Apparatus and method for a bio-conditioning germicidal dryer

• US 5,216,251 A
• Filed: 10/18/1991
• Issued: 06/01/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Molecucare, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arthur L. Matschke
• Inventors: Matschke, Arthur L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman, Jack I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEYER, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US07/778,737
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 250/455.11, 422/24, 422/28, 422/22
• US Class Current: 250/455.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/48 Drying by means of hot air hair-drying devices A45D20/00; curative hot-air baths A61H33/06; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3228 Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors

Abstract

A bio-conditioning germicidal dryer for the hands and lower arms has two portals which allows the hands and forearms to be comfortably extended laterally into the chamber. The working chamber has a source of ultraviolet light with a spectral output weighted at a 253.7 nm. Air is introduced through one or more vents in a second heated chamber connected to said working chamber. Preheated air is then drawn past the ultraviolet light source, where it is germicidally cleansed, into the working chamber, and leaves the working chamber through the portals. Because of the combination of (a) ultraviolet light, (b) closed chamber environment, (c) warm air and (d) chamber geometry induced turbulent air flow patterns, the hands and arms are germicidally cleansed and gently dried without dehydration of the skin normally found in germicidal washing.

Claims

1. An ultraviolet germicidal chamber comprising:

a housing defining a working chamber and a second chamber;

at least one portal in said housing sized and positioned to allow insertion of at least part of the human anatomy into the working chamber;

an ultraviolet light source positioned in the second chamber; and

an ultraviolet light diffuser positioned between the ultraviolet light source and the working chamber, said diffuser forming on wall of the working chamber.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein there are two portals positioned and sized to allow insertion of hands and lower arms into the working chamber.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the providing means further includes the shape of material of the walls of the working chamber which reflect the ultraviolet light from the source to allow the entire working chamber to be uniformly provided with ultraviolet light.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the wave length of the ultraviolet source is weighted at 253.7 nm and at an energy level of approximately 3.0 joules/meter squared is maintained throughout the working chamber.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein the portals have non-ultraviolet reflective tubular shields external of the working chamber.

13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 which further comprises an ultraviolet opaque window at the top of the working chamber to allow visual inspection of the working chamber.

2. An ultraviolet germicidal chamber comprising:

a housing defining a working chamber and a second chamber;

at least one portal in said housing;

an ultraviolet light source positioned in the second chamber; and

an ultraviolet light diffuser positioned between the ultraviolet light source and the working chamber, said diffuser forming one wall of the working chamber;

a reflector positioned on the other side of the ultraviolet light source from the diffuser, said reflector having an opening therein; and

fan means located in the vicinity of the opening to draw air from the said second chamber past the ultraviolet light source and into the working chamber.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 which further comprises a heater positioned in said second chamber to heat the air to be drawn past the ultraviolet light source and into the working chamber.

4. Apparatus is accordance with claim 3 which further comprises control means for controlling said ultraviolet light source such that when a part of the human anatomy is positioned through said portal into the working chamber, the ultraviolet light source is activated for a set period of time.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein upon activation of the ultraviolet light source, said heater and fan means are also activated.

10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the air in the working chamber is maintained at a positive pressure in comparison to ambient air at the portal to prevent non-germicidally cleansed ambient air from entering the working chamber through the portals.

8. An ultraviolet germicidal chamber comprising:

a housing defining a working chamber and a second chamber;

at least one portal in said housing;

an ultraviolet light source positioned in the second chamber; and

an ultraviolet light diffuser positioned between the ultraviolet light source and the working chamber, said diffuser forming one wall of the working chamber;

wherein the working chamber is formed in three zones including an upper toroidal zone, a central cylindrical zone and a bottom toroidal zone, said bottom toroidal zone being truncated by the diffuser.

11. An ultraviolet germicidal chamber comprising:

a housing defining a working chamber and a second chamber;

at least one portal in said housing;

an ultraviolet light source positioned in the second chamber; and

an ultraviolet light diffuser positioned between the ultraviolet light source and the working chamber;

means to direct air through said second chamber and past the ultraviolet light source and into the working chamber, such that within the working chamber there is a flow of germicidally cleansed, turbulent air throughout with the avoidance of severe temperature or evaporation gradients.

14. A method for germicidally cleansing hands and lower arms consisting of the steps of:

uniformly irradiating a chamber with ultraviolet light;

inserting the hands and lower arms which are to be

germicidally cleansed into said chamber;

rotating said hands and lower arms to assure uniform irradiation of said hands and lower arms; and

removing said hands and lower arms from said chamber.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein prior to insertion of the hands into the chamber they are washed in accordance with normal medical protocols and wherein warm sterilized air is circulated through the chamber to simultaneously continue the germicidal cleansing of the hands while drying the hands and lower arms.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the hands and lower arms are inserted into said chamber for no more than 18 seconds and are thereby germicidally cleansed.

17. A method in accordance to claim 14 where the ultraviolet light source is activated for a set cycle when the hands and lower arms are positioned in the chamber and after completion of said cycle, the ultraviolet light source is deactivated for a set period of time.

18. An ultraviolet germicidal chamber comprising:

a housing defining a working chamber and a second chamber;

at least one portal in said housing;

an ultraviolet light source positioned in the second chamber; and

means for providing substantially uniform dispersion and reflection of ultraviolet light from said source and throughout substantially all of the working chamber, said providing means including an ultraviolet light diffuser positioned between the ultraviolet light source and the working chamber, said diffuser forming at least a portion of a wall of the working chamber.

19. Apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein the providing means includes an ultraviolet light reflector positioned on the other side of the ultraviolet light source from the diffuser.

20. Apparatus in accordance with claim 18 which further comprises means associated with the diffuser and said wall for enclosing the ultraviolet light source.

21. Apparatus in accordance with claim 20 wherein the enclosing means comprises an ultraviolet light reflector positioned on the other side of the ultraviolet light source from the diffuser and means for positioning the diffuser adjacent the ultraviolet light source, wherein the positioning means engages the diffuser and the reflector to form an enclosure about the ultraviolet light source.

22. Apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein said reflector and positioning means further include first and second openings, respectively, and a fan located in the vicinity of the first opening for drawing air from said second chamber, through the first opening, through the enclosure and past the light source and through the second opening and into the working chamber.

23. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22 wherein the working chamber is sealed from the second chamber along said wall to prevent recirculation of air along said wall from the working chamber to the second chamber.

24. Apparatus in accordance with claim 23 wherein the working chamber is sealed from the second chamber by a sealing element to prevent recirculation of air from the working chamber to the second chamber, and wherein the positioning means is positioned laterally outwardly of said diffuser in surrounding relation therewith and includes a plurality of apertures, defining said second opening, which allow air to flow from the ultraviolet light source enclosure and into the working chamber.

25. Apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein the reflector is circular in shape and has a downwardly curved center bottom portion surrounded by a laterally extending flat section which is, in turn, surrounded by an upwardly and radially outwardly slanted section, in turn, surrounded at the top of the slanted section by a flat top section, and said positioning means is disc shaped and positioned in spaced relation above the top section of said reflector, and said positioning means includes an inner downwardly directed skirt spaced radially inwardly of the top section of said reflector and in overlying relation with the slanted section of the reflector.

26. An ultraviolet germicidal chamber comprising:

a housing defining a working chamber and a second chamber;

at least one portal in said housing;

an ultraviolet light source positioned in the second chamber; and

an ultraviolet light diffuser positioned between the ultraviolet light source and the working chamber, said diffuser being disposed between said working chamber and said second chamber.

27. Apparatus in accordance with claim 26 wherein said housing includes a lower housing member and an upper housing member removeably connected to said lower housing member in the area of said working chamber;

and said ultraviolet light source and diffuser are positioned in said lower housing member.

28. Apparatus in accordance with claim 26 wherein the working chamber is divided into annular rings having different configurations to facilitate reflection of ultraviolet light throughout the working chamber;

said rings including a first upper ring defining an upper portion of the working chamber and having a first toroidal configuration, a second middle ring disposed below said first ring and defining a central segment of the working chamber and having a cylindrical configuration and a third lower ring disposed below said second ring and defining a lower portion of the working chamber and having a second toroidal configuration.

29. Apparatus in accordance with claim 28 wherein the first toroidal configuration has a center of rotation defined by a circle disposed between said upper ring and said middle ring and the second toroidal configuration has a center of rotation defined by a circle disposed between said middle ring and said lower ring.

30. Apparatus in accordance with claim 29 wherein the first and second toroidal configuration each have a radius of about ten includes and a center of rotation defined by a circle having a diameter of about three inches and said cylindrical configuration has an axial length of between about three to eight inches.

31. Apparatus in accordance with claim 26 further comprising a reflector positioned on the other side of the ultraviolet light source from the diffuser.

32. Apparatus in accordance with claim 31 wherein said diffuser is sized and positioned relative to said light source, reflector and working chamber whereby light produced by said light source on any point on the diffuser and passing directly through said diffuser or passing indirectly through the diffuser by being reflected off of said reflector is reflected off the wall of the working chamber.

33. Apparatus in accordance with claim 32 wherein the working chamber has an interior wall surface shaped to direct all ultraviolet light incident upon the walls of the working chamber toward the center of the chamber.

34. A method for germicidally cleansing hands and lower arms comprising the steps of:

uniformly irradiating a chamber with ultraviolet light;

inserting the hands and lower arms which are to be germicidally cleansed into said chamber for a period of time of several seconds for germicidal cleansing thereof; and

removing said hands and lower arms from said chamber.

35. A method according to claim 34 further comprising the step of irradiating said chamber from a source of said light located outside of said chamber.

36. A method according to claim 35 for germicidally cleansing the surfaces of the hands and lower arms further comprising the steps of:

uniformly irradiating said chamber with diffused ultraviolet light from a source of diffused ultraviolet light located outside of said chamber; and

exposing all surfaces of the inserted hands and lower arms to uniform irradiation from said diffused ultraviolet light.

37. A method according to claim 36 further comprising the step of:

creating an airflow through said chamber which is irradiated by diffused ultravilet light.