Product Dispenser Holder with Sensor-Based Compliance Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand hygiene product dispensers lack effective monitoring and compliance tracking, making it difficult to ensure consistent adherence to hand hygiene protocols in healthcare and food service settings, which can lead to increased pathogen transmission and healthcare-associated infections.
Innovation Solution
A product dispenser holder with a compliance module that detects each actuation of the dispenser and wirelessly communicates dispense event data to a compliance system, allowing for real-time monitoring and analysis of hand hygiene practices, and includes an adjustable mounting mechanism for convenient placement near points of care.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a product dispenser is placed near hand washing stations to facilitate compliance, then ease of operation is improved, but there is no mechanism to monitor or track usage, resulting in loss of information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a compliance module with sensor that detects dispenser actuation and provides feedback through wireless communication to a remote computing device. This feedback mechanism tracks usage events, timestamps, and compliance data, resolving the information loss problem while maintaining ease of product access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a compliance module as an intermediary component between the dispenser and the monitoring system. This module includes a sensor that detects actuation and a wireless communication interface that transmits data, serving as a mediator that captures usage information without interfering with the primary dispensing function.
2Measurement precision
If manual monitoring of hand hygiene compliance is implemented, then measurement of compliance is possible, but loss of time occurs due to manual tracking and reporting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automated self-monitoring system where the compliance module automatically detects dispenser actuation, records timestamps, and transmits compliance data wirelessly without human intervention. This eliminates manual monitoring time while maintaining precise compliance measurement through automated sensing and data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical monitoring processes with an automated electronic sensing and wireless communication system. The compliance module uses a sensor to detect actuation mechanically and substitutes human reporting with automated electronic data transmission, eliminating time loss while preserving measurement precision.
3Loss of information
If a compliance module with wireless communication is added to the dispenser holder, then loss of information is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the compliance module into distinct functional components: a sensor element for detecting actuation, a processing component for generating compliance data, and a wireless communication interface for data transmission. This segmentation allows the complexity to be distributed and managed separately while achieving comprehensive information tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a multi-functional compliance module that combines sensing, data processing, and wireless communication capabilities in a single integrated unit. This universal module handles multiple functions (detection, recording, transmission) that would otherwise require separate systems, reducing overall device complexity while preventing information loss.
4Productivity
If real-time monitoring of dispenser actuation is implemented, then productivity of compliance monitoring is improved, but use of energy increases due to continuous sensing and communication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by having the compliance module activate the sensor and wireless communication only at discrete moments when dispenser actuation is detected, rather than continuous monitoring. This event-triggered approach maintains high productivity for compliance tracking while significantly reducing energy consumption by keeping the system dormant between events.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining the sensor in a ready state to detect actuation events while using periodic wireless communication only when needed. This approach keeps the monitoring function continuously available for detecting compliance events while minimizing energy expenditure by transmitting data only when new information is generated.
Data Source
AI summary
A product dispenser holder comprises a dispenser holder body configured to receive a product dispenser that stores a supply of a product to be dispensed, an actuation sensor that senses actuations of the product dispenser, and an actuation button, such that when an actuation force is applied to a pump of the product dispenser, a substantially downward force is applied to the actuation button causing the actuation button to rotate substantially downwardly and actuate the actuation sensor to generate a dispenser actuation signal.