Rotating Elevator Button UV Shielding for Continuous Sanitization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elevator buttons harbor high levels of bacteria, contributing to the spread of germs and diseases due to direct hand contact, and existing sanitization methods are inefficient and pose risks to human operators from UV exposure.
Innovation Solution
A rotating button apparatus with integrated UV germicidal lamps that continuously sanitizes the button surface without exposing humans to UV light, using opaque baffles and obstacles to shield the UV emission, and employing a rotation mechanism to ensure constant and imperceptible disinfection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the button is rotated continuously for sanitization, then all surfaces are disinfected, but the rotation may be perceptible to users
Solution Approach 1:
The button rotation is implemented as a slow, continuous periodic motion that completes multiple revolutions over time. This periodic rotation ensures all surfaces are eventually exposed to UV light for sanitization, while the slow speed keeps the motion imperceptible to users during normal interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation speed is carefully controlled to fall within a specific parameter range that is slow enough to be imperceptible to human users but fast enough to provide effective sanitization coverage over time. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between sanitization effectiveness and user perception.
2Productivity
If the UV lamp is positioned to face the button directly, then sanitization is effective, but UV light may leak towards users
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of positioning the UV lamp to face the button directly from the front, the lamp is inverted to the rear position, facing away from the user side. The reflective surface then redirects the UV light onto the button's inner side, achieving effective sanitization while eliminating the risk of direct UV exposure to users.
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
Effectively reduces bacterial contamination on elevator buttons while ensuring user safety by maintaining continuous sanitization without human exposure to UV light, enhancing hygiene and reducing disease transmission risks.
Implementation Method 1
sanitizing the buttons by shining intense shortwave UV light to the exposed button surface
Implementation Method 2
UV photons of wavelength around 250 nm have enough energy to disrupt the chemical bonds that hold the building blocks of DNA together
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for disinfecting a button including a housing having an inner side and an outer side. At least one button is disposed within the housing, the button having a rotational symmetry allowing rotation of the button with respect to the housing. A rotation mechanism rotates the button with respect to the housing. A disinfecting system positioned on the inner side of the housing disinfects a portion of the button that is exposed on the inner side of the housing. The rotation mechanism rotates the button at a substantially constant speed. The apparatus provides a safer operation of the button as there is a continuous sanitizing of the surface of the button contaminated by users.