Disinfection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10363329-B2
Application number	US-201715478147-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2017
Priority date	Jan 30, 2015
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

A method and apparatus for disinfecting a lavatory inside a vehicle in response to a set of criteria being met. A determination is made as to whether a set of criteria for activation of a disinfection system that emits far-ultraviolet radiation to perform a disinfection process inside a lavatory has been met. In response to a determination that the set of criteria has been met, the disinfection system is activated to perform the disinfection process inside the lavatory using the far-ultraviolet radiation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a disinfection system to perform a disinfection process inside an area when the area is not in use, wherein the disinfection system is inactive when the area is in use;
an activation system that controls activation and deactivation of the disinfection system,
wherein the disinfection system comprises a source of far-ultraviolet radiation, the source configured to perform the disinfection process inside the area;
wherein the area is located within a vehicle; and

a sensor system configured to detect a level of pathogens and impurities present in the area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the source of far-ultraviolet radiation is configured to perform the disinfection process on air inside the area.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the source of far-ultraviolet radiation is configured to perform the disinfection process on an object in the area.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a reflective material applied to a plurality of surfaces inside the area to reflect the far-ultraviolet radiation into the area; and
wherein the source directs the far-ultraviolet radiation at the reflective material in order to disinfect the area.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the activation system activates the disinfection system in response to a determination that a set of criteria has been met, wherein the set of criteria includes the area being unoccupied, the area having been occupied a selected number of times since a previous disinfection of the area, or a selected amount of time having passed since the previous disinfection of the area.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system detects whether the area is occupied or unoccupied.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a reflective material applied to a plurality of surfaces inside the area to reflect the far-ultraviolet radiation onto at least one selected object inside the area.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the disinfection system further comprises:
a number of reflector devices that reflect the far-ultraviolet radiation onto at least one selected object inside the area.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
an indicator device associated with an exterior of the area, wherein the indicator device displays a visual indication of whether the disinfection system is in an active mode or in an inactive mode.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the activation system further comprises:
a controller that receives information from the sensor system, determines whether a set of criteria has been met based on the information, and activates the disinfection system to place the disinfection system in an active mode in response to a determination that the set of criteria has been met.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller deactivates the disinfection system to place the disinfection system in an inactive mode when a door to the area is opened prior to completion of the disinfection process.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller deactivates the disinfection system to place the disinfection system in an inactive mode after completion of the disinfection process.

13. A method for disinfecting an area, the method comprising:
determining whether a set of criteria for activation of a disinfection system to perform a disinfection process inside the area has been met;
activating the disinfection system to perform the disinfection process inside the area in response to a determination that the set of criteria has been met;
wherein the disinfection system comprises far ultraviolet radiation;
wherein the area is located within a vehicle; and

configuring a sensor system to determine whether pathogens and impurities are present in the area.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining whether the set of criteria has been met comprises:
determining whether the area is unoccupied; and
determining whether the area has been occupied a selected number of times since a previous disinfection of the area.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
deactivating the disinfection system to place the disinfection system in an inactive mode after completion of the disinfection process.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
monitoring the area using the sensor system; and
deactivating the disinfection system to place the disinfection system in an inactive mode in response to a detection by the sensor system of an access to the area being opened during the disinfection process.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein deactivating the disinfection system comprises:
halting emission of far-ultraviolet radiation from an ultraviolet radiation source in less than a second after the detection by the sensor system that a door to the area has opened.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
reflecting far-ultraviolet radiation onto at least one selected region in the area using at least one of a number of reflector devices located inside the area or a reflective material on a plurality of surfaces inside the area.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
monitoring the area during the disinfection process; and
deactivating the disinfection system in response to a detection of door to the area being opened during the disinfection process.

20. A method for disinfecting an area, the method comprising:
determining whether a door to an area is closed in response to a determination that the area has been occupied the selected number of times since a previous disinfection of the area;
activating a disinfection system to perform a disinfection process inside the area in response to the determination that the door is closed;
configuring a sensor system to determine whether pathogens and impurities are present in the area; and
deactivating the disinfection system after completion of the disinfection process;
wherein the disinfection system comprises a source of far ultraviolet radiation configured to perform the disinfection process on at least one region inside the area; and
wherein the area is located within a vehicle.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Childress James J
• Cloud Mark L
• Hills Karen Lee

Classifications

• A61L2103/75

  Room floors or walls · CPC title

• H05B47/16

  by timing means · CPC title

• A61L2202/11

  Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps · CPC title

• A61L2/10 Primary

  Ultraviolet [UV] radiation · CPC title

• A61L2/24 Primary

  Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation · CPC title