METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND DEVICES FOR HIGH-LEVEL DISINFECTION
First Claim
1. A disinfection device, comprising:
- a disinfection chamber having an interior volume;
at least one radiation source configured to emit ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation into the disinfection chamber;
at least one radiation sensor configured to detect an amount of UV-C radiation within the interior volume of the disinfection chamber;
at least one temperature sensor configured to produce a temperature value representative of at least one temperature within the interior volume of the disinfection chamber; and
a processing unit configured to direct operations of the disinfection device, the operations including;
generating an accumulated UV-C radiation value, the accumulated UV-C radiation value representing an amount of UV-C radiation detected by the at least one radiation sensor;
verifying that the accumulated UV-C radiation value reaches a first radiation threshold; and
verifying that the temperature value from the temperature sensor does not reach a first temperature threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A disinfection device includes a disinfection chamber into which a radiation source emits ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation. A radiation sensor detects the amount of UV-C radiation within the disinfection chamber, and a temperature sensor produces temperature values of a temperature within the disinfection chamber. A processing unit generates accumulated UV-C radiation values and verifies that the accumulated UV-C radiation value in the disinfection chamber reaches a first radiation threshold while also verifying that the temperature in the disinfection chamber stays below a first temperature threshold. The UV-C radiation may be emitted into the disinfection chamber over one or more fixed periods of time while the total time for the disinfection process is limited to a primary time interval. The process may terminate successfully if the first radiation threshold is exceeded before the primary time interval expires. The disinfection device provides high level disinfection of contaminated articles in a short time and at a low temperature.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A disinfection device, comprising:
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a disinfection chamber having an interior volume; at least one radiation source configured to emit ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation into the disinfection chamber; at least one radiation sensor configured to detect an amount of UV-C radiation within the interior volume of the disinfection chamber; at least one temperature sensor configured to produce a temperature value representative of at least one temperature within the interior volume of the disinfection chamber; and a processing unit configured to direct operations of the disinfection device, the operations including; generating an accumulated UV-C radiation value, the accumulated UV-C radiation value representing an amount of UV-C radiation detected by the at least one radiation sensor; verifying that the accumulated UV-C radiation value reaches a first radiation threshold; and verifying that the temperature value from the temperature sensor does not reach a first temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A disinfection method, comprising:
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providing a disinfection chamber having an interior volume, the disinfection chamber arranged to receive ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation emitted by at least one radiation source; directing the at least one radiation source to emit UV-C radiation into the interior volume over a fixed period of time that does not exceed a primary-timed-interval; detecting with at least one radiation sensor an amount of UV-C radiation within the interior volume of the disinfection chamber; generating based on values from at least one temperature sensor a temperature value representative of at least one temperature within the interior volume of the disinfection chamber; and verifying that the temperature value does not reach a first temperature threshold during the primary-timed-interval. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable software instructions thereon that, when executed, cause a processing unit operate a disinfection device, comprising:
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executing a monitoring algorithm, the monitoring algorithm configured to perform the acts of; receiving an open/closed status indication associated with an access opening to a disinfection chamber of the disinfection device; preventing a radiation source of the disinfection device from emitting radiation based on the open/closed status indication; concurrent with executing the monitoring algorithm, executing a disinfecting algorithm configured to perform the acts of; directing the radiation source to emit UV-C radiation into an interior volume of the disinfection chamber over a fixed period of time; detecting with at least one radiation sensor an amount of UV-C radiation within the interior volume of the disinfection chamber; generating an accumulated UV-C radiation value, the accumulated UV-C radiation value representing an amount of UV-C radiation detected by the at least one radiation sensor; verifying that the accumulated UV-C radiation value reaches a first radiation threshold; and verifying that a temperature value from a temperature sensor does not reach a first temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification