Removable Hygiene Compliance Module for Dispenser Actuation Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hygiene compliance monitoring systems require costly, permanently-installed dispensers and specialized training, limiting their widespread use and compliance in industries like healthcare and food services, where hand hygiene is crucial for disease prevention.
Innovation Solution
A removable point-of-care hygiene compliance module with a pivotable actuation arm that contacts the dispensing nozzle, a switch, controller, memory unit, and display, allowing for user-friendly tracking of dispensing nozzle actuations without the need for permanent installation or specialized training.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If permanently-installed dispensers are used for hygiene compliance monitoring, then monitoring reliability is improved, but device cost and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate functional modules: a compliance module that attaches to the dispensing container and a separate monitoring system. This segmentation allows the monitoring functionality to be distributed and reduces installation complexity while maintaining reliability through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
A removable compliance module serves as an intermediary between the dispensing container and the monitoring system. This intermediary component captures actuation events and transmits data, enabling reliable monitoring without requiring permanent installation of complex infrastructure.
2Reliability
If permanently-installed dispensers are used for hygiene compliance monitoring, then monitoring reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into a simple compliance module and a separate monitoring platform, the manufacturing cost of individual components is reduced. The compliance module can be produced at low cost and attached to standard dispensing containers, avoiding the need to manufacture expensive integrated permanent dispensers.
Solution Approach 2:
The compliance module is designed to be universal and compatible with various dispensing container types. This multi-functionality allows a single low-cost module design to work across different applications, reducing manufacturing costs through standardization while maintaining reliable monitoring capability.
3Measurement precision
If specialized training is required for hygiene compliance monitoring, then monitoring precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The compliance module automatically detects and records dispensing actuations without requiring user intervention or training. The system performs self-service monitoring by sensing nozzle actuation events and transmitting data automatically, eliminating the need for specialized training while maintaining precise compliance tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides automatic feedback through the monitoring platform, which tracks and reports compliance data. This automated feedback mechanism eliminates the need for trained personnel to manually monitor and interpret compliance data, making the system easy to operate while maintaining measurement precision through automated data collection and analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A point-of-care hygiene compliance module includes a housing that is adapted to be attached to a dispensing container that dispenses material through a dispensing nozzle when actuated. The housing includes a pivoting actuation arm that is configured so as to be placed in operative contact with the dispensing nozzle. Thus, when the actuation arm is actuated, material is dispensed from the dispensing container, and a switch in operative contact with the actuation arm is actuated. The triggering of the switch updates a count value that is maintained by a controller, which may then be displayed or acquired by a remote computer to assess the amount of usage of the dispensing container.