[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of sanitization. More
particularly, the present disclosure relates to a device for cleaning, sanitizing, and drying
objects.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Background description includes information that may be useful in
understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information
provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any
publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[0003] While moving inside or around a building, shopping complex, mall, house,
and other such premises, an entity may happen to intentionally or unintentionally come in
contact with various objects in everyday life. Results of various researches and experiments
have shown us that when an entity happens to come in contact with an object or a
surrounding surface, it results in a transmission of microorganisms like bacteria, virus, fungi,
etc., between said entity and said object and surrounding surface. In a crowded environment,
a surface contaminated by a source such microorganisms can be touched by a number of
entities, and further said entities can subsequently come in contact with other objects and
surfaces as they move around, and further, each contaminated surface can be touched again
by some other entity, and hence, resulting in rapid propagation of surface to surface
transmission of such microorganisms.
[0004] Spread of some of the most deadly diseases from one part of the world to
another part, and even to the remotest corners of the world can be traced back to such surface
to surface transmissions. The newly found novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is
the biggest example of such „contact disease spread‟ that has used human contact to the
infected surfaces or the physical human contact to other infected humans, for its deadly
transfer across the whole world thereby causing thousands and lakhs of deaths. COVID-19 is
an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2). The disease was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China's
Hubei province, and has since spread globally, resulting in the ongoing 2019–20 coronavirus
pandemic.
3
[0005] As per reports of WHO, Corona Virus rests up to 72 hours on plastic and
mobile surface, one week on masks, and on glass for 96 hours. It requires immediate action to
prevent the disease at the community level during the period of latent infection which
involves fast-spreading, endangering the health of large numbers of people, and creating the
chain of infections through.
[0006] An entity takes care of sanitization of some of the most common used objects
and surfaces, such as, mobile phone, electronic gadgets, table, chair, floor, and cloths,
whereas, an entity does not even think or remember about sanitizing objects, such as, shoes,
belt, wallet, and purse, etc., that can be equally or even more accountable for spreading of
such infections and diseases via surface to surface transmission.
[0007] Moreover, manually cleaning and sanitizing such objects may result in
exposure of entity to such diseases. For example, if an entity tries to brush his/ her shoes
through traditional brush using his/ her bare hands, the entity might get easily exposed to
microorganisms and other contamination present in his/ her shoes.
[0008] Though existing techniques facilitate automatic sanitization of such objects,
but the objects might get tainted due to marks that appear because of use of sanitizer and not
drying it timely. Moreover, said objects are needed to be cleaned frequently and that feature
is not available in the existing techniques.
[0009] There is therefore a need to provide a device to overcome above mentioned
problems, and for cleaning, sanitizing, and drying of such objects.
OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[00010] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment
herein satisfies are as listed herein below.
[00011] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a device for cleaning
objects.
[00012] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a device for sanitizing
and drying objects.
[00013] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a device to prevent
surface-to-surface transmission of contagious diseases.
[00014] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a device to aid an entity
in maintaining hygiene.
4
[00015] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a robust, cost-effective,
efficient, ergonomic, and user-friendly device.
SUMMARY
[00016] The present invention relates generally to the field of sanitization. More
particularly, the present disclosure relates to a device for cleaning, sanitizing, and drying
objects.
[00017] An aspect of the present disclosure pertains to a device for cleaning,
sanitizing, and drying one or more objects, the device comprising: a housing comprising: at
least two chambers made up of wood adapted to encase the one or more objects; a brush
assembly configured with a first chamber among the at least two chambers to facilitate
cleaning of the one or more encased objects; a humidifier comprising one or more fluids, the
humidifier coupled to a second chamber among the at least two chambers, and configured to
sanitize the one or more cleaned objects; and a drying element coupled to the second
chamber, and configured to facilitate drying of the one or more sanitized objects.
[00018] In an aspect, the device comprises of a sensor configured with the housing to
sense the one or more objects, and correspondingly generate a first set of signals.
[00019] In an aspect, the sensor may be any or a combination of infrared (IR) sensor,
proximity sensor, retro-reflective sensor, laser-based sensor, and ultrasonic sensor.
[00020] In an aspect, the device comprises a control unit operatively coupled to the
sensor, the control unit may be configured to receive the first set of signals generated by the
sensor, and correspondingly generate a second set of signals to facilitate controlling of
attributes of operable components of the device, wherein the operable components of the
device comprise the brush assembly, the humidifier, and the drying element.
[00021] In an aspect, the attributes of the operable components of the device may
comprise any or a combination of tilting angle, direction of movement, and force and
pressure exerted by the brush assembly, amount, direction, and force with which at least one
of the one or more fluids is to be disposed from the humidifier, and temperature, speed, and
rotation of fan of the drying element.
[00022] In an aspect, the device comprises an actuating unit operatively coupled to the
control unit, the brush assembly, the humidifier, and the drying element, and wherein based
on the second set of signals generated at the control unit, the actuating unit is configured to
5
generate a set of actuating signals to actuate any or a combination of the brush assembly, the
humidifier, and the drying element.
[00023] In an aspect, the device comprises a tray removably coupled to the first
chamber, and may be adapted for collecting dust and dirt produced during cleaning of the one
or more encased objects.
[00024] In an aspect, the device comprises a conveyor belt movably coupled to the
housing, and configured to accommodate and move the one or more objects between the at
least two chambers. In another aspect, the one or more objects can be manually transferred to
another chamber for sanitization and drying purposes.
[00025] In an aspect, the brush assembly may comprise one or more brushes, roller,
brush holder, motor, and gears.
[00026] In an aspect, the one or fluids comprise any or a combination of water, antibacterial fluid, and sanitizer, and is in form of any or a combination of gas, liquid, gel, and
mist.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[00027] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding
of the present disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.
The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with
the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. The diagrams are for
illustration only, which thus is not a limitation of the present disclosure.
[00028] FIGs. 1A and 1B illustrate exemplary diagrams of the proposed device to
illustrate its overall working in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00029] FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary functional modules of a control unit of the
proposed system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00030] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure
depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly
communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit
the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all
modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present
disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
6
[00031] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to
provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be
apparent to one skilled in the art that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced
without some of these specific details.
[00032] Embodiments of the present invention include various steps, which will be
described below. The steps may be performed by hardware components or may be embodied
in machine-executable instructions, which may be used to cause a general-purpose or specialpurpose processor programmed with the instructions to perform the steps. Alternatively, steps
may be performed by a combination of hardware, software, and firmware and/or by human
operators.
[00033] Embodiments of the present invention may be provided as a computer
program product, which may include a machine-readable storage medium tangibly
embodying thereon instructions, which may be used to program a computer (or other
electronic devices) to perform a process. The machine-readable medium may include, but is
not limited to, fixed (hard) drives, magnetic tape, floppy diskettes, optical disks, compact disc
read-only memories (CD-ROMs), and magneto-optical disks, semiconductor memories, such
as ROMs, PROMs, random access memories (RAMs), programmable read-only memories
(PROMs), erasable PROMs (EPROMs), electrically erasable PROMs (EEPROMs), flash
memory, magnetic or optical cards, or other type of media/machine-readable medium suitable
for storing electronic instructions (e.g., computer programming code, such as software or
firmware).
[00034] Various methods described herein may be practiced by combining one or more
machine-readable storage media containing the code according to the present invention with
appropriate standard computer hardware to execute the code contained therein. An apparatus
for practicing various embodiments of the present invention may involve one or more
computers (or one or more processors within a single computer) and storage systems
containing or having network access to computer program(s) coded in accordance with
various methods described herein, and the method steps of the invention could be
accomplished by modules, routines, subroutines, or sub parts of a computer program product.
[00035] If the specification states a component or feature “may”, “can”, “could”, or
“might” be included or have a characteristic, that particular component or feature is not
required to be included or have the characteristic.
7
[00036] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the
meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates
otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on”
unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[00037] The recitation of ranges of values herein is merely intended to serve as a
shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range.
Unless otherwise indicated herein, each individual value is incorporated into the specification
as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in
any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by
context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g. “such as”) provided
with respect to certain embodiments herein is intended merely to better illuminate the
invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed. No
language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element
essential to the practice of the invention.
[00038] Groupings of alternative elements or embodiments of the invention disclosed
herein are not to be construed as limitations. Each group member can be referred to and
claimed individually or in any combination with other members of the group or other
elements found herein. One or more members of a group can be included in, or deleted from,
a group for reasons of convenience and/or patentability. When any such inclusion or deletion
occurs, the specification is herein deemed to contain the group as modified thus fulfilling the
written description of all groups used in the appended claims.
[00039] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. These
exemplary embodiments are provided only for illustrative purposes and so that this disclosure
will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those of
ordinary skill in the art. The invention disclosed may, however, be embodied in many
different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.
Various modifications will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art. The general
principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Moreover, all statements herein reciting
embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to
encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that
such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed
8
in the future (i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of
structure). Also, the terminology and phraseology used is for the purpose of describing
exemplary embodiments and should not be considered limiting. Thus, the present invention is
to be accorded the widest scope encompassing numerous alternatives, modifications and
equivalents consistent with the principles and features disclosed. For purpose of clarity,
details relating to technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the
invention have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present
invention.
[00040] Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art
that the diagrams, schematics, illustrations, and the like represent conceptual views or
processes illustrating systems and methods embodying this invention. The functions of the
various elements shown in the figures may be provided through the use of dedicated
hardware as well as hardware capable of executing associated software. Similarly, any
switches shown in the figures are conceptual only. Their function may be carried out through
the operation of program logic, through dedicated logic, through the interaction of program
control and dedicated logic, or even manually, the particular technique being selectable by
the entity implementing this invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art further understand
that the exemplary hardware, software, processes, methods, and/or operating systems
described herein are for illustrative purposes and, thus, are not intended to be limited to any
particular named element.
[00041] Furthermore, embodiments may be implemented by hardware, software,
firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or any combination
thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware or microcode, the program
code or code segments to perform the necessary tasks (e.g., a computer-program product)
may be stored in a machine-readable medium. A processor(s) may perform the necessary
tasks.
[00042] Systems depicted in some of the figures may be provided in various
configurations. In some embodiments, the systems may be configured as a distributed system
where one or more components of the system are distributed across one or more networks in
a cloud computing system.
[00043] Each of the appended claims defines a separate invention, which for
infringement purposes is recognized as including equivalents to the various elements or
limitations specified in the claims. Depending on the context, all references below to the
9
"invention" may in some cases refer to certain specific embodiments only. In other cases it
will be recognized that references to the "invention" will refer to subject matter recited in one
or more, but not necessarily all, of the claims.
[00044] All methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order unless
otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and
all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided with respect to certain
embodiments herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a
limitation on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed. No language in the specification
should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of the
invention.
[00045] Various terms as used herein are shown below. To the extent a term used in a
claim is not defined below, it should be given the broadest definition persons in the pertinent
art have given that term as reflected in printed publications and issued patents at the time of
filing.
[00046] The present invention relates generally to the field of sanitization. More
particularly, the present disclosure relates to a device for cleaning, sanitizing, and drying
objects.
[00047] According to an aspect of the present disclosure a device for cleaning,
sanitizing, and drying one or more objects, the device including: a housing including: at least
two chambers adapted to encase the one or more objects; a brush assembly configured with a
first chamber among the at least two chambers to facilitate cleaning of the one or more
encased objects; a humidifier comprising one or more fluids, the humidifier coupled to a
second chamber among the at least two chambers, and configured to sanitize the one or more
cleaned objects; and a drying element coupled to the second chamber, and configured to
facilitate drying of the one or more sanitized objects.
[00048] In an embodiment, the device can include a sensor configured within the first
chamber to sense the one or more objects, and correspondingly generate a first set of signals.
[00049] In an embodiment, the sensor can be any or a combination of infrared (IR)
sensor, proximity sensor, retro-reflective sensor, laser-based sensor, and ultrasonic sensor.
[00050] In an embodiment, the device can include a control unit operatively coupled to
the sensor, the control unit can be configured to receive the first set of signals generated by
the sensor, and correspondingly generate a second set of signals to facilitate controlling of
10
attributes of operable components of the device, wherein the operable components of the
device can include the brush assembly, the humidifier, and the drying element.
[00051] In an embodiment, the attributes of the operable components of the device can
include any or a combination of tilting angle, direction of movement, and force and pressure
exerted by the brush assembly, amount, direction, and force with which at least one of the
one or more fluids is to be disposed from the humidifier, and temperature, speed, and rotation
of fan of the drying element.
[00052] In an embodiment, the device can include an actuating unit operatively
coupled to the control unit, the brush assembly, the humidifier, and the drying element, and
wherein based on the second set of signals generated at the control unit, the actuating unit is
configured to generate a set of actuating signals to actuate any or a combination of the brush
assembly, the humidifier, and the drying element.
[00053] In an embodiment, the device can include a tray removably coupled to the first
chamber, and may be adapted for collecting dust and dirt produced during cleaning of the one
or more encased objects.
[00054] In an embodiment, the device can include a conveyor belt movably coupled to
the housing, and configured to accommodate and move the one or more objects between the
at least two chambers. In another embodiment, the cleaned one or more objects can be
manually transferred to another chamber for sanitization and drying purposes.
[00055] In an embodiment, the brush assembly can include one or more brushes, roller,
brush holder, motor, and gears.
[00056] In an embodiment, the one or fluids can include any or a combination of
water, anti-bacterial fluid, and sanitizer, and is in form of any or a combination of gas, liquid,
gel, and mist.
[00057] FIGs. 1A and 1B illustrate exemplary diagrams of the proposed device 100 to
illustrate its overall working in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00058] As illustrated, in an embodiment, FIG. 1A illustrates exemplary structural
diagram of the proposed device 100 (interchangeably referred to as device 100, hereinafter)
and FIG. 1B illustrates exemplary block diagram of the device 100. The device 100 can be
utilized for cleaning, sanitizing, and drying one or more objects 120 (collectively referred to
as objects 120, and individually referred to as object 120, hereinafter), where objects can be,
but not limited to, shoes, hand bag, purse, belt, and other such small items that can be easily
11
cleaned, thereby, the device 100 can prevent spreading of contagious diseases through
surface-to-surface transmission and can aid in maintaining hygiene.
[00059] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include a housing 102, where the
housing 102 can include at least two chambers 104 adapted to encase the objects 120. In an
exemplary embodiment, the housing 102 can have two chambers, i.e., a first chamber 104-1
and a second chamber 104-2 that can be configured to enable cleaning, sanitizing, and drying
of the objects 120 that are encased in said chambers 104-1 and 104-2. In another exemplary
embodiment, the housing 102 as well as said chambers 104-1 and 104-2 can be made up of
wood.
[00060] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include a brush assembly 106 that can
be configured with the first chamber 104-1 (interchangeably referred to as chamber 104-1,
herein) to facilitate cleaning of the encased objects 120. In an exemplary embodiment, the
brush assembly 106 can include, but not limited to, one or more brushes, roller, brush holder,
motor, and gears.
[00061] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include a humidifier 108 that can be
including one or more fluids (collectively referred to as fluids, and individually referred to as
fluid, hereinafter), where the fluids can be, but not limited to, water, anti-bacterial fluid, and
sanitizer, and can be in form of any or a combination of gas, liquid, gel, and mist.
[00062] In an embodiment, the humidifier 108 can be coupled to the second chamber
104-2 (interchangeably referred to as chamber 104-2, herein), where the humidifier 108 can
be configured to sanitize the objects 120 that are cleaned by the brush assembly 106 in the
first chamber. In another embodiment, the objects 120 can be directly encased in the second
chamber 104-2, i.e., without placing it in the first chamber 104-1, in such a case the objects
120 can be sanitized directly by the humidifier 108, i.e., the objects 120 are not cleaned
through the brush assembly 106 before getting sanitized by the humidifier 108.
[00063] In an implementation, the humidifier 108 can be an ultrasonic humidifier that
can include a container coupled with nozzles, where the container can include fluids,
including an antibacterial fluid that can be utilized to produce mist. In an embodiment, the
produced mist can be ejected through the nozzles at the encased objects.
[00064] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include a drying element 110 that can
be coupled to the second chamber 104-2, where the drying element 110 can be configured to
facilitate drying of the objects 120 after they are being sanitized by the humidifier 108. In an
12
exemplary embodiment, the drying element 110 can be operated at a pre-defined temperature
to remove moisture and kill bacteria associated with the objects.
[00065] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include a sensor 112 that can be
configured with the housing 102, where the sensor 112 can include, but not limited to,
infrared (IR) sensor, proximity sensor, retro-reflective sensor, laser-based sensor, and
ultrasonic sensor. In an exemplary embodiment, the sensor 112 can be configured at inlet of
the housing 102, such that it can be common for both the chambers 104-1 and 104-2, where it
can sense objects 120 being encased in the chambers 104-1 and 104-2. In another exemplary
embodiment, the sensors 112 can be configured at the device 100, such that a sensor 112 can
be coupled with each of the chambers 104-1 and 104-2. In an embodiment, upon sensing of
the objects 120 the sensor 112 can generate a first set of signals, and operable components of
the device 100, which include the brush assembly 106, the humidifier 108, and the drying
element 110, can be switched on or off accordingly. In yet another exemplary embodiment,
the sensor 112 can be configured at the first chamber 104-1, where upon sensing of the
objects 120 the sensor 112 can generate a first set of signals, and the brush assembly 106 can
operate accordingly. The device 100 can include a timer operatively coupled to the sensor
112, the timer can be set to a pre-defined time period, such that once the object 120 is sensed
by the sensor 112, the timer gets activated. The objects 120, once cleaned, can be kept
manually in the second chamber 104-2, where the humidifier 108 and the drying element 110
can be operated based on the activation of the timer.
[00066] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include a control unit 114 that can be
operatively coupled to the sensor 112. In an embodiment, the first set of signals, which are
generated by the sensor 112, can be transmitted to the control unit 114. The control unit 114
can receive the first set of signals transmitted by the sensor 112, and based on the received
first set of signals, the control unit 114 can generate a second set of signals to facilitate
controlling of attributes of the operable components of the device 100. In an exemplary
embodiment, the attributes of the operable components of the device 100 can include, but not
limited to, tilting angle, direction of movement, and force and pressure exerted by the brush
assembly 106, amount, direction, and force with which at least one of the one or more fluids
is to be disposed from the humidifier 108, and temperature, speed, and rotation of fan of the
drying element 110, and the like.
[00067] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include an actuating unit 116 that can
be operatively coupled to the control unit 114, the brush assembly 106, the humidifier 108,
13
and the drying element 110. In an embodiment, the actuating unit 116 can be configured to
generate, based on the second set of signals generated at the control unit 114, a set of
actuating signals to actuate any or a combination of the brush assembly 106, the humidifier
108, and the drying element 110.
[00068] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include a tray 118 that can be
removably coupled to the first chamber 104-1, and can be adapted for collecting dust and dirt
produced during cleaning of the encased objects 120. In an exemplary embodiment, the tray
118 can be removed manually from the device 100 to dump the collected dust and dirt, and
then the tray 118 can again be attached to the device 100.
[00069] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include a conveyor belt (not shown)
that can be movably coupled to the housing 102, where the conveyor belt can be configured
to accommodate and move the objects 120 between the at least two chambers 104.
[00070] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include chamber doors 122-1 and 112-2
that can be movably attached to the housing 102, such that the said doors 122 can facilitate
opening and closing of the chambers 104-1 and 104-2.
[00071] FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary functional modules of a control unit of the
proposed system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00072] As illustrated, the control unit 114 can include one or more processor(s) 202.
The one or more processor(s) 202 can be implemented as one or more microprocessors,
microcomputers, micro controllers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic
circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate data based on operational instructions. Among
other capabilities, the one or more processor(s) 202 are configured to fetch and execute
computer-readable instructions stored in a memory 204 of the control unit 114. The memory
204 can store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines, which may be fetched
and executed to create or share the data units over a network service. The memory 204 can
include any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as
RAM, or non-volatile memory such as EPROM, flash memory, and the like.
[00073] In an embodiment, the control unit 114 can also include an interface(s) 206.
The interface(s) 206 may include a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input
and output devices, referred to as I/O devices, storage devices, and the like. The interface(s)
206 may facilitate communication of the control unit 114 with various devices coupled to the
control unit 114. The interface(s) 206 may also provide a communication pathway for one or
14
more components of the control unit 114. Examples of such components include, but are not
limited to, processing engine(s) 208 and database 210.
[00074] In an embodiment, the processing engine(s) 208 can be implemented as a
combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to
implement one or more functionalities of the processing engine(s) 208. In examples described
herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several
different ways. For example, the programming for the processing engine(s) 208 may be
processor executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage
medium and the hardware for the processing engine(s) 208 may include a processing resource
(for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples,
the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the
processing resource, implement the processing engine(s) 208. In such examples, the control
unit 114 can include the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the
processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may
be separate but accessible to the control unit 114 and the processing resource. In other
examples, the processing engine(s) 208 may be implemented by electronic circuitry. The
database 210 can include data that is either stored or generated as a result of functionalities
implemented by any of the components of the processing engine(s) 208.
[00075] In an embodiment, the processing engine(s) 208 can include a cleaning unit
212, a sanitizing and drying unit 214, and other unit(s) 218. The other unit(s) 218 can
implement functionalities that supplement applications or functions performed by the control
unit 114 or the processing engine(s) 208.
[00076] In an embodiment, the cleaning unit 212 associated with the control unit 114
can facilitate cleaning of objects. In an embodiment, the objects that are to be cleaned can be
encased in a first chamber 104-1 of the device 100. In another embodiment, the device 100
can include a brush assembly 106 that can be configured at the first chamber 104-1 of the
device 100. In an exemplary embodiment, the device 100 can include a housing 102 that have
two chambers 104-1 and 104-2. In another exemplary embodiment, the brush assembly 106
can include, but not limited to, one or more brushes, roller, brush holder, motor, and gears. In
an embodiment, the device 100 can also include a sensor 112 that can be configured to sense
objects that are being encased in the first chamber 102. In an exemplary embodiment, the
sensor 112 can include, but not limited to, infrared (IR) sensor, proximity sensor, retroreflective sensor, laser-based sensor, and ultrasonic sensor. In an implementation, the sensor
15
112 can sense the objects that are being encased in the chamber 104-1, and can
correspondingly generate a first set of signals that can further be transmitted. The cleaning
unit 212 can receive the first set of signals, and based on said signals, the cleaning unit 212
can generate a second set of signals that can pertain to controlling of tilting angle, direction of
movement, and force and pressure exerted by brushes of the brush assembly 106, in order to
clean said objects.
[00077] In an embodiment, the device 100 can include an actuating unit 116 that can
be operatively coupled with the cleaning unit 212. In another embodiment, the second set of
signals that are being generated at the cleaning unit 212 can be transmitted to the actuating
unit 116, where, based on the received second set of signals, the actuating unit 116 can
generate a set of actuating signals to actuate the brush assembly 106 and control its attributes.
[00078] In an embodiment, the sanitizing and drying unit 214 associated with the
control unit 114 can facilitate sanitizing and drying of the objects that are to be sanitized and
dried. In an embodiment, said objects can be encased in the second chamber 104-2 of the
device 100 for sanitization and drying. In another embodiment, the device 100 can include a
humidifying unit 108 and a drying element 110 that can be configured at the second chamber
104-2 of the device 100. In an embodiment, the humidifier 108 can include a container
containing fluids, such as, but not limited to, water, anti-bacterial fluid, and sanitizer, where
the fluids can be in form of any or a combination of gas, liquid, gel, and mist. In an
embodiment, the humidifier 108 can also include nozzles that can fluidically coupled to the
second chamber .
[00079] In an implementation, when the objects 120 are sensed to be in the chamber
104-2, by the sensor 112, said sensor 112 can correspondingly generate a first set of signals
that can further be transmitted. The sanitizing and drying unit 214 can receive the first set of
signals, and based on said signals, the sanitizing and drying unit 214 can generate a third set
of signals that can pertain to controlling of amount, direction, and force with which at least
one of the fluids is to be disposed from the humidifier 108. The third set of signals that are
being generated by the sanitizing and drying unit 214 can be transmitted to the actuating unit
116, where, based on the received third set of signals, the actuating unit 116 can generate a
set of actuating signals to actuate the humidifier 108 and control its attributes. In an
embodiment, corresponding to the set of actuating signals, the fluids can be disposed at the
objects 120 through the nozzles associated with the humidifier 108 to sanitize the objects.
16
[00080] In another implementation, the device 100 can include a drying element 110.
In an embodiment, once said objects are sanitized through fluids, the sanitizing and drying
unit 214 can generate a fourth set of signals that can pertain to temperature, speed, and
rotation of fan of the drying element 110, and the like. The fourth set of signals that are being
generated by the sanitizing and drying unit 214 can be transmitted to the actuating unit 116,
where, based on the received third set of signals, the actuating unit 116 can generate a set of
actuating signals to actuate the drying element 110 and control its attributes. In an
embodiment, corresponding to the set of actuating signals, the drying element 110 can be
operated to remove moisture from said objects as well as kill bacteria associated with said
objects 120.
[00081] In an embodiment, the conveying unit 216 associated with the control unit 114
can facilitate movement of a conveyor belt, which can be configured within the housing 102
of the device 100, between said chambers 104-1 and 104-2. In an implementation, when the
objects 120 are sensed to be placed at the conveyor belt, the sensor 112 can correspondingly
generate a set of signals, which can be received by the conveying unit 216. Further, based on
the received set of signals, the conveying unit 216 can facilitate movement of the conveyor.
[00082] Thus, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the
diagrams, schematics, illustrations, and the like represent conceptual views or processes
illustrating systems and methods embodying this invention. The functions of the various
elements shown in the figures may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well
as hardware capable of executing associated software. Similarly, any switches shown in the
figures are conceptual only. Their function may be carried out through the operation of
program logic, through dedicated logic, through the interaction of program control and
dedicated logic, or even manually, the particular technique being selectable by the entity
implementing this invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art further understand that the
exemplary hardware, software, processes, methods, and/or operating systems described
herein are for illustrative purposes and, thus, are not intended to be limited to any particular
named.
[00083] While embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and
described, it will be clear that the invention is not limited to these embodiments only.
Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions, and equivalents will be apparent
to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as
described in the claim.
17
[00084] In the foregoing description, numerous details are set forth. It will be apparent,
however, to one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure, that the
present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, wellknown structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, to avoid
obscuring the present invention.
[00085] As used herein, and unless the context dictates otherwise, the term "coupled
to" is intended to include both direct coupling (in which two elements that are coupled to
each other contact each other)and indirect coupling (in which at least one additional element
is located between the two elements). Therefore, the terms "coupled to" and "coupled with"
are used synonymously. Within the context of this document terms "coupled to" and "coupled
with" are also used euphemistically to mean “communicatively coupled with” over a
network, where two or more devices are able to exchange data with each other over the
network, possibly via one or more intermediary device.
[00086] It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications
besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts
herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of
the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all
terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In
particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to
elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced
elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements,
components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Where the specification claims refers
to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C ….N, the text
should be interpreted as requiring only one element from the group, not A plus N, or B plus
N, etc.
[00087] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other
and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic
scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The
invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are
included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention
when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill
in the art.
18
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[00088] The present disclosure provides a device for cleaning objects.
[00089] The present disclosure provides a device for sanitizing and drying objects.
[00090] The present disclosure provides a device to prevent surface-to-surface
transmission of contagious diseases.
[00091] The present disclosure provides a device to aid an entity in maintaining
hygiene.
[00092] The present disclosure provides provide a robust, cost-effective, efficient,
ergonomic, and user-friendly device.

We Claim:

1. A device for cleaning, sanitizing, and drying one or more objects, the device
comprising:
a housing comprising:
at least two chambers adapted to encase the one or more objects;
a brush assembly configured with a first chamber among the at least
two chambers to facilitate cleaning of the one or more encased objects;
a humidifier comprising one or more fluids, the humidifier coupled to a
second chamber among the at least two chambers, and configured to sanitize
the one or more cleaned objects; and
a drying element coupled to the second chamber, and configured to
facilitate drying of the one or more sanitized objects.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a sensor configured
with the housing to sense the one or more objects, and correspondingly generate a
first set of signals.
3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor is any or a combination of
infrared (IR) sensor, proximity sensor, retro-reflective sensor, laser-based sensor, and
ultrasonic sensor.
4. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device comprises a control unit
operatively coupled to the sensor, the control unit is configured to receive the first set
of signals generated by the sensor, and correspondingly generate a second set of
signals to facilitate controlling of attributes of operable components of the device,
wherein the operable components of the device comprise the brush assembly, the
humidifier, and the drying element.
5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the attributes of the operable components
of the device comprise any or a combination of tilting angle, direction of movement,
and force and pressure exerted by the brush assembly, amount, direction, and force
with which at least one of the one or more fluids is to be disposed from the
humidifier, and temperature, speed, and rotation of fan of the drying element.
6. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device comprises an actuating unit
operatively coupled to the control unit, the brush assembly, the humidifier, and the
drying element, and wherein based on the second set of signals generated at the
control unit, the actuating unit is configured to generate a set of actuating signals to
20
actuate any or a combination of the brush assembly, the humidifier, and the drying
element.
7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a tray removably
coupled to the first chamber, and is adapted for collecting dust and dirt produced
during cleaning of the one or more encased objects.
8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a conveyor belt
movably coupled to the housing, and configured to accommodate and move the one or
more objects between the at least two chambers.
9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brush assembly comprises one or more
brushes, roller, brush holder, motor, and gears.
10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or fluids comprise any or a
combination of water, anti-bacterial fluid, and sanitizer, and is in form of any or a
combination of gas, liquid, gel, and mist.