UVC Disinfecting Chamber with Rotating Floor and Reflective Liner
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a method and apparatus to effectively sterilize variously shaped objects and writing instruments in medical settings, particularly to prevent the intrusion of contaminants into their interior chambers and to ensure they are disinfected when not in use, as existing methods struggle to reach and neutralize organisms hiding in complex structures like apertures and seams.
Innovation Solution
A disinfecting apparatus that encloses objects in a housing with a disinfecting chamber, using UVC light to deactivate contaminants, and a retractable pen design with a flexible skirt to prevent entry of contaminants into the interior compartment, along with a decontamination station that exposes writing instruments to UVC light for thorough disinfection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If topically applied disinfectant or sterilizing agent is used for decontamination, then the decontamination process is simple and quick, but infectious organisms hidden in apertures, seams, and internal compartments cannot be effectively reached and neutralized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical application method of disinfectant (topical spraying or wiping) with a chemical field approach (gas-phase vapor sterilization). The sterilizing agent in vapor form can penetrate into apertures, seams, and internal compartments of medical devices, ensuring thorough decontamination of hidden surfaces that liquid disinfectants cannot reach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the porous or permeable nature of vapor-phase sterilizing agents that can penetrate through small openings, seams, and complex geometries of medical devices. The vapor phase allows the sterilizing agent to diffuse into internal compartments and coat all surfaces, including those hidden from direct liquid application.
2Ease of operation
If retractable pen design with aperture is used, then the writing tip can be adjusted between stowed and writing positions, but space separating the writing tip from interior periphery allows contaminant entry into the interior chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible skirt or seal that can deform to maintain a barrier between the exterior environment and the interior chamber. The flexible material allows the writing tip to move between stowed and writing positions while the skirt flexes accordingly, yet continues to prevent contaminant entry into the ink reservoir compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the pen into separate compartments (exterior writing mechanism and interior ink reservoir) separated by a barrier structure. The flexible skirt creates a segmented boundary that maintains isolation between the contaminated exterior environment and the sterile interior chamber, allowing functional movement while preventing contamination.
3Reliability
If UV radiation apparatus is used for disinfecting objects of various shapes and sizes, then sterilization can be achieved, but the apparatus complexity increases and may not suit all object geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a sterilizing apparatus with a chamber and vapor delivery system that can accommodate medical devices of various shapes, sizes, and geometries. The vapor-phase sterilizing agent uniformly distributes throughout the chamber, ensuring that objects with complex geometries, apertures, and internal compartments are thoroughly sterilized without requiring specialized positioning or multiple treatment zones.
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 solution achieves high-level disinfection or sterilization of objects, reducing biologically-active contaminants by at least 99% and ensuring that disinfected writing instruments can be safely used in sterile environments, effectively preventing the spread of infectious organisms.
Implementation Method 1
disinfecting apparatus that encloses objects in a housing with a disinfecting chamber, using UVC light to deactivate contaminants
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an apparatus for disinfecting objects of various shapes and sizes. The apparatus includes a housing enclosing a disinfecting chamber in which objects are to be placed. An ultraviolet light source is arranged to emit ultraviolet light into the disinfecting chamber to be imparted on the object in the disinfecting chamber for deactivating at least a portion of the biologically-active contaminant present on the object. A liner is provided to the disinfecting chamber and includes a reflective element so that the ultraviolet light is reflected around the chamber to provide maximum incidence with the object. A wall is provided within the disinfecting chamber and is formed at least in part from a material that is substantially-transparent to ultraviolet light. A floor of the disinfecting chamber rotates during a disinfecting procedure.