Hand washing station

Abstract

The invention relates to a hand washing station (10) of the type comprising a washing enclosure (12) which delimits an orifice (28) for the introduction of hands and which contains a washing shower, a water storage tank (32) which supplies the shower with clean water and which collects the washing water, and a water recycling device (44), characterized in that it is equipped with a water renewal system (92) which comprises a water quality control device (96) which makes it possible to evaluate the quality of the water in the washing station (10), and a draining device (94) for the storage tank (32) which is provided for draining the water from the washing station (10) if the quality of the water evaluated by the control device exceeds a predefined unsanitary threshold. (Fig. 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Hand washing station Field of invention

[0001] The present patent application relates to the field of hand washing stations, and more particularly to an autonomous and water-saving washing station.

[0002] The present invention will find advantageous applications in a non-exclusive manner, in particular in equipping spaces open to the public, in particular schools, service stations, train stations and airports. State of the art

[0003] Sanitary facilities are generally equipped with sinks or open receptacles with a drinking water supply via manual or automatically opening taps.

[0004] This type of toilet is equipped with soap dispensers, automatic hand drying devices or paper dispensers or even tissue reels for drying hands.

[0005] The major disadvantage of this type of sanitary facility is the lack of control over water consumption and the splashing of water on the floor, which requires frequent cleaning.

[0006] In the current context of controlling drinking water consumption, it is imperative to reduce water consumption in public toilets.

[0007] For this purpose, document FR2879910 describes and represents a hand washing station which comprises a washing enclosure equipped with two orifices for the introduction of hands.

[0008] Also, the washing enclosure includes a washing shower, an automatic soap dispensing device, an automatic air hand drying device and a washing water collection basin.

[0009] This station is equipped with a water storage tank which, upstream, is connected to the basin to collect the washing water and which, downstream, is connected to the shower head to supply the shower head with clean water.

[0010] For this purpose, the station according to document FR2879910 comprises a water recycling device which comprises a reverse osmosis system.

[0011] Advantageously, the reverse osmosis system makes it possible to rid the water of most of its solutes to obtain almost pure water.

[0012] However, to produce purified water, the reverse osmosis system rejects a significant quantity of waste water which evacuates the concentrates; it is estimated that a reverse osmosis system consumes approximately three liters of water to produce one liter of purified water.

[0013] Consequently, the station according to document FR2879910 requires regular addition of water to fill the evacuation of waste water discharged by the reverse osmosis system.

[0014] This constraint does not allow the station described in document FR2879910 to operate in a closed circuit.

[0015] In addition, it is necessary to provide for the evacuation of water discharged by the reverse osmosis system.

[0016] Also, it will be noted that the station described in document FR2879910 operates with cold water, no device being provided to heat the water distributed by the washing shower.

[0017] Similarly, nothing is provided to replace the water contained in the washing station in the event of deterioration in the quality of the water.

[0018] Finally, nothing seems to be provided to facilitate the cleaning of the washing enclosure of this station according to the prior art. Statement of the invention

[0019] The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems mentioned above, by eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art.

[0020] This objective, as well as others which will become apparent upon reading the following description, is achieved with a hand washing station of the type comprising: - a washing enclosure which delimits an orifice for the introduction of hands and which contains a basin for collecting the washing water, - a washing shower which is arranged in said washing enclosure, - a water storage tank which supplies the shower with clean water and collects the wash water, - an automatic soap dispensing device, - an automatic air hand drying device, - a water recycling device, and - a central unit which controls the automatic supply of water to the shower,

[0021] According to the present invention, the station equipped with a water renewal system which comprises at least: - a water quality control device which allows the quality of the water in the washing station to be assessed, and - a storage tank drainage device which is designed to allow the water from the washing station to be drained if the water quality assessed by the control device exceeds a predefined unsanitary threshold.

[0022] Thus, the washing station according to the invention makes it possible to guarantee the quality of the water used for washing hands, while allowing hand washing with reduced water consumption and avoiding splashes and water losses.

[0023] According to other optional characteristics of the invention, taken alone or in combination:

[0024] - the washing station is intended to be connected to a power supply source water, and the water renewal system is associated with the central unit to drain the washing station automatically and renew the water in the washing station automatically via said supply source, if the water quality exceeds a predefined unsanitary threshold. The automatic draining and / or renewal of the water makes it possible to guarantee the quality of the water circulating in the washing station according to the invention;

[0025] - the washing station comprises a device for heating the water distributed by the wash shower;

[0026] - the hand drying device comprises at least one air diffuser which extends around the hand insertion hole and which ejects a blade of air at the entrance to the washing chamber. This feature allows the user to dry their hands without completely removing them from the washing chamber;

[0027] - the air blade has an annular shape which extends to the periphery of the orifice for the introduction of hands. This feature allows all facets of each hand to be dried simultaneously;

[0028] - the hand drying device is equipped with an air filter and a device for ultraviolet sterilization, each of which aims to treat the air blown by the hand drying device;

[0029] - the storage tank delimits a first water supply reservoir which supplies the shower head with clean water and a second collection tank which is connected to the basin, the first tank and the second tank being separated by an intermediate wall which includes an interchangeable filter intended to filter fine particles present in the water;

[0030] - the washing enclosure is equipped with a transparent visor which allows the user to visualize his hands inside said enclosure;

[0031] - the water recycling device comprises at least one interchangeable cartridge filtration and an ultraviolet sterilization device. This type of recycling device has the advantage of not releasing water, unlike a reverse osmosis system;

[0032] - the washing station has a first container which contains an anti- bacterial and which is connected to the storage tank, and a pump which is provided to inject a dose of said anti-bacterial solution into said storage tank. Brief description of the drawings

[0033] Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description for the understanding of which reference will be made to the attached drawings in which:

[0034] [Fig. 1] is a three-quarter front perspective view illustrating the hand washing station according to the invention;

[0035] [Fig.2] is a three-quarter front perspective view, which illustrates the washing station of [Fig.l] without its casing;

[0036] [Fig.3] is a three-quarter perspective view of detail illustrating the hand washing enclosure of the washing station of [Fig.l];

[0037] [Fig.4] is a three-quarter perspective view of detail illustrating the storage tank of the washing station of [Fig.l];

[0038] [Fig.5] is a schematic view illustrating the electrical box of the washing station of [Fig.l];

[0039] [Fig.6] is a three-quarter perspective view from the back illustrating the washing station of [Fig.l] without its casing;

[0040] [Fig.7] is a schematic view illustrating the hand drying device of the washing station of [Fig.l].

[0041] In the description and the claims, the expressions "upper", "lower" will be adopted without limitation with reference to the upper part and the lower part respectively of [Fig.l].

[0042] Finally, the expressions “upstream” and “downstream” refer to the flow of fluids from upstream to downstream.

[0043] Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

[0044] [Fig.l] shows a hand washing station 10 according to the invention, which extends vertically in a standing position of use, from the ground (not shown).

[0045] With reference to figures 2 and 3, the washing station 10 comprises a hand washing enclosure 12 which is delimited by two side walls 14, 16, a rear wall 18, a lower wall which forms a basin 22 for collecting the washing water, an upper wall 24 forming a visor 25 and a front face 26.

[0046] The front face 26 delimits an orifice 28 to allow the user to insert both hands into the enclosure 12.

[0047] The orifice 28 also allows access to the interior of the enclosure 12 for cleaning it.

[0048] Similarly, the visor 25 is removably mounted to facilitate access to the interior of the enclosure 12.

[0049] It will be noted that the visor 25 is transparent, to allow the user to see his hands inside the enclosure 12.

[0050] As can be seen in [Fig.3] which illustrates the washing enclosure 12 without the visor 25, a hand washing shower 30 extends into the washing enclosure 12 from the rear wall 18, above the basin 22.

[0051] The enclosure 28 is equipped with a detector (not shown) which is designed to detect the presence of a user's hands in order to start a washing cycle which is described at the end of the description.

[0052] Also, the washing station 10 comprises a water storage tank 32 which is closed by a cover 33 and which is arranged in a lower part of the washing station 10.

[0053] The storage tank 32, illustrated in [Fig.4], delimits a first water supply reservoir 34 which supplies the shower 30 via a supply pipe 36, and a second collection reservoir 38 which is connected to the basin 22 by a discharge pipe 40 to collect the washing water by gravity.

[0054] The first reservoir 34 and the second reservoir 38 are separated by an intermediate wall which comprises an interchangeable paper filter 42 for filtering fine particles.

[0055] In addition, the second collection tank 38 is equipped with a sieve (not shown) which recovers the elements and particles which are conveyed from the basin 22 by the evacuation conduit 40.

[0056] With reference to [Fig. 2], the washing station 10 comprises a recycling device 44 which aims to treat and sanitize the water which feeds the shower 30, to allow the washing station 10 to operate in a closed circuit, that is to say to operate by recycling all the washing water which is collected by the basin 22 and conveyed into the tank 32.

[0057] For this purpose, the recycling device 44 comprises two cartridge filters 46a, 46b which are mounted in series on the supply conduit 36, downstream of the first reservoir 34 of the storage tank 32.

[0058] The cartridge filters 46a, 46b each contain an interchangeable cartridge which allows the water to be filtered according to a degree of filtration which depends on the type of cartridge used.

[0059] In addition, the recycling device 44 is equipped with an ultraviolet sterilization device 48 which is mounted on the supply conduit 36, downstream of the cartridge filters 46a, 46b.

[0060] The sterilization device 48 aims to disinfect the water passing through it, and in particular makes it possible to eliminate legionella, microbes, bacteria, viruses and protozoa.

[0061] Also, the supply conduit 36 ​​is equipped with a pump 50 which is mounted upstream of the recycling device 44, to suck up the water contained in the first supply tank 34, then to pass the drawn water through the recycling device. 44, to finally run the water thus filtered through the shower head 30.

[0062] It will be noted that the various electrical components of the washing station 10, including in particular the pump 50 and the ultraviolet sterilization device 48, are supplied with electricity by a power supply 54 which is housed in an electrical box 56, visible in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0063] Preferably, the electrical box 56 is connected to an electricity network by a cable (not shown).

[0064] The electrical box 56 also includes a central unit 58 which controls and pilots the various electrical components of the washing station 10.

[0065] To complete the water treatment, the washing station 10 comprises a first container 60, visible in [Fig. 6], which contains an anti-bacterial solution and which is connected to the second collection tank 38 by a pipe 62.

[0066] A dose of this anti-bacterial solution is injected into the water contained in the second reservoir 38 by a pump 64 when the hydrogen potential, called “Ph”, of the water contained in the second reservoir 38 is measured outside a range of determined values.

[0067] For this purpose, a pH measuring probe (not shown) is immersed in the second reservoir 38, and is connected to the central unit 58.

[0068] The anti-bacterial solution is, for example, a peri-chlorine solution suitable for guaranteeing the elimination of bacteria and avoiding the presence of legionella.

[0069] As can be seen in [Fig.6], the washing station 10 comprises a heating device 66 which is mounted on the supply conduit 36, and which is interposed between the shower 30 and the sterilization device 48, to heat the water distributed by the washing shower 30.

[0070] The heating device 66 is for example an electric water heater which makes it possible to raise the temperature of the water passing through it to a set value, for example forty degrees Celsius.

[0071] In addition, the washing station 10 comprises an automatic soap dispensing device 68 which comprises a second container 70.

[0072] The second container 70 contains a soap solution which is drawn by a pipe 72 and a pump 74 provided for this purpose.

[0073] The pipe 72 extends from an inlet end immersed in the second container 70, to an outlet end which is connected to the supply conduit 36, directly upstream of the shower 30, behind the washing enclosure 12.

[0074] This configuration makes it possible to mix the soapy solution with the washing water which is distributed by the shower 30, when the associated pump 74 is activated by the central unit 58.

[0075] According to another aspect of the invention, with reference to Figures 2 and 6, the station of washing 10 includes an automatic air-drying device 76 for hands.

[0076] With reference to the diagram of [Fig.7], the drying device 76 comprises a housing 78 which contains a motorized blower 80 which blows air successively through an air filter 82 and an ultraviolet sterilizer 84, for the elimination of any bacteria present in the air.

[0077] The air pushed by the blower 80 is conveyed from the sterilizer 84 to a diffuser 86 via a pipe 88.

[0078] The diffuser 86, visible in [Fig.2], forms a tubular ring which extends around the orifice 28 for the entry of the hands into the enclosure 12, and which has an annular peripheral slot 90.

[0079] The slot 90 of the diffuser 86 is adapted to blow an annular blade of air under pressure which converges towards the center of the orifice 28, in order to dry the user's hands.

[0080] For this purpose, the user will move his hands back and forth through the orifice 28, in line with the diffuser 86.

[0081] According to another aspect of the invention, the washing station 10 is equipped with a water renewal system 92 which comprises a device 94 for emptying the storage tank 32, and a control device 96 which makes it possible to evaluate the quality of the water contained in the storage tank 32.

[0082] For this purpose, the control device 96 is equipped with a probe 98 which comprises a head 100 fixed on the cover 33 of the storage tank 32 and a body 102 immersed in the storage tank 32, the probe 98 being connected to the central unit 58.

[0083] The draining device 94 comprises a solenoid valve 104 which has a double inlet connected to a lower part of the first tank 34 and to a lower part of the second tank 38, and which has an outlet connected to a discharge pipe 106, so as to allow the tank 32 to be drained.

[0084] The discharge pipe 106 is preferably connected to a wastewater network.

[0085] The water from the washing station 10, which is contained in the tank 32, is automatically drained automatically by control of the solenoid valve 104 by the central unit 58, if the quality of the water measured by the control device 96 exceeds a predefined unsanitary threshold.

[0086] Without limitation, the solenoid valve 104 can be replaced by a manual valve which is manually controlled by an operator if the quality of the water measured by the control device 96 exceeds a predefined unsanitary threshold.

[0087] In addition, the washing station 10 is connected to a water supply source (not shown) via a connector 108 which is mounted on the storage tank 32.

[0088] The water supply source is preferably a drinking water network.

[0089] The filling of the storage tank 32 can be carried out automatically at by means of an automatic device (not shown).

[0090] Without limitation, the storage tank 32 can be filled manually by an operator.

[0091] Finally, the washing station 10 is covered by a casing 110 visible in [Fig. 1], which delimits a first light 112 at the front to allow the passage of hands through the inlet orifice 28.

[0092] In addition, the casing 110 is topped by a removable cover 114 which delimits a second light 116 which is cut out around the visor 25.

[0093] The washing station 10 according to the invention allows a user's hands to be washed with reduced water consumption, while avoiding splashing and water loss.

[0094] Hand washing is carried out during a washing cycle which is executed by the central unit 58 and which preferably takes place in the following manner.

[0095] The user inserts his hands into the washing enclosure 12 by passing them through the orifice 28.

[0096] The presence of hands is detected by the detector provided for this purpose and the washing cycle is launched.

[0097] After detection of the hands, the water contained in the first reservoir 34 of the storage tank 32 is pumped by the pump 50, then conveyed by the supply conduit 36 ​​successively through the recycling device 44, the heating device 66 and the shower 30.

[0098] Simultaneously with the pumping of the water by the pump 50, the central unit 58 controls the pump 74 of the automatic soap dispensing device 68, so that the soap solution is mixed with the washing water dispensed by the shower 30, for a duration of between ten and fifteen seconds for example.

[0099] Once this time has elapsed, the pump 74 of the soap dispensing device 68 is stopped and the pump 50 continues to supply the shower 30 for a determined time, for example ten additional seconds.

[0100] At the end of this additional duration, the central unit 58 controls the drying device 76 which blows air successively through the air filter 82, the ultraviolet sterilizer 84 and the annular diffuser 86 arranged at the entrance to the washing enclosure 12.

[0101] The user moves his hands back and forth through the orifice 28, in line with the diffuser 86, to dry his hands.

[0102] This drying operation ends when the user's hands are completely removed from the enclosure 12, or at the end of a predetermined duration.

[0103] Naturally, the invention is described in the above by way of example. It is understood that those skilled in the art are able to carry out different variants of rea- use of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Hand washing station (10) of the type comprising: - a washing enclosure (12) which delimits an orifice (28) for the introduction of hands and which contains a basin (22) for collecting the washing water, - a washing shower (30) which is arranged in said washing enclosure (12), - a water storage tank (32) which supplies the shower (30) with clean water and which collects the washing water, - an automatic soap dispensing device (68), - an automatic air drying device (76) for the hands, - a water recycling device (44), and - a central unit (58) which controls the automatic supply of water to the shower (30), characterized in that it is equipped with a water renewal system (92) which comprises at least: - a water quality control device (96) which makes it possible to evaluate the quality of the water in the washing station (10),and - a draining device (94) for the storage tank (32) which is provided to allow the water to be drained from the washing station (10) if the quality of the water assessed by the control device exceeds a predefined unsanitary threshold.,

2. Hand washing station (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is intended to be connected to a water supply source, and in that the water renewal system (92) is associated with the central unit (58) to drain the washing station (10) automatically and renew the water in the washing station (10) automatically via said supply source, if the quality of the water exceeds a predefined unsanitary threshold.

3. Hand washing station (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a device (66) for heating the water distributed by the washing shower (30).

4. Hand washing station (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hand drying device (76) comprises at least one air diffuser (86) which extends around the orifice (28) for introducing the hands and which ejects a blade of air at the inlet of the washing enclosure (12).

5. Hand washing station (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the air blade has an annular shape which extends to the periphery of the orifice (28) for the introduction of the hands.

6. Hand washing station (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hand drying device (76) is equipped with an air filter (82) and an ultraviolet sterilization device (84) which each aim to treat the air blown by the hand drying device (76).

7. Hand washing station (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the storage tank (32) delimits a first water supply tank (34) which supplies the shower head (30) with clean water and a second collection tank (38) which is connected to the basin (22), the first tank (34) and the second tank (38) being separated by an intermediate wall which comprises an interchangeable filter (42) intended to filter the fine particles present in the water.

8. Hand washing station (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the washing enclosure (12) is equipped with a transparent visor (25) which allows the user to see his hands inside said enclosure (12).

9. Hand washing station (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water recycling device (44) comprises at least one interchangeable filtration cartridge and an ultraviolet sterilization device (48).

10. Hand washing station (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a first container (60) which contains an anti-bacterial solution and which is connected to the storage tank (32), and a pump (64) which is provided for injecting a dose of said anti-bacterial solution into said storage tank (32).

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