JPH03224572A - Sterilizing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To direct and focus ultraviolet rays emitted to a distance by forming partially a coating for reflecting the ultraviolet rays in a protective pipe for transmitting the ultraviolet rays. CONSTITUTION: A surface sterilizing device has at least one pipe-like electronic lamp radiating ultraviolet rays. This lamp is disposed in a protective pipe (quartz tube) 26 for transmitting the ultraviolet rays, and a portion of the quartz tube 26 is provided with a coating for reflecting the ultraviolet rays. The reflecting coating is preferably formed longitudinally linearly on the outer surface of the quartz tube 26, and the ultraviolet rays are emitted through a quartz window 28 to a surface 31 to be irradiated. The intensity of radiation emitted from the sterilizing device 2 can be varied by changing the lamp position to the coating or rotating the quartz tube 26, so that the radiation is concentrated to a distance from the lamp.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sterilization device consisting of at least one tubular electronic lamp disposed in a protective tube transmitting ultraviolet radiation and emitting ultraviolet radiation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Such sterilization devices are generally known. Tubular electrostatic lamps emitting ultraviolet radiation can be high-pressure gas discharge lamps, especially in the so-called UVC range (e.g. 260-4 mm).
It is better to use one that emits light at - The blade protection tube can be a quartz tube.

Usually such known sterilizers are used for sterilizing liquids with low viscosity, the liquid to be sterilized providing cooling of the quartz tube so that the lamp can be stabilized at a certain temperature.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a sterilizer for surface sterilization, for example to sterilize particulate material on a conveyor, where the particulate material is transported through the sterilizer while being transported through the sterilizer. Medium vibration.

The object of the invention is to provide a device as described above, characterized in that the protective tube is partially provided with a coating that reflects ultraviolet radiation.

As a result, according to the invention the ultraviolet light emitted by the lamp can be directed and focused at a distance.

The reflective coating is preferably provided in the form of elongated stripes on the outer surface of the protective tube, and is preferably made of aluminum. Aluminum is an excellent reflector for UV light.

In a preferred embodiment, the sterilization device of the invention further comprises a housing having at least one inlet and an outlet, a passage between the inlet and the outlet for a cooling fluid containing a lamp with a protective tube, and a reflective tube. and a window for transmitting ultraviolet light directed toward the portion of each protective tube that is not provided with a coating.

The cooling fluid is air, which, before being supplied to the inlet, is preferably filtered, for example first through a rough dust fill and then through an electrostatic filter, so as to have as little influence as possible on the radiation carried by the lamp. It has been adjusted as follows. This effect is caused, for example, by dust particles deposited on the protective tube.

According to the invention, the lamp is not cooled by the medium to be sterilized, but the protective tube and also the lamp are preferably cooled by conditioned cooling air. The airflow around the protection tube is precisely proportioned, thus preventing partial cooling of the protection tube and lamp, which could damage the lamp.

A preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, as described above, furthermore provides staggered baffles in the passageway, which baffles partially close the passageway.

As a result, in the present invention, air is guided around the protective tube.

Due to the directivity of the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the lamp and provided by the reflective coating and the application of a reflective coating to the outer surface of the protective tube, the radial distance between the axes of the lamp and the protective tube can preferably be adjusted and the A reflective coating applied on the outer surface has the advantage of preventing the reflective coating from being influenced by ozone generated in the space between the lamp and the protective tube.

Furthermore, the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the lamp can be directed by rotating the protective tube with respect to a window in the housing of the sterilizer.

For example, aluminum reflective coatings can be made by known techniques such as applying aluminum onto quartz by vapor deposition or spraying. Regarding the sterilizer itself,
Providing a closed cooling air system presents no problem for those skilled in the art.

EXAMPLE In FIG. 1, number 1 indicates the conditioning control module, and number 2 indicates the surface sterilization location. The conditioning e-control module has an air pump 11, a coarse dust filter 12 for removing large dust particles, and an electrostatic filter 13. Conditioning session control module lK
Controlled air is directed at a constant flow rate by conduit 14 towards the inlet 21 of the surface sterilizer 20 and then leaves the surface sterilizer 20 via the outlet 22. As a result, the air coming out of the surface sterilizer does not contain ozone, so conduit 2
3 to the atmosphere.

Number 3 indicates the conveyor.

2A and 2B show details of the surface sterilization device 2. FIG.

The device 2 consists of a box-shaped housing 24 of a closed type having an inlet part 21 and an outlet part 22.

Number 25 indicates a tubular high pressure gas discharge lamp, number 26
indicates a protective tube cooperating with the lamp. In the following, for simplicity, they will be referred to as a lamp 25 and a quartz tube 26, respectively. Number 27 is a connector for lamp 25. Housing 24 is made of stainless steel. As shown in FIG. 2, a window 28 is provided on the bottom side of the housing 24.

This window is also made of quartz and has 2 quartz tubes.
Similar to 6, it transmits ultraviolet light.

In FIG. 2, the surface sterilizer 2 has two lamps 25, each with a quartz tube 26. It is clear that fewer or more lamps 25, each with a quartz tube 26, could be used. FIG. 2 shows the baffle 29. These baffles are staggered with respect to each other within a passageway or radiant chamber 30 defined between the inlet section 21 and the outlet section 22. A lamp 25 with a quartz tube 26 is housed in the chamber 30 and a baffle 29 partially closes the passage 30.

As mentioned above, the surface sterilization device 2 of FIG. 2 has at least one tubular electronic lamp 25 that emits ultraviolet radiation. The lamp is arranged in a protective tube 26 transmitting ultraviolet light, a housing 24 having an inlet part 21 and an outlet part 22 between which passages 3 for fluid cooling.
0, and in this passage 30 there is a lamp 25 with a quartz tube 26 and a window 2 transmitting ultraviolet light.
8 is housed, the window 28 cooperating with a lamp 25 with a quartz tube 26.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically and simply showing another embodiment of the surface sterilization device of the present invention, taken in the longitudinal direction (rA), a sectional view 1'B), and a bottom view (C). The numbers used in FIG. 4 are approximately the same as those used in FIG. The biggest difference between the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 and the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is as follows. In FIG. 4, the housing 24 has two housings, one at each end.
The housing 24 has two inlets 21 and one outlet 22 in the housing 24.
They are arranged so as to cross the line connecting the two entrances at the center of the window. In this case, cooling of the lamp 25 with quartz tube 26 is achieved by supplying dust-free cooling air to both sides of the housing 240. Further, this cooling air is discharged from the center of the housing 24.

As a result, a better temperature distribution along the longitudinal direction of the lamp 25 can be obtained. This is important for the efficiency of the lamp 25, as the cooling air is better distributed due to the turbulence brought about by the supply and discharge of the cooling air. In this embodiment, one heat source 31' is provided, in which the lamp is suspended by a lamp mount 27. A quartz tube 26 is also housed in this to prevent direct contact between the cooling air and the lamp 25. The embodiment of FIG. 4 has advantages over the embodiment of FIG. This is because the structure of the surface sterilization device of FIG. 4 is simpler and the lamp cooling and operation of the device is more effective.

This invention will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, a portion of the housing 24 and a portion of the window 28 are shown. Also shown there is a lamp 25 and a quartz tube 26. The axis of the lamp 25 is designated 25' and the axis of the quartz tube is designated 26'.

One feature of the invention is that a portion of the quartz tube 26 is provided with a coating 4 that reflects ultraviolet light. As shown in FIG. 3, this reflective coating 4 is preferably provided in a ring shape in the elongated direction on the outer surface of the quartz tube 26. As mentioned above, this reflective coating 4
is preferably comprised of aluminum, applied or dispersed by evaporation, to provide the coating on one side of the quartz tube 26 and to prevent the formation of ozone in the cooling air, thereby rendering the air free of any It can be released into the atmosphere without any additional treatment.

Also shown in FIG. 3, the portion of the quartz tube that does not have the reflective coating 4 is oriented toward the window 28.

Preferably, the radial dimension between the respective axes [25' and 26' of the lamp 25 and the quartz tube 26 is adjustable, and in the #PJaA figure, this distance is half the radius of the quartz tube 26; In the figure, the radius is
In FIG. 3C, the radius is 4. Moreover, the quartz tubes 26, which preferably have a reflective coating 4 on their outer surfaces, are rotatable with respect to the lamp 25 while maintaining a coaxial arrangement of the lamp 25 and each quartz tube 26. In FIG. 3, the quartz tube 26
50 inches of the outer surface of is covered with a reflective coating 4. Of course, it is also possible to select Noh Chi. It is also possible to select a plurality of non-contiguous parallel longitudinal stripes. Regarding the path of the lines shown in FIG. 3, direct lines are shown as solid lines and reflected lines are shown as dashed lines.

Next, the operation of the sterilizer according to the present invention will be described.

The conditioning control module l sucks in air, which is guided by an air pump 11 (for example a side channel blower) via a coarse dust filter 12 and an electrostatic filter 13 into the inlet section 21 of the surface sterilizer 20.

The conditioned and controlled cooling air is then directed around the quartz tube 260 with the reflective coating 4.
It is introduced by a baffle 29 arranged perpendicular to the direction of flow of cooling air through the passage 30. The ultraviolet light is emitted through a quartz window 28 (FIGS. 1 and 2A) onto the surface 31 to be irradiated. The intensity of the radiation emitted from this sterilizer 2 is
It can be changed by changing the position of 5. If more than one lamp is used, its intensity is 2 quartz tubes.
It can be further varied by rotating 6. This radiation is thus concentrated at a distance where the lamp 25 is also located.

In other words, the present invention provides a sterilization device,
Quartz tube 2 with reflective coating on the outer surface
6 can be cooled with clean air. Cleaning of the air is performed by a combination of a coarse dust filter 12 and an electrostatic filter 13, ie, total filtration.

This reflective coating 4 is provided externally to prevent it from being affected by the ozone formed inside the quartz tube 26. This quartz tube 26 is cooled by optimizing the lamp temperature and thus the lamp output. This ultraviolet radiation is guided and emitted directly in the direction of the object to be irradiated (eg, surface 31). The intensity of the lamp 25 contributing to its germicidal action can be varied by adjusting the lamp 25 vertically within the quartz tube 26 or by rotating the quartz tube 26 itself.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 is a schematic view of the device according to the invention and its use; FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view (A) and a bottom view (B) of an embodiment of the surface sterilization device according to the invention; FIG. The figure shows a partial cross section of the lamp and the protection tube when the distance between the axes of the lamp and the protection tube is changed, and the radiation direction of direct and reflected ultraviolet rays in each case. Figure 4 shows the surface sterilization according to the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal side view (A), a sectional view (B), and a bottom view (C) of another embodiment of the device. Description of symbols 1: Conditioning control module 2: Surface sterilizer 4: Reflective coating 11: Air pump 12: Rough dust filter 13: Electrostatic filter
14: Conduit 21: Inlet section 22: Outlet section 23: Conduit
25: Lamp (high pressure gas discharge pump)
25': Lamp axis 26: Quartz tube (
Protection tube) 26': Quartz tube axis 27: Connector (lamp extension) 28: Window 29: Baffle 30: Passage 1: Surface 31': Reprint of heat groove drawing (no change in content) 1st procedural amendment ( j5 Ka1, Indication of the case Patent Application No. 21893 of 19902, Name of the invention Sterilizer 3゜Relationship with the case Patent applicant Address Name Name Bearson Mielyu Technique B. Fau 4, Agent Address: Shin-Otemachi Building, 2-2-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 206 Ward 5, Date of amendment order: 6, Subject of amendment: May 29, 1990 (Shipping mortar) Appropriate drawings

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A sterilization device comprising at least one tubular electrostatic lamp emitting ultraviolet light, the lamp being disposed in a protective tube that transmits the ultraviolet light, the protective tube reflecting the ultraviolet light. A sterilizing device characterized by being partially provided with a coating. 2. The sterilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the reflective coating is provided in a stripe shape in the longitudinal direction on the outer surface of the protective tube. 3. A sterilizing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the reflective coating is made of aluminum. 4. A housing with at least one inlet and an outlet, a passage between the inlet and the outlet for the cooling fluid containing the lamp with a protective tube, and a portion of each protective tube not provided with a reflective coating. A sterilization device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a window directed towards and transmitting ultraviolet light. 5. The housing has an inlet at both ends and an outlet in the center,
5. A sterilizer according to claim 4, wherein said outlet is provided across a connecting line between both inlets. 6. A sterilizer according to claim 5, characterized in that each lamp has two thermal grooves supporting each lamp together with its fixture and accommodating a respective protective tube. 7. The sterilizer according to claim 4, having one inlet and provided with staggered baffles in the passage for partially closing the passage. 8. A sterilizing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the radial distance between the axes of the lamp and the protective tube is adjustable.