System and method for germicidal sanitizing of an elevator or other enclosed structure

• US 8,519,361 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2012
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elevated Health Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Elevated Health Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Leben, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Souw, Bernard E
• Application Number:
  US13/350,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20120138822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 250/365, 250/372, 250/461.1, 250/504.R, 187/277, 187/276, 187/392, 187/391, 187/397, 187/413, 187/414, 422/1, 422/3, 422/22, 422/24, 422/28, 422/55, 422/62, 422/107, 422/108, 422/119, 422/186, 422/186.3, 422/300, 422/307, 422/455.11, 134/18, 134/21, 134/113
• US Class Current: 250/461.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 11/0226 Constructional features, e.g. walls assembly, decorative panels, comfort equipment, thermal or sound insulation
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 11/024 Ventilation systems

Abstract

A system for sanitizing an enclosed structure has first and second sensors, a germicidal ultraviolet light source, a motor, and a controller. The first sensor detects humans within the enclosed structure. The second sensor detects the position of at least one door to the structure. The motor selectively moves the light source from an inactive position to an active position. The controller receives inputs from the first and second sensors and transmits outputs to the light source and the motor. When the controller receives signals that no humans or animals are present in the enclosed structure and that the door is in a closed position, the controller transmits a signal to the motor to move the light source from the inactive to the active position. If humans are detected in the structure or if the door is detected open, then the controller deactivates or repositions the light source.

Claims

1. A sanitizing system for use with an enclosed structure, the system comprising:

a first sensor to detect the absence or presence of humans or animals within the enclosed structure and to transmit a first input signal indicating either the absence or presence of humans or animals;

a second sensor to detect the position of at least one access point of the enclosed structure and to transmit a second input signal indicating whether the access point is open or closed;

a germicidal ultraviolet light source to provide electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet range; and

a controller to receive the first input signal and the second input signal, and to provide for the ultraviolet light source to emit the electromagnetic radiation within an exposed area of the enclosed structure,

wherein the controller provides for the ultraviolet light source to emit the electromagnetic radiation within the exposed area of the enclosed structure when the controller receives the first input signal indicating the absence of humans or animals within the enclosed structure and the second input signal indicating that the access point is closed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller does not provide for the ultraviolet light source to emit the electromagnetic radiation within the exposed area of the enclosed structure when the controller receives the first input signal indicating the presence of humans or animals within the enclosed structure or the second input signal indicating that the access point is open.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor includes a motion detector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor includes a thermal sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a third sensor for detecting tampering with the sanitizing system.

6. The system of claim 1, further including a fan mounted proximate the light source for cooling the light source.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to activate the light source for a predetermined period of time comprising a sanitizing cycle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a length of time of the sanitizing cycle may be modified based on factors affecting sanitizing of the enclosed structure.

9. A sanitizing system for use within an enclosed structure, the system comprising:

a first sensor to detect the presence or absence of humans or animals within the enclosed structure and to transmit a first input signal indicating the presence or absence of humans or animals;

a second sensor to detect the position of at least one access point of the enclosed structure and to transmit a second input signal indicating whether the access point is open or closed;

a germicidal ultraviolet light source to provide electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet range and to receive a first output signal to activate the ultraviolet light source;

a light source assembly associated with the ultraviolet light source,

wherein a selectively movable portion of the light source assembly is positioned between the light source and the enclosed structure when in a closed position, wherein when the selectively movable portion of the light source assembly is in an open position, light emanating from the light source is transmitted to the enclosed structure, and further wherein the selectively movable portion of the light source assembly is configured to be selectively moved from the closed position to the open position in response to a second output signal; and

a controller to receive the first input signal and the second input signal, and to transmit the first output signal and the second output signal,

wherein the controller transmits the first output signal and the second output signal when the controller receives the first input signal indicating the absence of humans or animals within the enclosed structure and the second input signal indicating that the access point is closed.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the selectively movable portion of the light source assembly is a mounting platform on which the ultraviolet light source is mounted, the mounting platform further including a reflective surface for reflecting UV light incident to the surface.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first sensor includes a motion detector.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first sensor includes a thermal sensor.

13. The system of claim 9, further including a motor to move the ultraviolet light source and to receive a third output signal to move the ultraviolet light source from an inactive position to an active position.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a plurality of code segments stored thereon for instructing a processor to perform the following steps of sanitizing an enclosed structure:

a) detecting the presence or absence of humans or animals in the enclosed structure;

b) activating an ultraviolet light source for a predetermined period of time when humans and animals are detected to be absent from the enclosed structure;

c) if at least one human or animal is detected to be present in the exposed area, deactivating the ultraviolet light source; and

d) deactivating the ultraviolet light source once the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the absence of humans or animals in the enclosed structure is accomplished using a motion detector.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the absence of humans or animals in the enclosed structure is accomplished using a thermal sensor.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a fan is mounted proximate the light source for cooling the light source, and further comprising the step of activating the fan for a predetermined period of time after the light source is deactivated.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined period of time for activating the light source may be modified based on factors affecting sanitizing of the enclosed structure.