The present invention relates to a device for sterilization of knife blade means by means of radiation, more specifically the device is directed to a device for sterilization knife blade means by means of UVC radiation.

BACKGROUND ART

Knife means and similar sharp-edged objects suitable for sterilisation include knives used in a professional or domestic kitchen, in agriculture for harvesting different types of plants or vegetables such as cucumbers or tomatoes, and other knives and sharp-edged objects or even surgical knives and instruments used by butchers or other personnel in need of these objects. Further sharp-edged objects such as scissors to be used in various environments for instance at a hair dressers salon and at barbers may also be suitable for sterilization in accordance with the invention. Knives are usually stored in some form of blade protective coverage or housing.

Knives used for chopping and cutting in a professional or domestic kitchen or in an abattoir need cleaning repeatedly in between chopping and cutting tasks. In fact knives that are used repetitively on objects in a sequence one after the other means that any infection, virus or bacteria from a first object can be transferred to a following object unless the knife is sterilized there between. The frequent use of certain knives demands the subsequent sterilization of the knives to maintain an adequate sanitary regime as required particularly in different hectic commercial use.

Especially knives for common use tend to be neglected and the cleaning of these knifes are often insufficient. Thus the commonly used knifes within a commercial kitchen are a well- known source for bacterial growth.

As such there is a need for providing solutions ensuring that the maintenance of a sterilizing regime within a commercial kitchen, a butchery, a hair dressers salon, in agriculture or any other environment that needs to be surgical clean or other fields where strict hygienic precautions are required. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution for sterilizing knife blade means or sharp-edged objects that ensures safe handling of the knife means in a hectic environment of repetitive use of knife blade means.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for sterilization the surface of a knife blade means by means of radiation, in particular by UVC-radiation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide device for sterilization the surface of a knife blade means that is intended to be received in a knife sheath.

It is another object of the present invention to provide device for sterilization concerned with a shaft or receptacle having a pivoting knife blade means.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device for sterilization the surface of knife means provided on a shaft or receptacle, i.e. in which a knife or cutting means is fastened via a pivot shaft to a handle having a knife blade means receiving cavity and to which handle the knife means can pivot to assume a retracted protective position and an extended position of use.

The invention is defined by the appended independent claims. Embodiments are set forth in the appended dependent claims and in the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings. In which;

Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of a knife blade means and a suitable knife blade receiving means in the form of a sheath assembly comprising a sterilizing UVC-radiation zone in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view wherein the knife blade means is inserted in the knife blade receiving means.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view according to line ll-ll in fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a front view of a second embodiment of a knife blade means and a suitable knife blade receiving means designed as a shaft that is provided with the knife blade means and which assembly comprise a sterilizing UVC-radiation zone in accordance with the present invention. Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the knife blade and knife blade receiving means as shown in fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view according to line ll-ll in fig. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to figs. 1 and 4, a sterilizing device of knives and sharp-edged objects according to the present invention is described in two different embodiments in the following.

In a first embodiment the invention is concerned with a knife sheath in which a cutting means in the form of a knife blade is intended to be received. In a second embodiment of the invention is concerned with a shaft or receptacle having a pivoting cutting means, which cutting means can assume a recessed protected position in the shaft or an extended position from the shaft. In a third embodiment the invention is concerned with a combination of a knife blade made of a specifically selected or treated metallic material or a suitable selected alloyed metallic material having specific characteristics that is particularly selected from metals or metals processed or treated to have relatively high reflectance for UVC radiation. A common material used in commercial UV disinfection systems is stainless steel. While this surface is highly resistive to microbial growth, it only has 20 - 28% reflectance of UV light. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that can be applied for example to stainless steel to improve its UV light effective reflectance. The commonly known brand name of PTFE-based compositions is Teflon.

In the different embodiments, the same or similar parts have been given the same reference numerals to clarify that they relate to essentially equivalent parts.

Again with reference to fig. 1 , the device of the present invention is shown in a first embodiment comprised of a combination of a knife blade 1 and a knife blade receiving means 2 in the form of a sheath in which the knife blade is intended to be received to be sterilized.

The knife blade receiving means 2 comprise a hollow housing having a knife blade receiving cavity 2a and an insertion passage by which the knife blade 1 can be inserted and pulled out from the knife blade receiving cavity 2a through an access opening 2b having a radiation sealing 13. The cross section of the access opening 2b and radiation sealing 13 correspond essentially to the cross section of the knife blade means 1. The blade receiving cavity 2a is defined by a tube like member that is selected from a UVC transparent materials and which also is designed to function as guide means for the knife blade 1. Preferably this UVC transparent material can be selected from quartz glass and be designed as a hollow or tube like knife blade 1 receiving member. As best shown in fig. 3, the blade receiving cavity 2a is provided with two spaced and opposing first and second main surfaces 2c, 2d which correspond to first and second main surfaces 1a, 1b of the knife blade 1 each of which opposing surfaces are facing each other when the knife blade 1 is located in the knife blade receiving means 2.

With reference to fig. 1-3 the sterilizing device 1 comprises a knife blade radiation zone 3 that is accommodated in a knife blade receiving means 2 designed as a sheath or a shaft as described here above. The radiation zone 3 extends through the knife blade receiving cavity 2a of the knife blade receiving means 2. The knife blade receiving cavity 2a of the radiation zone 3 can suitably be formed to guide and receive the knife blade means 1.

With particular reference fig. 2-3, the radiation zone 3 comprises an elongated substantially enclosed interior space 10 defining the knife blade means 1 receiving cavity 2a and in which the radiation zone 3 is delimited outwardly by a casing 11. The inner space 10 has an input end 12 facing the radiation zone 3. To prevent radiation leaking from the interior space 10 of the radiation zone 3, the input end 12 of the casing 11 is provided with said access opening 2b provided with a radiation sealing means 13. The radiation sealing 13 comprise said access opening 2b which can be of a complementary shape to the cross section of the knife blade 2 and which also can be provided with radiation sealing means designed to engage in sealing engagement with an outer periphery of the knife blade means 1.

As shown in the drawings the device can suitable comprise a drainage 15 to allow liquids or similar to pass out from the radiation zone 3

With reference to fig 4-6 the present invention is shown in a second embodiment in which the knife blade receiving means 2 comprise a housing designed as a shaft or receptacle that is provided with a pivoting knife blade means 1. The knife blade means 1 can occupy a recessed protected position into a knife blade receiving cavity 2a of the blade receiving means 2. The blade receiving means 2 can consists of a molded material of aluminium, and is provided with access opening 2b designed as a longitudinal slot corresponding to the longitudinal cross sectional shape of knife blade means 1. The knife blade receiving cavity 2a partly provides space for the length of knife blade means 1 and partly provides a guide for the knife blade when it is inserted into a retracted position into the cavity 2a of the knife blade receiving means 2. In the vicinity of the longitudinal slot or access opening 2b, the knife blade receiving means 2 comprise radiation sealing means 13 through which the knife blade receiving cavity 2a of the radiation zone 3 can be accessed. The sealing means 13 of the access opening 2b can be a pair of co-acting rubber strips which seal against UVC radiation when the knife blade means 1 is received in the cavity 2a of the blade receiving means 2. which sealing means 14 can be rubber strips arranged in pair to engage in mutual sealing engagement when the knife blade 1 is located in the knife blade receiving cavity 2a. The knife blade 2 is mounted around an axis 4 of rotation, for example a hinge bolt and can, as well known in the art, be provided with a recess for co-operation with a locking pin to be locked in a recessed and unfolded position, respectively.

On opposite sides of the radiation zone 3, a first and second radiation source 30a, 30b is fitted. The a first and second radiation source 30a, 30b are facing each other in order to effectively distribute radiation over the entire outside surface of the first and second main sides 1a, 1b of a knife blade 1 located in the knife blade receiving cavity 2a of the radiation zone 3. This ensures that the outside surface of the knife blade 1 effectively can be sterilized by radiation. As mentioned here above the radiation zone 3 can be defined by a hollow member comprised of quartz glass or similar tube shaped material that is transparent to UVC radiation.

With reference to figure 3-4 and 5 - 6, extruded and joined aluminium profile halves 1 T, 11” can be used to form said radiation shielding casing 11 of the blade receiving means 2 of the device. One of the advantages to use aluminium profiles is not only their radiation endurance, but also that the inside of the walls of the profiles easily can be designed with grooves or channels which can ease mounting of the various components needed inside the casing of the device.

As already hinted here above the radiation zone 3 comprises two opposing first and second radiation sources 30a, 30b, which are mounted in par, one on each side of two opposing walls of the casing to face each of the first and second main sides 1a, 1b of the knife blade means 1 received in the radiation zone 3. Each of the first and second radiation sources 30a, 30b may preferably be UVC emitters 31 on a printed board 32 with built in UVC LEDs emitting radiation. As shown in fig. 2-3, the device further comprises an electronic driver 33 located in a space of the knife blade receiving means 2 below the radiation zone 3, and one or more detection components such as a first sensor 34 arranged inside the casing 11 and which sensors preferably are arranged in pairs such that one sensor 34 is located at one end of a first circuit board 32 for identification a knife blade 1 entering the device 1 and the other sensor 34 is located on an opposite end of the second circuit board 32 to detect when a knife blade has reached its complete inserted position in the radiation zone 3. In accordance with the invention each knife blade 1 intended to be sterilized by the device can also be marked with an identification 35 such as a tag or chip wherein not only a correct position of a knife blade in the radiation zone 3 can be verified, but also that the inserted knife blade object can be identified and approved to be sterilized in the radiation zone 3. The identification 35 can be comprised of a NFC/RFID chip or an image tag such as a bar code, QR-code or similar readable image that is readable by a second sensor 36 in the radiation zone 3. When an knife blade means 1 or any other object is suitable accommodated in the radiation zone 3 the second sensor 37 will identify and read the identification data from the chip or barcode and address the received data to a control unit 37 located in a cavity inside the casing 11 as shown in fig. 2 and fig. 5. It should be understood that each of the above mentioned first and second sensors 34, 36 can be printed on the circuit board (PCB) in series or interconnected with the UVC emitters 31 on the printed circuit board 32.

In order to achieve an effective sterilization of the knife blade means 1 it is important that the knife blade means stays in the radiation zone 3 for a predetermined time. By means of data from said first and second sensors 34, 36 suitable processing time data for necessary radiation can be addressed to the control unit 36 such as a CPU which in turn addresses control signals to the electronic driver 32.

Said first and second sensors 34, 36 forming part of the detection components; the electronic drive 33 and any other necessary components are connected together with the control unit 37 with electrical cables or with wireless technology which for clarity reasons are not shown on the drawings. In fig. 2-3, 5-6, reference numeral 38 denotes batteries and 40 denotes LED- indicators.

As shown in the fig. 2 and 3 in one preferred embodiment substantially all components are preferably arranged on an inside of the casing 11. However, in alternative embodiment some components may be arranged on the outside of the casing 11 such as necessary control means, a power switch and/or an indicator control lamps or graphic display for indicating the working status of the device and/or accomplishment of a complete sterilization cycle.

The control unit 36 is in its turn connected to the electronic drive 33 which is connected with the radiation source, i.e. the two opposing radiation sources 30a, 30b. The control unit 35 and the electronic drive 33 delivers power to the detection components being comprised of the said first 34 and second sensor 36 and also to the radiation source or emitters 30a, 30b. The detection components (first and second sensors 34, 36) are preferably continuously active, to provide reliable information to the control unit. Once they have been activated, they will continuously send signals and data to the control unit 37 which will either regulate the duration, level or intensity of the radiation emitted from the radiation source 30a, 30b in dependence of the identified knife means 1 received into the blade receiving cavity 2a of the radiation zone 3. The control unit 37, is also provided to start and stop radiation operation, or to provide indication of warnings for deviation for example on a graphic display or by sounds to a user. This further means that if any one of the detection components is faulty or has broken down or if the specific intended knife means 1 cannot be identified as admitted for irradiation the radiation process will be interrupted or will not start.

The UVC LEDs 31 on the printed circuit board (PCB) or chip and as mentioned here above the first and second sensors 34, 36 can be components that are interconnected or arranged in series on an electrical circuit. NFC/RFID or barcode components may be used to position and identify knife means 1 to be radiated. If NFC/RFID or barcode tagged 35 objects come close to the NFC/RFID or barcode reader 36 it will read the data from the chip and address it to the control unit 36. The control unit 37 will analyze the data and signals provided by the detection components and give appropriate commands to the two opposing UVC emitters 30a, 30b. Different type of commands can be given depending upon desired functionality. Typical examples can be increase of dosage, pulsation, duration or on or/and off.

Reference list

1 Knife blade means

1a first main surface of knife blade means 1b second main surface of knife blade means

2 knife blade receiving means 2a knife blade receiving cavity

2b access opening to knife blade receiving cavity 2c first main surface of blade receiving cavity 2d second main surfaces of blade receiving cavity

3 radiation zone

3a first main surfaces of radiation zone 3b second main surface of radiation zone

10 enclosed interior space of radiation zone

11 casing for radiation zone

12 input end of the casing

13 access opening to radiation zone

14 radiation sealing means 15 fluid drainage

16 radiation sealing for access opening

30 radiation emitting source

30a first radiation emitting source 30 second radiation emitting source

31 LED UVC emitter

32 printed circuit board (PCB)

33 electronic drive

34 first sensor configured to detect and identify object in radiation zone 35 identification on knife blade means

36 second sensor for reading identification data

37 control unit

38 batteries

40 LED-indicators.