IP Library Granted Patent US 8,227,239
Granted Patent B2
US 8,227,239 · App. 12/703,532 · Granted Jul 24, 2012

Culture apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,227,239
App. No.
12/703,532
Granted
Jul 24, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A culture apparatus comprising: a housing including a culture chamber inside, culture being cultured in the culture chamber; a door configured to seal the culture chamber; an ultraviolet lamp configured to generate an ultraviolet ray for disinfecting air in the culture chamber; a lighting device configured to allow the ultraviolet lamp to be on for a predetermined time period, when the air in the culture chamber is disinfected; a detecting device configured to detect deterioration of disinfection capability of the ultraviolet lamp; and a controller configured to correct the predetermined time period, during which the ultraviolet lamp is on, so as to be longer according to the deterioration of the disinfection capability of the ultraviolet lamp detected by the detecting device.

Claims (12)

1. A culture apparatus comprising:

a housing including a culture chamber inside, culture being cultured in the culture chamber;

a door configured to seal the culture chamber;

an ultraviolet lamp configured to generate an ultraviolet ray for disinfecting air in the culture chamber;

a lighting device configured to allow the ultraviolet lamp to be on for a predetermined time period, when the air in the culture chamber is disinfected;

a detecting device configured to detect deterioration of disinfection capability of the ultraviolet lamp; and

a controller configured to correct the predetermined time period, during which the ultraviolet lamp is on, so as to be longer according to the deterioration of the disinfection capability of the ultraviolet lamp detected by the detecting device, wherein

the detecting device outputs as the detection result an accumulated time period obtained by accumulating a lighting time period of the ultraviolet lamp,

the controller controls the lighting device so that the predetermined time period is set longer as the accumulated time period becomes longer, and

the controller controls the lighting device so that the predetermined time period is set longer in a stepwise manner each time the accumulated time period reaches a predetermined time period.

2. The culture apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ultraviolet ray has a wavelength at which generation of ozone is suppressed.

3. The culture apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a switch configured to detect whether the door is open or closed, wherein lighting of the ultraviolet lamp is started when closing of the door is detected by the switch.

Assignments (6)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 29, 2018
From: PANASONIC HEALTHCARE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
To: PHC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046459/0861 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PHC HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 032785/0498 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 29, 2014
From: PHC HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC HEALTHCARE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 032785/0563 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2014
From: PANASONIC HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032480/0433 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2012
From: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 028199/0276 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2010
From: BUSUJIMA, HIROKI; KIKUCHI, YASUHIRO; ITO, KENICHI; KOBAYASHI, KUNIYOSHI
To: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 024087/0011 →