IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0005649
(2007-12-27)
|
등록번호 |
US-8609036
(2013-12-17)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Fuller, Thomas A.
- Wysk, Richard A.
- Sebastianelli, Wayne J.
- Cohen, Paul H.
- Voigt, Robert C.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Agentumcidalelectrics, Inc.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, L.L.P.
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
29 |
초록
▼
A method and device for destroying and inhibiting exposure to microbes and infection includes a first element and a second element, and a power source. At least one of the elements includes antimicrobial metal, which, when energized by the power source, produces ions that are lethal to microbes. The
A method and device for destroying and inhibiting exposure to microbes and infection includes a first element and a second element, and a power source. At least one of the elements includes antimicrobial metal, which, when energized by the power source, produces ions that are lethal to microbes. The device can be incorporated into virtually any useful object. During normal use of the object, electrical communication is established between the two elements, causing current supplied from the power source to flow through the antimicrobial metal. The two elements are configured and arranged to ensure that ions flowing from the antimicrobial metal flow through the region in which it is desired to kill microbes. The antimicrobial metal can be on the surface of the element, incorporated into the material making up the element, or provided in any other way that allows the antimicrobial effect to be achieved.
대표청구항
▼
1. An antimicrobial device, comprising: a device body having a first element including a plurality of first external surfaces and a second element including a plurality of second external surfaces, at least one of the first and second elements including an antimicrobial material, wherein the first a
1. An antimicrobial device, comprising: a device body having a first element including a plurality of first external surfaces and a second element including a plurality of second external surfaces, at least one of the first and second elements including an antimicrobial material, wherein the first and second external surfaces are adjacent to and directly facing one another in more than one location, wherein each of the adjacent first and second external surfaces are separated from one another by a space, and wherein the first element and second element remain free from contact with one another;one or more insulators configured to electrically decouple the first and second elements from each other, said one or more insulators being synthetic or air or both and being positioned in the spaces directly between the adjacent first and second external surfaces of the first and second elements; andan electrical power supply configured to apply electric potential across the first and second elements;wherein said first and second elements are configured to be electrically coupled together by an object that comes into contact with said device body causing electrical current to flow between said first and second elements and causing emission of antimicrobial ions from the antimicrobial material toward the object;and wherein the antimicrobial device is an ex vivo antimicrobial device. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial material is a metal-containing coating. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial material comprises at least one of silver, copper, cadmium, gold, zinc, cobalt, nickel, palladium, manganese, chromium, an ionic form, an alloy, a composite, a mixture, a combination of silver and copper, a combination of silver and cadmium, a combination of copper and cadmium, and a combination of silver, cadmium, and copper. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial material includes a combination of at least a first transition metal and a second transition metal, wherein the ratio between the first transition metal and the second transition metal ranges from about 1000:1-1:1000. 5. The device of claim 2, wherein the metal-containing coating is disposed on the first element in a pattern. 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the pattern includes interlocking stripes defining discontinuous regions of coating, wherein the distance between discontinuous regions of coating is selected to account for the diffusion distance of ions generated from the metal-containing coating. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial material contains metal and is formed of at least one of a wire, paint, ribbon, mesh, lattice, sheet, plate, and foil. 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the antimicrobial material is attached to the at least one of the first and second elements with at least one of welding and an adhesive. 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial material is non-uniformly disposed on the at least one of the first and second elements. 10. The device of claim 2, wherein the metal-containing coating has a thickness of about 1×10−9-5×10−3 meters. 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more insulators have a resistive value greater than a resistive value of an object that comes into contact with said device body causing electrical current to flow between said first and second elements and causing emission of antimicrobial ions from the antimicrobial material toward the object. 12. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more insulators include epoxy. 13. The device of claim 1, wherein the device body is configured for incorporation within at least one of a textile, a filter, an item of medical equipment, an electronic device, an item of processing equipment for a consumable, a ventilation system component, a food preparation surface, a laboratory surface, a household surface, a personal care accessory, a hardware surface, and a surface configured for human or animal interaction. 14. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second elements are configured to be electrically connected to one another by at least one of a human tissue, one or more microbes, a fluid, environmental humidity, a textile, and a food item. 15. An antimicrobial device, comprising: a device body having a first element including a plurality of first external surfaces and a second element including a plurality of second external surfaces, at least one of the first and second elements including an antimicrobial material, wherein the first and second external surfaces are adjacent to and directly facing one another in more than one location, wherein each of the adjacent first and second external surfaces are separated from one another by a space, and wherein the first element and second element remain free from contact with one another;an electrical power source configured to apply electric potential across the first and second elements; andone or more insulators configured to electrically decouple the first and second elements from each other, each of said one or more insulators and said power source at least partially enclosed within the device body, said one or more insulators being synthetic or air or both and being positioned in the spaces directly between the adjacent first and second external surfaces of the first and second elements;wherein said first and second elements are configured to be electrically coupled together by an object that comes into contact with said device body causing electrical current to flow between said first and second elements and causing emission of antimicrobial ions from the antimicrobial material toward the object;and wherein the antimicrobial device is an ex vivo antimicrobial device. 16. The device of claim 15, wherein the antimicrobial material is a metal-containing coating. 17. The device of claim 15, wherein the antimicrobial material comprises at least one of silver, copper, cadmium, gold, zinc, cobalt, nickel, palladium, manganese, chromium, an ionic form, an alloy, a composite, a mixture, a combination of silver and copper, a combination of silver and cadmium, a combination of copper and cadmium, and a combination of silver, cadmium, and copper. 18. The device of claim 15, wherein the antimicrobial material includes a combination of at least a first transition metal and a second transition metal, wherein the ratio between the first transition metal and the second transition metal ranges from about 1000:1-1:1000. 19. The device of claim 16, wherein the metal-containing coating is disposed on the first element in a pattern. 20. The device of claim 19, wherein the pattern includes interlocking stripes defining discontinuous regions of coating, wherein the distance between discontinuous regions of coating is selected to account for the diffusion distance of ions generated from the metal-containing coating. 21. The device of claim 15, wherein the antimicrobial material contains metal and is formed of at least one of a wire, paint, ribbon, mesh, lattice, sheet, plate, and foil. 22. The device of claim 21, wherein the antimicrobial material is attached to the at least one of the first and second elements with at least one of welding and an adhesive. 23. The device of claim 15, wherein the antimicrobial material is non-uniformly disposed on the at least one of the first and second elements. 24. The device of claim 16, wherein the metal-containing coating has a thickness of about 1×10−9-5×10−3 meters. 25. The device of claim 15, wherein the one or more insulators have a resistive value greater than a resistive value of an object that comes into contact with said device body causing electrical current to flow between said first and second elements and causing emission of antimicrobial ions from the antimicrobial material toward the object. 26. The device of claim 15, wherein the one or more insulators include epoxy. 27. The device of claim 15, wherein the device body is configured for incorporation within at least one of a textile, a filter, an item of medical equipment, an electronic device, an item of processing equipment for a consumable, a ventilation system component, a food preparation surface, a laboratory surface, a household surface, a personal care accessory, a hardware surface, and a surface configured for human or animal interaction. 28. The device of claim 15, wherein said first and second elements are configured to be electrically connected to one another by at least one of a human tissue, one or more microbes, a fluid, environmental humidity, a textile, and a food item. 29. An antimicrobial device, comprising: a device body having a first element including a plurality of first external surfaces and a second element including a plurality of second external surfaces, the first element including an antimicrobial material on the first external surfaces, wherein the first and second external surfaces are adjacent to and directly facing one another in more than one location, wherein each of the adjacent first and second external surfaces are separated from one another by a space, and wherein the first element and second element remain free from contact with one another;an electrical power source configured to apply electric potential across the first and second elements; andone or more insulators configured to electrically decouple the first and second elements from each other, said one or more insulators being synthetic or air or both, being positioned in the spaces directly between the adjacent first and second external surfaces of the first element and the second element, and being in direct contact with the adjacent first and second external surfaces of the first element and the second element;wherein said first and second elements are configured to be electrically coupled together by an object that comes into contact with said device body causing electrical current to flow between said first and second elements and causing emission of antimicrobial ions from the antimicrobial material toward the object;and wherein the antimicrobial device is an ex vivo antimicrobial device. 30. The device of claim 29, wherein the one or more insulators are in direct contact with the first element. 31. The device of claim 29, wherein each of the first and second elements, the one or more insulators, and the power source are fixed in place relative to one another prior to an object coming into contact with said device body. 32. An antimicrobial device, comprising: a device body having a first element including a plurality of first external surfaces and a second element including a plurality of second external surfaces, wherein the first and second external surfaces are adjacent to and directly facing one another in more than one location, wherein each of the adjacent first and second external surfaces are separated from one another by a space, and wherein the first element and second element remain free from contact with one another;a first metal component containing an antimicrobial metal disposed on the first element;a power source having a first terminal in connection with the first element and a second terminal in connection with the second element; andone or more electrical insulators existing in a current path between the first terminal and the second terminal, said one or more insulators being synthetic or air or both and being positioned in the spaces directly between the adjacent first and second external surfaces of the first and second elements;wherein said first and second elements are configured so that an object which comes into contact with the first element causes ions to move from the first metal component towards the object and does not electrically close the circuit between the first and second elements;and wherein the antimicrobial device is an ex vivo antimicrobial device. 33. The device of claim 32, wherein the one or more insulators are configured to be sandwiched between the first and second elements. 34. The device of claim 32, wherein a neutral or negatively charged object with respect to the first element which comes into contact with the first element causes an electric potential between the first metal component and the second element. 35. The device of claim 32, wherein the first metal component is a metal-containing coating. 36. An antimicrobial device, comprising: a device body having a first element including a plurality of first external surfaces and a second element including a plurality of second external surfaces, wherein the first and second external surfaces are adjacent to and directly facing one another in more than one location, wherein each of the adjacent first and second external surfaces are separated from one another by a space, and wherein the first element and second element remain free from contact with one another;a first metal component containing an antimicrobial metal disposed on the first element;a power source having a first terminal in connection with the first element and a second terminal in connection with the second element; andone or more electrical insulators existing in a current path between the first terminal and the second terminal, said one or more insulators being synthetic or air or both and being positioned in the spaces directly between the adjacent first and second external surfaces of the first and second elements;wherein said first and second elements are configured to be electrically coupled together by an object that comes into contact with said device body, and wherein each of the first and second components, the one or more insulators, and the power source are fixed in place relative to one another prior to the object coming into contact with said device body;and wherein the antimicrobial device is an ex vivo antimicrobial device. 37. An antimicrobial device, comprising: a device body having a first element including a plurality of first external surfaces and a second element including a plurality of second external surfaces, the first element including an antimicrobial material on the first external surface, wherein the first and second external surfaces are adjacent to and directly facing one another in more than one location, wherein each of the adjacent first and second external surfaces are separated from one another by a space, and wherein the first element and second element remain free from contact with one another;an electrical power source configured to apply electric potential across the first and second elements; andone or more insulators, which can be synthetic or air or both, configured to electrically decouple the first and second elements from each other, said one or more insulators being positioned in the spaces directly between the adjacent first and second external surfaces of the first and second elements and directly contacting the adjacent first and second external surfaces of the first and second elements;wherein said first and second elements are configured to be electrically coupled together by an object that comes into contact with said device body causing electrical current to flow between said first and second elements and causing emission of antimicrobial ions from the antimicrobial material toward the object;and wherein the antimicrobial device is an ex vivo antimicrobial device. 38. An antimicrobial device, comprising: first and second elements, each of the first and second elements extending in a same direction away from a base and spaced from one another such that the first and second elements do not contact one another; wherein each of the first and second elements includes a plurality of external surfaces, wherein the external surfaces of the first and second elements are adjacent to and directly facing each other in more than one location, and wherein the first element and second element remain free from contact with one another;the first element including a first antimicrobial material, and the second element including a second antimicrobial material; anda power source connected to the base, the power source having a first terminal in electrical communication with the first element, and a second terminal in electrical communication with the second element;one or more insulators, which can be synthetic or air or both, being positioned in the spaces directly between the adjacent first and second external surfaces of the first and second elements;wherein each of said first and second elements are configured to be electrically coupled together by an object that comes into contact with the first and second elements causing electrical current to flow between said first and second elements and causing emission of antimicrobial ions from at least one of the first and second antimicrobial materials toward the object;and wherein the antimicrobial device is an ex vivo antimicrobial device. 39. The device of claim 38, wherein the base is configured to prevent a flow of current from the first element to the second element prior to an object electrically coupling the first and second elements together. 40. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second elements are electrically conductive. 41. The device of claim 1, wherein the power supply is configured to deliver between about 10-20 micro-amperes of current.
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