising contacting a medicinal fluid with the body part.