Method And Apparatus For Disinfection Verification

• US 20120217417A1
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOS Innovations Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BOS Innovations Ltd.
• Inventors: Schoening, Brian, Grow, Troy
• Granted Patent: US 8,519,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/461.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6447 by visual observation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0221 Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for verifying whether a surface has been cleaned or disinfected. In one embodiment, the method comprises marking one or more inanimate surfaces with an invisible solution, such as an ink, prior to cleaning or disinfection of the surface, and after cleaning or disinfection of the surface is purportedly completed, using an ultraviolet light source to illuminate any ink not removed in the cleaning and disinfection process. The invisible solution may be easily cleaned or removed from the one or more surfaces by, for example, washing or wiping with, for example, soap and water. In another embodiment, an apparatus for verifying the cleanliness or disinfection of one or more surfaces comprises a kit having a marking device containing a liquid compound which is made visible when exposed to ultraviolet light, and a light source which, when illuminating a surface that has been marked with the liquid compound, fluoresces or otherwise makes visible any of the compound remaining on the surface following cleaning or disinfection operations.

Claims

1. A kit for cleaning or disinfection verification, comprising:

a marking device comprising an ink solution that forms an invisible residue when applied to and allowed to dry on one or more surfaces intended to be cleaned or disinfected, the residue being invisible when exposed to light in a visible wavelength but which is made visible when exposed to light in an ultraviolet wavelength; and

an ultraviolet light source for illuminating the invisible residue, if any, with ultraviolet light upon application of the ink solution to one or more surfaces intended to be cleaned or disinfected and following cleaning or disinfection operations of the one or more surfaces.

2. The kit of claim 1, wherein the invisible residue is easily removable from the one or more surfaces using soap and water.

3. The kit of claim 1, wherein the one or more surfaces are substantially non-porous.

4. The kit of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises one or more UV LEDs.

5. The kit of claim 1, wherein the marking device is a portable, handheld marker.

6. The kit of claim 1, wherein the light source is a portable, handheld, UV flashlight.

7. The kit of claim 1, further comprising a recording device for recording a status of the one or more surfaces marked with the ink solution before and after the cleaning or disinfection process.

8. The kit of claim 7, wherein the recording device comprises an imaging system and a wireless communication system configured for wirelessly uploading images in real-time or streaming live video to one or more remote computers or devices.

9. A kit for cleaning or disinfection verification, comprising:

a portable, handheld marking device comprising a liquid compound that is invisible when exposed to light in a visible wavelength but which fluoresces when exposed to light in an ultraviolet wavelength; and

a portable, handheld ultraviolet light emitting light source for illuminating the liquid compound, if any, with ultraviolet light upon application of the liquid compound to one or more substantially non-porous, inanimate surfaces intended to be cleaned or disinfected and following cleaning or disinfection operations of the one or more surfaces.

10. The kit of claim 9, wherein the liquid compound comprises invisible pigments bound with an isopropyl alcohol base to allow for quick drying of the liquid compound on the one or more surfaces, the liquid compound forming an imperceptibly thin and invisible residue when dry, the dried compound being readily and easily removable from the one or more surfaces using an aqueous solution.

11. The kit of claim 9, wherein the light source comprises one or more UV LEDs.

12. The kit of claim 9, further comprising a recording device for recording a status of the one or more surfaces marked with liquid compound before and after cleaning or disinfection operations.

13. The kit of claim 12, wherein the recording device comprises a wireless communication system for wirelessly communicating the status of the one or more surfaces to one or more remote devices.

14. A method of verifying cleaning or disinfection, comprising the steps of:

marking one or more surfaces intended to be cleaned or disinfected with an ink that is invisible when exposed to light in a visible wavelength but which is made visible when exposed to light in an ultraviolet wavelength, the ink forming an imperceptibly thin and invisible residue on the one or more surfaces when dry and is readily and easily removable by cleaning or wiping the one or more surfaces using an aqueous solution; and

visually inspecting the one or more surfaces for the presence or absence of the ink, comprising illuminating the one or more surfaces with ultraviolet light to make visible any ink remaining on the one or more surfaces after cleaning or disinfection operations have been performed.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of recording a first status of the one or more surfaces before the cleaning or disinfection operations.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of recording a second status of the one or more surfaces after the cleaning or disinfection operations.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of analyzing the first and second status of the one or more surfaces to determine an effectiveness of the cleaning or disinfection operations.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating the first and second status to one or more remote computers.

19. A method of verifying cleaning or disinfection, comprising the steps of:

marking one or more target areas of a surface with ink that is invisible when exposed to light in a visible wavelength but which fluoresces when exposed to light in an ultraviolet wavelength;

recording a first status of the one or more target areas of the surface marked with the ink prior to cleaning or disinfection operations of the surface;

following cleaning or disinfection operations of the surface, determining the presence or absence of the ink, comprising illuminating the one or more target areas of the surface with ultraviolet light after cleaning or disinfection operations to cause any ink remaining on one or more target areas of the surface after the cleaning or disinfection operations to fluoresce;

recording a second status of the one or more target areas of the surface marked with the ink following cleaning or disinfection operations of the surface;

analyzing an effectiveness of the cleaning or disinfection operations of the surface, comprising comparing the one or more target areas for ink before and after the cleaning or disinfection operations.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of recording the first and second status comprises wirelessly communicating images or video to one or more remote computers.