Oh, patents! GEL EXPRESS

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Borne out of necessity, within the context of the COVID 19 pandemic, the GEL EXPRESS “totem” station brings mass distribution of sanitizing gel, at warp speed. Indeed, the GEL EXPRESS dispenser not only enables much faster dispensing of sanitizing gel (1000 doses per 5 minutes vs. an average of 60 doses per 5 minutes in conventional dispensers), it also handles much larger  80L reservoirs, dispensing up to 40,000 doses. As a result, the largest 80L GEL EXRESS stations are suitable for high pedestrian traffic at conventions and conferences. The 20L models (see image) are suitable for train stations, or sports stadiums. Whereas the medium 10L models are suitable for small businesses, and the smallest 5L models for buses.

To perform at such speed (1 dose dispensed in .3 seconds), the GEL EXPRESS invention increased both the device’s sensor detection speed and dispensing speed, which in turn increases the number of users, who never have to wait in long lines for sanitizing gel. The device is also contactless, which increases the number of users, otherwise reluctant to use dispensers with push button delivery.

The GEL EXPRESS invention, hailing from France, is recited in the French patent FR3109288A1, titled (in French) Dispositif pour délivrer une dose d’une solution désinfectante, granted on October 22, 2021. The United Nations (UN), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), patent WO2021214021A1, was also granted for this invention. This Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) patent provides an official translation (to English) of both the title of the invention Device for delivering a dose of a disinfectant solution, and of the abstract (included below).

The patent recites an automated device comprising a hand reception area, and a sensor able to detect the presence of a user’s hand in the reception area. The device further comprises a hydraulic system with a tank, containing the sanitizing solution, configured to dispense a pressurized dose, when the sensor has detected a hand. The dispensing nozzle is further designed to spray a particular volume of the sanitizing solution. Different sorts of sensors are recited. One preferred sensor is a break-beam sensor, comprising a transmitter and reflecting mirror on each side of the hand reception area, such that when a hand travels in the reception area, it breaks or interrupts transmission of the beam, which triggers the distribution of a dose of sanitizing solution. The beam might be infra-red or visible. Collection means for any unused spray of sanitizing solution are also recited.

The patent Figures 1 and 4 are included, together with an image of the 20L “totem” station (above), installed outdoors.

Specifically, the patent Figure 1 depicts a perspective view of the invention device 1, comprising an upper section 41 and lower section 42, respectively with front surfaces 410 and 420. A middle section 43 connects the upper section 41 to the lower section 42. The middle section 43 is designed to clear the maximum amount of space required for the projection cone 100 of an aerosol dose of sanitizing solution, within a reception area, enabling through-travel of a user's hand. The sanitizing solution is delivered downward, parallel to a Z axis. The user's hand, traveling through the cleared reception area, intercepts the downward flow of the sanitizing aerosol. Hands, belonging to different individuals, travel on different paths that are parallel to the X and Y axes of a Cartesian plane (designated XO, YO and ZO). 

The top down patent Figure 4 shows how individual hands, coming from different directions, might consecutively all intercept the downward flow of a dose of sanitizing solution. Specifically, the Figure 4 depicts extended hands, belonging to three separate individuals, traveling on the path 49, and another individual's extended hand, traveling on the intersecting path 46. The hands travel parallel to the X and Y axes shown. 

The non-obstructed space, within which hands are able to travel, comprises intersecting directions within the open, 250 to 270 degrees angle theta [Ѳ], formed by the intersecting lines 48 and 47, extending from the edges of the middle device section 45, connecting the device top and bottom sections. The two paths shown (46 and 49) intersect under the downward flow of a dose of sanitizing solution.

The abstract of this invention is included below.

A device for delivering a dose of a disinfectant solution (22), characterized in that it comprises: - a receiving zone (Zc, 41, 42, V1, V2) designed to receive a hand (44) of an individual; - a sensor (34) designed to detect the presence of a hand (44) in said receiving zone (Zc, 41, 42, V1, V2), - a hydraulic system (10) comprising a reservoir (11) of said disinfectant solution and configured to distribute a pressurized dose of said solution when the sensor detects the presence of a hand; - a dispensing head (18) for distributing said dose (22) in the form of microdroplets. [English Abstract - WO2021214021A1]

Reference

GEL EXPRESS

https://gelexpress.fr/