Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-01
2001-08-21
Mullen, Thomas (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S309160, C340S331000, C340S691500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278372
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the promotion of hygiene and more specifically, to a signaling device worn by a person and operable to signal when the person should wash his/her hands.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In various situations, it is considered desirable to remind and/or encourage people to perform certain tasks at prescribed times or intervals of time. For example, workers in the food preparation industry are encouraged to wash their hands regularly in order to minimize transmission of harmful organisms and/or substances. As a result, systems have been developed to encourage and/or monitor employee participation in hygiene awareness programs. In one known system, each employee wears a badge which is programmed to emit a light and/or a sound at the end of a predetermined interval of time, indicating that the employee should presently wash his/her hands. One problem with this particular system is that the signal may be viewed negatively by both the employee wearing the badge and any consumers or patrons in proximity to the employee. In other words, the sudden presence of a signal is like a red flag, which may tend to embarrass the employee and/or pique the curiosity of patrons. Moreover, if the badge simply generates a signal and then reverts to its less conspicuous state, either automatically or in response to employee input, then there is no guarantee that the employee proceeded to wash his/her hands in response to the signal. In view of the foregoing, room for improvement remains with regard to the promotion of hygiene in food preparation settings and other appropriate environments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a badge that is worn by a person and includes a light emitting element which is deactivated to signal when the person should wash his/her hands. An advantage of this arrangement is that the presence of light, which is relatively more noticeable than the absence of light, is associated with a positive state of affairs, namely, clean hands. Recognizing that a consumer is much more likely to inquire about the badge when it is lit, the present invention facilitates a more comfortable and positive response from the person wearing the badge.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a badge that is worn by a person and includes a signaling device which is activated by the person to generate a unique signal during a time period in which the person should be washing his/her hands. An advantage of this arrangement is that this unique signal should be visible only when the person has moved to a wash area and begun washing his/her hands. Because the person controls the activation of the signaling device, it will not unexpectedly generate the signal during a potentially awkward moment.
The foregoing features may be combined in one device having a light emitting element, which displays light in a first manner to indicate that the person wearing the badge has clean hands, and which displays light in a second manner to indicate that the person should presently be washing his/her hands. Many of the features and/or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the more detailed description that follows.
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Outlaw Tina O.
Velasco, Jr. Pastor
Ecolab Inc.
Mau & Krull, P.A.
Mullen Thomas
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