DK202070361A1

DK202070361A1 - Mobile disinfecting apparatus

Info

Publication number: DK202070361A1
Application number: DKPA202070361A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Kennedy Alexander; w wood David; Graham Andrew
Original assignee: Nilfisk Inc
Priority date: 2020-05-22
Filing date: 2020-06-08
Publication date: 2021-08-31

Abstract

The invention relates to a mobile disinfecting apparatus comprising a UV lamp, the UV lamp having a known wavelength(s) and the UV lamp having a known minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate at a known distance from an object to be disinfected; a frame for supporting the UV lamp; one or more wheels connected to said frame for facilitating movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus along the object to the disinfected; at least one steering means for facilitating movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus at a controlled speed along the object to be disinfected; and a controller arranged to control the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, wherein the controller is arranged to set a maximum speed of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus when the mobile disinfecting apparatus is in operation, said maximum speed being determined by use of a minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate of the UV lamp.

Description

DK 2020 70361 A1 1

MOBILE DISINFECTING APPARATUS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mobile disinfecting apparatus. Especially, the invention relates to a mobile disinfecting apparatus using UV light for disinfection.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many places, such as schools, hospitals, airports, public areas, malls, supermarkets, shops, different production industries, there is a need for regular cleaning and maybe even disinfection of touch points or floors, often having a large area. In general, in order to avoid spread of bacteria and viruses, it is advantageous to be able to disinfect areas that many people walk on as well as surfaces being touched by many people. US8481985 discloses an apparatus for disinfecting and sterilizing all types of surfaces and indoor air and room air contaminated with microorganisms. The improved apparatus consists of a multi-wavelength narrow spectral width UV source that is more effective than mercury based 254 nm germicidal lamps for destroying the DNA and outer shell or membrane of virus, bacteria, spores and cists. FIG. 8b of US8481985 illustrates a disinfectant apparatus in the form of a dual-single line lamp located inside the forward compartment of a vacuum cleaner or floor cleaning machine where the dual-single line lamp has a reflector as well as a box, wheels, and a handle. Although different types of UV discharge lamps or UV sources, in short UV lamps, have been investigated to provide UV disinfection for different application, little has been done to provide mobile systems. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to develop mobile disinfecting apparatus improving the utilization of UV lamps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The following description of various embodiments of mobile disinfecting apparatus is not to be construed in any way as limiting the subject matter of the appended claims.

DK 2020 70361 A1 2 Embodiments of mobile disinfecting apparatus comprise - a UV lamp, the UV lamp having known wavelength(s) and the UV lamp having a known minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate at a known distance from an object to be disinfected, - a frame for supporting the UV lamp; - one or more wheels connected to said frame for facilitating movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus along the object to the disinfected; - at least one steering means for facilitating movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus at a controlled speed along the object to be disinfected; - A controller arranged to control the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, wherein the controller is arranged to set a maximum speed of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus when the mobile disinfecting apparatus is in operation, said maximum speed being determined by use of a minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate of the UV lamp.

Note that the UV lamp of claim 1 could e.g. be a disinfectant apparatus of US8481985.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The apparatus and method according to the invention will now be described in more detail with regard to the accompanying figures. The figures show one way of implementing the present invention and is not to be construed as being limiting to other possible embodiments falling within the scope of the attached claim set. FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a cleaning apparatus with a UV lamp attached at the rear end, close to the floor, FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of a mobile disinfecting apparatus handled by an operator, FIGs. 3a and 3b are schematic drawings illustrating another embodiment of a mobile disinfecting apparatus handled by an operator, and

DK 2020 70361 A1 3 Figs. 4a and 4b are schematic drawings illustrating other embodiments of a mobile disinfecting apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERREDE EMBODIMENTS As will be set forth in more detail below, the apparatuses and features described herein are not limited to the depictions in the drawings, including that the UV lamps are not restricted to "horizontal" and "vertical" positions. Furthermore, it is noted that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale in that particular features may be drawn to a larger scale than other features to emphasize their characteristics. Each of the apparatuses described herein includes a UV lamp configured to generate ultraviolet light and, thus, the apparatuses described herein are sometimes referred to as "ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatuses." In some embodiments, the discharge lamp of a mobile disinfecting apparatus may be further configured to generate other ranges of light, but such configurations will not deter from the reference of the apparatuses described herein as "ultraviolet discharge lamp apparatuses" of from the UV source to be denoted "UV lamp” or "UV discharge lamp”.

The mobile disinfecting apparatus described herein comprises: - a UV lamp, the UV lamp having a known wavelength(s) and the UV lamp having a known minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate at a known distance from an object to be disinfected, - a frame for supporting the UV lamp; - one or more wheels connected to said frame for facilitating movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus along the object to the disinfected; - at least one steering means for facilitating movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus at a controlled speed along the object to be disinfected; - A controller arranged to control the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, wherein the controller is arranged to set a maximum speed of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus when the mobile disinfecting apparatus is in operation, said maximum speed being determined by use of a minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate of the UV lamp.

DK 2020 70361 A1 4 The term “steering means” is meant to denote any suitable means for facilitating the movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, either by an operator or autonomously. Thus, the steering means could e.g. be a steering wheel, a handle for movement by an operator, or a programmable or remotely controllable controller for autonomous movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus. A minimum exposure time for the UV lamp will be used to limit the speed of the movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus whilst it is in operation. Here, the term "in operation” means that the UV lamp emits UV light for disinfection. Thus, when the mobile disinfecting apparatus is moved from a first area to a second area without the need for disinfecting objects on the path from the first to the second area, the UV lamp may be turned off and/or the mobile disinfecting apparatus is not in operation for disinfecting, and therefore the speed of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus need not be limited to a maximum speed. The mobile disinfecting apparatus is arranged to determine the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, e.g. by a wheel encoder, a sensor, determining the speed by Pulse Width Modulation analysis on parameters of a drive motor of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, or an encoder on the motor. Alternatively, the mobile disinfecting apparatus may comprise mechanical means for limiting the speed thereof when the UV lamp is in operation. The UV lamp is positioned or positionable to emit light from the mobile disinfecting apparatus to a region exterior to the mobile disinfecting apparatus. Such a region may be the floor, objects mounted on a wall, objects mounted on a floor or hanging objects.

Different wavelengths of UV light have different minimum exposure times, depending e.g. on the wavelength itself, the intensity of the UV light, the distance from the UV lamp to a surface to be disinfected and on the disinfecting rate desired. Here the term “disinfecting rate” is meant to denote the percentage of germs, bacteria, vira, etc. to be eliminated. The minimum exposure time is the time needed to achieve a given disinfecting rate at a given distance. For a moving UV lamp, the minimum exposure time is the minimum time that the UV lamp must be exposed to a point on a surface at a distance equal to or less than the distance necessary to achieve the desired disinfecting rate as the UV lamp approaches and then moves away from that point. The distance from the UV lamp to the object to be disinfected may be seen as the average distance from the

DK 2020 70361 A1 exterior of the UV lamp, such as a UV bulb, to the object to be disinfected, along the length of the lamp. The frame supporting the UV lamp and having one or more wheels can be any 5 suitable construction or size necessary to support and transport the UV lamp. The mobile disinfecting apparatus can be manually operated or autonomous. A three- wheeled or four-wheeled steerable mobile disinfecting apparatus will provide good stability, but other configurations may be suitable. In a manually operated embodiment, the mobile disinfecting apparatus may comprise a transaxle having two wheels, and one or two steerable castors. In one autonomous embodiment there is e.g. a single steerable monowheel and two support wheels on a common axis. Other vehicle embodiments may include walk-behind or rider floor scrubber. The UV lamp can be suspended from or mounted to the mobile disinfecting apparatus. Thus, in the case where the UV lamp is integrated with a cleaning machine, the shape and/or size of the mobile disinfecting apparatus may substantially correspond to the shape and/or size of a cleaning machine without a UV lamp. In particular, no specific support wheels or casters from a cleaning machine is needed if the UV lamp is to be retrofitted.

The lamp may be adjustable in height and/or direction, manually or automatically. Moreover, the UV lamp may have a retracted storage and/or transport position and another position for when the mobile disinfecting apparatus is in operation for disinfecting. The mobile disinfecting apparatus may comprise an actuator for changing between a raised and a lowered position of the UV lamp. The controller arranged to control the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus is set or programmed such that, dependent on the known disinfecting rate of the UV lamp, it controls in a continuous way the speed with which the mobile disinfecting apparatus moves forward along an object to be disinfected. Hereby, it is ensured that the mobile disinfecting apparatus does not move too fast to ensure sufficient exposure time of the object to be disinfected. Controllers for controlling the speed of an electric vehicle are well known and may include for example pulse width modulation. It is noted, that selecting a lower disinfecting rate will result in a faster allowable speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus whilst a higher

DK 2020 70361 A1 6 disinfecting rate will result in a slower allowable speed of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus.

The mobile disinfecting apparatus may further comprise input means for selecting the disinfecting rate of the mobile disinfecting apparatus.

Thereby, a user may indicate the desired disinfecting rate of the mobile disinfecting apparatus.

The UV lamp may be equipped with an adjustable reflecting mirror and thereby be arranged to emit UV light in a more spacious manner or in a narrower manner, thus influencing the disinfecting rate.

The disinfecting rate will depend on the minimum exposure time needed to achieve a specific reduction at a specific distance and will be specific to the type of UV lamp used.

In the case where the UV lamp comprises an adjustable reflecting mirror, the intensity of UV light output from the UV lamp should be fed back to the controller for controlling the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, so that the speed of the machine is adjusted accordingly and the required disinfecting rate is achieved.

The disinfecting rate may be automatically selectable according to the type of UV lamp that is comprised within the mobile disinfecting apparatus, it may be user selectable for example by a menu, or it may be factory set.

The rate may be selectable to achieve for example a low, medium, high reduction, or may be selectable to achieve a specific log reduction such as log 2, log 3, log 4, etc.

The maximum speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus may depend on the selected disinfecting rate.

Moreover, the maximum speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus may depend on the distance between the UV lamp and the object to be disinfected.

The steering means of the mobile disinfecting apparatus may comprise a steering structure for an operator to control the movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus or an autonomous controller for autonomous control of the movement of the mobile disinfection apparatus.

The steering structure can e.g. be a handle or a drive wheel, e.g. when the apparatus is arranged to be operated manually by an operator, e.g. an operator moving a walk-behind cleaning machine or being onboard a ride-on mobile disinfecting apparatus.

DK 2020 70361 A1 7 The steering structure may be a drive wheel driven by an electric motor through any suitable transmission such as a belt, chain, gearbox. The drive wheel may be an electric monowheel, and the drive motor can be AC or DC.

Alternatively, the steering means may comprise an autonomous controller for autonomous control of the mobile disinfecting apparatus. Such an autonomous controller may be arranged to access or create a map of an area to be disinfected and to plan a path within said map, so that it can control the movement of the autonomous controller in order to ensure disinfection of a specified part of area, such as a floor within a room or part of it. The path of the autonomous mobile disinfecting apparatus may be slightly overlapping so that all of a floor is disinfected.

As an example, the UV lamp of the mobile disinfecting apparatus emits light in the spectrum having wavelengths between 185 to 280 nm. For example, wherein the UV lamp is a single line lamp having a narrow wavelength photon emission or a dual-single line lamp having two narrow wavelength photon emissions. The one or two narrow wavelength photon emissions may be taken from the group consisting of 222 nm, 254 nm, and 282 nm. These wavelengths have shown to have an improved efficacy in removing germs, bacteria and vira compared to UV light at larger wavelengths, such as compared to wavelengths above than 300 nm.

As an example, the minimum speed for the mobile disinfecting apparatus is greater than 10 m/minute, preferably greater than 15 m/minute, and more preferably greater than 1 m/s. A minimum speed for the mobile disinfecting apparatus depends on one or more of the following: the UV lamp, the distance from the UV lamp to the object to be disinfected, the disinfecting rate. When the light of the UV lamp is in the spectrum between 185 nm and 280 nm, the disinfection will be effective and therefore a minimum speed is ensured. Here, the term “minimum speed” is meant to denote a speed with which the mobile disinfecting apparatus may move and where the UV lamp is able to provide for a disinfection at a suitable disinfection rate, such as elimination of 99% or 95% of all germs, bacteria and/or vira.

DK 2020 70361 A1 8 The mobile disinfecting apparatus may further comprise a movable assembly for mounting the UV lamp to said structure.

The movable assembly may e.g. be an articulated arm or other structure allowing for adjusting the position and/or the orientation of the UV lamp.

Thus, during operation of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, the UV lamp may be orientated horizontally and being emitting UV light downwards, it may be orientated vertically and being emitting UV light towards a vertically oriented surface or object, such as a wall, or in any other appropriate position.

The moveable assembly may be fitted with several points of articulation that provide flexibility, permitting the UV lamp to be moved to a wide variety of positions.

A mobile disinfecting apparatus may further comprise a distance sensor arranged to determine the distance from the UV lamp to an object.

The distance sensor may provide signals indicating when the UV lamp is positioned within a specific distance from an object.

Thus, the distance sensor determines whether or not the UV lamp is a correct distance from an object to be disinfected.

The distance sensor may be located on the UV lamp, on the frame supporting the UV lamp, on a movable assembly for mounting the UV lamp to said frame or on another part of the mobile disinfecting apparatus.

The distance between the UV lamp and an object to be disinfected may be measured directly if the distance sensor is located on or near the UV lamp or an assembly for mounting the UV lamp to the frame.

The distance sensor can be of any type of sensor allowing for measurement within the effective range of the UV lamp, for example laser or ultrasonic distance sensors, or the processed output from a camera to the distance between the UV lamp and the object to be disinfected.

An alternative approach is to have a map of the environment known to a controller of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, where the controller would know the position of the mobile disinfecting apparatus and/or of the controller within the map.

Knowing the map and position the mobile disinfecting apparatus and/or controller renders it possible to calculate the target position of the UV lamp The distance from the UV lamp to object or surface to be disinfected may also be measured indirectly.

For example, if the distance sensor is mounted to the mobile disinfecting apparatus such that the distance from the mobile disinfecting apparatus to the object or surface to be disinfected is known, the distance from

DK 2020 70361 A1 9 the UV lamp to the object or surface can be calculated based on the position of the UV lamp, when the distance from the mobile disinfecting apparatus and the UV lamp is known. In embodiments having UV lamps with adjustable position various methods can be used to determine the position of the lamp, for example proximity sensors, limit switches, encoders, etc. In the case of a manually operated mobile disinfecting apparatus, the mobile disinfecting apparatus can be provided with visual indicators to aid the operator in guiding the UV lamp at the correct distance from the surface. For a UV lamp that is positioned to one side of the mobile disinfecting apparatus for following along a wall, a laser line can be projected onto the floor to indicate the correct distance from the wall. Alternately, two converging laser dots can be used to indicate the correct distance when the dots converge into one. Alternatively, a simple flexible whisker extended toward the surface at the correct length can be used as a visual indicator to the operator. The movable assembly may be arranged to be moved manually by an operator or autonomously by the autonomous controller. In the latter case, the articulated structure may be controlled to follow a contour at a predetermined distance.

The mobile disinfecting apparatus may further comprise a cleaning element for cleaning the floor. Thus, the mobile disinfecting apparatus is arranged for both cleaning and disinfecting when the mobile disinfecting apparatus moves along a path. The UV lamp may be positioned behind the cleaning element so that the UV lamp disinfects an object or area after the cleaning thereof. It is advantageous to clean the surface before disinfecting it in order to remove debris that may harbor pathogens or that may be too dense or thick to allow penetration of UV light. However, UV lamps may be positioned ahead of the cleaning deck or may be mounted to vehicles that do not have a cleaning deck.

The mobile disinfecting apparatus may further comprise a sensor for sensing the distance between the UV lamp and an object as well as a power control, where the power control is arranged to control the power to UV lamp in dependence of the distance between the UV lamp and the object. Thus, the UV lamp may be turned off automatically, when the distance between the UV lamp and an object is too far

DK 2020 70361 A1 10 away to disinfect the object properly and/or the UV lamp may be turned on automatically when the UV lamp is close enough to an object to disinfect it. The turning on of the UV lamp may be dependent upon whether the mobile disinfecting apparatus is set to an operating mode; thus, if it is not in operation for disinfection, the UV lamp is not turned on by proximity to a random object. The mobile disinfecting apparatus may be arranged to turn off the UV lamp when the average distance between the UV lamp and an object to be disinfected exceeds a maximum distance allowable for the programmed speed, possibly after a time-out period. Turning the UV lamp off, when it is too far away from an object to be effective in disinfecting will extend the lamp life, and the UV lamp will use less energy thereby extending runtime in a battery powered mobile disinfecting apparatus. Moreover, turning off the UV lamp may notify an operator that he/she has moved the UV lamp too far away from an object to be disinfected.

The mobile disinfecting apparatus may further comprise a UV sensor to sense the quantity and/or quality of the UV light emitted from the UV lamp. UV light requires line of sight for the energy in the UV light to effectively be delivered for disinfection action. As time passes, dust or other dirt may build up on the UV lamp, reducing the delivered energy or intensity of the emitted UV light. While a manual cleaning schedule can be used to wipe down and clean the UV lamp, failure to do so could lead to a situation where disinfection action is no longer effective at a given power and speed of the mobile disinfecting machine. Moreover, a UV lamp might fail. Thus, to ensure that the UV lamp is functioning to the level intended, warm and clean, a UV sensor may be provided to measure the intensity of the emitted UV light. Such a sensor may e.g. be a photodiode, a SiC photodiode, a UV sensitive camera. One or more UV sensor elements may be placed near the UV lamp, either as part of the lamp mounting, the structure of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, or in the environment. As the UV lamp powers on, the UV sensor(s) monitor(s) the quantity and/or quality of the UV light, such as the wavelengths emitted and/or the intensity thereof and indicate(s) the sensed value(s) to a controller. Such a controller may be the controller arranged to control the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, the autonomous controller or a separate UV lamp controller. The controller indicates whether the lamp is ready, needs to be cleaned, replaced, or has some other fault. The controller may indicate the status of the UV lamp visually, audibly or by allowing or not allowing

DK 2020 70361 A1 11 the mobile disinfecting apparatus to move whilst being set to operate for disinfecting, depending upon the measurement of the UV sensor(s). Moreover, the controller may send information for report generation to create ongoing provability of a disinfection report.

The mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 15, further comprising a break-away mechanism or a break-away function. The break-away mechanism may be part of the UV lamp, mounted between the UV lamp and the frame supporting it and/or at the movable assembly between the UV lamp to the frame. The break-away feature functions to prevent damaging the UV lamp in case of a collision. The UV lamp can be of the single pin type as it is well known in fluorescent tube bulbs where a pin on the bulb fits into a retractable socket or a detent in the mounting structure. The detent may be in either of the UV lamp ends or the mounting points with corresponding spring-loaded plunger in either the UV lamp or the mounting points thereof. The mobile disinfecting apparatus may comprise break-away function that will stop the mobile disinfecting apparatus in the event of a break away.

The UV lamp ends may be electrodes as is well known in UV lamp mounting.

Discontinuity between the electrodes and mounting points may indicate that the UV lamp is broken away or is dislodged. The mobile disinfecting apparatus may stop if a UV lamp fault is indicated and may give an audible or visual signal or may send a fault signal to a remote operator. The break-away mechanism or break-away function may include a tethering in the mooring or mounting of the UV lamp in order to prevent it from dropping to the floor or otherwise falling away from the mobile disinfecting apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a mobile disinfecting apparatus 100 in the form of a cleaning apparatus 1 with a UV lamp 10 attached at the rear end, close to the floor. The cleaning apparatus 1 is a rider scrubber with a cleaning element 42 in the form of a scrubbing element. The cleaning apparatus 1 may also include a squeegee (not shown). The mobile disinfecting apparatus 100 has a body or frame 3 carried by wheels 11. The UV lamp 10 is mounted relatively close to the floor, when the scrubber 1 moves in its forward direction as indicated by the arrow to the right of the scrubber 1. The mobile disinfecting apparatus 100 moreover has a

DK 2020 70361 A1 12 steering means 7 in the form of a steering wheel, for facilitating movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 100 at a controlled speed along the object to be disinfected; in the case of the embodiment of figure 1, the object to be disinfected is the floor.

The UV lamp 10 is positioned so that the UV light 15 emitted from it is directed downwards towards the floor. The UV light 15 emitted from the UV lamp 10 is spread somewhat, as indicated by the dotted lines and hits an area with a width w. The width w may i.a. depend upon the distance between the UV lamp 10 and the object to be disinfected, viz. the floor, the physical dimensions of the UV source(s) of the UV lamps, such as UV bulbs, as well as mirrors or other reflective material or blinds within the UV lamp 10. The mobile disinfecting apparatus 100 further comprises a controller (not shown) arranged to control the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 100. The controller is arranged to set a maximum speed of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 100 when the mobile disinfecting apparatus is in operation, where the maximum speed being determined by use of a minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate of the UV lamp 10. The controller of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 100 may be the controller of the cleaning apparatus 1. The UV 10 lamp can be suspended from or mounted to the cleaning device 1, i.e. it is suspended from or mounted to the mobile disinfecting apparatus 100, e.g. to the frame 3. As seen in fig. 1, the UV lamp is mounted at the lower, rear part of the frame 3 and is thus substantially integrated with the cleaning machine 1. The shape and/or size of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 100 thus substantially correspond to the shape and/or size of a cleaning machine 1 without the UV lamp

10. In particular, the UV lamp is carried by the frame 3 of the cleaning machine 1; the UV lamp 10 may be retrofitted to an existing cleaning machine 1, thereby making it into a cleaning and disinfecting apparatus. The UV lamp 10 may be adjustable in height and/or direction, manually or automatically. Moreover, the UV lamp 10 may have a retracted storage and/or transport position and another, e.g. lowered, position for when the mobile disinfecting apparatus 100 is in operation for disinfecting. The mobile disinfecting

DK 2020 70361 A1 13 apparatus 10 may comprise an actuator for changing between a raised and a lowered position of the UV lamp. FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of a mobile disinfecting apparatus 200 handled by an operator 20. The mobile disinfecting apparatus 200 comprises a frame 3 supported by wheels 11, and has a steering means 7 in the form of a handle by which the operator may steer the direction of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 200. The UV lamp 10 is oriented vertically and is attached to a moveable assembly 12 in the form of a bracket or structure. The movable assembly 12 is fastened to, but slidable along, a rod 14. Thereby, the UV lamp 10 can be positioned in a desired height and/or at a specific angle or orientation around the rod. The mobile disinfecting apparatus 200 is in particular advantageous for disinfecting vertically oriented objects, e.g. shelve structures or walls. Even though the rod 14 as shown in fig. 2 is vertically oriented, it is conceivable that it would be oriented differently, such as slanted or inclined in relation to vertical position. Moreover, it is conceivable that the rod has means for adjusting its position in order to provide for a versatile mobile disinfecting apparatus 200. The mobile disinfecting apparatus 200 further comprises a controller (not shown) arranged to control the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 200. The controller is arranged to set a maximum speed of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 200 when the mobile disinfecting apparatus is in operation, where the maximum speed being determined by use of a minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate of the UV lamp 10.

The rod 14 may be of carbon fiber, aluminum, steel, or any suitable rigid material. Vertical mounting of the UV lamp 10 allows for maximum vertical adjustment of the lamp; however, the rod 14 and thus the UV lamp 10 could be mounted in other suitable orientations.

The rod 14 has linear bearings 18 at both ends to allow sliding movement of the movable assembly 12 along the rod 14. The rod 14 and/or movable assembly 12 include(s) a suitable locking mechanism to lock the movable assembly 12 in a desired position on the rod 14 to prevent sliding and rotational movement during operation.

DK 2020 70361 A1 14 Preferably, the rod has a circular or round cross section allows the movable assembly 12 to be rotated around the rod 14, so that UV lamp 10 can face forward, to the side, or to the rear. The cross section of the rod 14 could also be of a shape to prevent rotation such as square or hexagonal.

The UV lamp 10 or the movable assembly 12 may comprise one or more resilient bumpers 22 to cushion the UV lamp 10 in the event of an impact with wall or other objects. Alternatively, or additionally, the UV lamp 10 or the movable assembly 12 may be equipped with a break-away mechanism.

FIGs. 3a and 3b are schematic drawings illustrating another embodiment of mobile disinfecting apparatus 300 handled by an operator 20. The mobile disinfecting apparatus 300 comprises a frame 3 supported by wheels 11, and has a steering means 7 in the form of a handle by which the operator 20 may steer the direction of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 200.

The UV lamp 10 is mounted to a moveable assembly in the form of an articulated arm 15. The articulated arm 15 has three joints 16. Thereby, the UV lamp 10 may be positioned in a variety of positions, such as horizontally in front of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 300 close to the floor for disinfection thereof (as seen in fig.

3b), or in a vertical, somewhat raised position (as seen in fig. 3a) for disinfection of walls.

The mobile disinfecting apparatus 300 further comprises a controller (not shown) arranged to control the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 300. The controller is arranged to set a maximum speed of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 300 when the mobile disinfecting apparatus is in operation, where the maximum speed being determined by use of a minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate of the UV lamp 10.

The articulated arm 15 may be mounted, as seen in figs. 3a and 3b, rotatably around a vertical axis that allows the articulated arm 15 and thus the UV lamp 10 to be positioned to either side or in the front of the direction of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 300. The articulated arm may alternatively be mounted to the mobile disinfecting apparatus 300 about an axis that oriented differently, such as slanted.

DK 2020 70361 A1 15 The articulated arm 15 can be of a spring counterbalance type or may have a locking mechanism at each pivot or joint 16. The joint 16 at the end of the articulated arm 15 with the UV lamp 10 may be a wrist joint allowing the UV lamp to pivot or twist about the longitudinal axis of the arm. In one embodiment, the articulated arm 16 is manually positionable. In another embodiment, the pivot joints 16 are motor controlled joints such as servomotors or rotary actuators. The UV lamp 10 may be positioned using an operator control 10 such as a joystick or a touch screen. Additional degrees of freedom may be added, and alternate degrees of freedom are within scope. In one fully autonomous embodiment, the UV lamp 10 can be moved autonomously to follow a wall at a specified distance even if the distance between the mobile disinfecting apparatus 300 and the wall varies, or the UV lamp 10 can be moved autonomously to follow a preprogramed movement, or to follow a pattern or indicator markers on the wall as would be understood by one skilled in the art of autonomous guidance. Figs. 4a and 4b are schematic drawings illustrating other embodiments of a mobile disinfecting apparatus 400, 500, respectively. The mobile disinfecting apparatus 400, 500 may be autonomous cleaning machine or an operator driven cleaning machine, mounted with a UV lamp 10. The mobile disinfecting apparatus 400, 500 comprises a frame 3 supported by wheels 11, and has a steering means 7 in the form of a steering wheel by which an operator may steer the direction of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 400, 500. Even when the mobile disinfecting apparatus 400, 500 is an autonomous apparatus, it is advantageous that it includes a steering means 7 for maneuvering by an operator as well. The mobile disinfecting apparatus 400, 500 has a cleaning element 42, e.g. a scrubber or a brush, arranged for cleaning in addition to the UV lamp 10 for disinfecting. The mobile disinfecting apparatus 400, 500 further comprises a controller (not shown) arranged to control the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 400,

500. The controller is arranged to set a maximum speed of movement of the

DK 2020 70361 A1 16 mobile disinfecting apparatus 400, 500 when the mobile disinfecting apparatus is in operation, where the maximum speed being determined by use of a minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate of the UV lamp 10.

In the mobile disinfecting apparatus 400 of fig. 4a, the UV lamp 10 is oriented vertically and is attached to a moveable assembly 12 in the form of a bracket or structure. The movable assembly 12 is fastened or fixed to, but slidable along, a rod 14, which is fastened to the frame 3 by appropriate fastening means 17. Thereby, the UV lamp 10 can be positioned in a desired height and/or at a specific angle or orientation around the rod, so that it is oriented to the side of the frame 3 of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 400 or facing forward or backwards. The rod 14 may be of carbon fiber, aluminum, steel, or any suitable rigid material. Vertical mounting of the UV lamp 10 allows for maximum vertical adjustment of the lamp; however, the rod 14 and thus the UV lamp 10 could be mounted in other suitable orientations. The rod 14 has linear bearings 18 at both ends to allow sliding movement of the movable assembly 12 along the rod 14. The rod 14 and/or movable assembly 12 include(s) a suitable locking mechanism to lock the movable assembly 12 in a desired position on the rod 14 to prevent sliding and rotational movement during operation. Preferably, the rod has a circular or round cross section allows the movable assembly 12 to be rotated around the rod 14, so that UV lamp 10 can face forward, to the side, or to the rear. The cross section of the rod 14 could also be of a shape to prevent rotation such as square or hexagonal. In the mobile disinfecting apparatus 400 of fig. 4a, a rotating pivot 19 allows the UV lamp 10 to be rotated to any angle from vertical to horizontal. Rotating pivot 19 also has a locking mechanism. However, the UV lamp 10 could be mounted directly to a movable assembly without a rotating pivot. The UV lamp 10 or the movable assembly 12 may comprise one or more resilient bumpers 23 to cushion the UV lamp 10 in the event of an impact with wall or

DK 2020 70361 A1 17 other objects.

Alternatively, or additionally, the UV lamp 10 or the movable assembly 12 may be equipped with a break-away mechanism.

In the mobile disinfecting apparatus 500 of fig. 4b, the UV lamp 10 is mounted to a moveable assembly in the form of an articulated arm 15. The articulated arm 15 has three joints 16. Thereby, the UV lamp 10 may be positioned in a variety of positions, such as horizontally in front of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 300 close to the floor for disinfection thereof (as seen in fig. 4b), in a vertical, somewhat raised position for disinfection of walls, or in any appropriate directed allowed by the movement of the articulated arm 15. The articulated arm 15 may be mounted as seen in fig. 4b by means of a fastening means 17, i.e. a secondary mount, having a vertical axis that allows the articulated arm 15 and thus the UV lamp 10 to swing away from the frame 3 of the mobile disinfecting apparatus 500. The articulated arm may alternatively be mounted directly to the mobile disinfecting apparatus 500 about a transverse axis that is parallel to the floor.

The articulated arm 15 can be of a spring counterbalance type or may have a locking mechanism at each pivot or joint 16. The joint 16 at the end of the articulated arm 15 with the UV lamp 10 may be a wrist joint allowing the UV lamp 10 to pivot or twist about the longitudinal axis of the arm.

In one embodiment, the articulated arm 16 is manually positionable.

In another embodiment, the pivot joints 16 are motor controlled joints such as servomotors or rotary actuators.

The UV lamp 10 may be positioned using an operator control such as a joystick or a touch screen.

Additional degrees of freedom may be added, and alternate degrees of freedom are within scope.

In one fully autonomous embodiment, the UV lamp 10 can be moved autonomously to follow a wall at a specified distance even if the distance between the mobile disinfecting apparatus 500 and the wall varies, or the UV lamp 10 can be moved autonomously to follow a preprogramed movement, or to follow a pattern or indicator markers on the wall as would be understood by one skilled in the art of autonomous guidance.

DK 2020 70361 A1 18 Although the present invention has been described in connection with the specified embodiments, it should not be construed as being in any way limited to the presented examples.

The scope of the present invention is set out by the accompanying claim set.

In the context of the claims, the terms “comprising” or “comprises” do not exclude other possible elements or steps.

Also, the mentioning of references such as “a” or “an” etc. should not be construed as excluding a plurality.

The use of reference signs in the claims with respect to elements indicated in the figures shall also not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Furthermore, individual features mentioned in different claims, may possibly be advantageously combined, and the mentioning of these features in different claims does not exclude that a combination of features is not possible and advantageous.

Claims

DK 2020 70361 A1 19 CLAIMS:

1. A mobile disinfecting apparatus comprising - a UV lamp, the UV lamp having a known wavelength(s) and the UV lamp having a known minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate at a known distance from an object to be disinfected; - a frame for supporting the UV lamp; - one or more wheels connected to said frame for facilitating movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus along the object to the disinfected; - at least one steering means for facilitating movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus at a controlled speed along the object to be disinfected; and - A controller arranged to control the speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus, wherein the controller is arranged to set a maximum speed of movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus when the mobile disinfecting apparatus is in operation, said maximum speed being determined by use of a minimum exposure time for a known disinfecting rate of the UV lamp.

2. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising input means for selecting the disinfecting rate of the mobile disinfecting apparatus.

3. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the maximum speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus depends on the selected disinfecting rate.

4. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claim 1-3, wherein the maximum speed of the mobile disinfecting apparatus depends on the distance between the UV lamp and the object to be disinfected.

5. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 4, wherein said steering means comprises a steering structure for an operator to control the movement of the mobile disinfecting apparatus or an autonomous controller for autonomous control of the movement of the mobile disinfection apparatus.

6. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 5, wherein the UV lamp emits light in the spectrum having wavelengths between 185 to 280 nm.

DK 2020 70361 A1 20

7. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 6, wherein the UV lamp is a single line lamp having a narrow wavelength photon emission or a dual-single line lamp having two narrow wavelength photon emissions.

8. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the one or two narrow wavelength photon emissions are taken from the group consisting of 222 nm, 254 nm, and 282 nm.

9. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 6 to 8, wherein the minimum speed for the mobile disinfecting apparatus is greater than 10 m/minute, preferably greater than 15 m/minute.

10. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 9, further comprising a movable assembly for mounting the UV lamp to said frame.

11. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 10, wherein the movable assembly is arranged to be moved manually by an operator or autonomously by the autonomous controller.

12. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 11, said mobile disinfecting apparatus further comprises a cleaning element for cleaning the floor.

13.A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 12, further comprising a distance sensor arranged to determine the distance from the UV lamp to an object.

14. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a power control, said power control being arranged to control the power to UV lamp in dependence of the distance between the UV lamp and the object.

15. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 14, further comprising a UV sensor to sense the quantity and/or quality of the UV light emitted from the UV lamp.

16. A mobile disinfecting apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 15, further comprising a break-away mechanism or a break-away function.