EP3728717A1

EP3728717A1 - Uv disinfection apparatus, method therefor, and use thereof

Info

Publication number: EP3728717A1
Application number: EP17832466.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernd Höhne
Original assignee: Q One Holding AG
Current assignee: Q One Holding AG
Priority date: 2017-12-20
Filing date: 2017-12-20
Publication date: 2020-10-28
Also published as: US20200384140A1; JP2021508576A; CN111542659A; WO2019120343A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a UV disinfection apparatus (1, 1'), comprising a housing (10) and a UV light source (11) accommodated therein, characterized in that an electrical energy store (15) is provided in the housing (10), that the housing (10) is sealed off, and that a sensor is provided therein, which activates the UV light source (11) only when the laundry treatment device (2) is in operation. The invention further relates to a method for disinfecting laundry accommodated in a rotatable drum (21) of a laundry treatment device by means of a UV disinfection apparatus (1, 1') according to one of the (preceding) claims, characterized in that the UV disinfection apparatus (1, 1'), which is autonomous with respect to the laundry treatment machine, is placed into or set in the drum (21) together with the laundry, wherein the UV light source (11) is only activated when the laundry treatment device is in operation. The invention further relates to a use therefor.

Description

DESCRIPTION

UV disinfection device, process with it and use for it

The invention relates to a UV disinfection device with a housing and a UV light source received therein. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for disinfecting in a rotatable drum of a

Laundry treatment machine taken in wash with a

UV disinfection device and a use for it.

Laundry treatment machines are known for the treatment, namely cleaning, washing and drying of laundry in various configurations for domestic use and professional use.

Laundry treatment machines are in particular washing machines,

Washer dryer and dryer. All these machines have in common that the laundry to be treated is taken up in a receptacle and moved for mixing and treatment of the laundry of the receptacle. In this case, the receptacle is designed as a rotatable drum. For washing, water, optionally with the addition of detergents as a lye or with chemical additives or for drying air, which is heated, is used. During circulation or after completion of the washing process, the circulated fluid is discharged to the environment or into the drain line. For a further treatment process, fresh water or fresh air is supplied to a dryer. In the discharged water or in the discharged air and of course also in the treated laundry, however, germs may still be present, which may still be active after the laundry treatment depending on the washing treatment temperature and ingredients and may even multiply particularly well in the environment. Accordingly, the dispensed, no longer required fluid from the laundry treatment machine is optionally charged with a significant number of bacteria. Furthermore, the laundry items after removal from the Laundry treatment machine still carry a significant number of germs in itself. All of this is undesirable for hygienic reasons.

EP 2 314 753 A1 discloses a washing method in which laundry is rinsed in a washing machine with water or washing liquor and, in the case of recirculation of the rinsing water, this rinsing water is disinfected with UV irradiation.

A similar washing machine is known from EP 1 922 443 B1, in which the washing water is irradiated in a sump area with UV light, wherein shields are provided, which is an undesirable irradiation of

To prevent UV-sensitive objects.

EP 2 236 660 A1 describes a washing machine in which a

UV irradiation device is installed in the region of the drum, in which the irradiation is carried out during rotary movement of the drum.

No. 6,877,248 B1 describes a tumble dryer in which UV light sources for disinfecting the laundry contained therein are provided outside the rotary drum.

There are therefore different versions of specifically with a

UV-irradiation unit provided washing machines or dryers known to allow disinfection of the laundry treated therein. However, it requires separately adapted laundry treatment machines, so that retrofitting of older machines or as needed supplement this UV disinfection in conventional laundry treatment machines is not possible.

The object of the invention is therefore to enable a UV disinfection device or treatment in conventional laundry treatment machines in the simplest possible way. This object is achieved with a UV disinfection device according to claim 1, a disinfection method according to claim 10 and a use of the UV disinfection device according to claim 14.

Characterized in that in the housing an electrical energy storage is provided, the housing is sealed and a sensor is provided therein, the

Activated UV light source only in the operation of the laundry treatment device, the disinfection device can be used independently of the laundry treatment device in its drum. The electrical energy storage,

in particular a rechargeable accumulator, is used to supply the disinfection device with electrical energy. The sealed housing prevents washing water or lye or other fluids in the

UV disinfection device can penetrate, with a sensor in the device ensures that the UV radiation is not outside the

Laundry treatment device, in particular only during operation of the

Laundry treatment device can be activated. Thus, the

Operator protected from any unwanted UV radiation.

Accordingly, the self-sufficient of the laundry treatment machine

UV disinfection device with the laundry in the drum inserted or adjusted, the UV light source in the UV disinfector until the operation of the

Laundry treatment machine is turned on, bringing the

UV disinfector is used to disinfect laundry in a washing machine or in a dryer.

In a further embodiment, fastening means are provided with which the UV disinfection device on the inside of a drum door of

Laundry treatment device is attached. Alternatively, the

UV disinfection device can also be arranged on the outside of the door drum, provided that the glass drum door has sufficient UV light transmission. As a fastening means may be a magnetic attachment or an attachment by means of adhesive and a cling / clamping attachment be provided to attach the UV disinfector on the inside or outside of the drum door. The UV light source is at this

Design of the UV disinfection device aligned so that they radiate into the interior of the drum. By covering the drum door by the device arranged there, an additional darkening from the outside can also be dispensed with in the case of a glass drum door, as far as sufficient shielding of the UV radiation can be achieved by this arrangement.

Alternatively, the UV disinfection device is designed as a freely movable, autonomous, spatial object, in particular in the form of a ball. In this embodiment, the UV disinfection device can be easily loaded with the laundry to be treated in the drum of the laundry treatment machine, wherein during operation of the laundry treatment machine by the rotating drum a thorough mixing and thus exposure to UV radiation on the entire laundry located in the drum and the washing water is ensured.

If a position, motion and / or temperature sensor is provided in the housing, can via a position determination and / or a

Motion detection and / or the temperature detection in the

UV disinfection device can be determined if the

Laundry treatment device in operation or the UV disinfection device is located within the laundry drum. It can also contain all three sensors, so activation of the UV light source off

For safety reasons only if a position within the drum and the corresponding movement of the drum and a relative to the room temperature increased wash temperature, z. B. 30 ° C, 40 ° C or 60 ° C, is possible. Thus it can be safely ruled out that the

UV disinfection device already before closing and starting the

Laundry treatment device begins with the UV irradiation. Likewise, the end of the disinfection process based on the no longer taking place motion (stationary drum) detected and thus the

UV light source are turned off.

In order to measure the quality of the disinfection, are in the

UV disinfection device arranged on germ sensors. Thus, the quality of the disinfection in the fluid circulation path in the laundry treating machine can be measured, and depending on the intensity and / or duration of the

UV irradiation are regulated.

If a movement profile stored in the sensor system is provided for detecting the rotational movement of the drum, a false triggering of the UV light irradiation in the event of unintentional handling or movement of the UV disinfection device outside the laundry treatment machine can be avoided. Only when the precisely defined motion profile is detected by the sensor, the UV light source is activated.

To obtain the most uniform possible UV irradiation in the

To reach laundry treatment device recorded laundry, the UV light source in the housing spatially distributed more, for example, three to six, UVC emitting LED semiconductor, which are arranged in the housing with UV light-permeable partition. The embedded in the housing UV light permeable partition wall allows intensive

UV light irradiation with simultaneously hermetically sealed housing.

If the UV disinfection device is assigned a charging tray for the inductive charging of the electrical energy store, wherein the UV disinfection device can be placed on it after use, the UV disinfection device can be charged inductively via the charging cradle.

To get an undesirable impact on the environment through the

Drum door, especially in glass drum doors, to avoid UV light emission to the environment, the UV-disinfector is a cover assigned, wherein the cover is externally fitted in the drum door. The cover can be clamped for example in the drum door or glued on the outside.

If the UV disinfection device additional position measurement points are assigned, which are attachable to the laundry treatment device, and interact with the position sensor according to claim 4, can be reliably determined by the UV disinfection device, whether it is inside the drum or not. At the same time, if the position measuring points are mounted on the cover for the drum door, it can be avoided that the UV disinfection device can be switched on if the cover is forgotten.

In addition, the UV disinfection unit may include a thermal insulation to protect the electronics contained in the device from excessive heat or cold. The device should in particular be designed so that it can withstand typical washing temperatures up to 60 ° C over the duration of a wash cycle, for example 90 minutes. At higher washing temperatures, an additional disinfection is not necessary because any bacteria and viruses are killed by the high washing temperature. Accordingly, the main area of use is washing at temperatures up to 60 ° C, especially in the 30 ° C or 40 ° C washes. Optionally, in addition to protection against excessive temperatures or to switch off the UV irradiation, a temperature sensor may be included in the UV disinfection device, so that at higher washing temperatures then not required disinfection by non-activation of the UV light source is omitted.

Furthermore, the UV disinfection device can also be remotely controlled in order to be able to switch on and off corresponding disinfection programs from the outside. In this case, the signal transmission, for example, via known radio communications, such as Bluetooth or WLAN or the like, take place. Hereinafter, two embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It shows:

1 shows a UV disinfection device in a first embodiment in a partially sectioned side view mounted in a washing machine,

2 shows a UV disinfection device in a second embodiment in FIG

Ball shape in cross section and

3 shows a sketch-like spatial view of a UV disinfection device according to FIG. 2 in a wax machine drum

In Fig. 1, a UV disinfection device 1 is shown with a waterproof housing 10 in a first embodiment in a partially sectioned side view with a washing machine 2, said UV disinfector 1 on the inside of a drum door of the laundry treatment device 2, z. B.

Washing machine, is attached.

In a second embodiment, the UV disinfection device 1 ^'has a housing 10 in ball or ball shape. This second embodiment of the UV disinfection device 1 ^' has, in principle, the same components within the housing 10 as the UV disinfection device 1 in the first

Embodiment. Below are the components of the

UV disinfection apparatus 1, 1 ^' with reference to the second

Embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2 in cross section, described.

In the fluid-tight housing 10 of the UV disinfection device 1 ^' are arranged in the spherical shape as a UV light source 11, six UVC-emitting LED semiconductors, of which in the cross section shown in Fig. 2 LEDs are visible. Two further UVC emitting LEDs point perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing to the front and to the rear and are not in the cross-sectional illustration in FIG shown. Further, in the housing 10, a circuit board 12 with it

attached electronic components provided. Among other things, a position sensor 13 and a motion sensor 14 are arranged on the circuit board 12. Further, on the board 12 a on the outside of the housing 10th

arranged seed sensor 17, a likewise arranged on the outside

Temperature sensor 18 and an electrical energy storage 15 connected in the form of a rechargeable battery. The housing 10 has an insulation 19.

Further, a charging coil 16 is provided on the back of the UV disinfection device 1 according to the first embodiment, which allows an inductive charging of the electrical energy storage device 15 within the UV disinfection device 1, as can be seen in Fig. 1 in the sectional views. For charging the accumulator 15 can thus in the first embodiment, a suitably adapted charging device or charging tray 32 at the

Outside the T drum door 22 of the washing machine 2 are placed opposite, so that inductive charging of the battery 15 via the charging device 32 and charging coil 16 is made possible. The charging device 32 is, for example, clamped or fixed magnetically or by adhesion to the drum door 22. For shielding in the drum 21 acting UV light radiation, a cover 31 is clamped on the outside of the drum door 22 T 22 such that unintentional falling off of the cover 31 is not possible.

To the positioning of the UV disinfection device 1, 1 ^' within the

To determine drum 21 of the laundry treatment device 2 with the position sensor 13, for example, position encoder 33 to the

Drum 21 are arranged. This can do that

UV disinfection device 1, 1 ^'determine its own position safely. When

Position transmitter 33, for example, RFID transponder suitable. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, three position sensor 33 are arranged on a cover 31 of the drum door 22 of the washing machine 2, so that they on

Activation of the position sensor 13 give active feedback, so that in UV disinfection device 1, 1 the actual position of the same can be determined. This also ensures that the UV disinfection device 1, 1 ^' in the absence of cover 31 and thus not possible orientation by the absence of the position sensor 33 can not be turned on, the operator is thus protected from harmful UV irradiation.

Furthermore, 12 memory modules are provided on the board, the one

Movement profile or different motion profiles of a washing machine for comparison with the actually measured with the motion sensor 14 movement of the disinfection device 1 ^'included in the second embodiment.

The following is the use and use of the

UV disinfection device 1, 1 ^'described in particular with reference to the second embodiment of the UV disinfection device 1 ^' . The ball-shaped UV disinfection device 1 ^' is in the idle state on a charging tray 32. This has an excitation coil, which coincides with that in the housing 10 of the

UV disinfection device 1 ^' arranged charging coil 16 for inductive charging of the accumulator 15 in the housing 10 of the UV disinfection device 1 ^' cooperates.

If the UV disinfection device 1 ^'is removed from the charging cradle 32, the electronics stored on the board 12 change to standby service, in which the position sensors 13, temperature sensors 18 and / or movement sensors 14 are activated, but the UV light source 11 is still active is not activated. The ball-shaped disinfection device 1 ^' is now filled into the drum 21 of the washing machine 2 together with the laundry to be treated. After closing the drum door 22 signal on the attached to the drum door 22

Cover 31 arranged RFID position sensor 33 the position sensor 13 in the housing 10 of the UV disinfection device 1 ^' , that this within the

Drum 21 is positioned. Nevertheless, the electronics on the circuit board 12 does not turn off the

UV light source 11 in the form of four UVC-emitting LED semiconductors, since the drum 21 is not yet rotating. Once the washing machine 2 is turned on and the drum 21 rotates, the motion sensor 14 registers

corresponding motion signals, which is compared in the electronics of the board 12 with a stored in a local memory motion profile. Once the typical movement profile of a rotating drum 21 a

Washing machine 2 is detected, the UV light sources 11 are activated and the recorded in the drum 21 laundry disinfected by the effective UV irradiation.

Additionally or alternatively, the activation of the UV light source 11 can also be made dependent on the ambient temperature in the drum 21 measured with the temperature sensor 18. For example, at least 30 ° C. must be present at the temperature sensor 18.

The duration of the UV irradiation now depends on any pre-set irradiation times of a few minutes, for example 1 to 90 minutes, and / or the termination of the rotational movement, namely the end of the selected washing program, which is determined by the motion sensor 14 and thus the UV Radiation is stopped.

Alternatively or additionally, in the UV disinfection device 1, 1 ^' and a

Be arranged germ sensor 17, which measures the germ count in the environment around the UV disinfection device 1, 1 ^' and thus can detect the quality of the performed UV disinfection. With sufficient germ count reduction then UV disinfection can be stopped.

Overall, the sensors, in particular the position sensor 13, provide

Motion sensor 14 and / or the temperature sensor 18, for the fact that the UV light source 11 in the disinfection device 1, 1 ^{'is turned on} only when the washing or drying process is running, namely the disinfection device 1, 1 ^' is disposed within the drum 21, the drum 21 rotates or an elevated temperature is detected.

Advantageous in the self-sufficient UV disinfection devices 1, 1 ^' according to the described two embodiments is that these in any

Laundry treatment devices, such as washing machine,

Washer dryer or dryer, can be used without the

Laundry treatment facilities must be rebuilt consuming. Depending on the design of the laundry treatment device 2, the cover 31 is required on the outside of the drum door 22 or on the inside in the case of transparent drum doors 22 (glass doors) or even directly on the inside on the UV disinfection device 1. If a position determination with a position sensor 13 and corresponding position sensors 33 is desired, for example only three RFID transponders, for example, on the

Drum door 22 outside or the cover 31 to stick. Since that

Recharging the battery inductively done, are also no

Required connections that may affect the tightness of the

Washing drum 21 to be absorbed disinfection device 1, 1 ^' could endanger.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1 ^' UV disinfection device

10 housing

11 UV light source, UVC emitting LED semiconductors

12 board

13 position sensor

14 motion sensor

15 electrical energy storage, accumulator

16 charging coil

17 germ sensor

18 temperature sensor

19 insulation

2 laundry treatment facilities, washing machine, dryer, washer dryer

21 drum

22 drum door

31 cover

32 loader, charging cradle

33 position transmitter

Claims

PATENT APPLICATIONS

1. UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) having a housing (10) and a UV light source (11) accommodated therein, characterized in that an electrical energy store (15) is provided in the housing (10), the housing (10 ) Is sealed and a sensor is provided therein, the UV light source (11) only in the operation of

Laundry treatment device (2) activated.

2. UV disinfection device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that fastening means are provided, with which the

UV disinfection device (1) on the inside of a drum door (22) of the laundry treatment device (2) is mounted.

3. UV disinfection device (1 ^' ) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is designed as in the drum (21) freely movable, self-sufficient, spatial object, in particular in the form of a ball.

4. UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized

characterized in that a position (13), movement (14) and / or temperature sensor (18) in the housing (10) is provided.

5. UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that therein germ sensors (17) are arranged.

6. UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) according to one of the preceding

Claims, characterized in that the UV light source (11) spatially distributed in the housing (10) several UVC-emitting

LED semiconductor (11), wherein these are arranged in the housing (10) with UV light-permeable partition wall.

7. UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) according to one of the preceding

Claims, characterized in that the

UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) is associated with a charging tray (32) for inductive charging of the electrical energy storage device (15), wherein the UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) after use is stored on it.

8. UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) according to one of the preceding

Claims, characterized in that the

UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) is associated with a cover (31), wherein the cover (31) on the outside in the drum door (22) can be fitted.

9. UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) according to one of the preceding

Claims, characterized in that the

UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) are assigned complementary position measuring points, which are attachable to the laundry treatment device (2) and with the position sensor (13) according to claim 4 cooperation.

10. A method for disinfecting in a rotatable drum (21) of a laundry treating machine recorded laundry with a UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) according to one of the preceding

Claims, characterized in that the of

Laundry treatment machine self-sufficient UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) with the laundry in the drum (21) inserted or adjusted, the UV light source (11) in the UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) is turned on only when operating the laundry treatment machine ,

11. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the

UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) by means of sensors due to

Rotary movement of the drum (21) is turned on and turned off upon completion of the rotation.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that a stored in the sensor motion profile for detecting the

Rotary movement of the drum (21) is provided.

13. The method according to claim 10, 11 or 12, characterized in that the quality of the disinfection in Fluidzirkulationsweg in the

Laundry treatment machine (2) measured and dependent on the intensity and / or duration of the UV irradiation is regulated.

14. Use of the UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) according to one of claims 1 to 8 for disinfecting laundry in one

Washing machine (2) or in a dryer (2).

15. Use according to claim 14, characterized in that the UV disinfection device (1, 1 ^' ) in the drum (21) of the

Washer (2) or the dryer (2) is inserted or adjusted.