Self-sanitizing door handle

Abstract

A self-sanitizing door handle includes a housing, a drive motor within the housing, and a pull engaged with the drive motor such that the drive motor causes the pull to rotate. The pull includes a portion within the housing and a portion external to the housing. A sanitizing solution reservoir within the housing contains a sanitizing solution, and the pull rotates through the sanitizing solution in the sanitizing solution reservoir when the drive motor is activated. The sanitizing solution reservoir includes a seal that scrapes excess sanitizing solution and bacterial particulates from the pull when the pull exits the sanitizing solution reservoir. An ultraviolet (UV) light source within the housing exposes the pull to UV light at least while the drive motor is activated. A power source configured to provide energy to the drive motor and UV light source.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A self-sanitizing door handle comprising:
 a housing;   a drive motor within the housing;   a pull including a portion within the housing and a portion external to the housing, the portion within the housing engaged with the drive motor such that the drive motor causes the pull to rotate, wherein the drive motor is activated a predetermined period of time after the portion external to the housing is pulled;   a sanitizing solution reservoir within the housing and containing a sanitizing solution, wherein the pull rotates through the sanitizing solution in the sanitizing solution reservoir when the drive motor is activated, the sanitizing solution reservoir including a seal that scrapes the pull when the pull exits the sanitizing solution reservoir;   an ultraviolet (UV) light source within the housing that is activated at least while the drive motor is activated, the UV light source arranged to expose the pull to UV light while the drive motor is activated; and   a power source configured to provide energy to the drive motor and UV light source.   
     
     
         2 . The self-sanitizing door handle of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises an AC power source. 
     
     
         3 . The self-sanitizing door handle of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises a DC power source. 
     
     
         4 . The self-sanitizing door handle of  claim 3 , wherein the DC power source comprises rechargeable batteries or a supercapacitor. 
     
     
         5 . The self-sanitizing door handle of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a solar panel on an exterior of the housing, the solar panel configured to collect energy and to store collected energy in the rechargeable batteries or supercapacitor.   
     
     
         6 . The self-sanitizing door handle of  claim 1 , wherein the seal is configured to remove excess sanitizing solution and bacterial particulates from the pull. 
     
     
         7 . A self-sanitizing door handle comprising:
 a housing;   a drive motor within the housing;   a pull including a portion within the housing and a portion external to the housing, the portion within the housing engaged with the drive motor such that the drive motor causes the pull to rotate when actuated;   a sanitizing solution reservoir within the housing and containing a sanitizing solution, wherein the pull rotates through the sanitizing solution in the sanitizing solution reservoir when the drive motor is activated;   an ultraviolet (UV) light source within the housing that is activated at least while the drive motor is activated, the UV light source arranged to expose the pull to UV light while the drive motor is activated; and   a power source configured to provide energy to the drive motor and UV light source.   
     
     
         8 . The self-sanitizing door handle of  claim 7 , wherein the power source comprises an AC power source. 
     
     
         9 . The self-sanitizing door handle of  claim 7 , wherein the power source comprises a DC power source. 
     
     
         10 . The self-sanitizing door handle of  claim 4 , further comprising a solar panel on an exterior of the housing.