Cleaning system using ultraviolet radiation and photoactivatable semiconductor material

• US 6,343,400 B1
• Filed: 02/14/2000
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karl Massholder
• Original Assignee: Karl Massholder
• Inventors: Manschott, Peter, Massholder, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shider, Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US09/331,652
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 151/05, 151/671, 433/29, 607/79, 134/1, 250/504.H
• US Class Current: 15/105
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/22 with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/81 Preparation or application process involves irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/02 characterised by special physical form
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0606 Mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 11/00 Preparations for care of the teeth, of the oral cavity or of dentures; Dentifrices, e.g. toothpastes; Mouth rinses
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0057 by ultraviolet radiation

Abstract

A cleaning system for cleaning a surface is proposed, the cleaning system having:

a cleaning tool (2) with a working region (A) and with a UV-light source (7), the UV-radiation of which emerges from the tool (2) in the working region (A), and

a cleaning agent which contains a photoactivatable semiconductor material (3), UV-radiation being fed directly into the photoactivatable semiconductor material (2) in the working region (A) via a light guide device (9, 14).

Claims

1. A cleaning system for cleaning a surface, said cleaning system comprising:

a cleaning tool with a working region containing bristles, a radiation source and a light guide device via which radiation is fed from the radiation source to a position located in the working region where the radiation emerges from the cleaning tool, and

a cleaning agent

wherein the radiation source is a UV-radiation source, the cleaning agent contains a photoactivatable semiconductor material, and the UV radiation is fed directly into the photoactivatable semiconductor material at the position located in the working region.

2. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a the mechanical cleaning tool is used as the light guide device for the UV-radiation.

3. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least some bristles are designed as optical fibers.

4. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cleaning tool is a toothbrush, and the UV-light source is arranged in the handle of the toothbrush.

5. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material is used in the form of cleaning bodies or together with cleaning bodies.

6. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material is in pasty form or as an ingredient of a paste.

7. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material is bound to floating bodies or designed as floating bodies.

8. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 7, wherein a mineral material, an organic material or a jelly-like liquid with, a specific gravity lower than 1 g/cm³ is used as the floating body.

9. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photoactivatable semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide or silicon carbide or mixtures thereof.

10. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiation of the UV-light source has a wavelength in the range of 280 nm-400 nm.

11. A method for cleaning a surface comprising:

contacting the cleaning system as claimed in claim 1 with a surface in need of cleaning; and

activating the UV-radiation source to activate the photoactivatable semiconductor material for a time sufficient to clean the surface.

12. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiation of the UV light source has a wavelength in the range of 320-380 nm.