HK1021845B - Access control device for a room such as a lavatory - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for controlling access to a place such as a comfort room.

A comfort room typically includes: A basin, a hand washer with its own faucet and a door with its own lock to control entry and exit.

Strict hygiene rules must be observed in all circumstances and, in particular, where such premises are connected to places of production and/or preparation of foodstuffs.

In the agri-food industry and in particular in food preparation enterprises, it is necessary to have a policy to ensure cleanliness and the non-proliferation of bacteria, microbes and other organisms.

This policy therefore requires employees to wear a uniform, to clean their shoes every time they enter a so-called protected area, etc.

To improve cleanliness, sanitary facilities in these industries are usually provided with nearby taps for the distribution of antiseptic cleaning products and also with technical means to limit the spread of microbes.

Typically, the faucet includes; a body housing a shutter and a means of controlling the shutter to move it between an open and a closed position.

The means of control of the shutter is usually a simple handle intended to be grasped by the user's hand.

In hospitals, these handles are sometimes adapted to be handled not by hand but by the forearm so that the surgeon, after washing his hands thoroughly, can operate the tap without his hands touching the handle where microbes may have settled and proliferated.

Instead of a handle, the control can also be done by a pedal operated by the individual's foot.

This type of device is widely used in the cabinets of wagons.

There are also taps whose shutter can be operated without any contact.

For this purpose, these taps include: a means of detecting the presence of a part of the human body in the immediate vicinity of the tap and a motor means of controlling the shutter movement in response to the detection of that part of the human body.

These contactless controls are increasingly being used in public sanitation facilities, particularly urinals, to prevent dirty hands.

These physical measures are also accompanied by recommendations, such as washing hands regularly after touching anything unclean or otherwise.

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This can be a serious problem in food businesses.

An access control device is known (US-A-4.896.144, US-A-5202666, GB-A-2324397 published on 21 October 1998 and US-A-5812099 published on 22 September 1998) according to which, when the person to wash his hands does not operate the hand washer faucet, a message is issued to the person to use the hand washer.

This is, however, only an incentive.

One of the results of the invention is a device of the above type which removes inconveniences and, to this end, the invention is intended to be a device for controlling access to a place comprising: a hand washer with a tap and a door to control access to the room,a means of deactivating a device associated with the unauthorised opening of the door in response to the operation of the tap, this control device being characterised by the fact that it includes a device for detecting, on the one hand, the operation of the tap and, on the other hand, the actual presence of hands under the tap water jet for a minimum period of time to allow the deactivation of the device associated with the unauthorised opening of the door.

The invention will be clearly understood by the following description, made as a non-limiting example in relation to the attached drawing, which schematically represents: Figure 1: the equipment of a comfort room,Figure 2: the control device,Figure 3: a comfort room.

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It shall also include a device to control access to the premises.

A door with a lock controls access to the office.

This hand washer has a four-turn tap.

Typically, this faucet includes: a body 5 housing a shutter 6and a means 7 to control the shutter to move it between an open and a closed position and a means 100 to deactivate a 10/30 device associated with the unauthorised opening of the door, such as a siren that goes off when the door is entered without washing hands, in response to the manoeuvre of the faucet or a display system.

According to a feature of the invention, this control device includes a device 9 for detecting, on the one hand, the operation of the tap and, on the other hand, the presence of hands under the water jet of the tap.

It is important to check the presence of hands under the water jet.

According to another feature of the invention, the device comprises: On the door, an electrically unlocking lock 8 and a means 10 to control the door unlock in response to the detection of tap use in the presence of hands under the water jet.

Hands under the water should be kept for a minimum period of time.

These elements are the means of access control.

For example, if the hands are not washed, the door cannot open or a voice or light message is emitted.

The detection device 9 includes a means 11 for monitoring by emission of an electromagnetic wave reception in an area under the water jet.

For example, a Doppler effect detection can be performed.

The faucet includes a motor 12 means for the shutter manoeuvre in response to the detection of this monitored human body part.

A 13 time meter will be provided on the system to force washing of hands at least as long as necessary and sufficient to get rid of germs.

The lock or siren will only be deactivated after the required time of hand washing, for example at least 30 seconds.

Preferably, it is envisaged: A system 14 to monitor the operation of the basin and, in conjunction with this monitoring system, a means 16 to control the closing of the lock, which will only be unlocked if the hands are washed for a minimum period.

A manual door unlocking system is provided in case of incidents.

In some cases, the company has several spaces grouped together in a so-called spacious room.

Room 100 of comfort includes: a 101 so-called main door,at least one hand washer 102 and its faucet 103 and several 104 comfort areas each closed by a so-called secondary door.

In most cases, to ensure that everyone washes their hands, according to a feature of the invention, the access control device for the comfort room shall include: Each hand washer, a device 105 to detect, on the one hand, the operation of the tap and, on the other hand, the actual presence of hands under the water jet,an identification device 106 worn by each individual,in each place of comfort,an identification device 107 to read the identification device worn by the individual present,on each hand washer,an identification device 108 worn by the individual washing his hands,on the door of the comfort room,an identification device 110 worn by the individual coming in and out of the door,an 111 information management device with readings,to allow the individual to be identified in the place of comfort,after the hand washing and presentation of the hand washing,or,in the case of the door of the room,after the passage of a message,to remind him or her of the opposite.

The reading of the ID on the identification of the individual using the handwashing faucet shall only be validated after the individual has washed his hands for a sufficient period of time.

Claims (8)

1. An access control device for a room such as a toilet including:

   - a wash-hand basin (3) provided with a tap and

   - a door controlling access to the facilities, and

   - a means (100) for deactivating a device (10/30) linked to unauthorised opening of the door, in response to operation of the tap,

   this device being CHARACTERISED in that it includes:

   - a device (9) for detecting, first, the operation of the tap and, second, the actual presence of hands under the jet of water from the tap for a minimum period of time, to authorise deactivation of the device (10/30) linked to unauthorised opening of the door.
2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that it includes:

   - on the door, an electrically unlocking lock (8), and

   - a means (10) for controlling the unlocking of the door in response to detection of the use of the tap with hands under the jet of water for a minimum period of time.
3. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the detection device (9) includes a monitoring means (11) which operates by the transmission and reception of an electromagnetic wave in an area below the jet of water.
4. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the tap includes a driving means (12) for operation of the shut-off in response to detection of the human body portion monitored.
5. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that a timer (13) is provided on the system to require hand-washing to last for at least the time it takes to remove germs.
6. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that it includes:

   - a system (14) for monitoring the operation of a toilet bowl and

   - linked to this monitoring system, a lock closure control means (16), which lock will be unlockable only provided that hands have been washed for a minimum period of time.
7. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that it includes a system for manually unlocking the door in the event of problems.
8. An access control device for toilet facilities (100) including:

   - a door (101) referred to as the main door,

   - at least one wash-hand basin (102) and its tap (103), and

   - a plurality of toilet cubicles (104), each closed by a door referred to as secondary,

   - on each wash-hand basin, a device (105) for detecting, first, the operation of the tap and, second, the actual presence of hands under the jet of water for a minimum period of time,

   - a means (106) of identification worn by each person,

   - in each toilet cubicle, a device (107) for reading the means of identification worn by the person present,

   - on each wash-hand basin, a device (108) for reading the means of identification worn by the person in the process of washing their hands,

   - on the door of the toilet facilities, a device (110) for reading the means (106) of identification worn by the person appearing in front of the door to exit, and

   - a device (111) for managing the various items of data from the reading devices so that, after detection of the person going into the toilet cubicle and of their washing their hands, and after they appear in front of the toilet facilities door, their exit is authorised or they are given a reminder.