US 8,617,479 B2Granted

Foot/footwear sterilization system

AssigneeHepco Medical, LLC

InventorsPatricia Carol Gil, Asher Gil, Daniel Gil, Norman D. Knoth

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A foot/shoe sanitizing system includes a housing having at least one opening and a set of foot/shoe support bars coupled to the housing in proximity to the at least one opening. The foot/shoe support bars support a foot or shoe placed through the opening(s). At least one ultraviolet emitting device is supported within the housing beneath the set of foot/shoe support bars. The ultraviolet emitting devices direct ultraviolet light around and/or through the set of foot/shoe support bars towards the foot or shoe placed on the foot/shoe support bars. The ultraviolet emitting devices are controllably powered by a source of power to emit ultraviolet light. In a preferred embodiment, the ultraviolet emitting device emits light that includes short wavelength ultraviolet light, causing the formation of ozone in the area of the shoe, thereby killing pathogens that are not easily killed with ultraviolet light alone.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A foot/shoe sanitizing system comprising:

a housing having at least one opening;
a set of foot/shoe support bars coupled to the housing in proximity to the at least one opening(s), the foot/shoe support bars for supporting an object placed in the sanitizing system, at least one of set of the foot/shoe support bars allows ultraviolet light to pass from the at least one ultraviolet emitting device through the at least one of the set of the foot/shoe support bars and onto the object;
at least one ultraviolet emitting device supported within the housing beneath the set of foot/shoe support bars, the at least one ultraviolet emitting device directing ultraviolet light towards the set of foot/shoe support bars;
and
a source of power interfaced to each of the at least one ultraviolet emitting device, the source of power operatively powering each of the at least one ultraviolet emitting device, thereby the at least one ultraviolet emitting device emits ultraviolet light;
and a means for shrouding, the means for shrouding reducing emission of ultraviolet light from the at least one opening.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/709,350Filed 10 Dec 2012 · continuation in part
Priority: 20 Aug 2010
Published: US 2013/0101461 A125 Apr 2013
Granted: 31 Dec 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

A61L 2/10
Radiation: ultraviolet [UV] radiation
A61L 2103/50
Materials or objects being the target of disinfection or sterilisation: textiles, e.g. bedwear or towels
A61L 2202/14
Apparatus features: means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers,…
A61L
Methods or apparatus for sterilising materials or objects in general

Family

Application12/860,721Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 20 Aug 2010
Application61/570,245Us provisional application · filed 13 Dec 2011
US 2013/0101461 A1Pre-grant publication · published 25 Apr 2013
US 2012/0045363 A1Published application
US 8,624,202 B2Related patent
US 8,617,479 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.