Sterilization device

Abstract

To provide a small sterilization device capable of sterilizing a large amount of air containing viruses, bacteria, fungi, droplets, etc., by compressing the air and then irradiating the air with ultraviolet rays.SOLUTION: A sterilization device includes a suction port for sucking air, a compressed air ventilation cylinder for ventilating compressed air, a light emitter that is disposed in the compressed air ventilation cylinder and emits ultraviolet rays that inactivate and kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi, a discharge port for discharging the air having passed through the compressed air ventilation cylinder, compressed air ventilation means for blowing air into the compressed air ventilation cylinder, and a discharge amount control unit that is arranged between the compressed air ventilation cylinder and the discharge port and limits the discharge amount of the compressed air inside the compressed air ventilation cylinder. Viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the air are inactivated and killed by irradiating the air inside the compressed air ventilation cylinder with ultraviolet rays while a pressure of the air inside the compressed air ventilation cylinder is increased.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Detailed description of the invention [Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure relates to a sterilization device that sterilizes air by drawing in air containing droplets scattered in space, or air containing viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc., inactivating or sterilizing these substances, and then releasing the air back into the space. It also relates to a sterilization device that draws in air from a space, stores it in a container, inactivates or sterilizes the air stored in the container, and then releases it all at once into the space. [Background technology]

[0002] Infections caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi transmitted through the air spread when people inhale viruses, bacteria, or fungi floating in the air. Viruses, bacteria, and fungi become airborne when infected individuals release bodily fluids as droplets. To remove these droplets containing viruses, bacteria, and fungi, air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters are used (Patent Document 1). There is also a technology that inactivates or kills viruses, bacteria, and fungi by passing air through a disinfecting filter containing hypochlorous acid (Patent Document 2). Furthermore, there are air purifiers that inactivate or kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi by irradiating the inhaled air with ultraviolet light (Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-124914 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-202191 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-100206 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] In conventional air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters, droplets containing viruses, bacteria, and fungi that have been captured by the HEPA filter can sometimes be pulverized and re-dispersed.

[0005] In air purifiers that use ultraviolet light, the intensity and duration of UV light exposure are adjusted to deliver enough UV light to inactivate and kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi. To ensure sufficient UV exposure time, the velocity of the air drawn into the air purifier is limited. In particular, to inactivate and kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi that are highly resistant to UV light, a long exposure time is required, which necessitates reducing the air velocity and thus the airflow, thus taking longer to purify the space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A sterilization device according to one aspect of this disclosure comprises an air intake port for drawing in air, a compressed air ventilator for passing compressed air through, a light-emitting element disposed inside the compressed air ventilator that emits ultraviolet light to inactivate and sterilize viruses, bacteria, and fungi, an outlet for discharging air that has passed through the compressed air ventilator, a compressed air blowing means for blowing air into the compressed air ventilator, and an discharge control unit disposed between the compressed air ventilator and the outlet to limit the amount of compressed air discharged from inside the compressed air ventilator. The sterilization device inactivates and sterilizes viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the air by irradiating the air inside the compressed air ventilator with ultraviolet light while the air pressure inside the compressed air ventilator is increased.

[0007] Furthermore, another aspect of the present disclosure is a sterilization device that inactivates and sterilizes viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the air by irradiating the air inside the compressed air container with ultraviolet light while the air pressure inside the compressed air container is increased. The device comprises an air intake for drawing in air, a compressed air container for ventilating and / or holding compressed air, a part of the compressed air container that transmits ultraviolet light, an ultraviolet light irradiation means that transmits ultraviolet light through the air intake for irradiating the air inside the compressed air container for sterilization of viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the air. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, a compact sterilization device can be provided that can sterilize a large volume of air at high speed by compressing air containing viruses, bacteria, fungi, droplets, etc., and then irradiating it with ultraviolet light for sterilization. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a sterilization device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of a sterilization device according to Embodiment 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention] (Summary of this disclosure)

[0010] A sterilization device according to one aspect of this disclosure is a sterilization device that sterilizes air by compressing inhaled air and irradiating it with ultraviolet light that inactivates and sterilizes viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the air. As ultraviolet light that inactivates and sterilizes viruses, bacteria, and fungi, ultraviolet light containing light with a wavelength of 250 to 280 nm is preferred.

[0011] The ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 250-280 nm used in this disclosure, as described above, is also called germicidal light and is absorbed by nucleic acids. As a result, nucleic acids are altered, and viruses, bacteria, and fungi are inactivated and killed. In particular, ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 253.7 nm is called germicidal light and has a strong germicidal effect.

[0012] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings, and their descriptions will be omitted. Furthermore, connectors and wiring for supplying power to the ultraviolet-emitting deep ultraviolet LED, germicidal lamp, ozone lamp, xenon excimer lamp, fan, and pressure sensor are not shown.

[0013] (Embodiment 1) The sterilization apparatus according to Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the sterilization apparatus according to Embodiment 1.

[0014] 1 is an intake port for drawing in air from the space, 2 is a compressed air ventilator for flowing compressed air, and 3 is a light-emitting element. 4 is an outlet for discharging air that has passed through the compressed air ventilator 3, 5 and 6 are ventilation shielding plates that allow air to enter and exit the compressed air ventilator but prevent ultraviolet rays from leaking to the outside, 7 is a compression blowing means such as a fan or compressor for blowing air drawn in from the intake port 1 into the compressed air ventilator 2, and 8 is an discharge control unit positioned between the compressed air ventilator 2 and the discharge port 4 to limit the discharge of compressed air from inside the compressed air ventilator 2. This discharge control unit 8 is implemented, for example, as shown in Figure 1, by narrowing the inner diameter toward the side connected to the discharge port 4, thereby limiting the airflow cross-sectional area, increasing the airflow resistance, and limiting the discharge amount.

[0015] In Figure 1, the compressed air blowing means 7 and the compressed air vent 2 are directly connected, but this is not necessarily required; they may be connected via pipes or tubes. Also, although the air intake is shown from below in Figure 1, it may be drawn in from other directions, such as the side. Furthermore, the arrows in Figure 1 indicate the direction of airflow.

[0016] Next, the operation of the sterilization device according to Embodiment 1 will be described. When the compression blowing means 7 starts operating, the air in the space is blown into the compression ventilation cylinder 2 through the suction port 1 and discharged from the discharge port 4 into the space. If the discharge amount is not restricted and the amount of air blown by the compression blowing means 7, that is, the amount of air inhaled from the suction port 1, remains equal to the amount of air discharged from the discharge port 4, no difference in air pressure will occur between the air pressure in the compression ventilation cylinder 2 and the air pressure in the space. Here, when the blowing resistance is increased by the action of the discharge amount control unit 8, the discharge amount decreases, and the amount of air discharged from the discharge port 4 becomes less than the amount of air blown by the compression blowing means 7. As a result, the pressure in the compression ventilation cylinder 2 gradually rises, and a difference in air pressure between the inside and outside of the compression ventilation cylinder 2 occurs. This difference increases with time.

[0017] As the difference in air pressure between the inside and outside of the compression ventilation cylinder 2 increases, the amount of air discharged from the discharge port 4 increases. At the same time, according to the air volume-static pressure characteristic (P-Q curve) of the compression blowing means 7, the amount of air inhaled from the suction port 1 decreases. Eventually, the amount of air discharged from the discharge port 4 and the amount of air inhaled from the suction port 1 will balance. Note that the amount of air discharged from the discharge port 4 and the amount of air blown by the compression blowing means 7 described above are the air volumes at the atmospheric pressure of the surrounding space. That is, when the atmospheric pressure of the surrounding space is 1 atm, it is the volume of air at 1 atm flowing per unit time. The state where the amount of air discharged from the discharge port 4 and the amount of air inhaled from the suction port 1 are balanced is expressed by the following formula 1

[0018] Q = s × v × ((P + ΔP) / P) (Formula 1)

[0019] In Formula 1, Q is the amount of air discharged from the discharge port 4 (m 3 / s), s is the cross-sectional area of the ventilation part of the compression ventilation cylinder 2 (m 2 ), v is the wind speed in the compression ventilation cylinder 2 ((m / s), P is the air pressure of the air in the space (atm), and ΔP is the difference in air pressure between the air pressure in the compression ventilation cylinder 2 and the air pressure in the space (atm). Here, Q is also the amount of air inhaled from the suction port 1. Also, Q is the air volume when the air pressure is P, the air volume before entering the suction port 1, and the air volume immediately after exiting the discharge port 4. Note that s is the ventilable area obtained by subtracting the cross-sectional area of the light emitter 3 from the cross-sectional area of the compression ventilation cylinder 2, and is substantially uniform inside the compression ventilation cylinder 2, and v is also substantially uniform inside the compression ventilation cylinder 2.

[0020] Fixing s and P, the relationship among Q, v, and ΔP will be explained based on Equation 1. When the pressure difference inside and outside the compression ventilation cylinder 2 is zero and ΔP = 0, Q = s × v. On the other hand, when the pressure inside the compression ventilation cylinder 2 rises, for example, when ΔP = P, Q = s × v × 2. Here, when v is kept constant both when ΔP = 0 and when ΔP = P, Q when ΔP = P is twice that of v when ΔP = 0. Also, when Q is kept constant both when ΔP = 0 and when ΔP = P, v when ΔP = P is 1 / 2 of v when ΔP = 0.

[0021] As is clear from Equation 1, Q is proportional to v, but the proportionality coefficient changes depending on ΔP. In other words, by controlling ΔP, the proportionality coefficient between Q and v can be controlled. Therefore, it is possible to change v while keeping Q constant, or to change Q while keeping v constant.

[0022] Inside the compression ventilation cylinder 2, a light emitter 3 that emits ultraviolet light including light with a wavelength of 250 to 280 nm is installed. In particular, it is desirable to include ultraviolet light of 253.7 nm having a strong bactericidal effect called germicidal rays. For example, it is suitable to use a deep ultraviolet LED or a low-pressure mercury lamp, also called a germicidal lamp, as the light emitter 3. The bactericidal power of this germicidal ray to inactivate and sterilize viruses, bacteria, and fungi is represented by the germicidal dose (J). This germicidal dose (J) is the product of the germicidal ray illuminance (W / m 2 ) and the irradiation time (s), and this relationship is expressed by the following Equation 2.

[0023] D = E × t (Equation 2)

[0024] In Equation 2, D is the germicidal dose (J), and E is the germicidal ray illuminance (W / m 2), where t is the irradiation time (s). Therefore, even if the germicidal radiation intensity is halved, doubling the irradiation time will result in the same germicidal dose (J), thus achieving the same germicidal effect. Note that the germicidal dose required to inactivate or kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi varies depending on the type of virus, bacteria, or fungus. Appropriate germicidal radiation intensity E and irradiation time t should be set so that this required germicidal dose can be secured.

[0025] In Figure 1, viruses, bacteria, and fungi floating in the air are drawn in through the intake port 1 and irradiated with ultraviolet light from the light emitter 3. This irradiation time t is expressed by the following equation 3.

[0026] t=L / v (Equation 3)

[0027] In Equation 3, t is the same as in Equation 2, v is the same as in Equation 1, and L is the length over which viruses, bacteria, and fungi move while being irradiated with ultraviolet light by the airflow, and is the length of the ventilation section of the compressed ventilation tube 2. As is clear from Equation 3, in order to increase the irradiation time t, it is necessary to increase L or decrease v.

[0028] Normally, due to the size and cost of the device, there are constraints on the cross-sectional area s, the germicidal irradiance E, and the length L of the ventilation section of the compressed air duct 2. To achieve the required amount of ultraviolet light D while keeping these constant, there are also constraints on the airflow rate v. If there are constraints on the airflow rate v, then according to Equation 1, there are also constraints on the airflow rate Q that can sterilize, but by increasing ΔP, the constraint on the airflow rate Q can be relaxed. In other words, even if the size and cost of the device are the same, a larger airflow rate Q can be achieved. For example, even if the compressed air duct 2 of the same size, i.e., s and L are the same, and the light-emitting element 3, i.e., E is the same, if the pressure inside the compressed air duct 2 is increased until ΔP = P, the airflow rate Q can be doubled while obtaining the same germicidal effect.

[0029] The reason for the above effect can also be explained as follows. Since the germicidal radiation illuminance E decreases as the distance from the light-emitting element 3 increases, increasing the airflow by enlarging the cross-sectional size of the compressed air duct 2 would result in insufficient germicidal radiation illuminance E irradiated to the air flowing in areas far from the light-emitting element 3. On the other hand, if the cross-sectional size of the compressed air duct 2 remains the same and the air blown through the duct 2 is compressed, the distance from the light-emitting element 3 does not change, and the germicidal radiation illuminance E can be maintained. As a result, the airflow can be increased while maintaining the germicidal effect.

[0030] Furthermore, even if the compressed air vents 2 (i.e., s and L) are the same size and the light-emitting element 3 (i.e., E) is the same, if the pressure inside the compressed air vent 2 is increased until ΔP=P, the air velocity v can be halved if the airflow Q is the same, thus achieving twice the sterilization effect.

[0031] As described above, according to this embodiment 1, by compressing the air inside the compressed ventilation pipe 2, it is possible to provide a sterilization device that exhibits a larger airflow and a greater sterilization effect.

[0032] (Embodiment 2) The sterilization apparatus according to Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the sterilization apparatus according to Embodiment 2. 9 is an air intake port for drawing in air, 10 is a compressed air holding container for ventilating and / or holding compressed air, 11 is a transparent section made of a material such as quartz that transmits ultraviolet light and is provided in part of the compressed air holding container 10, and 12 is an ultraviolet irradiation means that transmits ultraviolet light through the transparent section 11 and irradiates the air inside the compressed air holding container 10 with ultraviolet light to inactivate and sterilize viruses, bacteria, and fungi, and is configured by combining a deep ultraviolet LED and a lens.

[0033] 13 is an outlet for discharging air from inside the compressed air container 10, 14 is a compressed air supply means such as a compressor for supplying air to the compressed air container 10, 15 is an discharge control means such as an electromagnetic valve positioned between the compressed air container 10 and the outlet 13 to limit the amount of compressed air discharged from inside the compressed air container 10, 16 is an intake sealing means such as a check valve positioned between the compressed air container 10 and the compressed air supply means 14 to prevent leakage of compressed air from inside the compressed air container 10, and 17 is a pressure sensor for measuring the air pressure of the compressed air inside the compressed air container 10.

[0034] The inner wall of the compressed air holding container 10 is made of a reflective surface that reflects ultraviolet light, and the amount of germicidal radiation irradiated to the compressed air is increased by multiple reflections of ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation means 12 inside the compressed air holding container 10. The ultraviolet irradiation means 12 is configured with an optical system consisting of lenses and the like so that as much ultraviolet light as possible, including light with a wavelength of 250 to 280 nm, can be irradiated into the inside of the compressed air holding container 10 through the transmission part 11.

[0035] Next, the operation of the sterilization device according to Embodiment 2 will be described. When the compressed air blowing means 14 starts operating, air in the space is blown into the compressed air holding container 10 via the intake port 9. Here, when the amount of air discharged into the space from the exhaust port 13 is not restricted, the amount of air blown by the compressed air blowing means 14 is equal to the amount of air discharged from the exhaust port 13, and there is no difference between the air pressure inside the compressed air holding container 10 and the air pressure in the space. However, when the amount of air discharged is restricted by the discharge limiting means 15, a difference in air pressure occurs inside and outside the compressed air holding container 10, similar to Embodiment 1. With this air pressure difference, it is possible to create a state in which the amount of air drawn in from the intake port 9 and the amount of air discharged from the exhaust port 14 are balanced, similar to Embodiment 1, and the same effects as in Embodiment 1 can be obtained.

[0036] In addition to the operation similar to Embodiment 1 described above, the system can also be operated as follows: With the compressed air blowing means 14 in operation, the discharge limiting means 15 completely stops the discharge. This increases the pressure inside the compressed air holding container 10, and as this pressure increases, the amount of air drawn in from the intake port 9 decreases according to the airflow-static pressure characteristics (PQ curve) of the compressed air blowing means 14. Eventually, the amount of air drawn in becomes zero. The amount of air held inside the compressed air holding container 10 in this state is shown by the following equation 4.

[0037] Va = ((P + ΔP) / P) × Vc (Equation 4)

[0038] In Equation 4, P is the air pressure in the space (atm), and ΔP is the difference (atm) between the air pressure inside the compressed air container 10 and the air pressure in the space. Va is the volume (m³) of the air held inside the compressed air container 10 when the air pressure in the space reaches P. 3 ) is the internal volume (m³) of the compressed air holding container 10. 3 For example, if ΔP = 9 × P, then Va = 10 × Vc, and the compressed air holding container 10 can hold 10 times its internal volume of air.

[0039] The air inside the compressed air holding container 10 is irradiated with ultraviolet light containing light with a wavelength of 250-280 nm by the ultraviolet irradiation means 12. The germicidal power of this germicidal radiation, which inactivates and kills viruses, bacteria, and fungi, is expressed by the germicidal dose (J) in Equation 2. That is, germicidal power is expressed by germicidal radiation irradiance (W / m²). 2 ) is the product of the time and the irradiation time t. When the germicidal radiation power (W) entering the compressed air holding container 10 is constant, the germicidal radiation illuminance (W / m²) decreases as the internal volume of the compressed air holding container 10 decreases. 2 ) will get bigger.

[0040] Therefore, when using the same ultraviolet irradiation means 12, a smaller internal volume of the compressed air holding container 10 results in a stronger sterilization effect. Alternatively, the same sterilization effect can be achieved in a shorter time. However, reducing the internal volume of the compressed air holding container 10 also reduces the amount of air that can be sterilized.

[0041] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the pressure in the compressed air holding container 10 is increased to expand the amount of air that can be sterilized. This effect is achieved by utilizing the characteristic that although the sterilization line illuminance (W / m 2 ) does not change even when the pressure in the compressed air holding container 10 is increased, the amount of air that the compressed air holding container 10 can hold increases.

[0042] An example of using the sterilized air is shown below. When the compressed air blowing means 14 is operated while the discharge from the discharge port 13 is stopped by the action of the discharge amount control means 15, the ultraviolet irradiation means 12 is operated at the same time to irradiate ultraviolet rays. Then, when the pressure rise in the compressed air holding container 10 stops, the operation of the compressed air blowing means 14 is stopped. Here, the fact that the pressure rise has stopped is detected by the pressure sensor 17. Further, when the time required for sterilization has elapsed, the operation of the ultraviolet irradiation means 12 is stopped. Even in this state, the sterilized and compressed air in the compressed air holding container 10 does not leak due to the action of the suction part sealing means 16 which is a check valve.

[0043] When the user uses the sterilized air for drying the human body or the like or for breathing, the discharge amount control means 15 is operated to discharge the sterilized air from the discharge port 13 for use. When the use is completed, the compressed air blowing means 14 is operated while the discharge from the discharge port 13 is stopped again by the action of the discharge amount control means 15, and at the same time, the ultraviolet irradiation means 12 is operated to prepare for the next use while holding the sterilized and compressed air in the compressed air holding container 10.

[0044] Note that if the compressed air holding container 10 has a shape that can withstand high pressure, for example, a spherical shape, a higher ΔP can be realized, which is effective. Further, in the present embodiment, since the ultraviolet irradiation means 12 is arranged outside the compressed air holding container 10, it is not necessary to increase the pressure resistance of the ultraviolet irradiation means 12, and it is easy to implement.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment 2, an example is described in which the operation of the compressed air blowing means 14 is stopped by detecting that the pressure rise has stopped using the pressure sensor 17, but the invention is not limited to this method. For example, it may be stopped when a preset pressure is reached, or it may be stopped when a preset time has elapsed since the start of operation of the compressed air blowing means 14. Alternatively, an airflow sensor may be placed in a position where the amount of air drawn in from the intake port 9 or the amount of air blown from the compressed air blowing means 14 can be measured, and the operation of the compressed air blowing means 14 may be stopped when the amount of air blown to the compressed air holding container 10 becomes zero.

[0046] As described above, according to this embodiment 2, the amount of air that can be sterilized can be increased by compressing the air in the compressed air holding container 10. This expansion effect makes it possible to provide a sterilization device that can sterilize a sufficient amount of air with a smaller compressed air holding container 10. In particular, in this embodiment 2, it is effective to use it for drying the human body, etc., by holding a sufficient amount of compressed and sterilized air in the compressed air holding container 10 and then releasing it all at once when needed. Furthermore, according to this second embodiment, by compressing the air inside the compressed air holding container 10, similar to the first embodiment, it is possible to provide a sterilization device that exhibits a larger airflow and a greater sterilization effect. [Industrial applicability]

[0047] This disclosure relates to a sterilization device that sterilizes a space by drawing in air containing droplets scattered in the air, or air containing viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc., inactivating or sterilizing these substances, and then releasing them back into the space. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 1. Inlet 2 Compression ventilation pipe 3. Light-emitting element 4 Outlet 5 Shading ventilation board 6 Shading ventilation board 7 Compression blowing means 8. Emissions limiting measures 9 Inlet 10 Compressed air holding container 11 Transparent part 12 Ultraviolet irradiation means 13 Outlet 14 Compression blowing means 15 Emissions limiting measures 16 Inlet sealing means

Claims

1. A sterilization device comprising: an air intake port for drawing in air; a compressed air holding container for passing compressed air through; an ultraviolet irradiation means disposed inside the compressed air holding container and emitting ultraviolet light to inactivate and sterilize viruses, bacteria, and fungi; an exhaust port for discharging air that has passed through the inside of the compressed air holding container; a compressed air blowing means for blowing air into the compressed air holding container; an exhaust control means disposed between the compressed air holding container and the exhaust port to limit the amount of compressed air discharged from inside the compressed air holding container; and a pressure sensor for measuring the air pressure inside the compressed air holding container, wherein the air pressure inside the compressed air holding container is raised to 2 atmospheres or more, and ultraviolet light is irradiated into the air inside the compressed air holding container by the ultraviolet irradiation means, thereby setting the germicidal radiation intensity of the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet irradiation means and the ultraviolet irradiation time to be the germicidal dose necessary to inactivate and sterilize viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the air inside the compressed air holding container.

2. A sterilization device comprising: an air intake port for drawing in air; a compressed air holding container for ventilating and / or holding compressed air; a light-transmitting section provided in a part of the compressed air holding container for transmitting ultraviolet light; an ultraviolet irradiation means for irradiating the air inside the compressed air holding container with ultraviolet light that penetrates the light-transmitting section to inactivate and sterilize viruses, bacteria, and fungi; an outlet for discharging the air inside the compressed air holding container; a compressed air blowing means for blowing air into the compressed air holding container; an discharge control means disposed between the compressed air holding container and the outlet for limiting the amount of compressed air discharged from the compressed air holding container; and a pressure sensor for measuring the air pressure inside the compressed air holding container, wherein the air pressure inside the compressed air holding container is raised to 2 atmospheres or more, and ultraviolet light is irradiated into the air inside the compressed air holding container by the ultraviolet irradiation means, thereby setting the germicidal radiation intensity and irradiation time of the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet irradiation means to be the germicidal dose necessary to inactivate and sterilize viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the air inside the compressed air holding container.

3. The sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the discharge control means is configured to seal the discharge port and stop the discharge of the compressed air inside the compressed air holding container, or to discharge a fixed amount of the compressed air from the discharge port.

4. The sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising an intake port and a compressed air blowing means, which is located between the intake port and the compressed air blowing means and prevents leakage of the compressed air.

5. The sterilization apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the discharge control means and / or the suction sealing means change their respective flow rates at predetermined times or timings.

6. The sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that an airflow sensor is provided for measuring the amount of air drawn in from the intake port and / or the amount of air blown from the compressed air blowing means.

7. The sterilization apparatus according to claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the compressed air blowing means is a fan or a compressor.

8. The sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the ultraviolet irradiation means is a germicidal lamp, a cold cathode UV lamp, or an LED that emits ultraviolet light including light with a wavelength of 250 to 280 nm.

9. The sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the inner wall of the compressed air holding container is provided with a function to reflect ultraviolet light.

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