Foldable UV Sterilizer Housing for Light Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultraviolet sterilization devices lack a mechanism to isolate harmful UV light, posing health risks to users and others, as they are typically open or hand-held designs that do not effectively contain the sterilizing light.
Innovation Solution
A sterilization device with a foldable outer housing that can be switched between unfolded and folded states, equipped with a UV light source and a controller, featuring magnetic fasteners and sensors to prevent light leakage, allowing for secure storage and use while shielding surrounding individuals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an open or hand-held ultraviolet sterilization design is used, then the device is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot isolate harmful ultraviolet light and may cause health damage to users
Solution Approach 1:
The outer housing is divided into multiple sections connected by fold lines, allowing the housing to be segmented into collapsible portions. This segmentation enables the housing to collapse into a compact configuration for portability while maintaining the ability to form a complete light-containing structure when unfolded, thus resolving the contradiction between light isolation capability and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The outer housing is designed with foldable and collapsible characteristics, transitioning from a static rigid structure to a dynamic reconfigurable structure. The housing can collapse along fold lines to reduce size for transport, then expand to form a complete enclosure for sterilization operations, balancing the need for light isolation with reduced structural complexity
2Volume of moving object
If a foldable outer housing is used to make the device easy to carry and store, then the device becomes more compact, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The foldable outer housing sections are designed to nest within each other when collapsed, similar to a nested doll structure. The housing portions fold along predefined fold lines and stack together in a compact arrangement, achieving significant volume reduction for portability while using relatively simple folding mechanisms that do not substantially increase overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The outer housing utilizes flexible or semi-flexible materials that can bend and fold along designated fold lines. This flexibility allows the rigid housing structure to collapse into a compact form factor for storage and transport, while maintaining structural integrity when unfolded for use, thus reducing volume without requiring overly complex mechanical folding mechanisms
3Reliability
If magnetic fasteners and sensors are added to secure the housing and detect tilt, then user safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Magnetic fasteners are integrated into the housing structure to automatically engage and secure the foldable sections when the device is assembled or collapsed. The magnetic attraction provides self-aligning and self-latching functionality without requiring external actuators or complex control mechanisms, thereby improving light containment reliability while adding minimal complexity to the control system
Solution Approach 2:
Tilt sensors detect the orientation of the sterilization device and provide feedback to the control system. When the device is tilted beyond a safe operating angle, the sensor triggers an alarm or shuts down the UV light source to prevent harmful light leakage. This feedback mechanism improves safety and light containment reliability while using simple sensor technology that does not substantially increase overall device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively sterilizes objects while preventing light leakage, ensuring user safety by containing the UV light within the foldable housing, making it easier to store and carry.
Implementation Method 1
a sterilizing light source configured to emit light for sterilizing objects within the housing
Implementation Method 2
an outer housing configured to accommodate and secure the sterilizing light source and shield light emitted by the sterilizing light source
Implementation Method 3
The sterilization device further includes multiple magnetic fasteners configured to secure a structure of the outer housing in the unfolded state or in the folded state
Data Source
AI summary
A sterilization device includes a sterilizing light source and an outer housing configured to accommodate and secure the sterilizing light source and shield light emitted by the sterilizing light source. The outer housing has a foldable structure to be selectively in an unfolded state or a folded state, wherein the outer housing in the unfolded state occupies a larger volume than that occupied by the outer housing in the folded state.