JP2021177809A - Sterilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a UV-light sterilizer that achieves improved safety without causing a significant decrease in sterilization ability.SOLUTION: A sterilizer has a cabinet 10, an air intake 11 for taking air into the cabinet, an air exhaust 12 that discharges the air taken into the cabinet out of the cabinet, a circulation path 20 that connects the air intake 11 to the air exhaust 12 and allows the air from the air intake to circulate inside it, a discharge lamp 21a that is disposed in the cabinet and emits UV light, an emission window 21b that allows the UV light from the discharge lamp to be emitted into the circulation path, a light extraction part 13 that is provided on the path of UV light to take the UV light from the emission window 21b to the outside of the cabinet 10, and a UV light control plate 22 that has an incident surface turned toward the emission window side, is disposed away from the emission window 21b through the internal space of the circulation path so that at least part of it is included between the emission window 21b and the light extraction part 13, and reflects some of the UV light incident on the incident surface while allowing part of the UV light to pass therethrough.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a sterilizer, and more particularly to a sterilizer that performs a sterilization treatment by irradiating with ultraviolet light.

Conventionally, a device that sterilizes bacteria and inactivates viruses (hereinafter referred to as "sterilization" with the intention of including any of these cases) by irradiating an indoor space or floor with ultraviolet light. Are known. In addition, ultraviolet light has the effect of sterilizing bacteria and the like, and is known to have an adverse effect on human health, such as damaging the skin when irradiated to the human body, depending on the wavelength band and irradiation time. ing.

Therefore, in Patent Document 1 below, the air taken into the apparatus is irradiated with ultraviolet light emitted from a discharge lamp to sterilize bacteria and the like floating in the room, and the direction of irradiation with ultraviolet light is different. A sterilizing device that sterilizes a room by irradiating a space, a floor surface, a wall surface, etc. while avoiding people by combining the following devices is described.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-130131

However, people rarely stay still in the same place during the sterilization process indoors, and usually move around freely. That is, even if the ultraviolet light is irradiated only in the direction in which there is no person, there is a possibility that the person moves into the irradiation area.

In addition, it is sufficient if the space can secure time when there are no people, but in a space where people are frequently present or always present, only the vicinity of the ceiling where there are no people is sterilized, and the floor surface and people are often used. Items that are touched (for example, a keyboard or mouse of a personal computer) are hardly irradiated with ultraviolet light and cannot be sterilized.

Furthermore, even when the irradiation direction is changed by the louver, it is difficult to avoid all the people in the space where there are a plurality of people.

Therefore, the conventional sterilizer has a problem that the ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp may be irradiated to a large amount of people while the light intensity is high, and it cannot be practically used in an environment with people. rice field.

It is conceivable to simply reduce the light intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp so that the effect on humans is reduced, but if the light intensity of the ultraviolet light is simply reduced, the ultraviolet light emitted to the air will be reduced. Both the light intensity of the light and the light intensity of the ultraviolet light radiated to the floor surface and the wall surface are lowered, and the sterilizing ability of the sterilizing device is significantly lowered.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sterilizing device using ultraviolet light, which has improved safety without significantly reducing the sterilizing ability.

The sterilizer of the present invention is
With the housing
An intake port that introduces air into the housing and
An exhaust port that exhausts the air introduced into the housing to the outside of the housing,
A flow path that connects the intake port and the exhaust port and allows air introduced from the intake port to pass through the inside.
A discharge lamp that emits ultraviolet light arranged in the housing and
An exit window that emits ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp toward the inside of the flow path, and an exit window.
In order to extract the ultraviolet light emitted from the exit window to the outside of the housing, a light extraction unit provided on the optical path of the ultraviolet light and a light extraction unit.
It has an incident surface that is arranged toward the exit window side, and is separated from the exit window through a space in the flow path so that at least a part thereof is included between the emission window and the light extraction unit. It is characterized by being provided with an ultraviolet light control plate that reflects a part of the ultraviolet light incident on the incident surface and transmits a part of the ultraviolet light.

The air that is taken into the housing through the intake port and flows through the flow path is exposed to the ultraviolet light emitted from the exit window and the ultraviolet light emitted from the exit window and reflected by the ultraviolet light control plate. .. Therefore, with the above configuration, the air flowing through the flow path is irradiated with more ultraviolet light than when it is sterilized only by the ultraviolet light emitted from the exit window. , More powerfully sterilized.

As the ultraviolet light control plate, for example, a PTFE plate made of a fluororesin may be adopted. By adjusting the thickness of the PTFE plate, the reflectance and transmittance for ultraviolet light incident on the incident surface can be adjusted. As an example, the PTFE plate is mentioned, but the material of the ultraviolet light control plate may be other than fluororesin. Specifically, it is preferable that the material and composition are selected so that the reflectance for ultraviolet light incident on the incident surface is within the range of 70% or more and 99% or less, and the transmittance is within the range of 3% or more and 30% or less. It is more preferable that the reflectance is in the range of 85% or more and 95% or less, and the transmittance is in the range of 5% or more and 15% or less.

The ultraviolet light emitted from the exit window is emitted from the light extraction unit toward the outside of the housing and irradiates the floor surface, wall surface, etc. in the room to sterilize bacteria and the like adhering to them. That is, with the above configuration, bacteria and the like contained in the air and bacteria and the like adhering to the floor surface and wall surface of the room can be sterilized at the same time.

According to the above configuration, at least a part of the ultraviolet light emitted from the light extraction unit is transmitted through the ultraviolet light control plate, so that the light intensity is attenuated, or the ultraviolet light is emitted immediately after being emitted to the outside of the housing. It is incident on the incident surface of the optical control plate.

Therefore, a large amount of ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp in a state of high light intensity is not emitted toward a person, and the safety of the sterilizer is improved.

It is preferable that the ultraviolet light control plate is configured so that 80% or more of the ultraviolet light control plate is contained in the area of the light extraction unit when the light extraction unit is viewed from the emission window. As a result, among the ultraviolet light emitted from the exit window, the ultraviolet light emitted as it is from the light extraction unit becomes a very small part.

Further, the light extraction unit may be configured as long as it can extract ultraviolet light to the outside of the housing, and may be, for example, a window made of quartz glass instead of an opening. Further, the light extraction unit may be a window composed of an ultraviolet light control plate.

Further, ultraviolet light is also effective for inactivating viruses, and the sterilizing device of the present invention also copes with inactivating viruses contained in the air taken into the housing through the intake port and viruses outside the housing. be able to.

The above sterilizer is
The exhaust port may be the light extraction unit.

With the above configuration, the space around the exhaust port on the outside of the housing is sterilized by the ultraviolet light emitted from the exhaust port through the ultraviolet light control plate. Then, the air that has been sterilized by flowing through the flow path is discharged from the exhaust port toward the clean space that has been sterilized. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the clean air that has been sterilized in the housing from being contaminated again immediately after being discharged from the housing.

In the above sterilizer
The ultraviolet light control plate is arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the cross section of the flow path of the exhaust port so as to straddle the exhaust port, and the incident surface is a diffuse reflection surface that diffusely reflects a part of the incident light. It doesn't matter.

In addition, the above sterilizer is
On the outside of the housing, at a position opposite to the exhaust window when viewed from the exhaust port, the reflective surface faces the exhaust port side and is inclined with respect to the flow path cross section of the exhaust port. It may be provided with a reflector arranged in.

With the above configuration, a part of the ultraviolet light emitted from the light extraction unit is reflected by the ultraviolet light control plate toward the flow path, and the other part is reflected toward the periphery of the housing. NS. Therefore, it is possible to increase the amount of ultraviolet light emitted to the air flowing through the flow path and to irradiate the object to be processed placed on the floor or desk with ultraviolet light.

In the above sterilizer
The discharge lamp may emit ultraviolet light having a main emission wavelength of 222 nm.

Further, in the above sterilizer,
The emission window may be provided with an optical filter that does not substantially transmit ultraviolet light in a wavelength band of 230 nm or more.

As used herein, the term "main emission wavelength" means 40% or more of the total integrated intensity in the emission spectrum when the wavelength range Z (λ) of ± 10 nm with respect to a certain wavelength λ is defined on the emission spectrum. Refers to the wavelength λi in the wavelength region Z (λi) indicating the integrated intensity of.

In the present specification, "substantially does not transmit ultraviolet light in a wavelength band of 230 nm or more" means that the light intensity of the ultraviolet light transmitted through the optical filter is 20 with respect to the light intensity of the ultraviolet light incident on the optical filter. Means less than%. The details of this definition will be described with reference to FIG. 4 in the description of the optical filter 21c in the "mode for carrying out the invention".

Of the wavelength band of light called ultraviolet light, ultraviolet light of less than 230 nm cannot pass through the epidermis of human skin and hardly reaches the dermis. Further, ultraviolet light having a diameter of less than 200 nm is easily absorbed by oxygen in the air and cannot travel far in the air, so that it is difficult to sterilize the room over a wide area. Therefore, with the above configuration, the room can be sufficiently sterilized, and even if the ultraviolet light emitted from the outside of the housing irradiates the human body, there is almost no effect, and the sterilization is further improved in safety. The device can be configured.

The above sterilizer is
In the flow path, there may be a collision portion where at least a part of the air flowing through the flow path collides.

Further, in the above sterilizer,
The housing may have a shape having a bent portion in the middle of the flow path, and the collision portion may be formed on the inner surface of the housing at the bent portion.

With the above configuration, the air taken into the housing from the intake port and flowing through the flow path collides with the collision portion formed on the inner wall surface due to the shape of the housing having a bent portion. , The flow speed will decrease.

Therefore, as compared with the case where the air flows from the intake port to the exhaust port while maintaining the speed, the time for staying in the flow path is longer, and the ultraviolet light is irradiated for a longer time. As a result, more bacteria and viruses contained in the air can be sterilized in one flow, so that the sterilization treatment can be performed efficiently.

The above sterilizer is
A blower fan for introducing air outside the housing may be provided from the intake port into the flow path.

With the above configuration, the air to be treated can be sequentially introduced from the intake port into the flow path, and the air in the room can be sterilized more efficiently.

Furthermore, the above sterilizer
A power supply unit that supplies electric power to the discharge lamp may be arranged in the flow path.

The discharge lamp is a lamp that emits ultraviolet light by discharging it in the arc tube by applying a voltage, and requires a power supply unit to which a high voltage is applied. Therefore, the power supply unit becomes hot due to self-heating during operation. Therefore, a device using a discharge lamp may be provided with a cooling mechanism using cooling air or cooling water in order to cool the power supply unit.

With the above configuration, the power supply unit is introduced from the intake port by the blower fan, and heat is absorbed and cooled by the air flowing through the flow path at a predetermined flow velocity or higher. Therefore, the sterilizer does not need to be provided with a separate cooling mechanism, and the entire device can be miniaturized.

Furthermore, the above sterilizer
A deodorant may be arranged in the flow path.

Squalene and the like contained in sebum secreted from the human body are decomposed and changed into substances that give off a bad odor such as hexanal and nonenal when irradiated with ultraviolet light. For this reason, for example, when an ultraviolet light emitted from a sterilizer is applied to a processing object to which human skin oil is attached, such as a mouse or keyboard of a personal computer, a large amount of substances that cause a foul odor are generated, which is unsanitary. Creates a space.

Therefore, with the above configuration, the substance that causes the malodor generated by the irradiation of ultraviolet light is taken into the housing and treated with the deodorant arranged in the flow path. Therefore, the surrounding area of the sterilizer becomes a cleaner environment.

As the deodorant, for example, a deodorant by a physical method that adsorbs a substance that causes a bad odor, such as activated carbon, can be adopted, and a deodorant target such as a photocatalyst, cyclodextrin, etc. A deodorant or the like by a chemical method, which decomposes by a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with the substance to be used, can also be adopted.

According to the present invention, a sterilizing device using ultraviolet light, which has improved safety without significantly reducing the sterilizing ability, is realized.

It is a schematic whole perspective view of one Embodiment of a sterilizer. It is a side sectional view when the sterilizer of FIG. 1 is seen in the X direction. It is a side sectional view when the sterilizer of FIG. 1 is seen in the Y direction. This is an example of the spectrum of ultraviolet light emitted from an excimer lamp whose main emission wavelength of the emitted ultraviolet light is 222 nm. It is a figure when the + Z direction is seen from the ultraviolet light source in the sterilizer of FIG. It is a side sectional view when one embodiment of the sterilizer is seen in the Y direction. 6 is a drawing when the + Z direction is viewed from an ultraviolet light source in the sterilizer of FIG. 6A. It is a figure which shows the use example of one Embodiment of a sterilizer. It is a side sectional view when one embodiment of the sterilizer is seen in the Y direction. It is a side sectional view when another embodiment of a sterilizer is seen in the X direction.

Hereinafter, the sterilizer of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, each of the following drawings is schematically shown in a schematic manner, and the dimensional ratio and the number on the drawings do not always match the actual dimensional ratio and the number.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a schematic overall perspective view of an embodiment of the sterilizer 1. 2 is a side sectional view of the sterilizer 1 of FIG. 1 when viewed in the X direction, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the sterilizer 1 of FIG. 1 when viewed in the Y direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the sterilizer 1 includes a housing 10 and an intake port 11 and an exhaust port 12 provided in the housing 10. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the sterilizer 1 has a passage line 20, an ultraviolet light source 21, an ultraviolet light control plate 22, a power supply unit 23, a blower fan 24, and a deodorant in the housing 10, as shown in FIG. The agent 25 is provided.

In the following description, as shown in FIG. 2, the direction in which the air G1 immediately after being taken in from the intake port 11 flows through the flow path 20 is the Y direction, and the direction in which the air G1 is discharged from the exhaust port 12 Is the Z direction, and the direction orthogonal to the Y direction and the Z direction is the X direction. When expressing the direction, when distinguishing between the positive and negative directions, it is described with positive and negative signs such as "+ Z direction" and "-Z direction", and the positive and negative directions are not distinguished. When expressing the direction in, it is simply described as "Z direction".

The housing 10 is a frame of the sterilizer 1, and as shown in FIG. 2, the intake port 11 and the exhaust port 12 so that the air G1 taken in from the intake port 11 flows inside to the exhaust port 12. 20 is configured to communicate with. The housing 10 has a shape having a bent portion 10a in the middle of the flow path 20, and the inner side surface of the housing 10 at the bent portion 10a is used to slow down the air G1 flowing through the flow path 20. It constitutes the collision portion 10b.

The housing 10 does not have to have a shape having a bent portion 10a. For example, the collision portion 10b can be formed by providing a wall that obstructs the flow of the air G1 in the middle of the flow path 20. Further, the collision portion 10b may not be provided, and the air G1 is configured to flow straight from the intake port 11 to the exhaust port 12 without decelerating, for example, from the intake port 11 to the exhaust port 12. It doesn't matter if you do.

Further, the flow path 20 may be configured so that the flow path narrows toward the exhaust port 12 and decelerates the air G1 without having the collision portion 10b. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ultraviolet light control plate 22 is arranged so that the flow path 20 toward the exhaust port 12 is narrowed. As a result, the air G1 stays between the ultraviolet light source 21 and the ultraviolet light control plate 22, and is irradiated with the ultraviolet light (L1, L2) for a longer period of time.

The intake port 11 is an opening for taking in the air G1 outside the housing 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the intake port 11 of the first embodiment is composed of a plurality of openings, but may be one opening.

As shown in FIG. 2, a blower fan 24 is provided near the intake port 11 in the flow path 20 to take in the air G1 outside the housing 10. As a result, the air G1 sequentially taken into the housing 10 from the intake port 11 passes through the passage passage 20 and flows toward the collision portion 10b.

The exhaust port 12 is an opening provided in the housing 10 for discharging the air G1 taken in from the intake port 11 and flowing through the flow path 20 in the + Z direction. The exhaust port 12 of the first embodiment discharges the sterilized air G1 and emits the ultraviolet light L3 emitted from the ultraviolet light source 21 and transmitted through the ultraviolet light control plate 22 to the outside of the housing 10 in the + Z direction. It also serves as a light extraction unit 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ultraviolet light source 21 includes a discharge lamp 21a, and emits the ultraviolet light L1 emitted from the discharge lamp 21a from the emission window 21b toward the ultraviolet light control plate 22. The discharge lamp 21a according to the first embodiment is an excimer lamp that generates electric power in the arc tube by supplying electric power from the power supply unit 23 via the feeding line 23a and emits ultraviolet light L1 having a main emission wavelength of 222 nm. Is.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the discharge lamp 21a of the first embodiment, a light emitting gas is enclosed in a light emitting tube extending in one direction, and a voltage is applied from a power supply unit 23 between a pair of electrodes 21d supporting the light emitting tube. When applied, it lights up and emits ultraviolet light L1. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the ultraviolet light source 21 includes a plurality of discharge lamps 21a, but the ultraviolet light source 21 may be composed of only one discharge lamp 21a. ..

The emission window 21b of the ultraviolet light source 21 is composed of an optical filter 21c that does not substantially transmit ultraviolet light in a wavelength band of 230 nm or more. As described above, "substantially does not transmit ultraviolet light in the wavelength band of 230 nm or more" means that the light intensity of the ultraviolet light in the wavelength band of 230 nm or more transmitted through the optical filter 21c is incident on the optical filter 21c. It means that it is less than 20% with respect to the light intensity of ultraviolet light. In the following, for convenience, the details will be described only for ultraviolet light in the wavelength band of 200 nm to 300 nm with reference to the example of the spectrum of the excimer lamp of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an example of the spectrum of the ultraviolet light emitted from the excima lamp whose main emission wavelength of the emitted ultraviolet light is 222 nm, and is a relative display in which the light intensity of the peak wavelength (222 nm) shown by the broken line is 100%. It is a graph of the light intensity in the wavelength band of 200 nm to 300 nm. As shown in FIG. 4, the light intensity of the ultraviolet light in the wavelength band of 230 nm to 300 nm emitted from the excimer lamp emitting the ultraviolet light having the main emission wavelength of 222 nm is 5% (one point) with respect to the light intensity of the peak wavelength. The height shown by the broken line) or less.

The optical filter 21c further reduces the light intensity of the ultraviolet light of 230 nm or more to less than 20%. That is, the optical filter 21c attenuates the light intensity of ultraviolet light in the wavelength band of 230 nm or more emitted from the excimer lamp, which is the discharge lamp 21a, to a very low light intensity of 1% or less with respect to the peak wavelength. As a result, it is realized that ultraviolet light having a wavelength band of 230 nm or more is not substantially transmitted.

The ultraviolet light control plate 22 is arranged so that the emission window 21b of the ultraviolet light source 21 and the incident surface 22a face each other, and the ultraviolet light L1 emitted from the exit window 21b of the ultraviolet light source 21 and incident on the incident surface 22a. It reflects a part and transmits a part. The ultraviolet light L2 reflected by the ultraviolet light control plate 22 travels toward the air G1 flowing through the flow path 20.

The ultraviolet light control plate 22 in the first embodiment is a PTFE plate made of a fluororesin so that the reflectance is 90% and the transmittance is 10% with respect to the 222 nm ultraviolet light incident on the incident surface 22a. It is configured. In addition, the ultraviolet light control plate 22 may employ a ceramic reflector or the like made of silica and alumina particles.

Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the light intensity of the peak wavelength (222 nm) of the ultraviolet light emitted from the excimer lamp, which is the discharge lamp 21a, passes through the ultraviolet light control plate 22 and the light intensity is attenuated to 10%. Even so, it is several times higher than the light intensity of ultraviolet light of 230 nm or more, which is not substantially transmitted by the optical filter 21c. That is, the ultraviolet light control plate 22 has a transmittance of 10%, but is a member that substantially transmits ultraviolet light.

The ultraviolet light L3 transmitted through the ultraviolet light control plate 22 is emitted from the exhaust port 12, which is also the light extraction unit 13, to the outside of the housing 10, and is arranged on the floor, wall surface, ceiling, and arrangement in the room where the sterilizer 1 is arranged. It is irradiated to the processed object or the like.

FIG. 5 is a drawing when the + Z direction is viewed from the ultraviolet light source 21 in the sterilizer 1 of FIG. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the exhaust port 12 is provided on the wall surface of the housing 10 located in the direction (+ Z direction) in which the ultraviolet light control plate 22 is arranged when viewed from the ultraviolet light source 21. Has been done. In the first embodiment, the exhaust port 12 is completely hidden by the ultraviolet light control plate 22 and cannot be seen when viewed from the ultraviolet light source 21. In FIG. 5, the exhaust port 12 is covered with an ultraviolet light control plate 22, which is not actually visible, but is shown by a broken line for explanation.

The deodorant 25 is arranged in the flow path 20 as shown in FIG. 2 in order to adsorb a substance that causes a bad odor taken in from the intake port 11 or to perform a treatment by a chemical reaction. As described above, sebum secreted from the human body is irradiated with ultraviolet light in a specific wavelength band, and a substance that emits a bad odor such as hexanal or nonenal is produced by a chemical change.

Therefore, the deodorant 25 arranged in the flow path 20 treats the substance that causes the malodor taken in from the intake port 11. As described above, as the deodorant 25, a deodorant by a physical method that adsorbs a substance that causes a bad odor, such as activated carbon, can be adopted, and a photocatalyst, cyclodextrin, etc. can be adopted. As described above, a deodorant or the like by a chemical method, which decomposes by a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with a substance to be deodorized, can also be adopted.

The air G1 taken into the housing 10 by the blower fan 24 from the intake port 11 passes through the −Z side passage passage 20 of the passage passages 20 divided in the Z direction toward the collision portion 10b. Shed. At this time, the air G1 is passed through while absorbing the heat generated by the power supply unit 23 arranged in the flow path 20 on the −Z side, so that the power supply unit 23 is cooled.

The air G1 that has collided with the collision portion 10b and decelerated flows in the + Z direction, and begins to flow through the passage passage 20 on the + Z side. The air G1 flowing through the passage 20 on the + Z side hits the deodorant 25, and a substance containing a bad odor contained in the air G1 is treated.

The air G1 that has passed through the deodorant 25 flows into the space between the ultraviolet light source 21 and the ultraviolet light control plate 22, and is emitted from the emission window 21b of the ultraviolet light source 21 by the ultraviolet light L1 and the ultraviolet light control plate 22. The reflected ultraviolet light L2 is irradiated and sterilized.

The sterilized air G1 passes through the gap between the exhaust port 12 and the ultraviolet light control plate 22, and is discharged from the exhaust port 12 to the outside of the housing 10.

With the above configuration, it is possible to sterilize the air G1 in the room and simultaneously sterilize the floor surface, wall surface, ceiling, arranged object to be treated, and the like in the room. The ultraviolet light L3 emitted from the exhaust port 12 which is the light extraction unit 13 has a higher light intensity than the ultraviolet light L1 emitted from the exit window 21b of the ultraviolet light source 21 by passing through the ultraviolet light control plate 22. Since it is attenuated, there is extremely little risk that the human body will be exposed to high-intensity ultraviolet light. Therefore, it can be used without any problem even in a room with people.

Further, in the first embodiment, an optical filter 21c is provided so that the outside of the housing 10 is not irradiated with ultraviolet light of 230 nm or less for the purpose of further enhancing safety. However, even if the ultraviolet light source 21 that emits ultraviolet light L1 of 230 nm or more is adopted, the ultraviolet light L1 is irradiated to a person during the sterilization process because the light intensity is attenuated by the ultraviolet light control plate 22. There is no problem.

Further, the air and the object to be treated existing around the exhaust port 12 on the outside of the housing 10 are sterilized by the ultraviolet light L3 emitted from the exhaust port 12 through the ultraviolet light control plate 22. Then, the air G1 that has been sterilized by passing through the flow path 20 is discharged from the exhaust port 12 toward the clean space that has been sterilized. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the sterilized air G1 from being contaminated again immediately after being exhausted from the exhaust port 12.

Further, the ultraviolet light is also effective for inactivating the virus, and the sterilizer 1 inactivates the virus contained in the air G1 taken into the housing 10 from the intake port 11 and the virus outside the housing 10. Can also be handled.

In the first embodiment, the power supply unit 23 is arranged in the flow path 20 in order to cool the power supply unit 23 by the air G1 flowing through the flow path 20, but the power supply unit 23 is arranged in the flow path 20. It may be arranged outside the 20.

Further, in the first embodiment, the deodorant 25 is arranged in the flow path 20 in order to treat the substance causing the malodor, but the deodorant 25 is not arranged in the flow path 20. It doesn't matter. For example, the deodorant 25 may be arranged on the outside of the housing 10 separately from the sterilizer 1.

Further, in the first embodiment, the discharge lamp 21a is an excimer lamp having a diameter of 222 nm, but it may be an excimer lamp having a different main emission wavelength, and if it is a discharge lamp that emits ultraviolet light, it is not an excimer lamp. It doesn't matter.

[Second Embodiment]
The configuration of the second embodiment of the sterilizer 1 of the present invention will be described focusing on the parts different from the first embodiment.

FIG. 6A is a side sectional view of an embodiment of the sterilizer 1 when viewed in the Y direction, and FIG. 6B is a drawing of the sterilizer 1 of FIG. 6A when viewed in the + Z direction from the ultraviolet light source 21. be. As shown in FIG. 6, the sterilizer 1 of the second embodiment is partially arranged outside the housing 10 so that the ultraviolet light control plate 22 straddles the exhaust port 12.

Further, the ultraviolet light control plate 22 is arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the flow path cross section S1 (XY plane) of the exhaust port 12 on the outside of the housing 10. Further, as shown by the traveling path of the reflected ultraviolet light L2, the incident surface 22a of the ultraviolet light control plate 22 is a diffuse reflection surface that reflects light in a direction of a reflection angle different from the incident angle.

In FIG. 6B, the region inside the circle on the XY plane consisting of the innermost thick line and the dotted line shows the flow path cross section S1. The flow path cross section S1 is represented linearly as shown in FIG. 6A when viewed in the Y direction, and in the second embodiment, the ultraviolet light control plate 22 is arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the X direction.

As shown in FIG. 6B, when the exhaust port 12 side is viewed from the ultraviolet light source 21, 80% or more of the exhaust port 12 is arranged so that the ultraviolet light control plate 22 is included. That is, most of the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source 21 toward the exhaust port 12, which is also the light extraction unit 13, hits the ultraviolet light control plate 22.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6A, a part of the ultraviolet light L1 incident on the incident surface 22a of the ultraviolet light control plate 22 is reflected inside the housing 10, and a part is reflected around the housing 10. A part of it passes through the ultraviolet light control plate 22 and becomes ultraviolet light L3. Therefore, the sterilizer 1 of the second embodiment can simultaneously sterilize the air G1 taken into the flow path 20, sterilize the space around the housing, and sterilize a specific object to be sterilized.

FIG. 6C is a drawing showing a usage example of one embodiment of the sterilizer 1. As an example, the case where it is applied to a keyboard to which bacteria and human sebum often adhere is shown, but as shown in FIG. 6C, it is necessary to intensively irradiate ultraviolet light to something that a person often touches. Can be done.

Further, since the sterilizer 1 of the second embodiment does not need to be additionally arranged with a reflector or the like, the manufacturing cost is suppressed and the sterilizer 1 as a whole is realized without increasing the size.

Although the ultraviolet light control plate 22 is shown to rotate in FIG. 6A, the arrangement angle may be fixed.

[Third Embodiment]
The configuration of the third embodiment of the sterilizer 1 of the present invention will be described focusing on the parts different from the first embodiment and the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of an embodiment of the sterilizer 1 when viewed in the Y direction. As shown in FIG. 7, the sterilizer 1 of the third embodiment is located on the outside of the housing 10 and at a position opposite to the ultraviolet light source 21 (+ Z side) when viewed from the exhaust port 12. 60 is provided with a reflector 60 arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the flow path cross section S1 (XY plane) of the above.

As shown in FIG. 7, the reflecting surface 60a of the reflecting plate 60 is arranged so as to face the exhaust port 12 side. Further, the flow path cross section S1 is represented linearly in FIG. 7 in the same manner as described above in the description of FIGS. 6A and 6B, and the flow path cross section S1 represented by FIG. 6B is viewed in the Y direction. It corresponds to the shape when it is folded.

The sterilizer 1 of the third embodiment places the sterilizer 1 on a desk and adjusts the direction and position so that the ultraviolet light L3 transmitted through the ultraviolet light control plate 22 is irradiated toward the object to be sterilized. The ultraviolet light L3 for sterilization treatment can be intensively irradiated in a specific direction and only in the vicinity of the sterilizer 1.

Further, since it is not diffuse reflection, the sterilizer 1 of the third embodiment can irradiate a specific irradiation target with ultraviolet light L3 more intensively as compared with the sterilizer 1 of the second embodiment. can.

Although the reflector 60 is shown to rotate in FIG. 7, the arrangement angle may be fixed.

[Another Embodiment]
Hereinafter, another embodiment of the sterilizer 1 will be described.

<1> FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of another embodiment of the sterilizer 1 when viewed in the X direction. As shown in FIG. 8, the exhaust port 12 and the light extraction unit 13 may be configured independently of each other.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the sterilizer 1 may not be provided with a blower fan 24 and may be configured to process the air G1 flowing by natural convection.

<2> An optical filter that does not substantially transmit light of 230 nm or more may be arranged in the light extraction unit 13. When the light extraction unit 13 is configured independently of the exhaust port 12, it is not necessary to allow air G1 to pass through. Therefore, the light extraction unit 13 can arrange an optical filter so that ultraviolet light in a predetermined wavelength band is not emitted to the outside of the housing 10.

With the above configuration, for example, for checking an abnormality or the like, it is possible to configure the structure so that a person can look into the inside of the housing 10 from the light extraction unit 13 while keeping the ultraviolet light source 21 lit.

Here, in each of the above embodiments, only one exhaust port 12 has been described, but a plurality of exhaust ports 12 may be provided.

<3> The structure of the sterilizer 1 illustrated in each of the above embodiments is merely an example, and the present invention is not intended to be limited to such a configuration.

1: Sterilizer 10: Housing 10a: Bent part 10b: Collision part 11: Intake port 12: Exhaust port 13: Light take-out part 20: Passage channel 21: Ultraviolet light source 21a: Discharge lamp 21b: Exit window 21c: Optical 22: Ultraviolet light control plate 22a: Incident surface 23: Power supply unit 23a: Power supply line 24: Blower fan 25: Deodorant 60: Reflective plate 60a: Reflective surface G1: Air L1, L2, L3: Ultraviolet light

Claims (11)

With the housing
An intake port that introduces air into the housing and
An exhaust port that exhausts the air introduced into the housing to the outside of the housing,
A flow path that connects the intake port and the exhaust port and allows air introduced from the intake port to pass through the inside.
A discharge lamp that emits ultraviolet light arranged in the housing and
An exit window that emits ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp toward the inside of the flow path, and an exit window.
In order to extract the ultraviolet light emitted from the exit window to the outside of the housing, a light extraction unit provided on the optical path of the ultraviolet light and a light extraction unit.
It has an incident surface that is arranged toward the exit window side, and is separated from the exit window through a space in the flow path so that at least a part thereof is included between the emission window and the light extraction unit. A sterilizer comprising an ultraviolet light control plate that reflects a part of the ultraviolet light incident on the incident surface and transmits a part of the ultraviolet light. The sterilizer according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust port serves as the light extraction unit. The ultraviolet light control plate is arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the flow path cross section of the exhaust port so as to straddle the exhaust port, and the incident surface diffuses and reflects a part of the incident light. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the surface is a surface. On the outside of the housing, at a position opposite to the exit window when viewed from the exhaust port, the reflective surface faces the exhaust port side and is inclined with respect to the flow path cross section of the exhaust port. The sterilizer according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a reflector arranged in. The sterilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the discharge lamp emits ultraviolet light having a main emission wavelength of 222 nm. The sterilizer according to claim 5, wherein the exit window includes an optical filter that does not substantially transmit ultraviolet light in a wavelength band of 230 nm or more. The sterilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sterilizer has a collision portion in which at least a part of the air flowing through the flow path collides with the flow path. The seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the housing has a shape having a bent portion in the middle of the flow path, and the collision portion is formed by an inner surface surface of the housing at the bent portion. The sterilizer described. The sterilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a blower fan for introducing air outside the housing from the intake port into the flow path. The sterilizer according to claim 9, wherein a power supply unit for supplying electric power to the discharge lamp is arranged in the flow path. The sterilizer according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the deodorant is arranged in the flow path.

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