Device for washing hands

Abstract

The present invention is in the field devices for hand washing, in particular the washing and drying of hands in public bathrooms. Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for cleaning hands, especially a device for wetting hands, depositing a cleansing and/or disinfecting composition and rinsing consecutively, using a low amount of water. It has been found that an air-water jet nozzle assembly comprising two nozzles wherein a first nozzle is in fluid communication with a feed liquid source; and a second nozzle connected to a source of compressed air may be used to clean hands using low amounts of water in a short time.

1 . A device for washing hands comprising a chamber comprising:
 i) An opening for inserting at least one hand;   ii) At least one of a air-water jet nozzle assembly, characterized by comprising two nozzles wherein a first nozzle (PW) is in fluid communication with a feed liquid source; and a second nozzle (PA) connected to a source of compressed air;   wherein, the first nozzle is at an angle (α) of between 1 and 60° relative to the central axis; and the second nozzle is at an angle (φ) of between 1 and 45° relative to the central axis (NOR); and   wherein the air nozzle does not co-axially surround the water passage; and   wherein the mouth of the second nozzle (OPA) is positioned more forward in the direction of the flow along the direction of the central axis than the mouth of the first nozzle (OPW), wherein the offset distance (OS) between the mouth of the first nozzle and the second nozzle is between 0.5 and 5 mm in said direction.   
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a) the mouth of the first nozzle of the device has an opening of 0.2-3.5 mm 2 ;   b) the mouth of the first nozzle of the device is less than 1 mm away from the wall of the second nozzle.   
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is connected to a separate unit comprising a compressor and a reservoir for holding the liquid, the compressor being the source of the compressed air and the reservoir holding the liquid being the liquid source. 
     
     
         4 . A process for cleansing a hand with an air-water jet nozzle assembly comprising two nozzles wherein a first nozzle is in fluid communication with a feed liquid source; and a second nozzle connected to a source of compressed characterized in that the first nozzle is at an angle (α) of between 1 and 60° relative to the central axis; and the second nozzle is at an angle (φ) of between 1 and 45° relative to the central axis (NOR); and wherein the air nozzle does not co-axially surround the water passage; and wherein the mouth of the second nozzle (OPA) is positioned more forward in the direction of the flow along the direction of the central axis than the mouth of the first nozzle (OPW), wherein the offset distance (OS) between the mouth of the first nozzle and the second nozzle is between 0.5 and 5 mm in said direction; and comprising the steps of:
 a) Spraying a fine mist of detergent composition onto the hand; 
 b) Rinsing the hand by spraying a fine mist of water onto it; 
 c) Drying the hand by blowing air onto the hand. 
 
     
     
         5 . A process according to  claim 4 , wherein said process is preceded by the step of spraying a fine mist of water onto the hand for wetting. 
     
     
         6 . A process according to  claim 4 , wherein the air is heated to 30°-70° C., 
     
     
         7 . A process according to  claim 4 , wherein the ratio of air to water from the nozzle assembly is between 90:10 and 99.9:0.1.