Modified and improved self-sanitizing chair
| Title: | Modified and improved self-sanitizing chair |
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| Patent Number: | 11717,093 |
| Publication Date: | August 08, 2023 |
| Appl. No: | 16/812790 |
| Application Filed: | March 09, 2020 |
| Abstract: | A self-sanitizing chair is shown and described. The chair may comprise a seating surface, legs, arm rest, head rest, and a sanitizing system. The latter may include a UV light source and a sanitizing fluid dispensing system. UV light and sanitizing fluid are applied to surfaces of the chair contacted by a human user. Indicating lights indicate when sanitizing is being performed, when sanitizing fluid is drying, and when the chair is ready for the next user. A control circuit operates the indicating lights and includes an occupant sensor. Sanitizing is inhibited in the presence of an occupant and commenced when the occupant has left the chair. |
| Inventors: | High, Jr., Zeb F. (Wilson, NC, US); Joseph, Isiah (Virginia Beach, VA, US); Gordon, Gary (Suffolk, VA, US) |
| Claim: | 1. A self-sanitizing chair, comprising: a seating surface, a seat back abutting the seating surface, the seat back further comprising a headrest, at least one armrest coupled to the self-sanitizing chair, wherein the armrest is movable to a deployed position suitable for supporting an arm of a person seated on the self-sanitizing chair and a sanitizing position suitable for exposing a portion of the armrest contacted by the person seated on the self-sanitizing chair to UV light from a UV emitting element, and at least one leg; a UV emitting element coupled to the self-sanitizing chair and oriented to project UV light against at least one part of the self-sanitizing chair contacted by a person sitting thereon, wherein the UV emitting element is arranged to project UV light against the armrest; a fluid dispensing system for dispensing a sanitizing fluid onto the part of the self-sanitizing chair contacted by the person sitting thereon, wherein the fluid dispensing system comprises a reservoir for storing the sanitizing fluid, a pressure source for pressurizing the sanitizing fluid, at least one nozzle for directing pressurized sanitizing fluid against the part of the self-sanitizing chair contacted by the person sitting thereon, and conduits arranged to conduct sanitizing fluid from the pressure source to the at least one nozzle; a control circuit including a timer arranged to measure a predetermined time period starting when pressurized santitizing fluid ceases to be dispensed, a first status indicating lamp arranged to indicate whether the UV emitting element is emitting UV light. a second status indicating lamp arranged to indicate that the UV emitting element has been operated and that the self-sanitizing chair is ready to receive a new person desiring to sit thereon, and a third indicating lamp for indicating that dispensed sanitizing fluid is drying, wherein the control circuit illuminates the third indicating lamp for the predetermined time period, an occupancy sensor arranged to sense whether a person is sitting on the self-sanitizing chair, and the control circuit inhibits operation of the UV emitting element and dispensing of the sanitary fluid while the person is sitting on the self-sanitizing chair. |
| Patent References Cited: | 6973679 December 2005 Schad 20070256226 November 2007 Pinizzotto 20140137318 May 2014 Dorra 206543063 October 2017 |
| Other References: | English language machine translation of CN 206543063 U, Inventor: Li (Year: 2017). cited by examiner |
| Primary Examiner: | Conley, Sean E |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Sykes, William G. |
| Accession Number: | edspgr.11717093 |
| Database: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| Language: | English |
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