Self-Sanitizing Door Handle With UV-C and Spring-Rail Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sanitizing door handles are impractical, ineffective, and often become sources of contamination, failing to provide efficient disinfection against viral and bacterial diseases.
Innovation Solution
A self-powered ultraviolet light-based door handle system with a soft glass membrane, UV-C lights, and a spring and rail mechanism for power generation, equipped with sensors and a control circuit for automatic sanitization, and a protective covering to ensure safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If door handles are covered to prevent direct contact, then person-to-person transmission is reduced, but the cover becomes a source of contamination and does not clean or disinfect the handle
Solution Approach 1:
The door handle system performs self-sanitization using UV-C lights that automatically activate when the handle is not in use. The system monitors its own state through sensors and executes disinfection cycles without human intervention, eliminating the need for external cleaning services that could become contamination sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical cleaning methods with ultraviolet light-based disinfection. UV-C radiation effectively kills pathogens on the handle surface without requiring physical contact or manual intervention, providing superior disinfection capability compared to traditional mechanical cleaning approaches.
2Reliability
If manual cleaning of door handles is performed, then some sanitization is achieved, but it does not provide significant results due to high usage by large mass
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical cleaning with automated UV-C disinfection technology. The UV-C lights effectively sanitize the handle surface by disrupting microbial DNA, providing reliable pathogen elimination without the limitations of manual cleaning capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The door handle system autonomously performs disinfection cycles using integrated UV-C lights and control circuits. The system automatically activates when sensors detect that the handle is not in use, ensuring continuous sanitization coverage without requiring manual intervention or external resources.
3Reliability
If UV lights are activated for sanitization, then effective disinfection is achieved, but the lights can harm human eyes and skin if exposed
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to detect handle usage and proactively controls UV light activation timing. UV-C lights are activated only after the handle has been released and remain inactive during active use, preventing user exposure while ensuring disinfection occurs at appropriate intervals.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor handle state and provide feedback to the control circuit. This feedback mechanism enables real-time adjustment of UV light activation, ensuring lights are only on when the handle is unused and safe for operation, and automatically turning off when needed.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective cover is used during UV sanitization, then user safety is ensured, but the cover itself becomes a source of contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes the protective cover concept entirely, replacing it with electronic control mechanisms. Sensors and control circuits manage UV light activation timing to ensure safety without requiring any physical barrier, thereby eliminating the cover as a potential contamination source.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical protective cover approach with an electronic control system using sensors and timed UV activation. This substitution provides equivalent or superior safety while eliminating the physical cover that could become contaminated and require cleaning.
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 kills germs and viruses on door handles automatically, ensuring user safety and reducing the risk of infection transmission.
Implementation Method 1
one or more connectors; a central rod; and a plurality of lights on said central rod inside said hollow membrane protectively covered by said one or more connectors in an active state of sanitization
Implementation Method 2
a self powered door handle based on a spring and rail with turbines mechanism which contracts and relaxes to generate desired amount of power required to drive the door sanitization system
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a self sanitizing door handle and a method of operating the same. The door handle comprising: a soft glass hollow membrane; one or more connectors; a central rod; and a plurality of lights on said central rod inside said hollow membrane protectively covered by said one or more connectors in an active state of sanitization in said self sanitizing door handle. Furthermore, the door handled is a self powered door handle based on a spring and rail with turbines mechanism which contracts and relaxes to generate desired amount of power required to drive the door sanitization system in the self sanitizing door handle.