Handheld UV-Ozone Sanitizer for Instant Pathogen Killing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handheld UV radiation devices for sanitization have delays in emitting sufficient UV radiation and do not produce ozone effectively, which is necessary for killing hard-to-kill pathogens like C-diff, and existing ozone-producing devices are costly and have limited bulb life.
Innovation Solution
A handheld sanitization system that combines UV light emitting diodes with an ozone generator, using an electric arc to produce ozone and a fan to direct it onto the target surface, activated by a trigger switch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If UV radiation devices use mercury vapor tubes to produce UV light, then UV radiation is emitted to kill pathogens, but there is a delay before sufficient UV radiation is emitted and ozone is not produced effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines UV light emitting diodes and an ozone generator into a single handheld sanitization device. The UV LEDs provide immediate UV radiation emission without delay, while the ozone generator simultaneously produces ozone to break through protective shells of hard-to-kill pathogens like C-diff, resolving the contradiction between fast response and reliable pathogen elimination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the wavelength parameters by using UV LEDs that emit in the 200-280 nm range with peak emission around 254 nm, which is optimal for pathogen inactivation. This parameter optimization enables both immediate response and effective pathogen killing without the delays associated with mercury vapor tubes.
2Reliability
If strong chemicals like bleach are used to kill pathogens, then pathogens are effectively killed, but health and safety hazards increase and surfaces are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ozone, a strong oxidizing agent, to kill pathogens including those with protective shells like C-diff. Ozone achieves effective pathogen elimination through oxidation without the health hazards and surface damage associated with strong chemicals like bleach, resolving the contradiction between killing effectiveness and harm reduction.
3Reliability
If UV radiation devices are designed to produce ozone, then hard-to-kill pathogens are eliminated, but device cost increases and bulb life is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses UV light emitting diodes instead of traditional mercury vapor tubes. UV LEDs have no bulb life limitations and do not require replacement, eliminating the maintenance and cost issues associated with limited bulb life while maintaining effective UV radiation output for pathogen elimination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal ozone generation method (which requires high-power UV lamps that degrade) with an electric arc-based ozone generator. This substitution eliminates bulb life limitations and reduces device complexity while maintaining effective ozone production for killing hard-to-kill pathogens.
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
Provides fast-response UV light emission with simultaneous ozone generation, effectively killing hard-to-kill pathogens on surfaces without the drawbacks of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
UV radiation emitting devices (ultraviolet emitters or ultraviolet light bulbs) emit light with wavelengths of between, for example, 400-100 nm. Such ultraviolet light is known to kill at least a subset of known pathogens
Implementation Method 2
the optimum range of 250-270 nm has the best potential ability to inactivate microorganisms because it this wavelength is absorbed by nucleic acids of microbial cells
Implementation Method 3
the mechanisms include one or more ultraviolet emitting light emitting diodes that emit ultraviolet light and an ozone generator. In some embodiments, the ozone generator includes an electric arc
Implementation Method 4
Ozone is a strong oxidizing agent that breaks through the encapsulation of some of the more difficult pathogens to kill such as C-diff
Implementation Method 5
a fan moves air that contains the ozone from the arc to the target surface
Data Source
AI summary
A sanitization device for sanitizing a surface using ultraviolet light and ozone includes ultraviolet emitter(s) mounted to a board that is mounted to an enclosure such that each of the ultraviolet emitter(s) aims outwardly from the enclosure for radiating the surface. The board has at least one orifice for directing ozone onto the surface. There is an ozone generator for generating ozone from air and a fan that moves the ozone towards the board and through the orifice(s) to direct the ozone towards the surface. There is also a trigger switch electrically coupled to the ultraviolet emitter(s), to the ozone generator, and to the fan, responsive to an operation of the trigger switch, power is applied to the ultraviolet emitter(s), to the ozone generator, and to the fan thereby radiating the surface with the ultraviolet light and directing the ozone towards the surface.