CN112041513A

CN112041513A - Self-disinfection type trap

Info

Publication number: CN112041513A
Application number: CN201980024705.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·特克尔森
Original assignee: Dorfen Care
Current assignee: Dorfen Care
Priority date: 2018-04-11
Filing date: 2019-03-22
Publication date: 2020-12-04
Also published as: JP2021521360A; KR20200141466A; AU2019251638A1; EP3775413A1; CA3093184A1; WO2019197137A1; US20210207350A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a self-disinfecting trapway for use in a lavatory with a drain comprising a housing having a top and a bottom, the housing defining an interior space adapted to hold a water spot.

Description

Self-disinfection type trap

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a self-disinfecting trapway for a lavatory, for example, in a hospital setting. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of disinfecting water from a wash basin, such as a wash basin in a hospital facility. The invention also relates to the use of such a self-disinfecting trap. In addition, a lavatory system is described and claimed.

Background

Drainage in wash basins, particularly traps, are the most heavily contaminated areas of the home, particularly hospitals. This trap is considered a serious source of contamination, especially in hospitals, where it is transmitting multidrug-resistant bacteria to patients.

Disclosure of Invention

The present inventors have recognized a need for improving the environment around wash basins and sinks of hospital facilities, particularly hospital wards and lavatories used by patients, staff and sick explorers/relatives in hospitals. Similar needs also exist when, but not limited to, ordinary homes and public areas with washing facilities are involved.

The present invention relates to a self-disinfecting trap for a lavatory with a drain (drain), the trap comprising a housing having a top and a bottom, the housing defining an interior space adapted to hold a water spot, wherein

(i) The top portion having a first opening configured to engage in a fluid-tight manner with a drain of the wash basin, optionally via a hollow inlet pipe, and a second opening configured to engage in a fluid-tight manner with a hollow outlet pipe for discharging waste water;

(ii) the bottom is adapted to receive and maintain a UVC light source in a liquid-tight manner, wherein the UVC light source, when in operation, radiates the water present and the entire interior space.

In one embodiment, the UVC light source is adapted to radiate all of the water spot and all of the interior space.

In another embodiment, the self-disinfecting trap of the present invention comprises a hollow inlet tube having a first end and an opposite second end that are both open, wherein the first end extends into the interior space of the housing and is adapted to extend below the second opening in the top, and the second end is configured to engage the drain of the lavatory in a fluid-tight manner.

In yet another embodiment, the self-disinfecting trap of the present invention includes a hollow outlet pipe that is open at both a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the first end extends into the second opening in the top and the second end is adapted to discharge waste water.

In another embodiment, the self-disinfecting trap of the present invention includes a UVC light source. Preferably, the UVC light source is adapted to provide UVC light at 254 nm. Although there may be 2 or 3 UVC lamps, due to limitations, it is preferred to provide one UVC lamp providing 254nm UVC light. Preferably, and in order to provide the most efficient UVC light source, the UVC lamp is centrally located at the bottom of the housing.

In another embodiment, the base is adapted to receive the UVC light source through an opening configured to receive the UVC light source and retain it in a fluid-tight manner.

In another embodiment, the base is adapted to receive the UVC light source through two opposing openings, each configured to receive the UVC light source and retain it in a fluid-tight manner.

In another embodiment, the UVC light source is coated with a nano-coating that is not absorbed by UVC light.

In another embodiment, all parts of the trapway are made of metal, such as an alloy (e.g., brass), optionally chrome plated.

In another embodiment, all interior portions (surfaces) of the trapway are smooth to reduce biofilm formation.

In another embodiment, all interior portions of the trapway are irradiated by the UVC light source.

In another embodiment, the housing is substantially cylindrical.

In another embodiment, the top and bottom portions are removable and connectable in a fluid-tight manner.

In another embodiment, the bottom portion comprises a detachable lid or plug connected in a fluid-tight manner, which is adapted to remove the water spot.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of sanitizing water in a lavatory having a drain, the method comprising providing a self-sanitizing trapway of the invention and any of the embodiments described above, and connecting the trapway to the drain of the lavatory and adapting an outlet pipe to discharge waste water.

In another aspect, the invention relates to the use of the self-disinfecting trapway of the invention and any of the above embodiments to reduce microorganisms in a sink drain and the trapway.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a lavatory system having a lavatory and a drain, the system comprising (a) the self-disinfecting trapway of the present invention and any of the above embodiments, and (b) a drain adapted for fluid-tight connection with a hollow inlet tube, wherein the inlet tube is made of a metal (e.g., an alloy) and has a smooth inner surface adapted to be exposed to UVC light from the trapway.

In an embodiment, the drain comprises a filter element integrated in the wash basin, the filter element being adapted to receive a plug for retaining water in the wash basin, wherein the filter element has a plurality of openings for the passage of water. In another embodiment, the plurality of openings of the filter are adapted to efficiently drain water from the wash basin and reduce light from the UVC light source by at least 30%, such as at least 50%.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and from the claims.

Detailed Description

Studies of the decontamination efficacy of trap with ultraviolet-c (uvc) light have been conducted in hospital settings. This completed study showed that the trap was able to decontaminate very cleanly and effectively and reduce the number of bacteria very effectively. Moreover, studies have shown that removal of the trap of the present invention results in rapid contamination. The present invention relates to a trap device of the self-disinfecting type and which can be used in sanitary installations. Due to the specific configuration of the trapway and the location of the UVC light source in the trapway, the trapway assembly of the present invention is effective in removing microorganisms, including bacteria. UVC light purification of the trapway is a viable additional measure to prevent the spread of multi-drug resistant water bacteria from the wash basin to immunocompromised patients.

The invention provides these advantages with the described solution.

The present invention relates to a self-disinfecting trapway for a sink having a drain. Things such as wash basins can be found in both residential homes as well as in public areas (e.g. washrooms/toilets), but in hospitals, contamination can severely affect all areas of the hospital.

The trapway of the present invention comprises a housing having a top and a bottom, the housing defining an interior space adapted to hold a water spot, and the top and bottom may be formed in two parts or may be considered as one housing, wherein the top and bottom are used only to indicate which half of the housing is referenced.

The top has a first opening configured to engage a drain of the lavatory in a fluid-tight manner. It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that for making such a connection fluid-tight, for example a threaded connection may alternatively be used, although other solutions are also possible. Sometimes, a connecting pipe is required between the open top of the trapway and the distance of the sink drain, the length of which depends on the distance. The connecting tube is a hollow inlet tube made of metal (e.g., an alloy).

The top also has a second opening configured to engage in a liquid-tight manner with a hollow outlet pipe for discharging the waste water, and typically is located to one side of the top, so as to easily connect the opening to another pipe that leads the waste water to another location, such as a sewer.

The bottom is adapted to receive and maintain a UVC light source in a liquid-tight manner, wherein the UVC light source, when in operation, radiates the water present and the entire interior space. The UVC light source is adapted to radiate the entire water spot and all interior space. The UVC light source is located in a confined space that extends to the bottom so that it will irradiate all of the interior space of the trapway during maintenance, including any hollow inlet tube. Typically, the UVC light source will extend from an inner wall of the base to an opposite inner wall of the base when implemented and in use. Preferably, the UVC light source is adapted to provide UVC light at a wavelength of 254nm, as experiments have shown that beyond this wavelength the effectiveness will be greatly reduced. Although there may be 2 or 3 UVC lamps, one UVC lamp is preferably provided to provide UVC light at 254nm due to limitations. Preferably, and in order to provide the most efficient UVC light source, the UVC lamp is centrally located at the bottom of the housing. Thus, the UVC lamp is centrally located and extends the entire distance from one inner wall to the opposite inner wall. The bottom is adapted to receive the UVC light source through one opening configured to receive the UVC light source and hold it in a fluid-tight manner, however, in order to make the trapway easier to use and easier to adapt to different situations and locations of the lavatory, the bottom is adapted to receive the UVC light source through two opposing openings each configured to receive the UVC light source and hold it in a fluid-tight manner.

The UVC lamp is covered by glass (also referred to as a sleeve) for protecting the UVC source, and to further protect the glass, a nanocoating is preferably coated on the entire surface of the glass. Preferably, the UVC light source is coated with a nano-coating that is not absorbed by UVC light. The nanocoating is used to reduce calcium deposition on the exterior of the glass defining the UVC lamp. The nano-coating keeps water out and prevents water from binding to the glass surface. Thus, calcium is not bound to the nanocoating, with the result that no calcium is formed, which ensures a sustained effective UVC light in the trapway. Pure glass surfaces without a nano-coating may form calcium carbonate on the glass in areas with hard water, which will result in a reduction in UVC radiation efficiency over a prolonged period of use.

Typically, the nano-scale covering may be made of a mixture of carbon hydrogen and silicon dioxide. SiO 2₂Chemically bonded to the glass surface. The nano-coating is applied by spraying, but dipping and other application means are also contemplated. The nanocoating coating is applied to the sleeve glass to form a uniformly distributed coating on the glass that is relatively thin, and typically, UVC lamps are protected by a 20.5mm closed/domed quartz sleeve that protects against air and water currents, cracking, leakage, temperature fluctuations, and environmental hazards. The wavelength of the UVC light emitted by the lamp is 254nm and since the nanocoating is not absorbing at this wavelength, the effectiveness of the UVC lamp is not affected.

The optional hollow inlet pipe for the top first opening is made of metal and is adjustable during installation under the sink. For optimum function, the first end of the hollow inlet pipe should extend into the interior space of the housing so that the first end extends below the second opening of the top to avoid complications during use and to ensure proper functioning of the trapway.

The second opening of the top is usually equipped with an outlet pipe which projects from the opening to a point where the waste water can be discharged. Such a second tube may be made of any material, such as plastic or metal, but when the trapway of the present invention is made of metal, it is preferred to also make the top of the inlet tube of metal.

As used herein, the term "metal" refers to any metal by itself or a mixture of metals (e.g., an alloy, typically brass). Then, optionally, a metal such as brass is chrome plated.

The formation of biofilm can lead to contamination of the interior space of the housing and different parts, such as the hollow inlet pipe extending from the first and second openings at the top, and it is therefore preferred to smooth all interior parts (surfaces) of the trap to reduce the formation of biofilm.

Typically, the housing is substantially cylindrical. The top and bottom of the housing may be removable and attachable in a fluid-tight manner, or the bottom may include a removable cap or plug attached in a fluid-tight manner, suitable for removing water traps. Such a cap or plug is placed in the lowermost part of the bottom to make the removal of the water spot easy and simple to handle.

In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of disinfecting water in a lavatory having a drain, the method comprising: the self-disinfecting trap of the present invention and any one of the above embodiments are provided, as well as a drain that connects the trap to a sink and regulates the outlet pipe for waste water. It should be understood that each of the embodiments described above in connection with the self-disinfecting trap of the present invention are also intended as embodiments relating to the water disinfecting method of the present invention.

In another aspect, the invention relates to the use of the self-disinfecting trapway of the invention and any of the above embodiments to reduce microorganisms in a sink drain and the trapway. It should be understood that each of the embodiments described above in connection with the self-disinfecting trap of the present invention are also intended as embodiments relating to the use of the self-disinfecting trap of the present invention.

In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a lavatory system having a lavatory and a drain, the system comprising: (a) the self-disinfecting trapway of the present invention and any one of the above embodiments, and (b) a drain adapted to be fluidly connected to a hollow inlet tube, wherein the inlet tube is made of a metal (e.g., an alloy) and has a smooth inner surface adapted to be exposed to UVC light from the trapway. It should be understood that each of the embodiments described above in connection with the self-disinfecting trapway of the present invention are also intended as embodiments of a lavatory system in relation to the present invention.

The drain typically has a filter element integrated in the wash basin, which is adapted to receive a plug for retaining water in the wash basin, wherein the filter element has a plurality of openings for the passage of water. The openings in the filter should be sufficient to drain water from the wash basin during use, while the openings should also reduce light from the UVC light source by at least 30%, such as at least 40%, at least 50%, or at least 60%.

The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the trapway of the present invention are shown.

These drawings do not limit the scope of the invention and are only intended to guide the skilled person in a better understanding of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a trapway (10) of the present invention having a top (14) and bottom (16) and an interior space (not shown). The top and bottom portions form a housing (12). The top portion (14) has a first opening (18) and a second opening (22), wherein the first opening (18) is defined by a connecting element (20) which is engageable with a drain or connecting tube of the lavatory, such as a hollow inner tube (not shown) extending from the lavatory. The second opening (22) extends through a pipe connection (24), which pipe connection (24) is provided with a threaded inner part (26) for engaging in a fluid-tight manner with a pipe extension (not shown) leading waste water to a sewer. At the bottom two duct extensions (30, 34) are provided, arranged opposite each other, wherein the first duct extension (30) has an opening (28) adapted to receive a UVC lamp. On the other side, the other duct extension (34) has a similar opening (not shown) adapted to receive a UVC lamp. Thus, in this embodiment, UVC lamps may be inserted and mounted in both openings of the duct extensions (30, 34). The small connections (32, 36) are outlets for grounding during use.

Fig. 2 shows a similar trapway (40) as in fig. 1, seen from the side of the second opening (44) of the top (42). The respective top (42) and bottom (46) are the same as (14, 16) of fig. 1. The top (52) of the top portion (42) is opposite the bottom (54) of the bottom portion (46). At the bottom, two duct extensions (48, 50) are positioned opposite each other, wherein the duct extensions (48, 50) have an opening (not shown) adapted to receive a UVC lamp as shown in fig. 1. The small connections (56, 58) are outlets for grounding during use.

Fig. 3 shows the same trapway (40) as fig. 2, and is shown in a cross-sectional view taken along line a-a. The roof (52) has a threaded portion for engaging with a drain, optionally through a hollow inner tube (not shown). The top portion (42) has a duct extension (62) with a second opening (44) and an interior space (66) is shown. This portion (60) represents an opening in the bottom (46) into which UVC lamps are introduced for use during operation of the trapway, also shown at the duct extensions (48, 50) in fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows the same trapway (40) as fig. 2, and is shown in a cross-sectional view from top to bottom taken along line B-B. A cylindrical interior space (66) is shown with the bottom (46) surrounding the interior space (66) and with the openings (68, 70) in the pipe extensions (48, 50) centrally located and opposite one another. The opening is adapted to receive and retain the UVC lamp in a fluid-tight manner. The small connections (56, 58) are outlets for grounding during use.

Fig. 5 shows a different shaped embodiment of the trapway (80) having a top (84) and bottom (96) and an interior space (not shown). The top and bottom portions form a housing (92). The top (84) has a first opening (82) and a second opening (86), wherein the first opening (82) is defined by a connecting element engageable with a drain of the wash basin or with a connecting tube extending from the wash basin. The second opening (86) extends through a pipe connection (86), which pipe connection (86) is equipped with a threaded inner part (not shown) for engaging in a fluid-tight manner with a pipe extension (not shown) leading waste water to a sewer. In the bottom portion (96), a duct extension (94) is visible from the end into which the UVC lamp is inserted, and the duct extension (94) has an opening (94) adapted to receive the UVC lamp. Thus, in this embodiment, the UVC lamp may be inserted and installed in only one opening. The top (84) and bottom (96) are shown spaced apart, and the inner tube/tube (88) is visible at the assembly between the junctions (90) of the top (84) and bottom (96) for securing the fluid-tight housing during use. The small connector (98) is an outlet for grounding during use.

Fig. 6 shows the same trapway (80) as fig. 5, and is shown in a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C. The hollow inner tube or pipe (88) may be considered herein as extending from a top opening (102) of the top (84) to a location (104) (not shown) below a second opening of the top. The interior space is shown as (100) and in the bottom (96), the UVC lamp (94) is shown held in the bottom (96) of the housing (92). An open opposite end (104) with an inserted UVC lamp (94) extends from one side of the base to the housing to secure and retain the UVC lamp during use.

Fig. 7 shows the same trapway (80) as fig. 5, and is shown in a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D. It can be seen that UVC lamps (94) are centrally located and extend from both sides of the bottom of the housing to ensure that the interior space (100) and the trap water and part of the trap or trap system is fully exposed to UVC.

Fig. 8 shows a filter element (110) having a top (112) and an opposite bottom (114), where the bottom is an opening for engaging the trapway, and the top (112) contains several small openings (122, 124, 126) for water in the sink to flow out and into the trapway. The top has a rim portion (120), the rim portion (120) being circumferential (not shown) and adapted to fit into a sink drain. The interior space (118) defines a hollow space for water to flow through when the sink is in use, and the filter (110) is defined by a wall (116), the wall (116) defining a plumbing extension (not shown) extending from the top into the trapway.

Fig. 9 shows the filter element (110) of fig. 8 from a top perspective. As shown in this embodiment, the top portion contains seven small openings (122, 124, 126, 130, 132, 134, 136) for allowing water in the sink to flow out and into the trapway. The top has a peripheral edge portion (120) and a peripheral inner line (128) shows a small groove for introducing water into the small opening (122, 124, 126, 130, 132, 134, 136).

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

All headings and sub-headings are used herein for convenience only and should not be construed as limiting the invention in any way.

Any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. Unless otherwise indicated, all exact values provided herein are representative of corresponding approximate values (e.g., all exact exemplary values provided for a particular fold or measurement can be considered to also provide a corresponding approximate measurement and modified by "about" where appropriate).

All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar referents in the context of describing the invention is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Thus, "a," "an," and "the" can mean at least one, or one or more.

The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention unless explicitly described as such.

Throughout the specification, when "selecting from" or "selected from the group consisting of" is used, it also means all possible combinations of the terms and all individual terms.

The citation and incorporation of patent documents herein is done for convenience only and does not reflect any view of the validity, patentability, and/or enforceability of such patent documents.

The description herein of any aspect or embodiment of the invention, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context, uses terms such as "comprising," having, "" including, "or" containing "with respect to one or more elements are intended to provide support for similar aspects or embodiments that" consist of, "" consist essentially of, "or" comprise substantially of one or more particular elements. Embodiments of the invention with respect to the particular element (e.g., a composition described herein as comprising a particular element should be understood to also describe compositions consisting of that element unless otherwise indicated or clearly contradicted by context).

The features disclosed in the foregoing description may be used alone or in any combination thereof to practice the invention in its various forms.

Experimental results

Newly developed UV-C purification devices for lavatory traps (see fig. 1-9) were installed on four separate lavatory basins (HygLab, 211, 103A and 200B).

Experiment design:

in both wash basins, the UV-C lamp was active, while both wash basins were used as controls that were not exposed to UV-C (part 1). After eight weeks, the experiment was exchanged, using the initial UV-C active wash basin as a control, and exposing the initial control wash basin to UV-C light (section 2), see table 1.

TABLE 1

	Part 1	Section 2
			Number of days	0-58	59-95
Activation of UV-C	HygLab、211	103A and 200B
			Control	103A and 200B	HygLab、211

Hyglab refers to a sink in a sanitary laboratory, while 211, 103A and 200B are specific sinks in different toilets in a hospital facility.

Collection and identification of samples:

swabs were removed from the top and bottom of the sink drain weekly and grown on blood agar and lactose agar plates. The bacteria were semi-quantitative.

Water was collected from the trap weekly and serially diluted 10-fold to determine total bacteria count (CFU/mL).

Identification of bacterial colonies by MALDI-TOF MS technique

Bacterial count (CFU/mL):

in part 1 and 2 of the experiment, a significant reduction in the bacterial count of the UV-C active trap within the first week was observed compared to the control wash basin. In part 2 of the experiment, the bacterial count in the UV-C active trap was reduced by 106-fold (see Table 2).

Overall, a significant difference in bacterial counts was observed between the traps exposed to UV-C light and the control traps throughout the experiment.

During the first two weeks of experiment part 2, the bacterial count in the new control trap increased significantly to a level similar to the control trap in experiment part 1 (see table 2).

TABLE 2

The species identified:

UV-C decontamination reduces the total number of different bacteria identified in the trap exposed to UV-C light (UV-C active-5; control-9).

After discontinuing exposure to UV-C light, the total number of species identified increased.

Under UV-C irradiation, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram negative intestinal symbiotic bacteria (Gram negative intestinal commensals) disappeared, while Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Stenotrophoromonas maltophilia) was evident.

Claims

1. A self-disinfecting trapway for a lavatory having a drain, the trapway comprising a housing having a top and a bottom, the housing defining an interior space adapted to hold a water spot, wherein,

(i) the top portion having a first opening configured to engage in a fluid-tight manner with a drain of a lavatory, optionally via a hollow inlet pipe, and a second opening configured to engage in a fluid-tight manner with a hollow outlet pipe for discharging waste water;

(ii) the bottom is adapted to receive and maintain a UVC light source in a liquid-tight manner, wherein the UVC light source, when in operation, radiates the water spot and the entire interior space.

2. The self-disinfecting trap of claim 1, wherein the UVC light source is adapted to radiate all traps and all interior spaces.

3. The self-disinfecting trap of claim 1 or 2, comprising the hollow inlet tube having a first end and an opposing second end, both of which are open, wherein the first end extends into the interior space of the housing and is adapted to extend below the second opening of the top, and the second end is configured to engage in a fluid-tight manner with a drain of the lavatory.

4. The self-disinfecting trap of any one of claims 1-3, comprising the hollow outlet pipe having a first end and an opposing second end, both of which are open, wherein the first end extends into the second opening of the top, and the second end is adapted to discharge waste water.

5. The self-disinfecting trap of any one of claims 1-4, comprising a UVC light source.

6. The self-disinfecting trap of claim 5, wherein the UVC light source is adapted to provide UVC light at 254 nm.

7. The self-disinfecting trapway of claim 6, wherein the UVC light source is a UVC lamp providing UVC light at 254 nm.

8. The self-disinfecting trapway of claim 7, wherein the UVC lamp is centrally located on the bottom of the housing.

9. The self-disinfecting trapway of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the bottom is adapted to receive the UVC light source through an opening configured to receive the UVC light source and retain the UVC light source in a fluid-tight manner.

10. The self-disinfecting trapway of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the bottom is adapted to receive the UVC light source through two opposing openings, each configured to receive the UVC light source and retain the UVC light source in a fluid-tight manner.

11. The self-disinfecting trapway of any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the UVC light source is coated with a nano-cover that is not absorbed by the UVC light.

12. The self-disinfecting trap of any one of claims 1-11, wherein all parts of the trap are made of metal, e.g. an alloy, such as brass, optionally chrome-plated.

13. The self-disinfecting trap of any one of claims 1-12, wherein all interior portions of the trap are smooth to reduce biofilm formation.

14. The self-disinfecting trap of any one of claims 5-13, wherein all interior portions of the trap are irradiated by the UVC light source.

15. The self-disinfecting trap of any one of claims 1-14, wherein the housing is substantially cylindrical.

16. The self-disinfecting trapway of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the top and bottom are removable and connectable in a fluid-tight manner.

17. The self-disinfecting trap of any one of claims 1-16, wherein the bottom comprises a removable cap or plug connected in a fluid-tight manner, adapted to exclude the water trap.

18. A method of disinfecting water in a lavatory having a drain, the method comprising providing a self-disinfecting trapway according to any one of claims 1 to 17 and connecting the trapway to the sink drain and adapting the outlet pipe to discharge waste water.

19. Use of the self-disinfecting trapway according to any one of claims 1 to 18 to reduce microorganisms in washbasin drains and trapways.

20. A lavatory system having a lavatory and a drain, the system comprising: (a) the self-disinfecting trapway of any one of claims 1 to 18, and (b) a drain adapted for fluid-tight connection with a hollow inlet tube, wherein the inlet tube is made of metal and has a smooth inner surface adapted to be exposed to UVC light from the trapway.

21. The lavatory as recited in claim 20 wherein the drain comprises a filter element integrated into the lavatory adapted to receive a plug for retaining water in the lavatory, wherein the filter element has a plurality of openings for passage of water.

22. The lavatory as recited in claim 21 wherein the plurality of openings of the filter are adapted to effectively drain water from the lavatory and reduce light from the UVC light source by at least 30%, such as at least 50%.