Purely mechanically driven door-controlled disinfection device for automatic COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak is a sharp reminder that pandemics, like other rarely occurring catastrophes, have happened in the past and will continue to happen in the future. It is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is an emerging disease. There has been a rapid increase in cases and deaths since it was identified in Wuhan, China. Even if we cannot prevent dangerous viruses from emerging, we should prepare to dampen their effects on society. The current outbreak has had severe economic consequences across the globe, and it does not look like any country will be unaffected. This not only has consequences for the economy; all of society is affected, which has led to dramatic changes in how businesses act and consumers behave. It is in this context that this paper describes a device based on a mechanical spray disinfection system that does not use an electrical source or detection sensor, thus facilitating the use of this system by anyone. The disinfection process is launched automatically by the movement of a door, which changes the position of a piston, triggering the spraying of a disinfectant liquid. This door-controlled automatic decontamination system could be an effective tool in the fight against the current COVID-19 pandemic and, in general, could help to address the health challenges related to hygiene and disease prevention at low cost.