Handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12263265-B2
Application number	US-202117493008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2021
Priority date	Oct 6, 2020
Publication date	Apr 1, 2025
Grant date	Apr 1, 2025

Abstract

A handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail is mounted on a vehicle having handrail for grasping by an occupant. The handrail disinfection system includes a tank to store disinfectant solution, an exudation part provided on the handrail, an actuator for exuding the disinfectant solution stored in the tank from the exudation part, and a controller for controlling the actuator. At least one processor included in the controller executes upon execution of at least one program, performing a disinfecting process in which the actuator is controlled to exude the disinfectant solution from the exudation part to a surface of the handrail when a predetermined execution condition is satisfied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail, the system comprising:
a tank to store disinfectant solution;
an exudation part provided on the handrail;
one or more sensors to detect a state of an occupant riding in the vehicle;
an actuator for exuding the disinfectant solution stored in the tank from the exudation part; and
a controller for controlling the actuator,
wherein the controller comprises:
at least one memory including at least one program; and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory, and

wherein the at least one processor executes upon execution of the at least one program,
performing a disinfecting process in which the actuator is controlled to exude the disinfectant solution from the exudation part to a surface of the handrail when a predetermined execution condition is satisfied;
wherein the at least one memory is configured to store occupant information detected by the one or more sensors,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute, by executing the at least one program, a getting-off determination process to determine whether the occupant has got off, based on the occupant information,
wherein the execution condition is a condition that is satisfied when getting-off of the occupant is determined in the getting-off determination process,
wherein the at least one memory stores a set vehicle speed to a next pickup location determined based on an operation plan of the vehicle, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to increase, by executing the at least one program, amount of disinfectant solution exuded from the disinfection part as the set vehicle speed increases in the disinfecting process.

2. The handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail according to claim 1 , wherein the execution condition is a condition that is satisfied when an elapsed time since a previous execution of the disinfecting process exceeds a predetermined time.

3. The handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail according to claim 1 ,
wherein, when the handrail is divided into a plurality of areas, the disinfection exudation part is provided in each of the plurality of areas,
wherein the actuator is configured to be capable of exuding the disinfectant solution in each area of the plurality of areas, and
wherein the at least one processor executes upon execution of the at least one program:
executing a disinfection area determination process for determining a disinfection area to be disinfected among the plurality of areas of the handrail based on the occupant information; and
executing the disinfecting process by limiting the disinfection area determination process to the disinfection area determined by the disinfection area determination process.

4. The handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail according to in claim 3 , wherein the disinfection area determination process is configured to determine whether the occupant has got off for each riding area of a riding floor on the basis of the occupant information, and determine an area of the handrail corresponding to a riding area in which the occupant has got off as the disinfection area.

5. The handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail according to claim 3 , wherein the disinfection area determination process is configured to determine an area grasped by the occupant among the plurality of areas as the disinfection area based on the occupant information.

6. The handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail according to claim 3 , wherein the vehicle has a plurality of gateways for occupants to get on and off, and
wherein the disinfection area determination process is configured to determine the gateways where the occupant has got off from among the plurality of gateways, based on the occupant information, and determine an area corresponding to the gateway where the occupant has got off as the disinfection area.

7. The handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrails according to claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of displays provided in association with each of the plurality of areas,
wherein the plurality of displays are configured to be capable of independently displaying a disinfection state of a corresponding one of the plurality of areas, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to, by executing the at least one program, display on a corresponding display among the plurality of the display a display indicating that the disinfection area determined by the disinfection area determination process is before disinfection, and to switch to a display indicating that the disinfecting process for the disinfection area has been completed in response to completion of the disinfecting process.

8. The handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail according to claim 7 ,
wherein the plurality of displays includes an illumination lamp provided along each of the plurality of areas, and
wherein in the illumination lamp, a display indicating that the disinfecting process has not been completed corresponds to lit-state, and a display indicating that the disinfecting process has been completed corresponds to unlit-state.

9. The handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute, by executing the at least one program, a notification process for notifying occupants when the disinfecting process is executed.

10. A handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail, the system comprising:
a tank to store disinfectant solution;
an exudation part provided on the handrail;
one or more sensors to detect a state of an occupant riding in the vehicle;
an actuator for exuding the disinfectant solution stored in the tank from the exudation part; and
a controller for controlling the actuator,
wherein the controller comprises:
at least one memory including at least one program; and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory, and

wherein the at least one processor executes upon execution of the at least one program,
performing a disinfecting process in which the actuator is controlled to exude the disinfectant solution from the exudation part to a surface of the handrail when a predetermined execution condition is satisfied,
wherein the at least one memory is configured to store occupant information detected by the one or more sensors,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute, by executing the at least one program, a getting-off determination process to determine whether the occupant has got off, based on the occupant information,
wherein the execution condition that is satisfied when getting-off of the occupant is determined in the getting-off determination process,
wherein the at least one memory stores a time to arrive at a next pickup location determined based on an operation plan of the vehicle, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to reduce, by executing the at least one program, amount of the disinfectant solution exuded from the exudation part in the disinfecting process as the time required is shorter.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Izu Hiroki
• Sato Daisuke
• Ishii Daisuke
• Morita Hiroki
• Sato Kei
• Nanahara Masaki
• Serizawa Kazumi
• Tanaka Hironobu
• Mogi Shunsuke
• Hayashi Takashi
• Kusumoto Akihiro

Classifications

• A61L2/24

  Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation · CPC title

• A61L2202/14

  Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs · CPC title

• A61L2202/15

  Biocide distribution means, e.g. nozzles, pumps, manifolds, fans, baffles, sprayers · CPC title

• A61L2/18 Primary

  Liquid substances · CPC title

• B60N2/90

  Details or parts not otherwise provided for · CPC title