Patent Publication Number: US-2010111758-A1

Title: Anti-pathogenic agent delivery system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure generally relates to disinfecting an object, more particularly, this disclosure relates to arrangements for an anti-pathogenic delivery system. 
     It has been determined that publically available computer keyboards or telephone handsets that are accessible to the public, for example at a public library, have on the average, 400 times as many microbes as a public lavatory. Apparently, this is due to the scheduled janitorial cleanings and the janitor&#39;s use of disinfectants when cleaning public restrooms. However, generally the same care and disinfecting is not performed on keyboards and telephones used by the public. Accordingly, many health organizations recommend that office equipment or appliances that have regular contact with the public be regularly disinfected to prevent the spread of viruses, bacteria, fungus, molds etc., or pathogens responsible for illnesses or diseases. 
     One study conducted by the University of Arizona, estimated that a desk is capable of supporting 10 million microbes and the average office contains 20,961 microbes per square inch. The study revealed that a telephone user interface which is placed proximate to one&#39;s mouth and/or ear can be home to 25,127 microbes per square inch, a computer keyboard can house 3,295 microbes per square inch and a computer mouse can harbor 1,676 microbes per square inch. By contrast, the study revealed that the average toilet seat contains 49 microbes per square inch. Microbiologist Dr. Charles Gerba, of the University of Arizona, stated, when someone is infected with or is carrying a cold or flu bug, the surfaces they touch during the day become pathogen transfer points as many cold and flu viruses survive on surfaces for as long as 72 hours. 
     Dr. Gerba&#39;s study also found bacteria levels increased drastically during the day, peaking after lunch because food spills support mini eco-systems, yet disinfecting user interfaces and appliances such as keyboards, telephones, etc., are not always given high priority. 
     In addition Dr Gerba&#39;s study found that when office workers who were told to clean their desks, keyboards, etc., with disinfecting wipes, bacterial levels were reduced on such devices by 99%. In addition, other leading experts have stated that the study reinforced the need for good hygiene practices, both at work and in the home, as our hands and things we touch are the superhighways for pathogens. Viruses, especially cold viruses, are most often transferred when an individuals hand touches a surface where harmful pathogens, particularly cold viruses are present. While it is impossible to turn our surroundings or all surfaces into sterile zones, we can minimize the risk of becoming ill by washing our hands regularly and using a disinfectant on devices we touch that have been touched by others. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     A dual purpose anti-pathogenic agent delivery system is disclosed. The system can be utilized for disinfecting user interfaces including appliances such as keyboards, telephones, a copier switch and other appliances where human hands of the public come into contact with the appliances. In some embodiments, the system can include a source of compressed air, a reservoir that contains an anti-pathogenic agent and a conduit that has an inlet and an outlet. The conduit can extend through the reservoir move the anti-pathogenic agent from the reservoir to outlet in response to user adjustable air flow entering the inlet. In addition to disinfecting, the system can be utilized to remove particles such as dust from the appliance. Such a dual purpose system can first blow pathogens from the appliance then kill any remaining pathogens with the disinfectant. As the user is releasing the compressed air, the conduit can direct the air flow in a user desired direction or a particular area of the appliance, thereby creating a force on particles proximate to the appliance. The force created by the system can be one half pound per square inch or greater depending on the source and the user settings on the valves of the system. 
     In some embodiments, the system has a conduit coupleable to an air source and a reservoir coupleable to the conduit, where the reservoir contains an anti-pathogenic agent. The system can also include a metering module between the conduit and the reservoir where the contents of the reservoir can be in communication with the conduit via the metering segment. Accordingly, the anti-pathogenic agent in the reservoir can be urged into the conduit in response to air from the source moving through the metering module. 
     In some embodiments, the reservoir can have an inner wall and an outer wall and the anti-pathogenic agent can be confined between the inner wall and the outer wall. When air released from the air source moves through the metering module, the air can remove the agent from between the inner wall and outer wall and disperse the anti-pathogenic agent to the desired area. The system can have various controls, such as valves to ensure that the proper amount of agent is dispersed for the proper application. Also, the conduit can ensure the proper amount of air is released to move particles such as food from the appliance. 
     For example, a first valve can control an amount of air entering the conduit and a second valve can control or regulate the amount of anti-pathogenic agent urged from the reservoir into the conduit. Another control mechanism can include an adjustable nozzle to control an amount of air exiting the conduit and the adjustable nozzle can control atomization of the agent into the air at the output of the conduit. The nozzle can also be adjusted to control a spray pattern of the air-anti-pathogenic agent mixture exiting the conduit. 
     In some embodiments, the metering segment can include a venturi. In addition the anti-pathogenic agent in the reservoir can be above the conduit and gravity assists to feed the anti-pathogenic agent into the metering module. In other embodiments a pressure differential can be generated in the reservoir or proximate to reservoir to assist in urging the anti-pathogenic agent into the metering module. The metering module can include a needle valve and/or the metering module can include a gate valve. 
     In some embodiments, the reservoir can be detachable from the metering module to make the reservoir easier to fill. In addition, two reservoirs can be utilized where an anti-pathogenic agent from the first reservoir can be mixed with an agent from the second reservoir during operation or in response to airflow. Each agent can have a specific feature, where the combination of the agents is superior to a single agent. In some embodiments, the disclosed arrangements can disperse both a solid anti-pathogenic agent and a liquid anti-pathogenic agent. 
     In yet another embodiment, a method for disinfecting an appliance is disclosed. The method can include assembling an anti-pathogenic agent dispersion system to a dry air source, placing an anti-pathogenic agent into a reservoir, releasing substantially dry air from the dry air source and mixing the substantially dry air with the anti-pathogenic agent. The mix can then be propelled as an anti-pathogenic agent onto a surface with the dry air source. The anti-pathogenic agent can be small solid particles suspended in a liquid, where the liquid can act as a carrier and the liquid can quickly dry leaving the solid residue behind to kill the pathogens for months without destroying any electrical or plastic components of the appliance. The dry air source can also be utilized to dry the liquid carrier and to blow pathogens carrying particles from the appliance. The dry air can defined such that no liquid droplets are visible in the air as it is being released from the system, or there is no visible “mist.” 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a combination duster, anti-pathogenic delivery apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of a delivery portion of the apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  is a depiction of another embodiment of an anti-pathogenic delivery system; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates combination straw/reservoir embodiment; and 
         FIG. 5  depicts a gravity anti-pathogen delivery system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an anti-pathogenic delivery system or just delivery system  100  is disclosed. The delivery system  100  can include; a compressed air source  106 , conduit  102 , an anti-pathogenic agent reservoir  104  that contains an anti-pathogenic agent or just agent  120 , a first adjustable valve  108 , a reservoir orifice  103 , an adjustable spray tip  105 , a venturi  110 , a second adjustable valve  112  and a metering module  107 , illustrated as an area between dashed lines above the reservoir  104 . The first and/or second adjustable valves  108  and  112  can be a gate valves or needle valves. 
     The compressed air source  106  can be a can of compressed air, can be a tank connected to an air compressor, or can be a hose coming from a compressed air source  106 . The air in the compressed air source  106  can be released by depressing the first adjustable valve  108 . In some embodiments, the first adjustable valve  108  can be embodied as a spray tip, that when depressed releases air from the source  106  or as a trigger similar to a trigger of a firearm, where a user can activate the trigger by pulling on or pushing on the trigger with a single finger instead of pressing downward on the adjustable valve  108 . 
     The conduit  102  can be a two part conduit, with one piece between the source  106  and the reservoir  120  and another piece between the reservoir  120  and the nozzle  105 . The ends of the conduit  102  can be round and have an outside diameter that is similar in dimension to diameters of recesses in the first adjustable valve  108 , the reservoir  104  and the nozzle  105 . During assembly, the conduit  102  can be pressed into the first variable valve  108 , the reservoir  104  and the nozzle  105 . In some embodiments, the nozzle  105  can be adjusted or changed to control a spray pattern of an air anti-pathogenic agent mixture exiting the conduit  102 . In other embodiments, the conduit  102 , the first valve  108 , the reservoir  104  and the nozzle  105  can have threaded ends/recesses that mate with each other. 
     In operation, air released from the source  106  can pass close to the reservoir  104  and can be in communication with the reservoir  104  and, via one or more physical phenomena such as gravity, Bernoulli principles, Boyles law, atomization etc., the agent  120  can be extracted or emptied from the reservoir  104  and dispersed onto a surface by the system  100 . 
     Many different adjustments can be made to regulate the amount of anti-pathogenic agent  120  that is dispersed out the nozzle  105  during operation. One adjustment is the quantity of air that a user releases from the source  106  via variable valve  108 . Another adjustment is the second adjustable valve  112  that can regulate the amount of air entering the reservoir  104  or amount of suction that is applied to the reservoir  104  when air is flowing in the conduit  102 . The reservoir  104  can have a vent to allow air to replace the agent  120  in the reservoir  104  as the agent  120  is dispersed on the desired surface. The size of a vent on the reservoir  104  can also be adjusted to regulate the amount of agent  120  that is dispersed by the system  100 . 
     In some embodiments, nozzle  105  can be threadably engaged with the conduit  102  and rotating the nozzle  105  can provide a greater or lesser obstruction for the air flow and the agent  120 . The nozzle  105  could have a series of screens or an adjustable vortices generator. Thus, the atomization, air flow, etc., can be controlled by the nozzle  105  to provide adjustable atomization of the agent  120 . Accordingly, the correct proportions of air to agent  120  and correct spray pattern can be achieved based on the setting of the nozzle  105  and the valves  108  and  112 . 
     The metering module  107  can be couplable to the conduit and coupleable to the reservoir  104 , wherein the reservoir  104  is in communication with the metering module  107  such that the anti-pathogenic agent  120  in the reservoir  104  is urged into the  102  conduit in response to air moving through the metering module  107 . 
     The agent  120  can come in many different physical forms such as a gas, a liquid or a solid, such as a powder, or any combination thereof. Each physical form can have a variety of densities, consistencies or viscosities (DCV). The physical phenomena utilized to get the agent  120  into the conduit  120  or air stream and out the nozzle  105  can be dependent on the physical form of the agent  120  and the DVC etc., of the agent  120 . The setting of the first valve  108 , the second valve  112  and the nozzle  105  can be adjusted based on the physical form of the agent  120  and the DVC of the agent  120  such that a desirable distribution of the agent  120  can occur on the target surface. 
     The reservoir  104  can be removable and disposable or can have a fill cap and can be reusable. In other embodiments, the reservoir  104  can be removable from the conduit  102  and when the level of the agent  120  gets low, the reservoir  104  can be removed, more agent  120  can be added to the reservoir  104 . Accordingly, different agents can be put in the reservoir  104  for different purposes. 
     As mentioned above, the system  100  can be a dual purpose system. A user can purchase a can of compressed air or an air source  106 , and agent  120  and can also purchase the conduit  102 . To make a disinfectant system the reservoir  104  can be filled with an agent  120  and the reservoir  120  and the conduit  102  can be assembled to the compressed air source  106 . For a dusting system, the conduit  102  can be assembled to the source  104  and in some embodiments the reservoir  104  be replaced as a conduit coupler and the system can act as a duster. Thus, the source  106  can be packaged and sold as a dual purposes system as the reservoir  104  can be removed and the system  100  can act as a duster and the reservoir  104  can be added and the system  100  can act as a disinfectant system, or as an anti-pathogenic agent distribution system. 
     In other embodiments, parts do not have to be removed to switch modes from dusting to disinfecting. For example, when a user lightly activates variable valve  108 , the agent  120  can be dispersed and when a user opens variable valve  108  wide open the system  100  can operate solely as a duster as the increased airflow and air pressure can cut off the agent flow from the reservoir  104 . In other embodiments valve  112  can be adjusted such that not agent is released into the airstream. 
     During operation, a user can adjust the setting of valve  112  while variable valve  108  is activated and a user can visually monitor how much agent  120  the moving air is extracting from the reservoir  104 . Accordingly, the user can control a quantity of agent  120  that is contained within the air stream that exits nozzle  105  by the combined adjustment of valves  108 ,  112  and nozzle  105 . If a solid agent is utilized, the user may not want much of a dry agent, such as dust, or liquid to be dispersed. It can be appreciated that in different surface applications may utilize different agents and the amount of agent dispersed can be accurately controlled based on such valve setting features. 
     The nozzle  105  can function as a valve and can be considered a valve. Thus, valves  108 ,  112  and  105  can have calibrated settings points and a user can be provided with instructions on how to set the valves for different agents, spray patterns, items, and surfaces for desired effectiveness. It can be appreciated that some substances, such as rubbing alcohol, are very inexpensive yet very effective in killing pathogens. Thus, a user could put an inexpensive agent in the reservoir  104 , properly adjust the valves  108 ,  112  and  105  and economically and effectively disinfect a keyboard or a telephone even in a public place. Using a small compressed air bottle such as a those utilized by whipped cream dispensers or air horns, a straw, and a reservoir the system when disassembled could be packaged in a two inch by three inch area and placed in a pocket or a purse such that the system is very mobile and can be taken to a public place. 
     As stated above, for the specific application, a quantity of disinfectant can be mixed with the air in the correct proportions based on the setting of the adjustable valves  108 ,  112  and  105 . It can be appreciated that the anti-pathogenic agent used should not harm any electrical components of the target appliances. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a cross sectional view of an agent distribution system  200  is depicted. The system  200  can include a reservoir  204 , an agent  120  contained by the reservoir  204 , conduit  202 , a nozzle  205 , a threaded receptacle  230  for the reservoir  204 , a riser tube  206  and a pressurization tube  207 . The conduit  202  can direct the airflow to a desired location with a force on loose particles proximate to the location. The force can be greater than one pound per square inch. When air flow occurs through the conduit  202 , the pressurization tube  207  can deflect the airflow downward, thereby pressurizing the reservoir  204 . When the reservoir  204  is pressurized the agent  220  can be forced into the riser tube  206  and out the top of the riser tube  206  into the air stream and out the nozzle  205 . The riser tube  206  can also reduce the cross sectional area of the conduit  202  and thus, in accordance with the Bernoulli principle, the reduced cross sectional area in the conduit can create a low pressure in the riser tube  206  and the reservoir further urging the agent  220  into the air stream. 
     The change in pressure inside of the reservoir can be great enough to overcome gravity as the agent  220  can be urged into the airflow in the conduit  220  such that the agent  220  can be atomized and/or dispersed as it exits the nozzle  205 . The Bernoulli Effect can dictate that the static pressure in the metering area or restricted flow area of conduit  202  above the reservoir is reduced as the cross sectional area of the conduit  202  is reduced then becomes greater. With the riser tube  206  in the air flow, the higher the airspeed in the conduit  202 , the higher the pressure transferred to the inside of the reservoir  204 , and the larger the amount of disinfectant mixed in the airflow and dispersed by the nozzle  105 . When adjusted properly, the system  200  can operate much like a carburetor, generating an accurate mixture of air and agent and atomizing such a mixture and delivering the mixture to the desired area. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , an agent disbursement system  300  is depicted. The system  300  can include a reservoir  304 , an agent  320 , a riser tube  306 , a vent  308 , a venturi  322 , an adjustment valve  312 , a thread reservoir and a removable coupler between the reservoir  304  and the conduit  302 . The adjustment valve  312  can be rotated to increase or decrease the cross sectional area of the venturi  322  above the riser tube  306 . The conduit  302  that is downstream from the venture  322  can have a larger cross sectional area than the venture to create the low pressure in the reservoir  304 . The reservoir  304  can engage the conduit  302  via the reservoir coupler  330  which can be a female thread. The reservoir  304  can be a male thread. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , an agent dispersion system  400  is illustrated. The system  400  can include a conduit  402 , a reservoir  404  between the conduit  402  and an outer structure  403 , an agent  420 , a vent  408 , a tray  427 , a nozzle  405 , a venturi  422 , an orifice  422  between the reservoir and the conduit  402 , an obstruction  423 , a metering area or module  407  and an adjustable valve  412 . The conduit/reservoir combination  404 / 404  can appear as two straws that are concentric, where the conduit  402  is surrounded by the outer structure  403  of the reservoir, where the agent  420  can be contained on the outside of the conduit  402  and inside of the outer structure  403 . This embodiment is shown on the left hand side of the drawing where only a small portion of the outer structure  403  is shown as cross hatched on the bottom of the conduit  402  near or proximate to the nozzle  405  and above the majority of the length of the conduit  402 . 
     In some embodiments, the reservoir  404  can be a tube that is tangent to the conduit  402 , possibly on top of the conduit  402 . Such a configuration could look like a “double barrel” shotgun. Other configurations with a varying degree of surface area attachment between the conduit  402  and the reservoir  404  could also be utilized. The conduit  402  can have an inlet and an outlet and can extend through the reservoir  404  and can move the agent  420  from the reservoir  404  to the outlet in response to air flow entering the inlet. The reservoir  404  can have an inner wall and an outer wall  403  whereby the anti-pathogenic agent can be confined between the outer wall of the conduit  202  and the outer wall  103 . 
     The system  400  can have a venturi caused by an “obstruction”  422  where during operation a low pressure area is developed in a metering area when air flows past the obstruction  422 . The low pressure area can urge the agent  420  into the conduit  402  and out the nozzle  405  with the air flow. The vent  408  can allow air to enter the reservoir  404  as the agent  420  is depleted from the reservoir  404 . 
     The user can control the amount of air flow through the conduit  402  via a main valve of the source and the user can set valve  412 . The setting of valve  412  can dictate how much agent  420  is released into the air stream and out the nozzle  405 . The valve  412  can include a male thread, a female thread, a point, and a seat. Thus, in some embodiments the valve  412  can be a needle valve. In other embodiments the valve  412  can have an axel, a gate and a linkage to set the angle of the gate. 
     In some embodiments, the system  400  can be a disposable entity. The system can come with a can of compressed air, a single straw for dusting and a conduit/reservoir  402 / 404 . The user can install the single straw/conduit on the can to dust and replace the single straw with the conduit/reservoir  402 / 404  to apply a disinfectant. The conduit/reservoir  402 / 424  can be two plastic straws integrated with each other and when the agent is gone from the reservoir  404 , the conduit/reservoir  402 / 404  can be thrown away with the can that may be out of compressed air. As illustrated, the valve  412  can be set such that when the valve is adjusted properly and an opening of a specific dimension is created between the reservoir  404  to the conduit  402 , a metered amount of agent  404  can dribble into the airstream in the metering area or metering module area of the conduit  404 . 
     The adjustment valve  412  and the tray  427  can be configured like or operate like an animal feeder or animal waterer that drops an amount of agent into a tray and when the agent is removed from the tray by the air flow more water/food/agent can fall onto the tray  427  in the metering area/module  407 . The metering area/module  407  can be a needle valve or a gate valve such as valve  412 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a gravity feed agent dispersion system  500  is depicted. The system  500  can include a hopper or a reservoir  504 , agent  520 , a cap or lid  505 , a conduit  502 , a metering area or module  530  and an adjustment valve  512 . In the disclose embodiment gravity can assist in feeding the anti-pathogenic agent  520  into a metering module  530 . The system disclosed in  FIG. 5   500  can be implemented when the agent  520  is in a powder form. 
     In some embodiments, the opening between the reservoir  504  and the conduit  502  can be adjusted such that the agent  520  will not flow down into the conduit  502  without air and or just due to gravity. Accordingly, as a drop in pressure occurs due to air flow in the metering area  530  and/or the removal of the agent from a pan or tray in the conduit  502  can urge the agent  520  into the air stream and more agent  520  can fall onto the tray. It can be appreciated that friction and surface adhesion can keep the agent  520  stable in the hopper/reservoir  504 . The airflow in conduit  502  can transport particle of the agent  520  at the base of the reservoir  504  into the airstream. Accordingly, the amount of powdered agent  520  that is carried by the air stream can be proportional to the velocity and quantity of airflow and the position of the valve  512 , thereby maintaining a relatively constant air to agent mixture at the nozzle  506 . 
     It can be appreciated that with a traditional household spray disinfectant, the anti-pathogenic agent is not dispersed with sufficient force to remove particles proximate to the appliance. It can also be appreciated that with a traditional household spray disinfectant, the amount of anti-pathogenic agent dispersed is not controllable or modifiable by a user.