Method and apparatus for rapid sterilization of a room

• US 9,981,053 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2017
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Martin Taboada, John Taboada
• Original Assignee: John Martin Taboada, John Taboada
• Inventors: Taboada, John, Taboada, John Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kiet T
• Application Number:
  US15/805,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20180071416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 204 Days
• Field of Search: 25045511, 25045411
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/405 Machines using UV-lamps, IR-lamps, ultrasound or plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/25 Rooms in buildings, passenger compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/26 Textiles, e.g. towels, beds, cloths
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/015 using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone A61L9/20 takes precedence ; evaporation in general B01B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/025 Associated optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/005 Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping shaping laser beam for working metal or other materials B23K26/06; optical elements, systems or apparatus in general G02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/2256 KrF, i.e. krypton fluoride is comprised for lasing around 248 nm

Abstract

Methods and systems for sterilizing a room are disclosed, including using a laser to generate a pulsed laser beam; using a robotic arm to direct the pulsed laser beam to a scattering optical element and to change the position of the scattering optical element; and using the scattering optical element to substantially isotropically scatter the radiation of the pulsed laser beam to sterilize the room. The scattering optical element comprises a hollow fused silica bulb filled with solid fused silica spheres or a fiber optic bundle and in some embodiments the scattering optical element is rotated. The pulsed laser beam comprises a wavelength ranging between about 200 nm to about 320 nm and in some embodiments comprises nanosecond or picosecond light pulses. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sterilizing a room comprising:

a laser configured to emit a pulsed laser beam; and

a robotic arm configured to direct the pulsed laser beam to a scattering optical element and to change the position of the scattering optical element;

wherein the scattering optical element is configured to substantially isotropically scatter the radiation of the pulsed laser beam to sterilize the room.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser comprises at least one of a KrF Excimer laser, a fourth harmonic q-switched Nd:

YAG solid state laser, a fourth harmonic mode locked Nd;

YAG solid state laser, a fourth harmonic q-switched Nd;

YLF solid state laser, a fourth harmonic mode locked Nd;

YLF solid state laser, a fourth harmonic q-switched Nd;

YVO₄ solid state laser, and a fourth harmonic mode locked Nd;

YVO₄ solid state laser.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm comprises two or more degrees of freedom.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pulsed laser beam comprises a wavelength ranging between about 200 nm to about 320 nm.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pulsed laser beam comprises nanosecond or picosecond light pulses.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scattering optical element comprises a hollow fused silica bulb filled with fused silica spheres.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the fused silica spheres are solid.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the fused silica spheres are hollow.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scattering optical element comprises a fiber optic bundle.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the fiber optic bundle is configured to be rotated about a plane substantially orthogonal to the intercepted pulsed laser beam.

11. A method for sterilizing a room comprising:

using a laser to generate a pulsed laser beam;

using a robotic arm to direct the pulsed laser beam to a scattering optical element and to change the position of the scattering optical element; and

using the scattering optical element to substantially isotropically scatter the radiation of the pulsed laser beam to sterilize the room.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the laser comprises at least one of a KrF Excimer laser, a fourth harmonic q-switched Nd:

YAG solid state laser, a fourth harmonic mode locked Nd;

YAG solid state laser, a fourth harmonic q-switched Nd;

YLF solid state laser, a fourth harmonic mode locked Nd;

YLF solid state laser, a fourth harmonic q-switched Nd;

YVO₄ solid state laser, and a fourth harmonic mode locked Nd;

YVO₄ solid state laser.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the robotic arm comprises two or more degrees of freedom.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the pulsed laser beam comprises a wavelength ranging between about 200 nm to about 320 nm.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the pulsed laser beam comprises nanosecond or picosecond light pulses.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the substantially isotropically scattering optical element comprises a hollow fused silica bulb filled with fused silica spheres.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the fused silica spheres are solid.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the fused silica spheres are hollow.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the scattering optical element comprises a fiber optic bundle.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising rotating the fiber optic bundle in a plane substantially orthogonal to the intercepted pulsed laser beam.