Patent Application
20210401237
The subject matter of the present disclosure refers generally to a system for a modular sanitation chamber that is free-standing or can attach to a building.
Situations in which modern society has been forced to react to a novel pathogen, such as COVID-19, have been rare. One approach that many countries have taken to combat the spread of these novel pathogens is by forcing citizens into quarantine. For various reasons, it has become apparent that it is not always practical to force the majority of a population into quarantine. And though certain measures less severe than forced quarantines, such as wearing a mask and social distancing, can be enforced to reduce the transmission rate of the pathogens, these measures can be difficult to adhere to when the availability of personal protective equipment becomes low to non-existent or in traditionally crowded buildings, such as grocery stores. Further, the implications of shutting down society to combat the spread of novel pathogens can be far reaching and are not fully understood as of yet. For instance, the effect of requiring children to stay home instead of attend school could be devastating to those children's long-term success. Many guardians are ill-prepared for taking on the responsibility of educating their children, which is usually administered by professionally trained teachers.
Additionally, more severe measures can be absolutely devastating to economies. As we have seen with the COVID-19 crisis, retail stores and restaurants can be particularly distressed when extreme measures to curtail the spread of a novel pathogen are taken. Interestingly, certain pathogens, such as influenza, have affected world economies for quite some time. The Center for Disease Control has stated that influenza alone can cost the United States economy more than $80 billion annually, including more than 44 million lost working days. And colds/coughs can cost the US economy an additional $40 billion or more a year. One method that may be used to reduce the spread of pathogens—and therefore reduce their impact on the economy—would be via the use of sanitation chambers. Sanitation chambers could decrease not only the impact of pathogens on business's customers but also their employees since these chambers would kill pathogens prior to entrance into the business's building. Unfortunately, very few buildings are equipped with even a single sanitation chamber. And though it would be beneficial to add sanitation chambers to existing buildings, the cost to add sanitation chambers currently known in the art makes doing so impractical. Further, sanitation chambers currently known in the art are not simple to set up and are too slow for practical use at large social events, such as concerts and festivals.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a system that may be free-standing or attached to an existing building and that may sanitize users and/or objects in a quick and cost-effective manner.
A system for a sanitation chamber that can attach to a building is provided. Generally, the system of the present disclosure is designed to allow a user to easily and conveniently attach a sanitation chamber to an existing building. Alternatively, the system may be used to create a standalone sanitation chamber through which one might walk through for sanitation purposes without the need for a building. The system generally comprises a frame, crossbeam members, panels, tarp, rails, tank, tubing, and power supply. Other embodiments of the system may comprise at least one sensor operably connected to a control board of the system that automatically turns the system on and/or off.
The frame comprises a plurality of braces configured to create two sections: a first section and a second section. The first section is configured in a way such that it creates a passage extending from a front end of the frame to a back end of the frame. The second section is configured in a way such that it may contain various components of the system. The braces may be configured to connect to braces of other systems, allowing for multiple systems to be attached together in various ways. A plurality of crossbeam members between the first section and second section of the frame may provide additional structural stability to the frame as well as provide a lattice upon which tubing of the system may be secured. The crossbeam members are attached to the braces of the frame and preferably comprise flat crossbeam members and L-shaped crossbeam members. The L-shaped crossbeam members may be situated in a way that causes a portion of the L-shaped crossbeam to extend above any horizontally aligned braces of the frame, allowing any tarp connected to the horizontally aligned crossbeam members to have a pitched surface. This pitched surface will allow the tarp to better prevent unwanted water/fluid from entering the area defined by the first section of the frame.
Rails connected to the frame and located in the area defined by the second section of the frame are configured to hold a tank, which may slide onto and off of the rails. The rails are preferably situated such that they are located above a tarp, allowing the tarp to have a pitch defined by the L-shaped crossbeam members. Columns may be used to connect the rails to the frame and to raise the rails above the frame to a specific height. The tank comprises a reservoir and a lid and is preferably configured to hold fluid that may be used to sanitize a user. The tank is configured such that it may slide on and off of the rails of the system, which may allow a user to quickly exchange a tank that has discharged the fluid within its reservoir with a tank that is fully charged with fluid. The pump preferably transfers fluid from the reservoir via tubing running from the reservoir and into the area defined by the first section of the frame. A plurality of holes in the tubing causes the fluid to be emitted by the system in the form of a mist. A user may walk through this mist for sanitation purposes.
The various components of the system are powered via a power supply. The power supply may be any source of power that provides the system with electricity. The system may further comprise an auxiliary power source, allowing the system to receive power even when not receiving power from the main power source. Therefore, the system may comprise multiple power supplies that may provide power to the system in different circumstances. A control board may be used by the system to control the flow of power to the various components of the system. A switch or at least one sensor may be used to send a signal to the control board, instructing the control board to begin modulation of power to the various components of the system. A second switch or at least one sensor may be used to send a second signal to the control board, instructing the control board to cease modulation of power to the various components of the system.
The foregoing summary has outlined some features of the system and method of the present disclosure so that those skilled in the pertinent art may better understand the detailed description that follows. Additional features that form the subject of the claims will be described hereinafter. Those skilled in the pertinent art should appreciate that they can readily utilize these features for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purpose of the system and method disclosed herein. Those skilled in the pertinent art should also realize that such equivalent designs or modifications do not depart from the scope of the system and method of the present disclosure.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
In the Summary above and in this Detailed Description, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with/or in the context of other particular aspects of the embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, a system “comprising” components A, B, and C can contain only components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C, but also one or more other components. As will be evident from the disclosure provided below, the present invention satisfies the need for a free-standing system capable of attaching to a building that provides a sanitation chamber that a user may walk through for sanitation purposes.
Although the system 100 and method of the present disclosure have been discussed in terms of use for sanitation in buildings, one of skill in the art will appreciate that the inventive subject matter disclosed herein may be utilized in other fields or for other applications in which sanitation may be needed. For instance, the system 100 could be used at large outdoor festival events. As guests move through security checkpoints, the guests may be required to walk through the system 100 in order to sanitize their person prior to entering the area in which the festival is taking place. For instance, grocery stores may place the sanitation units at grocery cart return checkpoints inside and/or outside of the store. As carts are returned to the checkpoints, the carts may pass through the system for sanitation purposes, eliminating the need for an employee to wipe down each individual cart.
The frame 105 comprises a plurality of braces configured to create two sections: a first section 105A and a second section 105B. The first section 105A is configured in a way such that it creates a passage extending from a front end of the frame 105 to a back end of the frame 105. In a preferred embodiment, the first section 105A has a height a width that may allow a user to walk through said first section 105A from a first end of the frame 105 to a second end of the frame 105. In another preferred embodiment, the first section 105A has a height a width that may allow a vehicle, such as a grocery cart, to move through said first section 105A from the first end of the frame 105 to the second end of the frame 105. The second section 105B is configured in a way such that it may contain various components of the system 100. The components contained by the area defined by the second section 105B include, but are not limited to, the power supply, tank, tubing, fluid, and pump. As depicted in
The preferred embodiment of a frame 105 comprises a plurality of vertically aligned braces connected to a plurality of horizontally aligned braces, as illustrated in
The braces may be configured to removably attach to braces of other systems 100, allowing for multiple systems 100 to be connected in various ways. In a preferred embodiment, the braces of a first frame may be removably attached to the braces of a second frame. In one preferred embodiment, the braces located at the back end of a first frame may be removably attached to the braces located at the front end of a second frame, thus creating a path—extending from the front end of the first frame to the back end of the second frame—through which a user and/or object may move through for sanitation purposes. Additionally, a plurality of panels 110 attached to the first frame and the second frame on a left side and a right side of said frames 105 may be used to define the passageway through which a user and/or object may move through for sanitation purposes. For instance, a plurality of frames having panels 110 on their left sides and right sides may be connected at their front ends and back ends to create a tunnel through which a user must pass before being granted access to a concert area, wherein passing through said tunnel will expose the user to a sanitizing mist that will limit contamination within the concert area. Alternatively, the braces located at a right side of the first frame may be removably attached to the braces located at a left side of the second frame, thus creating side-by-side entrances and side-by-side exits that users and/or objects may pass through. These side-by-side entrances and side-by-side exits may be further defined by a plurality of panels 110 attached to the left side and right side of the frames 105. For instance, a plurality of frames 105 may be removably attached on their left sides and right sides to create a plurality of entrances and exits that users may pass through to reach a political rally.
In another preferred embodiment, the system 100 may comprise a plurality of crossbeam members 107 attached to the horizontally aligned braces used to create the first section 105A and second section 105B of the frame 105. These crossbeam members 107 may provide additional structural stability to the frame 105 as well as provide a lattice upon which the tubing 122 may be secured, as illustrated in
In another preferred embodiment, the system 100 may comprise rails 117 connected to the frame 105. The rails 117 are preferably located in the area defined by the second section 105B of the frame 105 and are configured to hold a tank 120, which may be configured to slide onto and off of the rails 117 in a way such that a user may quickly replace a tank spent of fluid. In a preferred embodiment, the rails 117 are constructed of steel or aluminum, but one with skill in the art will recognize that other materials may be used without departing from the inventive subject matter herein. As illustrated in
In some preferred embodiments, columns 119 may be used to connect the rails 117 to the frame 105. Columns 119 may raise the rails 117 above the frame 105 to a specific height within the area defined by the second section 105B of the frame 105. The column 119 is preferably constructed of polymer, but one with skill in the art will recognize that other materials may be used without departing from the inventive subject matter herein. In a preferred embodiment, the columns 119 secure the rail to the frame 105 at a specific height and width that cannot be changed by a user. In another preferred embodiment, the columns 119 may be extendable in a way that allows a user to adjust the height of the rails 117 as needed. In yet another preferred embodiment, the column 119 may be slideably attached to the frame 105 in a way such that a user may adjust the position of the rails 117 within the area defined by the second section 105B of the frame 105. This may allow a user to use different size tanks 120 by simply altering the position of the rails 117 via the columns 119 about the frame 105.
The tank of the system 100 is designed to hold fluid that may be used to sanitize a user and/or object. In a preferred embodiment, the tank comprises a reservoir 120 and a lid 121. In one preferred embodiment, the lid attaches to an opening of the reservoir and may be removed by a user. In another preferred embodiment, the lid 121 locks onto said opening of the reservoir 120 in a way that may prevent unauthorized users from accessing the contents of the reservoir. In a preferred embodiment, a locking element allows the lid to lock in place. Apparatuses that may act as the locking element include, but are not limited to, push-pull pins, clamps, set knobs, snap locks, spring buttons, clutch locks, combination locks, or any combination thereof. The tank 120 is preferably constructed of a food grade polymer, but one with skill in the art will recognize that other materials may be used without departing from the inventive subject matter herein. The tank 120 is configured such that it may slide on and off of the rails 117 of the system 100, which may allow a user to quickly exchange tank 120 that has discharged the fluid within its reservoir with that of a tank 120 that is fully charged with said fluid. In some preferred embodiments, the tank 120 is secured to the railing via a strap 118, as illustrated in
In some preferred embodiments, a tamper indicator may be used to indicate when the tank 120 has been accessed. This may allow a user of the system 100 to know whether an unauthorized individual has accessed the fluid within the tank 120. Tamper indicators that may be used by the system 100 include, but are not limited to, wax, paint, tape, tags, stickers, or any combination thereof. In some preferred embodiments, the locking element may act as a tamper indicator. For instance, a reservoir and lid may be configured such that an aperture of said lid and an aperture of said reservoir may align when said lid is secured to said reservoir. A locking element in the form of a truck security seal may be looped through the apertures and fastened in a way such that the lid may only be removed from the reservoir if the truck security seal is removed first. Because the truck security seal must be broken to be removed, an unauthorized individual cannot access the contents of the tank 120 without indicating to a user that the tank 120 has been tampered with. In another preferred embodiment, the locking element and tamper indicator may be two separate components. For instance, a paint may be used to mark the area in which the lid and reservoir attach. When the paint dries, removal of the lid will crack the paint, indicating to a user that the tank 120 has been tampered with.
The pump 123 transfers fluid from the reservoir to the tubing 122 running from the tank 120 and into the area defined by the first section 105A of the frame 105. Some preferred embodiments of a tank 120 may further comprise a pump, as illustrated in
Some preferred embodiments of the tank 120 may be heated. The reservoir of the tank 120 is preferably heated via heating elements, which may be operably connected to a control board of the system 100 in a way such that the control board may modulate power from the power supply 125 to the heating elements. Types of heating elements that may be used to heat the fluid within the reservoir include, but are not limited to, resistance wire, ceramic heaters, radiant heaters, or any combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the heating elements increase in temperature due to resistive heating, wherein resistance within the heating elements causes an increase in temperature of said heating elements as electricity is passed through. The heat energy is then transferred to the fluid by the heating elements, which may prevent the fluid from freezing in conditions that otherwise might cause the fluid to freeze. The power supply 125 may be connected to the control board in a way such that the control board may regulate the amount of power the heating elements receive, thus granting the control board the ability to control the temperature of fluid within the reservoir of the tank 120.
The system 100 may use a temperature sensor to detect the temperature of the fluid within the tank 120. In a preferred embodiment, the temperature sensor is attached to the wall of tank 120 within the reservoir. Types of temperature sensors that may be used by the system 100 to detect changes in temperature of the fluid include, but are not limited to, thermocouples, resistive temperature measuring devices, infrared sensors, bimetallic devices, digital thermometers, or any combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the control board of the system 100 may be operably connected to the temperature sensor in a way such that it receives temperature data from said temperature sensor and may automatically modulate power to the heating elements when the temperature of the fluid reaches a certain range as determined by said temperature sensor. The control board may then cease modulating power to the heating elements when temperature data collected by the temperature sensor indicates that the fluid is outside of that range. For instance, a system 100 having a control board may be configured to provide power to the heating elements when the fluid within the container reaches a temperature of zero degrees Celsius and then heat the fluid using said heating elements until the fluid reaches a temperature of five degrees Celsius, which may prevent the sanitizing fluid from freezing.
The power supply 125 may be any source of power that provides the system 100 with electricity. For instance, the system 100 may be directly plugged into a stationary power source, which may provide power to the system 100 so long as it remains in one place. In a preferred embodiment, the power supply 125 may be a standard electrical outlet. However, the system 100 may also be connected to an auxiliary power source 127 so that the system 100 may receive power even when it is not receiving power from the power supply 125. For instance, the system 100 may receive power from solar panels and a battery operably connected said solar panels 110, which may allow the system 100 to operate in locations that do not have any readily available stationary power sources. For instance, the system 100 may have the capability of receiving power from a stationary power source and backup generator operably connected to the system 100. Therefore, the system 100 may comprise of multiple power supplies that may provide power to the system 100 in different circumstances, which may allow the system 100 to function in circumstances other systems may not.
In one preferred embodiment, the power supply 125 may further comprise a power strip having an inlet receptacle and at least one outlet receptacle. The power strip may be configured to receive power from the power supply 125 via the inlet receptacle and then transfer that power to the pump 123 via the at least one outlet receptacle. In a preferred embodiment, the power strip may comprise multiple outlet receptacles through which power may be provided to the various components of the system 100. The power strip may be used to daisy chain a plurality of systems 100 such that a single power source may be used to power said plurality of systems 100. For instance, two systems 100 may be connected via said power strips, wherein the inlet receptacle of the first power strip of the first system 100 is connected to a wall outlet and the inlet receptacle of the second power strip of the second system 100 is connected to an outlet receptacle of the first power strip. Power may then be transferred to the second power strip via the first power strip, allowing a single power source to power both systems 100.
In some preferred embodiments, a ground fault interrupter of the power strip may be configured to flip a switch that completes a circuit within the power strip, linking the inlet receptacle with the at least one outlet receptacle. The ground fault interrupter may flip the switch when it detects a potential break in the low-resistance grounding path from the power supply 125 or one of the electrical components of the system 100, such as the pump 123 or at least one sensor 130. In a preferred embodiment, the ground fault interrupter may detect the break in the low resistance grounding path by comparing the amount of current going and returning along circuit conductors. When the amount going differs from the amount returning by a defined trip amount, the ground fault interrupter may flip the switch and interrupt the current. In a preferred embodiment, the trip amount is 6 amperes. This may protect the system 100 from overheating, electrical fires, and decayed wire insulation.
As mentioned previously, some preferred embodiments of the system 100 may further comprise a control board. The control board, comprises at least one circuit and microchip. The control board may regulate the transfer of power to the various components of the device and/or control the temperature of the fluid within the reservoir of the tank 120 by modulating power to the heating elements. The microchip of the control board comprises a microprocessor and memory. The microprocessor may be defined as a multipurpose, clock driven, register based, digital-integrated circuit which accepts binary data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and provides results as output. In a preferred embodiment, the microprocessor may receive a signal to activate the pump 123 from a sensor operably connected to the control board via the circuit. Alternatively, the microprocessor may receive instructions from a switch operably connected thereto, wherein a user may operate the switch in a way that causes the switch to send a signal to the microprocessor that instructs the microprocessor to activate the pump 123. For instance, a button on the frame 105 may configured to send a signal to the control board that instructs the control board to start the pump 123 when the user presses said button.
Memory may be defined as a device capable of storing information permanently or temporarily. In the preferred embodiment, memory of the microchip stores information pertaining to the length of time the pump 123 should be activated. In some preferred embodiments, memory may include one or more volatile memory units. In another preferred embodiment, memory may include one or more non-volatile memory units. A memory device may refer to storage space within a single storage device or spread across multiple storage devices. Types of devices that may act as memory may include, but are not limited to, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and flash memory. ROM may comprise a conventional ROM device or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for execution by the microprocessor. RAM may comprise a conventional RAM device or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by the processor.
In an embodiment, at least one sensor 130 may be used to determine when to activate the device. Types of sensors that may be used as an at least one sensor 130 include, but are not limited to, a microphone, thermometer, passive infrared sensor, microwave sensor, ultrasonic sensor, laser sensor, or any combination thereof. Therefore, the at least one sensor 130 may measure a variety of types of data and transmit that data to the microprocessor of the control board. Once the microprocessor has received the data, the microprocessor may determine whether to activate the pump 123. In some preferred embodiments, multiple at least one sensors 130 may be used to verify whether a user is using the device. For instance, the microprocessor may use passive infrared data and ultrasonic data to determine whether a user is about to walk through the device. If the ultrasonic sensor detects motion but the infrared sensor does not detect a change in heat in the surrounding area, the microprocessor may determine that a user is not about to use the device.
In a preferred embodiment, a laser trip wire circuit is used to detect when a user and/or object enters the area defined by the first section 105A of the frame 105, as illustrated in
In some preferred embodiments, the system 100 may further comprise a sanitation light system 100. The sanitation light system 100 may comprise a plurality of ultraviolet (UV) emitters affixed to frame 105 and operably connected to the control board. In a preferred embodiment, the UV radiation emitted by the UV emitter is generally between 200 and 300 nanometers; however, other wavelengths may be used without departing from the inventive subject matter herein. The sanitation light system 100 may be used in addition to or separate from the fluid-based sanitation system 100, as discussed above. In the preferred embodiment, the UV emitter is located within the area defined by the first section 105A of the frame 105 and is configured to sanitize users and/or objects within said area; however, other preferred embodiments may comprise UV emitters located outside the area defined by the first section 105A of the frame 105 and may sanitize users and/or objects prior to entrance to and/or after exiting the system 100. For instance, a plurality of UV emitters may be attached to the frame 105 at the back end. Users and/or objects may enter the system 100 and undergo sanitation via the fluid-based system. Upon exiting the device, the UV emitters may then bathe the users and/or objects with UV light, thus providing a second sanitation step.
Panels 110 may be attached to the frame 105 and act as a barrier that protects the various pieces of the system 100. The panels 110 may also be used to partially enclose the first section 105A of the frame 105 to create a chamber in which the fluid may be transferred and through which the user and/or object moves through in order to undergo sanitation. In a preferred embodiment, the panels 110 may guide a user and/or object through the sanitation chamber from the front end to the back end of the frame 105. Materials that may be used to construct the panels 110 include, but are not limited to, polymer, nylon, polyester, cotton, linen, hemp, steel, aluminum, or any combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the panels 110 comprise a nylon mesh. The panels 110 may be attached to the frame 105 via an attachment element 132 and may be permanently attached or removably attached thereto. Devices that may act as the attachment element include, but are not limited to, nails, screws, rivets, grommets, adhesives, hook-and-loop fasteners, or any combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the panels 110 have flame-retardant properties. The flame-retardant properties may be a characteristic of the material in which the panels 110 are made or may be a property of a coating applied to the panels 110.
The implementations set forth in the foregoing description do not represent all implementations consistent with the subject matter described herein. Instead, they are merely some examples consistent with aspects related to the described subject matter. Although a few variations have been described in detail above, other modifications or additions are possible. In particular, further features and/or variations can be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, the implementations described above can be directed to various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features and/or combinations and subcombinations of several further features disclosed above. In addition, the logic flow depicted in the accompanying figures and/or described herein do not necessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. It will be readily understood to those skilled in the art that various other changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of the parts and method stages which have been described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this inventive subject matter can be made without departing from the principles and scope of the inventive subject matter.
