System and method for providing sanitary towels for restaurants and bars

Abstract

An automated system and method for providing sanitary towels in restaurants and bars includes a tank assembly, a perforated drum assembly, a drive motor and drive gear assembly, a sanitizer solution source, a water source, a heating unit, one or more solenoid valves capable of governing the introduction and release of water and sanitizer solution into and from the tank assembly, one or more sensors capable of measuring solution temperature and sanitizer concentration, and a controller unit having at least one processor and memory. A method of use involves the programmable steps of filling the tank assembly, measuring the concentration of sanitizer, adjusting the concentration of sanitizer, measuring the temperature of the water and sanitizer solution, adjusting the temperature, agitating towels, and draining the water and sanitizer solution after a preferred amount of time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing sanitary towels in a sanitizer solution comprising:
 a. a corrosion resistant, waterproof tank assembly;   b. a corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum assembly;   c. a drive motor and drive gear assembly, said drive gear assembly movably connecting the said drive motor to the said corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum assembly;   d. a sanitizer solution source;   e. a water source;   f. a heating unit;   g. one or more solenoid valves capable of governing the introduction and release of water from the said water source and sanitizer solution from the said sanitizer source into the said corrosion resistant, waterproof tank assembly;   h. one or more sensors capable of measuring solution temperature;   i. one or more sensors capable of measuring solution sanitizer concentration; and   j. a controller unit having at least one processor and memory.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein an electromechanical pump is used to introduce water and sanitizer solution into the corrosion resistant, waterproof tank assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the sanitizer solution from the sanitizer solution source is mixed in a manifold with water from the water source and introduced into the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a sanitizer solution is created by mixing the sanitizer solution from the sanitizer solution source and water from the water source inside the corrosion resistant, waterproof tank assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising one or more sensors for measuring pH. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising one or more sensors for measuring water hardness. 
     
     
         1 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller unit having at least one processor and memory, said memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system for providing sanitary towels by at least one processor to perform the functions of
 a. starting the system; 
 b. filling the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly with a measured amount of water by way of opening one or more solenoid valves; 
 c. introducing a measured amount of sanitizer solution into the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly by opening one or more solenoid valves; 
 d. measuring concentration of sanitizer in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly with measured amount of water and sanitizer solution; 
 e. adjusting the concentration of sanitizer in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly with measured amount of water and sanitizer solution to required levels; 
 f. measuring temperature of water and sanitizer solution in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly; 
 g. adjusting the temperature of water and sanitizer solution in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly; 
 h. agitating towels in the inner cavity of the corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly by rotating the said corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly; 
 i. draining the water and sanitizer solution from the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller unit having at least one processor and memory is connected to, and can be controlled from, a network including one or more computers. 
     
     
         9 . A method for providing sanitary towels for restaurants and bars using a system for providing sanitary towels comprising a corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly, a corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum assembly positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly, a drive motor and drive gear assembly, said drive gear assembly movably connecting the said drive motor to the said corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum assembly, a sanitizing solution source, a water source, one or more sensors capable of measuring solution temperature, one or more sensors capable of measuring solution sanitizer concentration, a drain, and a controller unit having at least one processor, memory and a display, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. powering up and starting the system;   b. filling the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly with a measured amount of water;   c. introducing a measured amount of sanitizer solution into the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly;   d. measuring concentration of sanitizer in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly with measured amount of water and sanitizer solution using the said one or more sensors capable of measuring solution sanitizer concentration;   e. adjusting the concentration of sanitizer in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly with measured amount of water and sanitizer solution to required levels;   f. measuring temperature of water and sanitizer solution in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly using the said one or more sensors capable of measuring solution temperature;   g. adjusting the temperature of water and sanitizer solution in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly;   h. placing towels into the inner cavity of the corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly;   i. draining the water and sanitizer solution from the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly after a specific amount of time.   
     
     
         10 . The method of Claim further comprising the step of agitating towels in the inner cavity of the corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly by rotating the said corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The method of Claim further comprising the step of repeating the method at required intervals. 
     
     
         12 . A method for operating a system for providing sanitary towels for restaurants and bars using a system for providing sanitary towels comprising a corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly, a corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum assembly positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly, a drive motor and drive gear assembly, said drive gear assembly movably connecting the said drive motor to the said corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum assembly, a sanitizing solution source, a water source, one or more sensors capable of measuring solution temperature, one or more solenoid valves capable of governing the introduction and release of water from the said water source and sanitizer solution from the said sanitizer source into the said corrosion resistant, waterproof tank assembly, one or more sensors capable of measuring solution sanitizer concentration a drain, and a controller unit having at least one processor and memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system for providing sanitary towels by at least one processor to perform the steps of:
 a. filling the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly with a measured amount of water;   b. introducing a measured amount of sanitizer solution into the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly;   c. measuring concentration of sanitizer in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly with measured amount of water and sanitizer solution using one or more sensors capable of measuring solution sanitizer concentration;   d. adjusting the concentration of sanitizer in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly with measured amount of water and sanitizer solution to required levels;   e. measuring temperature of water and sanitizer solution in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly using one or more sensors capable of measuring solution temperature;   f. adjusting the temperature of water and sanitizer solution in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly;   g. agitating towels in the inner cavity of the corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly by rotating the said corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly;   h. draining the water and sanitizer solution from the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly; and   i. repeating the aforementioned steps as programmed.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein an electromechanical pump in communication with the control unit is used to introduce water and sanitizer solution into the corrosion resistant, waterproof tank assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein a sanitizer solution is created by mixing sanitizer from in a manifold with water from the water source and introduced into the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of Claim further comprising the step of agitating towels in the inner cavity of the corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly by rotating the said corrosion resistant rotatable perforated drum positioned inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The method of Claim further comprising the step of displaying an alert message when the concentration of the sanitizer in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly is outside required levels. 
     
     
         17 . The method of Claim further comprising the step of displaying the concentration of sanitizer in the water and sanitizer solution in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly on one or more displays on the controller unit or a computer that is networked to the said controller unit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of Claim further comprising the step of displaying the temperature of the water and sanitizer solution in the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly on one or more displays on the controller unit or a computer that is networked to the said controller unit. 
     
     
         19 . The method of Claim further comprising the step of displaying the pH of the water and sanitizer solution inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly using one or more sensors capable of measuring solution pH and displaying the pH on one or more displays on the controller unit or a computer that is networked to the said controller unit. 
     
     
         20 . The method of claim further comprising the step of displaying the hardness of the water and sanitizer solution inside the corrosion resistant waterproof tank assembly using one or more sensors capable of measuring solution hardness and displaying the solution hardness value on one or more displays on the controller unit or a computer that is networked to the said controller unit.