US 12,186,443 B2
Apparatus for sterilization of inside of vehicle using drone
Jae Seung Lee, Hwaseong-si (KR); Dae Hee Lee, Incheon (KR); Kyu Hoon Cho, Suwon-Si (KR); Seung Sik Han, Hwaseong-Si (KR); Yong Hyun Nam, Anyang-Si (KR); and Chung Sik Yim, Anyang-Si (KR)
Assigned to Hyundai Motor Company, Seoul (KR); and Kia Corporation, Seoul (KR)
Filed by Hyundai Motor Company, Seoul (KR); and Kia Corporation, Seoul (KR)
Filed on Jun. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/353,385.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0151536 (KR), filed on Nov. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0152254 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. A61L 2/24 (2006.01); A61L 2/10 (2006.01); A61L 2/22 (2006.01); B64D 1/18 (2006.01); B64D 47/02 (2006.01); B64F 5/40 (2017.01); B64U 30/299 (2023.01); B64U 50/14 (2023.01); B64U 101/29 (2023.01); G02B 5/08 (2006.01); G02B 26/10 (2006.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 50/38 (2023.01)
CPC A61L 2/24 (2013.01) [A61L 2/10 (2013.01); A61L 2/22 (2013.01); B64D 1/18 (2013.01); B64D 47/02 (2013.01); B64F 5/40 (2017.01); B64U 30/299 (2023.01); B64U 50/14 (2023.01); G02B 5/0891 (2013.01); G02B 26/103 (2013.01); A61L 2202/11 (2013.01); A61L 2202/14 (2013.01); A61L 2202/15 (2013.01); A61L 2202/16 (2013.01); A61L 2202/25 (2013.01); B64D 2203/00 (2013.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 50/38 (2023.01); B64U 2101/29 (2023.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for sterilizing an interior of a vehicle using a drone, the apparatus comprising:
a drone body of the drone and including a conformation sensor;
one or more propellers rotatably coupled to the drone body;
an ultraviolet (UV) unit mounted to the drone body and configured to radiate UV light;
a sterilizer spray unit mounted to the drone body and configured to spray a sterilant; and
a controller electrically connected to the UV unit or the sterilizer spray unit and configured to set a flight route in a vehicle, to determine an infected region in the set flight route, and to operate the UV unit or the sterilizer spray unit in correspondence to the infected region,
wherein the sterilizer spray unit includes:
a sterilizer vessel disposed in the drone body and storing the sterilant;
an inflow channel configured to send the sterilant supplied from the sterilizer vessel into at least one propeller among the one or more propellers; and
a connection channel formed in a propeller rotation shaft to which the one or more propellers are rotatably coupled so that the inflow channel and the sterilizer vessels are fluidically connected to supply the sterilant through the connection channel.