Heat-sanitization of surfaces

• US 9,421,286 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hegg, Michael C., Nash, David R., Wilson, Benjamin K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Regina M
• Application Number:
  US14/792,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20160015842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/04 Heat A61L2/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/08 Radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/085 Infrared radiation
• 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 2202/11 Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs

Abstract

Solutions for limiting the undesirable spread of pathogens by indirect contact are provided. The solutions involve heat-sanitization of contact regions on articles or fixtures by flowing selected electromagnetic radiation energy through underlying waveguide structures substantially parallel to the contact regions.

Claims

1. A method of heat-sanitizing an outer surface region of an article,

the method comprising:

providing a selected electromagnetic radiation absorber portion in the outer surface region; and

flowing selected electromagnetic radiation energy through an underlying waveguide structure substantially parallel to the outer surface region so that the selected electromagnetic radiation absorber portion is coupled to and heated by the electromagnetic radiation energy flow to a positive temperature that heat-sanitizes an exposed portion of the outer surface region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected electromagnetic radiation absorber portion is coupled to and heated by an evanescent field component of the selected electromagnetic radiation energy flow through the underlying waveguide structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected electromagnetic radiation absorber portion is coupled to and heated directly by portions of the electromagnetic radiation energy flow that undergo total internal reflection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected electromagnetic radiation energy comprises short duration electromagnetic pulses.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected electromagnetic radiation absorber portion is a substantially continuous adlayer extending over a portion of the waveguide structure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected electromagnetic radiation absorber portion includes discrete absorbers distributed over a portion of the waveguide structure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the discrete absorbers include radiation-absorbing particles.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the radiation-absorbing particles are nanoparticles having sufficiently small dimensions that allow resonant coupling to and enhanced absorption of portions of the selected electromagnetic radiation energy flow.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, configuring a radiation source to provide the selected electromagnetic radiation energy to the underlying waveguide structure.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the radiation source is an ultraviolet light source.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising, providing a contact sensor configured to determine if a contact has been made to an exposed portion of the outer surface region and to accordingly activate the radiation source to provide the selected electromagnetic radiation energy to the underlying waveguide structure for heat-sanitization of the exposed portion of the outer surface region.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising, providing a programmable mechanism configured to control activation of the radiation source to provide the selected electromagnetic radiation energy to the underlying waveguide structure for heat-sanitization of an exposed portion of the outer surface region.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising, providing a controller configured to control activation of the radiation source to provide the selected electromagnetic radiation energy to the underlying waveguide structure for heat-sanitization of an exposed portion of the outer surface region according to a predetermined schedule.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising, providing a user-activated switch configured to control activation of the radiation source to provide the selected electromagnetic radiation energy to the underlying waveguide structure for heat-sanitization of an exposed portion of the outer surface region according to a user command.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the outer surface region forms the exterior of an electronic display screen and/or an electronic touch screen.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the waveguide structure is substantially transparent to a viewer of the outer surface region of the article.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising, providing a status indicator configured to indicate a sanitization state of the outer surface region.