METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DISINFECTING A SPACE

• US 20100233020A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Specialist Health Solutions Limited
• Original Assignee: Infection Control B.V.
• Inventors: Musters, Carolus Borromeus H., Klaassen, Frank Olaf, Timmerman, Cornelis Pieter, Plantinga, Paul, Alma, Sander Albert
• Granted Patent: US 9,616,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• 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 9/14 using sprayed or atomised substances including air-liquid contact processes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and device for disinfecting a space and the objects present therein, wherein the method comprises at least the following steps of: (a) determining a first value of the relative humidity of the air in the space; (b) vaporizing a disinfecting liquid in the space until a predetermined second value of the relative humidity of the air in the space is reached; and (c) maintaining the relative humidity of the air at the second value for a predetermined time by means of vaporizing the disinfecting liquid, wherein the vaporization of the disinfecting liquid takes place by means of ultrasonic sound waves. With the method and device according to the invention all kinds of spaces of differing dimensions can be disinfected in very effective manner.

Claims

1-31. -31. (canceled)

32. Method for disinfecting a space and the objects present therein, which method comprises at least the following steps of:

(a) determining a first value of the relative humidity of the air in the space;

(b) vaporizing a disinfecting liquid in the space until a predetermined second value of the relative humidity of the air in the space is reached; and

(c) maintaining the relative humidity of the air at the second value for a predetermined time by means of vaporizing the disinfecting liquid,

wherein the vaporizing of the disinfecting liquid takes place by means of ultrasonic sound waves.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein vaporizing of the disinfecting liquid takes place by means of ultrasonic sound waves at a frequency of 1.5 MHZ or greater.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the frequency ranges from 1.5 MHZ to 2.8 MHz.

35. The method according to claim 32, wherein the second value of the relative humidity is higher than the first value.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the second value of relative humidity is 10% or higher than the first value.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein the disinfecting liquid comprises hydrogen peroxide.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the disinfecting liquid further comprises silver ions.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide in the disinfecting liquid ranges from 1 to 30 vol. %.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide in the disinfecting liquid ranges from 1 to 10 vol. %.

41. The method according to claim 32, wherein the disinfecting liquid is vaporized to a droplet size of 10 μ

m or less.

42. The method according to claim 32, wherein the method is a method of reducing and/or eliminating the amount of micro-organisms in a space or on objects present therein.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the micro-organisms comprise gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, spore-forming micro-organisms, yeasts, fungi and viruses and mites, preferably wherein the microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, Enterococcus faecealis, Acinetobacter baumanni, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus staerothermophilus, Aespirgillus niger, Mycobacterium terrae, Mycobacterium avium, Enterococcus hirae Candida albicans and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the disinfecting liquid is vaporized to a droplet size of 3 μ

m or less.

45. A device for disinfecting a space and the objects present therein, which device comprises:

(a) means for determining the value of the relative humidity of the air in the space;

(b) means for vaporizing a disinfecting liquid in the space using ultrasonic sound waves; and

(c) means for monitoring and maintaining a predetermined value of the relative humidity of the air in the space.

46. The device according to claim 45, wherein the device further comprises means for supplying and guiding air from the space along the disinfecting liquid.

47. The device according to claim 45, wherein the device further comprises indicator means for indicating the status of the device.

48. The device according to claim 45, wherein the ultrasonic means for vaporizing the disinfecting liquid comprise one or more ultrasonic elements driven by means of an ultrasonic generator.

49. The device according to claim 48, wherein the ultrasonic elements are arranged in the disinfecting liquid.

50. The device according to claim 45, wherein the ultrasonic generator generates sound waves with a frequency of 1.5 MHZ or greater.

51. The device according to claim 50, wherein the ultrasonic generator generates sound waves with a frequency ranging from 1.5 MHZ to 2.8 MHz.