JP2011167464A - Sterilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sterilizer for efficiently sterilizing an object for sterilization while reducing the quantity of ozone gas to be diffused in the atmosphere by bringing the ozone gas into contact with the object for sterilization. <P>SOLUTION: The sterilizer 100 includes a gas generating part 1, an exhaust port 2, an air intake part 3, a circulation pump 4 and air feeding piping 5. The gas generating part 1 generates ozone. The exhaust port 2 discharges the generated ozone-containing gas in the direction of the object for sterilization from an adjacent position in the peripheral edge of the object for sterilization. The gas generating means is disposed in an adjacent position in front of the exhaust port 2. The air intake part 3 is disposed in a position opposed to the exhaust port 2 with the object for sterilization in-between to take in the ozone-containing gas discharged from the exhaust port 2. The air feeding piping 5 connects the exhaust port 2 and the air intake part 3 and includes the circulation pump 4 to feed the ozone-containing gas taken in by the air intake part 3 to the exhaust port 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sterilizer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sterilizer using ozone.

  As represented by the new influenza, people's interest in viruses is increasing. There is an increasing demand for disinfection and disinfection not only in places where medical and other hygiene standards are strict, but also in public places where the unspecified number of people come into contact.

  Touch panel parts such as bank ATMs and ticket machines such as trains are operated by an unspecified number of people, and bacteria, sebum, etc. that have adhered to the hand during operation adhere to the touch panel. It is desirable to do.

  Although there are some that are periodically sterilized by wiping, they are difficult to disinfect frequently, and many are used without being disinfected for a long time.

  Patent Document 1 describes a sterilizer that houses a book in a sterilization container and flows a sterilization gas G such as ozone into the container to sterilize the book.

  Patent Document 2 describes a display device that cleans the display surface of the display device and its periphery by sending positive ions and negative ions in the direction of the display panel using the airflow of a fan.

  Patent Document 3 describes a microphone sterilizer that incorporates a microphone mounting portion and sterilizing means using ultraviolet rays and ozone, and can use the microphone in a sanitary state.

  Patent Document 4 describes a sterilization apparatus that includes a box-shaped device including an ultraviolet ray generation lamp and an ozone supply device, sterilizes by irradiation with ultraviolet rays, and sterilizes the back side of a sample with supplied ozone.

JP 2001-187121 A JP 2003-284766 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 07-111691 Japanese Patent No. 2555613

  In the case of sterilization using ozone, in order to control the released ozone below the safety standard value, feedback by a densitometer or the like is provided, and the emission concentration is sufficiently lower than the safety standard value in consideration of concentration fluctuation due to humidity etc Although it is necessary to design, a measuring instrument capable of controlling the concentration with high accuracy is very expensive, and there is a problem that it cannot be mounted on an inexpensive general-purpose product. Further, when the concentration is sufficiently lower than the latter safety standard value, there is a problem that the effect cannot be obtained unless the contact time is increased in the intended sterilization and sebum decomposition.

  Moreover, although patent document 1, patent document 3, and patent document 4 are sterilizing using ozone, in order to use ozone in the closed space, it sterilizes by the shape or size of an apparatus, etc. The object is limited.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sterilization apparatus that efficiently contacts and sterilizes an object while reducing the amount of ozone gas diffused into the atmosphere.

The sterilizer according to the present invention is
Generating means for generating ozone;
Exhaust means for exhausting ozone-containing gas containing ozone generated by the generating means from a position adjacent to the periphery of the object in the direction of the object;
An intake means provided at a position facing the exhaust means with the object sandwiched therebetween, and for sucking in an ozone-containing gas exhausted by the exhaust means;
An air supply pipe provided with a circulation pump that connects the intake means and the exhaust means, and sends ozone-containing gas sucked by the intake means to the exhaust means;
With
The generating means is provided at an adjacent position in front of the exhaust port of the exhaust means.
It is characterized by that.

  According to the sterilization apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently sterilize by contacting an object while reducing the amount of ozone gas diffused into the atmosphere.

It is a composition schematic diagram showing an example of a sterilizer concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is the side view which looked at the sterilizer of Drawing 1 from the direction of arrow A. It is a composition schematic diagram showing an example of the ozone generation mechanism of the sterilizer concerning an embodiment. It is a perspective view of the ozone generation mechanism shown in FIG. It is a composition schematic diagram showing an example of a sterilizer concerning a modification of an embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a sterilizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention shown in FIG. The sterilizer 100 includes a gas generation unit 1, an exhaust port 2, an intake unit 3, a circulation pump 4, an air supply pipe 5, and a filtration unit 6. The sterilization apparatus 100 installs the touch panel 101 portion of an electronic device (not shown) as a sterilization target. The exhaust port 2 is formed so as to be integrated with the gas generation unit 1 on the surface of the gas generation unit 1 that is in contact with the object.

  The sterilizer 100 uses ozone having a high oxidizing power as a component having a sterilizing effect, and sterilizes an object in the form of an ozone-containing gas. In addition to the sterilizing effect, ozone has a deodorizing effect and the like, and has many advantages such as post-processing after sterilizing treatment such as removal of residual gas and wiping is unnecessary. The bactericidal effect by ozone is proportional to the ozone concentration and the ozone contact time, and the bactericidal effect is increased by contacting at a high concentration for a predetermined time or more. However, exposure to high-concentration ozone may affect the body, and the permissible concentration in indoor environment standards and the working environment is 0.1 ppm or less. Since ozone is a gas, it diffuses into the air unless the exhausted ozone is inhaled. When the ozone gas does not have a function of inhaling ozone, the ozone gas diffuses into the air, so the ozone gas concentration must be used at a low concentration that can ensure safety, and the contact time is short, so the sterilizing effect is reduced.

  The ozone generation method is silent discharge method using discharge tube and short gap discharge plate, creeping discharge method using ceramic dielectric discharge element, ultraviolet method using low pressure mercury lamp, etc., electrolysis using water electrolysis cell There are methods such as methods. In this embodiment, the apparatus can be miniaturized, the structure of the generator is simple, and a low-pressure mercury lamp that can generate ozone using natural air, particularly an ultraviolet method using a cold cathode discharge lamp is used.

  The gas G used for sterilization in the sterilization apparatus 100 (general name of gas G1, gas G2, gas G3, and gas G4) is circulated in the sterilization apparatus 100 by circulation pump 4 through each part via the air supply pipe 5. . The gas G1 is the atmosphere (air) or the like without containing ozone until the gas G circulates after the sterilizer 100 is operated. The gas G1out is an ozone-containing gas containing ozone generated by the gas generation unit 1. The gas G1out is exhausted from the exhaust port 2. The gas G <b> 2 is an ozone-containing gas including a state in which the object is sterilized with the gas G in the atmosphere including the object. The gas G3 is a state in which a portion of the ozone used for sterilization with the gas G2 is consumed, and an ozone-containing gas containing a gas in the atmosphere where the sterilizer 100 is placed, for example, minute dust in the air It is. The gas G3in is a gas G sucked by the intake section 3, and is the same as the gas G3. The gas G4 is an ozone-containing gas from which fine dust and the like contained in the gas G3 are removed by the gas G after passing through the filtering unit 6. The gas G which has passed through the circulation pump 4 and has been adjusted so that the flow rate is constant circulates in the sterilizer 100 again as the gas G1.

  The gas generator 1 generates ozone and discharges the gas G1 that has become an ozone-containing gas from the exhaust port 2 toward the touch panel 101 that is the object. Ozone is sent together with a gas that serves as a medium for maintaining a predetermined gas flow rate. The whole gas which combined the gas containing ozone and the gas used as media, such as air, is called ozone containing gas.

  The exhaust port 2 is provided so as to be integrated with the gas generating unit 1 so that the gas can be uniformly exhausted to the object. More specifically, an exhaust port 2 is provided at a location where gas can be exhausted from the position adjacent to the periphery of the object in the direction of the object. The width of the exhaust port 2 is desirably substantially equal to the width of the object. As for the shape of the exhaust port 2, for example, a plurality of small holes are formed at equal intervals toward the object side.

  The intake hole of the intake portion 3 is provided opposite to the exhaust port 2 so as to be able to intake ozone-containing gas. The shape of the intake portion 3 is, for example, a rectangular hole that is opened to the full width of the object.

  It is desirable to install the object (touch panel 101) so as to be in contact with the surface stretched between the exhaust port 2 and the intake hole of the intake unit 3. At this time, the object is not limited to a flat surface and may have irregularities.

  When moving from the exhaust port 2 to the intake section 3, a part of ozone contained in the ozone-containing gas is used, and the ozone concentration of the gas G is such that the ozone concentration of the gas G1> the ozone concentration of the gas G2> the ozone of the gas G3. Concentration. Further, the gas G3in sucked in by the suction unit 3 sucks the gas in the atmosphere in which the sterilizer 100 is placed together with the ozone-containing gas, and thus includes, for example, minute dust in the air.

  The flow rate at which the gas G1 is exhausted at the exhaust port 2, that is, the flow rate of G1out, and the flow rate at which the gas G3 is sucked at the intake portion 3, that is, the flow rate of G3in satisfy the relationship of (G3in flow rate)> (G1out flow rate). . This is because by increasing the flow rate of the intake air at the intake portion 3, the risk of escaping the gas G exhausted from the exhaust port 2 to the open space is reduced.

  Further, by shortening the distance between the exhaust port 2 and the intake unit 3 as much as possible, the risk of escaping the gas G exhausted from the exhaust port 2 to the open space is reduced. For this purpose, the exhaust port 2 and the intake unit 3 are installed facing each other so as to sandwich the short direction of the object, and the distance between the exhaust port 2 and the object and the intake unit 3 and the object are The distance from is preferably short.

  The circulation pump 4 circulates the ozone-containing gas in the sterilizer 100. The flow rate can be adjusted by the circulation pump 4. The circulation pump 4 is provided in the air supply pipe 5. The air supply pipe 5 connects each part (the gas generation unit 1, the exhaust port 2, the intake unit 3, the circulation pump 4, and the filtration unit 6) of the sterilizer 100, and supplies ozone-containing gas.

  The air supply pipe 5 uses an ozone resistant material. Since the ozone concentration of the ozone-containing gas used in the sterilizer 100 does not exceed 10 ppm, a fluororesin such as polytetrafluoroethylene or vinyl chloride can be used in addition to a stainless steel material. It is also possible to use a piping material in which the inner surface of silicon is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene for the air supply piping 5. By using a polytetrafluoroethylene tube for the air supply piping 5, the piping of the sterilization apparatus 100 is easy, and the degree of freedom in design increases.

  The filtering unit 6 filters the gas G3 to remove minute dust and the like to obtain a clean gas G4. By making the ozone-containing gas into a clean state, it is possible to prevent a decrease in sterilization efficiency when the ozone-containing gas is reused. Further, by keeping the ozone-containing gas in a clean state, it is possible to reduce the mechanical burden on the circulation pump 4 when passing through the circulation pump 4.

  The flow rate of the gas G4 is adjusted using the circulation pump 4. The gas G circulates in the sterilizer 100 again as the gas G1. At this time, ozone contained in the gas G4 can be reused. The gas G repeats a series of flows and sterilizes the object while reusing ozone.

  Although the filtration part 6 does not need to be provided, in order to sterilize more effectively, it is preferable to provide. Further, when the filtration unit 6 is provided, it may be arranged anywhere in the air supply pipe 5, but the most preferable place is a place immediately after the intake part 3 and in front of the circulation pump 4. The reason why it is arranged next to the air intake unit 3 is that the dirty gas from the air intake unit 3 enters the sterilizer 100, so that the gas can be filtered before circulating in the sterilizer 100. The reason why it is arranged in front of the circulation pump 4 is that the mechanical burden on the circulation pump 4 can be reduced by using a clean gas rather than a dirty state. Further, if the filtration unit 6 is passed after the circulation pump 4, there is a possibility that the flow rate may change or vary due to the resistance applied during the filtration. Therefore, the filtration unit 6 is preferably provided in front of the circulation pump 4.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of an ozone generation mechanism of the sterilizer according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ozone generation mechanism shown in FIG.

  The gas generation unit 1 includes an ozone generation mechanism 11 and an exhaust port 2. The ozone generation mechanism 11 includes a power supply 12, an inverter (stabilizer) 13, a fluorescent lamp 14, a lamp stand 15, a reaction chamber 16, through holes 17 and 18, and a lamp cover 19.

  The fluorescent lamp 14 is a cold cathode fluorescent lamp that uses a glass tube that emits an ultraviolet ray of 253.7 nm and transmits a wavelength of 200 nm or less. The glass tube is U-shaped, and a phosphor is applied to the inner wall surface of the glass tube. The inner space is filled with rare gas or a rare gas mixed gas and mercury, and both ends of the glass tube are enclosed. An electrode is provided. The electrodes of the fluorescent lamp 14 are electrically connected to the power source 12 and the inverter 13, and emit ultraviolet rays from the fluorescent lamp 14 when the ozone generating mechanism 11 is operated. And ozone is generated from oxygen by ultraviolet irradiation.

  The length of the fluorescent lamp 14 is preferably about the same as the width of the intake portion 3. The ozone generation mechanism 11 not only efficiently generates ozone by taking in air toward the fluorescent lamp 14, generating ozone by ultraviolet irradiation, and releasing it as it is, but also generates ozone in the ozone generation mechanism 11. The concentration can be made uniform. As a result, even if the flow rate of the ozone-containing gas exhausted by the exhaust unit 2 is not adjusted, a gas having a uniform ozone concentration can be exhausted to the target object, can be sterilized uniformly, and partially has a high concentration. There is no fear.

  The lamp base 15 is a base for fixing the fluorescent lamp 14, and the inverter 13 can be accommodated in the lamp base 15.

  The reaction chamber 16 surrounds the atmosphere including the fluorescent lamp 14. Air or oxygen in the reaction chamber 16 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the fluorescent lamp 14 to become ozone.

  The through-hole 17 on the air supply pipe 5 side can take in gas such as air or oxygen into the reaction chamber 16. Gas can be sent out of the reaction chamber 16 from the through hole 18 on the exhaust port 2 side at a position facing the through hole 17. The through holes 17 and 18 may be provided with an air valve so that the gas taken into the reaction chamber 16 of the ozone generation mechanism 11 does not flow in the reverse direction.

  The ozone-containing gas is released from the through hole 18 through the exhaust port 2. By uniformly forming the exhaust ports 2, the ozone-containing gas generated by the ozone generation mechanism 11 can be uniformly discharged toward the object, and the amount of ozone that contacts the object can be kept constant. . There is no need to adjust the flow rate when releasing the ozone-containing gas, and ozone can be released easily.

  The lamp cover 19 is a cover for protecting the fluorescent lamp 14.

  By circulating the gas G to recycle ozone in the sterilizer 100, the inside of the air supply pipe 5 is sterilized, so that the gas G can maintain a clean state even if it is circulated. Moreover, by providing the filtration part 6 before passing through the circulation pump 4, the mechanical burden of the circulation pump 4 is reduced, and the gas G4 is brought into a clean state. Furthermore, since the circulating gas G4 passes through the ozone generation mechanism 11, it is sterilized by ultraviolet rays, and the gas G1 can maintain a clean state. Further, the gas G1 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and a part of ozone is decomposed. Thereby, the ozone concentration does not continue to increase while the gas G is circulated, and when the gas G reaches a certain predetermined concentration, it can be circulated in the sterilizer 100 while maintaining the concentration.

(Modification of the embodiment)
FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of a sterilizer according to a modification of the embodiment. The basic structure is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the air blowing unit 7 includes an air curtain 8 and a fan 9. The air blowing unit 7 continues to send air AIR from the upper part of the exhaust port 2 toward the upper part of the intake unit 3. The air sent continuously seems to always flow in a certain direction on the touch panel 101 that is the object and the gas G2 that is ozone gas that sterilizes the touch panel 101, and the upper part of the gas G2 is covered with a layer of air AIR. It becomes a state. As a result, the gas G2 can be prevented from diffusing into the atmosphere and the surrounding ozone concentration can be prevented from rising.

  FIG. 5B is a modification of FIG. 5A, and the intake section 3 sucks both the exhausted ozone-containing gas and the sent air. By inhaling the air AIR sent from the blower unit 7, the direction in which the air AIR flows can be fixed, and the ozone-containing gas (gas G2) in contact with the object can be prevented from diffusing into the atmosphere. During the sterilization of the object, a part of the gas G2 spreads toward the air AIR. However, since the diffusing ozone-containing gas can be sucked together with the air AIR, the ozone diffuses more. The risk of doing so is eliminated. It is preferable that the flow rate of the gas sucked by the intake portion 3 is larger than the sum of the flow rate of the gas exhausted from the exhaust port 2 and the flow rate of the air sent by the blower unit 7.

  FIG. 5C is a modification of FIG. 5A, and the wind receiving unit 10 is provided at a position facing the air blowing unit 7. The positional relationship between the air blowing unit 7 and the air receiving unit 10 is the same as the positional relationship between the exhaust port 2 and the air intake unit 3 that are close to each other. The wind receiving part 10 is installed so that the gas flow of the part 10 becomes parallel. The wind receiving part 10 mainly receives the air AIR sent by the air blowing part 7, fixes the flow of the air AIR, and functions as a lid with a layer of air AIR on the top of the gas G2 of ozone-containing gas that sterilizes the object. Fulfill. Moreover, the wind receiving part 10 receives the ozone containing gas which diffuses partially in the air AIR, and prevents it from diffusing to the periphery. Furthermore, by providing the wind receiving portion 10, the gas G3in to be sucked can be maintained at a predetermined flow rate or less. As a result, the gas G having the same concentration as the ozone concentration of the gas G2 can be used for circulation in the sterilizer 100, and ozone can be reused efficiently.

  As described above, according to the sterilization apparatus of the present embodiment, ozone gas can be brought into contact with an object without being diffused into the atmosphere and can be sterilized efficiently.

  When ozone is used when sterilizing with a sterilizer, the sterilizing effect is high, and post-treatment such as wiping is not required, and convenience is increased. Moreover, by using gas, the shape of the object to be sterilized can be used in various shapes other than a flat surface. Furthermore, since the ozone generating mechanism for generating ozone uses a cold cathode lamp, not only natural air can be used, but the mechanism of the apparatus is simple and the size can be reduced.

  In addition, the sterilizer has an integrated ozone generation mechanism and an exhaust port for exhausting the ozone-containing gas, so that ozone can be exhausted uniformly without strictly controlling the flow rate of the ozone-containing gas. Therefore, it is possible not only to suppress the variation in ozone concentration and sterilize evenly, but also to maintain safety without exceeding the ozone concentration exceeding the permissible concentration in the indoor environment standard and the working environment.

  Even when the gas is released into an open space without an enclosure, the gas is sucked from the gas suction hole provided on the side facing the gas exhaust port, so that the gas does not diffuse so much. Further, by circulating the sucked gas and reusing ozone contained in the ozone-containing gas, sterilization can be performed at a concentration higher than the ozone generation concentration. Further, the ozone generation concentration can be lowered, and not only can the safety be maintained, but also the efficiency is improved. Further, since the ozone generation concentration can be reduced, it is not necessary to strictly manage the ozone concentration, and the allowable concentration can be maintained.

  About the gas to circulate, a clean state can be maintained by filtering at the time of circulation. In addition, when ozone is generated by the ultraviolet ray method, the gas circulating by the ultraviolet ray can be sterilized and a clean state can be maintained.

  The touch panel of the object to be sterilized is an example, and the objects are various. Moreover, the part which sterilizes a target object does not need to be a plane, and may have an unevenness | corrugation. Examples include an elevator push button, a station automatic ticket vending machine push button, a personal computer keyboard, and a numeric keypad. In addition, a door knob, a telephone handset, or the like may be used as an object. At this time, the object is preferably formed of an ozone resistant material or covered with an ozone resistant material.

  A part or all of the above-described embodiment can be described as in the following supplementary notes, but is not limited thereto.

  (Appendix 1) A generating means for generating ozone, an exhaust means for exhausting an ozone-containing gas containing ozone generated by the generating means from a position adjacent to the periphery of the object in the direction of the object, Provided at a position facing the exhaust means with the object sandwiched therebetween, an intake means for intake of the ozone-containing gas exhausted by the exhaust means, the intake means and the exhaust means are connected, and the intake means sucked in air An air supply pipe having a circulation pump for sending an ozone-containing gas to the exhaust means, and the generating means is provided at an adjacent position in front of the exhaust port of the exhaust means. apparatus.

  (Supplementary note 2) The sterilizer according to supplementary note 1, wherein the generating means generates the ozone using a cold cathode fluorescent lamp.

  (Supplementary note 3) The sterilizer according to Supplementary note 1 or 2, wherein the flow rate of the gas sucked by the suction means is equal to or higher than the flow rate of the gas exhausted by the exhaust means.

  (Supplementary note 4) The sterilizer according to any one of Supplementary notes 1 to 3, wherein the air supply pipe includes a filtering means for filtering the ozone-containing gas sucked by the suction means.

1 Gas generator
2 Exhaust port
3 Air intake part
4 Circulation pump
5 Air supply piping
6 Filtration unit
7 Air blower
8 Air curtain
9 fans
10 Wind receiving part
11 Ozone generation mechanism
12 Power supply
13 Inverter (ballast)
14 Fluorescent lamp
15 lamp stand
16 reaction chamber
17, 18 through holes
19 Lamp cover
100 Sterilizer
101 Touch panel G, G1, G1out, G2,
G3, G3in, G4 gas

Claims (4)

Generating means for generating ozone;
Exhaust means for exhausting ozone-containing gas containing ozone generated by the generating means from a position adjacent to the periphery of the object in the direction of the object;
An intake means provided at a position facing the exhaust means with the object sandwiched therebetween, and for sucking in an ozone-containing gas exhausted by the exhaust means;
An air supply pipe provided with a circulation pump that connects the intake means and the exhaust means, and sends ozone-containing gas sucked by the intake means to the exhaust means;
With
The generating means is provided at an adjacent position in front of the exhaust port of the exhaust means.
A sterilizer characterized by that.   2. The sterilizer according to claim 1, wherein the generating means generates the ozone using a cold cathode fluorescent lamp.   The sterilizer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flow rate of the gas sucked by the suction means is equal to or higher than the flow rate of the gas exhausted by the exhaust means.   The sterilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air supply pipe includes a filtering unit that filters the ozone-containing gas sucked by the suction unit.

Images