Patents by Inventor Heiner Ophardt

Heiner Ophardt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10993587
    Abstract: The invention provides a bathroom fixture in the form of an electronic mirror with a touchlessly operated fluid dispenser. The device provides visual cues to assist in the touchless operation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, David Duncan, Hendrik Ophardt
  • Publication number: 20210123851
    Abstract: A method of analysing and identifying particles in an input fluid by electrical field analysis preferably in combination with imaging analysis and towards establishing characterises of the particles that can be compared with characteristics of known particles, preferably biologic particles such as bacteria and viruses. Preferably in a focusing step, the particles are focused as in a microfluidic particle sorting cartridge followed by electrical field analysis to determine impedance data. Preferably, the electrical field analysis is carried out in a water and alcohol solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Siegfried Steltenkamp, Heiner Ophardt, Albrecht Lang
  • Publication number: 20210113031
    Abstract: A piston pump for dispensing fluid from a reservoir, an improved vacuum relief arrangement in which a passageway for flow of air from the atmosphere into the reservoir is provided at least in part through a piston-forming element of the piston pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew Jones, Heiner Ophardt, Zhenchun Shi
  • Publication number: 20210106182
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing ozone containing foam. The dispenser comprises an ozone generating chamber having an air inlet in communication with a source of air and an air outlet. The ozone generating chamber contains a corona discharge generator that generates a corona discharge to produce: (a) ozonated air, by converting oxygen in the air into ozone, and (b) an ionic wind. The ionic wind draws the air from the air source into the ozone generating chamber through the air inlet, and expels the ozonated air from the ozone generating chamber through the air outlet. A foam generator receives the ozonated air expelled from the ozone generating chamber and mixes the ozonated air with a foamable liquid to generate the ozone containing foam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Andrew Jones
  • Patent number: 10974267
    Abstract: A dip tube for a fluid pump which dip tube includes at least one frangible portion which, when intact, provides different characteristics to the dip tube than when broken, including, for example, providing for shortening of the length of the dip tube and/or providing for an inlet opening at a closed a lower end of the dip tube. The dip tube is to be inserted into a fluid containing bottle such that on insertion a distal end of the dip tube comes into engagement with a bottom wall of the reservoir with forces arising in such engagement resulting in a breaking of the frangible portion causing a change of characteristics of the dip tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Padraig McDonagh
  • Publication number: 20210090033
    Abstract: A method of managing a plurality of washrooms in a facility for servicing by service personnel and, more particularly, for establishing servicing operations which provide for service of at least selected of the dispensers before their consumable product supply falls below a pre-selected refill value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Rudolpho Gian-Franco Gugliotta
  • Publication number: 20210086209
    Abstract: A hand cleaner foam dispenser with a first pump arrangement that discharges a first liquid and first air from the atmosphere through a first foam inducing member into a mixing chamber and a second pump arrangement that discharges a second liquid into the mixing chamber, and in which there is a simultaneous discharge of the first liquid, first air and the second liquid from the mixing chamber through an outlet foam inducing member to produce a foamed product delivered onto a person's hand. Preferably, the second pump arrangement may discharge not only the second liquid, but also second air drawn from the atmosphere and discharge the second liquid and the second air through a second foam inducing member into the mixing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Andrew Jones, Zhenchun Shi
  • Patent number: 10918246
    Abstract: A piston pump for dispensing fluid from a reservoir, an improved vacuum relief arrangement in which a passageway for flow of air from the atmosphere into the reservoir is provided at least in part through a piston-forming element of the piston pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventors: Andrew Jones, Heiner Ophardt, Zhenchun Shi
  • Publication number: 20210030216
    Abstract: A method of determining the volume of fluid contained in a collapsible bottle, the collapsible bottle containing a fluid to be dispensed from a fluid dispenser. The fluid dispenser has a distance measuring sensor, and the collapsible bottle is coupled to the fluid dispenser so that a preselected surface of the collapsible bottle is positioned in a measurement path of the sensor. The fluid dispenser is activated to dispense an allotment of the fluid from the collapsible bottle, the collapsible bottle collapsing in a predictable manner as the fluid is dispensed from the collapsible bottle. The sensor is used to measure a distance between the sensor and the preselected surface of the collapsible bottle, the distance changing predictably as the collapsible bottle collapses. The volume of the fluid contained in the collapsible bottle is determined based on the distance between the sensor and the preselected surface of the collapsible bottle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Cuneyt Tezcan, Dusan Stan
  • Patent number: 10906713
    Abstract: An improved threaded coupling arrangement for non-removably securing an outer collar member onto an inner tubular member against removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Andrew Jones, Zhenchun Shi
  • Publication number: 20210025812
    Abstract: A method of spectroscopically assessing the chemical composition of a bubble while the bubble constrains a gas within the interior of the bubble by passing light passing through the bubble and comparing properties of the light before and after the light has passed through the bubble. The bubble is located, preferably compressed between a first plate and a second plate providing a compressed bubble with relatively flat first polar end wall portion adjacent the first plate in a relatively flat second polar end wall portion adjacent a second plate and directing the light to pass through the bubble via the first and second polar end wall portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventor: Heiner Ophardt
  • Publication number: 20210017474
    Abstract: A wipe comprising a substrate and a cleaning and/or disinfecting compound retained by one or more cyclodextrin compounds. The wipe is wet with one or more fluids comprising water to release the cleaning and/or disinfecting compound from the one or more cyclodextrin compounds, and applied to a surface to clean and/or disinfect the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventor: Heiner Ophardt
  • Patent number: 10893780
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser having a pump mechanism that dispenses a dose of fluid when a movable pump member of the pump mechanism is moved between a selected extended position and a retracted position. The fluid dispenser includes a dose adjustment mechanism for selecting the selected extended position from at least a high dose extended position and a low dose extended position. An actuator of the fluid dispenser, when activated, effects movement of the movable pump member between the selected extended position and the retracted position to dispense the dose of fluid. A volume of the dose of fluid that is dispensed upon activation of the actuator is higher when the high dose extended position is the selected extended position than when the low dose extended position is the selected extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Andrew Jones
  • Patent number: 10888884
    Abstract: A hand cleaner foam dispenser with a first pump arrangement that discharges a first liquid and first air from the atmosphere through a first foam inducing member into a mixing chamber and a second pump arrangement that discharges a second liquid into the mixing chamber, and in which there is a simultaneous discharge of the first liquid, first air and the second liquid from the mixing chamber through an outlet foam inducing member to produce a foamed product delivered onto a person's hand. Preferably, the second pump arrangement may discharge not only the second liquid, but also second air drawn from the atmosphere and discharge the second liquid and the second air through a second foam inducing member into the mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Andrew Jones, Zhenchun Shi
  • Patent number: 10891596
    Abstract: A method of managing a plurality of washrooms in a facility for servicing by service personnel and, more particularly, for establishing servicing operations which provide for service of at least selected of the dispensers before their consumable product supply falls below a pre-selected refill value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Rudolpho Gian-Franco Gugliotta
  • Patent number: 10878275
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser having a pump mechanism that, when activated, dispenses an allotment of fluid onto a user's hand. The fluid dispenser includes a sensor that senses a property of the user's hand, and a processor that determines, based on the property of the user's hand, whether the user's hand is wearing a glove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventor: Heiner Ophardt
  • Patent number: 10849468
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser having a piston pump mechanism and a pump driver. The pump mechanism has two piston arms, each piston arm having an inwardly extending piston tip. Each piston tip has a downwardly directed catching shoulder and an upwardly and inwardly directed camming surface. The pump driver has a first driver hook and a second driver hook, each of the driver hooks having an outwardly extending driver tip with an upwardly directed catch shoulder and a downwardly and outwardly directed cam surface. The pump driver is coupled to the pump by moving the pump driver downwards so that engagement of the cam surfaces of the driver hooks with the camming surfaces of the piston arms deflects the piston arms outwardly, until the driver tips move below the piston tips, allowing the piston arms to move inwardly to a coupled position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Padraig McDonagh
  • Patent number: 10843214
    Abstract: A one-way valve assembly including a chamber forming body and a valve forming body. The chamber forming body has an opening that extends along an axis and a radially outwardly directed catch surface. The valve forming body extends through the opening, and has an inner sealing disc that is positioned axially inwardly from the opening and has a radially inwardly directed catching surface. The disc is movable between a closed position and an open position. When the sealing disc is at the closed position, the catching surface is positioned radially outwardly from the catch surface in radial alignment with the catch surface so that, if the catching surface were forced radially inwardly, the catch surface would engage with the catching surface to prevent the catching surface from passing axially outwardly through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Andrew Jones
  • Publication number: 20200320330
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser having a pump mechanism that, when activated, dispenses an allotment of fluid onto a user's hand. The fluid dispenser includes a sensor that senses a property of the user's hand, and a processor that determines, based on the property of the user's hand, whether the user's hand is wearing a glove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventor: Heiner Ophardt
  • Publication number: 20200292366
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser having a pump mechanism that dispenses a dose of fluid when a movable pump member of the pump mechanism is moved between an extended position and a retracted position. A pump engagement body engages with the movable pump member for effecting movement of the movable pump member. A first cam surface and a second cam surface are connected to the pump engagement body, at least one of the first cam surface and the second cam surface comprising an adjustable cam surface whose location relative to the pump engagement body is selectively adjustable. A camming body engages with the first cam surface and the second cam surface to effect movement of the pump engagement body, and a dose adjustment mechanism allows the location of the adjustable cam surface relative to the pump engagement body to be selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Heiner Ophardt, Andrew Jones, John Garry