Vehicle UV Treatment Chamber With Filtered Emission Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultraviolet light disinfection in vehicles poses challenges such as photo-oxidation of plastic components, thermal degradation of UV light sources, and wasteful energy usage after pathogens have been inactivated.
Innovation Solution
A treatment apparatus with a housing, UV light source, and door mechanism that prevents UV light emission when the door is open, uses a bandpass filter to limit UV wavelengths, and includes a controller to manage UV light emission based on door position and temperature, ensuring efficient disinfection without damaging vehicle components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ultraviolet light is emitted continuously to ensure complete pathogen inactivation, then disinfection effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases and plastic components deteriorate faster
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a sensor to detect the presence of objects in the treatment chamber and provides feedback to the controller, which then activates or deactivates the UV light source accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures UV light is only emitted when needed, reducing energy consumption while maintaining disinfection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The UV light emission is made dynamic rather than continuous - it activates only when an object is detected in the treatment chamber and deactivates when the chamber is empty. This dynamic operation optimizes energy usage while ensuring disinfection occurs whenever objects are present.
2Reliability
If ultraviolet light is emitted continuously to ensure complete pathogen inactivation, then disinfection effectiveness is improved, but plastic components undergo photo-oxidation and become more brittle
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor-based feedback system ensures UV light is emitted only when objects are present in the treatment chamber, minimizing unnecessary exposure of plastic components to UV radiation and reducing photo-oxidation damage while maintaining disinfection effectiveness during actual usage.
Solution Approach 2:
By making UV emission dynamic and conditional on object presence, the system reduces the total duration of UV exposure to plastic components, thereby reducing cumulative photo-oxidation damage while ensuring adequate disinfection when objects are being treated.
3Ease of operation
If the door is opened during UV light emission to access the treatment chamber, then ease of operation is improved, but UV light leaks and causes thermal degradation of the light source
Solution Approach 1:
The system checks door position before activating UV light and prevents activation if the door is open. This preliminary check ensures the treatment chamber is properly sealed before UV emission begins, preventing light leakage and thermal degradation while allowing easy access when UV is not active.
Solution Approach 2:
The door position sensor acts as an intermediary between the door state and UV light activation, mediating the interaction by preventing UV emission when the door is open and allowing it when closed, thus protecting against thermal degradation while maintaining operational ease.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a bandpass filter is added to limit UV wavelengths to protect plastic components, then protection from photo-oxidation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bandpass filter acts as an intermediary element that selectively transmits germicidal UV wavelengths (200-280 nm) while blocking wavelengths that cause photo-oxidation. This intermediate component provides wavelength selection protection with minimal impact on overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bandpass filter applies selective wavelength transmission properties at a specific location in the UV path, allowing different wavelength ranges to pass through different portions of the filter structure, thereby protecting plastic components from harmful wavelengths while maintaining germicidal effectiveness.
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
Effectively reduces pathogens on objects while minimizing damage to vehicle plastics and optimizing energy use by controlling UV light emission within the treatment chamber.
Implementation Method 1
a bandpass filter disposed between the source of ultraviolet light and the treatment chamber that transmits less than 10 percent of ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 290 nm to 400 nm but transmits greater than 10 percent of ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 240 nm to 280 nm
Implementation Method 2
a source of ultraviolet light configured to emit ultraviolet light into the treatment chamber
Implementation Method 3
a metal heatsink in thermal communication with the source of ultraviolet light
Implementation Method 4
a fan positioned to circulate air onto the source of ultraviolet light
Implementation Method 5
Ultraviolet light can inactivate pathogens
Implementation Method 6
emitted ultraviolet light could cause a plastic component of an interior of the vehicle to degrade and become more brittle in a process referred to as photo-oxidation
Data Source
AI summary
A treatment apparatus for a vehicle comprises: a housing with at least one wall and a floor forming a treatment chamber; a source of ultraviolet light configured to emit ultraviolet light into the treatment chamber; and a door connected to the housing, the door having (i) an open position providing access to the treatment chamber and (ii) a closed position denying access to the treatment chamber and, together with the housing, preventing emitted ultraviolet light from irradiating beyond the treatment chamber.