Air sterilization and virus inactivation device

Abstract

To provide a sterilization / virus inactivation apparatus that suppresses the leakage of ultraviolet rays from the apparatus, controls the air flow rate, houses the light source in a light source housing, makes the wall surface of the housing a mirror to reflect the ultraviolet rays until they attenuate, ensures a sufficient amount of ultraviolet rays in the air, sufficiently sterilizes and inactivates the air discharged from the apparatus, and can be used safely near people.SOLUTION: The air sterilization / virus inactivation apparatus includes a cover member 2 in which an intake port 22 and an exhaust port 23 are formed, and an inner shell 3 that is enclosed in the cover member 2 and has a built-in light source 5 that irradiates ultraviolet rays. Defined between the cover member 2 and the inner shell 3 are an intake space 2a that connects the intake port 22 to the inner shell 3, and an exhaust space 2b that connects the inner shell 3 to the exhaust port 23. The intake space 2a and the exhaust space 2b are adjacent to each other, and further provided are a side wall 71, a rear wall 72, and a front wall 47 that partition the intake space 2a and the exhaust space 2b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air sterilization and virus inactivation apparatus for sterilizing and inactivating bacteria and viruses in air, and particularly to an air sterilization and virus inactivation apparatus using ultraviolet light as a light source. [Background Art]

[0002] In recent years, especially since the beginning of the 21st century, the movement and exchange of people around the world have become active. Viruses and the like that were previously unknown, harm humans, and cause epidemics and pandemics have been frequently observed, and there is a demand for an apparatus capable of sterilization and virus inactivation in spaces where people are present and in the vicinity of people.

[0003] In view of such circumstances, apparatuses that suck in air to perform sterilization and virus inactivation in order to sterilize and inactivate bacteria and viruses floating in air have been devised. In the ultraviolet sterilization apparatus of Patent Document 1, a fan, a light source, and a filter are housed inside a housing. Inside the housing, a reflection plate, which is an aluminum concave plane mirror in the form of a curved rectangular curved plate having a substantially semicircular shape that reflects light from the light source, is disposed. The air taken into the housing by the fan is sterilized by the ultraviolet light reflected by the reflection plate, passes through the filter, and is discharged to the outside.

[0004] The air sterilization apparatus of Patent Document 2 includes a guide vane, a sterilization space that is sterilized by ultraviolet light, an electric fan, and an air exhaust port. When the electric fan is driven, the air sucked from the suction port by the guide vane is turned into a vortex, passes through the cylindrical sterilization space, and is discharged from the air exhaust port. Since the vortex passes through the sterilization space while swirling by the guide vane, the moving distance in the space becomes longer, the ultraviolet irradiation amount is increased, and a high sterilization effect can be obtained.

[0005] The air sterilization device described in Patent Document 3 consists of a sterilization device body, an ultraviolet sterilization light source placed inside the body, and a fan motor. When the fan motor is rotated, the air hits a light shield, creating turbulence as it passes around the ultraviolet sterilization light source. At this time, viruses are sterilized and inactivated by ultraviolet light. Since the area around the ultraviolet sterilization light source is covered with a reflector, the ultraviolet light projected onto the reflector is secondarily reflected, which can enhance the sterilization effect of the air. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3221578 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-183126 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-47257 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 253.7 nm used in air sterilization devices has strong germicidal capabilities, but it is also known to be harmful to humans. Conventional air sterilization devices have been difficult to use in close proximity to people due to the need to adequately prevent leakage of this ultraviolet light.

[0008] On the other hand, in order to efficiently sterilize and inactivate bacteria and viruses in the short time that air passes through the device, a certain amount of ultraviolet light is necessary. However, as the light intensity increases, the impact on the human body from leaked ultraviolet light also increases. Therefore, there has been a need for an air sterilization device that can effectively sterilize and inactivate viruses in the air without ultraviolet light leakage.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention suppresses the leakage of ultraviolet light from the device, controls the airflow rate, and places the light source in the light source housing. By storing it and irradiating it with ultraviolet lightThe objective is to provide a sterilization and virus inactivation device that can be used safely in close proximity to people by thoroughly sterilizing and inactivating the air discharged from the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above problems, the first invention is an air sterilization and virus inactivation device that sterilizes air by irradiation with ultraviolet light, comprising an outer shell having an intake port and an exhaust port formed therein, and an inner shell provided inside the outer shell and containing a light source for irradiating ultraviolet light, wherein an intake space connecting the intake port to the inner shell and an exhaust space adjacent to the intake space connecting the inner shell to the exhaust port are defined between the outer shell and the inner shell, and further comprising a partition wall separating the intake space and the exhaust space, wherein the intake space and the exhaust space are separated by the partition wall, The air sterilization and virus inactivation device is characterized in that the inner shell has a sterilization space defined for sterilizing and inactivating viruses in the air by ultraviolet light, the sterilization space is surrounded by an exhaust space and an intake space in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the light source, and in a cross section including the axial direction and the direction perpendicular to the axial direction, the exhaust space is defined so that the air discharged from the inner shell is guided to the exhaust port so as to fold back in a U-shape around the sterilization space, and the intake space is defined so that the air taken in from the intake port is guided to the inner shell so as to fold back in a U-shape around the sterilization space. It provides.

[0013] Second invention Now, in the air sterilization and virus inactivation device described in the first invention, the inner shell is defined as a sterilization space for sterilizing and inactivating viruses in the air by ultraviolet light, and the partition wall is a first partition wall extending in the axial direction of the light source, and the partition wall extending in the axial direction of the light source In the circumferential direction The first partition wall and At a distance The device has a second partition wall provided, and in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction, the sterilization space, the exhaust space, and the intake space are defined, and in the cross section, the outer shell and the inner shell are spaced apart from each other, and the space between them is partitioned by the first partition wall, the second partition wall, a part of the outer shell in which the exhaust port is formed, and the inner shell, which is the exhaust space, and the space partitioned by the first partition wall, the second partition wall, a part of the outer shell in which the intake port is formed, and the inner shell, which is the intake space.

[0014] Third InventionThe air sterilization and virus inactivation device described in the first invention is characterized in that the partition wall is an elastic and flexible material, one end of which is fixed to either the outer shell or the inner shell, and the other end is a free end that contacts either the outer shell or the inner shell.

[0015] The fourth invention The air sterilization and virus inactivation device described in the first invention is characterized in that the inner shell has a cylindrical structure that houses the light source, and the inner wall of the inner shell is mirror-finished to reflect the ultraviolet light, thereby being configured to reflect the ultraviolet light emitted from the light source multiple times until it is attenuated. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the first invention, since the intake space and exhaust space are separated by a partition wall, the air before the virus is sterilized and inactivated by the light source does not mix with the air after the virus has been sterilized and inactivated. This makes it possible to achieve clean exhaust by the air sterilization and virus inactivation device. In addition, since the intake space and exhaust space are adjacent to each other, a certain amount of space can be secured for the intake space and exhaust space without increasing the size of the outer shell. If the space between the intake space and exhaust space is small, the airflow velocity will increase and noise will be generated, but noise can be reduced by securing a large airflow path.

[0017] Also Furthermore, because the sterilization space is surrounded by the exhaust and intake spaces in a predetermined cross-section, a physical distance can be ensured between the inner and outer shells. This suppresses the leakage of ultraviolet rays outside the outer shell. In addition, because the intake and exhaust spaces can be secured widely within the device, noise can be reduced by keeping the airflow velocity low.

[0018] AlsoSince the air discharged from the inner shell is guided to turn back and is discharged from the exhaust port, leakage of ultraviolet light from the light source through the exhaust port can be suppressed. Further, by configuring the exhaust space to be turned back and securing a relatively long exhaust ventilation path, leakage of ultraviolet light through the exhaust port can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the air taken in from the intake port is guided to the inner shell so as to turn back, leakage of ultraviolet light from the light source through the intake port can be suppressed. Further, by configuring the intake space to be turned back and securing a relatively long intake ventilation path, leakage of ultraviolet light through the intake port can be suppressed.

[0019] Second invention According to the above, the space partitioned by the first partition wall, the second partition wall, the outer shell formed with the exhaust port, and the inner shell serves as the exhaust space, so a sufficiently large exhaust space can be secured. Accordingly, noise can be suppressed by reducing the flow velocity of exhaust gas. Further, the space partitioned by the first partition wall, the second partition wall, the outer shell formed with the intake port, and the inner shell serves as the intake space, so a sufficiently large intake space can be secured. Accordingly, noise can be suppressed by reducing the flow velocity of intake air

[0020] Third Invention According to the above, since the partition wall has flexibility, damage to the partition wall can be suppressed even when an impact is applied to the outer shell by an external force or the like. Further, since one end of the partition wall is fixed to either the outer shell or the inner shell and the other end is a free end, the shape of the partition wall can be arbitrarily changed or adjusted according to the shape of the inner shell. Furthermore, since the other end of the partition wall is in contact with the other of the outer shell or the inner shell, air before viruses are sterilized and inactivated by the light source does not mix with air after being sterilized and inactivated. Accordingly, clean exhaust can be achieved by the air sterilization and virus inactivation apparatus.

[0021] The fourth inventionAccording to this configuration, the inner wall of the inner shell is configured to reflect ultraviolet rays from the light source. Therefore, the ultraviolet rays emitted from the light source are reflected multiple times until they are attenuated by the inner wall, which can increase the effect of ultraviolet rays in the sterilization space. This enables efficient sterilization and inactivation of viruses during the short period of time that air passes through the inner wall.

[0022] According to the above invention, by suppressing leakage of ultraviolet rays from the device, controlling the air flow rate, housing the light source in the light source housing portion with a mirror-finished wall surface that reflects ultraviolet rays until they are attenuated, and securing a sufficient ultraviolet irradiation dose to the air, the air discharged from the device can be sufficiently sterilized and viruses contained therein can be sufficiently inactivated, thereby providing a sterilization and virus inactivation device that can be used safely near people. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of a cover member of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the yz plane of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the yz plane for explaining the flow of air in the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the yz plane for explaining the space of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view (taken along the xy plane) along line A-A in FIG. 4 of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view (taken along the xy plane) along line A-A in FIG. 4 for explaining the flow of air in the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view (taken along the xy plane) along line A-A in FIG. 4 for explaining the space of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view (in the xz plane) along BB of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 11] A cross-sectional view along BB (in the xz plane) of Figure 4 illustrating the airflow of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Figure 12] A cross-sectional view (in the xz plane) along BB in Figure 4, illustrating the spatial configuration of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] The air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1 of the present invention will be described based on Figures 1 to 12. As shown in the figures, the front, back, up, down, left, and right directions are defined, with up and down being the z-axis, left and right being the x-axis, and front and back being the y-axis.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1 consists of a cover member 2, an inner shell 3, a support member 4 that supports the inner shell 3, a light source 5 that irradiates ultraviolet light, and a control unit 6. The air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1 is covered by a cover member 2 that is roughly semi-cylindrical in shape, and the cover member 2 houses the inner shell 3. As shown in Figure 3, the cover member 2 has a switch 21 on its rear surface that is electrically connected to the control unit 6, and has an air intake port 22 and an exhaust port 23. The air intake ports 22 are located at the bottom of the left and right sides of the cover member 2, and a filter (not shown) is provided inside. The exhaust port 23 is located near the top of the arc shape of the cover member 2, and a filter (not shown) is provided inside. The filters provided in the air intake port 22 and exhaust port 23 remove dust from the air, thereby suppressing the accumulation of dust and other particles inside the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1 and preventing an increase in pressure loss. Rock wool may be provided near the air intake 22 and the exhaust 23 for sound insulation and ultraviolet absorption. Furthermore, other materials capable of absorbing ultraviolet light are not limited to rock wool and can be used.

[0026] As shown in Figure 3, a partition wall 7 made of a flexible elastic material is provided inside the cover member 2. The partition wall 7 is made of foamed resin, but is not limited to this and can be made of any flexible material. The partition wall 7 consists of a pair of side walls 71 and a rear wall 72. The side walls 71 are provided on the left and right sides, extending in the front-rear direction between the intake port 22 and the exhaust port 23, with one end fixed to the inside of the cover member 2 and the other end being a free end. The side walls 71 are curved slightly upward to follow the arc of the cover member 2, but are not limited to this and can be made of any shape. One end of the side wall 71 is fixed to the top of the intake port 22, and the other end is located near the exhaust port 23. The front end of the side wall 71 is in contact with the front surface inside the cover member 2, and the rear end of the side wall 71 is spaced apart from the rear surface inside the cover member 2. When the cover member 2 is attached to the inner shell 3 and the support member 4, as shown in Figure 10, the free end of the side wall 71 contacts the side surface of the inner shell 3, dividing the space inside the cover member 2 vertically. Alternatively, one end of the side wall 71 may be a free end, and the other end may be fixed to the inner shell 3.

[0027] The rear wall 72 is positioned between the rear end of the side wall 71 and the inner rear surface of the cover member 2, and is curved along the inner arc of the cover member 2. The rear wall 72 has approximately the same thickness as the side wall 71, causing it to protrude radially inward from the cover member 2, and its circumferential end (lower end) approximately coincides with the fixed end of the side wall 71. When the cover member 2 is mounted on the inner shell 3 and the support member 4, the rear wall 72 contacts the rear end of the inner shell 3, dividing the space where the control unit 6 is located from the space where the inner shell 3 is located. Either one of the left or right side walls 71 is an example of the first partition wall of the present invention, and the other is an example of the second partition wall.

[0028] The inner shell 3 is cylindrical in shape, extending parallel to the light source 5, and houses the light source 5 inside. It is made of stainless steel. The inner wall 3A of the inner shell 3 is polished to a mirror finish to reflect ultraviolet light from the light source 5, and has a high reflectivity. The inner shell 3 is not limited to stainless steel; it may be made of aluminum, alloys, etc., as long as it is a material that reflects ultraviolet light, and may be subjected to surface treatments such as polishing, painting, plating, heat treatment, or chemical treatment. Inside the inner shell 3, there is a sterilization space 3a where bacteria and viruses are sterilized and inactivated by ultraviolet light from the light source 5. All components constituting the sterilization space 3a, including the inner shell 3, are mirror-finished on the inside. In this embodiment, the inner wall 3A is mirror-finished by further buffing a surface that has been finished with #400 grit. A temperature sensor (not shown) is provided inside the inner shell 3, and is set to shut off the power to the light source 5 of the air sterilization / virus inactivation device 1 when a predetermined temperature is detected.

[0029] A removable cover 31 is provided on the bottom of the inner shell 3, allowing for the replacement and maintenance of the light source 5 by removing the cover 31. An acrylic operation lamp 32 indicating the operating status of the light source 5 is provided on the top of the inner shell 3. The user can recognize the illumination of the light source 5 by visually checking the operation lamp 32 from the exhaust port 23. A fan 62, described later, is provided at the rear of the inner shell 3, and the air taken in from the rear is sterilized and inactivated by ultraviolet light from the light source 5 and discharged from the front opening 3b. By making the opening 3b as wide as possible, the airflow velocity is slowed down to suppress noise. In detail, the opening 3b is divided into four areas by four thin support plates that support the light source 5, which is positioned approximately in the center, from the top, bottom, left, and right directions.

[0030] The support member 4 is covered at the top by the cover member 2 and supports the inner shell 3 and the control unit 6. The support member 4 has an inner shell support section 41, a bottom cover 42, and a front support section 43. The inner shell support section 41 has a first support section 44 that supports the sides of the inner shell 3, a second support section 45 that supports the top of the inner shell 3, and a third support section 46 that supports the bottom surface of the inner shell 3. The first support section 44 is provided on both the left and right sides of the inner shell 3, extends in the front-to-back direction, and has a roughly L-shaped angle. The second support section 45 is a roughly flat plate shape that extends in the front-to-back direction and connects the top of the front support section 43 and the top of the inner shell 3. The first support section 44 and the second support section 45 are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the light source 5, and the second support section 45 is narrow, so a wide exhaust space can be secured through which the air discharged from the inner shell 3 passes. This suppresses wind noise and reduces noise.

[0031] A cover (not shown) is detachably attached to the bottom cover 42, and the lid portion 31 can be accessed by removing the cover. The control unit 6 is fixed to the rear of the bottom cover 42. The front support portion 43 is substantially semicircular in shape, and a front wall 47 is provided in the center in the vertical direction, projecting forward over the entire width in the left-right direction. The front wall 47 is made of the same material as the partition wall 7. Because the front support portion 43 and the opening 3b are sufficiently spaced apart in the front-rear direction, a wide exhaust space can be secured through which the air discharged from the inner shell 3 passes. This suppresses wind noise and reduces noise. The cover member 2 and the bottom cover 42 are examples of the outer shell of the present invention. In other words, the outer shell is a member that covers the outside of the air sterilization / virus inactivation device 1.

[0032] Light source 5 is a germicidal lamp that emits ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 253.7 nm and is positioned approximately in the center of the inner shell 3. Light source 5 can be positioned at any location within the inner shell 3 without affecting the germicidal rate. Since the ultraviolet light from light source 5 is reflected multiple times by the inner wall 3A, the internal space of the inner shell 3 can obtain an effect several times greater than the amount of ultraviolet light emitted from light source 5. The amount of irradiation due to reflection is calculated by the following equation 1. In this embodiment, light source 5 is positioned inside the inner shell 3 so that its axial direction is in the front-to-back direction.

[0033] A represents the rate of increase in reflectance, B represents the reflectance, and n is the number of reflections. In this embodiment, if we calculate A with B = 0.7, it becomes approximately 3.3, so the effect of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source 5 inside the inner shell 3 is 3.3 times.

number

[0034] Next, the relationship between the amount of ultraviolet radiation and the sterilization rate can be calculated using the following equation 2. P represents the sterilization rate, S represents the survival rate, t represents the irradiation time [sec], and E represents the UV irradiation intensity of the device [W / m²]. 2 ] represents the irradiation dose [J / m²] which has a 90% sterilization rate. 2 This represents [the following]. In this embodiment, the flow rate of the fan 62 is set according to the set sterilization rate and ultraviolet light intensity based on the above formula.

number

[0035] The control unit 6 includes a control board 61 and a fan 62. By pressing the switch 21, the rotation speed of the fan 62 can be changed to adjust the airflow. The control unit 6 is fixed to the rear of the support member 4, and multiple elements are arranged on the control board 61. The fan 62 is positioned adjacent to the rear end surface of the inner shell 3.

[0036] Next, the space inside the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1, and the partition walls 7 and front wall 47 that divide it, will be described. Figures 4 to 6 are cross-sectional views of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1 in the yz plane, with Figure 5 showing the external structure with solid lines and the internal structure with dotted lines, and Figure 6 showing the space inside the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1. Figures 7 to 9 are cross-sectional views along AA in Figure 4, with the partition walls 7 and front wall 47 omitted in Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 shows the external structure with solid lines and the internal structure with dotted lines, and Figure 9 shows the space inside the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1. Figures 10 to 12 are cross-sectional views along BB in Figure 4, with Figure 11 showing the external structure with solid lines and the internal structure with dotted lines, and Figure 12 showing the space inside the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1. The interior of the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1 is defined as an intake space 2a shown by diagonal lines, a sterilization space 3a shown in light gray, and an exhaust space 2b shown by grid lines, as shown in Figures 6, 9, and 12. In the cross-sectional view, the partition wall 7 and the front wall 47 are schematically shown at the very front to clearly define the division of each space.

[0037] As shown in Figures 6 and 12, the intake space 2a and the exhaust space 2b are adjacent to each other, separated by the side wall 71. In other words, the space inside the cover member 2 is divided into the intake space 2a and the exhaust space 2b by the side wall 71.

[0038] As shown in Figure 6, the intake space 2a is an intake passage from the intake port 22 to the fan 62, and is separated from the exhaust space 2b by the side wall 71, the rear wall 72, and the front wall 47. Specifically, at the rear end of the inner shell 3, it is separated from the exhaust space 2b by the rear wall 72, at the side of the inner shell 3, it is separated from the exhaust space 2b by the side wall 71, and in front of the support member 4, it is separated from the exhaust space 2b by the front wall 47. As a result, since a partition wall 7 exists between the intake space 2a and the exhaust space 2b, the intake and exhaust do not mix, and clean exhaust can be achieved.

[0039] The sterilization space 3a is located inside the inner shell 3 and is in communication with the intake space 2a and the exhaust space 2b. In other words, the air drawn in from the intake port 22 always passes through the sterilization space 3a and is discharged from the exhaust space 2b.

[0040] The exhaust space 2b is an exhaust passage from the opening 3b of the inner shell 3 to the exhaust port 23, and is separated from the intake space 2a by the side wall 71, the rear wall 72, and the front wall 47. More specifically, at the rear end of the inner shell 3, it is separated from the intake space 2a by the rear wall 72, at the side of the inner shell 3, it is separated from the intake space 2a by the side wall 71, and in front of the support member 4, it is separated from the intake space 2a by the front wall 47. More specifically, as shown in Figure 12, the cover member 2, the inner shell 3, and the bottom cover 42 are spaced apart from each other, and the space enclosed by the side wall 71, the inner shell 3, and the portion of the cover member 2 in which the exhaust port 23 is formed is the exhaust space 2b, and the space enclosed by the side wall 71, the portion of the cover member 2 in which the intake port 22 is formed, and the bottom cover 42 is the intake space 2a.

[0041] As shown in each cross-sectional view, an intake space 2a or an exhaust space 2b exists between the inner shell 3 and the cover member 2, and the two are separated. In detail, as shown in Figure 6, an exhaust space 2b exists above and in front of the inner shell 3, and an intake space 2a exists below and behind it. Also, as shown in Figure 12, intake spaces 2a and exhaust spaces 2b exist on the left and right sides of the inner shell 3. In other words, in the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1, the airflow is designed to surround the inner shell 3 where the light source 5 is located. In detail, in the xz plane (Figure 12), which is a cross-section perpendicular to the front-to-back direction which is the axial direction of the light source 5, the sterilization space 3a is surrounded by the intake space 2a and the exhaust space 2b, and in the xy plane (Figure 6) and yz plane (Figure 9), which are cross-sections that include the axial direction and the direction perpendicular to the axial direction, the sterilization space 3a is also surrounded by the intake space 2a and the exhaust space 2b. As a result, a physical distance is created between the inner shell 3 that houses the light source 5 and the cover member 2, so that the leakage of ultraviolet rays from the light source 5 to the outside can be suppressed. Furthermore, because a large airflow path can be secured within the space inside the air sterilization / virus inactivation device 1, noise generation can be suppressed by reducing the airflow velocity.

[0042] Next, the airflow in the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 5, 8, and 11. The airflow taken in from the outside through the intake port 22 and the airflow discharged from the exhaust space 2b through the exhaust port 23 to the outside are shown by solid lines, the airflow in the intake space 2a is shown by a dotted line, and the airflow in the sterilization space 3a is shown by a dashed line.

[0043] When switch 21 is pressed, fan 62 rotates at a predetermined speed and light source 5 lights up, irradiating ultraviolet light toward the inner wall 3A. At this time, the ultraviolet light repeatedly reflects off the inner wall 3A of the inner shell 3 until it attenuates. The air taken in from the intake port 22 has dust removed by a filter (not shown), and as shown by the dotted arrow, it passes through the lower part of the inner shell 3, folds back in a roughly U-shape near the control unit 6, and is guided into the inner shell 3 by fan 62. At this time, as shown in Figures 5 and 8, the space at the bottom of the inner shell 3 and the space housing the control unit 6 are sufficiently large, so the airflow velocity is suppressed, thereby reducing noise.

[0044] The air that has passed through the fan 62 travels through the inner shell 3 as indicated by the dashed arrow, and in the sterilization space 3a, viruses are sterilized and inactivated by ultraviolet light from the light source 5. The sterilized air is discharged from the sterilization space 3a as indicated by the solid arrow, hits the front support part 43, folds back in a roughly U-shape, bends in a roughly L-shape, and is discharged to the outside from the exhaust port 23. At this time, dust and other particles are removed by the filter provided in the exhaust port 23. As shown in Figures 8 and 11, the space at the top and front of the inner shell 3 is sufficiently wide, so noise can be suppressed by reducing the airflow velocity.

[0045] With this configuration, the intake space 2a and exhaust space 2b are separated by the partition wall 7, so that the air before the virus is sterilized and inactivated by the light source 5 does not mix with the air after the virus has been sterilized and inactivated. As a result, the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1 can achieve clean exhaust. In addition, because the intake space 2a and exhaust space 2b are adjacent to each other, a certain amount of space can be secured for the intake space 2a and exhaust space 2b without increasing the size of the cover member 2. If the space between the intake space 2a and exhaust space 2b is small, the airflow velocity will increase and noise will be generated, but noise can be reduced by securing a large airflow path.

[0046] With this configuration, the sterilization space 3a is surrounded by the exhaust space 2b and the intake space 2a in a predetermined cross-section, thus ensuring a physical distance between the inner shell 3, the cover member 2, and the bottom cover 42. This suppresses the leakage of ultraviolet light outside the cover member 2. Furthermore, because the intake space 2a and exhaust space 2b can be widely secured within the air sterilization / virus inactivation device 1, noise can be reduced by keeping the airflow velocity low.

[0047] With this configuration, the air discharged from the inner shell 3 is guided to fold back and discharged from the exhaust port 23, thereby suppressing the leakage of ultraviolet light from the light source 5 from the exhaust port 23. Furthermore, by configuring the exhaust space 2b to fold back and ensuring a longer exhaust air passage, the leakage of ultraviolet light from the exhaust port 23 can be suppressed. In addition, the air taken in from the intake port 22 is guided to the inner shell 3 to fold back, thereby suppressing the leakage of ultraviolet light from the light source 5 from the intake port 22. Furthermore, by configuring the intake space 2a to fold back and ensuring a longer intake air passage, the leakage of ultraviolet light from the intake port 22 can be suppressed.

[0048] With this configuration, the space partitioned by the right side wall 71, the left side wall 71, the cover member 2 with the exhaust port 23 formed thereon, and the inner shell 3 becomes the exhaust space 2b, thus ensuring a wide exhaust space 2b. This reduces the exhaust flow velocity, thereby suppressing noise. Additionally, the space partitioned by the right side wall 71, the left side wall 71, the cover member 2 with the intake port 22 formed thereon, the bottom cover 42, and the inner shell 3 becomes the intake space 2a, thus ensuring a wide intake space 2a. This reduces the intake flow velocity, thereby suppressing noise.

[0049] With this configuration, the partition wall 7 is flexible, so even if the partition wall 7 is subjected to impact by external forces, damage to the partition wall 7 can be suppressed. In addition, since one end of the side wall 71 is fixed to either the cover member 2 or the inner shell 3 and the other end is a free end, the shape of the partition wall 7 can be arbitrarily changed or adjusted according to the shape of the inner shell 3. Furthermore, since the other end of the side wall 71 is in contact with the other end of the cover member 2 or the inner shell 3, the air before the virus is sterilized and inactivated by the light source 5 and the air after the virus has been sterilized and inactivated do not mix. As a result, the air sterilization and virus inactivation device 1 can achieve clean exhaust.

[0050] The air sterilization and virus inactivation device according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention as described in the claims.

[0051] In the embodiment described above, there was one light source 5, but it is not limited to this, and two or more light sources may be used. This increases the amount of ultraviolet light, allowing for a higher germicidal capacity.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the cover member 2 was semi-cylindrical and the inner shell 3 was substantially cylindrical, but the invention is not limited to these shapes. For example, the cover member and the light source housing can be selected to any shape. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0053] 1. Air sterilization and virus inactivation device 2 Cover member 2a Intake space 2b Exhaust space 3 Inner shell 3a Sterilization space 4. Support members 5 light source 6 Control Unit 7 Partition Wall 22 Intake port 23 Exhaust vent 47 Front wall 62 Fans 71 Side wall 72 Back wall

Claims

1. An air sterilization and virus inactivation device that sterilizes the air by irradiating it with ultraviolet light, An outer shell with an air intake and an exhaust port formed therein, It has an inner shell provided inside the outer shell, which contains a light source that emits ultraviolet light, Between the outer shell and the inner shell, an intake space connecting the intake port to the inner shell and an exhaust space adjacent to the intake space, connecting the inner shell to the exhaust port are defined. The system further includes a partition wall that separates the intake space and the exhaust space, and the intake space and the exhaust space are separated by the partition wall. The inner shell is defined as a sterilization space that kills and inactivates viruses in the air using ultraviolet light. The sterilization space is surrounded by the exhaust space and the intake space in a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction of the light source, and in a cross-section including the axial direction and the direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The exhaust space is defined such that the air discharged from the inner shell is guided to fold back in a U-shape around the sterilization space and reach the exhaust port. The air sterilization and virus inactivation device is characterized in that the intake space is defined such that the air taken in from the intake port is guided into the inner shell so as to fold back around the sterilization space in a U-shape.

2. The inner shell is defined as a sterilization space that kills and inactivates viruses in the air using ultraviolet light. The partition wall comprises a first partition wall extending in the axial direction of the light source, and a second partition wall extending in the axial direction and spaced apart from the first partition wall in the circumferential direction of the light source. In a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction, the sterilization space, the exhaust space, and the intake space are defined. The air sterilization and virus inactivation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the cross-section, the outer shell and the inner shell are spaced apart from each other, the space between them is partitioned by the first partition wall, the second partition wall, a part of the outer shell where the exhaust port is formed, and the inner shell, and the space partitioned by the first partition wall, the second partition wall, a part of the outer shell where the intake port is formed, and the inner shell, is the intake space.

3. The air sterilization and virus inactivation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition wall is an elastic material and flexible, one end of which is fixed to either the outer shell or the inner shell, and the other end is a free end that contacts either the outer shell or the inner shell.

4. The air sterilization and virus inactivation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner shell has a parallel cylindrical structure that houses the light source, and the inner wall of the inner shell is mirror-finished to reflect the ultraviolet light, thereby reflecting the ultraviolet light emitted from the light source multiple times until it is attenuated.

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