Sanitizing surfaces

• US 10,159,761 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2013
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Dimer, LLC
• Original Assignee: Arthur Kreitenberg
• Inventors: Kreitenberg, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Conley, Sean E
• Application Number:
  US15/008,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20160136314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• 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: B64F 5/30 Cleaning aircraft

Abstract

Sanitizing surfaces in a location related to aircraft. There are multiple rows of seats. A sanitization device includes a mobile body configured to travel along the aisle of the aircraft. An arm extends from the sanitization device laterally from the mobile body across the seats, and a source of UV radiation mounted on the sanitization device is directed across the seats exposing surfaces in the passenger area to UV radiation. There can be a unit hand operated, pushed down the aisle by hand, wings deployed and stowed by hand. There can be a plug in version with long extension cords that a human can keep from tangling. The operator can be protected with skin and eye protective gear and there can be remote control by an operator standing nearby.

Claims

1. A method of sanitizing seat surfaces in an area, the area having multiple rows of seats arranged opposite to each other comprising the steps of:

a) providing a sanitization device including a mobile body configured to travel along the area;

b) extending a portion of the sanitization device laterally from the mobile body across a seat surface, a source of germicidal UV-C radiation being mounted on the portion of the sanitization device;

c) moving the portion of the sanitization device across a first seat surface;

d) exposing the first seat surface to germicidal UV-C radiation produced by the source at a predetermined dosage;

e) moving the mobile body along the area while the portion of the sanitation device moves over other seat surfaces of subsequent seat rows; and

f) directing the source of germicidal UV-C radiation to the other seat surfaces at the predetermined dosage while the device moves the portion of the sanitization device laterally over the other seat surfaces;

the mobile body being powered by a power source on board the mobile device, providing an additional power source for the mobile body being provided from an outlet remote from the mobile body, the mobile body being selectively set up for being manually operated and driven by an operator, the operator selectively being protected with skin and eye protective gear, providing the UV-C radiation by multiple UV-C lamps in two laterally opposite directions each respectively by two laterally extendable portions relative to the movable body, the UV-C radiation being provided by the multiple spaced apart UV-C lamps on each portion in each of the lateral directions while the mobile body moves and while the portions extend laterally outwardly from the body, and wherein the portions are extendable from the mobile body between different lateral extendible positions and are movable over multiple seats and the multiple UV-C lamps are directed to the surfaces of the multiple seats such that the multiple UV-C lamps are set up to be extendable over the multiple seats, and wherein the UV-C lamps are movable inwardly towards the device and outwardly from the device to extend laterally between the different lateral positions over the multiple seats, and wherein the portions are laterally extendable from the mobile body by movement from a position within the body to the different positions out of the body.

2. The method of claim 1 including a remote control for permitting the operator to control the device while remotely located from the device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the public area is a movie theater, theater, sports arena, arena, entertainment arena, or waiting room.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the public area is a movie theater, theater, sports arena, arena, entertainment arena, or waiting room.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seat surfaces are in an aircraft passenger cabin, the cabin having multiple rows of seats arranged opposite to each other with an aisle between the opposite rows;

and wherein the mobile body is composed of at least two separable components.

6. The method of claim 5 including a remote control for permitting the operator to control the device while remotely located from the device.

7. A method of sanitizing seat surfaces in an area, the area having multiple rows of seats arranged opposite to each other with an aisle between the opposite rows comprising the steps of:

a) providing a sanitization device including a mobile body configured to travel along the aisle of the area;

b) extending two arms of the sanitization device laterally in opposite directions from the mobile body across a seat surface, multiple sources of germicidal UV-C radiation on each arm being mounted on the arms of the sanitization device;

c) moving the arms of the sanitization device across a first seat surface;

d) exposing the first seat surface to germicidal UV-C radiation produced by the multiple sources at a predetermined dosage;

e) moving the mobile body along the aisle while the portion of the sanitation device moves over other seat surfaces of subsequent seat rows; and

f) directing the sources of germicidal UV-C radiation to the other seat surfaces at the predetermined dosage while the device moves the portion of the sanitization device laterally over the other seat surfaces;

providing the UV-C radiation by multiple UV-C lamps on each of the two arms thereby to be in two laterally opposite directions relative to the mobile body, each being respectively by two laterally extendable arms relative to the movable body, the UV-C radiation being provided by the multiple spaced apart UV-C lamps on each arm in each of the lateral directions while the mobile body moves and while the arms extend laterally outwardly from the body, and wherein the arms are extendable from the mobile body between different lateral extendible positions and are movable over multiple seats and the multiple UV-C lamps are directed to the surfaces of the multiple seats such that the multiple UV-C lamps are set up to be extendable over the multiple seats, and wherein the UV-C lamps are movable inwardly towards the body and outwardly from the body to extend laterally between the different lateral positions over the multiple seats, and wherein the arms are laterally extendable from the mobile body by movement from a position within the body to the different positions out of the body.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the arms are for independent operation.

9. The method of claim 7 including controlling the motion of the arms over and about aircraft surfaces, such surfaces including seats of an aircraft.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the arms are mounted with the mobile body and extendable from the mobile body at a position above back rests of the seats, and are movable over the seats and the UV-C lamps are directed to the seat surfaces.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the arms are mounted with the mobile body and extendable from the mobile body at a position essentially solely above seats of an aircraft, and is movable over the seats and the UV-C lamps are directed to the seat surfaces.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the respective arms are mounted with the mobile body and extendable from the mobile body at a position above seats of an aircraft, and is movable over the seats and the UV lamps are directed to the seat surfaces, and when extended from the mobile body and back into mobile body are maintained above the seat level, such that the UV-C lamps are located in a relatively upper portion of the mobile body;

and including a hinge between the respective arms and the mobile body, the hinge permitting the upward movement of the arms between an extended position, selectively different horizontal positions, and an upward position essentially being over a body portion of the mobile body.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the arms are mounted with the mobile body and extendable from the mobile body at a position movable over the seats and the UV-C lamps are directed to the seat surfaces, and when extended from the mobile body and back into mobile body are above the seat level, such that the UV-C lamps are located in an upper portion of the mobile body, and wherein the multiple UV-C lamps are set up in end to end or array relationship.