Wash chamber for automated 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 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A cleaning station comprising:
 a body;   a rotatable wash chamber associated with the body, the wash chamber including an inner member and an outer member, the wash chamber including a first end and a second end, the wash chamber including an axis of rotation;   an appendage receiving cavity located within the inner member, the appendage receiving cavity adapted for being accessible by at least a portion of at least one appendage of a person through an opening in the first end of the wash chamber;   an annular cavity located between the inner member and the outer member, the inner member including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface facing the appendage receiving cavity and the second surface facing the annular cavity;   wherein the annular cavity comprises at least one cleaning fluid, the at least one cleaning fluid being pressurization within the annular cavity;   a plurality of nozzles disposed on the inner member, the plurality of nozzles adapted to receive the at least one cleaning fluid from the annular cavity and to project the at least one cleaning fluid into the appendage receiving cavity at differing angles relative to a longitudinal axis of the rotatable wash chamber;   whereby during operation of the wash chamber, said pressurization within said annular cavity forces said at least one cleaning fluid from said annular cavity through the plurality of nozzles into the appendage receiving cavity.   
     
     
         25 . The automated cleaning station of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the outer member includes a cylinder portion and a frusto-conical portion, the frusto-conical portion including a flat surface and a sloped surface, the flat surface including the fluid inlet;   the inner member includes a cylinder portion and a frusto-conical portion, the frusto-conical portion including a flat surface and a sloped surface; and   wherein the outer member and the inner member are separate components that interconnect with each other to form the wash chamber.   
     
     
         26 . The automated cleaning station of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of nozzles comprise:
 a first set of nozzles disposed on the inner member in a formation and proximate to the first end of the wash chamber;   a second set of nozzles disposed on the inner member in a helical pattern along a length of the cylinder portion of the inner member; and   a third set of nozzles disposed on the frusto-conical portion of the inner member, wherein each nozzle of the third set of nozzles includes the at least one rib.   
     
     
         27 . The wash chamber of  claim 24 , wherein at least a first portion of the annular cavity comprises the at least one cleaning fluid and at least a second portion of the annular cavity is free of the at least one cleaning fluid. 
     
     
         28 . The automated cleaning station of  claim 24 , wherein the fluid inlet includes a tubular portion extending from the outer member, the tubular portion being adapted to be received in a seating mechanism disposed on the automated cleaning station.