STORAGE COMPARTMENT FOR A VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a storage compartment for a vehicle with an integrated disinfection device with at least one light source emitting UV-C radiation according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0002] KR 2015 0074359 A discloses a generic storage compartment for a vehicle with an integrated disinfection device having at least one light source emitting UV-C radiation and having a support for supporting and disinfecting an object. The support has a surface structure that reflects the UV-C radiation of the at least one light source and is designed such that the reflected UV-C radiation irradiates a side of the object facing the support when an object is placed on it that is not resting on the bottom of the deepest receiving groove of the support. Only then does the side of the placed object facing the support have a distance from a lowest point of the surface structure. The support can comprise a support structure on which a reflective layer is arranged. The support structure has a stepped groove orRecesses with different longitudinal and transverse extensions allow for the storage of objects of different sizes. A similar design of a storage compartment is known from KR 10 2015 0030527 A.

[0003] US 10 189 414 B1 shows a storage compartment in a motor vehicle, wherein the storage compartment can have a base which is trapezoidal in cross-section and thus has elevations and depressions.

[0004] KR 10 1517 694 B1 discloses a storage compartment for a vehicle. The storage compartment includes a wireless charger and LED modules on two sides of the housing. Furthermore, the storage compartment is designed to be movable in the X-direction. The LED modules are designed in such a way that an object placed in the compartment can be disinfected.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing a generic storage compartment for a vehicle with an optimized integrated disinfection device.

[0006] The object is achieved according to the invention by a storage compartment which has the features specified in claim 1.

[0007] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

[0008] A storage compartment for a vehicle comprises an integrated disinfection device with at least one light source emitting UV-C radiation. It is provided that a support for supporting and disinfecting an object has a surface structure that reflects the UV-C radiation from the at least one light source and is designed such that the reflected UV-C radiation irradiates a side of the object facing the support. The surface structure is designed such that the side of the stored object facing the support is spaced from a lowest point of the surface structure. According to the invention, the surface structure is designed as a wave shape. The wave shape has both support areas and deeper areas, so that the UV-C radiation is efficiently reflected in order to irradiate the side of the object facing the support.To ensure that the object rests on the surface while still being reached by the reflected UV-C radiation, the waveform elevations are designed to varying heights according to the invention. The highest elevations form the support areas for the object, with a number of support areas selected such that the object rests securely and wobbling and the resulting noise generation can be largely eliminated.

[0009] The surface structure of the support makes it possible to irradiate the side of the object facing the support with UV-C radiation while it is in its resting position, without having to turn the object over. The side facing the support is therefore not in the shadow area, and it is not necessary to increase the number of light sources emitting UV-C radiation.

[0010] This allows UV-C radiation to be reflected and reach the side of the object facing the support. This creates a beam path of reflected UV-C radiation, and the reflected UV-C radiation irradiates at least part of the side of the object facing the support.

[0011] In a further embodiment, the surface structure of the support is designed such that at least a portion of the reflected UV-C radiation is distributed toward the side of the placed object facing the support. In particular, the reflected UV-C radiation is distributed such that the entire side of the object facing the support is reached and thus disinfected.

[0012] In a possible further development, the support comprises a reflective carrier structure which has the surface structure, in particular in the form of a wave shape.

[0013] In an alternative embodiment, the support comprises a carrier structure on which a reflective layer is arranged, by means of which the UV-C radiation emitted by the light source is reflected, so that it is distributed and the reflected UV-C radiation irradiates at least some of the side of the object facing the support. The reflective layer can comprise silver and / or gold.

[0014] In addition, a possible further embodiment provides for a protective layer that transmits UV-C radiation to be arranged on the reflective layer, which can be used to protect the reflective layer from damage, such as scratches. Furthermore, the protective layer protects the reflective layer from other external influences and from moisture.

[0015] In particular, one embodiment provides that the protective layer comprises silicon dioxide, since this allows the UV-C radiation to pass through to the greatest extent possible, so that the reflected UV-C radiation reaches the underside of the object.

[0016] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings.

[0017] Showing: Fig. 1 schematically shows a storage compartment with light sources of a disinfection device arranged below a support, Fig. 2 schematically shows a support with a surface structure and a light source of the disinfection device arranged above the support, Fig. 3 schematically shows a perspective view of the support with surface structure and Fig. 4 schematically shows a structure of the support.

[0018] Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.

[0019] Figure 1shows an example of a storage compartment A for a vehicle, wherein a disinfection device 1 is integrated into the storage compartment, which according to Figure 1 two light sources 2 emitting UV-C radiation S.

[0020] The storage compartment A is used to store an object 3, for example a smartphone, which is disinfected by means of UV-C radiation S when stored.

[0021] Typically, irradiation of a side of the object 3 facing the support poses a technical problem, since the side facing the support lies in the shadow area when UV-C radiation S is emitted from above onto the object 3. According to the present embodiment, the side of the object 3 facing the support represents an underside thereof and is referred to below as the underside.

[0022] According to Figure 1The technical problem of irradiating the underside of the object 3 is solved in that a medium 4 permeable to UV-C radiation S, which is formed in particular from a quartz glass pane, forms a support F of the object 3.

[0023] The light sources 2 are arranged between a bottom of the storage compartment A and the medium 4 forming the support F, by means of which the emitted UV-C radiation S is scattered so that it is distributed.

[0024] Because the light sources 2 are arranged below the object 3 to be irradiated, the underside is irradiated, whereby this arrangement of the light sources 2 requires more space. The space required to integrate the disinfection device 1 into the storage compartment A is therefore increased, resulting in higher costs and disadvantages with regard to space-related installation options and complexity.

[0025] In order to be able to irradiate the object 3 in the state stored in the storage compartment A essentially completely with the UV-C radiation S and thus disinfect it, without at least one light source 2 emitting UV-C radiation S being arranged below the support F, the storage compartment A is designed with the integrated disinfection device 1, as described below.

[0026] Figure 2 shows a support F with a surface structure O on which the object 3 is placed.

[0027] The surface structure O comprises elevations E and depressions V, so that the surface structure O is wave-shaped. The highest elevations E form support areas on which the object 3 rests, whereas the object 3, when placed down, is spaced from the depressions V, particularly their deepest points. Furthermore, the support F is reflective.

[0028] Alternatively or additionally, the surface structure O of the support F may also have another suitable shape.

[0029] The light source 2 emitting UV-C radiation S, which is in particular a light-emitting diode, is arranged in a corner area or on a side wall of the storage compartment A. The UV-C radiation S thus coming laterally from above is reflected by the reflective surface structure O in such a way that the UV-C radiation S is directed towards and reaches the underside of the object 3.

[0030] For this purpose, the surface structure O is designed in such a way that the UV-C radiation S is not reflected directly vertically upwards when it hits the support F, but rather a portion of the reflected UV-C radiation S is distributed in a plane at a comparatively very shallow angle. This makes it possible for the underside of the object 3 to be almost completely irradiated by the reflected UV-C radiation S.

[0031] A distribution of the reflected UV-C radiation S is achieved by the wave-shaped surface structure O and / or by another suitable surface structure O, which has support areas, ie elevations E and depressions V.

[0032] The UV-C radiation S emitted by light source 2 in the form of the light-emitting diode has a variety of different radiation angles, with a radiation cone of a light-emitting diode being, for example, 120°.

[0033] Consequently, the wave-shaped surface structure O of the support F results in a multitude of entrance and exit angles, depending on where the UV-C radiation S hits the surface structure O. Such a point on the surface structure O, at which the UV-C radiation S is reflected, is referred to as reflection point R, whereby the surface structure O can be referred to as reflection geometry.

[0034] Due to different heights of the elevations E, some UV-C rays S are reflected directly upwards, in the direction of a vertical axis z, whereas other UV-C rays S are distributed in the horizontal direction x and are reflected at another point on the surface structure O in the direction of the vertical axis z.

[0035] Three-dimensional elevations E of varying height, e.g., offset in the lateral direction y, also contribute to the distribution of UV-C rays S over a comparatively large area. These so-called high points must also be formed in the lateral direction y so that the UV-C radiation S impinging from the side experiences this effect.

[0036] The Figure 2 The embodiment shown represents a section of the support F and thus of the surface structure O, where in Figure 3 a perspective view of the support F with the surface structure O is shown.

[0037] Due to the shadow area of ​​the placed object 3, the reflected UV-C rays S only reach a part of the surface structure O, whereby the reflected UV-C rays S nevertheless spread in the horizontal direction x and almost completely irradiate the underside of the object 3.

[0038] According to the Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, further support areas of the surface structure O, i.e. the support F, can be located in the lateral direction y.

[0039] As in Figure 3 As shown, the UV-C rays S only reach a certain area of ​​the reflection geometry, i.e. the wave-shaped surface structure O, due to the shadow area of ​​the object 3, whereby the UV-C rays S nevertheless spread in the horizontal direction x and can thus almost completely irradiate the underside of the object 3.

[0040] Figure 4 shows an example structure of the support F without the shaped surface structure O.

[0041] The support F as carrier structure F1 can, for example, be formed from a comparatively flexible thermoplastic elastomer, although less flexible plastics such as polypropylene, polycarbonate and / or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene can also be used.

[0042] A design made of polished aluminum, stainless steel and / or another reflective metal is also conceivable.

[0043] If the support structure F1 of the support F is made of a non-reflective plastic and / or another non-reflective material, it is necessary to apply a reflective layer F2 to the support structure F1 so that UV-C rays S incident on it are reflected in order to irradiate the underside of the deposited object 3.

[0044] For example, an aluminum layer, a gold layer, and / or a silver layer can be applied to the carrier structure F1 as the reflective layer F2, e.g., by means of a vacuum-based coating process or by means of a thin-film technology.

[0045] To protect the reflective layer F2 against external influences and / or moisture, a protective layer F3 is arranged on the reflective layer F2, which is permeable at least to UV-C radiation S. Since quartz glass has this property, the protective layer F3 can comprise silicon dioxide.

Claims

1. Storage compartment (A) for a vehicle, with an integrated disinfection device (1) having at least one light source (2) that emits UV-C radiation (S) and having a support (F) for supporting and disinfecting an object (3), which support has a surface structure (O) that reflects the UV-C radiation (S) of the at least one light source (2) and is designed such that the reflected UV-C radiation (S) irradiates a side of the object (3) facing the support (F), the side of the stored object (3) that faces the support (F) being spaced apart from a lowest point of the surface structure (O), and the support (F) comprising a carrier structure (F1) on which a reflection layer (F2) is arranged, characterized in that the surface structure (O) is designed as a wave shape and in that elevations (E) of the wave shape are of different heights.

2. Storage compartment (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface structure (O) is designed such that at least part of the reflected UV-C radiation (S) is distributed with respect to the side of the stored object (3) facing the support (F).

3. Storage compartment (A) according to either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support (F) comprises a reflective carrier structure (F1).

4. Storage compartment (A) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a protective layer (F3) which lets through at least UV-C radiation (S) is arranged on the reflection layer (F2).

5. Storage compartment (A) according to claim 4, characterized in that the protective layer (F3) comprises silicon dioxide.