US-12622986-B2 - Method of sterilizing waste containers with ultraviolet light

US12622986B2US 12622986 B2US12622986 B2US 12622986B2US-12622986-B2

Abstract

A method of sterilizing a waste container with ultraviolet (UV) light is disclosed which includes, inserting an article of waste into the waste container, sealing the container from an external environment to prevent UV light from shining out, activating a UV sanitizing routine stored in a UV light module having at least one UV light source and irradiating an interior surface of the diaper pail with the UV light.

Inventors

Steven Bryan Dunn
Luk Ka Lok
Chan Kim Ho
Mark Gerard Tebbe
Thomas Edward BIRKERT
Kevin Douglas Johnson
Michael John Laudi
Nicholas Arthur Trumbo
Sung Yun Chan
Ip Hing Lai
Cheung Yik MAN
Ho Wing Tak

Assignees

MUNCHKIN, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20210325

Claims (20)

1 . A method of sanitizing a diaper pail, comprising: providing a container having a housing and a lid assembly; integrating a support structure into the container disposed between the housing and lid assembly that is adapted to receive two different types of flexible bag assemblies, wherein the support structure has a first stationary support member having a first support surface dimensioned to seat and secure a first bag assembly, and a second stationary support member having a second support surface vertically offset from the first support surface and that extends horizontally below the first support surface dimensioned to seat and secure a cassette of a second bag assembly; opening a cover lid of the lid assembly to deposit an article of waste into a waste chamber disposed in the support structure; closing the cover lid; engaging at least one multi-axis sensor by detecting that the cover lid is closed and substantially parallel to a surface supporting the diaper pail; and directing an ultraviolet (UV) light downwardly from a bottom surface of the lid assembly onto an interior surface of the diaper pail when the at least one multi-axis sensor is engaged.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: after engaging the at least one multi-axis sensor, activating a UV light module to control the UV light; and running a sanitization routine stored in a memory module of the UV light module.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one multi-axis sensor is disposed on the lid assembly.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: placing a second sensor on a door that opens into an interior storage space of the housing.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the UV light module is disposed on the cover lid.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the UV light has a wavelength within the UV-C spectrum.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: placing a second UV light in the housing.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second UV light directs UV light onto and through a flexible bag assembly installed in the housing to sanitize the article of waste stored therein.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second bag assembly is the cassette for dispensing flexible tubing.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first bag assembly is a flexible tubing connected to a frame.
11 . A method of sanitizing a diaper pail having a housing and a lid assembly with an ultraviolet (UV) light, comprising: integrating a support structure into the diaper pail having an opening adapted to receive two different types of flexible bag assemblies, the support structure having a first stationary support member having a first support surface dimensioned to seat and secure a first bag assembly, and a second stationary support member having a second support surface vertically offset from the first support surface and that extends horizontally below the first surface dimensioned to seat and secure a cassette; inserting an article of waste into the diaper pail through the opening in the support structure positioned within a housing of the diaper pail; sealing the diaper pail from an external environment to prevent UV light from emanating therefrom; activating a UV sanitizing routine stored in a UV light module that is connected to at least one UV light source, wherein the UV sanitizing routine is activated by verifying that a multi-axis lid sensor is engaged by detecting that the lid is closed and substantially parallel to a surface supporting the diaper pail; irradiating an interior surface of the diaper pail with the UV light directed downwardly from a bottom surface of the lid assembly; and deactivating the UV sanitizing routine after a predetermined time period.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the diaper pail comprises: the housing having an upper end and a lower end; a base attached at the lower end; and the lid assembly pivotally attached by a hinge to the upper end, the lid assembly having: a lid cover; and an internal lid.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising: positioning at least one sensor on the diaper pail that is engaged for the UV light module to activate and run the UV sanitizing routine.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the UV sanitizing routine further comprises the steps of: verifying that a door sensor is engaged when a door of the housing is closed; activating the UV light source for the predetermined time period; and ceasing operation of the UV sanitizing routine immediately if the lid sensor or the door sensor is disengaged.
15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising an additional UV light source disposed in the housing.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the additional UV light source directs UV light onto and through a tubing of the flexible bag assembly installed on the support structure to sanitize the contents stored therein.
17 . A method of cleaning a diaper pail comprising: providing a container having a housing and a lid assembly; integrating a support structure into the container having an opening adapted to receive two different types of flexible bag assemblies, the support structure disposed between the housing and the lid assembly; installing at least one of the flexible bag assembly on a first stationary support member or a second stationary support member of the support structure, wherein the second stationary support member extends horizontally below and is vertically offset from the first stationary support member; pulling a flexible tubing from the flexible bag assembly through the opening in the support structure; inserting an item of waste in the flexible tubing of the flexible bag assembly; closing a cover lid of the lid assembly, the cover lid containing at least one ultraviolet (UV) light source and at least one multi-axis sensor that detects a position of the lid assembly; and directing UV light from the UV light source downwardly from a bottom surface of the lid assembly onto the item of waste stored in the diaper pail, wherein the UV light source is activated only when the at least one multi-axis sensor detects that the cover lid is resting substantially parallel to a surface supporting the diaper pail.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising the step of: engaging the at least multi-axis one sensor before directing the UV light.
19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising: providing an additional UV light source in the housing.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the additional UV light source directs the UV light onto and through the flexible tubing of the flexible bag assembly installed in the diaper pail to sanitize the contents stored therein.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This Application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/198,072 filed Mar. 10, 2021, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/987,683 filed Mar. 10, 2020, and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/028,212 filed May 21, 2020; and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/037,571 filed Jun. 10, 2020, the contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety into this disclosure. TECHNICAL FIELD The subject disclosure relates generally to methods, systems and apparatuses configured to clean, disinfect, and/or sterilize a waste container with ultraviolet (UV) light. The UV light generated by the apparatus reduces or eliminates bacteria, viruses, malodor, pathogens and other potentially harmful microorganisms. BACKGROUND Most households possess at least one waste receptacle, while many households have multiple containers that hold or store waste therein. Diaper pails are specialized waste containers used by parents and other caregivers to temporarily store waste related to care of infants and young children. Dirty diapers are one of the most common articles of waste stored in diaper pails. Diapers, and waste more generally, often possess malodor and can exist in various states of decomposition, spoilage and decay. Waste can be a source of potentially harmful microorganisms such as bacterial, viruses, mold, fungus and other potentially harmful pathogens. Traditional waste receptacles thus present an environment for microorganisms to multiply, malodor to build and the process of decomposition to continue while the waste is stored therein. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is the use of ultraviolet (UV) energy (electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light) to kill or inactivate viral, bacterial, and fungal species. UV light also acts as a high energy catalyst that breaks down odor-causing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into less complex molecules through a process called oxidation. When exposed to UV energy, VOC's are broken down into short lived oxygen and hydroxyl free radicals that in turn oxidize other complex molecules that may be present. The end result is an effective and immediate breakdown of odor causing molecules, with almost no chemical byproducts. Thus, there is a need for a waste receptacle that harnesses the power of UV sterilization to clean the inside of the receptacle, reduce/eradicate potentially harmful microorganisms and reduce/eliminate VOCs that cause malodor. SUMMARY OF THE SUBJECT DISCLOSURE The present subject disclosure presents a simplified summary of the subject disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects thereof. This summary is not an extensive overview of the various embodiments of the subject disclosure. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the subject disclosure nor delineate any scope thereof. The sole purpose of the subject summary is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented hereinafter. While various aspects, features, or advantages of the subject disclosure are illustrated in reference to common waste receptacles, such aspects and features also may be exploited in various other containers that may benefit from UV sterilization to improve cleanliness or eliminate potentially harmful microorganism and malodor. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the subject disclosure, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects of one or more embodiments of the disclosure. However, these aspects are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the subject disclosure may be employed. Other aspects, advantages and novel features of the subject disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various example embodiments of the subject disclosure when considered in conjunction with the drawings. In an exemplary embodiment, the present subject disclosure is a waste receptacle. The waste receptacle includes a container housing, a lid assembly and at least one UV illumination source disposed in the lid assembly or container housing for sterilizing an internal compartment of the container housing. The waste receptacle may include at least one sensor, for example disposed in the lid assembly and/or the container housing, for ensuring the safe operation of the UV illumination source. The at least one sensor prevents the UV illumination source from operating unless the waste receptacle is completely sealed in order to prevent UV light from exiting the receptacle during use and to protect a user or bystander from exposure to potentially harmful UV light. In another exemplary embodiment, the present subject disclosure is