JP7535709B2 - Ultraviolet Light Irradiation System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ultraviolet light irradiation system.

In recent years, ultraviolet lamps have been used for sterilization purposes. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a bathroom anti-mold device that includes a germicidal lamp that emits ultraviolet light and a human body sensor that detects the presence or absence of a person. In the bathroom anti-mold device, if a person is detected by the human body sensor, the germicidal lamp is turned off.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 2-96143

As environmental awareness grows, including the efficient use of energy resources, there is a demand for effective space purification by reducing electricity consumption, etc.

The present invention aims to provide an ultraviolet light irradiation system that can effectively purify a space.

An ultraviolet light irradiation system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a first sensor capable of detecting a person in a first space inside a building, a first light source that irradiates the first space with ultraviolet light, a second light source that irradiates the first space with illumination light that is visible light, and a control device that controls the first light source and the second light source in conjunction with each other. When the first sensor does not detect a person, the control device causes the first light source to irradiate the ultraviolet light.

The ultraviolet light irradiation system of the present invention can effectively purify a space.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the interior of a building to which an ultraviolet light irradiation system according to an embodiment is applied. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an ultraviolet light irradiation system according to an embodiment. FIG. 3A is a flowchart showing the operation of the ultraviolet light irradiation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 3B is a flowchart showing a modified example of the operation of the ultraviolet light irradiation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 4A is a plan view that illustrates the illumination state of each light source when no one is present in either the target space or the adjacent space. FIG. 4B is a plan view that illustrates the illumination state of each light source when a person is present in the adjacent space. FIG. 4C is a plan view that illustrates the illumination state of each light source when a person is present in the target space. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of the interior of a building to which an ultraviolet light irradiation system according to a modified example of the embodiment is applied. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an ultraviolet light irradiation system according to a modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a public toilet to which an ultraviolet light irradiation system according to a modified embodiment is applied.

The ultraviolet light irradiation system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below shows a specific example of the present invention. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection of the components, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims will be described as optional components.

In addition, each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact illustration. Therefore, for example, the scales of each figure do not necessarily match. In addition, in each figure, substantially the same configuration is given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations are omitted or simplified.

In addition, in this specification, terms indicating the shape of elements and numerical ranges are not expressions that express only a strict meaning, but expressions that include a substantially equivalent range, for example, a difference of about a few percent.

(Embodiment)
[overview]
First, an overview of an ultraviolet light irradiation system according to an embodiment will be described.

Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the interior of a building 10 to which the ultraviolet light irradiation system according to the present embodiment is applied. As shown in Figure 1, the building 10 includes a target space 11 and an adjacent space 12.

The target space 11 is an example of a first space inside the building 10, and is a space to which ultraviolet light is irradiated by the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 shown in FIG. 2. In other words, the target space 11 is a space to be purified by ultraviolet light. The target space 11 is provided with a UV light source 40 that irradiates ultraviolet light, and an illumination light source 50 that irradiates illumination light, which is visible light. The target space 11 is, for example, a bathroom, toilet, kitchen, living room, bedroom, or walk-in closet, but is not particularly limited as long as it is a space that a person can enter.

The target space 11 is provided with a door 13 through which people can enter and exit. The door 13 separates the target space 11 from the adjacent space 12 in an openable and closable manner. By opening the door 13, people can enter and exit between the target space 11 and the adjacent space 12. Note that the door 13 does not necessarily have to be provided.

The adjacent space 12 is an example of a second space that is adjacent to the target space 11 and into which people can enter and exit. The adjacent space 12 is provided with an illumination light source 51 that emits illumination light, which is visible light. The adjacent space 12 is, for example, a dressing room, a hallway, or a living room, but is not particularly limited as long as it is a space into which people can enter.

The adjacent space 12 is provided with a door 14 for people to enter and exit. The door 14 separates the adjacent space 12 from another space in an openable and closable manner.
2. The outside of the door 14 may be the inside of the building 10 or the outside of the building 10. In addition, the adjacent space 12 is a space inside the building 10, but may also be a space outside the building 10. The door 14 does not necessarily have to be provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, a human sensor 30 capable of detecting people present in the target space 11 is provided inside the building 10. The ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 according to this embodiment purifies the target space 11 and illuminates the target space 11 and adjacent space 12 based on the detection results of the human sensor 30. Specifically, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 can effectively purify and illuminate the space depending on the presence or absence of people.

[composition]
Next, a specific configuration of the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 2, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 includes a human sensor 30, a UV light source 40, illumination light sources 50 and 51, a control device 60, an alarm device 70, and a transmission device 80.

The human sensor 30 is an example of a first sensor capable of detecting a person present in the target space 11. In this embodiment, the human sensor 30 is further capable of detecting a person present in the adjacent space 12. In other words, the detection range of the human sensor 30 includes at least a portion of the target space 11 and at least a portion of the adjacent space 12.

When a person is present in either the target space 11 or the adjacent space 12, the human sensor 30 outputs a detection result indicating that a person has been detected. At this time, the human sensor 30 may be capable of distinguishing between the target space 11 and the adjacent space 12. In other words, the detection result may include information indicating whether the detected person is in the target space 11 or the adjacent space 12. The human sensor 30 is, for example, a human presence sensor that uses infrared light. Alternatively, the human sensor 30 may be an image sensor that receives visible light, or a thermal image sensor.

The UV light source 40 is an example of a first light source that irradiates the target space 11 with ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light is light that has a peak in a wavelength range that has a sterilizing effect. Specifically, the ultraviolet light is UV-C light that has a peak in a wavelength range of 200 nm or more and 280 nm or less. For example, the peak wavelength of the ultraviolet light is 250 nm, but is not limited to this. The UV light source 40 is an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or a discharge lamp.

The UV light source 40 irradiates ultraviolet light onto the walls, floor, and ceiling surfaces that form the target space 11, as well as furniture arranged in the target space 11, thereby neutralizing bacteria and/or viruses attached thereto. Examples of bacteria that can be neutralized include E. coli, Legionella, and Salmonella. Examples of viruses that can be neutralized include coronavirus, influenza virus, and norovirus. Irradiation with ultraviolet light can also suppress the growth of fungi such as mold.

Note that "detoxifying" does not only mean completely removing bacteria and/or viruses, but also means reducing the number of bacteria and/or viruses, and is also referred to simply as "sterilization" or "disinfection." "99.9% sterilization" means that the sterilization rate is 99.9% or more, and that the number of bacteria (or viruses) is reduced to 0.1% or less.

The UV light source 40 is installed, for example, on the ceiling of the target space 11, and irradiates ultraviolet light toward the floor surface. Alternatively, the UV light source 40 may be installed on a wall or floor of the target space 11, or may be attached to the door 13. In addition, the UV light source 40 may irradiate the entire target space 11 with ultraviolet light, or may irradiate a part of the target space 11 with ultraviolet light locally.

The illumination light source 50 is an example of a second light source that irradiates illumination light into the target space 11. The illumination light is, for example, white light. The illumination light source 50 is an LED or a discharge lamp.

The illumination light source 51 is an example of a third light source that irradiates illumination light into the adjacent space 12. The illumination light is, for example, white light. The illumination light source 51 is an LED or a discharge lamp.

The lighting light sources 50 and 51 are installed, for example, on the ceiling of the target space 11 or the adjacent space 12, and irradiate lighting light toward the floor surface. The lighting light sources 50 and 51 are ceiling lights, pendant lights, or base lights, but may also be downlights or spotlights. The lighting light sources 50 and 51 may also be bracket lights installed on a wall, or floor lights installed on the floor.

The control device 60 controls the UV light source 40 and the illumination light source 50 in a coordinated manner. In this embodiment, the control device 60 controls the UV light source 40 and the illumination light sources 50 and 51 in a coordinated manner. "Coordinated" means that the control content of multiple light sources is changed at substantially the same timing. For example, the control device 60 turns on or off one light source and turns on or off another light source at substantially the same timing. There may be a delay of several seconds in the same timing here.

Note that "turning on" means emitting (emitting) light from the light source, and "turning off" means stopping the emission (emission) of light from the light source. Also, "stopping emission" does not only mean the action of switching from a turned on state to an off state, but also means maintaining a state in which no light is emitted (i.e., the off state).

In this embodiment, the control device 60 controls the UV light source 40 and the illumination light sources 50 and 51 in conjunction with each other based on the detection result of the human sensor 30. Specifically, the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to irradiate ultraviolet light when the human sensor 30 does not detect a person. Furthermore, the control device 60 causes the illumination light sources 50 and 51 to stop irradiating illumination light when the human sensor 30 does not detect a person. For example, the control device 60 causes the illumination light source 50 to stop irradiating illumination light when the human sensor 30 does not detect a person in the target space 11. The control device 60 causes the illumination light source 51 to stop irradiating illumination light when the human sensor 30 does not detect a person in the adjacent space 12.

For example, the control device 60 turns on the UV light source 40, and then turns off the UV light source 40 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. For example, the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to irradiate ultraviolet light at an irradiance of 1 W/m2 or ^more for a period of 30 seconds or more. This enables 99.9% sterilization of major bacteria and viruses. Note that the irradiance and irradiation time are merely examples, and are not particularly limited as long as they are sufficient to sterilize. The control device 60 may be able to change the irradiation energy and irradiation time of the ultraviolet light of the UV light source 40.

In addition, when the human sensor 30 detects a person, the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to stop emitting ultraviolet light and causes the illumination light source 50 to emit illumination light. For example, when the human sensor 30 detects a person in the target space 11, the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to stop emitting ultraviolet light and causes the illumination light source 50 to emit illumination light. In addition, for example, when the human sensor 30 detects a person in the adjacent space 12, the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to stop emitting ultraviolet light and causes the illumination light source 51 to emit illumination light.

The control device 60 is, for example, included in an operation panel attached to the wall of the building 10, but is not limited to this. The control device 60 may be embedded inside the wall, floor, or ceiling.

The control device 60 is realized, for example, by an LSI (Large Scale Integration) which is an integrated circuit (IC). The integrated circuit is not limited to an LSI, and may be a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. For example, the control device 60 may be a microcontroller. The processor or microcontroller includes, for example, a non-volatile memory in which a program is stored, a volatile memory which is a temporary storage area for executing the program, an input/output port, and a processor for executing the program. The control device 60 may also be a programmable FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a reconfigurable processor in which the connections and settings of the circuit cells in the LSI can be reconfigured. The functions executed by the control device 60 may be realized by software or hardware.

The alarm device 70 notifies the surrounding area of the operating state of the UV light source 40. For example, the alarm device 70 is a light source that emits visible light, and is attached near the door 13 in the adjacent space 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The alarm device 70 may also be attached near the door 14 outside the adjacent space 12.

The alarm device 70 emits visible light when the UV light source 40 is turned on. This allows the alarm device 70 to inform people in the adjacent space 12 or people about to enter the adjacent space 12 that ultraviolet light is being irradiated within the target space 11. The alarm device 70 may be a speaker, and may inform people of the ultraviolet light irradiation state by voice or an alarm sound, etc.

The transmitting device 80 transmits operation information indicating the operating state of the UV light source 40 to a preset destination. The transmitting device 80 is, for example, included in an operation panel attached to the wall of the building 10, but is not limited to this. The transmitting device 80 may be embedded inside a wall, floor, or ceiling.

The destination is, for example, the email address of a user of the target space 11. This allows the user to obtain operation information using a communication device such as a mobile phone, tablet terminal, or PC, and to know the operation status. It may be the control panel of the lighting light sources 50 and 51 installed in the building 10. The transmitting device 80 is capable of wireless or wired communication.

[Action]
Next, the operation of the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 will be described.

Figure 3A is a flowchart showing the operation of the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1. Figure 3A shows the main operation of the control device 60 in the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1.

As shown in FIG. 3A, if the human sensor 30 does not detect a human in the adjacent space 12 (No in S10), the control device 60 stops emitting illumination light to the adjacent space 12 (S11). Specifically, the control device 60 causes the illumination light source 51 to stop emitting illumination light.

Furthermore, if the human sensor 30 does not detect a human in the target space 11 (No in S12), the control device 60 stops the irradiation of the illumination light in the target space 11 (S13). Specifically, the control device 60 causes the illumination light source 50 to stop irradiating the illumination light. Next, the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to irradiate ultraviolet light (S14). In this manner, the halt of irradiation of the illumination light (S13) and the irradiation of the ultraviolet light (S14) are performed in conjunction with each other. Note that the halt of irradiation of the illumination light (S13) and the irradiation of the ultraviolet light (S14) may be performed simultaneously. Alternatively, the irradiation of the ultraviolet light (S14) may be performed prior to the halt of irradiation of the illumination light (S13).

The control device 60 waits until a predetermined period has elapsed (No in S15). During this predetermined period, the UV light source 40 continues to irradiate ultraviolet light. When the predetermined period has elapsed (Yes in S15), the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to stop irradiating ultraviolet light (S16). The predetermined period here is the irradiation period of ultraviolet light, and is, for example, a period of 30 seconds or more. As an example, the irradiation period is one minute, but is not limited to this. During the irradiation period of ultraviolet light, the control device 60 turns on the alarm device 70. In addition, the control device 60 causes the transmission device 80 to transmit information indicating that the UV light source 40 is turned on at the time when the control device 60 starts irradiating ultraviolet light. In addition, the control device 60 may cause the transmission device 80 to transmit information indicating that the illumination of the UV light source 40 has ended at the time when the control device 60 ends irradiating ultraviolet light.

When the human sensor 30 detects a human in the target space 11 (Yes in S12), the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to stop emitting ultraviolet light (S17). Next, the control device 60 causes the illumination light source 50 to emit illumination light into the target space 11 (S18). In this manner, the cessation of ultraviolet light emission (S17) and the emission of illumination light (S18) are performed in conjunction with each other. Note that the cessation of ultraviolet light emission (S17) and the emission of illumination light (S18) may be performed simultaneously. Alternatively, the emission of illumination light (S18) may be performed prior to the cessation of ultraviolet light emission (S17).

When the human sensor 30 detects a human in the adjacent space 12 (Yes in S10), the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to stop emitting ultraviolet light (S19). Next, the control device 60 causes the illumination light source 51 to emit illumination light into the adjacent space 12 (S20). In this manner, the cessation of ultraviolet light emission (S19) and the emission of illumination light (S20) are performed in conjunction with each other. Note that the cessation of ultraviolet light emission (S19) and the emission of illumination light (S20) may be performed simultaneously. Alternatively, the emission of illumination light (S20) may be performed prior to the cessation of ultraviolet light emission (S19).

After the irradiation of the ultraviolet light is stopped and the illumination light is irradiated (after S16, S18 or S20), the control device 60 waits until a predetermined period of time has elapsed (No in S21). If the predetermined period of time has elapsed (Yes in S21), the process is repeated from step S10. The predetermined period here is a waiting period for repeated irradiation of the ultraviolet light, for example, one hour. In other words, if no person is detected in either the target space 11 or the adjacent space 12, the ultraviolet light is automatically irradiated repeatedly every hour. This allows the target space 11 to be kept always clean. The process shown in FIG. 3A may be started manually based on a command from a person.

The human sensor 30 is constantly detecting people. For example, if the human sensor 30 detects a person during the standby period while irradiating ultraviolet light in step S15, the irradiation of ultraviolet light is stopped (S17 or S19) and illumination light is irradiated (S18 or S20), as in the case of Yes in step S10 or S12. This sufficiently reduces the possibility that ultraviolet light will be irradiated onto a person.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the only entrance into the target space 11 is door 13. In other words, to enter or exit the target space 11, a person must pass through adjacent space 12. Below, the lighting state of each light source will be explained using Figures 4A to 4C along with an example of a person's actions of entering adjacent space 12 through door 14 and entering target space 11 through door 13.

First, a case where a person 20 is present outside the adjacent space 12 will be described with reference to Fig. 4A. Fig. 4A is a plan view that illustrates the illumination state of each light source when there is no person in either the target space 11 or the adjacent space 12.

As shown in FIG. 4A, there is no person 20 present in either the target space 11 or the adjacent space 12. In this case, since the human sensor 30 does not detect the person 20 (No in S10 and No in S12 in FIG. 3A), both of the illumination light sources 50 and 51 stop emitting illumination light, and the UV light source 40 is emitting ultraviolet light. Note that in FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C, a light source that is emitting light (i.e., a light source that is turned on) is represented by "ON", and a light source that has stopped emitting light (i.e., a light source that is turned off) is represented by "OFF".

In this way, the illumination light is stopped in the target space 11 and the adjacent space 12 where the person 20 is not present, so that unnecessary power consumption can be reduced. In addition, since the target space 11 is irradiated with ultraviolet light, the target space 11 can be purified while avoiding irradiation of the person 20 with ultraviolet light.

The alarm device 70 is turned on to notify the surrounding area that ultraviolet light is being irradiated. For example, when the person 20 opens the door 14, the person 20 can visually confirm that the alarm device 70 is turned on, and can know that ultraviolet light is being irradiated in the target space 11.

Next, the case where a person 20 passes through the door 14 and enters the adjacent space 12 will be described with reference to FIG. 4B. FIG. 4B is a plan view that shows a schematic diagram of the illumination state of each light source when a person is present in the adjacent space 12.

Since the human sensor 30 detects a person 20 in the adjacent space 12 (Yes in S10 in FIG. 3A), the illumination light source 51 in the adjacent space 12 emits illumination light. In this case, the UV light source 40 stops emitting ultraviolet light. Also, the illumination light source 50 in the target space 11 remains off.

In this way, since the illumination light is irradiated in the adjacent space 12 where the person 20 is present, a comfortable illuminated space can be provided for the person 20. Since the irradiation of the illumination light is stopped in the target space 11 where the person 20 is not present, unnecessary power consumption can be reduced. In addition, when the person 20 enters the adjacent space 12, the irradiation of the ultraviolet light irradiated in the target space 11 is stopped. Therefore, even if the door 13 is open and ultraviolet light leaks into the adjacent space 12, the irradiation of the ultraviolet light can be stopped before the ultraviolet light is irradiated on the person 20. Therefore, irradiation of the ultraviolet light on the person 20 is suppressed, and the target space 11 can be purified while ensuring the safety of the person 20.

In addition, since the irradiation of ultraviolet light has stopped, the alarm device 70 is turned off. Therefore, the person 20 in the adjacent space 12 can visually confirm that the alarm device 70 is not turned on and can know that illumination light is not being irradiated into the target space 11. Therefore, the person 20 can enter the target space 11 with peace of mind.

Next, the case where a person 20 passes through the door 13 and enters the target space 11 will be described with reference to FIG. 4C. FIG. 4C is a plan view that shows a schematic diagram of the illumination state of each light source when a person 20 is present in the target space 11.

Since the human sensor 30 detects a person 20 in the target space 11 (Yes in S12 in FIG. 3A), the illumination light source 50 in the target space 11 emits illumination light. In this case, the UV light source 40 maintains the ultraviolet light off state.

In this way, illumination light is emitted in the target space 11 where the person 20 is present, so a comfortable illuminated space can be provided for the person 20. The control device 60 may also stop the emission of illumination light by the illumination light source 51 in the adjacent space 12. This makes it possible to stop the emission of illumination light in the adjacent space 12 where the person 20 is not present, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption.

In this embodiment, an example has been shown in which it is not possible to enter the target space 11 without passing through the adjacent space 12, but an entrance that directly enters the target space 11 may be provided. Even in this case, irradiation of ultraviolet light is stopped when a person 20 is detected in the target space 11 (Yes in S12 in FIG. 3A), so the possibility of ultraviolet light being irradiated onto the person 20 can be sufficiently reduced.

If the illumination light source 51 is not provided, steps S11 and S20 in FIG. 3A are omitted. If an illumination light source that illuminates both the target space 11 and the adjacent space 12 (for example, the illumination light source 150 shown in FIG. 7 described later) is provided instead of the illumination light sources 50 and 51, step S11 is omitted.

Figure 3B shows the operation when the human sensor 30 cannot distinguish between the target space 11 and the adjacent space 12. Figure 3B is a flowchart showing a modified example of the operation of the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in Figure 3B, when the human sensor 30 does not detect a person in either the target space 11 or the adjacent space 12 (No in S30), the control device 60 stops the irradiation of the illumination light in both the target space 11 and the adjacent space 12 (S31). The subsequent processing is the same as the processing shown in Figure 3A. When the human sensor 30 detects a person in either the target space 11 or the adjacent space 12 (Yes in S30), the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to stop irradiating the ultraviolet light (S17). Next, the control device 60 irradiates the illumination light in both the target space 11 and the adjacent space 12 (S32).

[Effects, etc.]
As described above, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 according to the present embodiment includes the human sensor 30 capable of detecting a person in the target space 11 inside a building, the UV light source 40 that irradiates the target space 11 with ultraviolet light, the illumination light source 50 that irradiates the target space 11 with illumination light that is visible light, and the control device 60 that controls the UV light source 40 and the illumination light source 50 in conjunction with each other. When the human sensor 30 does not detect a person, the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to irradiate ultraviolet light.

As a result, not only the UV light source 40 but also the illumination light source 50 are controlled in conjunction with each other, making it possible to control power consumption to be reduced based on the detection result of the person 20. Furthermore, when the person 20 is not detected, ultraviolet light is irradiated into the target space 11, so that the target space 11 can be effectively purified.

For example, when the human sensor 30 does not detect a human, the control device 60 further causes the illumination light source 50 to stop emitting illumination light.

As a result, if a person 20 is not detected, the illumination light source 50 stops emitting illumination light, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption.

For example, when the human sensor 30 detects a human, the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to stop emitting ultraviolet light and causes the illumination light source 50 to emit illumination light.

As a result, when a person 20 is detected, the irradiation of ultraviolet light is stopped, thereby preventing the person 20 from being irradiated with ultraviolet light. Therefore, the target space 11 can be purified while ensuring safety for the human body.

For example, the human sensor 30 can also detect people in an adjacent space 12 adjacent to the target space 11 and between which people can enter and exit.

As a result, even if the person 20 does not enter the target space 11, the UV light source 40 and the illumination light source 50 can be controlled as soon as the person 20 enters the adjacent space 12.

Also, for example, if the control device 60 detects a person in the adjacent space 12, it causes the UV light source 40 to stop emitting ultraviolet light.

This allows irradiation of the ultraviolet light to be stopped before the person 20 enters the target space 11. This sufficiently reduces the possibility that the person 20 will be exposed to the ultraviolet light, allowing the target space 11 to be purified in a safer environment.

For example, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 further includes an illumination light source 51 that irradiates illumination light into the adjacent space 12.

As a result, not only the UV light source 40 and the illumination light source 50, but also the illumination light source 51 are controlled in a coordinated manner, making it possible to control power consumption to be reduced based on the detection results of the person 20.

For example, the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to irradiate ultraviolet light for a preset period of time and then stops irradiating the ultraviolet light.

This allows ultraviolet light to be emitted only for a period of time sufficient for sterilization, thereby reducing power consumption.

For example, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 also includes an alarm device 70 that notifies the surrounding area of the operating status of the UV light source 40.

This makes it easier to see the UV light irradiation conditions from outside.

For example, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 also includes a transmission device 80 that transmits operation information indicating the operating status of the UV light source 40 to a preset destination.

This allows the ultraviolet light irradiation status to be notified to a specified destination.

[Modification]
Next, a modified example of the embodiment will be described. In the following description, the differences from the embodiment will be mainly described, and the description of the commonalities will be omitted or simplified.

In the embodiment, one human sensor 30 is shown whose detection range covers both the target space 11 and the adjacent space 12, but this is not limited to this. A sensor that detects humans may be provided for each space.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the interior of a building to which an ultraviolet light irradiation system according to a modified example is applied. As shown in Figure 5, a first person sensor 130 capable of detecting a person present in the target space 11 is provided in the target space 11. A second person sensor 135 capable of detecting a person present in the adjacent space 12 is provided in the adjacent space 12.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultraviolet light irradiation system 101 according to a modified example.
2 , the ultraviolet light irradiation system 101 includes a first human sensor 130 and a second human sensor 135 instead of the human sensor 30 .

The first person sensor 130 is an example of a first sensor capable of detecting a person present in the target space 11. The detection range of the first person sensor 130 includes at least a portion of the target space 11. The detection range of the first person sensor 130 does not include the adjacent space 12.

The second person sensor 135 is an example of a second sensor capable of detecting a person in the adjacent space 12. The detection range of the second person sensor 135 includes at least a portion of the adjacent space 12. The detection range of the second person sensor 135 does not include the target space 11.

In the modified example, the control device 60 acquires the detection results of the first person sensor 130 and the second person sensor 135, which have different detection ranges. The control device 60 can easily determine whether the person was detected in the target space 11 or the adjacent space 12 by determining which sensor detected the person.

As described above, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 101 according to the modified example includes a second person sensor 135 that is adjacent to the target space 11 and can detect people in the adjacent space 12 where people can enter and exit. When the second person sensor 135 does not detect a person and the first person sensor 130 does not detect a person, the control device 60 causes the UV light source 40 to irradiate ultraviolet light.

This makes it easy to determine whether a person has been detected in the target space 11 or the adjacent space 12. The space in which a person has been detected can be accurately determined, and the irradiation and stopping of the illumination light and ultraviolet light can be accurately controlled.

The target space 11 and the adjacent space 12 may be connected by a means other than the door 13. For example, the target space 11 and the adjacent space 12 may not be separated by a wall, and may be connected to each other near the ceiling and floor. As an example, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 101 may be used in a shared toilet, as shown in FIG. 7.

Figure 7 is a plan view showing a shared toilet 110 to which an ultraviolet light irradiation system according to a modified embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the example shown in Figure 7, the shared toilet 110 includes three cubicles 111a-111c and a hand-washing space 112. Each of the three cubicles 111a-111c is an example of a target space. The hand-washing space 112 is an example of an adjacent space. The hand-washing space 112 is adjacent to each of the three cubicles 111a-111c via doors 113a-113c. A door 114 is provided for entering and exiting the hand-washing space 112. The number and arrangement of the cubicles are not particularly limited.

Each of the private rooms 111a to 111c is provided with a first person sensor 130a to 130c capable of detecting a person in the corresponding private room. This makes it possible to determine the presence or absence of a person in each private room. In addition, the hand-washing space 112 is provided with a second person sensor 135. The second person sensor 135 is capable of detecting a person in the hand-washing space 112.

In addition, UV light sources 140a to 140c are provided on the ceilings of the individual rooms 111a to 111c. The UV light sources 140a to 140c irradiate ultraviolet light into the corresponding individual rooms. Note that one UV light source may irradiate ultraviolet light into all of the individual rooms.

Notification devices 170a to 170c are provided near the doors 113a to 113c. The notification devices 170a to 170c notify the operating status of the corresponding UV light sources 140a to 140c, respectively. This makes it possible to notify the surroundings of which private room the ultraviolet light is being irradiated in. It is also possible to provide only one notification device that notifies the surroundings when at least one of the three UV light sources 140a to 140c is turned on.

The illumination light source 150 is provided on the ceiling of the hand-washing space 112, and irradiates illumination light not only to the hand-washing space 112 but also to the cubicles 111a to 111c. For example, the cubicles 111a to 111c and the hand-washing space 112 are connected and not separated near the ceiling. Therefore, the illumination light emitted from the illumination light source 150 is also irradiated to the cubicles 111a to 111c.

In this way, the lighting light source 150 may further irradiate lighting light not only to the target space but also to adjacent spaces. This allows the entire shared toilet 110 to be illuminated with a single lighting light source 150. Note that a lighting light source may be provided in each of the private rooms 111a to 111c.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, when the second person sensor 135 detects a person in the hand-washing space 112, the illumination light source 150 is turned on and the UV light sources 140a-140c are turned off. When the first person sensor 130a-130c detects a person in any of the private rooms 111a-111c, the UV light sources 140a-140c are turned off.

When the private room 111a is the target space, not only the hand-washing space 112 but also the private room 111b can be considered as an adjacent space to the private room 111a. For example, if the first person sensor 130b and the second person sensor 135 do not detect a person, that is, if there is no person in the private room 111b and the hand-washing space 112, the UV light source 140a in the private room 111a may irradiate ultraviolet light. In this case, even if the first person sensor 130c detects a person in the private room 111c, the UV light source 140a may irradiate ultraviolet light into the private room 111a. This is because the private room 111c is adjacent to the private room 111b and the hand-washing space 112 but not adjacent to the private room 111a. Similarly, if a person is detected only in the private room 111a, the UV light source 140c may irradiate ultraviolet light in the private room 111c.

In addition, if there are no gaps in the walls separating the private rooms 111a to 111c, that is, if there is no risk of the ultraviolet light emitted by the UV light source 140a in the private room 111a leaking into the private room 111b, the private rooms 111a and 111b do not have direct access to each other, and one does not need to be considered an adjacent space to the other. In this case, even if a person is present in the private room 111b, the UV light source 140a in the private room 111a and the UV light source 140c in the private room 111c may each emit ultraviolet light.

Although the ultraviolet light irradiation system 101 has been described as being applied to a collective toilet 110, the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 101 may be applied to a public bathhouse equipped with multiple shower rooms. Alternatively, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 101 may be applied to a space such as a rental office or study room equipped with an antechamber (adjacent space) such as a waiting room and multiple individual booths (target spaces).

(others)
Although the ultraviolet light irradiation system according to the present invention has been described based on the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.

For example, in the above embodiment, the control device 60 stops the UV light source 40 from emitting ultraviolet light when a person is detected in the adjacent space 12, but this is not limited to the above. The control device 60 may stop emitting ultraviolet light when a person is detected in the target space 11, regardless of the detection result of a person in the adjacent space 12. In this case, the human sensor 30 may not have a detection range in the adjacent space 12.

Also, for example, the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 does not need to include at least one of the alarm device 70 and the transmission device 80.

The communication method between the devices described in the above embodiment is not particularly limited. When wireless communication is performed between the devices, the wireless communication method (communication standard) is, for example, short-range wireless communication such as ZigBee (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or wireless LAN (Local Area Network). Alternatively, the wireless communication method (communication standard) may be communication via a wide area communication network such as the Internet. Furthermore, wired communication may be performed between the devices instead of wireless communication. Specifically, wired communication is communication using power line communication (PLC) or a wired LAN.

In the above embodiment, the process executed by a specific processing unit may be executed by another processing unit. The order of multiple processes may be changed, or multiple processes may be executed in parallel. The allocation of components included in the ultraviolet light irradiation system 1 to multiple devices is one example. For example, components included in one device may be included in another device.

For example, the processing that is mainly executed by the control device 60 in the above embodiment may be realized by centralized processing using a single device (system), or may be realized by distributed processing using multiple devices. Also, the processor that executes the above program may be a single processor or multiple processors. In other words, centralized processing or distributed processing may be performed.

In addition, in the above embodiment, all or part of the components such as the control device 60 may be configured with dedicated hardware, or may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or semiconductor memory.

Furthermore, components such as the control device 60 may be composed of one or more electronic circuits. Each of the one or more electronic circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

The one or more electronic circuits may include, for example, a semiconductor device, an IC, or an LSI. The IC or LSI may be integrated on one chip or on multiple chips. Here, we refer to it as an IC or an LSI, but depending on the degree of integration, it may be called a system LSI, a VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or an ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Also, an FPGA that is programmed after the LSI is manufactured can be used for the same purpose.

The general or specific aspects of the present invention may be realized as a system, device, method, integrated circuit, or computer program. Alternatively, the present invention may be realized as a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as an optical disk, HDD, or semiconductor memory on which the computer program is stored. The present invention may also be realized as any combination of a system, device, method, integrated circuit, computer program, and recording medium.

In addition, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art may conceive, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

1, 101 Ultraviolet light irradiation system 10 Building 11 Target space (first space)
12 Adjacent space (second space)
13, 113a, 113b, 113c Door 20 Person 30 Person sensor (first sensor)
40, 140a, 140b, 140c UV light source (first light source)
50, 150 Light source for illumination (second light source)
51 Light source for illumination (third light source)
60 Control device 70, 170a, 170b, 170c Notification device 80 Transmitter 110 Shared toilet 111a, 111b, 111c Private room (first space)
112 Hand-washing space (second space)
130, 130a, 130b, 130c First sensor (first sensor)
135 Second person sensor (second sensor)

Claims (10)

A first sensor capable of detecting a person in a first space inside the building;
A second sensor capable of detecting a person in a second space adjacent to the first space and between which people can enter and exit;
A first light source that irradiates ultraviolet light into the first space;
a second light source that irradiates the first space with illumination light that is visible light;
A control device that controls the first light source and the second light source in conjunction with each other,
the control device causes the first light source to irradiate the ultraviolet light when the second sensor does not detect a person and the first sensor does not detect a person.
Ultraviolet light irradiation system. A first sensor capable of detecting a person in a first space inside the building;
A first light source that irradiates ultraviolet light into the first space;
a second light source that irradiates the first space with illumination light that is visible light;
A control device that controls the first light source and the second light source in conjunction with each other,
The first sensor is further capable of detecting a person in a second space adjacent to the first space and between which people can enter and exit,
The control device causes the first light source to irradiate the ultraviolet light when the first sensor does not detect a person, and causes the first light source to stop irradiating the ultraviolet light when a person in the second space is detected.
Ultraviolet light irradiation system. The control device further controls the second light source to stop emitting the illumination light when the first sensor does not detect a person.
3. The ultraviolet light irradiation system according to claim 1 or 2 . the control device, when the first sensor detects a person, stops the irradiation of the ultraviolet light from the first light source and causes the second light source to irradiate the illumination light.
The ultraviolet light irradiation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The control device stops the irradiation of the ultraviolet light from the first light source when a person in the second space is detected.
The ultraviolet light irradiation system according to claim 1 . The second light source further irradiates the illumination light into the second space.
The ultraviolet light irradiation system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . Further, a third light source is provided to irradiate the second space with illumination light.
The ultraviolet light irradiation system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . The control device causes the first light source to irradiate the ultraviolet light for a preset period and then stops irradiating the ultraviolet light.
The ultraviolet light irradiation system according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . Further, a notification device is provided that notifies the surroundings of the operating state of the first light source.
The ultraviolet light irradiation system according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . The present invention further includes a transmitting device that transmits operation information indicating an operation state of the first light source to a preset destination.
The ultraviolet light irradiation system according to any one of claims 1 to 9 .

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