Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/175,430 filed April 15, 2021 , which is incorporated herein by reference.

Background of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to use of a color-changing chemical reagent, such as including permanganate, that changes color when reacting with organic material present in a sample of substances from a surface. Examples of color-changing chemical reagents used in embodiments of the invention include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,737,101 , No. 7,863,233, No. 8,503,401 and No. 8,493,411 - the disclosures of which are all incorporated herein by reference.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0003] The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

[0004] FIG. 1 is process diagram describing steps of an embodiment of the invention on an instruction card for assessing cleanliness of surface.

[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates a reference, such as a color chart, of a plurality of colors that correspond to a gradient of an amount of organic material that is matched against a sample of surface being assessed with a color-changing chemical reagent in a liquid solution in an embodiment of the invention.

[0006] FIG. 3 illustrates a gradient table of a plurality colors, such as a color chart, as the colors each correspond to a numeric value, such as including units of measurement, that represents the amount of organic material reacting with a color-changing reagent in a solution to produce a resultant color reflecting organic material contamination (and thereby “dirtiness levelsVcleanliness levels”) in an embodiment of the invention.

[0007] FIG. 4 is schematic diagram of one version of assessment of cleanliness of a surface with a mobile device, such as smartphone, having a mobile application including a selectable plurality of colors (such as sliding color chart or color wheels in non-limiting examples) wherein a liquid solution with a color-changing chemical reagent receives a swab, wiping, dabbing or similar sample of substance(s) taken from a surface to be assessed to arrive at a resultant color of the solution to be compared to the plurality of colors provided in the mobile application wherein the closest match of the liquid solution resultant color indicates the level organic material contamination in the sample, and thereby remaining on the surface, in embodiments of the invention.

[0008] FIG. 5 is schematic diagram of a second version of assessment of cleanliness of a surface with a mobile device, such as smartphone, having a mobile application that receives a photo of a liquid solution with a color-changing chemical reagent reacted with a swab, wiping, dabbing or similar sample of substance(s) taken from a surface to be assessed to compare a plurality of colors (or by computed color value determination from optically assessing the photo) and determine the closest match of the liquid solution resultant color in the photo and report a level of organic material contamination in the sample, and thereby remaining on the surface, in embodiments of the invention.

[0009] FIG. 6 is schematic diagram illustrating quality management and cleanliness testing for test points at a facility via a mobile system with a centralized server in an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0010] Referring to FIG. 1 , a method in an embodiment of the invention is included on an instruction card 10 for verifying a cleaned surface is shown and described. The instruction card may be provided in electronic form or non-electronic physical form. In a preferred embodiment, TM Desana Max IC (available commercially from Thonhauser and AFCO companies (Austria) of Zep, Inc. (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.)) provides a color changing chemical reagent for use in detecting organic material in a liquid solution with a swab or similar sample of substance removed from a surface to be tested for cleanliness.

[0011] With further reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, after a few minutes of the substance sample (e.g. swab of surface) sitting in the solution with the chemical reagent, the liquid solution will arrive at a resultant color. Referring to chart 20 of FIG. 2, the lowest amount of organic material is detected, the resultant color will be closer to purple spectrum (A (purple), B (dark purple), C (blue) with A being the least material and reflecting a “cleanest” condition of the surface). Where the highest amount of organic material is detected, the resultant color will be in the yellow spectrum (F) (yellow) and reflect the “dirtiest” condition of the surface. Intermediary cleanliness (i.e. middle levels of detected organic material) will cause the resultant color to be in the green spectrum (D (green) and E (yellow-green)). Chart 20 may be provided in electronic form or non-electronic physical form.

[0012] With specific reference to FIG. 3, a more detailed color chart 30, such as might be provided a mobile smart device in an application and being swipeable for matching a sample color to a gradient reference level, illustrates a gradient of amount of detected organic material is depicted as correlating each color to a numeric value for amount of organic material or “dirtiness levelVcleanliness level” in the sample. The chart 30 may be provided in electronic form such as on a smart device or non-electronic physical form, such as a card or paper. One example of such numeric values may correspond to is the PST-value (Persulphate Technology value), a commercially-known hygienic parameter created by Thonhauser/AFCO companies (Austria) of Zep, Inc. (Atlanta, GA) in connection with use of TM Desana Max IC for beverage line cleaning. The PST-value corresponds to the amount of organic material - and is determined from the specific resultant color of a tested sample as described in embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated that where a surface sample is tested and correlated by color to a numeric “cleanliness” value, like PST, that such values can be determined, recorded and stored for the surfaces and locations of the test. Further, the date and time and similar testing information can be recorded to allow facilities to track and verify cleaning procedures or necessity of additional cleaning. In this regard, it will also be appreciated that if a resultant color for surface sample test is not in the purple spectrum (i.e. “cleanest level”) that additional cleaning and additional testing may be necessary until a purple spectrum resultant color test is reached. As shown in FIG. 3, the PST values may range from 0 (“cleanest level” with purple color) to 180 (“dirtiest level” with yellow color). The gradient and cleanliness levels may increase in increments of 10 from the 0 PST value to the 180 PST level with each level corresponding to a different color that reflects the cleanliness of the tested sample (such as a swab of surface).

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 4-6 a mobile computing application (“app”) on a mobile device 40 includes a color calibration chart (or similar plurality of colors for reference such as sliding colors, color wheel, color bands and the like) in embodiments of the invention. After launching the app, the user will be guided through the cleaning assessment process. First the user prepares two of the same solutions with color-changing chemical reagent like TM Desana Max 1C. One of the solutions is used as a reference or blank. The other second solution is in a tube receives a swab of a surface that is inserted into the tube for a certain time. A timer can be set and informs the user when it is time to measure the resultant color value. Once the user matches the resultant color of the sample solution (with surface swab) to the reference color the application automatically determines the corresponding numeric value and the app result screen displays the hygienic quality parameters as PST units. The data can be used for trend reports or for sending the data to a laboratory or to be stored in data storage in the cloud. In further embodiments, cloud-based solutions can be provided and the cleanliness assessment results can be monitored online like other Internet of Things (loT) services.

[0014] Referring more specifically to FIG. 4, where one bottle is the blank 48 (reference) and the other one is the test solution 44 the steps and PST determination is summarized as follows:

Step 1 : Prepare solutions, add sample 42 (e.g. swab wiping of a surface)

Step 2: Wait 5 min (Timer)

Step 3: Comparison blank 48 with calibration gradient 46

For the comparison the calibration gradient 46 is preferably shown on the display of the mobile device 40 according to the comparison procedure described below

(e.g. blank 48 matches with reference color having a PST-value of 10)

Step 4: Comparison of test solution 44 with calibration gradient 46

(e.g. test solution matches with reference color having a PST-value of 100) Step 5: Calculation of the test -> test gradient 46 minus blank 44 gradient = test result

(named example -> 100 PST (test gradient) - 10 PST (blank) = 90 PST units

Step 6: Store result

[0015] In embodiments, the result is stored together with key data such as customer name, operator name, date, time and test point. Furthermore a short description text may also be entered. Results may be transmitted by email and a mobile device preferably can store 100 or more results before backup to the cloud or other storage systems are necessary. [0016] The comparison step with a mobile device and application may be summarized in embodiments as follows:

1. Place the vessel with color solution and one with water onto the phone ad select/swipe with finger to change the color below the water vessel until color matches with the sample

2. Comparison blank with calibration gradient (e.g. 10 is Initial/Base Value) (initially determined before sliding/selecting matching color to test solution/sample)

3. Comparison test solution with calibration gradient (e.g. 100)

4. The computed value is the test solution value (100) minus the Base Value (10) for a total 90 PST value

[0017] In embodiments of the invention, the placing of the “blank’Vreference liquid solution (i.e. “clear” solution) directly on the color calibration chart of the mobile device display allows a more “true” comparison for matching colors with the test sample solution resultant color because the blank solution is a liquid that transmits and takes on the color of the calibration color that is selected. As a result, color of liquid of the blank is compared to color of liquid of the reacted sample as a better comparison measure than comparing the reacted sample color to basic paper or screen colors that are not shown in a liquid.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 5, in other embodiments photo comparison may be utilized by a mobile application on mobile device 40 to determine assess the cleanliness of a surface sample. For example, a photo 50 may be taken of the test sample - as well as possibly the blank reference solution and the calibration gradient chart. Through a comparison algorithm in the application or operating remotely in software on remote server that receives the photos, the corresponding result 55 in PST units may be determined.

[0019] Commercial applications that may be implemented for photo and color assessments in embodiments of the invention include Techkon apps and similar technology, see e.g. (incorporated herein by reference) :

[0020] https://www.techkon.com/colorcatcher.html

[0021] https://www.techkon.com/Evaluation-of-test-strips.html [0022] https://www.chemie.de/produkte/1128637/mobiles-labor-teststr eifen-app-reader- visuelle-tests.html

[0023] Referring to FIG. 6, in other embodiments a cleanliness testing method may be implemented directly in quality management system 600 at customer sites as a solution towards Internet of Things (loT).

[0024] Quality data could be stored at a remote server 610 on a wide area network, such as over the Internet via connected user/client 640 with a mobile device. Registered users would be qualified to define test points (e.g. locations where surfaces are to be assessed for cleanliness) and their limits. Identification codes would be defined for the test points and are available as barcodes 620. The registration for a test point may be done by barcode scanning or manual input. Afterwards the user 640 via a mobile device transfers the corresponding photo 650 with blank, sample and calibration chart. The server 610 checks the photo 650 and transfers back the result 660 (passed/not passed) including a one-time code 665 for authorizing the production of the next sample batch 670 in embodiments where a customer site produces batches of materials, such as chemicals, food and the like which require that test points meet predetermined cleanliness levels. If the production site is equipped with a full integrated quality management system and software, the next production batch 670 is started by means of the onetime code 665 providing authorization for the next batch, i.e. , the code indicates that the test point(s) results met required cleanliness level(s) as determined by the assessment from the server 610 and corresponding result(s) 660.

[0025] Various embodiments of the invention have been described. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth by the claims. This specification is to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.