Ultraviolet area sterilizer and method of area sterilization using ultraviolet radiation
OwnerJeffrey L. Dealinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultraviolet area sterilizer (UVAS) is mobile or stationary. The UVAS is positioned in a room, such an operating room or intensive care unit. Motion detectors sense movement, to assure that personnel have evacuated the space to be sterilized. Subsequently, UV-C generators, such mercury bulbs, generate UV-C from multiple locations within the room or other enclosed space. Multiple UV-C sensors scan the room, and determine the area reflecting the lowest level of UV-C back to the sensors. The device calculates the time required to obtain a bactericidal dose of UV-C reflected back to the sensors. Once an effective bactericidal dose has been reflected to all the sensors, the unit notifies the operator and shuts down.
Claims14
A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation, comprising the steps of:
- (a) causing ultraviolet-C radiation to be emitted from multiple positions within an enclosed area;
- (b) measuring a reflection of ultraviolet-C radiation from the multiple positions within said enclosed area;
- (c) calculating an ultraviolet-C radiation reflectance level necessary to sterilize said enclosed area and comparing it with measured reflected ultraviolet-C radiation;
- and
- (d) terminating the emission of ultraviolet-C radiation after determining that the required ultraviolet-C radiation reflectance level has been reflected from the multiple positions within said enclosed area.
A device for sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation, comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a plurality of ultraviolet-C radiation emitters, wherein said plurality of ultraviolet-C radiation emitters are located in at least two places within an enclosed area to be treated, with each of two places remote from each other, and wherein said ultraviolet-C radiation emitters are directed towards an enclosed area to be treated;
- and
- (c) at least one radiation sensor which receives reflected ultraviolet-C radiation, wherein said radiation sensor measures said reflected ultraviolet-C radiation.
A method of sterilizing an area using ultraviolet radiation, comprising the steps of:
- (a) causing ultraviolet-C radiation to be emitted from multiple positions within an enclosed area;
- (b) measuring a cumulative reflection of ultraviolet-C radiation from each of the multiple positions within said enclosed area;
- (c) calculating an ultraviolet-C radiation reflectance level necessary to sterilize said enclosed area and comparing it with measured reflected ultraviolet-C radiation;
- and
- (d) terminating emission of ultraviolet-C radiation after determining that the required ultraviolet-C radiation reflectance level has been reflected from each of the multiple positions within said enclosed area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.