Sterilization Unit UV-C Lamp Safety Interlock for Maintenance Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to ensure safe inspection and replacement of UV-C ultraviolet lamps used for sterilization, as direct exposure to UV-C can be harmful to humans, and existing systems lack adequate safety measures during maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A sterilization unit design featuring a casing with a control board and an electric component box that includes a base part, swingable lid parts, and a detection mechanism to ensure the UV-C lamps are turned off during maintenance, using a microswitch to manage power supply based on the position of the lid parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If UV-C ultraviolet lamps are used for sterilization, then germ elimination effect is improved, but safety during inspection and replacement deteriorates due to direct exposure risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterilization effectVSAvoidUV-C exposure risk to human body

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The detector detects the opening state of the maintenance panel in advance, and the control board automatically turns off the UV-C lamp before maintenance personnel can be exposed to radiation. This preliminary safety action prevents harmful exposure before it can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The detector provides real-time feedback on the maintenance panel state to the control board, which automatically controls the UV-C lamp power supply. When the panel is opened, the system immediately responds by cutting power, creating a closed-loop safety feedback mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If maintenance panel is opened for lamp inspection, then ease of operation is improved, but safety deteriorates due to potential UV-C exposure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelamp inspection accessibilityVSAvoidUV-C radiation exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system takes preliminary safety action by detecting panel opening and automatically turning off the UV-C lamp before maintenance personnel can be exposed to radiation, preventing harmful exposure in advance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If control board is fixed inside casing, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of repair deteriorates due to difficulty in accessing control board

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol board installation simplicityVSAvoidcontrol board accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The control board is segmented from the main casing by being mounted on the removable maintenance panel. This allows the control board to be easily accessed by simply removing the maintenance panel, while still being integrated into the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The maintenance panel with the control board transitions from a fixed state during operation to a removable state during maintenance. This dynamic configuration allows the control board to be easily accessed when needed while maintaining device integrity during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

This design allows for safe inspection and replacement of UV-C ultraviolet lamps by ensuring they are turned off during maintenance, preventing direct exposure to UV-C radiation and enhancing operator safety.

Implementation Method 1

Ultraviolet light is categorized into UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. Among these categories, UV-C is said to have a significant effect on germs.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUV-C radiation: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

a detector that detects that the second lid part not in a prescribed position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPosition detection:

Implementation Method 3

using a microswitch to manage power supply based on the position of the lid parts

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical signal control:

Data Source

PatentUS20250093055A1Sterilization unit

Publication Date: 2025.03.20 CARRIER JAPAN CORP

AI summary

To Provide a sterilization unit (11) that can safely perform the work of inspecting or replacing an ultraviolet lamp (32). A sterilization unit (11) is provided with: a casing (12), an ultraviolet lamp (32) sterilizing air passing through the casing (12); a control board (65a) for the ultraviolet lamp (32), and an electrical component box (61) provided on one side surface of the casing (12) to house the control board (65a). The electrical component box (61) is provided with a base part (62) fixed to the casing (12), a first lid part (63) and a second lid part (64) that are swingably coupled to the base part (62), and a microswitch (72) that detects that the second lid part (64) is not in a predetermined position. The control board (65a) is mounted on the first lid part (63).