Patent AU-2020100356-A4 (AU)
Title: Mobile Phone Case with UVC-LED
Inventor: HSIAO JUI CHIH
IPC: H04M1/17
Filed: 2020-03-10
Granted: 2020-05-14
Abstract: Abstract Several versions of sterilization devices by means of UV radiation are known on the markets, which are intended for the cleansing of small, personal utensils - such as mobile phone, earphones, nail clippers-, which could be contaminated with microorganisms due to and during usage. All of the known UV sterilization devices for personal utensils have in common, that they are designed as a box or body with a compartment to accomodate the utensils to be disinfected. Mobile phones, ear phones etc. are laid into a drawer or the like to irradiate such personal devices with an integrated UV radiation source. After sterilization the cleaned utensils are taken out of the stationary sterilization apparatus in order to be used. However, the used UV sterilization devices for personal utensils do not offer continuous protection against hazardous/harmful microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and their spores, viruses etc.), which could proliferate again on the surfaces - in particular, on displays - of mobile phones during usage. In order to remedy this inadequate situation of non-sterilization of mobile phones during usage, the - in the following - described invention was developed in order to improve the continuous safety of users, whose health could be endangered due to self-propagating, hazardous/harmful microorganisms: The mobile phone case with mercury-free UVC LED, which can be installed as a single UVC- LED chip and/or as a unit of several, combined UVC LED chips. The at least one UVC radiation source with a wavelength in the germ-killing range of 100 nm to 280 nm is preferably applied/integrated inside of and/or on and/or at the moveable and/or detachable and/or folding cover/case side facing the display and/or on the bottom side of the mobile phone case and which is/are emitting UVC radiation towards the display of the mobile phone and/or the body of the mobile phone on user's demand - to enable an effective cleansing and sterilization on demand during usage. It is mandatory to ensure, that the at least one UVC-LED radiation source is installed in such a way, that it can only irradiate the display of the mobile phone and/or the body of the mobile phone. The at least one UVC radiation source may be also prevented from emitting uncontrolled germ-killing UV radiation to the surrounding by means of appropriate measures - such as UV shielding devices etc. Furthermore, the moveable and/or detachable and/or folding cover/case side - facing the display of the mobile phone - has all-round, projecting edges, which avoid that uncontrolled UVC radiation strike the body of the user and/or the immediate vicinity and which contain an electrical kill switch to avoid uncontrolled UV radiation - if the cover/case side would be opened during operation. The power supply - required by the at least one UVC-LED and for usage on user's demand - is ensured by an, in the mobile phone case integrated accumulator (i.a. Lithium-Ion) and/or by a changeable battery and/or by the mobile phone accumulator by means of a connection cable with USB power plug. An, in the mobile phone case integrated power button enables the user to switch on and off the device. The mobile phone case may be equipped with a visible light emitting diode -, connected to the at least one and/or more UVC-LED -, which is switched on or off together with the UVC light emitting diode to indicate the operational status of the device. - 2- To obtain the optimal cleaning and sterilization result, the mobile phone case may be equipped with additional reflectors on the sides of the cover/case body to reflect UVC radiation emitted by the at least one and/or more UVC-LED. With the combination of UVC radiation and reflectors, the cleaning and sterilization procedure of displays and/or of bodies of mobile phones can be improved and micro organisms can be mostly eliminated. Thus, mobile phones - in particular, their displays - are most widely kept pathogen-free during usage. With the invention of the said mobile phone case with mercury-free UVC LED it is achieved, that displays and/or bodies of mobile phones are effectively sterilized and/or that users are protected against proliferating, hazardous/harmful microorganisms. Due to the fact, that the germ killing is accomplished by the mobile phone case with integrated UV radiation and power supply, when the mobile phone is being inserted, the user is enabled to activate the cleaning and sterilization procedure at any time, on the way and on demand - without the necessity to wait until he would come home, to sterilize the mobile phone with a stationary apparatus. Therefore, the distribution of and/or infection of people with such hazardous/harmful microorganisms is largely excluded. In addition, the use of germicidal and relatively inexpensive UVC LED represents a high benefit for the environment, because mercury-free UVC LED have a lifespan of about 5,000 hours. rO rT