Ultraviolet sterilizer

Abstract

The present application aims to provide a portable ultraviolet sterilizer which can be freely set at any position. The ultraviolet sterilizer according to an embodiment of the present application comprises a housing having an internal space, a UV lamp arranged in the internal space and emitting ultraviolet light, a battery arranged in the internal space and providing working power to the UV lamp, an illuminance sensor arranged in the housing and detecting the brightness of the external environment of the housing, and a main PCB arranged in the internal space and provided with a control processor for controlling the operation of the UV lamp based on the detection signal of the illuminance sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to ultraviolet sterilizers, and more specifically, to ultraviolet sterilizers that are portable and can be stored in a suitcase or wardrobe for sterilizing clothes. Background Technology

[0002] Similar to long-term travel away from one's place of residence, such as overseas travel, there is a risk of infection when living in an external environment, and access to medical services is difficult.

[0003] In particular, if one is exposed to bacteria and viruses in multiple locations, the probability of contracting infectious diseases is very high. In such cases, it is not easy to wash clothes in different places. Therefore, there is a need for a portable device that can sterilize the clothes one is wearing.

[0004] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2024-0068290 discloses a suitcase with an internal ultraviolet sterilizer. However, in this type of ultraviolet sterilizer installed inside the suitcase, the sterilization area is limited to the interior of the suitcase. Furthermore, if the battery that powers the sterilizer is integrated into the suitcase, it cannot be taken on an airplane as luggage; and if the battery is removed, it becomes inconvenient to use an external power source.

[0005] Furthermore, Korean Utility Model Publication No. 20-2023-0001365 and Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0150040 disclose portable pen-type ultraviolet sterilizers. However, such pen-type ultraviolet sterilizers require manual operation by the user to start and stop the sterilization process, and the user must hold the device in their hand to directly irradiate ultraviolet light onto the object to be sterilized. Therefore, the use is complicated, and there is a risk of skin exposure to ultraviolet light when the user operates manually.

[0006] Existing technical documents

[0007] Patent documents

[0008] Existing document 1: Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2024-0068290

[0009] Existing document 2: Korean Utility Model Publication No. 20-2023-0001365

[0010] Existing document 3: Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0150040 Summary of the Invention

[0011] The problem to be solved

[0012] The present invention is proposed to solve at least some of the problems of the prior art as described above. As one embodiment, the object of the present invention is to provide an ultraviolet sterilizer that is easy to carry and can be freely repositioned.

[0013] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, the object of the present invention is to provide an ultraviolet sterilizer that automatically starts and stops sterilization and can prevent the ultraviolet light used for sterilization from being exposed to the user's skin at the source.

[0014] Solution to the problem

[0015] An embodiment of the ultraviolet sterilizer of the present invention includes: a housing having an internal space; a UV lamp disposed in the internal space and emitting ultraviolet light; a battery disposed in the internal space and providing operating power to the UV lamp; an illuminance sensor disposed in the housing and detecting the brightness of the external environment of the housing; and a main PCB disposed in the internal space and having a control processor for controlling the operation of the UV lamp based on the detection signal of the illuminance sensor.

[0016] In one embodiment, when the illuminance sensor detects darkness, the control processor can be configured to turn on the UV lamp; when the illuminance sensor detects brightness, the control processor can be configured to turn off or not turn on the UV lamp.

[0017] Furthermore, in one embodiment, if a preset sterilization time has elapsed since the UV lamp was turned on, the control processor can be configured to turn off the UV lamp regardless of the detection signal from the illuminance sensor.

[0018] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the internal space may also be provided with a speaker for transmitting sound to the outside of the housing. Before the UV lamp is turned on and the ultraviolet sterilization action begins, and after the UV lamp is turned off and the ultraviolet sterilization action ends, the control processor may transmit voice prompts through the speaker.

[0019] Furthermore, in one embodiment, if the detection signal of the illuminance sensor becomes bright before the UV lamp is turned on and the sterilization time has elapsed, the control processor can transmit a warning sound through the speaker.

[0020] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the UV lamp is composed of a plurality of UV-C LED elements mounted on a lamp PCB, and the lamp PCB may be composed of a plurality of such elements so that the UV lamps are arranged in different orientations inside the housing.

[0021] Furthermore, in one embodiment, power can be transmitted to the plurality of lamp PCBs independently of each other.

[0022] Furthermore, the ultraviolet sterilizer of one embodiment of the present invention may also include a fan component, which is disposed in the internal space to allow external air from the housing to flow into the interior of the housing.

[0023] On the other hand, in one embodiment, the illuminance sensor may be composed of multiple sensors arranged in different directions toward the housing. When the detection signals of the multiple illuminance sensors are all dark, the control processor is configured to turn on the UV lamp. When the detection signal of at least one of the multiple illuminance sensors is bright, the control processor is configured to turn off the UV lamp.

[0024] The effects of the invention

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention having this structure, it can be easily installed in the desired location, and can be used safely because the user is not exposed to the sterilizing ultraviolet light. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a front perspective view of an ultraviolet sterilizer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 To remove Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the back of the lampshade of the ultraviolet sterilizer.

[0028] Figure 3 To demonstrate the use Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram showing the structure of the belts in the ultraviolet sterilizer.

[0029] Figure 4 Part (a) is for removal Figure 1 The right view shows the state of the lamp cover of the ultraviolet sterilizer. Figure 4 (b) Figure 4 Part (c) and Figure 4 Part (d) is the front view, left view and rear view of the ultraviolet sterilizer.

[0030] Figure 5 for Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the ultraviolet sterilizer shown.

[0031] Figure 6 To show Figure 1 The image shows a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of an ultraviolet sterilizer.

[0032] Figure 7 To show Figure 1The diagram shows the configuration of the fan component in the ultraviolet sterilizer.

[0033] Figure 8 Part (a) is a right view showing the state of the UV sterilizer of another embodiment of the present invention with the lamp cover removed. Figure 8 (b) Figure 8 Part (c) and Figure 8 Part (d) is the front view, left view and rear view of an ultraviolet sterilizer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0035] 100, 100-1: Ultraviolet sterilizer

[0036] 110F: Front housing; 110B: Rear housing

[0037] 112: Vent hole; 114: Speaker hole

[0038] 116: Light hole; 120: Strap bracket

[0039] 125: Belt; 130: UV lamp

[0040] 135: Lamp PCB 138: PCB bracket

[0041] 140: Lampshade 150: Main PCB

[0042] 152: Charging terminal; 154: Power button

[0043] 156: Indicator 158: Power socket

[0044] 160: Battery 170: Fan assembly

[0045] 180: Speaker; 190: Illuminance sensor Detailed Implementation

[0046] The terminology used in this specification is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, in this specification, singular expressions include plural expressions unless explicitly defined in the context.

[0047] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] First, refer to Figures 1 to 7 An embodiment of the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 of the present invention will be described.

[0049] like Figures 1 to 7As shown, an embodiment of the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 of the present invention may include a housing, a strap bracket 120, a UV lamp 130, a lamp PCB 135, a lamp cover 140, a PCB bracket 138, a main PCB 150, a battery 160, a power button 154, an indicator 156, a fan component 170, a speaker 180, and an illuminance sensor 190.

[0050] The outer casing can form the appearance of the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and can have space inside for housing the UV lamp 130, lamp PCB 135, PCB bracket 138, main PCB 150, battery 160, power button 154, indicator 156, fan component 170, speaker 180 and illuminance sensor 190 (described later).

[0051] In one embodiment, the housing may include a front housing 110F and a rear housing 110B assembled together to form the space.

[0052] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the housing can be configured as a bar to minimize space occupation during installation and facilitate storage during transport. As an example, when installed with the lampshade 140 described later, the housing can be integrated with the lampshade 140 in a cylindrical structure, resulting in relatively excellent durability against external impacts. However, it is not limited to this and can also be in the form of a polygonal tube, which is obvious.

[0053] In one embodiment, the front housing 110F can be divided into an upper section for housing the battery 160, main PCB 150, fan assembly 170 and speaker 180, and a lower section for housing the UV lamp 130 and lamp PCB 135.

[0054] A lamp hole 116 may be formed in the lower part of the front housing 110F, and the lamp hole 116 allows ultraviolet light generated by the UV lamp 130 to flow out to the outside of the front housing 110F.

[0055] In one embodiment, when the UV lamp 130 is composed of multiple UV-C LED lamps, the lamp hole 116 can be formed in a one-to-one correspondence with the UV-C LED lamp.

[0056] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the front housing 110F may be provided with a through vent 112 for allowing external air to flow into the interior of the housing.

[0057] Furthermore, the rear outer shell 110B may have a structure that is generally symmetrical to the front outer shell 110F.

[0058] This rear housing 110B can also be divided, like the front housing 110F, into an upper section for housing the battery 160, main PCB 150, fan assembly 170, and speaker 180, and a lower section for housing the UV lamp 130 and lamp PCB 135.

[0059] Furthermore, the aforementioned lamp hole 116 can also be formed in the lower section of the rear outer casing 110B.

[0060] In one embodiment, a speaker hole 114 for directing sound from the speaker 180 (described later) to the outside may be formed on the rear housing 110B.

[0061] The strap bracket 120 is combined with the housing, and, as Figure 3 As shown, an external structure is formed on the outer shell that can be fastened to the strap 125.

[0062] This strap bracket 120 intervenes in the combination of the strap 125 and the housing, and the strap 125 can be secured to a device such as a ring inside the suitcase or wardrobe.

[0063] In one embodiment, the strap support 120 can be configured to adjust the length of the strap 125 extending from the strap support 120.

[0064] Users can adjust the length of the strap 125, which is fastened to the strap bracket 120, and install it inside a suitcase or wardrobe.

[0065] The UV lamp 130, as a component that generates ultraviolet light for achieving ultraviolet sterilization, can be disposed inside the housing.

[0066] In one embodiment, the UV lamp 130 may be composed of a small, low-power UV-C LED element.

[0067] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the UV lamp 130 may be composed of an LED element for generating ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 222nm in the UV-C wavelength band. Ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 222nm cannot reach the stratum corneum of human skin, thus having the advantage of being safe even in the event of potential skin exposure to the user.

[0068] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, this UV lamp 130 can be composed of multiple LED elements, which are mounted on the lamp PCB 135 in a spaced-out manner.

[0069] The lamp PCB 135 can receive power from the battery 160 (described later) to power the installed plurality of UV lamps 130.

[0070] An embodiment of the present invention, an ultraviolet sterilizer 100, can irradiate ultraviolet light onto a wide area using a plurality of UV lamps 130 arranged on a lamp PCB 135.

[0071] Furthermore, in one embodiment, multiple such lamp PCBs 135 can be configured.

[0072] Among them, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, multiple lamp PCBs 135 can be configured in a manner with different orientations to each other, so that each lamp PCB 135 is configured with a UV lamp 130 facing a different direction from the housing.

[0073] exist Figure 5 In one embodiment shown, the four lamp PCBs 135 can be arranged facing the perimeter of the housing. This allows ultraviolet light to be emitted through the perimeter of the housing.

[0074] Therefore, even if it is set in any direction, the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 of one embodiment of the present invention can perform sterilization by emitting ultraviolet light in all directions. Thus, it has the advantages of a very high degree of freedom in setting and a wide sterilization area that can ensure sterilization of the entire surrounding area of ​​the casing.

[0075] However, as described above, the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 of one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment in which the UV lamp 130 is arranged around the perimeter of the housing, but the UV lamp 130 can be arranged in two, three or more directions, and the UV lamp 130 can also be arranged at the lower end of the housing.

[0076] On the other hand, such as Figure 5 As shown, multiple lamp PCBs 135, which are equipped with multiple UV lamps 130, can be fixed in a position inside the housing via PCB brackets 138.

[0077] The PCB bracket 138 can be configured in various ways to correspond to different configurations of the lamp PCB 135.

[0078] The lampshade 140 is a component constructed in the lower section of the outer shell, that is, when the front outer shell 110F and the rear outer shell 110B are assembled together, in a manner that uniformly covers the lower section of the front outer shell 110F and the lower section of the rear outer shell 110B.

[0079] This lampshade 140 can cover and protect the UV lamp 130 that is exposed to the outside of the housing through the lamp hole 116, while at the same time, it can be used as a UV transmission window for transmitting ultraviolet light.

[0080] In one embodiment, the lampshade 140 may exhibit a transparent color capable of transmitting ultraviolet light of the UV-C wavelength with high transmittance, and may be formed of a rigid polycarbonate (PC) material.

[0081] like Figure 6 As shown, the main PCB 150 can be disposed in the upper part of the housing, and can be electrically connected to the battery 160, power button 154, indicator 156, fan component 170, speaker 180 and illuminance sensor 190 described later.

[0082] Furthermore, the main PCB150 can be electrically connected to the lamp PCB135 to transmit power supplied to the UV lamp 130, and can transmit control signals to the lamp PCB135 for turning the UV lamp 130 on / off.

[0083] The control processor located on the main PCB 150 can control the UV lamp 130, indicator 156, fan component 170 and speaker 180 based on the input signal of the power button 154 (described later) and the detection signal of the illuminance sensor 190.

[0084] like Figure 6 As shown, this main PCB 150 can be fastened to the rear housing 110B.

[0085] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the main PCB 150 may be provided with multiple power supply sockets 158 corresponding one-to-one with the multiple lamp PCBs 135. These multiple power supply sockets 158 can be controlled independently.

[0086] Therefore, in the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 of one embodiment of the present invention, according to the settings, multiple UV lamps 130 can operate independently according to different lamp PCBs 135.

[0087] In this way, the structure in which the UV lamps 130 configured in multiple directions can operate independently has the advantage of selectively not operating the UV lamps 130 on the wall side when the UV sterilizer 100 is configured to fit against one side of a suitcase or wardrobe wall, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption.

[0088] The battery 160 can be disposed inside the housing to provide power for the UV lamp 130, fan component 170, indicator 156, speaker 180 and illuminance sensor 190.

[0089] This battery 160 can be charged via a charging terminal 152 exposed to the outside of the casing.

[0090] The power button 154 is positioned to be exposed on the surface of the housing, allowing the user to turn the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 of an embodiment of the present invention on or off.

[0091] The indicator 156 can be configured to be exposed to the outside of the housing to display the remaining amount of battery 160.

[0092] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the indicator 156 can display the power-on status of the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 on the outside of the housing.

[0093] Since the UV sterilizer 100 of one embodiment of the present invention cannot be visually identified as to whether the UV lamp 130 is turned on, it can be configured to confirm the power-on status by means of an indicator 156.

[0094] The fan component 170 can be disposed inside the housing to circulate air from the housing to the interior, thereby preventing the electrical components disposed inside the housing from overheating.

[0095] Furthermore, this fan component 170 can, together with the air circulation function, introduce air from inside the suitcase or wardrobe towards the outer casing, thereby moving tiny bacteria or viruses floating in the air to the vicinity of the UV lamp 130 and exposing them to ultraviolet light, thus improving the sterilization performance inside the sealed space.

[0096] The speaker 180 can be disposed in the speaker hole 114 of the rear housing 110B for transmitting sound.

[0097] In one embodiment, the control processor can transmit voice prompts via speaker 180 before the start of the ultraviolet sterilization operation and after the end of the ultraviolet sterilization operation.

[0098] As an example, voice prompts can be transmitted in multiple languages ​​based on preset values ​​such as Korean, English, and Chinese.

[0099] Furthermore, this control processor can generate a warning sound based on the detection signal to the illuminance sensor 190, which will be described later, via the speaker 180.

[0100] The illuminance sensor 190 can be configured to detect the brightness of the external environment of the housing.

[0101] In this illuminance sensor 190, the sensing surface can be configured in a hole formed on one side of the housing to detect the brightness outside the housing.

[0102] In one embodiment, the illuminance sensor 190 can transmit the detected value as a detection signal to the control processor.

[0103] The illuminance sensor 190 can operate only in a dark environment for the safe use of the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, so as to achieve the ultraviolet sterilization function.

[0104] Specifically, even if the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 of an embodiment of the present invention is turned on in a bright environment, the UV lamp 130 cannot be turned on because the detection signal of the illuminance sensor 190 is bright. In this state, if the external environment becomes dark due to the sealing of a suitcase or the closing of a wardrobe door, the detection signal of the illuminance sensor 190 becomes dark, and the UV lamp 130 can be turned on automatically.

[0105] Furthermore, if the sterilization process is performed while the UV lamp 130 is on, and the external environment becomes brighter due to opening the outer casing of a suitcase or wardrobe, the UV lamp 130 can automatically turn off to prevent the user from being exposed to ultraviolet rays.

[0106] On the other hand, in one embodiment, the control processor can be configured to limit the sterilization time from the moment the UV lamp 130 is turned on to a preset time, and to automatically turn off the UV lamp 130 regardless of the detection signal of the illuminance sensor 190 once the sterilization time has elapsed.

[0107] By adding a timer function to the sterilization process of the UV lamp 130, the sterilization and virus removal capabilities can be enhanced by ultraviolet light. This also minimizes damage or discoloration of clothing or items caused by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light.

[0108] As an example, the sterilization time of the UV lamp 130 can be set to 10 minutes to fully sterilize and remove viruses from clothes while minimizing damage, but it is not limited to this.

[0109] On the other hand, during the sterilization process of the UV lamp 130 performing the sterilization action within the sterilization time, when the illuminance sensor 190 detects a bright signal, the control processor can immediately transmit a warning sound through the speaker 180.

[0110] This allows the user to be informed that the sterilization process is not yet complete when they mistakenly believe it has ended and open their luggage or wardrobe, thus enabling the sterilization process to continue. This prevents bacteria and viruses from spreading to the outside world at the source.

[0111] However, if the illuminance sensor 190 remains bright and does not dim after transmitting a warning sound, the control processor can, as mentioned above, turn off the UV lamp 130 to prevent the user from being exposed to ultraviolet light.

[0112] Furthermore, when the conditions of power-on and the detection signal of illuminance sensor 190 being dark are met simultaneously, the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 of an embodiment of the present invention can be configured such that the UV lamp 130 is turned on after a preset time to start the sterilization operation, instead of directly turning on the UV lamp 130 to start the ultraviolet sterilization operation.

[0113] This design takes into account the time required to zip up a suitcase or the situation where the user needs to retrieve forgotten items immediately. It is intended to prevent the UV lamp 130 from reacting immediately to the detection signal of the illuminance sensor 190 and thus avoid unnecessary actions such as repeatedly turning the lamp on and off in a short period of time.

[0114] Then, refer to Figure 8 Another embodiment of the ultraviolet sterilizer 100-1 of the present invention will be described.

[0115] like Figure 8 As shown, compared with the reference Figures 1 to 7 Compared to the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 of one embodiment of the present invention described herein, the ultraviolet sterilizer 100-1 of another embodiment of the present invention differs in that multiple illuminance sensors 190 are arranged in multiple directions of the housing, while the remaining structural elements are basically the same as those of the ultraviolet sterilizer 100 of the aforementioned embodiment.

[0116] In another embodiment of the present invention, one illuminance sensor 190 may be provided on the front, back, left and right sides of the housing, for a total of four sensors.

[0117] In this configuration, under the condition that the detection signals of multiple illuminance sensors 190 arranged in multiple directions are all dark, the control processor (not shown) can execute the action of turning on the UV lamp 130.

[0118] This compensates for the fact that if the illuminance sensor 190 is only provided on one side of the casing, the detection signal of the illuminance sensor 190 can be maintained in a dark state even when the suitcase or wardrobe is opened, even if the wall with opaque clothing, items or suitcases is used to block the corresponding illuminance sensor 190.

[0119] In one embodiment, when the detection signals of multiple illuminance sensors 190 are all dark, the control processor can determine that the conditions for turning on the UV lamp 130 are met, while when the detection signal of at least one of the multiple illuminance sensors 190 is bright, the control processor can determine the conditions for turning off the UV lamp 130 and the conditions for not turning it on.

[0120] The ultraviolet sterilizers 100 and 100-1 of the present invention described above can be installed inside a travel suitcase or wardrobe to perform ultraviolet sterilization on various items, including clothing, to eliminate sources of infection such as bacteria, SARS, CoVID and other viruses, thereby preventing infectious diseases.

[0121] It should be clarified that although specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the claims.

Claims

1. An ultraviolet sterilizer, characterized in that, include: The outer shell has an internal space; A UV lamp is installed in the internal space and emits ultraviolet light; A battery is disposed in the internal space and provides operating power to the UV lamp; An illuminance sensor is installed in the housing and detects the brightness of the external environment of the housing; as well as The main PCB is located in the internal space and is equipped with a control processor that controls the operation of the UV lamp based on the detection signal of the illuminance sensor.

2. The ultraviolet sterilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the illuminance sensor detects darkness, the control processor is configured to turn on the UV lamp; when the illuminance sensor detects brightness, the control processor is configured to turn off or not turn on the UV lamp.

3. The ultraviolet sterilizer according to claim 2, characterized in that, If a preset sterilization time elapses from the moment the UV lamp is turned on, the control processor is configured to turn off the UV lamp regardless of the detection signal from the illuminance sensor.

4. The ultraviolet sterilizer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The interior space is also equipped with a speaker for transmitting sound to the outside of the housing. Before turning on the UV lamp and starting the ultraviolet sterilization process, and after turning off the UV lamp and ending the ultraviolet sterilization process, the control processor transmits voice prompts through the speaker.

5. The ultraviolet sterilizer according to claim 4, characterized in that, Before the UV lamp is turned on and the sterilization time has elapsed, if the detection signal from the illuminance sensor becomes bright, the control processor transmits a warning sound through the speaker.

6. The ultraviolet sterilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The UV lamp is composed of multiple UV-C LED elements mounted on the lamp PCB. The lamp PCB is composed of multiple components so that the UV lamps are arranged inside the housing in different orientations.

7. The ultraviolet sterilizer according to claim 6, characterized in that, Power is transmitted to each of the multiple lamp PCBs independently.

8. The ultraviolet sterilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a fan component disposed in the internal space to allow external air from the housing to flow into the interior of the housing.

9. The ultraviolet sterilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The illuminance sensor consists of multiple sensors arranged in different directions toward the housing. When all the illuminance sensors detect darkness, the control processor is configured to turn on the UV lamp; when at least one of the illuminance sensors detects brightness, the control processor is configured to turn off the UV lamp.

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