IT202000029279A1 - EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURE FOR SANITIZATION - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION of the industrial invention entitled: ?Equipment and procedure for sanitization?

Field of invention

The present invention relates to a sanitizing apparatus and method.

The invention ? been developed with particular regard, even if not limited, to an equipment for sanitizing surfaces and environments, for example to eliminate viruses, bacteria, fungi.

Technology background

The invention is placed in the field of individual health protection. The COVID-19 emergency has highlighted the need to further raise the levels of safety in all environments, both public and private, ensuring effective and safe sanitization of surfaces. The possibility? to ensure correct use of sanitizing equipment would ensure greater safety for everyone. Unfortunately, the correct use of sanitization equipment and compliance with effective sanitization procedures are entrusted to the initiative of the individual sanitation workers. Compliance with health protection rules and procedures and the risk of sanctions in the event of non-compliance with them can no longer be enforced. depend only on the training of employees and sporadic checks on compliance with procedures, but require an innovative solution that responds to the greater needs that are recognized in the sanitation sector, and more? safety in general.

Summary of the invention

A purpose of the invention? that of solving the problems indicated above and in particular providing equipment to sanitize surfaces more effective and safe. An additional purpose? to create an equipment to sanitize surfaces that is more? easy to use and reduces the risk of incomplete sanitization due to distraction, incompetence or human error. Another purpose? that of providing an economic, simple, reliable and safe device.

According to a first aspect, an equipment for sanitizing environments is described which can include a dispenser for? steam delivery with properties? disinfectants. An equipment for sanitizing environments is described which can include at least a tag reader, for example but not limited to an RFID or NFC tag. The tag reader can be configured to read data from at least one tag posted in the environment to be sanitized and to transmit and save said data on a digital register, preferably a remote digital register.

The digital register allows electronic data tracking which records and certifies the correct sanitization procedures, in compliance with the provisions of Legislative Decree 81/2008 on health and safety at work and the decrees relating to the containment of the COVID-19 anti-contagion measures in simple and safe way.

Through an app installed on a tablet or smartphone, or with a consultation program installed on other electronic devices, a qualified operator can identify and recognize the equipment through an IoT sensor.

In this way, when the sanitization procedures are started, a data processing platform records on a database and always makes available to authorized users, for example the employer or the competent control bodies, all the information useful to demonstrate have complied with the provisions of the law relating to the sanitization procedures of the environments.

According to an advantageous aspect, the digital register can include data including an identification number or name of an environment, the date and time of entry into said environment, acquired by the tag reader. The digital register can understand the date and time of leaving an environment.

According to one aspect, a sanitizing equipment can provide for a notification system in the event that a predefined time is exceeded since the last recorded sanitation.

According to a further aspect, a digital register can record an identification code of an operator in charge of the equipment, for example his name or a serial number.

According to a further aspect, a digital register can be configured to be accessible to an authorized operator via a portable connection device, to consult its data.

According to another aspect, a process for sanitizing a room with a room sanitizing apparatus is described. The procedure can understand the phase of moving the equipment within the environment. Can? include the step of reading, upon entering the environment, a tag affixed in said environment using the tag reader. The tag can contain an identification code, such as an identification number or name of the environment itself. The procedure can comprising the step of transmitting and saving on a digital register said environment identification number or name and the date and time of entry into said environment. The procedure can understand the phase of activating the dispenser. The procedure can comprising the step of reading, on leaving said environment, a tag affixed in said environment by means of the tag reader. The procedure can comprising the step of transmitting and saving on the digital register said environment identification number or name and the date and time of exit from said environment.

According to a further aspect, a system for sanitizing an environment is also described comprising an apparatus with some or all of the characteristics described and a digital register, in which the tag reader of the apparatus ? configured to read data from at least one tag posted in said environment and to transmit and save said data on the digital register.

The present invention therefore provides an evident advantage in terms of safety for the health of anyone who frequents rooms sanitized with the equipment for sanitizing surfaces. The safety manager of the environments in which ? used obtains a valid and effective tool to verify correct sanitization is carried out and at the same time also to certify that it has correctly complied with current regulations (for example in Italy Legislative Decree 81/08 and DCPM relating to the containment of COVID-19 anti-contagion measures ).

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description which follows of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the attached drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, which illustrate a sanitizing apparatus according to the invention and a system for monitoring said sanitation.

Detailed description

A sanitizing apparatus 10 comprises inside it a tank for a disinfectant, closed by a cap 12. The disinfectant can? contain benzalkonium chloride 10% w/w. The apparatus 10 further comprises a water tank and a heating system, capable of producing a steam with a disinfectant diluted for example at 3% or other proportions dictated by the manufacturer of the disinfectant. Preferably ? provided with an acoustic warning and/or a warning light 22 which signals when the quantity? of disinfectant solution? too small and ? need to top up the tank.

The sanitizing apparatus also comprises a dispenser 14 which delivers steam under pressure, for example at a pressure of 4.5 bar and at a temperature of, for example, 150°C. The dispenser? handy, ergonomic and light, specially designed for prolonged use by the operator and allows you to reach even the most difficult sites. difficult and hidden with a single sanitization step.

The disinfectant steam jet can be applied even at a distance of 50-60 cm from surfaces and this allows you to treat large surfaces quickly.

The use of dry steam at high temperature makes s? that sanitization with the equipment of the invention does not require any manual drying of the surfaces. Indeed, in a few seconds the dry steam evaporates, leaving the sanitized surfaces perfectly dry. This makes the premises and operational areas immediately reusable and therefore it is possible to carry out sanitization very frequently, for example between one patient and another in the case of use in a doctor's office.

The sanitization equipment ? mobile. ? mounted on wheels 16, preferably swiveling, to allow easy movement within an environment and movement from one environment to another. The wheels are equipped with a parking brake.

The sanitization equipment ? it is also equipped with a pressure gauge 18 which detects the pressure inside the boiler. A luminous indicator 20 indicates when the equipment is ready to use. From the moment of switching on via switch 24, it typically takes 15-20 minutes for the is the machine ready for? use, even if not ? excluded reduce the start-up time using for example a heating system of greater power.

The sanitization equipment ? also connected to a sanitation monitoring system. In greater detail, the equipment? equipped with at least one IoT sensor 26, configured to transmit and save data to a processor 50, which ? in turn configured to save the data received on a digital register 60, preferably remote. The IoT 26 sensor can be of different types and collect different data. They can also be present more? IoT sensors on the same equipment, which detect different characteristics, such as for example the pressure of the boiler, the quantity? of residual sterilizing solution, etc.

According to the particularly advantageous example shown, the IoT sensor 26 comprises a tag reader (RFID tag, chip or QR code) capable of reading a plurality of of tags posted in different rooms or areas to be sanitized regularly and containing information about the room, for example the room number. The operator who sanitizes can? what? approach the equipment to the various tags, which are read by the tag reader 26. The tag reader 26 then sends the data to the processor 50, which registers them on the register 60. Data which can be registered may include: name/number of the room, date and time of entry and exit from the room, time spent in the room, frequency of sanitization, quantity? of solution used, etc. The digital register 60, therefore, turns out to be a very useful tool for verifying that the disinfection is carried out correctly and for certifying it.

Can you? moreover, provide for the operators an identification card or other identification element, associated with another tag or chip, so? that it is also possible to associate the name of the operator with each disinfection carried out in register 60. Naturally ? It is also possible to identify the operator in another way, for example through a serial number or code to be entered with a keyboard.

The digital register 60 pu? be queried through a device 70 such as smartphone, tablet, PC. In the specific case of a company, the security manager can? access the registry, for example via remote query. The register ? preferably encrypted. Access can take place for example through a dedicated application, configured to allow reading of the register data. The registry allows so? to verify and certify that sanitization is carried out regularly, is carried out in each room in which it must be carried out and with the required frequency.

The reader ? preferably an NFC (Near Field Communication) tag reader. In fact, tags of this type can only be read closely, thus ensuring that the reading of the tag cannot be done remotely, with consequent greater robustness of the system and reliability? of the recorded data. Furthermore, they are very low cost.

In the images, the data processing device 50 ? depicted as an external and separate computer with respect to the sanitization equipment, however it could be internal to it without thereby leaving the scope of protection.

Alarm notifications can also be provided in the event that a certain time is exceeded without an environment having been sanitized.

To sanitize an environment with an equipment for sanitizing an environment as described above, proceed as follows. You move the equipment within the room. When entering the environment, the equipment is approached to a tag affixed in the environment itself, for example on the door sill. The tag reader 26 reads the tag, which contains an identification number or name of the environment itself. The data read are transmitted and saved on the digital register 60. Preferably the date and time of entry into said environment are also saved. The dispenser 14 is then activated, which is used to spray all the surfaces of the environment. At the end of the disinfection, when leaving the environment, a tag is read (possibly the same tag read at the entrance) and the date and time of exit from said environment are transmitted and saved on the digital register 60.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the embodiments and construction details may vary widely with respect to what has been described and illustrated, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. Apparatus for sanitizing an environment comprising a dispenser (14) for dispensing disinfectant steam and at least one tag reader (26) configured to read data from at least one tag affixed in said environment and to transmit and save said data on a digital register (60). 2. Apparatus for sanitizing an environment according to claim 1 wherein the digital register (60) comprises data including an identification number or name of an environment, the date and time of entry into said environment, acquired by the tag reader ( 26). 3. Apparatus for sanitizing an environment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the digital register (60) comprises the date and time of exit from an environment. 4. Apparatus for sanitizing an environment according to claim 2 or 3 which further provides a notification system in the event that a predefined time is exceeded from the last recorded sanitation. 5. Apparatus for sanitizing an environment according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the digital register (60) also records the name or serial number of an operator who operates the apparatus. 6. Apparatus for sanitizing an environment according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said digital register ? configured to be accessible to an authorized operator via a portable connection device, to consult its data. 7. Process for sanitizing an environment with an equipment for sanitizing an environment according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: - move the equipment within the room, - upon entering the environment, read a tag affixed in said environment using the tag reader (26), containing an identification number or name of the environment itself, - transmitting and saving on a digital register (60) said room identification number or name and the date and time of entry into said room, - activating the dispenser (14). 8. Process for sanitizing an environment according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of: - reading, on leaving said environment, by means of the tag reader (26) a tag affixed in said environment e - transmitting and saving on the digital register (60) the date and time of exit from said environment. 9. System for sanitizing an environment comprising an apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and a register (60), in which the tag reader ? configured to read data from at least one tag posted in said environment and to transmit and save said data on the digital register.