Portable antimicrobial ultra violet sterilizer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sterilization unit consisting of a cubical enclosure which uses a sequenced supply of ozone and ultraviolet radiation in the C band (UVC) wave length to sterilize. In use, an article to be sterilized is positioned atop a glass plate mounted between two sources of UVC radiation sources and ozone is first supplied to the enclosure for a period of 15 seconds to 60 minutes followed by a supply of UVC radiation for a period of 15 seconds to 60 minutes.

1 . A portable sterilizer comprising an enclosure defining a chamber having space therein and an entrance door for receiving articles to be sterilized according to a particular sterilization program of exposure of the articles to ultraviolet radiation and ozone gas, a UVC supply arranged to supply germicidal UVC radiation into said chamber, an ozone supply arranged to supply ultraviolet radiation into said chamber at an oxidizing wavelength such that ozone is produced, a power source and a controller arranged to control operation of said sterilizer. 
     
     
         2 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said ozone supply supplies ultraviolet radiation at about 185 nm for a first predetermined duration ranging from about 15 seconds to about 60 minutes and said UVC supply sequentially supplies said ultraviolet radiation at from about 253.7 nm to about 254.3 nm for a second predetermined duration ranging from about 15 seconds to about 60 minutes. 
     
     
         3 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 2 , wherein said first predetermined duration ranges from about 15 seconds to about 60 seconds and said second predetermined duration ranges from about 15 seconds to about 60 seconds. 
     
     
         4 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 1 , further comprising a support shelf formed of silica or quartz glass or sapphire plate disposed substantially centrally of said chamber, wherein said support shelf receives said articles for sterilization and transmits at least 55% of UVC radiation. 
     
     
         5 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said UVC supply comprises at least one UVC lamp configured to supply UVC radiation at wavelength of from about 253.7 nm to about 254.4 nm, spans substantially the full width of said chamber and produces from about 100 microwatts to about 800 microwatts per square centimeter at one meter from said at least one UVC lamp. 
     
     
         6 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 1 , where said ozone supply comprises at least one ozone lamp configured to supply UV radiation at a wavelength of about 185 nm that is disposed substantially centrally on a top wall of said chamber, spans substantially the full width of said chamber and produces from about 0.25 grams to about 10 grams per hour of ozone. 
     
     
         7 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of said chamber comprises a material that is reflective of and opaque to ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
         8 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 7 , wherein said interior surface is formed of polished mirror finish stainless steel. 
     
     
         9 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 7 , wherein said interior surface comprises a highly reflective white paint coating. 
     
     
         10 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said chamber is generally rectangular and each corner of said chamber is curved to enhance scattering of said ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
         11 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 10 , wherein each said curved corner comprises a radius where the ratio of said radius to a width, height or depth of said chamber preferably ranges from 0.0026 to 0.1. 
     
     
         12 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said UVC supply comprises two UVC lamps disposed substantially on a top wall of said chamber to output combined working UV power output of at least 8 watts and four UVC lamps disposed substantially on a bottom wall of said chamber to output combined working UV power output of at least 16 watts. 
     
     
         13 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said power source is selectably connected to and receives power from a conventional NC power supply or the output of an inverter operably connected to a battery. 
     
     
         14 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 13 , wherein said battery receives energy from a human-powered hand crank. 
     
     
         15 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 1 , further comprising a visual display operably connected to said controller and providing a representation of an output from said controller wherein said output comprises result data and UVC or ozone lamp condition data of said sterilization program. 
     
     
         16 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 15 , wherein said visual display comprises an output selected from the group consisting of a printer, a computer, a monitor, a digital display, an MP3 player, an MP4 player, an ipod, an ipad and a smart phone. 
     
     
         17 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 1 , further comprising a socket for receiving a UVC wand disposed on an interior of said chamber, wherein said socket is operably connected to said controller such that when said UVC wand is operably connected to said portable sterilizer, said UVC wand is controllable using a predetermined program of said controller and said entrance door is fully closable such that UVC radiation and ozone are contained within said chamber during said sterilization program. 
     
     
         18 . The portable sterilizer of  claim 15 , wherein said portable sterilizer further comprises a solenoid lock, a door switch configured to indicate the state of said entrance door and a fault condition detection system, wherein
 said door switch indicates the state of said entrance door, wherein a state indicating that said entrance door is open prevents actuation of said ozone and UVC supplies,   said solenoid lock is actuated when said door switch indicates said entrance door is closed and just prior to the start of a sterilization program to prevent accidental opening of said entrance door and accidental exposure of a user to ozone or combined ozone and UVC radiation,   said solenoid lock is deactuated after said sterilization program is complete or canceled, and   said fault condition detection system comprises a UVC lamp operation monitor configured to detect and communicate a UVC lamp failure condition to said controller and an ozone lamp operation monitor configured to detect and communicate an ozone lamp failure condition to said controller such that said controller reports a fault condition to said visual display and stores said fault condition to a non-volatile memory if at least one of said UVC and ozone lamp operation monitors detects a fault and said controller reports a pass condition to said visual display and stores said pass condition to said non-volatile memory if both of said UVC and ozone lamp operation monitors fail to detect a fault after said sterilization program has concluded.   
     
     
         19 . A portable sterilizer comprising:
 an enclosure defining a generally rectangular chamber having space therein for receiving articles to be sterilized according to a particular sterilization program of exposure of the articles to ultraviolet radiation and ozone gas, wherein at least a wall of said chamber comprises an entrance door, an interior surface of said chamber comprises a material that is reflective of and opaque to ultraviolet radiation, and each corner of said chamber is curved to enhance scattering of said ultraviolet radiation,   a UVC supply arranged to supply ultraviolet radiation at wavelength of from about 253.7 to about 254.3 nm into said chamber,   an ozone supply arranged to supply ultraviolet radiation at wavelength of about 185 nm into said chamber,   a support shelf formed of silica or quartz glass or sapphire plate disposed substantially centrally of said chamber, wherein said support shelf receives said articles for sterilization and transmits at least 55% of UVC radiation,   a power source,   a controller arranged to control operation of the portable sterilizer and having a non-volatile memory operably connected to said controller,   a user input/output interface, wherein said user input/output interface enables communication between said controller and a device selected from a group consisting of a computer, a touchpad, a key pad, a monitor, a digital display, an MP3 player, an MP4 player, an ipod, an ipad, a finger print reader, a security card reader, an entry code reader, and a smart phone, and   a visual display operably connected to said controller and providing a representation of an output from said controller wherein said output comprises result data of said sterilization program,   
       wherein said ozone supply supplies ultraviolet radiation at about 185 nm for a first predetermined duration ranging from 15 seconds to 60 minutes and said UVC supply sequentially supplies ultraviolet radiation at about 253.7-254.3 nm for a second predetermined duration ranging from 15 seconds to 60 minutes. 
     
     
         20 . A method for sterilizing an article comprising the steps of:
 placing said article in an enclosure defining a generally rectangular and generally airtight chamber having space therein for receiving articles to be sterilized,   exposing said article to ozone gas in said chamber for a period of from about 15 seconds to about 60 minutes at a rate of about 0.25 grams to about 10 grams per hour, and   exposing said article to UVC radiation in said chamber for a period of from about 15 seconds to about 60 minutes at a rate of about 100 microwatts to about 800 microwatts per square centimeter at one meter from a UVC source irradiating at a wavelength of about 254 nm.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said article is placed on a support shelf formed of silica or quartz glass or sapphire plate disposed substantially centrally of said chamber, wherein said support shelf receives said article for sterilization and transmits at least 55% of UVC radiation. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein an interior surface of said chamber comprises a material that is reflective of and opaque to ultraviolet radiation, and each corner of said chamber is curved to enhance scattering of said ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said chamber has at least one UVC lamp that is configured to supply UVC radiation at wavelength of from about 253.7 nm to about 254.4 nm, spans substantially the full width of said chamber and produces from about 100 microwatts to about 800 microwatts per square centimeter at one meter from said at least one UVC lamp. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said chamber has at least one ozone lamp configured to supply UV radiation at a wavelength of about 185 nm that is disposed substantially centrally on a top wall of said chamber, spans substantially the full width of said chamber and produces from about 0.25 grams to about 10 grams per hour of ozone.