Equipment may become dirty over time and/or with use of the equipment. For instance, equipment such as electronic device may become dirty due to a user contacting a surface (e.g., a touchscreen or other type of display) of the electronic device. Some sanitizing approaches may utilize liquid such as alcohol, detergents, etc., in an effort to disinfect or otherwise clean the equipment.
As mentioned, an electronic device may become dirty over time and/or with use of the electronic device. As used herein, the term dirty refers to having a visible element (such a stain and/or dust) and/or an invisible elements such pathogen on a surface. A “pathogen” may be any infectious agent that can cause disease, such as a virus, bacterium, prion, fungus, viroid and/or parasite. As such, sanitization or otherwise cleaning an electronic device may be desired. Some approaches may attempt to manually sanitize an electronic device. However, manually sanitizing a large number of electronic devices and/or displays, particularly on a daily basis, may be time-consuming and inefficient. Moreover, ensuring that the manual sanitizing is actually performed and/or effectively performed (sanitizing an entire surface) can be difficult to track in a manual sanitization approach. Additionally, manual sanitization approaches may interfere with the day to day operation of a business (e.g., downtime during a manual sanitization operation). Further, such manual sanitization processes may not permit the use of various sanitizing methodologies such as those employing ultra-violet (UV) light and/or cold plasma due to user health and safety risks.
Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to sanitization devices, As detailed herein, sanitization devices refer to a device that can be coupled to an electronic device and emit UV light and/or cold plasma to sanitize the electronic device and/or display. As used herein, the term “sanitizing”, “sanitize”, and “sanitization” refer to the destruction of pathogens and/or other kinds of microorganisms. For instance, in some examples, a sanitization device can translate in a pattern relative to an electronic device including a display to sanitize a surface of the electronic device and/or display with a UV light and/or cold plasma emission. Additionally, the sanitization device can be automated to enable users to personalize the start time of sanitizing and duration of the sanitation process. Notably, sanitization devices as detailed herein provide safe use of effective UV light and/or cold plasma sanitizing, consistent sanitation across the entire exterior of the electronic device and/or the display, and/or allow for scheduled sanitizing times.
The elongated member 102 can contain a plurality of sanitizing sources 104-1, 104-2, . . . , 104-L (collectively referred to herein as sanitizing sources 104) across a plurality of surfaces 109-1, 109-2, 109-3, 109-4, 109-5, . . . , 109-A (collectively referred to herein as surfaces 109) of the elongated member 102. The plurality of sanitizing sources 104 can be located on a plurality of surfaces 109, an individual surface, or a combination of surfaces. For example, the plurality of sanitizing sources 104 can be located on a first surface 109-1, as illustrated in
The plurality of sanitizing sources 104 can include sanitizing sources emitting UV light, cold plasma, detergents, heat, air, liquids, and/or any combination thereof, among other possibilities. For instance, in some examples, the sanitizing sources 104 can be UV light sanitizing sources and/or cold plasma emitting sanitizing sources 104. Although not shown, the plurality of sanitizing sources 104 can include a sanitizing source (not illustrated) located on the attachment mechanism 106.
The elongated member 102 also can include an attachment mechanism 106. The attachment mechanism 106 can be coupled to the elongated member 102 and/or coupled to a motor (e.g., as described herein with respect to
The attachment mechanism 106 can be either removably coupled or permanently coupled to the elongated member 102. Similarly, the attachment mechanism 106 can also be removably coupled or permanently coupled to various other devices such as a motor, as described herein. The attachment mechanism 106 is to removably or permanently couple the elongated member to a surface of an electronic device. As used herein, removably coupled refers to coupling elements in a manner that the elements are intended to be decoupled, for instance decoupling (with a tool or otherwise in an intended manner) without breaking an element. As used herein, permanently coupled refers to coupling elements in a manner that the elements are not intended to be decoupled, for instance decoupling (with a tool or otherwise) physically breaks an element. Although the attachment mechanism 106 is shown in
Additionally, although an individual attachment mechanism 106 is shown, there can also be a plurality of attachment mechanisms. The attachment mechanism 106 can also be formed of a flexible material, a rigid material, or a combination thereof. The attachment mechanism 106 can also be located on any of the plurality of surfaces 109 inclusive of the first surface 109-1, a second surface 109-2, a third surface 109-3, a fourth surface 109-4, a fifth surface 109-5, a sixth surface 109-A or any combination thereof.
The motor 208 can be removably or permanently coupled to the attachment mechanism 206. The motor 208 can be coupled to the elongated member to actuate the elongated member, relative to a surface, when the sanitization device 200 is coupled to the surface. In some examples, the motor 208 can be an electric motor. As used herein, the term “electric motor” refers to an electrical device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. The motor can actuate a sanitization device such as sanitization device 200 relative to an electronic device (not illustrated). For example, the motor 208 can contain the driving function to provide actuation of the elongated member 202, alternatively, the motor 208 can also not contain the driving function to provide actuation of the elongated member but rather act as a sliding or static device, among other possibilities. In some examples, the motor 208 can couple the attachment mechanism 206 and/or the elongated member 202 to an electronic device.
The elongated member 202 can include a plurality of sanitizing sources 204-1, 204-2, . . . , 204-L. For example, the elongated member 202 can include sanitization sources 204-1, 204-2, . . . , 204-L (collectively referred to as sanitization sources 204) on a first surface 209-1 of the elongated member. Similarly, the elongated member 202 can include a plurality of sanitization sources 216-1, 216-2, . . . , 216-L (collectively referred to as sanitization sources 216) on a second surface 209-2 of the elongated member.
Similarly, the elongated member 202 can include a plurality of sanitization sources 228-1, 228-2, . . . , 228-L (collectively referred to as sanitization sources 228) on a third surface 209-3 of the elongated member. Similarly, the elongated member 202 can include a plurality of sanitization sources (not illustrated for ease of illustration) on a fourth surface 209-4 of the elongated member, In some examples, the elongated member 202 can include a sanitization source (not illustrated) on a fifth surface 209-5 and/or a sixth surface 209-A. Additionally, any number and combination of sanitizing sources 204, 216, 228 can be located on the respective surfaces 209. For example, it is possible to have no sanitizing sources on the fourth surface 209-4 while having all other sanitizing sources 204, 216, 228 on the first surface 209-1, second surface 209-2, and third surface 209-3, respectively. Further, the plurality of sanitizing sources 204, 216, and/or 228 can operate simultaneously, individually, or in various combinations as a group. For example, sanitizing source 204-1 and 204-2 could be operating in conjunction with sanitizing source 216-2 to emit a sanitizing emission, while all other sanitizing sources (i.e. 228-1, 216-1, etc.) can be off (i.e. not operating), among other possibilities.
In some examples, each of the portions 303 can be the same in volumetric size, allowing for retraction up until point of contact of each portion, as illustrated in
In various examples, a sanitizing device can sanitize surfaces of an electronic device such as a front and/or back surface of an electronic device. For instance,
The electronic device 450 can be a laptop, a printer, a table, a monitor, a phone, among other possibilities. For instance, as detailed herein, the electronic device can include a display (not shown in
As illustrated in
While
As illustrated in
The first position 421 is indicative of a stored position, though other stored positions are possible. While in a stored position, the sanitization device 400 is positioned to not obscure the display and/or use of any peripherals by a user. While in this position, the sanitization device can be off, meaning that the sanitizing sources are not active. In some examples, however, the sanitization device 400 can still be operating during a transition between positions further described below, meaning the sanitizing sources can be active. When the sanitizing sources are active in the first position 421, the sanitization device can sanitatize a stand of the electronic device 450 (not shown in the figure for ease), a bottom side (a surface adjacent surface 409-2 of the sanitization device as illustrated in
The second position 521 can be achieved through the physical transition of the sanitization device from the first position (e.g., 421 as illustrated in
The mechanism of the physical transition of the sanitization device from a first position to a second position 521 can involve the manipulation of the attachment mechanism 506 either manually or automatically (e.g., by a motor). Manipulation of the attachment mechanism can involve the act of rotating, pivoting, stretching, and/or bending of the attachment mechanism, among other possibilities to achieve proper transition.
In the second position 521, the sanitization device 500 can perform a sanitization operation, for instance to sanitize the front surface of the electronic device 550 utilizing active sanitizing sources. In some examples, the sanitizing sources of the sanitization device 500 can be inactive responsive to a user presence and/or occurrence of time of day, and among other possibilities.
In the third position 621, the sanitization device 600 is able to sanitize the back surface 611 utilizing active sanitizing sources. In some examples, the sanitizing sources of the sanitization device 611 can be inactive in the case of user presence, time of day, and among other possibilities.
A motor and/or a motor pathway, as described herein, can move the sanitization device 700 along a motor pathway in a sanitizing pattern 719 during a sanitation process. Sanitizing pattern 719 can allow for the movement of the sanitization device 700 relative to the electronic device 750 and/or the display 712. The sanitizing pattern 719 as shown in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Processing resource 964 can be a central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, and/or other hardware device suitable for retrieval and execution of instructions stored in memory resource 966. Memory resource 966 can be a machine-readable storage medium can be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that stores executable instructions. Thus, machine-readable storage medium can be, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM), an Electrically-Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a storage drive, an optical disc, and the like. The executable instructions can be “installed” on a sanitization device and/or electronic device. Machine-readable storage medium can be a portable, external or remote storage medium, for example, that allows the sanitization device and/or electronic device (or a different device) to download the instructions from the portable/external/remote storage medium. In this situation, the executable instructions can be part of an “installation package”. As described herein, machine-readable storage medium can be encoded with executable instructions related to sanitization devices.
While
The controller 960 can include instructions 968 stored in the memory resource 966 and executable by the processing resource 964 to cause the sanitization device to initiate a sanitization operation, as described herein. For instance, the sanitizing operation can be caused to initiate at a predetermined time of day, responsive to a user input, among other possibilities. For example, controller 960 can include instructions 968 stored in the memory resource 966 and executable by the processing resource 964 to cause a sanitization device to actuate relative to a surface of an electronic device and/or the display in a sanitizing pattern, described herein.
The controller 960 can include instructions 970 stored in the memory resource 966 and executable by the processing resource 964 to cause the sanitization device to terminate the sanitation operation. For instance, the instructions 970 can cause the sanitization operation to terminate (stop actuation of the sanitization device and/or return the sanitization device to a first position) responsive to a user input, reaching the end of a sanitization pattern, and/or at a given time of time (e.g., in advance of normal working hours, among other possibilities. As used herein, “terminate” or “initiate” refers to directly causing an action (e.g., asserting/de-asserting a signal sent to a motor and/or a sanitization device) or performing an action such as sending instructions to another component to cause the action such as initiation and/or termination of a sanitization operation.
At 1084, the method 1080 can include causing sanitizing sources included in the elongated member to emit a sanitizing emission onto a surface of the electronic device, as described herein. For instance, the method can include responsive to actuation of the elongated member, causing sanitizing sources included in the elongated member to emit a sanitizing emission onto a surface of the electronic device.
In some examples, the method 1080 can include causing the actuation and sanitizing responsive to in response to an input. Examples of a suitable input include a user input, presence of a user, and/or a predetermined time of day. The user input can be provided to a sanitization device and/or to an electronic device such an electronic device coupled to a sanitization device.
In some examples, the method 1080 can include terminating a sanitization operation. For instance, as mentioned terminating (stop actuation of the sanitization device and/or return the sanitization device to a first position) can occur responsive to a user input, completion of the sanitization operation (e.g., reaching the end of a sanitization pattern), and/or at a given time of time (e.g., in advance of normal working hours, among other possibilities. In such examples, the method 1080 can further include causing the sanitization device to return to a stored position, as detailed herein, responsive to terminating the sanitization operation,
In some examples, the method 1080 can include causing the sanitizing sources to emit UV light, cold plasma, or a combination of UV light and cold plasma to remove bacteria, dirt, dust, fingerprints, condensation and other particulates from a surface of the electronic device.
The terms “including” and “having” are intended to have the same inclusive meaning as the term “comprising”. In the foregoing detailed description of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration how examples of the disclosure can be practiced, These examples are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to practice the examples of this disclosure, and it is to be understood that other examples can be utilized and that process, electrical, and/or structural changes can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
The figures herein follow a numbering convention in which the first digit corresponds to the drawing figure number and the remaining digits identify an element or component in the drawing. Similar elements or components between different figures can be identified by the use of similar digits. For example, 100 can reference element “00” in
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2018/044539 | 7/31/2018 | WO | 00 |