UV Pass-Through Sanitizing Chamber for Food Container Germ Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a compact, efficient sanitizing system that can quickly sanitize food or beverage containers to prevent the spread of germs, accommodating both reusable and single-use containers, while minimizing time and handling to reduce the risk of germ transmission between customers and retail employees.
Innovation Solution
A countertop UV light-based sanitizing system with a pass-through design, featuring a chamber with adjustable UV light sources that automatically adjust to container size and shape, using a conveyor and centering device to ensure thorough sanitization with minimal exposure time, and optionally including a second chamber for increased throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual handling and sanitizing of containers is used, then employees can directly serve customers, but germs spread between customers and employees
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the container transfer process into two separate sides: a customer side and an employee side. Containers are sanitized in between these sides, creating physical and sanitary separation. This segmentation prevents direct contact between contaminated and clean zones, eliminating germ transmission while maintaining operational convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The sanitizing chamber acts as an intermediary between the customer side and employee side. Containers pass through this intermediate sanitizing zone where UV lights eliminate germs. This intermediary mechanism ensures that employees never directly handle contaminated containers from customers, solving both the reliability and ease of operation concerns.
2Reliability
If traditional washing or sanitizing methods are used, then containers can be cleaned, but the process is time-consuming and reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces traditional mechanical washing methods (water, soap, manual scrubbing) with UV light-based sanitization. This substitution eliminates the need for water and manual handling during sanitization, dramatically reducing processing time while maintaining effective germ elimination. Containers are sanitized in seconds rather than minutes or hours.
Solution Approach 2:
The UV lights operate in periodic cycles, activating only when containers are positioned in the chamber. This periodic action optimizes energy usage and sanitization timing, ensuring containers receive adequate UV exposure without requiring continuous operation, thereby improving both sanitization effectiveness and overall system productivity.
3Loss of substance
If reusable containers are used to reduce waste, then environmental impact decreases, but germs spread more easily between uses
Solution Approach 1:
The sanitizing system operates continuously in the background, ready to sanitize containers as they pass from the customer side to the employee side. This continuous operation ensures that every reusable container is sanitized between uses, maintaining constant protection against germ contamination while enabling the ongoing use of reusable containers to reduce waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The sanitizing chamber serves as a mandatory intermediate step in the reusable container workflow. Before a container can be reused by another customer, it must pass through this intermediary sanitizing zone. This ensures that the benefits of reusability are maintained while eliminating the germ contamination risk that would otherwise accumulate with repeated use.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If single-use containers are used to prevent germ spread, then hygiene is improved, but waste increases dramatically
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables reusable containers to serve themselves through automated sanitization. Containers are sanitized automatically as they pass through the chamber without requiring manual intervention. This self-service capability makes reusable containers as hygienic as single-use containers while eliminating the need to discard them after one use, dramatically reducing waste.
5Productivity
If employees handle customer containers directly, then service efficiency is maintained, but germ transmission risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the container handling process into distinct customer-side and employee-side zones. Employees only handle containers on their side after sanitization, while customers handle containers on their side before sanitization. This segmentation maintains service efficiency through automated transfer mechanisms while completely preventing direct employee contact with contaminated containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The sanitizing chamber acts as an intermediary that automatically processes containers between customer and employee zones. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for employees to directly handle contaminated containers while maintaining smooth container flow and service efficiency through automated conveyance systems.
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 system effectively sanitizes container surfaces, reducing germ transmission by minimizing handling and ensuring quick, efficient sanitization of both reusable and disposable containers, thereby reducing the risk of illness and waste.
Implementation Method 1
at least one UV light source disposed within the chamber. The at least one UV light source is configured to direct UV light at a predetermined intensity level and time duration onto a food or beverage container positioned inside the chamber in such a way as to result in sanitizing of surfaces of the food or beverage container
Data Source
AI summary
A sanitizing system for preventing the spread of harmful germs on food or beverage containers by utilizing a quick and compact UV sanitizing system. The doors of the pass-through chamber allow the customer to insert an un-sanitized container on the entry (“dirty”) side of the system, and the retail employee to remove the sanitized container from the exit (“clean”) side of the system without having to touch any other surface (doors, knobs, handles, etc.) than the container itself. The system utilizes movable UV light sources to minimize the time required for effective sanitizing.