Abstract:
Germicidal irradiation push-button systems for disinfecting surface(s) of push-button(s). In an aspect, a germicidal irradiation push-button system comprises a push-button having a first surface recessed behind a panel, wherein the panel has an opening for accessing the first surface; an ultraviolet (UV) light source located behind the panel for irradiating the first surface; and a UV-light control module for controlling the UV-light source.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62/293,140, titled “Germicidal Irradiation Push Button” and filed Feb. 9, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Surfaces designed for frequent touching in public provide potential germ transmission between persons, which may spread disease. Irradiation with ultraviolet light is one method of disinfecting surfaces to reduce germ transmission. However, ultraviolet light exposure is harmful to human skin and eyes and is therefore often not appropriate for use in public settings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates one system for a germicidal irradiation push-button, in an embodiment. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  schematically illustrates a germicidal irradiation push-button, in an embodiment. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a germicidal irradiation push-button system, in an embodiment. 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of one method for germicidal irradiation of the push-button of  FIG. 3 , in an embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0007]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates an exemplary system  100  for a germicidal irradiation push-button. System  100  provides an ultraviolet (UV) light source  110  that irradiates germs on a push-button  101  recessed behind panel  105 . The recessed push-button  101  is accessed for example by a user&#39;s finger via an opening  102  through panel  105 . Although  FIG. 1  shows one recessed push-button  101 , system  100  may have more than one recessed push-button  101 , each with an opening  102  or multiple push-buttons  101  within a given opening  102 , without departing from the scope hereof. In an embodiment, panel  105  is located within an enclosed space, such as an elevator, and recessed push-button  101  enables selection of a destination floor. 
         [0008]    UV-light source  110  emits UV-C type electromagnetic radiation at or near a wavelength of 260 nm, in certain embodiments. Examples of UV-light source  110  include but are not limited to a mercury-vapor lamp or a UV-light-emitting diode (LED). By recessing push-button  101  behind panel  105 , UV-light exposure is reduced outside of panel  105 . 
         [0009]    Control of UV-light source  110  is provided by UV-light control module  120 . In an embodiment, UV-light control module  120  is operable in response to a signal from a simple switch that allows UV-light source  110  to be manually turned on or off by a user. Examples of a switch include a toggle switch, a pushbutton switch, a selector switch, a pressure switch, inductive switch, foot switch, pull switch, and dimmer switch. In another embodiment, UV-light control module  120  includes a processor  122 , a memory  124 , a software  125 , and a local or remote interface  126  coupled to UV-light source  110  via communication path  115 , which may include one or both of a wired and/or a wireless communication media. Examples of a local or remote interface  126  include buttons or touch screen as part of a wireless device such as a mobile phone or as part of a device connected by wire to UV-light control module  120 . Examples of wired communication media include copper or aluminum wiring, shielded or unshielded wiring, cable, such as telephone, Ethernet, coaxial, or triaxial, and fiber-optic cable, or any other known wired communication protocols. Examples of wireless communication media include radio or any radio-frequency communication protocols, cellular, Bluetooth, any microwave-frequency communication protocols, or any other known wireless communication protocols. Memory  124 , in some embodiments, is a memory system that includes both transitory memory such as RAM and non-transitory memory such as, ROM, EEPROM, Flash-EEPROM, magnetic media including disk drives, optical media. Memory  124  stores software  125  as machine readable instructions executable by processor  122  to process data from sensors  130 . UV-light control module  120  controls UV-light source  110  as illustrated in  FIG. 4  and described below. For example, UV-light control module  120  may determine if one or more persons are within a space, such as an elevator. UV-light source  110  may be safely illuminated to provide germicidal irradiation to recessed push-button  101  if no one is in the space, and optionally if a door to the space is closed, as described in  FIG. 4  and below. 
         [0010]    System  100  may further include one or more sensors  130  to determine for example if any person is nearby for safe operation of UV-light source  110 . Thus, system  100  may be disposed in a hallway, for example, outside of an elevator, for example, for safe germicidal irradiation of an elevator call button, with UV-light control module  120  determining via sensors  130  that the hallway is unoccupied. Sensors  130  may include infra-red, near-infrared, optical image, acoustic-, or microwave-based motion detection, or any other known motion detection method, for identifying whether or not the hallway is unoccupied. 
         [0011]      FIG. 2  schematically illustrates an exemplary germicidal irradiation push-button  200 . Germicidal irradiation push-button  200  includes recessed push-button  101 ,  FIG. 1 , which is recessed behind panel  105  via a recess distance  203 . Recess distance  203  may include a window for transmitting UV-light, such as an air gap or a UV-transparent material such as quartz or other natural or synthetic material. Only a portion of panel  105  is shown to allow viewing of UV-light source  110  and recessed push-button  101 . Note that  FIG. 2  is not drawn to scale. In particular, recess distance  203 , which is exaggerated in  FIG. 2  for clarity of illustration, is sized to allow a user to easily touch a first surface  211  of push-button  101  with, for example, a finger. 
         [0012]    UV-light source  110  may be angled towards first surface  211 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , to increase an incidence of UV-light reaching first surface  211 . Only one UV-light source  110  is depicted in  FIG. 2  for clarity of illustration, but more than one UV-light source  110  may be used without departing from the scope hereof. In an alternative embodiment, UV-light source  110  is located behind a second surface  212  of recessed push-button  101 , and recessed push-button  101  is made of a UV-transparent material, such as quartz or other natural or synthetic material, to allow transmission of UV-C light for irradiating germs on first surface  211 . In another embodiment, one or more reflective surfaces such as mirrors are positioned behind panel  105  to angle UV-light towards first surface  211  for increasing the incidence of UV-light thereupon, either in combination with or independently of a UV-transparent push-button  101 . Thus, various arrangements of UV-light source(s) with or without reflective surfaces are possible without departing from the scope hereof. 
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an exemplary germicidal irradiation push-button system  300 , which is an example of system  100 ,  FIG. 1 . System  300  includes panel  105  having UV-light source  110  and a plurality of recessed push-buttons  101 , as well as UV-light control module  120 ,  FIG. 1 . UV-light control module  120  is communicatively coupled to UV-light source  110  and the plurality of recessed push-buttons  101  within panel  105 . System  300  optionally includes one or more sensors for sensing a presence of one or more persons nearby, such as for example a door sensor  332  and/or a motion sensor  334 . Door sensor  332  is for example a magnetic switch or a reed switch mechanically coupled to a door and communicatively coupled to UV-light control module  120  via communication path  115 ,  FIG. 1 . Motion sensor  334  is for example an optical (e.g., infrared)-, acoustic- or microwave-based sensor that determines motion of an object or person nearby. In an embodiment, panel  105  is disposed within a space and UV-light control module  120  determines whether a door to the space is open via door sensor  332  and whether a person or object is moving or has recently moved inside the space via motion sensor  334 . In an embodiment, the space is within an elevator. 
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for germicidal irradiation of a push-button. Method  400  is used to safely irradiate germs on recessed push-button  101 ,  FIGS. 1-3  for example, in the absence of any nearby persons. 
         [0015]    In a step  410 , a decision is made as to whether any person is nearby a UV-light source positioned to germicidally irradiate a recessed push-button. If in step  410 , a person is determined to be nearby the UV-light source, method  400  proceeds to step  420  to turn off the UV-light source. Otherwise, method  400  proceeds to step  430 . In an example of step  410 , UV-light control module  120  determines whether any person is nearby UV-light source  110  by sensors  130 ,  FIGS. 1, 3 . 
         [0016]    In step  420 , the UV-light source is turned off after determining that a person may be nearby. In an example of step  420 , UV-light source  110  is turned off after UV-light control module  120  determines via sensors  130  that a person is nearby. After step  420 , method  400  proceeds to optional step  425 . 
         [0017]    In an optional step  425 , a time delay occurs. In an example of optional step  425 , UV-light control module  120  performs a time delay prior to returning to step  410  as a safety precaution to ensure that no person is, or has recently been, nearby UV-light source  110 . 
         [0018]    In an optional step  430 , a smart control of UV-light source is performed prior to proceeding to step  435 . In an example of optional step  430 , UV-light control module  120  performs smart control of UV-light source  110  via commands of software  125  in memory  124 , executed by processor  122 . An example command is a time command that may be used to delay turning on UV-light source  110  until a predetermined time, such as overnight, to reduce potential exposure to users. Another example command is a frequency command, which might forego any delay and proceed immediately to step  435  during periods of more frequent use of recessed push-button  101 , in order to reduce the spread of germs. 
         [0019]    In step  435 , the UV-light source is turned on after determining that no one is nearby. In an example of step  435 , UV-light source  110  is turned on after UV-light control module  120  determines via sensors  130  an absence of any persons nearby. 
         [0020]    Method  400  repeats continuously to safely provide germicidal irradiation of recessed push-button  101 . In an embodiment, sensors  130  include door sensor  332  and motion sensor  334 ,  FIG. 3  for determining whether a door to an enclosed space, such as an elevator door, is open and whether motion is detected within the enclosed space, such as an elevator, respectively. By repeatedly determining whether the elevator door is not open and/or motion is not detected, method  400  continuously monitors an absence of any persons nearby in order to safely irradiate germs using UV-light source  110 . 
         [0021]    Changes may be made in the above methods and systems without departing from the scope hereof. It should thus be noted that the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method and system, which might be said to fall therebetween.