Flushable Hygiene Glove for Fecal Pathogen Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disposable wipes and hygiene products are not designed for flushing into indoor plumbing systems and do not effectively contain or eliminate fecal pathogens, posing a risk of disease transmission in environments involving food preparation and public health.
Innovation Solution
A flushable glove or mitten made from non-woven wood-pulp based fabric with a dorsal and ventral surface, optionally containing emollients and antimicrobial agents, featuring a means for easy removal and disposal by flushing, designed to reduce contamination and transmission of fecal pathogens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If disposable wipes are used for fecal cleaning, then hygiene coverage is improved, but disposal safety deteriorates because they are not designed for flushing and may clog plumbing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters of the wipe by using wood-pulp based fabric with specific fiber composition and bonding agents that enable the product to disintegrate in water. This parameter change allows the wipe to maintain integrity during use for hygiene coverage while automatically breaking down in plumbing systems to prevent clogging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable single-use wipe designed to be discarded after one use. The wipe is engineered with specific disintegration properties that allow it to serve its hygiene function once and then safely break down in the plumbing system, eliminating the need for repeated use or complex cleaning of the wipe itself.
2Reliability
If non-flushable wipes are used, then product performance is improved, but pathogen transmission risk increases due to improper disposal requiring manual handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pathogens and contaminants contained on the wipe by directing them into the flushing water stream. The wipe is designed to release its contents into the plumbing system during flushing, effectively removing pathogens from the user's environment and preventing their transmission to surfaces or hands during disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses water as an intermediary medium to transfer pathogens from the wipe to the plumbing system. The flushable wipe allows water to penetrate and carry contaminants away, serving as a safe intermediary that prevents direct contact between the user and pathogens during disposal.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If flushable materials are used, then disposal safety is improved, but product functionality deteriorates because materials must be water-soluble reducing durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic properties to the wipe material, making it transition from a strong, intact state during use to a disintegrating state during disposal. The wood-pulp based fabric with specific bonding agents maintains strength when dry and under mechanical stress during cleaning, but automatically breaks down when exposed to prolonged water contact in the plumbing system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates preliminary bonding agents and material treatments during manufacturing that pre-condition the wipe to maintain integrity during use. These preliminary actions ensure the wipe stays together during the cleaning function, while the same material composition is pre-configured to disintegrate under flushing conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The glove effectively reduces and eliminates contamination and cross-contamination of clothing and surfaces by containing fecal pathogens, allowing for safe disposal without immediate handwashing facilities.
Implementation Method 1
the device made from a non-woven wood-pulp based fabric
Implementation Method 2
the fabric further extending up the arm and so enclosing wrist and back of hand of the user
Implementation Method 3
The optional anti-microbial agent is for example one or more of a broad spectrum antibacterial antibiotic and/or an antimicrobial chemical agent
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, kits and methods are provided to reduce or even eliminate fecal contamination and cross-contamination and transmission of fecal-born pathogenic organisms by users employed in the food production and food preparation industries or users in a home, for example in restaurants, cruise ships, schools, hospitals, dormitories, transportation means and terminals, and government buildings, the devices and methods pertaining to a glove-like garment that is applied prior to disposal of feces and removed after disposal of toilet tissue. The glove is flushable, and in an embodiment includes means of retraction from the wrist area for inversion of the garment, followed by flushing the inverted removed glove.