Fuel-Fill Hand Sanitizer Integration to Avoid Interior Contamination

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for an effective way to sanitize one's hands after refueling a vehicle, as gas stations may lack hand sanitizer dispensers or have empty ones, and using personal sanitizer involves touching potentially contaminated vehicle surfaces.

Innovation Solution

Integrating a hand sanitizer dispenser system within the vehicle body, specifically in the fuel-fill inlet well, providing easy access for sanitization after refueling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If personal hand sanitizer is stored in the glove compartment, then hand sanitizer is available, but the vehicle operator must touch potentially contaminated surfaces (door handle, steering wheel, glove compartment) to retrieve it

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehand sanitizer availabilityVSAvoidcontamination of high use areas

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hand sanitizer dispenser is pre-installed in the fuel-fill inlet well, positioned to be accessible immediately after fueling. The system is prepared in advance with sanitizer reservoir integrated into the vehicle body, eliminating the need to retrieve sanitizer from other locations after contamination has occurred

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The fuel-fill inlet well serves as an intermediary location between the external environment and the vehicle interior. By placing the sanitizer dispenser in this intermediate zone, the system allows sanitization before returning to the vehicle, preventing contamination of high-use interior surfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If gas station hand sanitizer dispensers are used, then hand sanitizer is accessible, but such dispensers may be empty or not available at all locations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehand sanitizer accessibilityVSAvoidhand sanitizer availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle operator provides their own hand sanitizer through an integrated dispenser system built into the vehicle. This self-service approach eliminates dependence on external gas station dispensers, ensuring sanitizer availability whenever and wherever the vehicle is fueled

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The fuel-fill inlet well, which serves the universal function of receiving fuel nozzles at any gas station, is enhanced to also house a hand sanitizer dispenser. This multi-functional use of the fuel-fill well ensures sanitizer availability at all fueling locations without requiring separate infrastructure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If a hand sanitizer dispenser is integrated in the fuel-fill inlet well, then hand sanitizer is readily accessible after refueling, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehand sanitizer accessibilityVSAvoiddispenser system integration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hand sanitizer dispenser is merged with the existing fuel-fill inlet well structure. By combining two functions (fuel filling and sanitizer dispensing) into a single integrated location, the system improves accessibility without requiring separate components or additional space, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12491826B2Fuel-fill integrated hand sanitizer dispenser

Publication Date: 2025.12.09 BLUE LEAF I P INC

AI summary

An automotive vehicle includes: a vehicle body; and a hand sanitizer dispenser system coupled with the vehicle body.