Portable antimicrobial ultra violet sterilizer

• US 9,114,183 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth L. Campagna
• Original Assignee: Kenneth L. Campagna
• Inventors: Campagna, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Regina M
• Application Number:
  US13/606,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20120328474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 422/23, 422/24, 422/28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/202 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• 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 2202/16 Mobile applications, e.g. portable devices, trailers, devices mounted on vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sterilization unit consisting of a cubical enclosure which uses a sequenced supply of ozone and ultraviolet radiation in the C band (UVC) wave length to sterilize. In use, an article to be sterilized is positioned atop a glass plate mounted between two sources of UVC radiation sources and ozone is first supplied to the enclosure for a period of 15 seconds to 60 minutes followed by a supply of UVC radiation for a period of 15 seconds to 60 minutes.

Claims

1. A method of medical grade sterilization comprising:

(a) providing a housing with an airtight chamber possessing a volume no larger than 2500 inch³, wherein the airtight chamber has one or more compartments;

(b) providing one or more components configured to emit UVC radiation or generate ozone or both, wherein the UVC radiation and the ozone are confined within the one or more compartments of the airtight chamber;

(c) providing an article for sterilization, wherein the article is capable of fitting within the airtight chamber;

(d) exposing the article first to the ozone for at least 15 seconds at about 0.25 g/hr to about 10 g/hr; and

(e) exposing the article to the UVC radiation for at least 15 seconds after the ozone exposure, wherein the UVC radiation exposure is at about 100 μ

W/cm² to about 800 μ

W/cm², and wherein the ozone concentration is no greater than 0.05 ppm within the airtight chamber following the UVC exposure, and further wherein the medical grade sterilization occurs in the absence of ozone heating.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UVC radiation is emitted at a λ

of about 254 nm and the ozone is emitted at a λ

of about 185 to 200 nm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more compartments are separated by a shelf composed of silica, quartz, glass or sapphire, and wherein the shelf transmits at least 55% of the UVC radiation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more interior corners of the airtight chamber are curved, and wherein the curvature possesses a radius to width, height, or depth of the airtight chamber of about 0.0026 to 0.1.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more components do not emit UVA or UVB radiation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more components are positioned at an inner-top and an inner-bottom surface of the airtight chamber as ozone lamps or UVC lamps or both.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the exposing of step (d) or step (e) or both occurs for less than 1 minute.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical grade sterilization occurs in the absence of one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of water, steam, liquid spray washing, condensation, drying, superheated gas, damp heat, pressures greater than about 1 atm, temperatures greater than 50°

C., metal corrosion, chemical sterilization and caustic vapors.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing UVC or ozone test strips or both.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

washing the article with an antimicrobial solution prior to the exposing of step (d).