JP7745396B2 - Sterilization System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sterilization system technology that uses ozone to sterilize a specified space.

Conventionally, sterilization system technology that uses ozone to sterilize a specified space is well known, as described, for example, in Patent Document 1.

The sterilization system described in Patent Document 1 sterilizes a toilet (a specified space) using ozone. The sterilization system includes an automatic flushing device that detects when a user enters and exits the toilet, and an ozonizer that generates ozone. Thus, when the sterilization system detects that a user has left the toilet, it generates ozone from the ozonizer. This makes it possible to sterilize the toilet while preventing users from inhaling ozone.

Recently, instead of completely private spaces like the toilets described in Patent Document 1, semi-private spaces (spaces with open areas that are open to the outside, e.g., spaces without ceilings) such as personal workspaces and booths in internet cafes have become more common. In such semi-private spaces, when ozone is released for sterilization, there is a possibility that the ozone will leak to the outside through the open areas. If ozone leaks to the outside, it can cause inconvenience to people outside, such as inhaling the ozone, which is undesirable.

JP 2009-281096 A

The present invention was made in light of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the problem it aims to solve is to provide a sterilization system that can effectively sterilize a specified space that has an open section that is open to the outside using ozone.

The above is the problem that this invention aims to solve, and next we will explain the means for solving this problem.

That is, claim 1 provides a sterilization system for sterilizing a predetermined space having an opening open to the outside, the sterilization system comprising an ozone generator that supplies generated ozone into the interior of the space, and an exhaust device that exhausts air to the outside of the space at a volume equal to or greater than the volume of air supplied from the ozone generator, wherein the space has an opening at an upper portion defined by a wall that partitions the periphery, the ozone generator is provided at an upper portion of the wall, and the exhaust device is provided at a lower portion of the wall, the wall having a pair of opposing walls that face each other, the ozone generator and the exhaust device are provided at a first opposing wall portion of the pair of opposing walls, and the ozone generator is capable of releasing ozone toward a second opposing wall portion of the pair of opposing walls that is different from the first opposing wall portion .

In claim 2, the device further includes a control unit capable of controlling the ozone generator and the exhaust device based on the ozone concentration inside the space.

In claim 3, the exhaust device is equipped with concentration reduction means for reducing the ozone concentration contained in the exhaust gas.

In claim 4 , the apparatus further includes an air curtain forming device capable of forming an air curtain, the air curtain forming device being provided on the second opposing wall portion and blowing out gas across the open portion in a direction above the ozone supply port of the ozone generator.

The effects of the present invention are as follows:

In the present invention, ozone can be used to effectively disinfect a specified space that has an open section that is open to the outside.

1 is a schematic perspective view showing an application state of a sterilization system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing automatic sterilization control. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of changes in ozone concentration and CT value when automatic sterilization control is executed. FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing an application state of a sterilization system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 10A is a schematic perspective view showing an application state of a sterilization system according to a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10B is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the same; 10A is a schematic perspective view showing an application state of a sterilization system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10B is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the same; 10A is a schematic perspective view showing an application state of a sterilization system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10B is a schematic perspective view showing an application state of a sterilization system according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

In the following explanation, the up/down, left/right, and front/rear directions are defined according to the arrows shown in the diagram.

First, using Figure 1, we will briefly explain the booth 10 to which the sterilization system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The booth 10 is a semi-private space with no ceiling and open upward. In this embodiment, the booth 10 is a small room (booth) in an internet cafe. Inside the booth 10, equipment for users (e.g., a computer and shelves) is provided. For convenience, the interior of the booth 10 is depicted with dashed lines in Figure 1 (and Figures 5 to 7, described below). The booth 10 has a wall 11 and an open area 15.

The wall 11 is a wall that defines the perimeter of the booth 10. The wall 11 is formed to stand upright from the floor. The wall 11 has a pair of wall portions (front wall 12 and rear wall 13) that face each other from the front to the back, and a pair of wall portions that face each other from the left to the right. In this way, the wall 11 is formed in the shape of a roughly rectangular tube that extends upward.

The open section 15 is an opening formed at the upper end of the approximately rectangular cylindrical wall section 11. The open section 15 is open to the outside of the booth 10 (the space above). The open section 15 is formed in an approximately rectangular shape in a plan view. In this way, the inside and outside of the booth 10 are connected via the open section 15 to allow air to circulate between them.

The configuration of the sterilization system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described below using Figures 1 to 4.

The sterilization system 1 sterilizes the interior of a booth 10 (semi-private space) using ozone. The sterilization system 1 includes an ozone generator 20, an exhaust device 30, and a control unit 40.

The ozone generator 20 is a device that generates ozone. The ozone generator 20 takes in ambient gas and generates ozone from gaseous oxygen, for example by performing barrier discharge (silent discharge), and supplies the generated ozone to the interior of the booth 10 at a predetermined air volume (referred to as "air volume Q1" in this embodiment). The ozone generator 20 has, for example, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with its longitudinal direction oriented left-to-right. The ozone generator 20 has an intake port 21 that takes in gas and a supply port 22 that supplies (releases) the generated ozone.

In this embodiment, the intake port 21 is formed on a surface of the ozone generator 20 that faces generally downward (i.e., the surface that faces the interior of the booth 10). In this way, the intake port 21 can take in gas inside the booth 10 (see Figure 2). That is, the ozone generator 20 can generate ozone using the gas inside the booth 10. In contrast, the supply port 22 is formed on a surface of the ozone generator 20 that faces generally rearward. The supply port 22 is located at a higher position than the intake port 21.

The ozone generator 20 is also provided at the top of the wall 11. Specifically, the ozone generator 20 is provided at the top of the rear surface (inner surface) of the front wall 12. Because ozone is heavier than air and tends to move downward, providing the ozone generator 20 at the top of the wall 11 (front wall 12) allows ozone to be distributed throughout the entire booth 10.

The supply port 22 of the ozone generator 20 is also configured to release ozone diagonally downward and rearward. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the supply port 22 is configured to blow out ozone toward the middle of the top and bottom of the rear wall 13.

This allows ozone to be blown out in a direction away from the open section 15, preventing the ozone from leaking to the outside through the open section 15. Furthermore, the ozone blown out from the ozone generator 20 collides with the rear wall 13, reversing its flow direction diagonally downward and forward. In this way, as shown in Figure 2, a flow (airflow) of ozone can be formed that circulates inside the booth 10 counterclockwise when viewed from the left side, and spreads throughout the entire interior of the booth 10.

The exhaust device 30 operates a fan (not shown) or the like to exhaust gas (e.g., air containing ozone) from inside the booth 10 to the outside. The exhaust device 30 has, for example, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with its longitudinal direction oriented in the left-right direction. The exhaust device 30 is provided at the bottom of the front surface (outer surface) of the front wall 12. In other words, the exhaust device 30 is provided on the same wall (front wall 12) as the ozone generator 20, spaced apart from each other above and below. In this way, as shown in FIG. 2, the exhaust device 30 can exhaust to the outside the ozone that has been released from the ozone generator 20 and circulated inside the booth 10.

The exhaust device 30 has an inlet 31 that draws in gas and an exhaust port 32 that discharges the gas (exhaust gas) drawn into the inlet 31 to the outside of the booth 10. The inlet 31 is located at the rear of the exhaust device 30 and is connected to the interior of the booth 10 via a hole in the front wall 12 of the booth 10. The exhaust port 32 is formed on the front side of the exhaust device 30. The exhaust port 32 is connected to an unmanned space outside the booth 10 where no one is nearby (for example, an underfloor space or an outdoor space). This prevents ozone discharged to the outside of the booth 10 from being inhaled by people outside, which can cause inconvenience.

Furthermore, the exhaust device 30 can suck in gas at a predetermined air volume (referred to as "air volume Q2" in this embodiment). Thus, in this embodiment, the air volume Q2 sucked in by the exhaust device 30 is set to be greater than the air volume Q1 supplied by the ozone generator 20 (so that Q2 > Q1). In this way, the inside of the booth 10 can be made negative pressure, and ozone inside the booth 10 can be prevented from leaking to the outside through the open portion 15.

The control unit 40 executes various processes in the sterilization system 1. The control unit 40 includes an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU, and a storage unit such as a RAM or ROM. The storage unit of the control unit 40 pre-stores various information and programs used for control. The arithmetic processing unit of the control unit 40 can execute predetermined processes by executing the programs and performing predetermined arithmetic processing using the various information.

The control unit 40 is connected to the ozone generator 20 and the exhaust device 30. In this way, the control unit 40 can control the operation of the ozone generator 20 and the exhaust device 30. Specifically, the control unit 40 can adjust the amount of ozone generated and the supply air volume in the ozone generator 20. The control unit 40 can also adjust the exhaust air volume of the exhaust device 30. The control unit 40 can also acquire information (such as operating status) about the ozone generator 20 and the exhaust device 30. The control unit 40 can also execute control (hereinafter referred to as "automatic sterilization control") to automatically sterilize the interior of the booth 10 by operating the ozone generator 20 and the exhaust device 30 based on the ozone concentration inside the booth 10.

The automatic sterilization control by the control unit 40 will be explained below using the flowchart in Figure 3.

Automatic sterilization control is triggered when a user finishes using the booth 10. In this embodiment, automatic sterilization control is initiated in response to a store clerk pressing a specific button when the store clerk confirms that the user has finished using the booth 10. However, this is not limited to this, and automatic sterilization control may be initiated, for example, by providing a specific sensor such as a human sensor in the booth 10 and detecting the end of use based on the sensor's detection results.

In step S11, the control unit 40 starts automatic sterilization control in response to the clerk's operation of a specific button, as described above. Specifically, the control unit 40 starts operation of the exhaust device 30. In this way, the exhaust device 30 sucks in gas from inside the booth 10 at an air volume Q2 and exhausts it to the outside. In this way, by starting operation of the exhaust device 30 before the ozone generator 20, the inside of the booth 10 is brought to a negative pressure before ozone is generated. After processing step S11, the control unit 40 executes processing step S12.

In step S12, the control unit 40 starts operation of the ozone generator 20. In this way, the ozone generator 20 supplies ozone to the inside of the booth 10 at an air volume Q1. Here, as described above, the air volume Q2 sucked in by the exhaust device 30 is greater than the air volume Q1 supplied by the ozone generator 20, so the inside of the booth 10 is always under negative pressure while automatic sterilization control is being executed. This makes it possible to prevent ozone inside the booth 10 from leaking to the outside through the open part 15 while automatic sterilization control is being executed.

In addition, as ozone is supplied from the ozone generator 20, the ozone concentration inside the booth 10 gradually increases while the exhaust device 30 exhausts the ozone. This sterilizes the inside of the booth 10. After processing step S12, the control unit 40 executes processing step S13.

In step S13, the control unit 40 determines whether the CT value (Concentration-Time Value) has reached a value (hereinafter referred to as the "progressive target CT value") that is a predetermined ratio of the final target value (hereinafter referred to as the "final target CT value").

Here, the CT value is the product of the ozone concentration (ppm) and the exposure time (min). The exposure time refers to the time that the object is exposed to ozone, and in this embodiment, it corresponds to the time that has elapsed since the ozone generator 20 started operating (started supplying ozone). By calculating the CT value, it is possible to determine the extent to which pathogens have been inactivated. In this embodiment, a CT value of 60 can be considered to indicate that 90% or more of a specified pathogen has been inactivated. The relationship between this CT value and the percentage of pathogens that can be inactivated is determined appropriately for each pathogen through experiments, etc.

In this embodiment, the final target CT value is set to 60. Here, the ozone concentration inside the booth 10 gradually decreases over time, for example, after the operation of the ozone generator 20 is stopped (i.e., after the supply of ozone is stopped). The elapsed time over which this ozone concentration decreases is also included in the exposure time.

Therefore, in automatic sterilization control, after the operation of the ozone generator 20 is stopped, the time elapsed until the ozone concentration reaches 0.1 ppm (environmental standard, i.e., the value at which no problems due to ozone are thought to occur) is taken into consideration, and the operation of the ozone generator 20 is stopped when the CT value reaches the interim target CT value (a value that is a predetermined ratio of the final target CT value). In this embodiment, the interim target CT value is set to 45 (3/4 of the final target CT value).

Thus, in step S13, the control unit 40 determines whether the CT value has reached 45, and if it determines that the CT value has reached 45, it executes the processing of step S14. On the other hand, if the control unit 40 determines that the CT value has not reached 45, it executes the processing of step S13 again.

In this embodiment, the control unit 40 determines whether the CT value has reached 45 based on the time elapsed since the ozone generator 20 began operating. In other words, the relationship between the time elapsed since the ozone generator 20 began operating and the CT value can be obtained in advance through experiments, calculations, etc., and the control unit 40 makes its determination based on the elapsed time based on the obtained results. However, the control unit 40 is not limited to this; for example, it may obtain the ozone concentration inside the booth 10 using a specified sensor and make its determination based on this obtained result.

In step S14, the control unit 40 stops operation of the ozone generator 20. Thus, the ozone generator 20 stops supplying ozone to the interior of the booth 10. After processing step S14, the control unit 40 executes processing step S15.

In step S15, the control unit 40 determines whether the ozone concentration has reached the target value. In this embodiment, the target value for the ozone concentration is set to 0.1 ppm as described above. The control unit 40 also determines whether the ozone concentration has reached the target value (0.1 ppm) based on the elapsed time since operation of the ozone generator 20 was stopped. However, the control unit 40 is not limited to this, and may, for example, obtain the ozone concentration inside the booth 10 using a specified sensor and make a determination based on this obtained result.

Thus, in step S15, if the control unit 40 determines that the ozone concentration has reached the target value (0.1 ppm), it executes the process of step S16. On the other hand, if the control unit 40 determines that the ozone concentration has not reached the target value (0.1 ppm), it executes the process of step S15 again. Note that when it is determined that the ozone concentration has reached the target value (0.1 ppm), this means that the CT value from the start of operation of the ozone generator 20 has reached the final target CT value (60) (i.e., sterilization of the interior of the booth 10 has been completed).

In step S16, the control unit 40 stops operation of the exhaust device 30. In this way, the exhaust device 30 stops discharging gas from inside the booth 10 to the outside. After processing step S16, the control unit 40 ends execution of automatic sterilization control.

An example of the changes in the ozone concentration and CT value (CT integral) in the booth 10 when automatic sterilization control is performed will be described below with reference to Fig. 4. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the booth 10 has an area of 2.2 ^m2 and a height of 2 m.

As shown in Figure 4, after the exhaust device 30 and ozone generator 20 start operating (steps S11 and S12), the ozone concentration and CT value gradually increase during period T1. At the end of period T1 (10 minutes after the start of operation), the CT value reaches the elapsed target CT value (45) (YES in step S13).

Therefore, during period T2, operation of the ozone generator 20 is stopped while operation of the exhaust device 30 continues (step S14). At the end of period T2 (approximately 30 minutes after operation began), the ozone concentration reaches the target value (0.1 ppm) (YES in step S15), and the CT value reaches the final target CT value (60). Therefore, during period T3, operation of the exhaust device 30 is stopped (step S16).

In this way, by performing automatic sterilization control, it is possible to complete sterilization of the interior of the booth 10 in a relatively short time while preventing ozone from leaking outside the booth 10 through the open section 15.

The configuration of the sterilization system 1 according to the second embodiment will be described below using Figure 5.

The sterilization system 1 according to the second embodiment differs significantly from the sterilization system 1 according to the first embodiment in that the exhaust device 30 has a concentration reduction mechanism that reduces the ozone concentration contained in the exhaust air.

Specifically, the exhaust device 30 has a first concentration reduction mechanism 51, a second concentration reduction mechanism 52, and a third concentration reduction mechanism 53 as concentration reduction mechanisms.

The first concentration reduction mechanism 51 is a mechanism that reduces the ozone concentration by driving a fan (not shown) to mix outside air with the gas (containing ozone) sucked into the exhaust device 30 through the suction port 31. Specifically, the first concentration reduction mechanism 51 takes in a predetermined air volume (air outside the booth 10) into the exhaust device 30 (referred to as "air volume Q3" in this embodiment) and mixes it with the gas sucked in from inside the booth 10. In this way, the first concentration reduction mechanism 51 can effectively reduce the ozone concentration of the gas exhausted to the outside of the booth 10 by the exhaust device 30 compared to the ozone concentration of the gas sucked into the booth 10 by the exhaust device 30.

In addition, with respect to the exhaust device 30, the total air volume is the sum of the air volume Q2 drawn into the exhaust device 30 from inside the booth 10 and the air volume Q3 taken in by the exhaust device 30 from outside the booth 10 by the first concentration reduction mechanism 51, which becomes the air volume (referred to as "air volume Q4" in this embodiment) that the exhaust device 30 discharges to the outside of the booth 10 (Q2 + Q3 = Q4).

The second concentration reduction mechanism 52 is a mechanism that reduces the ozone concentration using ultraviolet rays. The second concentration reduction mechanism 52 can irradiate gas with ultraviolet rays (UV-C irradiation) in a wavelength range (254 to 280 nm) that promotes the decomposition of ozone. In this way, the second concentration reduction mechanism 52 can effectively reduce the ozone concentration in the gas exhausted to the outside of the booth 10 by the exhaust device 30 compared to the ozone concentration in the gas inside the booth 10 that is sucked in by the exhaust device 30.

The third concentration reduction mechanism 53 is a mechanism that reduces the ozone concentration using activated carbon. The third concentration reduction mechanism 53 can capture ozone in an activated carbon filter installed inside the exhaust device 30, for example, by passing the gas through the activated carbon filter. In this way, the third concentration reduction mechanism 53 can effectively reduce the ozone concentration of the gas exhausted to the outside of the booth 10 by the exhaust device 30, compared to the ozone concentration of the gas inside the booth 10 that is sucked in by the exhaust device 30.

In this way, the exhaust device 30 can effectively reduce the ozone concentration of the gas inside the booth 10 that is sucked in by the exhaust device 30 using the first concentration reduction mechanism 51, second concentration reduction mechanism 52, and third concentration reduction mechanism 53. In this embodiment, the three concentration reduction mechanisms are used to set the ozone concentration to below the environmental standard (0.1 ppm).

In this embodiment, the exhaust device 30 has three concentration reduction mechanisms, but this is not limited to this. That is, the exhaust device 30 can have any one or two of the three concentration reduction mechanisms. Even in this case, the ozone concentration can be set to below the environmental standard (0.1 ppm) by adjusting the performance of each concentration reduction mechanism (for example, by increasing the amount of air taken in from outside the booth 10 for the first concentration reduction mechanism 51, by increasing the amount of ultraviolet radiation for the second concentration reduction mechanism 52, or by selecting an activated carbon filter for the third concentration reduction mechanism 53).

However, when one or two of the three concentration reduction mechanisms are used, the first concentration reduction mechanism 51 generates fan operating noise, so from the noise perspective, it is desirable to use it in combination with the second concentration reduction mechanism 52 or the third concentration reduction mechanism 53.

The configuration of the sterilization system 1 according to the third embodiment will be described below using Figure 6.

The sterilization system 1 according to the third embodiment differs significantly from the sterilization system 1 according to the second embodiment in that the intake port 21 of the ozone generator 20 is located in a different position.

Specifically, the intake port 21 of the ozone generator 20 is formed on a surface of the ozone generator 20 that faces generally upward (i.e., the surface that faces the exterior of the booth 10), rather than on a surface of the ozone generator 20 that faces generally downward (i.e., the surface that faces the interior of the booth 10). In this way, the intake port 21 can take in air from outside the booth 10. In other words, the ozone generator 20 can generate ozone using air from outside the booth 10.

In the ozone generator 20 according to this embodiment, the air volume taken in by the ozone generator 20 through the intake port 21 from outside the booth 10 (referred to as "air volume Q0" in this embodiment) is set to be equal to or greater than the air volume Q1 supplied by the ozone generator 20, but smaller than the air volume Q2 drawn in by the exhaust device 30 from inside the booth 10. Furthermore, the air volume Q2 drawn in by the exhaust device 30 from inside the booth 10 is set to be equal to or less than the air volume Q4 exhausted by the exhaust device 30 to the outside of the booth 10. In this way, in the third embodiment, the air volumes of the booth 10 are set so that Q1≦Q0<Q2≦Q4.

The configuration of the sterilization system 1 according to the fourth embodiment will be described below using Figure 7.

The sterilization system 1 according to the fourth embodiment differs significantly from the sterilization system 1 according to the third embodiment in that it further includes an air curtain forming device 60.

The air curtain forming device 60 is a device that forms an air curtain by blowing out gas. Here, an air curtain prevents mixing of gases in the space between the air curtain by creating a film of airflow. In this embodiment, the space between the air curtain is assumed to be the interior and exterior spaces of the booth 10, which are positioned above and below the open section 15. The air curtain forming device 60 is provided on the upper part of the wall 11. Specifically, the air curtain forming device 60 is provided on the upper part of the front surface (inner surface) of the rear wall 13. In this way, the air curtain forming device 60 is provided on the wall (rear wall 13) other than the front wall 12 on which the ozone generator 20 is provided, of a pair of opposing walls 11 (front wall 12 and rear wall 13), so as to face the ozone generator 20 from the front to the rear. The air curtain forming device 60 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with its longitudinal direction oriented left and right, and is formed to span the left and right directions of the rear wall 13.

The air curtain forming device 60 has an intake port 61 that takes in gas and an outlet port 62 that blows out gas. The intake port 61 is formed inside the booth 10, below the outlet port 62. In this way, the intake port 61 can take in gas inside the booth 10. This allows the air curtain forming device 60 to take in gas containing ozone inside the booth 10 and blow it out toward the ozone generator 20. The gas blown out toward the ozone generator 20 is then taken into the ozone generator 20 and used to generate ozone again.

Furthermore, the outlet 62 is formed so that it can blow gas forward (horizontally). More specifically, the outlet 62 can blow gas above the supply port 22 of the ozone generator 20. This prevents the air curtain formed by the air curtain forming device 60 from interfering with the ozone released from the ozone generator 20.

In this way, the air curtain forming device 60 can more effectively prevent ozone from leaking outside the booth 10 through the open section 15 using the formed air curtain. Furthermore, by taking in gas from inside the booth 10, ozone can be more effectively circulated inside the booth 10. Furthermore, because the gas containing ozone can be used to generate ozone again, ozone can be generated efficiently in the ozone generator 20.

The air curtain forming device 60 is connected to the control unit 40, just like the ozone generator 20 and exhaust device 30. In this way, the operation of the air curtain forming device 60 is controlled by the control unit 40. In addition, information about the air curtain forming device 60 (such as its operating status) is acquired by the control unit 40.

In addition, in the air curtain forming device 60, the air volume blown out from the outlet 62 (referred to as "air volume Q0'" in this embodiment) is set to be equal to or greater than the air volume Q1 supplied by the ozone generator 20, but equal to or less than the air volume Q0 taken in by the ozone generator 20 from outside the booth 10. The air volume Q0 taken in by the ozone generator 20 from outside the booth 10 is set to be smaller than the air volume Q2 drawn in by the exhaust device 30 from inside the booth 10. The air volume Q2 drawn in by the exhaust device 30 from inside the booth 10 is set to be equal to or less than the air volume Q4 exhausted by the exhaust device 30 to the outside of the booth 10. In this way, in the fourth embodiment, the air volumes of the booth 10 are set so that Q1≦Q0'≦Q0<Q2≦Q4.

The configuration of the sterilization system 1 according to the fifth embodiment will be described below using Figure 8(a).

The sterilization system 1 according to the fifth embodiment differs significantly from the sterilization systems 1 according to the first to fourth embodiments in that the ozone generator 20 and exhaust device 30 are installed across multiple spaces.

In this embodiment, four booths 10 are provided. The four booths 10 are provided adjacent to each other so that each booth shares two of its four walls with the other booths. In this way, the four booths 10 are arranged in a roughly square shape in plan view.

The ozone generator 20 is installed above the overall center of the four booths 10 (where one corner of each of the four booths 10 meets in a plan view). The ozone generator 20 is installed so as to straddle the open portions 15 of the four booths 10. Specifically, the ozone generator 20 is installed so as to overlap at least a portion of the open portion 15 of each of the four booths 10 in a plan view. In this way, the ozone generator 20 can release ozone simultaneously into all four booths 10, or sequentially into any selected booths 10.

The exhaust device 30 is also provided below the ozone generator 20. The exhaust device 30 is provided so as to straddle the interior spaces of the four booths 10 through a predetermined opening. In other words, the exhaust device 30 is provided so as to be located in at least a portion of the interior space of each of the four booths 10. In this way, the exhaust device 30 can exhaust air from all four booths 10 simultaneously, or sequentially from any selected booth 10.

In this way, the ozone generator 20 and exhaust device 30 can be shared by multiple booths 10, resulting in more efficient use of space and reduced costs.

The number of booths 10 is not limited to four, as long as it is two or more. The arrangement of the multiple booths 10 is not limited to that described above. The locations and arrangement methods of the ozone generator 20 and exhaust device 30 are not limited to those described above, and any arrangement that spans two or more booths 10 can be used.

The configuration of the sterilization system 1 according to the sixth embodiment will be described below using Figure 8(b).

The sterilization system 1 according to the sixth embodiment differs significantly from the sterilization systems 1 according to the first to fifth embodiments in that it utilizes exhaust air from the exhaust device 30. Note that the sterilization system 1 according to the sixth embodiment does not include a concentration reduction means in the exhaust device 30.

In this embodiment, three booths 10 are provided. That is, the three booths 10 are provided adjacent to each other so that each booth shares one of its four walls with another booth. In this way, the three booths 10 are arranged in a straight line in the front-to-back direction in a plan view.

The sterilization system 1 according to this embodiment includes an exhaust air guide section 70. The exhaust air guide section 70 is a longitudinally formed hollow member (a duct-like member). One longitudinal end of the exhaust air guide section 70 is connected to the exhaust device 30. The other longitudinal end of the exhaust air guide section 70 is arranged to extend upward along the wall of the booth 10, facing the internal space of an adjacent booth 10 through the opening 15.

In this way, the exhaust air from the exhaust device 30 of one booth 10 is guided by the exhaust guide section 70 and released from above into the interior of another adjacent booth 10. Here, the exhaust air (gas) from the exhaust device 30 contains ozone. In other words, the gas released from the exhaust guide section 70 can be used to sterilize the interior of the other booth 10. In this way, the exhaust guide section 70 allows the exhaust air from the exhaust device 30 to be used to sterilize the interior of the other booth 10 without being wasted and released to the outside.

The number of booths 10 is not limited to three, as long as it is two or more. The arrangement of the multiple booths 10 is also not limited to that described above. The location and method of placement of the exhaust guide unit 70 are also not limited to that described above, and any method can be used as long as it is possible to guide exhaust air from one booth 10 into the interior of another booth 10.

As described above, in the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention,
A sterilization system 1 that sterilizes a predetermined booth 10 (space) having an open section 15 open to the outside,
an ozone generator 20 that supplies the generated ozone to the inside of the booth 10 (space);
an exhaust device (30) that exhausts air at a volume equal to or greater than the volume of air supplied from the ozone generator (20) to the outside of the booth (10) (space);
It is equipped with the following.

This configuration creates a negative pressure inside the booth 10, preventing ozone inside the booth 10 from leaking to the outside through the open section 15. In other words, ozone can be used to effectively disinfect a booth 10 that has an open section 15 that is open to the outside.

In the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention,
The booth 10 further includes a control unit 40 that can control the ozone generator 20 and the exhaust device 30 based on the ozone concentration inside the booth 10 (space).

With this configuration, the control unit 40 executes automatic sterilization control, preventing ozone from leaking outside the booth 10 through the open section 15 while sterilizing the booth 10 in a relatively short time.

In the second to fourth embodiments of the present invention,
The exhaust device 30 is equipped with concentration reducing means (a first concentration reducing mechanism 51, a second concentration reducing mechanism 52, and a third concentration reducing mechanism 53) for reducing the concentration of ozone contained in the exhaust gas.

This configuration effectively reduces the ozone concentration in the gas exhausted from the exhaust device 30 to the outside of the booth 10 compared to the ozone concentration in the gas sucked into the exhaust device 30 inside the booth 10.

In the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention,
The booth 10 (space) has an open section 15 at the top, which is defined by a wall section 11 that divides the periphery.
The ozone generator 20 is provided on the upper part of the wall portion 11,
The exhaust device 30 is provided at the lower part of the wall portion 11 .

Since ozone is heavier than air and tends to move downward, this configuration allows ozone to be distributed throughout the entire booth 10, effectively sterilizing the booth 10.

In the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention,
The wall portion has a pair of opposing wall portions opposed to each other,
The ozone generator 20 and the exhaust device 30 are provided on the front wall 12 (first opposing wall portion), which is the same opposing wall portion of the pair of opposing wall portions.

This configuration allows for the creation of a flow (airflow) of ozone that circulates inside the booth 10, enabling the booth 10 to be effectively disinfected.

In addition, in a fourth embodiment of the present invention,
The air curtain forming device 60 is further provided, which can form an air curtain.
The air curtain forming device 60 is provided on the rear wall 13 (second opposing wall portion) of the pair of opposing wall portions, which is different from the first opposing wall portion, and blows gas across the open portion 15 toward the ozone generator 20.

With this configuration, the air curtain formed can more effectively prevent ozone from leaking outside the booth 10 through the opening 15. Furthermore, since the ozone-containing gas is used to generate ozone again in the ozone generator 20, ozone can be generated efficiently.

In addition, in a fifth embodiment of the present invention,
A plurality of booths 10 (spaces) are provided,
The ozone generator 20 and the exhaust device 30 are installed across a plurality of the booths 10 (spaces).

This configuration allows the ozone generator 20 and exhaust device 30 to be shared by multiple booths 10, thereby improving space efficiency and reducing costs.

In addition, in a sixth embodiment of the present invention,
A plurality of booths 10 (spaces) are provided,
The system further includes an exhaust guide section 70 for guiding exhaust air from the exhaust device 30 of one of the plurality of booths 10 (spaces) into the interior of another of the plurality of booths 10 (spaces).

This configuration allows the exhaust air from the exhaust device 30 to be used to disinfect the interior of other booths 10 without being wasted outside.

The above describes an embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical concept of the invention described in the claims.

For example, the space to which the present invention is applied is a small room (booth 10) in an internet cafe, but is not limited to this. It can be applied to any space with an open area, such as a personal workspace, meeting space, capsule hotel, or shared restroom.

Furthermore, the spaces to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to semi-private spaces that are open upward. In other words, the spaces to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to spaces with an open section at the top, but may also be spaces with an open section formed midway up or down, or at the bottom (opening horizontally). Specifically, for example, the space may be a kitchen or bathroom that has an open section (entrance or counter) that opens to an adjacent space (e.g., a living room or hallway).

Furthermore, in the first to fifth embodiments, the exhaust port 32 of the exhaust device 30 is connected to the outside of the booth 10 and to an unmanned space where no one is nearby (for example, an underfloor space or an outdoor space), but this is not limited to this. In other words, even if the space outside the booth 10 connected to the exhaust port 32 is sufficiently large, and even if ozone inside the booth 10 is exhausted, it may be exhausted to the above-mentioned outdoor space rather than the underfloor space or an outdoor space, as long as the ozone concentration remains below environmental standards.

Furthermore, in the first to fourth embodiments, the exhaust device 30 is installed on the outer surface of the booth 10 (outside the booth 10), but it can also be installed on the inner surface (inside the booth 10).

Furthermore, in the first to fourth embodiments, the ozone generator 20 and the exhaust device 30 are provided on the same wall (front wall 12), but this is not limited to this and they may be provided on different walls.

1 Sterilization system 10 Booth 20 Ozone generator 30 Exhaust device

Claims (4)

A sterilization system for sterilizing a predetermined space having an open part open to the outside,
an ozone generator that supplies the generated ozone into the space;
an exhaust device that exhausts air at a volume equal to or greater than the volume of air supplied from the ozone generator to the outside of the space;
Equipped with
The space has an open portion at an upper portion defined by a wall portion that defines the periphery,
the ozone generator is provided on an upper portion of the wall portion,
The exhaust device is provided at a lower portion of the wall portion,
The wall portion has a pair of opposing wall portions opposed to each other,
the ozone generator and the exhaust device are provided on a first opposing wall portion, which is the same opposing wall portion, of the pair of opposing wall portions,
The ozone generator is
the second opposing wall portion of the pair of opposing wall portions is provided so as to be able to release ozone toward a second opposing wall portion different from the first opposing wall portion,
Disinfection system. Further, a control unit is provided that can control the ozone generator and the exhaust device based on the ozone concentration inside the space.
The sterilization system according to claim 1. The exhaust device includes a concentration reduction means for reducing the ozone concentration contained in the exhaust gas.
The sterilization system according to claim 1 or claim 2. Further provided is an air curtain forming device capable of forming an air curtain,
The air curtain forming device is provided on the second opposing wall portion and blows out gas above an ozone supply port of the ozone generator so as to cross the open portion.
The sterilization system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.