Patent Application
20220152239
The present disclosure pertains to germicidal lighting devices and, more specially, proposes a multi-band multi-source germicidal lighting apparatus.
In the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/140,673, a multi-band germicidal irradiation apparatus was introduced. It includes a radiation source, a driver, and an optical filter. The radiation source emits wavelengths in three wavelength bands, 190˜230 nm, 230˜315 nm, and 315˜700 nm. The optical filter is a band-stop filter that filters the wavelength in a wavelength range of 230˜315 nm and permits the wavelength in wavelength ranges of 190˜230 nm and 315˜700 nm to pass through. It has the benefit of using both the far ultraviolet C (UVC) wavelength (190˜230 nm) and the ultraviolet A (UVA) wavelength (315˜400 nm) to achieve a higher antimicrobial effect. However, due to the limitation of having only one radiation source, it is therefore not possible to emit only the far UVC wavelength or the UVA wavelength, nor it is possible to emit the visible light (400˜700 nm) without emitting either far UVC or UVA wavelength.
The present disclosure proposes a multi-band multi-source germicidal lighting apparatus that uses multiple light sources and each with its own non-overlap wavelength band such that these light sources can be turned on individually or in combination as needed for achieving a greater operation flexibility for different operation scenarios.
In one aspect, the multi-band multi-source germicidal lighting apparatus comprises a first light source emitting a light in a 190˜280 nm wavelength range, a second light source emitting a light in a 315˜420 nm wavelength range, a first driver, a second driver, and a controller. The first driver is configured to convert an external power to an internal power to activate the first light source, and the second driver is configured to convert an external power to an internal power to activate the second light source. The controller is configured to turn on the first light source and the second light source individually or simultaneously. The wavelength range 315˜420 nm can be subdivided into the UVA wavelength range (315˜400 nm) and the near-UV wavelength range (400˜420 nm). Both have similar effect of damaging the cellular wall of bacteria by inducing reactive oxygen spices in the cellular wall. Their key difference lies in that the 315˜400 nm wavelength is invisible, which may be preferrable over the visible 400˜420 nm wavelength. Using a violet light in the 400˜420 nm wavelength range may alter the color distribution of the apparatus.
In some embodiments, the controller is configured to support two operation modes, namely the safe sanitation mode and the full sanitation mode. In the safe sanitation mode, the apparatus dispenses over a prorated 8-hour period an irradiation dosage less than the ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) specified Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) to the substance or surface to be disinfected by the apparatus. In the full sanitation mode, the apparatus dispenses over a prorated 8-hour period an irradiation dosage more than twice the ACGIH TLVs to the substance or surface to be disinfected by the apparatus. The ACGIH TLVs are shown in
There are different means for triggering the controller to switch between the safe sanitation mode and the full sanitation mode. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to operate according to an operation schedule to toggle between the safe sanitation mode and the full sanitation mode. The operation schedule may be stored locally in the controller or remotely on a scheduling device or a lighting control system.
In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a motion sensor working in conjunction with the controller such that when a motion is detected, the controller is configured to operate the apparatus in the safe sanitation mode, and when no motion is detected, the controller is configured to operate the apparatus in the full sanitation mode. It is also possible for a controller to take into the account of both an operation schedule and the motion detection in setting the operation mode.
In some embodiments, the first light source may have a peak wavelength in the range of 190˜230 nm, i.e., it is a far UVC light source. It is known that the far UVC wavelength doesn't penetrate the skin as deep as the regular UVC wavelength does. Thus, it may be assumed that the far UVC photon energy may be weakened when passing through the cellular wall of bacteria before striking the bacterial DNA/RNA structures. Since the UVA (or near-UV 405 nm) wavelength is known to damage the cellular wall of bacteria by triggering reactive oxygen spices in bacterial cellular wall, it would make sense to turn on both the first light source in 190˜230 nm wavelength range and the second light source in 315˜4200 nm wavelength range during the full sanitation mode. This could benefit from the UVA wavelength damaging the bacterial cellular wall and thus making it easier for the far UVC photons to pass through the damaged cellular wall without losing too much photon energy, resulting in more damages to the DNA/RNA structures of the bacteria and achieving a more effective germicidal irradiation. This argument could be applied to the lipid-enveloped viruses as well since their viral envelope forms a membrane and is susceptible to similar reactive oxygen spices damage by the irradiation of the 315˜420 nm wavelength.
In another aspect, the multi-band multi-source germicidal lighting apparatus comprises a first light source emitting a light in a 190˜280 nm wavelength range, a second light source emitting a light in a 315˜420 nm wavelength range, a third light source emitting primarily a visible light for general illumination, a first driver, a second driver, a third driver, and a controller. The first driver is configured to convert an external power to an internal power to activate the first light source. The second driver is configured to convert an external power to an internal power to activate the second light source. The third driver is configured to convert an external power to an internal power to activate the third light source The controller is configured to turn on any combination of the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source.
In some embodiments, the controller is configured to support at least two operation modes, the safe sanitation mode and the full sanitation mode. In the safe sanitation mode, the apparatus dispenses over a prorated 8-hour period an irradiation dosage less than the ACGIH TLVs to the substance or surface to be disinfected by the apparatus. In the full sanitation mode, the apparatus dispenses over a prorated 8-hour period an irradiation dosage more than twice the ACGIH TLVs to the substance or surface to be disinfected by the apparatus. The controller may support a third mode, which is a non-sanitation mode. Under the non-sanitation mode, the controller would only turn on the third light source and keep the first and the second light sources off.
In some embodiments, the controller is configured to operate according to an operation schedule to toggle between the safe sanitation mode and the full sanitation mode. The operation schedule may be stored locally in the controller or remotely on a scheduling device or a lighting control system.
In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a motion sensor working in conjunction with the controller such that when a motion is detected, the controller is configured to operate the apparatus in the safe sanitation mode, and when no motion is detected, the controller is configured to operate the apparatus in the full sanitation mode.
In some embodiments, the first light source may have a peak wavelength in the range of 190˜230 nm, i.e., it is a far UVC light source.
It is feasible to use two different germicidal lighting devices, one device emitting the UVC light and the other device emitting the UVA light, and a separate motion sensor to control which of the two devices will be turned on based on motion detection. While such system configuration is not a standalone apparatus per se, it nonetheless employs the same principal concept of the present disclosure. Therefore, in another aspect of the present disclosure, a multi-band multi-source germicidal lighting method may have a first light source emitting a light in a 190˜280 nm wavelength range, a second light source emitting a light in a 315˜420 nm wavelength range, and a controlling mechanism. The controlling mechanism may be configured to support two operation modes, the safe sanitation mode and the full sanitation mode. In the safe sanitation mode, the method dispenses over a prorated 8-hour period an irradiation dosage less than the ACGIH TLVs to the substance or surface to be disinfected by the method. In the full sanitation mode, the method dispenses over a prorated 8-hour period an irradiation dosage more than twice the ACGIH TLVs to the substance or surface to be disinfected by the method. The controlling mechanism may be a physical controller hardware, or it may be a software program on an app or a lighting control system.
In some embodiments, the controlling mechanism operates according to an operation schedule to toggle between the safe sanitation mode and the full sanitation mode.
In some embodiments, the method may further include a motion sensing mechanism such that when a motion is detected, the controlling mechanism is configured to operate in the safe sanitation mode, and when no motion is detected, the controlling mechanism is configured to operate in the full sanitation mode.
In some embodiments, the first light source may have a peak wavelength in the range of 190˜230 nm, i.e., it is a far UVC light source.
The accompanying drawings are included to aid further understanding of the present disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of the present disclosure. The drawings illustrate a select number of embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the detailed description below, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. It is appreciable that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, as some components may be shown to be out of proportion to size in actual implementation in order to clearly illustrate the concept of the present disclosure.
Various implementations of the present disclosure and related inventive concepts are described below. It should be acknowledged, however, that the present disclosure is not limited to any particular manner of implementation, and that the various embodiments discussed explicitly herein are primarily for purposes of illustration. For example, the various concepts discussed herein may be suitably implemented in a variety of multi-band multi-source germicidal lighting apparatuses having different form factors.
The present disclosure includes a first light source, a second light source, a first driver, a second driver, and a controller. The first light source emitting a light in a 190˜280 nm wavelength range whereas the second light source emitting a light in a 315˜420 nm wavelength range. The first driver is configured to convert an external power to an internal power to activate the first light source, and the second driver is configured to convert an external power to an internal power to activate the second light source, and the controller is configured to toggle the operation of the apparatus between a safe sanitation mode and a full sanitation mode. In some embodiment a third light source emitting a visible light and a third driver are used for providing general lighting during the safe sanitation mode.
Although the techniques have been described in language specific to certain applications, it is to be understood that the appended claims are not necessarily limited to the specific features or applications described herein. Rather, the specific features and examples are disclosed as non-limiting exemplary forms of implementing such techniques. As used in this application, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. In addition, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean “one or more,” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.
The present disclosure is part of a Continuation-in-Part (CIP) of US Patent application Ser. No. 17/140,673, filed 4 Jan. 2021, which is part of a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/137,763, filed 30 Dec. 2020, which is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/099,271, filed 16 Nov. 2020, the contents of which being incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17140673 | Jan 2021 | US |
| Child | 17499775 | US | |
| Parent | 17137763 | Dec 2020 | US |
| Child | 17140673 | US | |
| Parent | 17099271 | Nov 2020 | US |
| Child | 17137763 | US |
