Touchless Trigger Apparatus Photon Gate Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional buttons, pushbuttons, and switches are prone to contamination with pathogens, leading to indirect person-to-person transmission of diseases, as they require physical contact, which is a common pathway for pathogens like coronavirus, noroviruses, and staphylococcus aureus.
Innovation Solution
A touchless trigger apparatus utilizing a photon-gate with an electro-optical sensor and an ASIC controller, where a photon beam across the gate is triggered by a finger or hand, eliminating the need for physical contact, and optionally incorporating active lights like lasers or LEDs for improved visibility and feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional buttons, pushbuttons, or switches are used, then the device is simple and easy to manufacture, but the physical surfaces become contaminated with pathogens leading to indirect person-to-person transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based button system with an optical detection system. A photon beam (laser) creates a photon gate that detects when a finger or hand passes through it, triggering the switch without requiring physical contact with a button surface. This substitution eliminates the mechanical contact point where pathogens could accumulate and be transmitted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary photon gate between the user's finger and the switch mechanism. Instead of direct contact between the finger and button, the finger interacts with the optical field (photon gate), which then triggers the switch. This intermediary optical field prevents direct contact and pathogen transmission while still enabling the switching function.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a photon gate with electro-optical sensor and ASIC controller is implemented, then pathogen transmission is broken, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical button press mechanism with an optical detection system comprising a photon beam source, electro-optical sensor, and ASIC controller. The sensor detects changes in the photon beam caused by finger passage through the photon gate, and the controller processes this signal to trigger the switch, eliminating the need for mechanical contact components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an optical copy or representation of the button press action through the photon gate detection system. Instead of physically pressing a button, the system detects the presence and motion of the finger through optical means, creating a non-contact trigger mechanism that replicates the functionality of a traditional button without the physical contact surface.
3Reliability
If touchless triggering is implemented, then public health is improved by eliminating contact surfaces, but the ease of operation may be reduced due to lack of tactile feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms in the touchless switch system. The electro-optical sensor provides real-time detection of finger presence and motion through the photon gate, and the ASIC controller processes this information to trigger the switch. This feedback loop ensures reliable detection and response, providing users with visual or other non-contact feedback that the trigger has been activated, compensating for the lack of tactile feedback.
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 touchless trigger apparatus effectively breaks the transmission of pathogens by allowing operation without touching the surface, enhancing public health and reducing the risk of infection, while also providing intuitive and low-latency feedback for users, making it easy to learn and use.
Implementation Method 1
An electro-optical sensor is connected to the photon-gate side
Data Source
AI summary
A touchless trigger apparatus is touchless button, comprising a photon-gate side, a photon-gate distal side more than 1 cm (11.0 in) and less than 30 cm (11.0 in) across the photon-gate opening, to the photon-gate side. An electro-optical sensor is connected to the photon-gate side. An ASIC controller is connected to the output of the electro-optical sensor. Lastly a button face is within the opening of the photon gate. Alternatively, a touchless trigger apparatus is a touchless pushbutton, or a touchless switch. Any person or primate trained to use a button, pushbutton or switch could intuitively learn to use a touchless trigger apparatus due to its recognizable combination of elements and low-latency feedback before touching the button, the pushbutton or the switch.