IP Library Granted Patent US 12667635
Granted Patent B2
US 12667635 · App. 18/186,336 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Active oxygen supply apparatus

Inventors: Toru Oguma (Shizuoka, JP); Takumi Furukawa (Shizuoka, JP); Masaki Ozawa (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
A61L2/202A61L2/10A61L2/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12667635
App. No.
18/186,336
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An active oxygen supply apparatus includes a casing, a plurality of plasma generating devices provided in an inside of the casing and configured to generate an induced flow containing ozone, an ultraviolet light source provided in the inside of the casing and configured to irradiate the induced flow containing the ozone with ultraviolet light, and a shielding plate provided in the inside of the casing and configured to shield the ultraviolet light irradiated to an outside of the casing through an opening portion of the casing. An active oxygen generated by irradiating the induced flow containing the ozone with the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source supplies to the outside of the casing through the opening portion of the casing.

Claims (36)

1 . An active oxygen supply apparatus comprising:

a casing;

a plurality of plasma generating devices provided in an inside of the casing and configured to generate an induced flow containing ozone;

an ultraviolet light source provided in the inside of the casing and configured to irradiate the induced flow containing the ozone with ultraviolet light;

a shielding plate provided in the inside of the casing and configured to shield the ultraviolet light irradiated from passing to an outside of the casing through an opening portion of the casing; and

a shutter configured to be switched between a closed position and an opened position,

wherein an active oxygen generated by irradiating the induced flow containing the ozone with the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source is supplied to the outside of the casing through the opening portion of the casing, and

wherein the opening portion becomes a closed state when the shutter is in the closed position and the opening portion becomes an exposed state when the shutter is in the opened position.

2 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the induced flow flows toward the opening portion of the casing.

3 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plasma generating devices are disposed on a surface where an edge portion of the opening portion exists in the inside of the casing.

4 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein when an opening surface of the opening portion of the casing is seen in a direction perpendicular to the opening surface, at least a part of the shielding plate is disposed so as to overlap with the casing which forms the opening portion.

5 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the shielding plate and a processed object is longer than a distance between the plasma generating devices and the processed object.

6 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plasma generating devices are disposed along an edge portion of the opening portion of the inside of the casing and opposed across the opening portion.

7 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the casing includes a first surface and a second surface in a direction perpendicular to an opening surface of the opening portion of the casing, the first surface and the second surface being opposed each other with respect to a direction parallel to the opening surface of the opening portion of the casing.

8 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a distance between the first surface and the second surface with respect to the direction parallel to the opening surface of the opening portion of the casing is equal to 12 cm or less.

9 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a shape of the opening portion of the casing is a rectangle, and

wherein the plurality of the plasma generating devices include a first plasma generating device and a second plasma generating device, the first plasma generating device is disposed along an edge portion of a first longitudinal side of the opening portion of the casing and the second plasma generating device is disposed along an edge portion of a second longitudinal side of the opening portion of the casing, and the first plasma generating device and the second plasma generating device are opposed across the opening portion.

10 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a shape of the opening portion of the casing is a circle, and

wherein the plurality of the plasma generating devices include a first plasma generating device and a second plasma generating device, and the first plasma generating device and the second plasma generating device are disposed along an edge portion of the opening portion.

11 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the plasma generating devices are driven when the shutter is in the opened position.

12 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein by elapsing a predetermined period after the shutter is in the opened position and the plurality of the plasma generating devices are driven, the shutter is in the closed position and the plurality of the plasma generating devices are stopped.

13 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a proximity detection means configured to detect a distance between the opening portion and a processed object to which the active oxygen is supplied in the outside of the casing,

wherein the proximity detection means causes to drive the plurality of the plasma generating devices when a distance between the opening portion and a processed object becomes shorter than a predetermined distance.

14 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a human body detection means configured to detect a distance between the opening portion and a human body,

wherein the human body detection means causes to stop driving of the plurality of the plasma generating devices when a distance between the opening portion and the human body becomes shorter than a predetermined distance.

15 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a window portion made of a material that blocks the ultraviolet light, and through which a working state of the ultraviolet light source can be seen.

16 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a notification means configured to notify that the ultraviolet light is irradiated by the ultraviolet light source in the casing.

17 . The active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an acceleration detection means configured to detect an acceleration of the active oxygen supply apparatus; and

a speed notification means configured to determine whether the active oxygen supply apparatus is moved within a predetermined speed according to a detection result of the acceleration detection means and notify a determined result.

18 . An active oxygen supply processing apparatus comprising:

a first moving means configured to move the active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first moving means causes the active oxygen supply apparatus to move along a surface of a processed object in a state in which the opening portion and the surface of the processed object to which the active oxygen is supplied in the outside of the casing are parallel, and supplies the active oxygen to the surface of the processed object.

19 . An active oxygen supply processing apparatus comprising:

a second moving means configured to move a position of a processed object to which the active oxygen is supplied relative to the active oxygen supply apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second moving means causes the processed object to move along the opening portion of the oxygen supply processing apparatus in a state in which the opening portion and a surface of the processed object are parallel, and supplies the active oxygen to the surface of the processed object.