Vending Machine Germicidal Lighting for Sanitizing Dispensed Cans
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vending machine products, especially drinks in cans, are often consumed directly from packaging, exposing consumers to bacteria and germs, raising concerns about sanitation and safety, particularly post-September 11 attacks when intentional contamination of food items became a concern.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a germicidal light system in vending machines that exposes products to sterilizing frequencies of light, either through the exit chute or display area, using fluorescent bulbs to sanitize the exterior surfaces of products before dispensing, ensuring bacterial reduction, including strains like anthrax.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If products are dispensed directly from vending machines without additional treatment, then dispensing speed and simplicity are maintained, but bacterial contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The germicidal light is activated before product dispensing to pre-sterilize the product surface. The system performs bacterial elimination in advance during the dispensing sequence, ensuring sanitation safety is established before the product reaches the consumer without requiring complex post-dispensing treatment systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sterilization systems (such as heat treatment mechanisms or chemical spraying systems) with a germicidal light system. This optical-based approach achieves bacterial elimination through UV-C radiation without requiring moving parts, complex control mechanisms, or additional mechanical components, thus maintaining simplicity while improving sanitation safety.
2Reliability
If germicidal light is activated continuously, then bacterial elimination is maximized, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The germicidal light operates periodically rather than continuously - it is activated only during product dispensing cycles. The system controller receives dispensing signals and triggers the light activation accordingly, ensuring bacterial elimination occurs at the appropriate moment while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption during idle periods. This periodic operation maintains elimination effectiveness while significantly reducing overall energy usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically activates the germicidal light based on dispensing signals received from the vending machine's control system. The light controller autonomously determines when activation is needed and controls the duration and intensity of light exposure, eliminating the need for manual intervention or continuous monitoring while optimizing energy consumption based on actual dispensing requirements.
3Reliability
If exposure time to germicidal light is extended, then bacterial reduction is improved, but product dispensing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes the germicidal light exposure parameters by adjusting intensity and duration based on product characteristics and dispensing requirements. By changing the parameters of light exposure (using higher intensity for shorter durations or lower intensity for longer durations), the system achieves effective bacterial reduction while minimizing impact on dispensing speed. The controller dynamically adjusts these parameters to balance sanitation effectiveness with productivity requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The germicidal light exposure is integrated into the product dispensing sequence as a preliminary step before the product is fully dispensed. The light activation occurs during the transition period when the product is moving through the dispensing mechanism, utilizing existing time in the dispensing cycle rather than adding separate exposure time. This approach achieves bacterial reduction without extending the overall dispensing time perceived by the consumer.
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 germicidal light system effectively kills bacteria on product surfaces in seconds, providing consumers with reassurance of safe and sanitary products by reducing bacterial contamination risks.
Implementation Method 1
a germicidal light source positioned along an exit chute of the vending machine... exposes the product to a sterilizing frequency light wave
Data Source
AI summary
A vending machine for dispensing products includes a germicidal light for disinfecting a product dispensed by the vending machine. The germicidal light is positioned adjacent an exit chute of the vending machine such that it exposes the product to a sterilizing frequency of light when the product is dispensed. Alternatively, the products may be intermittently exposed to the sterilizing light while the products are on display in accordance with a predetermined exposure schedule. The invention is particularly effective when it is used in connection with a canned drink machine.