Vehicle Interior HEV Light Source for Bacterial Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing age of vehicles leads to vulnerability in bacterial growth within vehicle interiors, necessitating an effective method to reduce bacteria from the occupant zone.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a high energy visible light source with a specific emission wavelength integrated into the vehicle interior, combined with phosphorescent paint for visual indication, and a sensor-activated processor to enable irradiation only when the zone is unoccupied, ensuring targeted bacterial reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high energy visible light source is integrated into the vehicle interior to irradiate bacteria, then bacterial reduction effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The HEV light source is integrated within existing interior portions of the vehicle (instrument panel, door trim, seating, headliner, overhead trim, consoles, cargo trim, steering wheel, flooring systems, displays, buttons, switches, or trim panels). This nesting approach embeds the bacterial irradiation functionality within existing structural elements, reducing the need for separate dedicated components and thereby lowering overall system complexity while maintaining effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The interior portions of the vehicle serve dual functions: their original structural/design purposes plus serving as housings for the HEV light source that delivers cumulative energy to reduce bacteria. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate bacterial irradiation devices, simplifying the overall system architecture
2Reliability
If the HEV light source is enabled continuously to ensure bacterial reduction, then bacterial reduction effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors (motion sensor, mass sensor, ultrasonic sensor, pressure sensor, optical sensor, light sensor, temperature sensor, or infrared sensor) to detect occupancy status and enables the HEV light source only when the occupant zone is determined to be unoccupied. This periodic, condition-based operation delivers cumulative energy doses for bacterial reduction while avoiding continuous operation, thereby significantly reducing energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs bacterial irradiation in advance during periods when the vehicle is unoccupied, before the next occupancy event. This preliminary action ensures bacterial reduction is achieved during off-hours when energy consumption is acceptable, while keeping the system inactive during occupancy to conserve energy
3Ease of operation
If phosphorescent paint is applied to interior surfaces for visual indication, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Phosphorescent paint is applied to portions of the interior surfaces to provide visual indication when exposed to the HEV light source. The paint absorbs the high energy visible light and re-emits it as a visible glow, creating a clear visual cue that irradiation is occurring or has occurred. This color change mechanism provides intuitive feedback to occupants without requiring additional electronic indicators or complex display 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 reduces bacterial populations on various interior surfaces by delivering cumulative energy doses that are lethal to bacteria, as demonstrated by bacterial reduction data on different materials, while providing a visual cue of irradiation through phosphorescent paint.
Implementation Method 1
a high energy visible (HEV) light source integrated within the interior portion. The HEV light source has an emission wavelength of between about 375 nm and about 425 nm
Implementation Method 2
the interior portion has phosphorescent paint for visual indication of bacteria irradiation
Data Source
AI summary
A system for bacteria irradiation from an occupant zone of a vehicle is provided. The system comprises an interior portion disposed in the occupant zone. The interior portion has one of a predetermined surface porosity and a predetermined surface roughness. The interior portion has phosphorescent paint for visual indication. The system further comprises a high energy visible (HEV) light source integrated within the interior portion. The HEV light source has an emission wavelength of between about 375 nm and about 425 nm. The HEV light source further provides a cumulative energy of between about 1 J/cm2 and about 50 J/cm2. The system further comprises a vehicle processor in communication with the HEV light source. The vehicle processor is configured to enable the HEV light source. The system further comprises a sensor in communication with the vehicle processor and configured to provide input on when to enable light source.