Hand Barrier Dispenser Using Pressurized Gas Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand protection barrier dispensers for public restroom door handles are either complex, expensive, or ineffective in providing complete hand protection, as they often rely on porous materials like paper towels or require intricate mechanical systems.
Innovation Solution
A simple, inexpensive hand protection barrier dispenser that uses a stack of thin, impermeable plastic film barriers, sealed on the sides and opened by pressurized gas to create a complete hand protection barrier, which can be easily mounted on doors or walls for user access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If paper towels or porous materials are used to cover the hand, then the barrier can be easily obtained and manipulated, but the protection is insufficient especially when hands or door handle are wet
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable plastic film barriers that are discarded after single use. These barriers provide reliable protection when wet hands contact the door handle, then are discarded in a provided receptacle. The disposable nature ensures each barrier remains intact and effective for its intended use without degradation from moisture or repeated handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses thin plastic film barriers that conform to the hand shape while maintaining impermeability. These flexible films provide complete hand coverage unlike porous materials, creating an effective barrier against moisture and contaminants while remaining easy to don and doff.
2Reliability
If automated mechanical dispensing devices are used, then complete hand protection can be provided, but the device becomes complex and expensive with potential mechanical failure
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is designed to be manually operated by the user themselves. The user opens the dispenser door, takes a barrier from the stack, and closes the door. This simple manual operation eliminates complex automated mechanical systems while still providing complete hand protection barriers.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser separates the barrier dispensing function from the barrier itself. The stack of pre-formed barriers is stored in a simple receptacle, and the user manually retrieves them. This segmentation allows the complex protective barrier to be simple to dispense without requiring integrated automated mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If manual manipulation of tissue sheets is required to position them correctly, then simple dispensing is provided, but users may not take the time or care to properly position the barrier
Solution Approach 1:
The barriers are pre-formed with openings positioned and sized to automatically align with the hand when donned. The plastic film is pre-shaped and pre-positioned in the stack, eliminating the need for users to manipulate or reposition the barrier during application. This preliminary preparation ensures proper positioning while maintaining simple dispensing.
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 dispenser provides a user-friendly, effective, and durable solution for preventing hand contact with germ-covered surfaces, suitable for various applications beyond restrooms, including grocery stores and gas stations, ensuring complete hand protection with minimal maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a nozzle to receive pressurized gas from the valve and direct it toward the opening in a top one of the hand protection barriers in the stack to open the top hand protection barrier
Data Source
AI summary
A hand protection barrier dispenser for dispensing disposable sanitary barriers for temporarily covering the hand and providing complete hand protection is disclosed which dispenses the hand protection barriers in a manner so that they may easily be donned by a user thereof. The hand protection barrier operates to open each of the hand protection barriers into a position to be readily donned and dispensed. The hand protection barrier dispenser dispenses only a single hand protection barrier at a time.