Room decontamination apparatus and method

• US 10,207,015 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diversey Incorporated (Sealed Air)
• Original Assignee: Diversey Incorporated (Sealed Air)
• Inventors: Dayton, Roderick M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnston, Phillip A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsai, Hsien
• Application Number:
  US15/790,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20180055964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/00 Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor for contact lenses A61L12/00; atomisers for disinfecting agents A61M; sterilisation of packages or package contents in association with packaging B65B55/00; treatment of water, waste water, sewage or sludge C02F; disinfecting paper D21H21/36; disinfecting devices for water closets E03D; articles having provision for disinfection, see the relevant subclasses for these articles, e.g. H04R1/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment
• 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 2202/25 Rooms in buildings, passenger compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/00 Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air body deodorants A61Q15/00; purifying air by respirators A62B, A62D9/00; separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours B01D45/00 - B01D51/00, B03C3/00; chemical or biological purification of waste gases B01D53/34; production of ozone C01B13/10; air-conditioning systems incorporating sterilisation F24F3/16, F24F8/20

Abstract

Provided is a decontamination apparatus for decontaminating an enclosed room. The decontamination apparatus includes a source including a UVC bulb and a reflective shield arranged adjacent to the UVC bulb and configured to reflect UVC light emitted by the UVC bulb toward a region of the enclosed room to be decontaminated. A mounting system that is adjustable secures the source at a desired location within the enclosed room. A controller is operatively-connected to the source to terminate operation of the UVC bulb in response to a determination that an occupant is present within the enclosed room.

Claims

1. A decontamination apparatus for decontaminating an enclosed room, the decontamination apparatus comprising:

a source comprising;

(i) a UVC bulb that emits UVC light, and (ii) a reflective shield that is arranged adjacent to the UVC bulb and comprises an arcuate region, the arcuate region comprising a plurality of sub regions that each reflect the UVC light emitted by the UVC bulb in different directions toward one or more surfaces to be decontaminated within the enclosed room;

a mounting system that secures the source at a desired location within the enclosed room; and

a controller operatively-connected to the source to terminate an emission of the UVC light by the UVC bulb in response to a determination that an occupant is present within the enclosed room.

2. The decontamination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the UVC bulb and the reflective shield are mounted in a housing, and the housing is adjustably coupled to pivot about a portion of the mounting system.

3. The decontamination apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the different arcuate shapes comprises a different radius of curvature.

4. The decontamination apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a focal indicator that emits light other than the UVC light to illuminate a target portion of the enclosed room towards which the UVC light is to be directed.

5. The decontamination apparatus of claim 4, wherein the focal indicator comprises a light source comprising at least one of a light emitting diode and a laser light.

6. The decontamination apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a door sensor operatively connected to transmit a signal to the controller indicative of a state of a door leading into the enclosed room, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the occupant is in the enclosed room and terminate the emission of the UVC light by the UVC bulb based on the signal transmitted by the door sensor.

7. The decontamination apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a redundant occupancy sensing system operatively connected to transmit an occupant signal to the controller, the redundant occupancy sensing system comprising at least one additional occupant sensor that senses a property indicative of the occupant'"'"'s presence within the enclosed room and transmits the occupant signal to the controller in response, thereby causing the controller to terminate the emission of the UVC light by the UVC bulb.

8. The decontamination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one additional occupant sensor comprises at least one of:

a proximity sensor, a sound sensor, a light sensor, and a motion sensor.

9. The decontamination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one additional occupant sensor comprises two or more of:

a proximity sensor, a sound sensor, a light sensor, and a motion sensor.

10. The decontamination apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plug that is to be plugged into an electric outlet provided to a wall of the enclosed room.

11. The decontamination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting system comprises a support member that pivotally supports the source at an elevation vertically below a ceiling of the enclosed room.

12. A method of decontaminating an enclosed room, the method comprising:

energizing a UVC bulb to cause an emission of UVC light within the enclosed room;

causing a plurality of sub regions included in an arcuate region provided to a reflective shield to reflect the UVC light emitted by the UVC bulb in a plurality of different directions toward one or more surfaces to be decontaminated within the enclosed room; and

using a controller operatively connected to the UVC bulb to terminate the emission of the UVC light by the UVC bulb in response to a determination that an occupant is present within the enclosed room.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

adjusting a position of the reflective shield relative to a mounting system to reflect the UVC light emitted by the UVC bulb toward at least one additional surface within the enclosed room.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

with a focal indicator, projecting light other than the UVC light to illuminate the one or more surfaces to be decontaminated before energizing the UVC bulb.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the controller terminates the emission of the UVC light in response to receiving a signal from a door sensor, the signal being indicative of a state of a door leading into the enclosed room.