Sensor-Equipped Deformable Sleeve for Portable Bottle Usage Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for tracking hand hygiene in hospitals and food production facilities are unreliable due to the use of personal disinfection bottles, which are not accurately monitored for usage or refilling, leading to incomplete data on hand hygiene practices.
Innovation Solution
A deformable sleeve with integrated sensors, including a force sensor and a permittivity sensor, that encases a bottle, allowing for the measurement and storage of usage parameters such as force applied and liquid content, enabling reliable tracking of bottle usage and fluid levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If personal disinfection bottles are used by clinicians, then portability and ease of use are improved, but reliable tracking of usage and refilling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is configured to encase the bottle, creating a nested structure where the sensor-equipped sleeve surrounds the bottle. This allows the bottle to remain portable while the outer sleeve provides monitoring capabilities, resolving the contradiction between portability and tracking reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual tracking methods with electronic sensors (force sensor and permittivity sensor) that automatically detect and report usage. This substitution of mechanical/manual monitoring with electronic sensing systems enables reliable tracking while maintaining bottle portability.
2Reliability
If fixed soap dispensers and disinfectors are used, then tracking of hand hygiene is reliable, but portability and accessibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve system serves multiple functions: it protects the bottle, senses force application for usage tracking, measures permittivity for liquid level detection, and enables wireless communication. This multi-functionality allows a single portable device to replace multiple fixed installations while maintaining tracking reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static fixed dispensers to a dynamic portable sleeve that can move with the user. The sleeve adapts to different bottles and users, providing consistent monitoring capabilities whether the bottle is stationary or being carried, thus maintaining reliability while improving accessibility.
3Measurement precision
If sensors are integrated into the sleeve to monitor usage, then measurement capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different sensors are placed at specific locations within the sleeve: the force sensor is positioned to detect pressing actions, while the permittivity sensor is positioned to measure liquid characteristics. This localized placement of specialized sensors achieves precise measurement while managing overall system complexity through functional specialization.
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 provides accurate and reliable monitoring of bottle usage and fluid levels, enhancing the tracking of hand hygiene practices and ensuring timely replacement or refilling of personal disinfection bottles.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor configured to measure a force applied onto the sleeve
Implementation Method 2
a second sensor configured to measure a permittivity of a content encased by the sleeve
Data Source
AI summary
A deformable sleeve (100) is provided configured to at least partially encase a bottle from which a liquid is dispensable upon pressing the sleeve (100), the sleeve (100) comprising a first sensor (7) configured to measure a force applied onto the sleeve (100) and a second sensor (8) configured to measure a permittivity of a content encased by the sleeve (100). In addition, a measurement unit (300) is provided configured to be mounted on the sleeve (100), the measurement unit (300) comprising a processing unit (37) configured to determine at least one parameter associated with the bottle based on at least one of a signal of the first sensor (7) and a signal of the second sensor (8). A corresponding method of retrievably storing the at least one parameter is also provided.