Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a sanitizing device for sanitizing items that are frequently touched by humans and therefore pose a high risk for disease transmission. Background to the Invention

Keypads of electronic devices such as those of computers, alarms, and card payment terminals frequently come into contact with the human skin, thereby posing a high risk of disease transmission if they have been touched by a person carrying an infectious disease. The same applies to buttons or door handles that are regularly touched by a variety of persons.

Whereas wiping down or spraying such frequent contact areas with a disinfectant on a regular basis mitigates the transmission of diseases to some extent, some surfaces are too sensitive to be repeatedly disinfected with a fluid, in addition to which the disinfection is not always thorough enough to prevent disease transmission. The constant wiping or spraying of surfaces is also labour intensive and time-consuming.

The inventor therefore believes, that a need exists for providing a device that can sanitize surfaces that are frequently touched by persons thoroughly without requiring human intervention and without having to use a liquid disinfectant.

In the specification that follows, the term “sanitize” is to be interpreted as meaning the inactivation and/or destruction of bacteria and viruses.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a sanitizing device including:-

- a light source which in use emits a sanitizing light, the light source being arranged to be spaced apart from a target surface to be sanitized so that, when light is emitted from the light source, the target surface is illuminated and sanitized. The light source may be embedded in a mounting arrangement for mounting it over the target surface. In this manner, the light source may be mounted over a target surface such as, for example, an elevator button panel, a keypad of an alarm system, a door handle, and the like. The device may further include a receiving formation for in use receiving a device including the target surface to be sanitized therein.

In one embodiment, the receiving formation may be configured and dimensioned to receive a card payment terminal therein and the target surface may be a keypad of the card payment terminal. The light source may emit UVC light having a wavelength of between 200 and 280 nm, preferably 254 nm. The UVC light source may be an array of LED UVC lights.

Alternatively, the light source may emit Far-UVC light having a wavelength of between 207-222 nm, preferably 222 nm. The Far-UVC light source may be a filtered excilamp.

As UVC light can penetrate the human skin and may cause cancer as well as cateracts, Far-UVC light is preferably used as it does no penetrate the human skin and is effective at a low intensity of 2 mJ/cm ² .

The device may include one or more motion and/or heat sensors arranged to sense when an object (typically a hand of a user) enters a predetermined zone around the target surface. The motion and/ or heat sensors may be arranged in electrical communication with the light source and a microprocessor. The microprocessor may transmit a signal to the light source to de-activate it when an object is sensed in the predetermined zone around the target surface. In this manner, potential exposure of the object to UVC light is inhibited. Once the object is removed from the predetermined zone around the target surface and can no longer be sensed, the microprocessor may transmit a signal to the light source to re-activate it. The motion and/ or heat sensor may be selected from the group including: an infrared sensor, a microwave sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.

The microprocessor may include a timing device which may automatically de-activate the light source once it has been active for a sufficient amount of time to sanitize the target surface and no object has been sensed in the predetermined zone around the target surface during that time.

The light source may additionally be coupled to a manual switch that permits manual de-activation of the light source.

As an additional safety feature, the microprocessor may test the motion and/ or heat sensor at predetermined intervals. In the event that a faulty sensor is detected and/or in the event that the microprocessor stops functioning, the light source is automatically de activated.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention will now be described by way of the following preferred but non-limiting embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 shows a left side view of a sanitizing device including a mounting arrangement for a light source and a receiving formation for receiving a device including the target surface to be sanitized therein in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a front view of the device of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional view of the device of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 4 shows a left side view of a sanitizing device in accordance with the present invention in use.

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates an embodiment of a sanitizing device in accordance with the present invention.

A sanitizing device 10 includes a light source 12 which in use emits a sanitizing light, the light source being arranged to be spaced apart from a target surface 14 to be sanitized so that, when light is emitted from the light source 12, the target surface 14 is illuminated and sanitized.

The light source 12 is embedded in a mounting arrangement 16 for mounting the light source 12 over the target surface 14. The device 10 further includes a receiving formation 18 for in use receiving a device 20 including the target surface 14 to be sanitized therein.

As can best be seen in Figure 4, the receiving formation 18 of the embodiment shown is configured and dimensioned to receive a card payment terminal 22 therein and the target surface 14 is a keypad 24 of the card payment terminal 22. The light source 12 emits UVC light having a wavelength of between 200 and 280 nm, preferably 254 nm. The UVC light source is typically an array of LED UVC lights. Although it is preferable to use a Far-UVC light source, at present a UVC light source is used for cost reasons.

The device 10 includes a motion sensor 26 arranged to sense when an object (typically a hand of a user) enters a predetermined zone around the target surface 14.

The motion sensor 26 is arranged in electrical communication with the light source 12 and a microprocessor (not shown). The microprocessor transmits a signal to the light source 12 to de-activate it when an object is sensed in the predetermined zone around the target surface 14. In this manner, potential exposure of the object to UVC light is inhibited.

Once the object is removed from the predetermined zone around the target surface 14 and can no longer be sensed, the microprocessor transmits a signal to the light source 12 to re-activate it.

In the embodiment shown, the motion sensor 26 is an infrared sensor. The microprocessor includes a timing device which automatically de-activates the light source 12 once it has been active for a sufficient amount of time to sanitize the target surface 14 and no object has been sensed in the predetermined zone around the target surface 14 during that time. The light source 12 is additionally be coupled to a manual switch that permits manual de-activation of the light source 12.

As an additional safety feature, the microprocessor tests the motion sensor 26 at predetermined intervals. In the event that a faulty sensor is detected and/or in the event that the microprocessor stops functioning, the light source 12 is automatically de activated.

The configuration of the device 10 allows the target surface 14 to be located in close proximity to the light source 12 for sanitizing purposes. In this manner, the intensity of the UV light can be kept low whilst still achieving thorough sterilization of the target surface 14.

The mounting arrangement 16 for the light source 12 is hingedly connected to the remainder of the device 10 so that is can be displaced closer to or further away from the target surface 14.

Apertures 28 are provided in a rear wall 30 of the device 10 to allow the device to be connected to a source of electrical power.

It is to be appreciated, that the invention is not limited to any specific embodiment or configuration hereinbefore generally described and/or illustrated.