Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-20
2001-05-22
Lee, Benjamin C. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S286090, C137S552700, C004S623000, C702S176000, C222S039000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236317
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to an apparatus and concomitant method for enhancing hygiene. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for promoting hygienic practices such as hand washing or alerting a user that he has encountered a “potentially unsanitary area”.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
It has been well known that unclean practices in facilities of food and health providers can cause the spread of diseases such as viral and bacterial infections. Restaurants, hospitals, food processing facilities and daycare centers are examples of facilities that are particularly vulnerable. Namely, bacterial and other microbial organisms can be easily transmitted from one infected individual to another individual. In fact, an individual can acquire or transmit the organisms through handling of an item, e.g., acquiring salmonella bacteria on one's hand through handling of raw poultry. However, the ease of transmission of these microbial organisms can be dealt with through proper sanitary practices.
More specifically, if an individual's hands have been contaminated, then it is often sufficient to remove the microbial organisms through the simple action of washing one's hand with soap. For example, an employee at a restaurant must wash his hands before leaving the restroom or a chef must wash his hands before preparing a salad after handling raw poultry. Although various governmental regulations have been enacted to address hygienic practices, compliance by employees are difficult to ascertain and to enforce.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for an apparatus and method to promote hygienic practices such as hand washing or alerting a user that he has encountered a potentially unsanitary area or item.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an apparatus and a concomitant method for promoting hygienic practices. More specifically, the apparatus is a reminder and/or verification/monitoring system that may comprise a system controller, a communication channel, one or more “desired action monitoring units”, one or more “user/area monitoring units”, one or more indicators (e.g., badges), and one or more accessories, e.g., a badge rack, a badge port, or an exit station.
In operation, a user, e.g., an employee of a restaurant, is provided with a badge that is worn during working hours. The badge is designed to remind or alert the user (or a centralized station, e.g., the system controller), that the user has encountered a monitored area, e.g., a potentially unsanitary environment. Each badge contains the necessary circuitry to receive and/or transmit information. In turn, the reminder and/or verification/monitoring system is designed to detect the presence of a user within the monitored area and to subsequently determine if the user has performed a desired action, in light of his or her exposure to the “potentially unsanitary” environment. If the desired action is performed, the alert device on the indicator (e.g., a badge) is deactivated. If the desired action is not performed, the badge or another system component, e.g., the system controller or the desired action monitoring unit will record a violation.
Finally, various configurations of the present reminder and/or verification/monitoring system can be implemented based upon the deployment of the various system components. This allows the present reminder and/or verification/monitoring system to be adapted to different applications for promoting hygienic practices.
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Brady Kevin
Cohen Glenn
Disser James R.
Heagle Ronald
Hersh Mark
Coleman Henry D.
Food Safety Solution Corp.
Lee Benjamin C.
Sapone William J.
Sudol R. Neil
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