Ultraviolet area sterilizer and method of area sterilization using ultraviolet radiation

• US 6,911,177 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uvas LLC
• Original Assignee: Uvas LLC
• Inventors: Deal, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chorbaji, Monzer R.
• Application Number:
  US10/029,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20020085947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 422/1, 422 3- 5, 422/22, 422/24, 422/62, 422119-121, 422/186, 422/186.04, 422/186.3, 422/292, 422/300, 422/305, 422/307, 422/900, 422906-907, 250/455.11
• US Class Current: 422/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/28 Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation, e.g. indicators which change colour apparatus involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M1/34; methods involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q1/00
• 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 2202/25 Rooms in buildings, passenger compartments

Abstract

An ultraviolet area sterilizer (UVAS) is mobile or stationary. The UVAS is positioned in a room, such an operating room or intensive care unit. Motion detectors sense movement, to assure that personnel have evacuated the space to be sterilized. Subsequently, UV-C generators, such mercury bulbs, generate UV-C from multiple locations within the room or other enclosed space. Multiple UV-C sensors scan the room, and determine the area reflecting the lowest level of UV-C back to the sensors. The device calculates the time required to obtain a bactericidal dose of UV-C reflected back to the sensors. Once an effective bactericidal dose has been reflected to all the sensors, the unit notifies the operator and shuts down.

Claims

1. A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation, comprising the steps of:

(a) causing ultraviolet-C radiation to be emitted from multiple positions within an enclosed area;

(b) measuring a reflection of ultraviolet-C radiation from the multiple positions within said enclosed area;

(c) calculating an ultraviolet-C radiation reflectance level necessary to sterilize said enclosed area and comparing it with measured reflected ultraviolet-C radiation; and

(d) terminating the emission of ultraviolet-C radiation after determining that the required ultraviolet-C radiation reflectance level has been reflected from the multiple positions within said enclosed area.

2. A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting motion within said enclosed area prior to an initiation of emission of ultraviolet-C radiation.

3. A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 1, further comprising the steps of detecting motion within said enclosed area prior to an initiation of emission of ultraviolet-C radiation, and disabling emission of said ultraviolet-C radiation upon detecting motion.

4. A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 1, wherein reflected ultraviolet radiation is measured from at least two positions within said enclosed area that are remote from each other.

5. A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 1, wherein a wall of said enclosed area reflects at least 50% of ultraviolet radiation received by said wall.

6. A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting motion within said enclosed area prior to an initiation of emission of ultraviolet-C radiation.

7. A device for sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation, comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a plurality of ultraviolet-C radiation emitters, wherein said plurality of ultraviolet-C radiation emitters are located in at least two places within an enclosed area to be treated, with each of two places remote from each other, and wherein said ultraviolet-C radiation emitters are directed towards an enclosed area to be treated; and

(c) at least one radiation sensor which receives reflected ultraviolet-C radiation, wherein said radiation sensor measures said reflected ultraviolet-C radiation.

8. A device for sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 7, further comprising a motion detector which communicates with said plurality of ultraviolet-C radiation emitters.

9. A device for sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 7, further comprising a motion detector which communicates with said plurality of ultraviolet-C radiation emitters, wherein said motion detector prevents emission of ultraviolet-C radiation upon detecting motion within said enclosed area.

10. A device for sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 7, further comprising at least two radiation sensors that receive reflected ultraviolet-C radiation, wherein each of said at least two radiation sensors is located within the enclosed area to be treated, and at least one of said at least two radiation sensors is remote from at least one other of said at least two radiation sensors.

11. A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation, comprising the steps of:

(a) causing ultraviolet-C radiation to be emitted from multiple positions within an enclosed area;

(b) measuring a cumulative reflection of ultraviolet-C radiation from each of the multiple positions within said enclosed area;

(c) calculating an ultraviolet-C radiation reflectance level necessary to sterilize said enclosed area and comparing it with measured reflected ultraviolet-C radiation; and

(d) terminating emission of ultraviolet-C radiation after determining that the required ultraviolet-C radiation reflectance level has been reflected from each of the multiple positions within said enclosed area.

12. A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 11, further comprising the steps of detecting motion within said room prior to an initiation of emission of ultraviolet-C radiation, and disabling emission of said ultraviolet-C radiation upon detecting motion.

13. A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 11, wherein reflected ultraviolet radiation is measured from at least two positions within said enclosed area that are remote from each other.

14. A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation as described in claim 11, wherein a wall of said enclosed area reflects at least 50% of ultraviolet radiation received by said wall.