# US 11,305,990 B2 · Processing method

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- Number: US 11,305,990 B2
- Document ID: US11305990B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/485,734
- Filed: 2018-02-27
- Published: 2020-01-02
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-15
- Assignees: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Keisuke Naito
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305990B2

## CPC

- A23B 2/53: with ultraviolet light
- C01B 13/10: Preparation of ozone
- A23B 2/721: in a controlled atmosphere comprising other gases in addition to CO2, N2, O2 or H2O
- A61L 2/20: Gaseous substances, e.g. vapours
- A61L 2/202: Ozone
- A61L 2202/11: Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
- A61L 2202/122: Chambers for sterilisation
- A61L 2202/14: Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
- A61L 2209/212: Use of ozone, e.g. generated by UV radiation or electrical discharge
- A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)

## Abstract

The present invention has as its object the provision of a processing method that can perform a sterilization process and a deodorization process utilizing ozone with high efficiency, without humidification of a target object. A processing method of the present invention includes obtaining an ozone-containing gas by irradiating an ozone material gas with ozone generation light that does not include light in an ozone decomposition wavelength range and does include light having a wavelength of not more than 200 nm; and exposing a target object to the obtained ozone-containing gas in a low humidity condition having a relative humidity of not more than 55% to process the target object.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A processing method comprising:
obtaining an ozone-containing gas by irradiating an ozone material gas with ozone generation light that does not include light in an ozone decomposition wavelength range and does include light having a wavelength of not more than 200 nm; and
exposing a target object to the obtained ozone-containing gas to process the target object, wherein
the target object is a moisture-phobic article,
the target object is presented in a target object existing space constituted by a processing container or a target object existing space constituted by a conveying path for conveying the target object,
the ozone-containing gas is provided to the target object existing space and the target object exposed to the ozone-containing gas to process the target object in a low humidity condition having the relative humidity of not more than 40%.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The processing method according to claim 1, wherein the ozone generation light is light emitted from a xenon excimer lamp.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The processing method according to claim 1, wherein the ozone-containing gas has a relative humidity of not more than 30%.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The processing method according to claim 1, wherein the ozone-containing gas has a relative humidity of not more than 20%.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The processing method according to claim 1, wherein an environmental gas constituting an atmosphere of the target object existing space in which the target object is present has a relative humidity of not more than 30%.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The processing method according to claim 1, wherein an environmental gas constituting an atmosphere of the target object existing space in which the target object is present has a relative humidity of not more than 20%.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The processing method according to claim 2, wherein the ozone-containing gas is fed into the target object existing space constituted by the conveying path through which the target object is conveyed, so that the target object is exposed to the ozone-containing gas in the conveying path.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The processing method according to claim 1, wherein the target object is exposed to the ozone-containing gas while stirring the target object.