Methods and apparatus for monitoring hygienic conditions on board a vehicle

• US 8,729,505 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Seibt, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kiho
• Application Number:
  US13/404,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20120221192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 250/461.1
• US Class Current: 250/461.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/02 Toilet fittings of general application A47K
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6447 by visual observation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6456 Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/94 Investigating contamination, e.g. dust G01N21/85 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

An inspection device is provided to monitor hygienic conditions of a space unit for a vehicle. The vehicle includes, but is not limited to, an inspection device, the use of an inspection device, and a method to assure hygienic conditions in a vehicle. In order to optimize assuring hygienic conditions in interior spaces on board a vehicle an inspection device is provided that includes, but is not limited to, an optical detection device. The optical detection device generates electromagnetic radiation to irradiate a surface to be cleaned, and renders visible soiling that, in visible light, is invisible to the human eye. The optical detection device is permanently installable on an interior lining.

Claims

1. A space unit for a vehicle, comprising:

an interior lining that comprises a floor region and a wall lining that at least partially encloses an interior space;

an inspection device to monitor hygienic conditions in an interior of the vehicle including an optical detection device that is configured to;

generate electromagnetic radiation to temporarily irradiate at least part of the floor region;

render visible a soiling on the floor region, which in visible light is invisible to a human eye; and

permanently arranged such that the at least part of the floor region is temporarily irradiated by the optical detection device to render visible the soiling on the floor region that, in the visible light, is invisible to the human eye; and

a control unit in communication with the optical detection device that activates the optical detection device to irradiate the at least part of the floor region if the space unit is unoccupied.

2. The space unit of claim 1, wherein the optical detection device comprises at least one UV-light source.

3. The space unit of claim 1, wherein the inspection device is arranged such that a part of the wall lining is temporarily irradiated by the optical detection device to render visible the soiling on the wall lining that, in the visible light, is invisible to the human eye.

4. The space unit of claim 1, wherein:

the space unit is a toilet unit;

the interior space is a toilet space with a toilet facility, and

the inspection device is arranged such that at least a part of the toilet facility can be irradiated by the optical detection device.

5. The space unit of claim 1, further comprising an optical sensor that is configured to detect a light of a defined wavelength range, which is a reflected light, by which a corresponding signal can be generated.

6. The space unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a camera configured to detect light of a defined wavelength range reflected from a surface to be cleaned;

an evaluation unit configured such that by image evaluation, soiling that has not yet been removed can be spatially allocated; and

a marking configured such that soiling not yet removed can be highlighted with a visible identifier.

7. A space unit for a vehicle, comprising:

an interior lining that comprises a floor region and a wall lining that at least partially encloses an interior space;

an inspection device to monitor hygienic conditions in an interior of the vehicle including an optical detection device that is configured to;

generate electromagnetic radiation to temporarily irradiate at least part of the floor region;

render visible a soiling on the floor region, which in visible light is invisible to a human eye; and

permanently arranged such that the at least part of the floor region is temporarily irradiated by the optical detection device to render visible the soiling on the floor region that, in the visible light, is invisible to the human eye;

an optical sensor that is configured to detect a light of a defined wavelength range, which is a reflected light, by which a corresponding signal can be generated;

a query device configured to detect an occupation status of the space unit on board the vehicle; and

a control unit configured to;

activate the optical detection device when the space unit is not occupied in order to irradiate a surface to be inspected;

compare a light radiation of the defined wavelength range, which is reflected from the surface to be inspected, with a defined threshold value in order to evaluate the degree of soiling; and

generate a soiling parameter.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle structure;

a cabin region arranged in the vehicle structure;

at least one space unit of the cabin region with an inspection device and a control unit in communication with the inspection device, the inspection device comprising an optical detection device that is configured to;

generate electromagnetic radiation to irradiate a cleaning surface within the at least one space unit;

render visible soiling, which in visible light is invisible to a human eye; and

be permanently installed on an interior lining of the at least one space unit of the cabin region,

wherein the control unit activates the optical detection device to irradiate the cleaning surface when the at least one space unit is not occupied.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

10. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle is a bus coach.

11. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle is a train coach.

12. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle is a ship.

13. A method to monitor hygienic conditions in a vehicle, comprising:

cleaning a surface to be cleaned on board the vehicle, the surface contained within a space unit of the vehicle;

irradiating the surface with an optical detection device for rendering visible a soiling that, in visible light, is invisible to a human eye, if the space unit is unoccupied; and

optically inspecting the quality of cleaning while the optical detection device is irradiating the surface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the optically inspecting the quality of cleaning comprises:

detecting a light of a defined wavelength range, which is reflected from the surface with an optical sensor; and

generating a corresponding signal.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the optically inspecting the quality of cleaning comprises:

evaluating an image taken by a camera in order to spatially allocate non-removed soiling; and

highlighting the non-removed soiling with a visible marking.

16. A method to monitor hygienic conditions in a vehicle, comprising:

querying an occupation status of a space unit on board the vehicle;

activating an optical detection device to render visible any soiling that, in visible light, is invisible to a human eye;

irradiating an inspection surface;

detecting a light radiation of a defined wavelength range that is reflected from the inspection surface;

evaluating a degree of soiling of the inspection surface by comparing the light radiation with at least one defined threshold value;

generating a soiling parameter based at least in part on the evaluating the degree of soiling; and

issuing the soiling parameter.