WO2005042038A1

WO2005042038A1 - Automatic hygiene device with mixed system of sterilization

Info

Publication number: WO2005042038A1
Application number: PCT/IT2004/000589
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bonaventura Rongai
Original assignee: Bonaventura Rongai
Priority date: 2003-10-31
Filing date: 2004-10-27
Publication date: 2005-05-12
Also published as: ITRM20030190U1; ITRM20030190V0

Abstract

The automatic hygiene device comprises a covering (1) containing an UVC germicide lamp (2), an opening hole (3) for the entry of the air to be cleaned, a fan (4) to convey said air towards said opening hole (3) and therefore towards said lamp (2), electric means to supply said lamp (2) and said fan (4) and a gate for the exit of the cleaned air.

Description

AUTOMATIC HYGIENE DEVICE WITH MIXED SYSTEM OF STERILIZATION.

The present invention concerns an automatic device that is able to hygiene the air utilising a mixed system of sterilization. More in detail the present invention regards a sterilization device that associates the effects of the air filtering and of the UVC lamp germicide action. The problem this invention is proposed to resolve regards the sterilization, the disinfection and the deodoration of the air in habitable atmospheres and/or inside of objects like mattresses, arm-chair or similar, more exposed to the risk of the presence of bacterial agents. It is known the difficulty to realize a valid operation of cleaning and to assure a good level of sterilization, inside the channels of the air conditioners, and in particular inside several objects of daily use, as for example mattresses and seats. This problem is particularly felt, for example, in the hospitals, in which, because of the often long stay in hospital of the sick people, the mattresses are subordinates to the proliferation of a lot of microorganisms, which develop also through the sweat. In little time, the presence of such microorganisms favours the formation of bacteria and spore-fungus, which are very harmful for the health and produce bad odours. But also domestic environments, in which they are present animals, are particularly exposed to the risk of development of harmful bacterial species. Also the air conditioning or aeration channels are not immune from similar problems, and in still greater measure the channels where the air recirculates into closed environment, as those existing in the airplanes or in the cars. Also in these cases there are a lot of possibility of presence of microorganisms, bacteria and spore, which make the air quality worse. These and other problems are solved according with this invention providing for a device that acts automatically and effectively assuring a continuous disinfection of the atmosphere, combining the effects of the air filtration with those of the air sterilization obtained through the exposition of the air to the UVC beams. It is therefore a specific object of the present invention an automatic hygiene device comprising a covering for housing an UVC germicide lamp, an opening hole for the entry of the air to be cleaned, a fan for conveying said air towards said opening hole and therefore towards said lamp, electric power supply means for said lamp and said fan and a gate for the exit of the cleaned air. According to this invention, the automatic hygiene device can further comprise filters for removing the impurities present in the air, preferably an acrylic fibre filter and/or an anti-pollen filter, such as of the active carbons and/or peat and/or titanium dioxide type. Moreover, the device according to this invention can further comprise a nebulizer of a solution of bactericidal agents, a tank and/or a feeding conduit of said solution to said nebulizer, and eventually an antifreezing device, as an example realized with an electrical resistance disposed in correspondence of said tank. Preferably, accordingly to the present invention, said solution of bactericidal agents comprises potassium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate at low concentration in aqueous solution. Moreover, according to the invention, the automatic hygiene device can comprise a parabolic reflector, plated with oxidation resistant metals, such as gold, and placed in front of the UVC germicide lamp. Preferably, according to the present invention, the automatic hygiene device comprises a support to be mounted in the location of use of said device, provided with means of coupling and uncoupling of the device, which can comprise at least one coupling spline and/or at least a magnetic slab. Always according to this invention, said electric supply means of said UVC germicide lamp and of said fan can comprise a connection to the electrical network and a transformer, and eventually inlet sockets for electric power, and/or at least a battery, eventually rechargeable. Moreover, said device according to the invention can comprise automatic means for switching off the UVC germicide lamp and the fan, when the device is removed from its location of use. Preferably, according to the present invention, said means for switching off the UVC germicide lamp and the fan comprise a magnetic switch operated by a magnet in the location of use, or a bridge switch whose plug and terminals are placed respectively on the device and on the location of use or vice versa, or a press switch operated by a pin located in the location of use. Always according to the invention, the automatic hygiene device can be provided with outlet sockets for electric power and/or of an outlet conduit for the germicide solution, in order to allow the connection in series with other devices of the same type. Further, the device according to the invention preferably comprises means for the detection of the lighting of the UVC germicide lamp, such as a photoelectric cell. Finally, the device according to the present invention can comprise at least an automatic timing device for switching on and switching off. The present invention will be now described, with an illustrative, but non-limitative purpose, according to a preferred embodiment, in particular making reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, in which: - figure 1 shows a perspective view of the automatic hygiene device according to the present invention, in which the covering is represented in transparency, in order to show also the inner parts, - figure 2 shows a sectioned perspective view of a spring mattress in which the automatic hygiene device according to the present invention can be applied, - figure 3 shows a perspective view of a mechanical support for the automatic hygiene device according to the present invention, - figure 4 shows a perspective view of the components of an air filtering system, in which the automatic hygiene device according to the present invention is introduced, and - figure 5 shows a perspective view of the components of a second air filtering system, in which the automatic hygiene device according to the present invention is introduced. Preliminary, with reference to figure 1 , the automatic hygiene device is composed of a covering 1 , with a long and narrow parallelepiped form, inside which is placed the UVC germicide lamp 2. One of the two smaller sides of the covering 1 is provided with an opening hole 3 for the entry of air. In correspondence with said smaller side provided with the opening hole 3 for the entry of air, it is located a fan 4, which is operated by an electric motor 5, which forces the air to enter towards the opening hole 3. Along the path that the air must complete in order to reach the part of the automatic hygiene device in which the UVC germicide lamp is located, some filters (not shown) can be present, for removing the impurities present in the air. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention an acrylic fibre filter can be provided for, which can be located on a further anti-pollen filter. In some cases, the antipollen filter can be of the active carbon kind. The air inside the device is exposed to the UVC germicide lamp and is sterilized. A nebulizer (not shown) can be further provided, in order to spray bactericidal agents solutions at low concentration. The nebulizer can generate an intermittent nebulization of potassium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate in aqueous solution at low concentration. The feeding of the aqueous solution of bactericidal agents to the nebulizer is carried out through a feeding conduit 6 of the nebulizer. The aqueous solution can be stored in a tank 7. An antifreeze device 8 is provided on the tank 7, being constituted of an electrical resistance, in order to prevent the aqueous solution of bactericidal agents from freezing when the ambient temperature is next to the solidification temperature of the solution. The automatic hygiene device can be equipped with a system of temperature detection, that automatically starts up the antifreezing device only in case of need. The cleaned air is then forced to exit from the device through the air exit gate on the opposite side to the opening hole 3 for air inlet. The automatic hygiene device is supplied with a parabolic reflector (not shown) placed in front of the UVC germicide lamp 2, plated with oxidation resistant metals, preferably gold, and with a photoelectric cell (not shown) exposed to the light of the lamp 2 for the detection of the lighting of the lamp, avoiding the visual control. Further, on one of the greater sides of the covering 1 a magnetic plate 9 can be located, which makes the positioning of the automatic hygiene device easier. With reference to figures 2 and 3, the automatic hygiene device is preferably equipped with a support 10, constituted of a housing for the insertion of the device, and which can be placed directly in the location of use of the device, for example inside a mattress 11. The support 10 is provided with coupling and uncoupling means of the automatic hygiene device. These means can also comprise a magnetic plate, in place of the magnetic plate 9 of the covering 1. Once the support 10 is positioned, it is easy to install or to uninstall the automatic hygiene device simply introducing it or removing it from the support 10. In order to avoid the possibility that persons, animals or food are irradiated from the UVC germicide lamp, also during maintenance operations, the device according to the invention can be supplied with one or more security systems. In addition to an external manual switch 12 it is possible to install a magnetic switch or a bridge switch, which switch off the lamp as soon as the automatic hygiene device is removed from its location of use, that is from the support 10. Parts of the opening and closing elements electric supply circuit of the lamp 2 and of the fan 4, the remainder being joined the automatic hygiene device. In this way, when the device is not correctly installed on the support 10, then its activation is not possible, neither accidentally. As an example it is possible to associate the magnetic slab 9 with the support 10 and to provide the automatic hygiene device with a magnetic switch, or it is possible to realise the circuit so that it includes a bridge switch, a part of which, for example a bridge plug is located on the support 10, while the terminals are located on the device. Still it is possible to provide the automatic hygiene device with a press switch and the support 10 with a pin. The automatic hygiene device is supplied by low voltage and direct current, which can be directly collected from a transformer connected to the electrical network or can be supplied from batteries, eventually rechargeable by means of the same transformer. To this aim, with reference to figure 1 , the covering 1 of the automatic hygiene device is provided with suitable inlet sockets 13 of electric power. The automatic hygiene device according to the present invention can be provided with outlet sockets 14 of electric power and of an outlet conduit 15 for the aqueous solution of bactericidal agents, in order to connect in series with other devices of the same type. With reference to figure 3, the support 10 is provided with a coupling system with the surface of the mattress 11 , said system comprising a first flange 16, integral with the support 10 and located in the inner part of the mattress, which is coupled, by means of pins 17, to a second flange 18. The automatic hygiene device according to the present invention is intended for operating in continuous but it can be provided with a timing device to be used in the cases in which its discontinuous running is desirable. The solution according to the invention is particularly favourable, above all, because it consists in a fully automated device, safe and with dimensions that allow its installation in a plurality of cases. As an example, the automatic hygiene device according to the present invention can be placed inside the air filtering system of a car . Figure 4, in particular, shows the device installed immediately under a first kind of air filtering system commonly used in cars. In the figure, the direction of the air proceeds from the top to the bottom. An automatic replacement filter 19 and an anti-pollen filter 20, of the flat type, are shown. On the covering 1 of the automatic hygiene device is also shown the nebulizer 21 of the aqueous solution of bactericidal agents. Figure 5 shows instead the device, according to the present invention, placed inside a second type of air filtering system commonly used for cars. In this case, the automatic replacement filter 19 is integrated by a tubular anti-pollen filter 22. It is also shown the housing 23 of the anti- pollen filter, acting as a support for the automatic replacement filter 19 . In the same way illustrated with reference to figures 4 and 5, the automatic hygiene device, object of this invention, can be placed inside of air conditioning and/or aeration channels showing its best performance in the case of channels where there is an air recirculation. The air treated through the passage into the automatic hygiene device according to the present invention becomes a carrier of sterilization and deodorization in all the environment or in the container in which the device is introduced. The present invention has been described with illustrative but non-limitative purposes, according to a preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that variations and/or modifications to the device could be brought by the experts in the field without for this exiting from the related protection scope, as defined by the enclosed claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 - An automatic hygiene device comprising a covering (1) for housing an UVC germicide lamp (2), an opening hole (3) for the entry of the air to be cleaned, a fan (4) for conveying said air towards said opening hole (3) and therefore towards said lamp (2), electric power supply means for said lamp (2) and said fan (4) and a gate for the exit of the cleaned air 2 - A device according to claim 1 , characterized in that it further comprises filtering means for removing impurities present the air. 3 - A device according to claim 2, characterized in that said filtering means comprise an acrylic fibre filter and/or an anti-pollen filter, such as of the active carbons and/or peat and/or titanium dioxide type. 4 - A device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that further comprises a nebulizer (21 ) of a solution of bactericidal agents, a tank (7) and/or a feeding conduit (6) of said solution to said nebulizer (21 ). 5 - A device according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises, in correspondence of said tank (7), an anti-freezing device (8), as an example realised with an electrical resistance. 6 - A device according to any of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that said solution of bactericidal agents comprises potassium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate at low concentration in aqueous solution. 7 - A device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises a parabolic reflector, plated with oxidation resistant metals, such as gold, and placed in front of the UVC germicide lamp (2). 8 - A device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises a support (10), to be placed in the location of use of said device, provided with means of coupling and uncoupling of the device. 9 - A device according to claim 8, characterized in that said coupling and uncoupling means comprise at least a coupling spline and/or at least a magnetic slab (9). 10 - A device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said electric power supply means of the lamp (2) and of the fan (4) comprise a connection to the electrical network and a transformer. 11 - A device according to claim 10, characterized in that said electric power supply means of the lamp (2) and of the fan (4) further comprise inlet sockets (13) for electric power. 12 - A device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said electric power supply means of the lamp (2) and of the fan (4) comprise at least a battery, eventually rechargeable. 13 - A device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises automatic means for switching off the UVC germicide lamp (2) and the fan (4), when the device is removed from its location of use. 14 - A device according to claim 13, characterized in that said means for switching off the lamp (2) and the fan (4) comprise a magnetic switch operated by a magnet in the location of use, or a bridge switch whose plug and terminals are placed respectively on the device and on the location of use or vice versa, or a press switch operated by a pin located in the location of use. 15 - A device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it is provided with outlet sockets (14) for electric power and/or with an outlet conduit (15) for the germicide solution, in order to allow the connection in series with other devices of the same type. 16 - A device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises means for the detection of the lighting of the UVC germicide lamp, such as a photoelectric cell. 17 - A device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises at least an automatic timing device for switching on and switching off.