Method of sterilizing waste containers with ultraviolet light
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.
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.
21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the flexible bag assembly on the second stationary support is a cassette for dispensing the flexible tubing.
22 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the flexible bag assembly on the first stationary support is the flexible tubing connected to a frame.
23 . A method of sanitizing a diaper pail having a housing and a lid assembly with an ultraviolet (UV) light disposed therein, comprising:
installing a bag assembly into the diaper pail having a support structure integrated and positioned within a housing, the support structure 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 support surface dimensioned to seat and secure a cassette;
inserting an article of waste into a flexible portion of the bag assembly;
sealing the diaper pail to prevent the UV light from escaping outside of the diaper pail to an external environment;
activating a UV sanitizing routine that controls the UV light, 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; and
irradiating an interior surface of the diaper pail with the UV light directed downwardly from a bottom surface of the lid assembly.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the first bag assembly is a flexible tubing connected to a frame.
25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the second bag assembly is the cassette for dispensing flexible tubing.