Patent ID: 9561294
Date: 2017-02-07
CPC Classifications: A61L,E05B,H01J

Claim:
1. An antimicrobial device, comprising: a device body having a first element including a plurality of first external surfaces and a second element including a plurality of second external surfaces, at least one of the first and second elements including an antimicrobial material, wherein the first and second external surfaces are adjacent to and directly facing one another in more than one location, wherein each of the adjacent first and second external surfaces are separated from one another by a space, and wherein the first element and second element remain free from contact with one another; one or more insulators configured to electrically decouple the first and second elements from each other, said one or more insulators being positioned in the spaces directly between each of the adjacent first and second external surfaces of the first and second elements; and an electrical power supply configured to apply electric potential across the first and second elements; wherein said first and second elements are configured to be electrically coupled together by an object that comes into contact with said device body causing electrical current to flow between said first and second elements and causing emission of antimicrobial ions from the antimicrobial material toward the object.