Room sterilization method and system

• US 10,010,633 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steriliz LLC
• Original Assignee: Steriliz LLC
• Inventors: Trapani, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): Spamer, Donald R
• Application Number:
  US14/263,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20150086420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/202 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/11 Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/16 Mobile applications, e.g. portable devices, trailers, devices mounted on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/25 Rooms in buildings, passenger compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/015 using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone A61L9/20 takes precedence ; evaporation in general B01B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/429 applied to measurement of ultraviolet light using counting tubes G01T
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/0276 Protection

Abstract

A sterilization system consisting of a mobile emitter, a sensing subsystem and a data logging subsystem is described. The emitter has one or more UV emitting lamps or devices. The sensing system comprises at least one remote UV sensor and at least one door sensor. The door sensor comprises a safety shut off door detector and may contain an emergency stop detector and arming detector to protect people from being exposed to UV energy. The system has a remote control for starting, stopping and setting system parameters which include but are not limited to: treatment time, dosage, room size, room number, unit number, floor, facility name, operator name, operator identification number, password, default dosage values, dosage, and patient identification number. The number of treatments per unit of time can be maximized because of the use of incident light measurement.

Claims

1. An apparatus for disinfecting an area enclosure, and reporting said disinfecting across an area wide network;

said apparatus comprising;

a UV emitter for selectably emitting UV radiation for disinfecting an enclosure having an enclosure door;

a computer operable to control emission of UV radiation by said UV emitter;

a plurality of UV sensors in communication with said computer for measuring and reporting to said computer a dosage of UV radiation received, each of said plurality of UV sensors operable to measure UV light at a defined surface by placement of each of said plurality of UV sensors proximate to the defined surface; and

further wherein at least one of said plurality of UV sensors is positioned remote from said UV emitter;

wherein said computer is operable to pause UV emission at a first UV emitter position, and resume UV emission at a second UV emitter position;

a door safety sensor in communication with said computer, said door safety sensor operable to detect and report whether the enclosure door is open or closed for maintaining integrity of the enclosure during emission of radiation by said UV emitter; and

a human-machine interface (HMI) in communication with said computer operable to start and stop a disinfection procedure, and further operable to pause and resume said disinfection procedure; and

a supporting structure for conveying said UV emitter;

wherein said supporting structure comprises a means for receiving said UV sensors;

wherein said supporting structure comprises at least two sensor receiver positions, wherein each of said at least sensor receivers comprises an electrical connection configured to electrically connect a received UV sensor to said supporting structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said door safety sensor further comprises an arming mechanism, said arming mechanism operable to prevent activation of said UV emitter unless said door is closed and said arming mechanism is active.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said door safety sensor and said plurality of UV sensors communicate with said computer using local area wireless communications.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said local area wireless communications comprises said computer polling said door safety sensor and said UV sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said local area wireless communications comprises randomly timed transmissions from said sensors to said computer, said sensors being addressable to avoid collisions.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said local area wireless communications comprises a wireless access point, said wireless access point being integrated into said apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer communicates with said door safety sensor more frequently than with said plurality of UV sensors.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said UV sensor are battery-powered.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said UV emitter further comprises at least one charging connector for said battery-powered UV sensors.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said UV sensor comprise cosine-corrected UV sensors.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said human-machine interface communicates with said computer using local area wireless communications.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said human-machine interface communicates with said computer using wide-area wireless communications.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one drone emitter unit, said at least one drone emitter unit providing additional UV light.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wireless network adapter to provide internet access.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one device chosen from the group consisting of:

a humidity generating device, an ozone generating device, and a vaporized hydrogen peroxide generating device.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said UV emitter comprises a plurality of substantially uncovered UV lamps.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of UV sensors are operable to detect a motion within said environment and communicate detection of said motion to said first computer.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

said at least two sensor receiver positions are substantially recessed within said supporting structure.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of UV sensors is configured to reduce transfer of contaminates.

20. The fixed or mobile apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least one of said plurality of UV sensors comprises feet for elevating body of said at least one of said plurality of sensors thereby decreasing surface in contact with said surface for limiting transfer of contaminates.