Sanitizing Door Handle with Integrated Fluid Dispensing Manifold
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional door handles often face issues with cleanliness and sanitation, particularly in high-touch areas, where there is a need for improved sanitizing solutions to prevent the spread of germs and infections.
Innovation Solution
A sanitizing door handle system that includes a fluid container assembly with a pump and distribution manifold, allowing for manual or automatic dispensing of sanitizing fluid onto the handle and user's hands, using materials like metal, plastic, or ceramic for the handle and tubing, with a check valve to ensure one-way fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fluid dispensing system is added to a door handle, then sanitizing capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the door handle with a fluid dispensing system, integrating the pump, fluid container, and distribution manifold into the handle assembly. This merging allows the handle to perform both its traditional function and sanitizing function as a unified device, resolving the contradiction by making the complexity inherent to achieving sanitizing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The door handle is designed to serve multiple functions: traditional door operation and fluid dispensing for sanitizing. The distribution manifold with multiple outlets enables the handle to dispense fluid in various modes (directly onto hands, onto the handle surface, or both), making the device universally applicable for different sanitizing needs.
2Device complexity
If manual pump operation is required, then ease of operation is reduced, but device complexity is minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The system can operate in an automatic mode where the actuation of the door handle itself triggers the pump to dispense fluid without requiring the user to manually activate a separate mechanism. The door handle's movement directly actuates the pump, making the system self-serving and maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If fluid is dispensed directly onto hands, then sanitizing effectiveness is improved, but hygiene concerns worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The distribution manifold acts as an intermediary device with multiple outlets positioned to dispense fluid both onto the user's hands and onto the door handle surface. This intermediary structure allows the fluid to be delivered to multiple targets simultaneously, achieving effective hand sanitizing while also sanitizing the handle to prevent contamination spread.
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 system effectively sanitizes door handles and user hands, providing a controlled level of cleanliness from sterilized to disinfected, enhancing hygiene in various environments by directly dispensing or flowing sanitizing fluid onto the handle and user contact points.
Implementation Method 1
A sanitizing door handle system that includes a fluid container assembly with a pump and distribution manifold, allowing for manual or automatic dispensing of sanitizing fluid
Implementation Method 2
with a check valve to ensure one-way fluid flow
Implementation Method 3
with a check valve to ensure one-way fluid flow
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations of the invention are directed toward a sanitizing door handle and/or components of such sanitizing door handle. Some implementations of the invention are directed toward a manual sanitizing door handle while some implementations of the invention are directed toward an auto-sanitizing door handle. According to some implementations of the invention, a sanitizing fluid is dispensed directly onto an exterior surface of the sanitizing door handle in connection with an operation of the door handle to sanitize the door handle. According to some implementations of the invention, a sanitizing fluid is dispensed directly onto a user's hand(s) in connection with an operation of the door handle to sanitize the user's hand(s).