UVC Decontamination Apparatus with Occupancy Sensor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual decontamination of bathroom surfaces in healthcare facilities is labor-intensive and disruptive, as it requires personnel to follow strict guidelines using liquid disinfectants, often disrupting patient care and not feasible during the day without affecting patient use or causing sleep disturbances.
Innovation Solution
A decontamination apparatus with a UVC bulb and reflective shield, mounted in an adjustable housing, that emits UV light only when the room is unoccupied, using a redundant occupant sensing system and controller to ensure safety and efficiency, with adjustable positioning and automatic operation based on sensor inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual decontamination using liquid disinfectants is conducted, then surfaces are cleaned of contaminants, but it is labor-intensive and requires strict guideline adherence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical cleaning operations with an automated UVC light-based decontamination system. The controller automatically activates the UVC bulb based on occupancy sensor inputs, eliminating the need for manual application of liquid disinfectants and adherence to complex cleaning guidelines, while maintaining effective pathogen reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The decontamination system operates autonomously by detecting occupancy status and automatically activating/deactivating the UVC bulb without human intervention. The controller monitors sensor inputs and self-regulates the decontamination process, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating labor-intensive manual operations
2Reliability
If manual decontamination is conducted during the day, then surfaces are decontaminated, but the bathroom becomes unavailable for patient use
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs decontamination in advance during periods when the bathroom is naturally unoccupied (nighttime or between patient visits). Occupancy sensors detect when the room is empty, and the controller activates the UVC bulb to complete the decontamination cycle before patients need to use the bathroom again, ensuring both effectiveness and continuous availability
Solution Approach 2:
The decontamination system dynamically adjusts its operation based on real-time occupancy conditions. The controller continuously monitors sensor inputs and activates the UVC bulb only when the bathroom is unoccupied, allowing flexible scheduling that accommodates patient needs while maintaining effective decontamination without fixed time restrictions
3Reliability
If manual decontamination is conducted at night, then surfaces are decontaminated, but patient sleep is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual nighttime cleaning operations with an automated UVC system that operates silently without physical contact. The automated nature of the system eliminates the disturbance caused by personnel entering the room, moving equipment, or making noise, while still achieving effective decontamination during nighttime hours
Solution Approach 2:
The UVC light acts as an intermediary decontamination agent that works without direct human presence. Instead of personnel physically cleaning surfaces at night, the UVC bulb emits light that indirectly destroys pathogens on surfaces, achieving decontamination without any direct interaction that could disturb sleeping patients
4Reliability
If UVC light is emitted continuously, then decontamination is effective, but safety risks increase when occupants are present
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses occupancy sensors to provide real-time feedback on room occupancy status to the controller. Based on this feedback, the controller automatically activates or deactivates the UVC bulb, ensuring the light is emitted only when safe and effective, and immediately stopped when occupants are detected, thus maintaining both decontamination effectiveness and occupant safety
Solution Approach 2:
The UVC light emission dynamically responds to occupancy conditions rather than operating continuously or on a fixed schedule. The controller adjusts the operational state of the UVC bulb in real-time based on sensor inputs, making the system adaptable to changing conditions and eliminating harmful exposure while maintaining effective decontamination windows
5Reliability
If fixed-position UVC lighting is used, then installation is simple, but coverage of all surfaces is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The housing and reflective shield are made pivotable to dynamically adjust the direction and distribution of UVC light. The housing can rotate about a first axis and the reflective shield can pivot about a second perpendicular axis, allowing the system to adapt to different bathroom layouts and target specific surfaces that need decontamination, thereby achieving comprehensive coverage while maintaining installation simplicity
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 apparatus effectively reduces pathogens on surfaces by at least 1 log10 (1/10th) or 3 log10 (1/1000th) without requiring the surfaces to be completely sterile, ensuring a safer environment while minimizing disruption to patients and reducing labor costs.
Implementation Method 1
UVC light emitted by the UVC bulb
Implementation Method 2
The apparatus effectively reduces pathogens on surfaces
Implementation Method 3
a reflective shield arranged adjacent to the UVC bulb and configured to reflect UVC light emitted by the UVC bulb
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a decontamination apparatus for decontaminating an enclosed room. The decontamination apparatus includes a source including a UVC bulb and a reflective shield arranged adjacent to the UVC bulb and configured to reflect UVC light emitted by the UVC bulb toward a region of the enclosed room to be decontaminated. A mounting system that is adjustable secures the source at a desired location within the enclosed room. A controller is operatively-connected to the source to terminate operation of the UVC bulb in response to a determination that an occupant is present within the enclosed room.