The present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing fluid and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to an apparatus for dispensing cleaning fluid in aerosol form stored in a pressurised container onto a user's hands.

Hospitals and other medical establishments can present an elevated risk of spreading certain types of disease. Various infections can be contracted, and in extreme cases such as the MRSA virus, the infection can lead to death.

Hand hygiene performs an important role in the prevention of the spread of infection, and it is therefore important that healthcare professionals ensure that their hands are properly sterilised in order to help prevent the spread of infection.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to provide an apparatus for enabling improved sterilisation of users' hands.

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for dispensing a fluid onto a user's hands, the apparatus comprising: a housing adapted to receive at least one container of fluid to be dispensed; at least one dispensing nozzle for dispensing said fluid onto a respective one of said user's hands and adapted to be connected to said at least one container; and at least one lever adapted to be actuated by a user's wrist to cause fluid to be dispensed from said at least one nozzle.

By providing a lever adapted to be actuated by a user's wrist that causes fluid to be dispensed from at least one dispensing nozzle for dispensing fluid onto at least one of the user's hands, this provides the advantage that the user's hand need not come into contact with any part of the apparatus, thereby helping to prevent transmission of infection from the user's hand to the apparatus, which could then be transferred to another person.

The apparatus may comprise a plurality of said nozzles wherein actuation of said at least one lever causes fluid to be dispensed onto each of a user's hands.

The apparatus may further comprise at least one conduit for connecting said at least one container to a plurality of said nozzles.

This provides the advantage that a single container of fluid can be used to dispense fluid onto both of a user's hands at the same time. This provides the further advantage of avoiding the possibility of a plurality of containers emptying at different rates, which may lead to waste of fluid.

In a preferred embodiment, said housing is adapted to receive a plurality of containers of fluid to be dispensed and the apparatus further comprises first and second respective dispensing nozzles and first and second corresponding levers for actuation by each of a user's wrists for dispensing fluid onto each of said user's hands.

The apparatus may further comprise at least one dispensing member adapted to be connected to said at least one container of fluid to be dispensed and operated by said at least one lever in order to dispense fluid from the said at least one container.

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises alignment means adapted to direct said fluid to be dispensed through said at least one nozzle.

This provides the advantage of ensuring that fluid is dispensed in the correct direction out of the housing to prevent clogging and dripping of the fluid from the apparatus.

Said alignment means may comprise first engaging means disposed on said at least one lever and adapted to engage respective second engaging means disposed on said at least one dispensing member, in order to cause the said at least one dispensing member to dispense fluid through said at least one nozzle.

The apparatus may further comprise at least one spring loaded retaining means for releasably retaining said at least one container in said housing.

This provides the advantage of providing an easy to use method of replacing the container of fluid.

The apparatus may further comprise at least one protrusion disposed on the housing adapted to resiliently engage said at least one lever to cause an audible sound when said lever passes over said protrusion for informing the user that the apparatus has been actuated.

This provides the advantage of notifying the user that they have pressed the lever enough to release a sufficient amount of fluid, and also provides the advantage of encouraging correct usage of the apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus may further comprise clamping means for enabling the apparatus to be clamped to a location accessible to the user.

The said at least one container may be a pressurised container.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fluid dispensing apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view from the front of the apparatus of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a view from one side of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view from the rear of the apparatus of Figure 1 ; Figure 5 is a top view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a view showing the apparatus of Figure 1 mounted to a hospital bed;

Figure 8a is a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with an aerosol canister removed and a spring clip pulled down;

Figure 8b is a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with an aerosol canister partially inserted; and

Figure 8c is a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with an aerosol canister fully inserted.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, a fluid dispensing apparatus shown generally by 2 comprises a housing 4 formed from two clam shell halves of durable plastics material. Preferably, the housing 4 is formed from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which has good resistance to alcohol corrosion and is also suitable for injection moulding. The housing 4 is provided with two nozzles 6 disposed on opposite sides of the housing 4. The housing 4 comprises two recesses 8 shaped to receive pressurised aerosol canisters 10 of a sterilising fluid. The

sterilising fluid preferably comprises alcohol and in particular ethanol, iso-propanol and/or n-propanol. Two paddles 12 are provided and are connected to respective levers 14 which are positioned adjacent nozzles 6 such that a user can press paddles 12 with their wrists in order to dispense sterilising fluid from nozzles 6 onto their hands in a manner that will be described in more detail below.

A pair of clips 16 are provided on the base of the housing to hold the aerosol canisters 10 in the housing. The clips 16 are biased upwardly by springs 20. Referring to Figures 8a to 8c, in order to remove and replace the aerosol canisters 10 a user can pull down on clips 16 against the action of spring 20 to release and/or replace the aerosol canisters 10. A mounting bracket 22 is disposed on the rear of housing 4 to enable the apparatus 2 to be mounted to a hospital bed 24 as shown in Figure 7 or other locations in which it is desirable to provide hand sterilising apparatus.

Referring to Figure 6, two dispensing members 18 are supported by a clamp member 26 which is connected to the housing by a screw 28 and a screw connector 30. A foam insert 32 is also provided to add support to the assembly. The dispensing members 18 are adapted to engage plungers 19 disposed on aerosol canisters 10 such that when the dispensing members are depressed, sterilising fluid is sprayed out of openings 21 formed on the dispensing members 18 in a manner that will be known by persons skilled in the art.

Levers 14 are adapted to depress dispensing members 18 when the paddles 12 are actuated by a user. Levers 14 are also provided with fork members 34 at their bottom ends. Fork members 34 are shaped so that they fit in correspondingly shaped recesses (not shown) formed in the dispensing members 18. This ensures that the openings 21 formed on dispensing members 18 face nozzles 6 by correct alignment of fork members 34 with the recesses (not shown). This helps to prevent any clogging inside of the apparatus 2 and any dripping of sterilising fluid from the apparatus.

Although the embodiments shown in the drawings comprise a separate dispensing member 18 for each nozzle 6, it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that a T-shaped dispensing member (not shown) could be provided which would be adapted to spray out of both nozzles 6, and could also be adapted to be supplied from a single aerosol canister

instead of two canisters as shown in the drawings. This prevents use of two canisters which may empty at different rates.

Referring to Figure 7, in order to sterilise his hands a user 34 can operate paddles 12 with his wrists in order to spray sterilising fluid onto his hands. This means that the user's hands do not have to come into contact with the apparatus 2 which could result in transmitting infection to the apparatus 2. The apparatus 2 is shown attached to a hospital bed 24, although it will be understood that other suitable locations can be used for positioning the apparatus 2.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In particular, other nozzle, dispensing member and aerosol canister configurations can be used, such as a single T-shaped nozzle connected to a single aerosol canister.