Method and Device for Cleaning and Disinfecting a Textile Surface and a Disinfection Box

Abstract

A method and a device for cleaning and disinfecting a textile surface by means of UVC radiation. Furthermore, the invention relates to a disinfection box (2) generating UVC radiation. The textile surface to be cleaned is imaged before and after cleaning. On the basis of the surface area of the textile surface a duration of treatment is set. The disinfection box (2) comprises at least one UVC light source (4) of elongated shape as well as a ballast (5) to control the same. The cleaning device for cleaning and disinfecting a textile surface comprises, in addition to the disinfection box (2), a commercially available industrial vacuum cleaner (1), on the front side of which the disinfection box (2) is arranged.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning and disinfecting a textile surface using a hand-held vacuum cleaner (1) at which is attached a disinfection box (2) generating UVC radiation, the method comprising the following steps: capturing an image of the whole surface area of the textile surface by use of a first camera; determining a surface area size of the textile surface to be cleaned; determining a minimum required duration of irradiating the textile surface with UVC radiation in order to achieve comprehensive disinfection of the textile surface; cleaning of the textile surface by use of the hand-held vacuum cleaner (1) and disinfecting the textile surface for at least the minimum required duration of irradiating by use of UVC radiation, wherein at predetermined time intervals an image of a partial region of the textile surface is captured by means of a second camera (6) arranged in or on the disinfection box (2) and stored in a data storage device of the disinfection box (2); capturing of an image of the whole surface area of the textile surface as cleaned by use of the first camera; saving a duration of the cleaning and a designation of the person performing the cleaning.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that prior to or after the cleaning a position determined using GPS as well as the current date and time are saved.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a smartphone (9) comprising the first camera is used for capturing the image of the whole surface area of the textile surface, wherein the minimum required duration of irradiating the textile surface is determined by use of a software application running on the smartphone (9).

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that data stored in the data storage device of the disinfection box (2) is transferred wirelessly to a server at least every 24 hours.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a necessary exchange of the UVC light source (4) due to reaching the maximum service life of said UVC light source (4) generating the UVC radiation is signaled optically and/or acoustically.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile surface is treated using a liquid or gaseous germicide prior to or after the cleaning.

7. A disinfection box for disinfecting a textile surface, comprising at least one UVC light source (4) of elongated shape for emitting UVC light in the direction of the textile surface; a ballast (5) for controlling the light power and light frequency of the UVC light emitted by the UVC light source (4); a camera (6) directed towards the textile surface; a data storage device connected to the camera (6); and a wireless interface (8) which is connected to the data storage device.

8. The disinfection box according to claim 7, characterized in that the UVC light source (4) of elongated shape for emitting UVC light is a gas discharge tube, wherein the disinfection box additionally comprises a splinter shield arranged at least partially around the gas discharge tube.

9. The disinfection box according to claim 7, characterized in that the UVC light source (4) is designed to emit UVC light having a wavelength of substantially 253 nm at a power of at least 27 watts.

10. A device for cleaning and disinfecting a textile surface comprising a hand-held vacuum cleaner (1), at the front face of which is arranged a disinfection box according to claim 7.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] In the following the invention will be explained in detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment, wherein identical or similar features are provided with the same reference numerals. For this, in schematic representation show the

[0040] FIG. 1 an embodiment of the device for cleaning and disinfecting of a textile surface in oblique view from above; and

[0041] FIG. 2 an embodiment of the disinfection box in a longitudinal view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] The device for cleaning and disinfecting a textile surface according to FIG. 1 comprises the hand-held vacuum cleaner 1, on the end face of which the disinfection box 2 is arranged in such a way that it—or its elongated UVC light source (not shown)—is aligned parallel to the suction nozzle 3 of the hand-held vacuum cleaner 1, the width of the area on the textile surface irradiated by the UVC light source corresponding essentially to the width of the area covered by the suction nozzle 3.

[0043] The disinfection box 2 comprises the camera, which is located at the front side of the disinfection box 2 and is directed obliquely downward. The disinfection box 2 further comprises the display unit 7 as well as the wireless interface 8 located at the upper side of the disinfection box 2, the wireless interface 8 being a bluetooth module in this example.

[0044] The smartphone 9 is used as control unit, on which is installed a software (app) for determining and displaying the required duration of treatment and for communicating with the wireless interface 8 and a server connected to the Internet (not shown).

[0045] The disinfection box 2 for disinfecting a textile surface shown in FIG. 2 comprises a first rod-shaped UVC light source 4 and a second rod-shaped UVC light source 4 (behind the first UVC light source in the figure), the UVC light sources 4 in this example being gas discharge tubes which are controlled by the ballast 5 so that they emit UV light of wavelength 253 nm with a power of 42 W each.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0046] 1 hand-held vacuum cleaner [0047] 2 disinfection box [0048] 3 suction nozzle [0049] 4 UVC light source [0050] 5 ballast [0051] 6 camera [0052] 7 display unit [0053] 8 wireless interface [0054] 9 smartphone