Germicidal apparatuses with configurations to selectively conduct different disinfection modes interior and exterior to the apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a germicidal source;
power supply circuitry coupled to the germicidal source;
a shield, wherein the shield and/or the germicidal source are moveable relative to each other, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that;
the shield and/or the germicidal source may be brought in proximity to the other such that germicide projected from the germicidal source is substantially contained within an interior cavity of the apparatus; and
the shield and/or the germicidal source may be brought out of proximity with the other such that germicide projected from the germicidal source is projected into an ambient of the apparatus;
a sensor to detect whether the germicidal source and the shield are said in proximity with each other and/or to detect whether the germicidal source and the shield are said out of proximity with each other;
an electronic user interface comprising input controls allowing selection of different disinfection modes conducted by the apparatus, wherein the different disinfection modes comprise a first disinfection mode for primarily disinfecting a medium inside the apparatus and a second disinfection mode for primarily disinfecting a medium exterior to the apparatus;
a processor; and
a storage medium having program instructions which are executable by the processor for;
receiving input from the electronic user interface regarding a selected disinfection mode;
upon receiving input of the first disinfection mode;
determining whether the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other or said out of proximity with each other;
upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said out of proximity with each other, activating a corrective action for the germicidal source and/or the shield to be moved said in proximity with the other; and
upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other, activating the power supply circuitry in accordance with a predetermined first set of operating parameters for the apparatus; and
upon receiving input of the second disinfection mode;
determining whether the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other or said out of proximity with each other;
upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other, activating a corrective action for the germicidal source and/or the shield to be moved said out of proximity with the other; and
upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said out of proximity with each other, activating the power supply circuitry in accordance with a predetermined second set of operating parameters for the apparatus different from the first set of operating parameters, wherein the predetermined first and second sets of operating parameters comprise different amounts of power supplied from the power supply circuitry to operate the germicidal source.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses are provided which include one or more germicidal sources, power circuitry coupled to the germicidal source/s, and a shield. The shield and/or at least one of the germicidal source/s are moveable within the apparatus and the apparatus is configured such that the shield and/or the germicidal source/s may be brought in and out of proximity with the other and upon doing so germicide projected from one or more of the germicidal source/s is either substantially contained in the apparatus or is projected exterior to the apparatus for different disinfection modes of the apparatus. The apparatuses include a processor and processor-executable program instructions for activating the power circuitry to operate the at least one germicidal source when the germicidal source is not encased within the apparatus and for activating the power circuitry to operate at least one germicidal source when the germicidal source/s are encased within the apparatus.
127 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a germicidal source; power supply circuitry coupled to the germicidal source; a shield, wherein the shield and/or the germicidal source are moveable relative to each other, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that; the shield and/or the germicidal source may be brought in proximity to the other such that germicide projected from the germicidal source is substantially contained within an interior cavity of the apparatus; and the shield and/or the germicidal source may be brought out of proximity with the other such that germicide projected from the germicidal source is projected into an ambient of the apparatus; a sensor to detect whether the germicidal source and the shield are said in proximity with each other and/or to detect whether the germicidal source and the shield are said out of proximity with each other; an electronic user interface comprising input controls allowing selection of different disinfection modes conducted by the apparatus, wherein the different disinfection modes comprise a first disinfection mode for primarily disinfecting a medium inside the apparatus and a second disinfection mode for primarily disinfecting a medium exterior to the apparatus; a processor; and a storage medium having program instructions which are executable by the processor for; receiving input from the electronic user interface regarding a selected disinfection mode; upon receiving input of the first disinfection mode; determining whether the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other or said out of proximity with each other; upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said out of proximity with each other, activating a corrective action for the germicidal source and/or the shield to be moved said in proximity with the other; and upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other, activating the power supply circuitry in accordance with a predetermined first set of operating parameters for the apparatus; and upon receiving input of the second disinfection mode; determining whether the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other or said out of proximity with each other; upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other, activating a corrective action for the germicidal source and/or the shield to be moved said out of proximity with the other; and upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said out of proximity with each other, activating the power supply circuitry in accordance with a predetermined second set of operating parameters for the apparatus different from the first set of operating parameters, wherein the predetermined first and second sets of operating parameters comprise different amounts of power supplied from the power supply circuitry to operate the germicidal source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus, comprising:
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a germicidal source; power supply circuitry coupled to the germicidal source; a shield, wherein the shield and/or the germicidal source are moveable relative to each other, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that; the shield and/or the germicidal source may be brought in proximity to the other such that germicide projected from the germicidal source is substantially contained within an interior cavity of the apparatus; and the shield and/or the germicidal source may be brought out of proximity with the other such that germicide projected from the germicidal source is projected into an ambient of the apparatus; a sensor to detect whether the germicidal source and the shield are said in proximity with each other and/or to detect whether the germicidal source and the shield are said out of proximity with each other; an electronic user interface comprising input controls allowing selection of different disinfection modes conducted by the apparatus, wherein the different disinfection modes comprise a first disinfection mode for primarily disinfecting a medium inside the apparatus and a second disinfection mode for primarily disinfecting a medium exterior to the apparatus; an additional sensor to detect movement and/or occupancy within an ambient of the apparatus; an actuator coupled to the germicidal source or to the shield; a processor; and a storage medium having program instructions which are executable by the processor for; receiving input from the electronic user interface regarding a selected disinfection mode; upon receiving input of the first disinfection mode, determining whether the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other or said out of proximity with each other; upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said out of proximity with each other, activating the actuator to move the germicidal source and/or the shield said in proximity with the other; upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other or subsequent to the actuator being activated to move the germicidal source and/or the shield said in proximity with the other; activating the power supply circuitry in accordance with a predetermined first set of operating parameters for the apparatus; activating the additional sensor; and upon the additional sensor not detecting movement and/or occupancy for a preset duration, activating the actuator to move the germicidal source or the shield out of said proximity with the other; and upon receiving input of the second disinfection mode, determining whether the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other or said out of proximity with each other; upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other, activating the actuator to move the germicidal source and/or the shield said out of proximity with the other; and upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said out of proximity with each other or subsequent to the actuator being activated to move the germicidal source and/or the shield said out of proximity with the other, activating the power supply circuitry in accordance with a predetermined second set of operating parameters for the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. An apparatus, comprising:
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a germicidal source; power supply circuitry coupled to the germicidal source; a shield, wherein the shield and/or the germicidal source are moveable relative to each other, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that; the shield and/or the germicidal source may be brought in proximity to the other such that germicide projected from the germicidal source is substantially contained within an interior cavity of the apparatus; and the shield and/or the germicidal source may be brought out of proximity with the other such that germicide projected from the germicidal source is projected into an ambient of the apparatus; a sensor to detect whether the germicidal source and the shield are said in proximity with each other and/or to detect whether the germicidal source and the shield are said out of proximity with each other; an electronic user interface comprising input controls allowing selection of different disinfection modes conducted by the apparatus, wherein the different disinfection modes comprise; a first disinfection mode for primarily disinfecting air inside the apparatus; a second disinfection mode for primarily disinfecting objects inside the apparatus; and a third disinfection mode for primarily disinfecting surfaces exterior to the apparatus; a processor; and a storage medium having program instructions which are executable by the processor for; receiving input from the electronic user interface regarding a selected disinfection mode; upon receiving input of the first disinfection mode or the second disinfection mode; determining whether the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other or said out of proximity with each other; upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said out of proximity with each other, activating a corrective action for the germicidal source and/or the shield to be moved said in proximity with the other; and upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other; activating the power supply circuitry in accordance with a predetermined first set of operating parameters for the apparatus if the received input is for the first disinfection mode; activating the power supply circuitry in accordance with a predetermined second set of operating parameters for the apparatus if the received input is for the second disinfection mode, wherein the predetermined second set of operating parameters is different from the predetermined first set of operating parameters; and upon receiving input of the third disinfection mode; determining whether the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other or said out of proximity with each other; upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said in proximity with each other, activating a corrective action for the germicidal source and/or the shield to be moved said out of proximity with the other; and upon determining the shield and the germicidal source are said out of proximity with each other, activating the power supply circuitry in accordance with a predetermined third set of operating parameters, wherein the predetermined third set of operating parameters is different from the predetermined first and second sets of operating parameters. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification