TABLE-TOP APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A SUBSTANTIALLY MICROBE-INACTIVATED ROOM ZONE

Abstract

A table-top apparatus for generating a substantially microbe-inactivated room zone comprises a housing with an interior, which has a longitudinal axis, a blower device designed to receive air from outside and convey it into the interior, a radiation source designed to emit light in the UV-C spectral range into the interior, in order to inactivate or kill off microbes in the received air, and an air outlet device through which the sterilized air can flow from the interior into a space surrounding the housing. The air outlet device is designed to produce a preferably laminar flow in the outflowing air, which supports the formation of the substantially microbe-inactivated room zone within the surrounding space. The substantially microbe-inactivated room zone generated in this way is closed off and completely envelops the housing when the latter is viewed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

Claims

1. A table-top apparatus for generating a substantially germ-inactivated spatial zone (5), comprising: a housing with an interior which has a longitudinal axis; a blower device, which is configured to take air in from outside the housing and convey the air into the interior of the housing; a radiation source, which is configured to emit light in a UV-C spectral range into the interior in order to inactivate or kill germs in the air taken in to produce sterilized air; and an air outlet device, through which the sterilized air can flow out from the interior into a space surrounding the housing, wherein the air outlet device is configured to produce a low-turbulence, or laminar flow in the sterilized air flowing out, which assists formation of the substantially germ-inactivated spatial zone within the space surrounding the housing, and wherein the substantially germ-inactivated spatial zone thereby generated is closed off and fully encloses the housing, when the housing is observed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

2. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an opening is provided, through which the air can be taken in outside the substantially germ-inactivated spatial zone and conveyed into the interior of the housing, the blower device being configured to drive an intake of the air through the opening.

3. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the substantially germ-inactivated spatial zone has a maximum extent from the housing, a suction duct is provided, which has the opening through which the air to be taken in is taken in, and a distance of the opening from the housing is greater than the maximum extent of the substantially germ-inactivated spatial zone as calculated from the housing.

4. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the distance of the opening of the suction duct from the housing is 80 cm or more, or 90 cm or more, or 100 cm or more.

5. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the maximum extent of the substantially germ-inactivated spatial zone as calculated from the housing is 80 cm or less, or 70 cm or less, or 60 cm or less.

6. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air outlet device has a grille structure or a pattern of holes having a multiplicity of air outlet openings, each of which gives rise to flow vectors in the sterilized air flowing out through them, the flow vectors in their entirety covering a full semicircle of at least 180 degrees in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, perpendicularly over a surface on which the table-top apparatus is put during operation.

7. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air outlet device is configured in such a way that two laminar flows substantially lying opposite one another are formed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, a flow rate in each case being 0.5 m/s or less.

8. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the flow rate is in each case 0.2 m/s or less, or about 0.1 m/s.

9. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiation source is configured to emit light in the UV-C spectral range with a dose of 50 J/m.sup.2 or more, or 100 J/m.sup.2 or more.

10. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 1, furthermore comprising a reflector device, by which the interior is irradiated with radiation emitted by the radiation source.

11. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interior is mirrored in order to achieve homogeneous illumination of the interior.

12. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air outlet device has an inner first grille structure, an outer second grille structure, and an air-permeable membrane arranged between them.

13. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the outer second grille structure and the air-permeable membrane are configured so as to be mechanically replaceable by using manually releasable fastening means.

14. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 1, furthermore comprising a sensor for recording data relating to a function and an operating state of the table-top apparatus, including a dose of the light emitted, an air flow generated or a distance of a person located in the space surrounding the housing.

15. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 14, furthermore comprising a monitoring unit having a transmission and reception unit, which is configured to communicate such data relating to the function and the operating state of the table-top apparatus to an external control device.

16. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 1, furthermore comprising docking means, by which a further table-top apparatus of a same design may be docked to the table-top apparatus along the longitudinal axis, in order to increase the substantially germ-inactivated spatial zone in a direction of the longitudinal axis.

17. The table-top apparatus as claimed in claim 1, furthermore comprising at least one droplet protection shield which extends at least on an end side of the housing and in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a table-top apparatus for generating a germ-inactivated spatial zone during operation on a table in a café;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the table-top apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of the table-top apparatus as in FIG. 2, but with a representation of the inside of the apparatus;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the table-top apparatus of FIG. 2 with a representation of the flow coverage of the surrounding space, the plane of the drawing being a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the table-top apparatus;

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a table-top apparatus for generating a germ-inactivated spatial zone in a schematic cutaway perspective view;

[0036] FIG. 6 shows an excerpt of FIG. 5 with more details of the corresponding air outlet device;

[0037] FIG. 7 shows a third exemplary embodiment of a table-top apparatus for generating a germ-inactivated spatial zone in a schematic perspective view;

[0038] FIG. 8 shows the table-top apparatus of FIG. 7 in a schematic cross-sectional view during operation on a table;

[0039] FIG. 9 shows the table-top apparatus of FIG. 7 coupled to further table-top apparatuses of the same design;

[0040] FIG. 10 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of a table-top apparatus for generating a germ-inactivated spatial zone with a suction duct directed vertically upward;

[0041] FIG. 11 shows a fifth exemplary embodiment of a table-top apparatus for generating a germ-inactivated spatial zone with a suction duct taken down under a tabletop;

[0042] FIG. 12 shows a sixth exemplary embodiment of a table-top apparatus for generating a germ-inactivated spatial zone with lateral droplet protection.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0043] In the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments, it should be remembered that the present disclosure of the various aspects is not restricted to the details of the construction and the arrangement of the components as they are presented in the description below and in the figures. The exemplary embodiments may be implemented or carried out in various ways in practice. It should furthermore be remembered that the expressions and terminology employed here are used merely for the purpose of concrete description, and they should not be interpreted by a person skilled in the art as such in a restrictive way.

[0044] A first exemplary embodiment of a table-top apparatus for generating a germ-inactivated spatial zone will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of the operation of a table-top apparatus 1 according to the exemplary embodiment on a table in a restaurant or café, at which two guests 101, 102 have occupied seats opposite one another. In the representation, the table-top apparatus 1 comprises a housing 10 and a suction duct 30, which is connected to the housing 10 and at the end of which facing away from the housing 10 an opening 32 intended for the suction of unsterilized air 120 is arranged. The table 20 may be located in a closed seating area or in an outdoor region of the restaurant or café. By operation of the table-top apparatus 1, inside the restaurant or café a substantially germ-inactivated spatial zone 5 with germ-inactivated air is generated, the extent of which is so great that the heads 201, 202 of the guests 101, 102 involved are reliably included therein when the guests 101, 102 have taken seats at the table 20 on both sides of the table-top apparatus 1.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows the table-top apparatus 1 in a schematic perspective representation. The housing 10 extends along a longitudinal axis L and has, for example, an inverted “U” or “V” cross section. The housing 10 is closed on the end sides, while the lateral face extending along the longitudinal axis L may be configured as a grille structure or as a pattern of holes, which is used as an air outlet device 70 through which the blower device 60 shown in FIG. 3 makes germ-inactivated air flow out. FIG. 3 shows the table-top apparatus 1 schematically in a transparent representation in order to reveal the basic inner construction of the housing 10.

[0046] First, however, the still unsterilized air 120 is taken in from the environment of the spatial zone 5 through the opening 32 of the suction duct 30, which is fitted laterally on the housing 10 (on one of the end sides) and is connected to the interior 14 shown in FIG. 3. Through the suction duct, the air 121 taken in is conveyed into the interior 14, or into an air repository 16 accommodated therein, which in this exemplary embodiment is configured as a tube 62 and extends along the longitudinal axis L. Provided in the air repository 16, or the tube 62, there is the blower device 60 configured as a propeller or fan, which generates a reduced pressure in the air repository 16 and in the suction duct 30 so that air 120 is taken in. Provided over the length of the tube 62, there are openings (not shown in detail in FIG. 3) through which air can emerge into the (rest of the) interior 14 while being homogeneously distributed.

[0047] A UV-C radiation source 50 likewise extending along the longitudinal axis L over the length of the interior 14, which may be configured as a mercury low-pressure lamp and irradiates as homogeneously as possible the interior 14 with the air 122 flowing therein (only indicated by an arrow in FIG. 3) is also provided there. A suitable reflector device 52 may additionally be present, such as is indicated for instance in FIG. 4. This reflector device 52 ensures that no UV-C radiation emerges outward through the grille-like air outlet device 70, and furthermore improves the homogeneity of the irradiation of the interior 14. The reflector device 52 may have a parabolic cross section, may be configured as a tube, and may have closed or open polygonal cross sections, in particular a tube having a hexagonal cross section which encloses the mercury low-pressure lamp. The design depends on the shape of the interior 14 to be illuminated.

[0048] FIG. 4 represents the way in which the air 123 now disinfected by UV-C radiation flows out through the air outlet device 70, while generating two laminar, or low-turbulence, flows directed obliquely upward to the right and left in FIG. 4 at the heads 201, 202 of the guests 101, 102. An air flow is also released upward, that is to say between the two laminar air flows. The reduced pressure generated in the interior 14 by the blower device 60, the size and number of the air outlet openings in the grille structure or the pattern of holes, and their flow vectors, etc., are matched to one another so that the laminar flows are achieved. Overall, a stable spatial zone which is closed off in respect of air exchange with the environment and is substantially germ-inactivated because of the UV-C radiation is formed above the surface of the table 20 on which the table-top apparatus 1 is put. The flow vectors in this case cover in their entirety a full semicircle of at least 180 degrees in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L, perpendicularly over the surface of the table 20 on which the table-top apparatus is put during operation. The plane of the drawing in FIG. 4 is such a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L.

[0049] “Closed off” means here that in respect of the laminar flow streams of the spatial zone 5, their collapse at the outer boundary (formation of fluctuating vortices) forms a boundary which is substantially stationary during operation, and air continuously fed thereto is released to the environment. In the region between the laminar flows, stationary vortices may for example also be formed, which release air only gradually to the environment and are constantly replenished with disinfected air from inside the spatial zone. A characteristic feature is a continuous spatial zone 5 which encloses the table-top apparatus 1 itself because the table-top apparatus 1 releases disinfected air 123 on all sides, the spatial zone 5 having a level of contamination which is significantly lower than that of the environment. Inside the spatial zone 5, the level of contamination is relatively homogeneous and stable. The boundary region marking the difference in contamination level between the inside and the outside is spatially almost stationary. At the location of the persons inhaling the air (heads 201, 202), there is a low germ load due to more than 95%, preferably 99%, more preferably 99.9% inactivation.

[0050] The distance d of the opening 32 of the suction duct 30 is, in the particular exemplary embodiment, for example 80 cm. The maximum extent h of the spatial zone (above the table 20) is for example 60 to 70 cm. This distance should be greater than the extent of the zone 5 and the distancing may in this case also be carried out by extending the suction channel 30 with other objects that delimit the zone 5 from the outside air 120, for example the tabletop itself. (In this case, the channel 30 actually assigned to the apparatus may also be significantly shorter.) In this way, the table-top apparatus 1 may reliably take air in from the environment and supply the spatial zone 5 from the inside with newly inactivated air, and therefore replace the air leaving at the outer boundary 6 of the spatial zone 5 (in this regard see also FIG. 8) by fluctuating vortex formation. Spatial stability of the spatial zone 5 is thereby ensured. The shape of the spatial zone is impaired at most by sizeable continuous air movements in the room, for instance when all the windows are open in order to ventilate the room and outside there are prevailing winds which therefore also reach into the space of the restaurant or café.

[0051] Furthermore, FIG. 2 also shows a schematic representation of a sensor 90. With the latter, data relating to the function and the operating state of the tabletop may be recorded. This may for example be the dose of the light emitted, the magnitude of the air flow generated or a distance of a person located in the surrounding space from the housing. These data may be communicated to a control device (not shown in the FIGS. which can provide warning indications or initiate the technical measures by which problems may be resolved or limit values being exceeded or fallen below may be compensated for or balanced. For this purpose, a monitoring unit having a preferably wireless-based transmission and reception unit, which is configured to communicate such data relating to the function and the operating state of the table-top apparatus to an external control device, may also be interposed. The monitoring unit and/or the control device may also be implemented on a cell phone (for example as an app), in particular of one or more guests. For example, a warning may be displayed that the operation of the table-top apparatus is currently so impaired that a germ-inactivated spatial zone 5 protecting the guest can no longer reliably be maintained.

[0052] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second exemplary embodiment of a table-top apparatus 2 as proposed here. The suction duct 30 is constructed similarly as in the first exemplary embodiment, although a corresponding blower device 61 is in this case provided inside this suction duct 30 at the opening 32. Furthermore, the air repository 16 is in this case configured as a flat cuboid space in the lower region of the interior 14.

[0053] The suction duct 30 leads through an opening 34 into the air repository 16, where the air 121 taken in is introduced. A multiplicity of holes 17 allow a homogeneous flow of the air 122 in from the air repository 16 upward into the interior 14 for the purpose of disinfection with UV-C irradiation by the radiation source 50 (with a reflector device 52, as above). The air outlet device 70 is shown in more detail in FIG. 6. In the excerpt shown, it comprises an inner grille structure 71 with air outlet openings 76, a membrane 74 which is used as replaceable spittle protection and may be made from a fabric or nonwoven, and an outer grille structure 72 with air outlet openings 77. The outer grille structure 72 is removable and is used to hold the membrane 74 on the inner grille structure 71. The flow vectors of the air outlet openings 76 of the first inner grille structure 71 are relevant for the formation of the laminar air flows, or the substantially germ-inactivated spatial zone at all. In addition or instead, the desired flows may however also be generated equally well by the second outer grille structure.

[0054] As may furthermore be seen in FIG. 5, the lowermost part of the interior is formed by the required electronics which supply power to the blower device 61, the UV-C radiation source 50, the sensor or sensors 90 and any wireless (or cabled) transmission units and/or control devices. A connection 12 for the current and voltage supply is likewise shown in FIG. 2, although it is not represented again in FIG. for the sake of simple representation. Alternatively, the current supply may naturally also be carried out using batteries.

[0055] FIGS. 7 to 9 show a third exemplary embodiment with the aid of a further table-top apparatus 3. The table-top apparatus 3 in this case has a housing 10 with housing feet 18, by which the table-top apparatus 3 can stand on the surface of the table 20 as shown in FIG. 8. In this way, on the one hand it is also possible to release an air flow downward, and on the other hand plates 22 or bowls may also still be placed underneath the table-top apparatus 3 on very small tables 20 (see FIG. 8).

[0056] With the aid of docking means, for example on the apparatus feet 18 as well, a plurality of table-top apparatuses 3 may respectively be fastened to one another on the end sides in the direction of the longitudinal axis L, as is shown in FIG. 9. They therefore form a row. In this way, relatively long tables or even beer tables may also be equipped over the entire length with table-top apparatuses in order to provide safe spatial zones 5 on both sides. The suction ducts 30 may in this case be guided compactly upward through the interior 14 itself.

[0057] FIGS. 10 and 11 show further exemplary embodiments of table-top apparatuses 4A and 4B. The table-top apparatus 4A of FIG. corresponds substantially to the exemplary embodiments above: the suction duct is fed vertically upward in order to place the opening 32 of the suction duct 30 above the upper boundary of the spatial zone 5. The table-top apparatus 4B of FIG. 11, on the other hand, has a suction duct 31 which is guided horizontally along the table surface and is then bent around the table edge (not shown) so that its opening 32 is positioned below a tabletop of the table 20. Since the spatial zone 5 may often scarcely extend this far, germ-laden air 120 for disinfection may also thus be taken in from below the table.

[0058] FIG. 12 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a table-top apparatus 4A′, which corresponds substantially to the embodiment in FIG. 10 but is provided with lateral droplet protection 30a, 30b. The lateral droplet protection 30a, 30b protects inter alia the air outlet device 70 and for example the persons sitting at this table-top apparatus 4A′ (cf. FIG. 1) from other persons located to the side of them. For this purpose, on the one hand the suction duct 30 is modified in such a way that it extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L of the housing 10, with an extent corresponding to a first droplet protection shield 30a. The suction duct 30 in this embodiment thus has the extra function of a droplet protection shield 30a. At the opposite end side of the housing 10, on the other hand, a further lateral droplet protection shield 30b which extends in the plane of this end side, that is to say perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L of the housing 10, is provided. The droplet protection 30a, 30b is for example formed so as to be transparent, for example from plexiglass or the like. The droplet protection shields 30a, 30b may for example extend over the entire width of the table and may be suitably high, according to requirements.

[0059] Laminar air flows have been described as being advantageous in the exemplary embodiments above. They are not, however, absolutely necessary in order to generate the spatial zone 5 described, and other flow profiles are also possible according to further exemplary embodiments.

[0060] Furthermore, the spatial zone has been described as being approximately spherical (in planes transverse to the longitudinal axis) in the exemplary embodiments above. For example, it is nevertheless also possible to obtain other cross sections in relation to the longitudinal axis, for example ones in which spatial zone regions that are connected by indented regions (above the table-top apparatus) are formed on the left and right of the table-top apparatus. In such cases, the suction duct may also be configured to be significantly shorter, for example with lengths d of 20-60 cm.

[0061] Furthermore, it is also possible to obtain fresh air for the UV disinfection through a duct system from outside the restaurant. The present concept of the enclosing spatial zone is not affected by this.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0062] table-top apparatus 1, 2, 3, 4 [0063] germ-inactivated spatial zone 5 [0064] housing 10 [0065] electrical connection, power supply 12 [0066] electronics 13 [0067] interior 14 [0068] bottom 15 [0069] air repository 16 [0070] holes to the interior 17 [0071] apparatus feet 18 [0072] space under the table-top apparatus 19 [0073] table 20 [0074] plate 22 [0075] suction duct 30 [0076] droplet protection shield 30a, 30b [0077] opening 32 [0078] UV-C radiation source, mercury low-pressure lamp 50 [0079] reflector 52 [0080] blower device 60 [0081] tube (of the blower device or air repository) 62 [0082] air outlet device 70 [0083] inner first grille structure 71 [0084] outer second grille structure 72 [0085] membrane 74 [0086] air outlet openings 76, 77 [0087] sensor 90 [0088] persons, users, guests (restaurant, café) 101, 102 [0089] unsterilized air to be suctioned 120 [0090] suctioned air 121 [0091] sterilized air 122 [0092] air flowing out 123 [0093] heads of the persons, users, guests 201, 202