Patent Publication Number: US-11382464-B2

Title: Portable washing station

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/915,180 filed on Oct. 15, 2019 and titled “Portable Washing Station,” the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A portable washing station can be useful in many situations where there is no access to a water source for convenient rinsing and washing of hands and other items. For example, a portable washing station may be used at construction worksites, on camping trips, or at the beach, among many other uses. However, many existing portable washing stations are relatively cumbersome to use, overly complicated, or simply are not flexible enough to meet a user&#39;s many possible needs. Therefore, an improved portable washing station that is self-contained and relatively easy to transport, operate, and reuse is desired. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, disclosed herein is a portable washing station including (i) a reservoir, (ii) a lid removably attached to the reservoir, (iii) an opening for receiving an extendable nozzle, (iv) a submersible pump positioned within the reservoir, (v) a hose connecting the extendable nozzle and the submersible pump, and (vi) a battery electrically coupled to the submersible pump via a detachable power cord. 
     It should be appreciated that many other features, applications, embodiments, and variations of the disclosed technology will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the following detailed description. Additional and alternative implementations of the structures and methods described herein can be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosed technology. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating example embodiments, but it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the drawings. 
         FIG. 1A  depicts an example portable washing station according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1B  depicts a top-down view of the example portable washing station of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1C  depicts a rear view of the example portable washing station of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1D  depicts the lid when removed from the reservoir of the example portable washing station of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1E  depicts the nozzle and hose when extended from the reservoir of the example portable washing station of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1F  depicts example mounting attachments that may be used in combination with the nozzle of the disclosed portable washing station. 
         FIG. 1G  depicts an interior view of the reservoir according to one embodiment of the disclosed portable washing station. 
         FIG. 1H  depicts an example configuration of a battery according to one embodiment of the disclosed portable washing station. 
         FIG. 2  depicts an example portable washing station according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following disclosure makes reference to the accompanying figures, which illustrate example embodiments of the portable washing station disclosed herein. 
     The present disclosure is generally directed to an improved portable washing station that is self-contained and relatively easy to transport, operate, and reuse. At a high level, the disclosed portable washing station may include a reservoir and various fixtures for facilitating sanitizing and washing of hands and/or other items. The reservoir may be capable of holding a volume of liquid (e.g., water or other cleaning solution) for a user&#39;s needs during operation of the portable washing station. 
       FIG. 1A  shows an example embodiment of the disclosed portable washing station. The example portable washing station  100  may include a reservoir  101  for holding a volume of water or some other liquid solution to be used during washing operations. The volume may be sufficient for several uses, or for some sustained use, but not so great as to make the portable washing station prohibitively heavy when full. For example, a typical volume for the reservoir may be approximately five gallons, although other volumes are also possible. 
     The reservoir  101  may be formed from a variety of materials capable of holding liquid and supporting the fixtures described herein. In some implementations, for example, the reservoir may be formed from high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Other materials are also possible. Furthermore, the reservoir may comprise various shapes. As shown in  FIG. 1A , the reservoir  101  is generally cylindrical. However, the reservoir may take other shapes as well, such as a cubic or rectangular shape. Numerous other shapes are also possible. 
     As mentioned above, the reservoir may include one or more fixtures. Such one or more fixtures may extend from the reservoir. As shown in  FIG. 1A , the reservoir  101  may include a removable lid  110  having various openings, such as openings  102  and  103 , for supporting fixtures that may be housed within the reservoir  101  and extend outwardly from the reservoir  101  through lid  110 . The lid  110  may be completely or partially removable or otherwise openable in order to facilitate filling or cleaning the reservoir and/or accessing other components housed within the reservoir. 
     The fixtures extending from the reservoir  101  may include various possibilities. As shown in  FIG. 1A , such fixtures may include at least a nozzle  105  used for discharging the water or liquid held within the reservoir  101  during washing operations. The fixtures may also include a dispenser  104 , such as a pump-operated dispenser for dispensing liquid soap. Other fixtures are also possible. 
     In some implementations, the fixtures may be integrated into the lid  110 , as shown in  FIG. 1A . In other implementations, the fixtures may be integrated into a portion of the lid that is fixed to the reservoir, and a separate portion of the lid may be removable or otherwise openable to fill the reservoir. In still further implementations, one or more of the fixtures may not be integrated into the lid of the reservoir, but rather a sidewall of the reservoir. For instance, the nozzle and dispenser may extend outwardly from the sidewall near a top end of the reservoir rather than extending from the lid of the reservoir. Other possibilities also exist. 
     Turning to  FIG. 1B , a top-down view of the example portable washing station  100  is shown. As discussed above, the portable washing station  100  may include a removable lid  100  from which various fixtures, such as nozzle  105  and dispenser  104 , may outwardly extend. As shown, the portable washing station  100  may further include a battery  106  housed in a housing that is affixed to the lid  110 . The battery  106  will be discussed in more detail below with respect to  FIG. 1H . 
     Turning to  FIG. 1C , a rear-view of the example portable washing station  100  is shown. The battery  106  may be connected to a power cord  124  for powering a pump (discussed further below) located within the reservoir  101 , and the power cord  124  may extend from the sidewall of the reservoir  101 . Alternatively, the power cord  124  may extend from the lid  110 . Additionally, the portable washing station  100  may further include a handle  107  for ease of carrying the portable washing station. Further the handle  107  may also operate to maintain the lid  110  of the reservoir in an open position. This may be desirable, for example, when refilling the reservoir  101  or accessing the components housed inside the reservoir  101 , discussed in more detail below. 
       FIG. 1D  depicts a view of the removable lid  110 , along with the various fixtures, when removed from the reservoir  101 . The dispenser  104  may be affixed to the lid  110  of the reservoir  101  via a threaded connection of a nut  104   a  and washer (not shown) on either side of the lid  110 . Further, the dispenser  104  may be coupled to a vessel  104   b , that may be filled with liquid soap or the like, for example, and is housed within the reservoir  101  of the portable washing station  100 . For example, the vessel  104   b  may be submerged or partially submerged when the reservoir is filled with water, depending on the volume of water. In some implementations, the vessel  104   b  may rest on, or be affixed to, a bottom of the reservoir  101 . The dispenser  104  may include a feed tube that extends into the vessel  104   b  and through which the liquid soap is pumped out of the dispenser. The feed tube of the dispenser may pass through a larger diameter, flexible tube  104   c  that joins the vessel  104   b  to the lid  110  and keeps the water in the reservoir  101  out of the vessel  104   b.    
     As further shown in  FIG. 1D , the nozzle  105  may be coupled to a hose  120  that is housed within the reservoir  101 . As shown in  FIG. 1E , the nozzle  105  may be disengaged from the lid  110  such that the nozzle  105  and hose  120  extend from the reservoir  101 , providing a user with far more range and freedom of movement when operating the portable washing station  100 . The hose  120  may be, for example, between 5 and 15 feet long. In some implementations, as shown, the nozzle  105  may include a head portion  105   a  from which the water discharges, and a handle portion  105   b  that is coupled to the hose  120 . Additionally, or alternatively, the nozzle  105  and/or hose  120  may be coupled to a bracket  105   c  that can be used to affix the nozzle  105  and/or hose  120  to an external object (e.g., a wall, a car door, a tree, etc.) to keep the nozzle  105  and hose  120  in a fixed position when disengaged from the lid  110  while using the portable washing station  100 . The nozzle  105  may also be affixed to other surfaces using different types of mounting attachments, such as the suction cup  105   d  or the hook  105   e  shown in  FIG. 1F . Numerous other types of mounting attachments may be used as well. The handle portion  105   b  may be inserted into, and rest within, the opening  102  in the lid  110  such that the nozzle  105  is removable and replaceable by a user during operation. Accordingly, the hose  120  may extend from and retract into the reservoir via the opening  102 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 1G , an example interior view of the portable washing station  100  is shown. The portable washing station  100  may also include a submersible pump  121 , housed within the reservoir  101 , that rests on or near a bottom  122  of the reservoir. In some implementations, the pump may have a discharge rate of approximately 4 liters per minute, for example. Other configurations are also possible. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1G , the pump  121  may be connected to the hose  120  to pump the water or other liquid solution within the reservoir  101  through the hose  120  to the nozzle  105 , thereby discharging the water or other liquid solution for use during operation. In some implementations, a fastener  123 , such as a J-clamp, or other similar fixture, may secure the hose  120  to a sidewall of the reservoir  101 , just above (e.g., between 3 and 6 inches above) the top of the pump  121 . This configuration may help to maintain the pump  121  in a relatively stationary position at the bottom  122  of the reservoir  101 . Further, securing the hose  120  and pump  121  in this way may reduce jostling and possible damage to the pump  121  when the portable washing station  100  is moved, especially when emptying the reservoir  101 . The fastener  123 , such as the J-clamp shown in  FIG. 1G , may also serve as a stop that notifies the user when the hose has been fully withdrawn from the reservoir, without inadvertently pulling the hose  120  out of the pump  121  or otherwise damaging with pump  121 . The fastener  123  may be secured to the sidewall of the reservoir  101  via a bolted connection through the sidewall that is closed with a water-tight gasket to prevent leakage. Other configurations for the fastener  123 , as well as other arrangements to maintain the pump  121  in a relatively fixed (e.g., stationary) position within the reservoir  101 , are also possible. 
     The pump  121  may be battery-operated for both ease of use and portability. As shown in  FIG. 1G , a power cord  124  may extend from the pump  121  to the battery  106  (discussed briefly above with respect to  FIG. 1B ) that may be removably fixed to the lid  110  of the reservoir  101 . In some implementations, the power cord  124  may exit the reservoir  101  via a cutout in either the lid or the sidewall of the reservoir, along a top edge. In other embodiments, the power cord  124  may pass through a grommet in either the lid or the sidewall of the reservoir. Other examples are also possible. As shown in  FIG. 1G , the power cord  124  may optionally be held in place alongside the hose  120  with a fastener such as a cable tie in order to prevent the power cord  124  from becoming entangled with or otherwise obstruct the other components housed within the reservoir  101 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 1H , an example configuration of the battery  106  is shown. The battery  106  that powers the pump  121  may be housed in a battery housing that is removably fixed to the lid  110  or another location on the exterior of the reservoir  101 . For example, the battery housing may be affixed to the lid  110  of reservoir  101  via a hook-and-loop fastener  125 . In other embodiments, the battery housing may be attachable to the reservoir via a hook, a clip, or some other engagement of male and female coupling parts. Furthermore, the power cord  124  may extend from inside the reservoir  101  through the lid  110  via a grommet  126 . As further shown in  FIG. 1H , the battery housing may also incorporate a switch  127  for powering the pump  121  on and off. For example, the switch  127  may be a push-button switch that can be used to toggle the pump  121  on and off with relative ease. Other arrangements for the switch  127 , including a turnable knob or a rocker, are also possible. Further, in some implementations the switch  127  may be separately located from the battery housing. For example, the switch  127  may not be removable along with the battery  106 , but rather may remain fixed to lid  110  or some other location of the reservoir  101  when the battery  106  is removed. 
     The battery  106  may be removed from the reservoir  101  by disconnecting the power cord  124  and then detaching the battery housing from the reservoir  101 . The removability of the battery may allow it to be recharged while remote from the portable washing station  100 , which may be advantageous when the portable washing station is not near a power source. Moreover, the relatively small size of battery housing compared to the portable washing station  100  may allow multiple batteries to be carried with the portable washing station  100 , extending the operating time of the pump  121  accordingly. 
     An example battery may be, for instance, a lithium-ion battery with a voltage between 3 and 4 volts, having a capacity of approximately 2200 mAh. Operating a pump at a discharge rate of 4 liters per minute, the example battery may have a usage time of approximately 45-60 minutes. Other battery configurations are also possible. 
     As discussed above, the disclosed portable washing station may take various shapes and forms.  FIG. 2  depicts an example portable washing station  200  that may take a rectangular shape. Regardless of the shape, the portable washing station  200  may include all of the features discussed above. The portable washing station  200  may include a reservoir  201  and a removable lid  210 . The lid  210  may include an opening  202  through which a nozzle and/or hose (not shown) may extend and another opening  204  through which a dispenser (not shown) may extend. The lid  210  may further include a grommet  226  through which a power cord  224  (that may be connected to a submersible pump housed within the reservoir  201 ) may extend and connect to a battery (not shown) housed in a battery housing (not shown) that may be removably affixed to the lid  210  via a loop-and-hook fastener  225 . The reservoir  201  may further include a handle  207  for easily transporting the power washing station  200  and/or maintaining the lid  210  in an open position, as discussed above. Although not shown in  FIG. 2 , the portable washing station  200  may also include all of the features discussed above that are housed within the reservoir  201 , such as a hose, a submersible pump, and one or more fasteners for securing the submersible pump to a bottom or a sidewall of the reservoir  201  and maintaining the submersible pump in a relatively stationary position within the reservoir  201 . 
     As noted above, the portable washing station disclosed herein may take other shapes as well. 
     It should be noted that the disclosed portable washing station may further include additional features not illustrated here. For example, in some embodiments, the reservoir may be formed from an insulating material such that the water within tends to maintain its temperature, either hot or cold, with respect to the ambient air. Additionally, or alternatively, the reservoir may comprise a double-walled or similar configuration to facilitate its insulating qualities. 
     Further, in some embodiments, the reservoir may include a heating element that warms the water within. The heating element may include a heating coil that is submerged in the reservoir, or a heating plate that is incorporated into the bottom of the reservoir, among other possibilities. The heating element may be actively powered by the battery in some cases, and may include separate controls (e.g., a separate switch) for doing so. In some other implementations, the heating element may be separately powered by its own battery or other power source. For example, the heating element may be connectable to a solar-powered panel or similar charger. In some implementations, a solar panel may be coupled to a power bank where power is stored until the heating element is engaged. 
     Still further, in some embodiments, the reservoir may include two or more wheels that may provide increased portability for the disclosed portable washing station. 
     As illustrated by the figures, the portable washing station generally discussed above advantageously requires relatively little user interaction to operate. For example, the switch may be manipulated with one hand, as can the dispenser and the nozzle. Further, the head of the nozzle may extend beyond the sidewall of the reservoir when the nozzle handle is in a fixed position relative to the lid, thus discharging the water clear over the sidewall of the reservoir and minimizing the need for the user to handle the nozzle at all during operation, if so desired. Such an arrangement may allow a user to easily utilize the portable washing station to rinse and/or wash his or her hands and/or any other items with relative ease. 
     Of course, the nozzle may also be extendable from the reservoir via the hose, as discussed above, which affords the portable washing station additional flexibility in directing the discharged water. The nozzle may also be affixed in an extended position, further maximizing user convenience. In some implementations, as described above with respect to  FIGS. 1E-1F , the nozzle may include one or more hooks, hangers, or similar components for attaching it to an external, fixed support. For instance, the nozzle may be attached to a tree branch, a tent pole, or the top of a car door via a hook or similar fixture. This may facilitate rinsing or washing larger items, including operating as an overhead shower for the user. In some other implementations, the nozzle may be attached to a sufficiently smooth surface, such as a glass surface, via a suction cup. In yet other implementations, the nozzle may be attached to a flat surface such as a wall via a bracket. Other examples are also possible. 
     The different advantageous arrangements above have been presented for purposes of illustration and description and are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the examples in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The example or examples selected are chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the examples, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.