SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR STERILIZING ENCLOSED SPACES USING OZONE

• US 20170072082A1
• Filed: 09/14/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gene Therapy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gene Therapy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Jurak, Steven J., Sorge, Anthony M. Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 10,786,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/202 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/11 Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/13 Biocide decomposition means, e.g. catalysts, sorbents
• 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 2202/16 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 2209/111 Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/14 Filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/212 Use of ozone, e.g. generated by UV radiation or electrical discharge
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/22 Ionisation

Abstract

Systems and methods for sterilizing an enclosed space using ozone are disclosed herein. Various embodiments of the devices and methods also provide for accelerated degradation of the ozone upon sterilization. The methods can include identifying enclosed spaces, sterilizing enclosed spaces through ozone generation, generating reports and transmitting the reports. The sterilization unit disclosed herein can sterilize a plurality of enclosed spaces, such as a fleet of medical response vehicles.

Claims

1. A method of sterilizing an enclosed space using ozone, the method comprising:

identifying an environment comprising an enclosed space;

placing a portable sterilization unit within the enclosed space, the sterilization unit comprising

an ozone generator configured to ozonize air that enters the sterilization unit during an ozone generation cycle, and

an ozone degrader configured to remove ozone that enters the sterilization unit during an ozone degradation cycle;

recording at least one parameter of the ozone generation cycle or the ozone degradation cycle;

generating a report based in part on the at least one parameter; and

storing the report.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an environment comprising an enclosed space further comprises reading a RFID tag associated with the environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an environment comprising an enclosed space further comprises reading an identifier with a reader of the sterilization unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an environment comprising an enclosed space further comprises transmitting a serial number to the sterilization unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein placing a portable sterilization unit within the enclosed space further comprises placing the sterilization unit within an ambulance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein placing a portable sterilization unit within the enclosed space further comprises placing the sterilization unit within one vehicle of a fleet of medical response vehicles.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein placing a portable sterilization unit within the enclosed space further comprises placing the sterilization unit within a helicopter.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing the sterilization unit within a second enclosed space of a second environment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

date, start time of the ozone generation cycle, run time of the ozone generation cycle, end time of the ozone generation cycle, start time of the ozone degradation cycle, run time of the ozone degradation cycle, end time of the ozone degradation cycle, and total run time of sterilization unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sterilization unit generates the report.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sterilization stores the report.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the report to a database using a wireless connection.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is located on the cloud.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering additional information to the report.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating alerts based upon at least one report.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is ozone levels based on an ozone sensor located within the sterilization unit.

17. An ozone sterilization unit comprising:

a reader configured to read an identifier located within an environment;

an ozone generator configured to ozonize air that enters the sterilization unit during an ozone generation cycle;

an ozone degrader configured to remove ozone that enters the sterilization unit during an ozone degradation cycle, wherein the sterilization unit is configured to record at least one parameter of the ozone generation cycle or the ozone degradation cycle, and wherein the sterilization unit is further configured to generate a report based at least in part on the at least one parameter; and

a transmitter configured to send the report.

18. The ozone sterilization unit of claim 17, further comprising an ozone sensor configured to detect the level of ozone within the environment.

19. The ozone sterilization unit of claim 17, wherein the sterilization unit is portable.

20. The ozone sterilization unit of claim 17, further comprising a user interface configured to allow the user to input instructions for the ozone generation cycle or the ozone degradation cycle.