MODULAR ELECTRONIC SMART DEVICE FOR STERILIZING SURFACES AND OBJECTS The present invention refers to an intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects. Sterilization is the final result of a process designed to inactivate all microorganisms found in or on an object through multiple processes such as steam, microwaves, filtration, ionizing and non- ionizing radiation. Recent advances in ultraviolet (UV) light technology make the microbicidal potential of short-range UV radiation useful for a variety of uses through a bacteriostatic action and are mainly used for maintaining sterility, for example, worktops, surfaces, of objects. Many devices are known in the art for the sterilization of surfaces and objects: for example, document WO2013/028597 describes a sterilization device inside a cash register equipped with a UV lamp, while document JP2003178348 describes a sterilization device inside a machine for counting banknotes, and again the document CN106228711 U in which the device for sterilizing banknotes consists of membrane filters.

The main disadvantage of existing approaches is the use of non-intelligent and non-modular devices based on the geometry of any type of container; moreover, the known technique is focused on models of sterilizers without remote management and not able to provide statistics relating to the quantity of sanitized objects, average residence times and so on.

Object of the present invention is solving the aforementioned prior art problems by means of an intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100), which combines the possibility of using UV-C type electromagnetic radiation for the elimination of viruses and bacteria from surfaces and objects with the optimization of their effectiveness using intelligent electronics. The modularity of the invention makes it applicable and flexible to various fields, including that relating to the health emergency following COVID-19.

Another object of the present invention is the possibility of providing statistics relating to the quantity of sanitized objects, the average residence times and so on, and remote viewing and management by means of Wi-Fi technology.

In the present invention, the UV radiation actually received by the object being sterilized is measured through a special radiation sensor placed near the object itself.

The aforesaid and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will emerge from the following description, are achieved with an intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects such as the one described in claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention form the subject of the dependent claims.

It is understood that all attached claims form an integral part of the present description.

It will be immediately obvious that innumerable variations and modifications (for example relating to shape, dimensions, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to what is described without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the attached claims.

The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments, provrded as a nonlimiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

- FIG. 1 shows the functional diagram of the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) according to the present invention;

- FIG. 2 shows a possible overall construction of the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) according to the invention;

- FIG. 3 shows the top and side view of the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100);

- FIG. 4 shows a view of the square LED diode matrix module (1) obtained with four basic modules;

- FIG. 5 shows a view of the rectangular LED diode matrix module (1) obtained with three basic modules;

- FIG. 6 shows the application of the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) inside the drawer of a cash register;

- FIG. 7 shows the application of the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) to a document holder;

- FIG. 8 shows the application of the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) to an ATM.

The intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) is based on an electronic board (PCB) called "module" designed and sized to accommodate a dense array of LED diodes (1) designed to emit electromagnetic radiation in the UV spectrum type C for the sterilization of surfaces and objects, a power circuit (5) designed for regulating the ignition current and enabling the row connections (2), a power circuit (6) designed for regulating of the ignition current and the enabling of the column connections (6), and a microcontroller / microprocessor (7) designed to manage the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100).

Advantageously, the LED diode matrix (1) consists of the intersection of a set of rows (2) and columns (3) sized according to the intensity of electromagnetic radiation required and the extension of the surface to be sanitized, and can be therefore less than the total number of positions available.

Furthermore, the power circuits (5) and (6) connected to the set of rows (2) and columns (3) are designed to be managed uniquely by the microcontroller/microprocessor (7) which coordinates the switching on of the UV-C LED diodes necessary at that particular moment, thus avoiding energy waste where there are no objects to be sanitized.

The intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) is advantageously provided with one or more sensors (8) for measuring the electromagnetic radiation, designed to signal the time required for the sterilizing action based on the nature of the object to be sanitize so as to keep the UV radiation active for the right time necessary for the sanitizing action. Furthermore, the measurement sensors (4) signal to the microcontroller/microprocessor (7), the correct times of exposure to electromagnetic radiation of the surfaces of the objects to be sanitized, thus avoiding that they are longer than necessary with consequent energy consumption or wear of the surfaces.

Advantageously, the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) is equipped with a low voltage transformer isolated from the network (10) which also powers a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection for remote management of the device (100) and for adjusting the operating parameters.

Furthermore, the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) can be configured and integrated into systems such as cash registers (13) and/or document holders (14) and/or ATMs (19) and the presence of the microcontroller/microprocessor (7) allows for example to know the number of openings / closings of the cash register box, the presence or absence of banknotes of the same and, if suitably configured, to manage any tampering in the cash register, operating as an anti-theft device.

Advantageously, the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) is equipped with a proximity sensor with hall effect (4), infrared or other identification technology, which signals the microcontroller / microprocessor (7) the opening of the office if integrated, for example, into cash registers (13), and/or document holders (14), and/or ATMs (19) in order to avoid accidental exposure of the eyes to UV electromagnetic radiation and in particular type C which would be dangerous for the health and safety of living beings. In particular, it is possible to know when the system, for example, the cash register is open and therefore potentially dangerous and the management of the microcontroller / microprocessor (7) ensures the immediate and timely shutdown of the entire LED matrix.

In addition, the layout of figure 1 is conceived in a modular way according to the construction detail of figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 shows the perspective view from above of the UV LED matrix module (12) indicating the microcontroller / microprocessor ( 7). Figure 3 shows a top and side view of the same device with the overall dimensions highlighted.

Furthermore, the modularity of the device (100) makes the device configurable according to the applications, since by placing the individual modules side by side and connecting together, a sanitizing matrix of arbitrary size and shape is obtained, as shown in figures 4 and 5, while in figure 6 the device (100) is applied to sanitize the banknotes present in the cash registers (13); in particular, Figure 6 shows the top view of the internal part of a commercial cash register indicating the various banknote compartments and the details of the positioning of the UV-C LED matrix (14).

Figure 7 shows another application of the device (100) in the case of application to the sanitation of documents in the administrative, school, etc. The compartment (15) in which the documents (16) to be sanitized are deposited, is accessible from above by opening the lid (17) on the bottom of which the UV matrix is installed (18); instead of the documents (16) to be sanitized, devices such as tablets, smartphones or personal items such as glasses, earrings, bracelets, etc. can be introduced, while suitably dimensioning the compartment (15) it can also be used for the sanitation of clothing clothing.

Figure 8 shows the application of the intelligent modular electronic device for the sterilization of surfaces and objects (100) to an ATM, thus ensuring the continuous sterilization of banknotes and/or checks.