Patent Application
20250033603
The present technology relates to apparatus and systems for air-borne dispersal of a cleaning agent onto contaminated surfaces to clean these surfaces. More particularly, the technology relates to cleaning of surfaces, contaminated with microbial and/or a viral load that may be hazardous to human health and that may lead to contagion, in enclosed spaces, such as vehicle people-carrying spaces, to reduce or eliminate the contamination.
There is increasing concern about the spread of contagious diseases, whether these may be influenza, common colds, corona viruses (SARS, MERS, COVID-19), or a potentially lethal virus such as Ebola, or microbial or viral diseases that are not even known or identified at this time. For purposes of this description, microscopic fungi, bacteria and viruses are included in the term “microbes.” Most of these microbes and viruses are spread through contact; a first person contacts some surface (for example, by shaking the hand of a contagious person or touches a contaminated surface) and acquires the contamination, becomes infected, and then passes it on to yet another person. This chain of infection is well-known. Some contaminants, whether microbial or viral, appear to be spread through “air-borne” means. This includes coughing and the emitting of a fine spray of contaminated and contagious sputum.
In a modern urban environment, one of the main means of transportation is enclosed vehicles such as, but not limited to, aircraft, busses, trains, boats, cars, SUVs and trucks. Some of these are vehicles that are open to the general public to use, and some members of the public may have a communicable disease that is spread through microbes or viruses. Surfaces inside the cabin of the vehicle, where passengers are usually seated, may over time become heavily contaminated with live microbes and viral contaminants. Thus, these surfaces serve to spread the microbial or viral disease to other passengers through contact.
Even in non-public, personal or family transportation, one family member may be ill and could contaminate surfaces thereby passing a contagious illness to other family members. This is especially a risk where school-aged children “pick up” a microbial or viral infection from classmates at school, and can then pass it on to parents and siblings through contaminated surfaces in a family vehicle. Some microbes or viruses may be long-lived, and immunity to these may not be readily achieved. Thus, there is a chance of recurrent illness. Merely wiping surfaces may not eliminate the microbial or viral load on surfaces because surfaces may not be smooth and totally accessible. For example, surfaces are often textured and may have joints and other features where microbial and viral loads may persist.
With regard to newly manufactured vehicles, the chances of a microbial or viral load on surfaces are low, unless the vehicle was contaminated during assembly. On the other hand, the chances that a “pre-owned” or “used” vehicle is contaminated and a source of potential infection, is relatively far higher. Aside from the potential health issues, there are often also aesthetic issues with pre-owned or used cars: they may have an odor in the cabin space from pets carried in the space or from the way in which they were (mis)used by the previous owners. This can have a negative impact on the resale value of the vehicle.
There is a need from a public health standpoint to clean surfaces within a passenger carrying cabin space of vehicles to reduce any microbial and/or viral load. Moreover, there is also not only a public health need to do this but also a business or economic need to remove any undesirable odors from the cabin space of public, used or pre-owned vehicles.
There are other spaces besides where microbial contaminations may linger as well. These include but are not limited to: rooms in a house, hotel rooms, hospital rooms, rooms in homes for the aged, intensive care units, surgery rooms, yoga rooms, gyms, restaurants, ships cabins and passenger-use spaces on cruise vessels, trains, buses, aircraft cabins, etc. In general, living spaces and other spaces that humans use regularly and that contain surfaces on which microbes can dwell, are a potential source for spread of infections.
This summary is intended to present a brief outline of some of the features of exemplary embodiments of the inventions; these and additional features are more particularly described in the Detailed Description, here below. The descriptions do not limit the scope on the inventions, which is set forth in the appended patent claims.
In an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method for cleaning surfaces within an environment of a microbial or viral contamination. The method includes the steps of placing an apparatus in the environment that has malodor having a microbial or viral contamination. The apparatus can include a container having therein water with a solid or a gel pak that, upon contact with water, releases a gaseous cleaning agent upward and out of the container. The method includes agitating the water within the container of the apparatus with an impeller. The agitation of the water causes the solid or gel pack to release a gaseous cleaning agent, which causes the gaseous cleaning agent to exit from the container into the environment. The gaseous cleaning agent is allowed to reduce the malodor or the microbial or viral contamination in the environment. Access to the environment can be allowed after an effective period of time has elapsed. The effective period of time can be in the range from about 10 to about 30 minutes.
Optionally, the method further includes using a detector and indicator to indicate when a concentration of the gaseous cleaning agent in the environment has reduced to a safe level.
Optionally, the apparatus includes a motor and a step of activating the motor of the apparatus is carried out remotely.
Optionally, the impeller can be a magnetic impeller that agitates the water via a rotating magnetic field of the apparatus.
Optionally, the gaseous cleaning agent comprises chlorine dioxide.
Optionally, the microbial or viral contamination of a particular contaminating species is reduced by at least 80%.
Optionally, the apparatus is configured to fit inside a cup-holder inside a cabin of a vehicle.
In another exemplary embodiment, there is provided method for cleaning surfaces in an environment having malodor or surfaces having a microbial or viral contamination. The method can include placing an apparatus inside the environment. The apparatus can include a container having therein water with a solid or a gel pak that, upon contact with water, releases a gaseous cleaning agent comprising chlorine dioxide. The water within the container of the apparatus is agitated with an impeller in the container to accelerate generating a gaseous cleaning agent that exits from the container into the environment. The gaseous cleaning agent is allowed to dwell in the environment for an effective time to remediate malodor, or a microbial or viral contamination.
Optionally, the impeller is a magnetic impeller that agitates the water via a rotating magnetic field of the apparatus. The rotating magnetic field can be provided by one or more magnets in the base. A motor can rotate the one or more magnets, causing the rotation of the magnetic field.
Optionally, the method further includes using a detector and indicator to indicate when a concentration of the gaseous cleaning agent in the environment has reduced to a safe level.
Optionally, the apparatus includes a motor and a step of activating the motor of the apparatus is carried out remotely, and the motor can drive the impeller.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, there is provided method for cleaning surfaces in an environment having malodor or surfaces having a microbial or viral contamination. The method includes filling a container of an apparatus at least partially with water and adding a solid or gel pack that releases a gaseous cleaning agent when in contact with water to the at least partially water-filled container. The water in the container is agitated with an impeller to accelerate a release of a gaseous cleaning agent from the solid or gel pack. The gaseous cleaning agent is allowed to exit from the container to treat malodor, or microbial or viral contamination in the environment.
Optionally, the method further includes using a detector and indicator to indicate when a concentration of the gaseous cleaning agent in the environment has reduced to a safe level.
Optionally, the apparatus includes a motor and a step of activating the motor of the apparatus is carried out remotely.
Optionally, the impeller is a magnetic impeller that agitates the water via a rotating magnetic field of the apparatus. The rotating magnetic field can be provided by one or more magnets in the base. A motor can rotate the one or more magnets, causing the rotation of the magnetic field.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages, of the present technology will become more readily appreciated by reference to the following Detailed Description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying simplified drawings of exemplary embodiments. The drawings, briefly described here below, are not to scale, are presented for ease of explanation and do not limit the scope of the inventions recited in the accompanying patent claims.
In the following non-limiting detailed descriptions of examples of embodiments of the inventions may refer to appended Figure drawings and are not limited to the drawings, which are merely presented for enhancing explanations of features of the technology. In addition, the detailed descriptions may refer to particular terms of art, some of which are defined herein, as appropriate and necessary for clarity.
The term “cabin” as used in the specification and claims refer to a space containing contaminated surfaces that can readily be enclosed, for example by closing doors, windows and air vent system, if any, of the space such that air inside the space is neither withdrawn nor added to. The air may be allowed to re-circulate in the cabin however, by activation of an air circulation system, for example, or use of a fan in the cabin. This is useful to also treat ductwork in the air circulation system to remove malodors and to remove or reduce any microbial or viral load.
The terms “enclosable environment,” or “enclosable space” is meant as synonymous with “cabin,” but for the sake of clarity these terms include, but are not limited to, rooms in a house, hotel rooms, hospital rooms, rooms in homes for the aged, intensive care units, surgery rooms, yoga rooms, gyms, restaurants, ships cabins and passenger-use spaces on cruise vessels, trains, buses, aircraft cabins, and the like. So, this should not be read as limited to commonly understood vehicular cabins. In general, the terms encompass living spaces, and other spaces, that humans use regularly, even if intermittently, and that contain surfaces on which microbial life forms can dwell as a potential source for spread of infection.
The term “coating” or “coat” as is used in reference to a coating a cleaning agent onto surfaces, means that the cleaning agent (by an air-borne mist of fine liquid droplets and a gaseous cleaning agent) contacts the surfaces, and the coating may be discontinuous in some contacted areas of surface. The surfaces may include, but are not limited to, fine surface textures, surface patterns, and tight interstitial spaces such as found, for example, in stitched seats and dash boards, couches, textiles, tiles, bedding, carpets, table tops, chairs, floors, wood, interior boundaries (such as walls, ceilings), cabinets, beds, bedding materials, etc.
The terms “contamination” or “contamination load” when used in reference to surfaces within a cabin means microbial, fungal, or viral contamination and also includes contaminants that cause a malodorous scent, for example, of decayed organic matter, fecal matter, and the like.
The term “effective period of time” as it relates to the time that the cleaning agent dwells in a cabin for cleaning of surfaces therein, the effective period may vary from about 3 to about 20 minutes; and in particular may be from about 3 to about 10 minutes. More or less time may also be effective, depending upon the degree of cleaning (extent of contaminant load reduction) to be achieved, the nature of the chemical cleaning agent used, and the number of repetitions of treatment sequentially, if such repetition is necessary. For example, some cabin spaces may have surfaces so heavily contaminated as to require more than one treatment, or to require that the gaseous cleaning agent dwell on surfaces for up to 8 hours, or overnight, to achieve a desired level of cleanliness, deodorization, sanitization or disinfection, as applicable.
The term “sealing” in the context of sealing a cabin or an enclosable environment/space means that windows doors and other ingress or exit points are closed. However, if the cabin or the enclosable environment/space has an air duct system that can be set to recirculate air, then setting it to recirculate falls within the meaning of the term “sealing” and it allows potential cleaning of the air duct system.
The term “significant reduction in contamination load” means that the contamination load of a particular contaminating species is reduced by at least 80% after cleaning in exemplary embodiments, or in some exemplary embodiments at least 98% after cleaning.
Several of the following examples discussed in relation to the Figures may relate, for ease of explanation, to vehicles, but it should be understood that the explanations are also applicable to “enclosable environments,” as defined herein.
Referring to
An exemplary embodiment of an apparatus useful in carrying out the systems and methods of the invention is illustrated in
Referring more particularly to
While the gaseous cleaning agent has been described as chlorine dioxide, other gaseous agents that perform the same or similar function may also be useful and are encompassed in the claims here below. In addition, odorizing substances may be added to impart a pleasant smell to the interior of the cleaned cabin, or to mask any “chemical” smell.
Referring to
After the motor is stopped, again optionally, the air circulation may be turned on to assist in dissipating the gaseous cleaning agent, as in block 580. After a period of time has elapsed, the expiration light will activate in block 590 signaling to the operator that it is safe to enter the enclosable environment because the gaseous cleaning agent has sufficiently dissipated. The period of elapsed time from motor deactivation to light activation can be set at a suitable time based on whether there is air circulation ongoing or not, and other factors that promote gaseous cleaning agent dissipation. Typically, in the range of about 3 to about 5 minutes. Then in block 595 the cleaning process is completed, and the operator can enter to retrieve the apparatus.
Referring now to
As an exemplary alternative, when the apparatus 200 is not battery powered, but relies on an external power source, the power can be provided, for example, by an electrical cable 288 with connector at one end 292 extending to the power source 292 and connector 290 at the other end plugging into the apparatus 200. The timer may conveniently be carried in a USB-type device 280 with integrated chip (with timer functionality) that can be connected inline in the cable 288, as shown, via opposed ends 282, 284. The USB-type IC timer device has both a start button 285 as well as an indicator light. Of course, other means may also be used, and are within the scope of this disclosure.
Further, the indicator light may be separate from the apparatus 200. Indeed, it may be independently timed. It may also be set apart from the apparatus, for example on the roof of a car being treated, or in the hallway of a hotel outside the room being treated, and the like for convenience.
Of course, in the example of
It is recognized that certain chemical formulations may be mildly corrosive. Over a period of time, and many uses of the device described herein that mixes water with a formulation to produce a gaseous cleaning agent, it may corrode metal or electronic parts. Thus, even very minor leakage from container that generates the mixture (of cleaning agent in water) down around the spindle of the impeller into the base may cause damage in the longer term to components in the base, such as the motor or electronics. The question then is how to avoid even the most minor leakage that might be considered in-significant from passing from the container around the spindle down into the base and into contact with the motor and electricals in the base.
An alternative embodiment provides the solution: make the base a separate component that is coupled to the lower end of the container. This can be achieved, in a non-limiting example, by exterior screw thread on the base to an interior screw thread of the lower end on the container, or by some other mechanical locking means or by friction fit. The base is sealed and the inner cavity within the sealed base contains the motor there inside such that there is no fluid communication between the cavity with the interior of the container (which is a reactor-generator of the gaseous cleaning agent). Thus, leakage is avoided because there is no possible fluid communication between the interior of the container that is sealed off from the interior of the base. Thus, the sealed-in motor is effectively completely isolated from the water/formulation in the container and there is no spindle penetrating the bottom of the container to extend into the base. This is achieved by coupling the motor in the base to a magnet such that when the motor is activated, the magnet spins at a motor-controlled rate, which can be manually adjusted, in a non-limiting example, by a control knob on the outside of the base. In turn, there is a magnetic impeller placed inside the container such that the magnetic impeller responds to or interacts with the magnetic field of the rotating magnet, such that they rotate substantially in unison together. The magnetic fields of the two magnets (the motor driven one and the magnetic impeller) are sufficiently strong to swirl the water/formulation mixture in the container at a rate to cause formation of a vortex, similar to that created by a mechanical impeller explained and illustrated here above.
As with a mechanical impeller, the rotation of the magnetic impeller creates a vortex which generates an air-borne spray comprising water and gaseous cleaning agent which is expelled from the container. Moreover, the impeller's agitation of the water accelerates the rate of release of the gaseous cleaning agent into the water.
Turning to
A cover (or top seal) 826 creates a water-tight seal at the upper portion of the sealed base 820. Thus, as pointed out above, the driver magnet 824 and motor are sealed off within a cavity of the base 820. The base 820 is configured to be detachably coupled to the lower end 814 of the container 810. In a non-limiting example, the cover 826 is configured to fit within the open-ended cavity 818 at the lower end of the container 810 to secure the container 810 to the base 820. The cover 826 and/or the sealed bottom portion 818 of the container 810 may be configured to form a frictional fit, or may be screwed together. Alternatively, the cover 826 may comprise a threaded surface that is configured to be threaded into a corresponding threaded surface within the sealed bottom portion 818 of the container 810.
During use, the magnetic impeller 830 is placed into the container 810, wherein the magnetic impeller is magnetically attracted to the sealed end of the container due to the magnetic attraction to the magnet in the base 820. The magnetic impeller 830 should have a shape suitable for generation of a vortex in the container during use. The magnetic impeller 830 may, in a non-limiting example, have a dumbbell shape, wherein the ends 832 of the magnetic impeller 830 have a larger size than the center of the magnetic impeller 830. This example of a dumbbell shape of the magnetic impeller 830 promotes the generation of a vortex within the container 810. In a non-limiting example, each end 832 of the magnetic impeller 830 may include a magnet, with the faces of each end 832 having an opposite magnetic pole (e.g., left side has a north pole and the right side has a south pole). Accordingly, when the magnetic impeller 830 is placed in the container 810 coupled to the base 820, the magnetic impeller 830 will be attracted to the drive magnet 824 beneath the sealed bottom portion 818 because the ends 832 are attracted to the opposite magnetic poles of the magnet in the base 820. The magnetic impeller 830 may further include a smooth protuberance or knob 834 on one or both sides that is positioned at the center of the magnetic impeller 830. The magnetic impeller 830 spins on the knob 834, which reduces the friction with the sealed bottom portion 818 of the container 810 and allows for greater rotational velocity to generate a stronger vortex. The magnetic impeller 830 may be configured such that the length of the magnetic impeller 830 is not larger than the length (or diameter) of the container 810 at its lower end 814.
The magnetic impeller 830 may be coated with a protective polymer such as PTFE that has low friction and that will protect the magnetic impeller from the corrosive mixture in the container 810. The coating may be selected from any of the chemically resistant coatings capable of protecting the magnetic impeller from the fluids in the container.
As explained here above, the use of the magnetic impeller 830 provides an advantage of reducing or eliminating the possibility of corrosive damage to the motor in the base 820. Because there is no spindle extending from the base into the container, and the sealing off of the base from the container, the possibility of leakage from the container into the base through wear on mechanical seal(s) of the spindle is eliminated.
While examples of embodiments of the technology have been presented and described in text and some examples also by way of illustration, it will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the described technology without departing from the scope of the inventions, which are set forth in and only limited by the scope of the appended patent claims, as properly interpreted and construed.
This application is a continuation of pending U.S. Ser. No. 18/386,951, filed Nov. 3, 2023, which is a continuation-in-part application of (1) pending U.S. Ser. No. 17/989,454, filed on Nov. 17, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 16/835,851, filed on Mar. 31, 2020, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,535,205, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Ser. No. 15/895,510, filed Feb. 13, 2018, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,420,599, which is in turn a continuation of application U.S. Ser. No. 15/253,315, filed Aug. 31, 2016, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,925,959, which is in turn a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 15/063,931, filed on Mar. 8, 2016, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,446,742, which claims the benefit of provisional application 62/253,188, filed on Nov. 10, 2015; and (2) pending U.S. Ser. No. 18/121,944, filed on Mar. 15, 2023, which is a continuation of pending U.S. Ser. No. 17/989,454, filed on Nov. 17, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 16/835,851, filed on Mar. 31, 2020, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,535,205, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Ser. No. 15/895,510, filed Feb. 13, 2018, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,420,599, which is in turn a continuation of application U.S. Ser. No. 15/253,315, filed Aug. 31, 2016, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,925,959, which is in turn a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 15/063,931, filed on Mar. 8, 2016, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,446,742, which claims the benefit of provisional application 62/253,188, filed on Nov. 10, 2015. The entire contents of all the foregoing applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62253188 | Nov 2015 | US | |
| 62253188 | Nov 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15063931 | Mar 2016 | US |
| Child | 15253315 | US | |
| Parent | 15063931 | Mar 2016 | US |
| Child | 15253315 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 18386951 | Nov 2023 | US |
| Child | 18914776 | US | |
| Parent | 16835851 | Mar 2020 | US |
| Child | 17989454 | US | |
| Parent | 15253315 | Aug 2016 | US |
| Child | 15895510 | US | |
| Parent | 17989454 | Nov 2022 | US |
| Child | 18121944 | US | |
| Parent | 16835851 | Mar 2020 | US |
| Child | 17989454 | US | |
| Parent | 15253315 | Aug 2016 | US |
| Child | 15895510 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17989454 | Nov 2022 | US |
| Child | 18386951 | US | |
| Parent | 15895510 | Feb 2018 | US |
| Child | 16835851 | US | |
| Parent | 18121944 | Mar 2023 | US |
| Child | 18386951 | US | |
| Parent | 15895510 | Feb 2018 | US |
| Child | 16835851 | US |
