# US 12,214,095 B2 · Disinfection device and disinfection system

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- Number: US 12,214,095 B2
- Document ID: US12214095B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/870,122
- Filed: 2022-07-21
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2021-08-23
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Ryota Tomizawa; Shozo Takaba; Ayako Shimizu; Hojung Jung; Daisuke Sato; Yasuhiro Kobatake
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214095B2

## CPC

- A61L 2/10: Ultraviolet [UV] radiation
- A61L 2/24: Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
- A61L 2103/75: Room floors or walls
- A61L 2202/11: Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
- A61L 2202/14: Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
- 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

A disinfection system disinfects an inside of a building or a moving body. The disinfection system includes an ultraviolet irradiator, a recognition sensor that recognizes a situation of the inside of the building or the moving body, and a control device configured to automatically control the ultraviolet irradiator based on the situation of the inside of the building or the moving body, which is recognized by the recognition sensor, to disinfect the inside of the building or the moving body.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A disinfection system that disinfects an inside of a vehicle, the disinfection system comprising:
a plurality of ultraviolet irradiators including a first ultraviolet irradiator positioned at a front portion of a passenger compartment of the vehicle and a second ultraviolet irradiator positioned at a rear portion of the passenger compartment of the vehicle;
a recognition sensor that recognizes a situation of the inside of the vehicle, the recognition sensor including a camera; and
a control device configured to automatically control the plurality of ultraviolet irradiators based on the situation of the inside of the vehicle, which is recognized by the recognition sensor, to disinfect the inside of the vehicle, wherein:
the control device is configured to selectively switch on and off the plurality of ultraviolet irradiators, and
the control device is configured to determine a first elapsed time since a previous irradiation by the first ultraviolet irradiator at the front portion relative to a first threshold time, and a second elapsed time since another previous irradiation by the second ultraviolet irradiator at the rear portion relative to the first threshold time.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The disinfection system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to, upon determining, based on a recognition result by the recognition sensor, that there is no person within an irradiation range of the plurality of ultraviolet irradiators, perform irradiation by the plurality of ultraviolet irradiators.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The disinfection system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to, upon determining, based on a recognition result by the recognition sensor, that there is no person within an irradiation range of the plurality of ultraviolet irradiators but there is a person who exists outside the irradiation range, perform irradiation by the plurality of ultraviolet irradiators after giving a warning to the person who exists outside the irradiation range.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The disinfection system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured, upon determining, based on a recognition result by the recognition sensor, that there is a person within an irradiation range of the plurality of ultraviolet irradiators, not to perform irradiation by the plurality of ultraviolet irradiators.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The disinfection system according to claim 1, further comprising an alarm device configured to output one or more notifications using light, a sound, an image, or any combination thereof in a predetermined manner, including sequentially or simultaneously.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The disinfection system according to claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to periodically capture one or more images and transmit the one or more images to the control device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The disinfection system according to claim 1, wherein control device configured to reset the first elapsed time to zero and count again after disinfecting one of the front portion or the rear portion of the passenger compartment.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The disinfection system according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the vehicle includes an irradiation target object that comprises a handrail or a hanging strap.