Patent Publication Number: US-9414718-B2

Title: Portable hand washing station

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation in part (CIP) patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/209,666 filed on Aug. 15, 2011 by Michael J. Littlehorn Sr. of Golden, Colo., US. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to hand washing equipment. In particular, it relates to a portable hand washing station. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Portable hand washing equipment is desirable for use in recreational, emergency, and temporary service applications. Such equipment is well known in the art, and typically includes the essential component parts of a lavatory having a water supply and spigot to control the flow of water from a liquid flow tube. 
     Once such device is disclosed, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,358,937, issued to Curtiss. This device is a portable lavatory having a water receptacle. With a filler cap top opening and a swing down front tray. The receptacle includes a lower discharge opening with a water spigot for discharging water into the tray. The receptacle includes an air vent and an accessory spring clamp, for holding a towel. The tray is pivotally and slidably mounted on the receptacle, and is adapted to operate so that the air vent is closed when the tray is fastened to the receptacle in an upright vertical closed position. 
     Improvements to the portable lavatory concept include the addition of a hand drying apparatus. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,411 to Johnson, discloses a portable hand washing and drying station with a front hand-receiving-opening in communication with a central hand washing compartment. Above the hand washing compartment is an upper compartment with a cleansing liquid reservoir, a spigot-controlled flow tube for delivering cleansing liquid from the reservoir to the hand washing compartment, and an electrically powered fan for air drying the hands that are washed. The reservoir and fan are supported on a shelf which slides into and out of the housing. Situated below the hand compartment is a removable waste liquid receptacle for temporarily storing the used cleansing liquid. 
     Another such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,802,327 to Moceri et al. There, a portable and compact hand washing station is disclosed for use in training children. The station includes a main housing with a basin, a drain hole disposed in the basin, and a back splash panel projecting behind and above the basin. Support legs support the main housing. A reservoir is disposed in the back splash panel, and a spigot is in fluid communication with the reservoir. The spigot extends over and empties into the basin. When one positions one of the support legs inside a bathtub or shower, fluid entering the basin enters by gravity, from the reservoir and through the open-able spigot, exits via the drain hole, and empties into the bath tub or shower. 
     While the foregoing examples offer some utility, and together typify the existence of the background art as it relates to the field of the present invention, the prior art devices necessitate the use of either large water containing reservoirs and/or a plumbing connection. Moreover, such devices are difficult to clean, extremely heavy, and not easily transported, and are easily contaminated in use from one individual to another. Moreover, they do not provide for separate cleaning and rinsing reservoirs which are interchangeable for use in a wide variety of applications, such as for the removal of grease and grime and/or for the purpose of disinfection in food service applications, emergency services, or recreational industries. Thus, what is needed is a portable hand washing station which is self-contained, easy to clean, reduces cross-contamination, but which is also easy to transport and provides low-volume and interchangeable cleaning and rinsing reservoirs for use in a wide variety of applications. The present invention satisfies these needs. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable hand washing station which is self-contained, easy to clean, and reduces cross-contamination. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable hand washing station which is self-contained, easy to transport, and permits efficient low water volume use of cleaning and rinsing solutions in a wide variety of applications. 
     To overcome problems associated with the prior art, and in accordance with the purpose(s) of the present invention, briefly a portable hand washing station is provided. The portable hand washing station is contained in a durable carrying case. The case has a pair of spaced apart side walls including a first sidewall and a second sidewall connecting a bottom wall, back wall, and front wall. The case walls define an interior hand washing compartment. The front wall is adapted to include a door which is capable of opening to permit hand access into the interior of the hand washing compartment. A lid is adapted to be connected to the case in a position which is adjacent to the back wall so that the lid is capable of extending in an upright vertical position. A shelf is connected to the interior surface of the lid. The shelf has a pair of spaced apart valve openings. A pair of liquid dispensing reservoirs is supported on the shelf. Each of the reservoirs includes a top wall with a mouth opening, a bottom wall with a drain opening, and a touch operated flow valve connected to the bottom wall in liquid communication with the drain opening. The flow valves are adapted to extend in axial alignment with a one of the valve openings so that a cleaning or rinsing solution is capable of being dispensed into the compartment when the flow valves are deflected by hand. 
     Additional advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from that description or can be learned or appreciated from practice of the invention. Moreover, the advantages of the invention can be realized and obtained by the invention as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which; 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the hand washing station in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing the lid in a closed transportable position, the handle in an upright carrying position, and towel bar holding the towel securely against a sidewall of the carrying case; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of the front of the preferred embodiment showing the front door in an open position for hand access into the interior of the washing compartment, and the removable feature of the waste liquid carboy from the interior of the hand washing compartment; 
         FIG. 4  is a side sectional view showing one embodiment of the touch valve assembly where the touch valve includes a spring member and shut-off valve, further the drawing figure illustrates the deflection angle for discharging a cleaning or rinsing solution, and positioning of a spring member within the valve chamber so that it is disposed against the valve lever member to permit centering and pivotal movement of the valve lever head member, between a valve closed centered position and a valve open radially displaced position; 
         FIG. 5  is a side sectional view further illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 4  where the touch valve housing is rotated, counter-clockwise, to release the top solid portion of the cup shaped shut-off valve from the drain opening to thereby discharge a cleaning or rinsing solution through the tapered opening, and along the lever arm into the hand washing compartment; 
         FIG. 6  is a side sectional view of yet another embodiment of the present invention where the touch valve assembly includes a spring member disposed to press fit in an annular configuration about the lever arm so that the spring member is in compressive communication with an outer retaining lip formed at a distal portion of the inwardly tapering cylindrical opening; 
         FIG. 7  is an anatomical representation showing operation of the touch valve by lateral deflection, with the hand; 
         FIG. 8  is an anatomical representation showing operation of the touch valve by upward deflecting the touch valve, with the hand; 
         FIG. 9  is a side sectional view showing another embodiment of the touch valve assembly where the touch valve includes a spring member and shut-off valve, the drawing figure illustrates the deflection angle for discharging a cleaning or rinsing solution, and positioning of a spring member within the valve chamber so that it is disposed against the valve lever member that terminates in a shoe portion to permit centering and pivotal movement of the valve lever head member, between a valve closed centered position and a valve open radially displaced position; 
         FIG. 10  is a side sectional view further illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 9  where the touch valve housing is rotated, counter-clockwise, to release the top solid portion of the cup shaped shut-off valve from the drain opening to thereby discharge a cleaning or rinsing solution through the tapered opening, and along the lever arm that terminates in a shoe portion into the hand washing compartment; 
         FIG. 11  is a side sectional view of yet another embodiment of the present invention where the touch valve assembly includes a spring member disposed to press fit in an annular configuration about the lever arm so that the spring member is in compressive communication with an outer retaining lip formed at a distal portion of the inwardly tapering cylindrical opening; and 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the hand washing station in accordance with the present invention close to what is shown in  FIG. 1  except that the reservoirs are lowered into the reservoir rack such that the hand washing station is in its normal use scenario with the hand washing station in an open state with a user&#39;s hand using the hand washing station via deflecting the touch valve to initiate the flow of cleansing liquid with the hand positioned below the reservoirs and the user&#39;s hand is positioned above a carboy to collect a rinsate. 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMBERS IN DRAWINGS 
     
         
           10  Outer carrying case 
           11  First side wall of case  10   
           12  Second side wall of case  10   
           13  Bottom wall of case  10   
           14  Back wall of case  10   
           15  Front wall of case  10   
           16  Front door of case  10   
           17  Handle of case  10   
           18  Lid of case  10   
           19  Horizontal lip of case  10   
           20  Carboy 
           21  Outer periphery of the carboy  20   
           22  Slidable contact of the outer periphery  21  to sidewalls  11 ,  12 ,  14 , and  15   
           23  Seal for carboy  20  outer periphery  21  that is a peripheral elastomeric seal 
           24  Top wall of the carboy  20   
           25  Stopper of the carboy  20   
           29  Clear holes or valve openings 
           30  Primary reservoir 
           31  Secondary reservoir 
           32  Shelf 
           33  Flat spring end members 
           34  Bottom wall of the reservoir rack  35   
           35  Reservoir rack for the primary  30  and secondary  31  reservoirs 
           36  Front wall of the reservoir rack  35   
           37  Back wall of the reservoir rack  35   
           38  Side wall of the reservoir rack  35   
           39  Spaced apart slots 
           40  Touch valve assembly 
           41  Internally threaded valve housing 
           42  Proximal end portion of the valve housing  41   
           43  Distal end portion of the valve housing  41   
           44  Inwardly tapering cylindrical opening of the valve housing  41   
           45  Annular valve seat of the valve housing  41   
           46  Valve head member 
           47  Valve lever arm 
           48  Internal spring that is disposed within the central chamber  97  and compresses against the valve head  46  and the reservoir bottom wall  51  or the cup shaped valve  60   
           49  External spring that has a press fit about the lever arm  47  and compresses against the inwardly tapering cylindrical opening  44   
           50  Central drain opening in the primary  30  and secondary  31  reservoirs 
           51  Bottom wall of the reservoirs  30 ,  31   
           52  Annular threaded flange of the bottom wall  51   
           53  Screw cap of the reservoirs  30 ,  31   
           60  Cup shaped shut off valve 
           61  First o-ring 
           62  Second o-ring 
           63  Top surface of the shut off valve cup  60   
           64  Circumferential sidewall 
           65  Distal annular flange 
           66  Plurality of openings 
           67  Third o-ring 
           70  An elongated rod in the form of a “C” shape that has a pivotal attachment to the sidewall  11  and/or  12  with the rod  70  used as a towel  96  bar 
           71  Pulling of the towel  96   
           72  Pair of ends of the elongated rod  70   
           73  Pivotal attachment of each end  72   
           74  Means for urging the elongated rod  70  to be in contact with the sidewall  11  and/or  12  via pivotal movement  75  wherein the means  74  is preferably a torsional or rotational coil spring 
           75  Movement of the pivotal attachment  73   
           76  Distal end of the valve lever arm  47   
           77  Distal end of the valve lever arm  47  sized and configured as a shoe 
           78  Closed valve  40  channel state when the top surface  63  is in contact with the bottom wall  51  of the reservoir  30 ,  31  drain  50  resulting in distance  80  equaling zero 
           79  Open valve  40  channel state when the top surface  63  is spaced away a distance  80  from the bottom wall  51  of the reservoir  30 ,  31  drain  50  resulting in distance  80  being greater than zero 
           80  Distance from the top surface  63  to the bottom wall  51  of the reservoir  30 ,  31  drain  50 , the distance  80  which goes from zero in state  78  to a selected distance  80  in state  79  to regulate flow  98  in valve  40  positioned in the open state  99   
           81  Annular gap for water flow 
           82  Open state of the portable hand washing station assembly 
           83  Closed state of the portable hand washing station assembly 
           84  Interior hand washing compartment 
           85  Hand 
           86  Interior surface of the lid  18   
           87  Pivot attachment of lid  18  to back sidewall  14   
           88  Interior surface of the sidewalls  11 ,  12 ,  14 , and  15   
           89  Compressing flat spring member  33  with compressible movement 
           90  Top wall of reservoir  30 ,  31   
           91  Mouth opening of reservoir  30 ,  31   
           92  Deflection of flow valve  40  by the hand  85   
           93  Funnel shaped opening if the carboy  20   
           94  Rinsate 
           95  Drain opening of the carboy  20   
           96  Towel 
           97  Central chamber of the valve housing  41   
           98  Flow of water 
           99  Open flow  98  state of the valve  40  from deflection  92   
           100  Portable Hand Washing Station Assembly 
           101  Interior of case  10  as a hand washing compartment in open state  82   
           102  Pivotal fulcrum 
           103  Flow annular gap 
           104  Threaded connection of valve housing  41  resulting in movement  111  of the valve housing  41  relative to the flange  52  when the housing  41  is rotated 
           105  Affixment of the distal annular flange  65  to valve seat  45   
           106  Snap fit removable engagement of the affixment  105   
           107  Longwise rod of lever arm  47   
           108  Shoe of lever arm  47   
           109  Water flow  98  to stay in contact with lever arm  47   
           110  Surface roughness of the lever arm  47   
           111  Movement of the threaded connection  104   
           112  Closed no flow  98  state of the valve  40  from no deflection  92   
           113  Removable engagement interface of the top wall  24  to the outer periphery  21  of the carboy  20  to make the top wall  24  removable for carboy  20  cleaning 
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Although, many methods and materials which are similar or equivalent to those described herein, can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described. Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, including the examples of which are illustrated with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like numerals will be used in order to represent the like features of the invention. 
     The present invention provides a portable hand washing station  100  for use in a wide variety of applications. The hand washing station  100  is constructed with a durable outer carrying case  10 . The carrying case  10  is preferably a double wall insulated construction formed of a molded plastic. For, example, the case  10  is even more desirably constructed of a durable marine grade polyethylene so that the interior and exterior surfaces are easy to wipe clean after each use. In the presently preferred embodiment, the case  10  has an exterior dimension of 33×24.13×22.53 centimeters (L×W×H), with an interior volume of approximately 8 liters. In this configuration, the case  10  is molded in a rectangular box like shape for ease in positioning on a table, and for stacking and storage. The case includes a pair of spaced apart side walls being a first side wall  11  and a second side wall  12  connecting a bottom wall  13 , back wall  14 , and a front wall  15 . The walls  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 , and  15  are preferably molded so that the case  10  is a one-piece water-tight shell construction. These walls  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 , and  15  define an interior hand washing compartment  84 . 
     The front of the carrying case  10  is adapted to include a front door  16 . The door  16  is of sufficient size and shape so that it is capable of opening to allow hand  85  access into the interior  84  of the hand  85  washing compartment. As shown in the drawing Figures and in the presently preferred embodiment, the door  16  is pivotally attached to the inner surface or the first  11  and second  12  side walls so that it opens on a horizontal axis. With this configuration the front wall  15  of the case  10  is the truncated lower portion of the front of the case  10 . The door  16  of the upper portion is preferably constructed from a one centimeter thick sheet of durable super high density polyethylene, similar to a cutting board, which is pivotally attached to the interior of the first  11  and second  12  side walls of the case. In this manner, the lower portion of the front wall  15  remains rigidly formed as an integral construction with the first  11  and second  12  side walls and bottom wall  13  of the case  10 , and is configured so that it is slightly taller than the vertical depth of the waste containing carboy  20 . The lower portion thereby creates an inner chamber for containing and securing the waste  94  containing carboy  20  in the bottom of the case  10 , but also extends sufficiently above the carboy  20  to act as a water containing basin, in use, so that water does not flow out of the compartment  84 . Finally, the case preferably includes an integrated swing-up handle  17 . The handle  17  is attached to the case  10  at a location which is adjacent to the first  11  and second  12  side walls for ease in carrying. 
     A lid  18  is provided for covering the interior compartment  84  of the case  10 . The lid  18  may either be pivotally  87  attached to the case  10  or designed as a separate lift-off top, but, in any event, the lid  18  is necessarily designed so that it is capable of vertical support, adjacent to the back wall  14  of the case  10 , in an upright open position  82  for accessing the interior  84  of the compartment, supporting the primary  30  and secondary  31  reservoirs, and alternately covering the compartment  84  in order to secure the hand washing station  110  for travel and storage. 
     It is preferable to construct the case  10  and lid  18  as an assembly so that the lid  18  is in pivotal connection  87  with an interior surface  88  of the first  11  and second  12  side walls. For this embodiment, either the lid  18 , or the first  11  and second  12  side walls typically will include a combination of corresponding pivot pins and/or pivot pin receiving holes aligned so that they are adjacent to the back wall  14 . Again, an important feature of the present invention  100 , as it relates to the lid  18 , is that the lid  18  is simply adapted to be capable of support, on the case  10  in an upright vertical position. The lid  18  is also constructed so that it has a rigid interior surface for either attaching a shelf  32  or for including a shelf  32  as a component of the lid  18  in an integral molded construction. 
     The shelf  32  is attached to the interior surface of the lid  18 . The shelf  32  desirably includes a pair of spaced apart clear holes  29  for receiving the touch valves  40 . The shelf  32  is thereby dimensioned so that it is capable of fitting into the compartment interior  84  when the lid  18  is pivoted downwardly in a compartment enclosing or covering position. The shelf  32  is attached to the interior surface of the lid  18 , in any manner which is well known in the art, including molding the lid  18  and shelf  32  as a one-piece assembly or attaching the lid  18  with adhesives or fasteners. 
     As shown in the drawing Figures, and in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment, the lid  18  is pivotally attached  87  to the first  11  and second  12  side walls of the case  10 . In addition a horizontal lip  19  is formed in an upper interior surface  88  of each of the first  11  and second  12  side walls and the shelf  32  further includes a pair of transverse bends or folds. The folds, or bends in the shelf sheet stock define a pair of oppositely aligned flat-spring end members  33 . The spring end members  33  are adapted to project downwardly at a first extended angle so that the ends  33  are capable of engaging the lip  19  formations when the lid  18  is pivoted to an open vertical position. In this manner, the spring end members  33  act as support legs which serve to support the primary  30  and secondary  31  reservoirs, the shelf  32 , and the lid  18  in an upright open vertical position. In use the flat-spring end members  33  are compressible, to a second angle, so that the spring members  33  are capable of releasing  89  support legged engagement from the lip  19  formations. Release  89  of the spring members  33  is easily performed with the fingers, of the hand  85 , by slightly lifting the shelf with the palm of the hand and pinching the ends inwardly with the fingers, in order to permit the lid  18  to pivot downwardly into an closed position state position  83 , for transport and storage of the hand washing station  100 . 
     In an even more preferred embodiment of the present invention  100  and as illustrated in the drawing Figures, the interior of the hand washing compartment  84  further includes a reservoir rack  35 . The reservoir rack  35  may be constructed of a thin sheet of steel but is desirably constructed as a single molded plastic body. The rack  35  has at least a front  36 , back  37 , and side walls  38 . The back wall  37  is connected to the interior surface of the lid  18  so that the rack  35  may be secured in relation to the shelf  32 , and is thereby capable of preventing movement of the primary  30  and secondary  31  reservoirs when the hand washing station  100  is subjected to a lateral force, when the lid  18  is positioned in either an open  82  or a closed  83  position. The front wall  36  of the rack  35  may also, but need not, include a pair of spaced apart clear slots  39  which are positioned so that the slots  39  permit viewing of a graduated liquid contents contained in the primary  30  and secondary  31  reservoirs. Finally, the rack  35  may include the bottom wall  34  as shown in the drawing Figures so that the rack  35  is a single molded box-like plastic body with an open top, for inserting and removing the primary  30  and secondary  31  reservoirs. Here, the bottom wall  34  also includes another pair of spaced apart clear holes, positioned in axial alignment with the valve opening clear holes  33  in the shelf  32  for receiving the touch valves  40 . 
     A pair of liquid dispensing reservoirs being the primary  30  and secondary  31  reservoirs are supported on the shelf  32 . The primary reservoir  30  can be used for containing the rinsing solution and the secondary reservoir  31  can contain the cleaning solution. In the preferred embodiment the cleaning solution is an aqueous soap solution and the rinsing solution is water. The primary  30  and secondary  31  reservoirs are preferably configured as a molded bottle shaped body which is formed from a transparent NALGENE, polypropylene, polyethylene, or polycarbonate material, in a manner which is very similar to those which one would ordinarily associate as offered for sale by chemical laboratory supply companies for use by chemical laboratory professionals. Wide-mouth bottles formed of these materials are particularly suitable, for use with the present invention, because they are easy to clean and are even amenable to high temperature, pressure. or chemical sanitization and/or sterilization depending on the intended use, as in circumstances where the desired use represents a potential for bio-hazardous contamination. 
     As above the primary  30  and secondary  31  reservoirs are preferably formed in a wide-mouth screw capped bottle configuration with a central drain opening  50  in the bottom wall. As shown in the drawing Figures, the bottom wall  51  of the reservoirs  30 ,  31  preferably includes an externally threaded annular flange  52  portion, configured about the drain opening  50  for threadably connecting of the touch operated flow valves  40 . The threaded connection permits upward and downward dislocation  111  of the flow valves  40  which permits the use and operation of the cup-shaped shut-off valve  60  as more fully described below. 
     The wide mouth opening in the top wall also includes an externally threaded flange portion for attaching a screw cap  53 . In use the screw cap  53  is easily loosened in order to vent the liquid contents of the reservoirs  30 ,  31  so that the liquid contents are capable of discharge through the drain openings  50 . The annular flange  52  portions, in the bottom walls  50  of the reservoirs  30 ,  31  are necessarily formed so that they are capable or extending downwardly in axial alignment with the valve openings  29  in the shelf  32  and/or reservoir rack  35 . Each of the reservoirs  30 ,  31  includes the touch operated flow valve  40  in threaded connection  104  to the threaded  52  bottom wall  51  to permit liquid communication with the drain opening  50 . Finally, the primary reservoir  30  and the secondary reservoir  31  are desirably scaled to contain different volumetric amounts. In particular it is preferred that the primary rinsing reservoir  30  is designed to hold twice the volume of the secondary cleaning reservoir  31 . 
     Referring now, in particular, to the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 4 to 6 , the touch operated flow valves  40  include an internally threaded valve housing  41  which, in turn is threaded  104  onto the externally threaded flange  52  portion of the bottom wall  34  of the reservoirs  30 ,  31 . The valve housing  41  has a central chamber  97 , a proximal end  42  adapted for connection  10  the drain opening  50 , a distal end  43  formed with an inwardly tapering cylindrical opening  44 , and an interior wall formed with an annular valve seat  45 . The touch operated flow valve  40  has a valve lever member, centrally mounted in the chamber. The valve lever member is formed with an annular valve head member  46  and a valve lever arm  47 . The valve head member  46  is adapted to water seal against the valve seat  45 . The lever arm  47  is dimensioned to extend through the inwardly tapering opening  44 , into the interior of the hand washing compartment, so that a flow of water is permitted to pass between the valve lever arm  47  and the inwardly tapering opening  44  while the distal end of the lever arm  47  is deflected by hand. The inwardly tapering opening  44  is preferably constructed with an inwardly sloping conical surface so that it opens  99  fully with angular deflection (as shown in drawing  FIGS. 5 and 10 ) of less than  25  degrees. The proximal end  42  of the valve housing  41  includes a first O-ring  61  fitted between the interior threaded portion of the proximal end  42  of the valve housing  41  and the external surface of the bottom wall  51  flanged portion  52 , in order to water-seal the valve housing  41  in relation to the reservoir  30 ,  31  drain opening  50 . A second O-ring  62  is disposed between the valve seat  45  formation and the valve head  46 , of the lever member to provide a water-seal between the valve head member  46  and the valve seat  45  when the lever arm  47  is positioned in a central position. A third O-ring  67  is fitted between the top surface  63  of the shut-off valve  60  and the bottom wall  51  of the reservoir. 
     As mentioned above where the touch operated flow valves  40  are embodied to threadably connect to the flange portion  52  of the bottom wall  51 , the touch valve  40  may, but need not further include an internal inverted cup-shaped shut-off member  60  disposed annularly about the drain opening  50 . The shut-off valve  60  is defined with a solid top surface  63  which biases against and to seal, the drain opening  50  and a circumferential sidewall  64  with a distal annular flange  65 . The circumferential side wall  64  includes a plurality of openings  66  such as holes or slots for channeling the cleaning and rinsing solutions  98  into the central chamber  97  of the valve housing  41 . The distal annular flange  65  or lip, shaped portion is adapted to snap-fit  106  a complimentary formation in the inner wall of the central chamber  97  so that shut-off valve  60  operates in open  79  and closed  78  cooperation with the valve housing  41  when the valve housing  41  is rotated in a counter clockwise and clockwise directions respectively causing movement  111 . 
     The shut-off valve  60  is adapted to cooperate with the valve housing  41  to open  79  and close  78  open channel flow  98  into the central chamber  97 . When the touch valve  40  is rotated in a tightened, or clockwise direction, the solid top surface  63 , of the shut-off valve  60  biases against the drain opening  50  so that the liquid now is stopped and contained in a closed channel condition  78  wherein distance  80  equals zero. When the touch valve  40  is loosened, in a counter-clockwise direction the solid top surface  63  of the shut-off valve  60  is disposed in a spaced relationship via distance  80  below the drain opening  50  so that an open channel condition  79  permits liquid flow  98  of solution into the central chamber  97 , of the touch valve housing  41 , and permits dispensing of the liquid  98  for hand  85  washing when the lever arm  47  is deflected by hand  85 . 
     Thus by connecting the distal portion of the shut-off valve  60 , about the annular valve seat  45  to the inner wall of the valve housing  41 , and threading  104  the valve housing  41  onto the bottom wall  51  of the reservoir  30 ,  31 , one may alternately rotate the valve housing  41  to either engage  78  or disengage  79  the shut-off valve  60  from the drain opening  50 . It follows that, in operation rotation of the valve housing  41  in this manner, further permits one to meter or control the flow  98  of the liquid contents, of the reservoirs, in proportion to the degree of rotation of the valve housing  41 . This feature is particularly useful, in providing flexibility. in applications where one intends to use differing concentrations, or formulations, of cleaning solutions in relation a volume of rinsing solution. 
     The shut-off valve member  60  includes a plurality of openings  66  in the sidewall  64  to permit the flow of liquid from the drain opening  50  of the reservoirs  30 ,  31 , past the top solid surface  63  of the shut-off valve  60 , through the openings  66  in the sidewall  64 , and into the central chamber  97  of the valve housing  41 . The dashed line illustrations in  FIGS. 5 and 10  show this flow pattern in accordance with this embodiment. Thus in  FIGS. 5 and 10  when the valve housing  41  is rotated to a loosened position and the shut-off valve  60  is disposed downwardly, so that the top solid surface  63  is disengaged from the drain opening  50  via distance  80  in open state  79 , and liquid flows  98  through the clear openings  66  in the circumferential sidewall  64 , of the shut-off valve  60  and into the central chamber  97  for dispensing when the lever arm  47  is deflected  92  by hand  85 . This operation by deflection is further illustrated in drawing  FIGS. 7, 8, and 12 . 
     Referring again to drawing  FIGS. 4 to 6 and 9 to 11 , the touch operated flow valve  40  also includes a spring member  48  or  49  that is either internal  48  or external  49  which is capable of biasing against the valve lever member to permit centering and pivotal movement  102  of the valve lever head member  46 , within the chamber  97 , between a valve closed  112  and centered position and a valve open  99  and radially displaced position. These drawing Figures illustrate two of the presently preferred embodiments for positioning of the spring member  48 ,  49  in relation to the valve lever member. In the first embodiment, of  FIGS. 4, 5, 9, and 10  the spring member  48  is disposed in the central chamber  97  and is adapted to annularly compress against the valve head  46  and the cup  60 . With the second embodiment, of  FIGS. 6 and 11 , the spring member  49  is positioned to press fit about the lever arm  47  so that it is capable of making a compressive communication with the inwardly tapering cylindrical opening  44 . 
     As mentioned briefly above, a waste liquid carboy  20  is disposed adjacent to the bottom wall  13  of the compartment, in a spaced relationship below the touch operated flow valves  40 . The waste liquid carboy  20  is also preferably constructed as a plastic molded body which fanned of transparent NALGENE, polypropylene, polyethylene, or polycarbonate materials. The carboy  20  is further dimensioned in a configuration so as to permit a substantially water tight fit via the slidable contact  22  against the interior surfaces  88  of the back  14 , side  11 ,  12 , and the lower portion of the front wall  15  of the carrying case  10 . In the alternative, the periphery  21  of the carboy  20  may, but need not, further include a peripheral water seal  23 , such as a plastic or rubber nap or skirt which biases against the interior surfaces  88  of the carrying case  10 . 
     The waste liquid carboy  20  has a top wall  24  with a funnel shaped  93  draining to the opening  95  so that it is adapted to collect the contaminated rinsate  94  from the hands  85 . The carboy  20  is removable, by lifting from the interior of the compartment  84  for disposal of the rinsate  94  and cleaning of the carboy  20 . The carboy  20  desirably includes a stopper  25  or cap. Where the intended use is in conjunction with normal hand  85  washing applications, the carboy  20  desirably includes a drain opening (not shown) in a bottom wall. However, as mentioned above the present invention  100  is also designed for use in an emergency, or bio-hazardous conditions, where the carboy  20  is simply capped and disposed of with a new carboy  20  retrofit in the interior  84  of the case  10  compartment. 
     Finally it is also desirable to further include a towel bar  70  which is pivotally  73  attached to the case  10  or sidewalls  11  and/or  12 . The towel bar  70  may, but need not, include a cam actuated bar-end member in pivotal attachment  73  with the carrying case  10  so that in use, the towel bar  70  biases or urges  75  compressively downward against an exterior surface of a side wall  11  and/or  12 , via means  74  so that the towel bar  70  secures the towel  96  against pulling  71  or tearing with a drying motion by hand  85  or by wind in the environment. 
     CONCLUSION 
     Accordingly, the present invention of the portable hand washing station has been described with some degree of particularity directed to the embodiment(s) of the present invention. It should be appreciated, though; that the present invention is defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so modifications or changes may be made to the exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained therein.