SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INCREASING WORK AREA AND PERFORMANCE OF UV-C GENERATORS

Abstract

A UV-C generator is provided where multiple UV-C LEDs are provided around a work area (e.g., a surface) in order to sterilize contaminants in that work area (e.g., virus and/or bacteria). The sterilization device can be utilized, for example, in a wand, broom, set distance surface sterilizer, hand sanitizer, foot sanitizer, conveyer sanitizer, or any other sanitizer. Mating structures may be included to mate multiple devices to extend work area that may be impacted. The devices may be portable and may include one or more rechargeable batteries.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to sterilization.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A UV-C generation device is provided that includes multiple UV-C light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) positioned around a work area. For example, the multiple UV-C LEDs may be positioned around a cylinder. The cylinder may be, for example, comprised of a UV-C transparent material (e.g., a material with UV-C transparency greater than fifty percent (50%) such as, for example, quartz or UV-C transparent polymer. The LEDs may be located on a flexible printed circuit board. The flexible printed circuit board may be fabricated, for example, from a polyimide or FR4 and may be, for example between 2 thousandths of an inch and seven thousandths of an inch thick (e.g., between 2 and 4 thousandths of an inch thick such as between 2 and 2.5 thousandths of an inchd thick). A working substance (e.g., a gas, a liquid, an air and liguid) may flow through the cylinder and the UV-C LEDs may interact with the working substance to, for example, sterilize the working substance. The UV-C LEDs may, for example, have a wavelength between 200 and 280 nanometers (e.g., between 220 and 280 nanometers or between 250 and 265 nanometers or between 255 and 260 nanometers such as 255, 260, or 265 nanometers).

Each UV-C LED may be independently controlled and regulated through control and regulation circuitry on the flexible printed circuit board or another device. Accordingly, the intensity of each UV-C LED as well as the turn-ON time and turn-OF time of each UV-C LED may be independently controlled. A processor may be provided on the flexible circuit board or on another communicatively coupled device to control the operation of the UV-C LEDs.

The flexible printed circuit board may be, for example, wrapped around all of, or a portion of, the cylinder so that the UV-C LEDs may provide UV-C light into the cylinder through the cylinder wall. UVC-LEDs may be arranged in rows and columns. A UV-C flexible circuit when wrapped around a cylinder may, for example, have rows of three (3) UV-C LEDs in multiple columns (e.g., three columns, six columns, nine columns, twelve columns, more than twelve columns, or any number of columns). Accordingly, six columns of three UV-C LEDs would provide eighteen UV-C LEDs. The UV-C LEDs may be aligned in rows or staggered in rows around the cylinder. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the workspace may not be provide din a cylinder but in any shape that provides a workspace (e.g., inside a cube, rectangular, triangular, or any other type of housing).

UV-C reflective material may be provided on the flexible printed circuit board around the UVC-LEDs or selectively provided, around the UV-C LEDs placement so as to not generally impede UV-C emanating from the UV-C LEDs, on the interior surface or exterior surface of the cylindrical housing. Such a UV-C reflective material may include, for example, aluminum.

One or more heat sinks may be provided around the UV-C LEDs in order to capture and expel heat from UV-C LEDs away from those UV-C LEDs. A battery and/or wall plug and/or battery and wall-plug may be utilized to charge, for example, one or more rechargeable batteries located inside a housing that includes the working space.

Manual inputs may be operable to receive manual input from outside of a housing that may include the working area (e.g., a UV-C transparent cylinder) or be placed within the proximity of a working area. Temperature, humidity, and flow rate may be added and utilized to, for example, control the intensity of one or more of the UV-C LEDs so that, for example, the intensity may be changed for different temperatures, flows, and/or humidity.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of Ultraviolet LEDs, or other light sources, may be provided on an LED array such as UV-B and UV-A LEDs. Similarly, additional wavelengths of light may be provided in LEDs, or other types of light sources. A spectrometer, or other device, may be included to determine the type of material in the working space and may activate different LEDs or different types of LEDs (e.g., based on the detected material(s)). Similarly, different UV-C LEDs, or non-LED UV-C sources, may provide different wavelengths and different modes may be provided to control the UV-C LEDs so a subset of the UV-C LEDs may provide a particular nanometer wavelength (e.g., 255 to 265 nanometers) and other UV-C LEDs may provide another particular nanometer wavelength (e.g., 270 to 280 nanometers).

A flexible circuit board does not have to be rolled, for example, for the flexible circuit board to sterilize a working surface. A device may have a generally flat flexible circuit board at a perimeter separated from a surface that has contaminant (e.g., virus and/or bacteria) that requires sterilization). The housing may have a handle (e.g., a removable handle) so that the UV-C sterilization device can be provided as want for moving over, and sterilizing, a surface.

The housing may include multiple mateable ports for handles such that, for example, one handle may be inserted into one mateable port to provide a sanitizing and a larger handle may be inserted into a different mateable port to provide a sanitizing moop/broom. Such a UV-C sanitizing device may be wall mounted such that, for example, someone can place their hands in a working space and have theit hands sterilized. The device may operate on two modes—human mode and non-human mode. The device can prompt this to the user for the mode, wait for the user to activate the mode, or autonomously activate the mode.

The flexible circuit board with multiple UV-C LEDs may be articulated via motors and/or other controls so that different areas that, for example, include UV-C LEDs may be moved away from each other or to each other or moved closer to, or further away from, the other LED's.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciated that a fixed distance surface cleaner may be utilized. A fixed distance surface cleaner may be, for example, permanently attached (e.g., bolted and/or screwed) to a surface (e.g., a counter-top) so that objects may be passed in front of UV-C generating portion(s) to sterilize the objects. For example, a UV-C surface sanitizer may be provided on a countertop next to a point-of-sale register. A customer may pass a credit card and or a currency bill and/or a coil under a UV-C sanitization device to sanitize a device. A UV-C generating device may be embedded in the countertop or placed in the countertop and may face upwards so an object provided over it may be sanitized on the surface(s) facing the UV-C generation. UV-C generation units may provide a particular amount of UV-C light at a particular point and may be controlled, over time, to provide that amount of UV-C light at that particular point. Accordingly, for example, UV-C light may be provided at an amount that sterilizes at a particular distance (e.g., under 5 millimeters from the surface of a counter) but not at a further point (e.g., beyond 5 millimeters) from the surface of a counter. UV-C generators may be provided over and/or under a conveyer (e.g., a gapped and/or conveyer with UV-C transparent material).

UV-C generators may be pointed towards one another with a space between them so that objects may be passed between the UV-C generators to sterilize multiple sides of the object.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV-C sanitizers may be provided about the floor to sanitize, for example, the bottom of a foot (e.g., a shoe) so people do not bring in virus/bacterial through the bottoms (e.g., soles and/or heels) of their shoes. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV-C sanitizers may be provided with a hand-sanitation portion where one or more hands play be placed near a UV-C generation unit for a particular period of time (or at a particular wavelength and/or intensity and/or duty cycle). Both a foot and hand sanitizer may be, for example, in the same housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The principles and advantages of the present invention can be more clearly understood from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same structural elements throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 3 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 4 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 5 are illustrations of flow charts constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of UV-C device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 7 are illustrations of flow charts constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 8 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 9 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 10 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows device 100 that may include any number of ultraviolet C (UV-C) light sources such as UV-C light emitting diodes 102 and 103. UV-C sources may have a wavelength between approximately 200 nanometers and 280 nanometers. Processor 106 and additional circuitry 107 may be included on circuit board 101 in additional to input/output ports 104 and 105.

Printed circuit board 101 may be, for example, a non-flexible or a flexible printed circuit board. Input/output ports 104 and 105 may be, for example, contacts to couple to another circuit board or an external device. Processor 106 may, for example, control UV-C LEDs 102 and 103 using firmware that is downloaded into processor 106 or provided in a memory of processor 106 before or after placement on circuit board 101. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that printed circuit board 101 may be multiple printed circuit boards that are communicatively coupled together to form a multiple circuit board device. Different circuit boards of a multiple circuit board device may be provided in a single housing or in different housings.

Firmware updates may be downloaded through input/output ports 104 and 105. Any number of input/output ports may be provided and different protocols may be utilized for different ports. Additionally, blue-tooth (e.g., BLE), contactless (e.g., RFID), telecommunications (e.g., cellular such as 4G or 5G cellular), infrared, or other wireless communication structures may be provided such as wireless communication chips, circuitry, protocols, and ports may be provided. Wireless power generation may be provided and may be utilized by power circuitry to change a battery coupled to printed circuit board 101 (e.g., through battery contact pads on circuit board 101).

Printed circuit board 101 may be a flexible polyimide or flexible Fr$. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that such a flexible printed circuit board may be, for example between two thousandths of an inch and seven (7) thousands of an inch in thickness (e.g., between two thousandths of an inch and three thousands of an inch in thickness). Silicon chips may be grinded and polished before placement on printed circuit board 101 to between, for example, five thousandths and ten thousandths of an inch in thickness). Such chips may be mounted on printed circuit board 1010 via a flip-on-flex structure or via a wire-bonded structure. A wire-bonded structure may be for example a low-provide wire-bonded structure with wire-bonds that are placed with less than a five thousandths of an inch profile above the silicon chip and encapsulant that is less than three thousandths of an inch above each wire-bond The entire thickness from the bottom of flexible circuit board to the top of an encapsulant of a chip may be, for example under fourteen thousandths of an inch thick (e.g., under twelve thousandths of an inch thick). For example, the thickness from the bottom of circuit board 101 to the top of the encapsulant may be between ten and sixteen thousandths of an inch thick (e.g., between twelve and fourteen thousandths of an inch thick). Wire-bonds may be for example, gold wire-bonds or aluminum wire-bonds. A low-profile encapsulant may be provided that utilizes at least two separate encapsulate provisioning steps in order to provide the low-profile encapsulant.

Processor 106 may be one or more processors and may be provided between, for example, twenty megahertz and five gigahertz. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that faster processors may provide faster control of UV-C LEDs 102 and 103. Faster control of UV-C LEDs may provided shorter ON times which may provide the ability to damage and sterilize certain elements (e.g., virus) without damaging and sterilizing other elements (e.g., living tissue and cells). Processor 106 may, for example, provide ON times for UV-C LEDs 102 and 103 less than, for example, 100 nanoseconds, less than 10 nanoseconds, less than 1 nanosecond. For example, Processor 106 may turn ON UV-C LEDs 102 and 103 between approximately 1 and 100 nanoseconds (e.g., between 20 and 60 nanoseconds or between 30 and 50 nanoseconds). High speed control circuitry may also be provided in order to control UV-C LEDS 102 and 103 between 1 and 100 femptosecond (e.g., between 1 and 50 femptoseconds or between 1 and 20 femptoseconds).

Circuitry 107 and 108 may include, for example, regulation and control circuitry for UV-C, or other, sources of light on circuit board 101 as well as sources of light and other circuitry on other boards or external devices. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV-C LEDs on circuit board 101 may be, fore example, individually regulated and controlled or controlled as a group or in subsets. For example, circuit board 101 may include over ten (10) or over one hundred (100) UV-C LEDs. UV-C LEDs may be regulated and controlled in groups of two or more (e.g., three or more). A portion of UV-C LEDs may be regulated and controlled independently while another portion of UV-C LEDs may be regulated as a group or in sub-groups.

UV-C LEDs on printed circuit board 101 may be, for example, UV-C LEDs having the same wavelength of may have different wavelengths and they may be independently controlled at different times using different control profiles that provide different turn ON an turn OFF pulses (e.g., the duration of an OFF state for one or more UV-C LEDs may be the same duration or a different duration such as a longer or shorter duration than the ON duration for the respective one or more UV-C LEDs). The UV-C LEDs may all be between approximately 200 and 280 nanometers (e.g., provided at or between 250 and 270 nanometers such as provided at or between 255 and 265 nanometers). Some UV-C LEDs may be provided, for example, at or between 250 and 260 nanometers while others are provided, for example, at or between 260 and 270 nanometers. One or more additional light sources may be provided on board 101 such as, for example, UV-B, UV-A, VUV, and visible spectrum light sources.

Visible spectrum light sources may be provided, for example, to provide a visual indicator when board 101 is ON or OFF as well as different operating modes. For example, a visible spectrum LED may be a single-color LED (e.g., white, green, blue, Or red) or a multiple color LED and may provide indication of when a battery (e.g., a rechargeable battery) is low and/or critically low on power. Manual inputs may be included on circuit board 101 to receive, for example, manual input to turn circuit board 101 ON, Off, and/or change between different modes of operation (e.g., different intensities for UV-C LEDs 102 and 103).

Circuit board 101 may be a single layer or multiple layer circuit board. For example, circuit board 101 may have two, three, four, or more layers. Printed circuit board 101 may be flexible. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a flexible circuit board may be at least partially or fully wrapped around or contorted around one or more objects (e.g., one or more working spaces for sterilization by the UV-C LEDs of board 101). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that flexible circuit board 101 may utilized for multiple sterilization devices as flexible circuit board 101 may be able to flex around one or more objects (e.g., one or more hollow cylinders in which working material may be sterilized by UV-C LEDs) or may not be flexed and may lie flat next to an object (e.g., a surface of an object desired to be sterilized). Flexible circuit board 101 may be actuated so it can be flexed around different objects or placed next to an object so one device may be used in different configurations to change the location of elements of circuit board 101 to sterilize different objects and/or surfaces.

Circuit board 101 may include multiple rows and columns of UV-C LEDs and each UV-C LED, row of UV-C LEDs, and/or column of UV-C LEDs may be, for example, independently controlled (e.g., by processor 106 via additional circuitry such as additional circuitry 107). Circuit board 101 may include, for example, rows of three (or more) UV-C LEDs and columns of five (or more) UV-C LEDs). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that rows may include the same number of UV-C LEDs or a different number of UV-C LEDs than other rows. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that columns of UV-C LEDs may include the same or different number of UV-C LEDs than other columns. A row of UV-C LEDs may have, for example, six UV-C LEDs so that if circuit board 101 is rolled around a tube in a particular manner that the UV-C LED row provides a hexagonal disc around that tube. Each column may then, for example, provide another hexagonal disc of UV-C LEDs.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that circuit board 101 may be folded to provided UV-C LEDs facing in two (or more directions), left unfolded so the UV-C LEDs face in a single direction, wrapped around an object so the UV-C LEDs face into the object, folded inside of an object (e.g., a tube) so the UV-C LEDs face outside of the object, wrapped around an object (e.g., a brontoscopy or proble) with the UV-C LEDs facing away from that object, or in any form to provide UV-C LED light to any object or objects. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that circuit board 101 may have UV-C LEDs on a single side of board 101 or multiple sides of board 101.

Cross section 110 shows a cross-section of flexible circuit board 113 including UV-C LEDs 114 and 115 inside of a tube having an interior surface 112 and an exterior surface 111. Such a tube may be cylindrical in shape or may have a non-cylindrical shape. Any UV-C material utilized with a sterilization device may be UV-C transparent and may have UV-C transparency greater than fifty percent (50%), greater than seventy percent (e.g., 70%), greater than eighty percent (80%), or greater than ninety percent (e.g., 90%). Such a UV-C transparent material may be, for example, quartz. Cross section 110 may, for example, include a cross section that includes two or more UV-C LEDs such as three or more UV-C LEDS or six or more UV-C LEDs. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that cross-section 110 may be provided such that a flexible circuit board having UV-C LEDs is inserted into a rigid or flexible tube that is UV-C transparent to be placed in a cavity of a living organism (e.g., a nasal, throat, or lung cavity) or wrapped around or a part of a structure (e.g., a bronchoscope, nasapharangeascope, or another type of scope) in order to sterilize material placed about the tube having outer surface 111 and inner surface 112 from contaminants (e.g., viruses). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a thinner thickness between inner surface 111 and 112 of any tube used in connection with a sterilization device may provide more UV-C light to penetrate through inner wall 11 and 112 to interact with a working material. Accordingly, the thickness between inner surface 111 and 112 may be, for example, at or between half a millimeter and four millimeters (e.g., at or between half a millimeter and two and a half millimeters such as at or between a millimeter and two millimeters). For example, the thickness of a UV-C transparent material may be approximately two millimeters in thickness.

Side view 140 shows a side view of a cylinder with a flexible circuit board having UV-C LEDs wrapped around the cylinder. More particularly, side view 140 includes flexible circuit board 141 wrapped around a cylinder that has multiple UV-C LEDs such as UV-C LEDS 142, 143, 144, and 145. UV-C LEDs and 143 may be part of a UV-C disc that includes three or more UV-C LEDs. For example, the far side (not shown) of side view 140 may include a single UV-C LED aligned with UV-C LED 142 and 143 to provide a three UV-C LED disc around a hallow cylinder when placed around a hollow cylinder. UV-C LEDs may be facing into the hollow cylinder to provide UV-C light into a working area inside of the hollow cylinder in order to interact (e.g., sterilize) material (e.g., virus) in and/or moving through that working area. UV-C LED 142 may be aligned with UV-C LED 144 and UV-C LED 143 (and other UV-C LEDs) may be aligned with 145 (and other UV-C LEDs), respectively, so that the UV-C LEDs of multiple discs and/or rows are aligned with each other when wrapped around an object.

Cross-sectional view 120 shows circuit board 123 that may include one more UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LED 124) located around a UV-C transparent hollow cylinder provided by interior wall 121 and exterior wall 122.\

Cross-sectional view 130 shows circuit board 131 located around a hollow cylinder that included an interior wall 132 and an exterior wall 133. Circuit board 131 may have one or more UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LEDs 134 and 135).

Side view 150 shows flexible circuit board 152 wrapped around a hollow cylinder such that LED discs are formed that are staggered from one another. For example, UV-C LED 153 may be associated with two ore more UV-C LEDs located on the far side of the cylinder while UV-C LEDs 152 and 154 may be associated with one or more UV-C LEDs located on the far side of the cylinder. Each UV-C LED disc may have the same (or different) number of UV-C LEDs but, for example, these UV-C LED discs may be staggered such that material flowing through the cylinder at different locations may have staggered UV-C LEDs that may be closer to the material than if the UV-C LEDs were not staggered with respect to one another. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple UV-C discus, rows, or columns may be staggered in two or more configurations 9 e.g., three or more configurations) and multiple groups of UV-C LEDs may be staggered differently than different groups of UV-C LEDS.

Device 160 shows a stepped hollow cylinder 162 that has three circuit boards, each having multiple UV-C LEDs wrapped around different portions of the stepped hollow cylinder. For example, circuit boards (e.g., circuit board 101 of FIG. 1) may be placed (e.g., wrapped around) portions 162, 163, and 164. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple circuit boards (e.g., circuit board 101 of FIG. 1) may be independently controlled via the same of different firmware on each board. Multiple circuit boards may be coupled to a processor and/or circuit board located outside of the boards with UV-C LEDs. A circuit board with UV-C LEDs may act as a master control circuit board to another circuit board with UV-C LEDs that acts as a slave circuit board such that the master control circuit board controls the slave circuit board.

Cross-sectional view 170 includes circuit board 173 around a hollow cylinder including interior wall 171 and exterior wall 172. The cylinder, as in any structure that is provided to include a working space in that structure, may be UV-C transparent. Circuit board 173 may include one or more UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LED 176) that faces into the walls 171 and 172 such that UV-C light from UV-C LED 176 passes through walls 172 and 172 to impact the working space provided by wall 171. A material, e.g. air, may be flowed through the working space provided by wall 171 so that UV-C LEDs may impact (e.g., sterilize) that material from contaminants (e.g., virus and/or bacteria). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a flexible circuit board having UV-C LEDs may be laminated into the hollow cylinder itself (e.g., between walls 171 and 172. Such a configuration may, for example, provide UV-C LEDs closer to the working space. A fan, or other material movement system, may be provided to impact the speed that material is moving through the working space.

Post 175 may be UV-C transparent and may include UV-C LED 174. Configuration 181 may be provided in place of UV-C 174 and may include multiple UV-C LEDs. Any UV-C LED may be tilted at an angle on any axis in order to provide UV-C LED light in any direction. UV-C LEDs 182, 183, 184 may be provided on structure 185 and may be tilted differently on one or more axis from each other).

UV-C LEDs 174 or any UV-C LED located outside of a circuit board (e.g. circuit board 173) may be communicatively coupled (e.g., coupled by a physical conductor) to circuit board 173 so that circuit board 173 may control one or more UV-C LEDs located outside of circuit board 173.

A working space may be any working space in any device such as a ventilator device. In providing UV-C sterilization in a ventilator device any air flowing through that ventilator device (e.g., air entering, flowing through, or exiting) the device may be sterilized.

FIG. 2 shows device 200 that may include housing 213. A hollow cylinder may be fluidically coupled to mateable portion 217 and mateable portion 218 so that a working substance (e.g., air in a ventilator) may pass through mateable portion 217, through the cylinder, and through mateable portion 218. Mateable portion 217 may be a male mateable part that fits into female mateable part (e.g., mateable part 218 may be a female mateable part). In doing so, tubing used in, for example, medical devices such as ventiators may be coupled to mateable portion 217 and 218 such that a working substance flowing through the ventilator is temporarily redirected through device 210. Circuit board 219 may include UV-C LEDs (e.g. UV-C LEDs 220, 221, and 222) around a cylinder that circuit board 2019 is wrapped around). One or more heat sinks (e.g., heat sinks 216 and 223) may be wrapped around a portion or all of circuit board 219 to draw heat generated from circuitry and UV-C LEDs away from the working space (e.g., the space inside of the cylinder). The cylinder may be a UV-C transparent material (e.g., quartz) and may include a thickness between an inner wall and an outer wall between approximately 1.5 millimeters and 2.5 millimeters (e.g., approximately 2 millimeters). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that heat sink 210 and 223 may be a single heat sink wrapped around circuit board 219 wrapped around a hollow cylinder (or other structure providing a working space). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a cylinder or other structure may not be provided and circuit board 219 may define the working space itself. For example, circuit board 2019 may be wrapped into a cylinder and a working material may be followed through that cylinder. A protective layer may be placed (e.g., sprayed or placed) on one or more portions of one or more surfaces of the circuit board to provide protection for the circuit board from any working material.

Device 210 may include one or more batteries 215 and 224. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that batteries 215 and 224 may be separate batteries or a single battery wrapped around housing 213. Batteries may be rechargeable or permanent and removable and replaceable. Charging circuitry may be provided. External power may recharge the power or, for example, may power circuitry of device 210 directly. Switching and regulation circuitry may control, for example, when external power (e.g., wall power) is utilized to charge a rechargeable battery and/or power circuitry of device 210 directly. Manual interfaces 211 may be included such as, for example, to turn device 210 ON/OFF and or change modes or enter other input data into device 210 (e.g., configure device settings and or device modes). Visual indicators 212 may be a bi-stable or non bi-stable display and/or single-color light source(s) and/or multiple color light source(s). A visual indicator may be a two-color display (e.g., black and white or two tone display) or a several color display (e.g., a color display) and may include an interface for the consumer. Visual indicators 212 may include the status of device 210 Status may include, for example, status information such as, for example, whether device 210 is operating properly or incorrectly as well as data associated with the device. For example, device 210 may provide a visual indication of a low battery, broken part (e.g., broken UV-C LED). Audio indicators may also be provided such as speakers. Audio and/or visual information may be provided such as, for example, when a battery is less than a particular amount of charge (e.g., less than twenty percent or less than ten percent of charge) or when a software update is available. External ports 214 may be provided anywhere on housing 213 such as on mateable port 217 and 218 such that external power and/or control and/or data input/output may be provided. By including external ports 214 on mateable portions multiple devices can be physically coupled together and the coupled devices may communicate to each other (e.g., control and power each other). Any number of devices 210 may be coupled to one another to, for example, provide a multiple or several device array or, for example, to increase the sterilization impact on a working substance. Two or more devices 210 may be coupled to a ventilator. Two or more devices 210 may be coupled to different parts of a ventilator or may be coupled adjacently to a single part of a ventilator.

Devices 230 are provided that include device 232 having mateable portions 231 and 233, device 235 having mateable portions 234 and 236 and device 328 having mateable portions 237 and 239. A working substance can be flowed (e.g., pushed and/or pulled) through an opening in mateable portion 231 and through devices 232, 235, and 238 to be expelled through an opening in mateable portion 239.

Devices 240 may be provided and may include devices 241, 243, 244, 246, 247, 248, and 250. Adaptors 242 and 225 may be included to create a joined working space between any number of devices. Adaptor 242 may, for example, fluidically couple device 241 to device 243 and 244. Adaptor 245 may, for example, fluidically coupled devices 243 and 244 to devices 246, 247, 249, and 250.

FIG. 3 shows ventilator 310 that may inclue housing 311 tuving 312 and device 313 that may include device 313 for providing UV-C light to the working substance provided by tubing 312. Deice 313 may be, for example, any UV-C generating device included herein such as, for example, device 100 of FIG. 1.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a UV-C generating device may have liquid and/or gas flowed through it from any structure. Accordingly, for example, a UV-C sterilization device may be placed about an input and/or output and/or filter port to any device such as a face mask. Accordingly, for example, a face mask wearer (e.g., a military, police, firefighter, caregiver) may enjoy improved protection against contaminants (e.g., bacteria and/or virus). Configuration 320 may be provided that may include UV-C sterilization device 322 fluidically coupled to an air channel of mask 321. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple UV-C sterilization devices may be coupled to one or more air channels of mask 321.

Configuration 330 of FIG. 3 shows device 331 coupled to UV-C generating device 332. Device 331 may be, for example, an substance cooler, substance heater, substance fan, and may be fluidically coupled to provide the substance worked on, expelled, or input into device 331 through device 332 to provide, for example, sterilization capability.

Configuration 340 may be provided any may include device 341 fluidically coupled to device 343 through UV-C generation device 342 such that a substance moved between device 341 and 343 may be sterilized by, for example, device 342.

Configuration 350 may include device 353 communicatively coupled to UV-C generating device 351 via physical or wireless communications 353 such that information and controls may be provided between device 353 and device 351.

Configuration 360 may be included that includes device 353 fluidically coupled to device 261 and communicatively coupled to device 264. Device 264 may also be communicatively coupled or fluidically coupled to device 261. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that device 362 may be communicatively coupled to multiple or several other devices as well as fluidically coupled to multiple or several other decices.

A UV-C generating circuit (e.g., circuit 101) may be elongated and may be placed at the bottom of a wand with the UV-C LEDs facing through a UV-C transparent material so that a surface may be sterilized. Device 410 includes housing 412, handle 411, and a UV-C generating device 413 where UV-C is generated outside of housing 412 in order to provide sterilization in the proximity of where UV-C light from UV-C generating device 413 leaves housing 412. Person skilled in the art will appreciate that a portion of housing 412 may be UV-C transparent (e.g., quartz or another UV-C transparent material). Handle 411 may have a smaller length than housing 412 or may have a length that is more than half of the length of housing 412.

Device 420 may include handle 421, housing 422, and UV-C generating device 423. Handle 421 may be, for example, twice as long as the longest side of housing 422 such that device 420 may form a UV-C sterilization device that can reach a surface that is further away from a user (e.g., a floor). In doing so, for example, a UV-C broom may be provided. A UV-C wand and/or UV-C broom may have any structures and components of any UV-C generating device herein (e.g., a visual spectrum LED next to a light guide so that light from the LED causes the light guide to illuminate the color of the LED). Such a visible spectrum LED may be placed around the working area of the UV-C so that when the device is ON and emitting UV-C light, the consumer is provided with a visual reference where the UV-C light is emanating and hitting.

Device 430 may be included with housing 435 and UV-C generating structure 436. Device 430 may include wall mounting 432 and 434 such that device 430 may be mounted on a wall. UV-C generating device 436 may have multiple modes. One mode may be, for example, provided UV-C light at one intensity and under one control profile (e.g., one pulsing profile) while another mode may, for example, provide UV-C light at a different intensity under a different profile). A light guide coupled to one or more visible spectrum LEDs may be provided so that the working area impacted by the UV-C light is illuminated by that visable light. The color or control of these visible spectrum LEDs may change based on mode. For example, one mode may provide a visible green light while another mode may provide a visible red light. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that manual controls or automated controls may change modes. For example, one mode may be to permit sterilization of human skin such as human skin on hands while another mode may be to provide sterilization of a non-human surface (e.g., a non-human service). A human sterilization mode may be controlled with UV-C light at a lower intensity and faster ON pulses with, for example, extended OFF pulses compared to a non-human sterilization mode. One or more of the same or different sensors may be provided to assist in determining if human skin is present or if a non-human material is present. For example, if a large continuous metal surface is detected by a metal detector than the device may be provided with a control signal indicative of a non-human service. Device 430 may have manual and/or other controls so that a user can switch between modes of operation. For example, device 430 may have a microphone that can receive spoken commands from a user (e.g., a spoken hand of “sterilize hands”. Device 430 may include mateable portion 431 for mating to a structure or device (e.g., a handle so that device 430 may be used as a wand). Device 430 may include mateable portion 433 so that device 433 may be mated to a device (e.g., a handle at least twice as long as the longest dimension of device 430 so that an UV-C broom may be provided). Device 430 may include sensors to determine how device 430 is configured. Protection structures may be provided to protect UV-C from not going past the structures. Accordingly, UV-C absorbant materials may be provided. UV-C reflective materials may also be provided to reflect and/or block and reflect UV-C light away from undesired areas and towards desired areas.

FIG. 5 shows topology 500 that may include UV-C generating devices 205 that may include one or more UV-C arrays of LEDs coupled through communications 501 to one or more internets and/or networks 502, one or more remote databases and/or servers 503, one or more third party data services 504 (e.g., medical data services for a patient utilizing a UV-C generating device), one or more other devices 507 (e.g., one or more other medical devices for a patient using a UV-C generating device), one or more other services 510 (e.g., a service that provides data regarding other UV-C generating devices), one or more third party services 509 (e.g., timing/clock services for the timing/clock of a UV-C generating devices), and/or one or more pheripherals 508 (e.g., external displays, external batteries).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more UV-C sources (e.g., UV-C LEDs) of a UV-C generating device may dim over time. Accordingly, a additional UV-C light sources (e.g., UV-C LEDs) may be switched ON after an initial one or set of UV-C light sources dim pats a particular amount. Similarly, the intensity of UV-C sources may be increased (e.g., additional current may be flowed through UV-C sources) as the UV-C source is expected to dim according to a dimming/decay profile.

Flow Chart 560 may include step 561 in which a decay rate of one or more LEDs may be measured (e.g., by one or more sensors) and programmed into a device. The intensity of one or more LED(s) may be changed (e.g., increased) over time according to the pre-programmed decay rate so that, for example, the UV-C provided by one or more UV-C generation devices may be driven at a higher level (e.g., higher current) to that is increased as decay occurs so that the effective amount of UV-C light remains the same. Step 562 increases the current provided to one or more LED(s) based on the decay rate of those LED(s). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that individual LED(s) in a LED array may have a different decay rate and such LED(s) may be controlled differently over time based, at least in part, on these individual decay rates. One or more LED(s) may exceed a pre-determined useful life in step 563. For example, a useful life may be determined by a decay exceeding a particular threshold (e.g., more than 10%, 15%, 25%, or 50% decay of amount of UV-C generated). An indicator may be triggered in step 564. Such an indicator may be, for example, a human perceivable trigger that one or more UV-C generating devices may have past useful life (e.g., UV-C generation may have decayed past a threshold). An indicator may be for a particular UV-C sources so that those particular UV-C source(s) may be replaced. An indicator may be machine readable and may cause, for example, additional UV light sources (e.g., UV-C LEDs) to be utilized in the UV-C generating device.

Flow Chart 570 may include step 571 that include a device, such as a UV-C generating device, determining a time to an unsatisfactory level of decay. Person skilled in the art will appreciate that the unsatisfactory level of decay may be for one or more sources of UV (e.g., UV-C) light and/or one or more UV (e.g., UV-C) light generating devices. Step 572 may occur in which a time threshold has passed and additional UV light sources (e.g., UV-C light sources) are turned on in step 573. A second decay threshold may be determined for the second UV light sources and an indicator may be triggered in step 574. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that any number (e.g., two, three, four, five, or more than five) of individual or sets of UV-C LED(s) may be utilized to turn on as decay occurs.

Flow chart 580 may include step 581 in which one or more additional light sources (e.g., UV-C LED). Step 582 may occur in which original LEDs and additional LEDs are driven together. Decay threshold for original LEDs may be determined in step 583 and turned OFF and additional LEDs may be throttled (e.g., current increased to generate more UV-C light) to compensate for turning original LEDs OFF (e.g., to compensate for the UV-C light decrease caused by turning the original LEDs OFF).

FIG. 6 includes device 600 that may include one or more processors 601, one or more manual inputs 602, one or more displays and/or visual indicators 603, one or more humidity detectors 605, one or more flow detectors 605, one or more contact and/or contactless input and/or output ports 606, one or more speakers and/or microphones, one or more temperature sensors 6oi (e.g., to sense temperature in a working space), one or more pressure sensors 610 (e.g., pressure sensing for sensing pressure in a working space) and/or other sensors (e.g., metal sensors UV-C transparency sensors), one or more image and/or data capture devices 610 (e.g., a visible and/or infrared or other spectrum camera or data capture device), one or more light-emitting diodes and or other light emitting sources 612 (e.g. UV-C LEDs and/or UV-C light emitting sources), one or more sources of energy 613 (e.g., rechargeable and/or removable batteries), one or more internet or intranet connectivity devices 614, one or more slave and/or master devices 615, one or more auxiliary data storage devices 616 (e.g., a remote server), and one or more peripherals 618 (e.g., an external display to display information from a UV-C generating device).

FIG. 7 includes step 710 in which a device, such as a device including one or more UV-C generating devices may determine if a human presence is detected. A human presence may be detected, for example, via manual input such as a button (e.g., a foot pedal) or autonomously via one or more sensors (e.g., one or more movement sensors).

Step 712 may occur as a result of, for example, the detection of a human presence (e.g., a hand) in a particular area (e.g., a sterilization area) and one or more UV-C generating devices may be placed into a mode (e.g., a sterilization mode may be turned ON or a sterilization mode may be turned OFF). Persons skilled in the art may appreciate that human presence detection may classify different types of human presence (e.g., one hand, two hands, one small hand, one medium hand, one large hand, two small hands, two medium hands, two large hands) and different operating modes may be utilized for different types of human presence.

An amount of time may be measured in step 713 of a particular human presence (e.g., an amount of time one or more hands are in a UV-C area for UV-C generation). After a particular amount of time, an operating mode of one or more UV-C generators may be changed in step 714. Persons skilled in the art may appreciate that a UV-C generation event may occur when an object (e.g., a human hand) is placed in a detectable area capable of receiving UV-C from one or more UV-C generating devices and the UV-C generation event may stop after a period of time or after a period of time if the detection of the object persists past that period of time.

No human presence (or object presence) may be determined in step 714 and one or more UV-C generating devices may be operated in a different mode in step 716. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the different mode may be the mode before the presence (e.g., human presence or non-human object presence) was detected. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that no human presence detected may still cause one or more UV-C generating devices to operate in the same mode as when the human presence was detected until a time threshold passes (e.g., a time threshold of step 717). As per another example, the intensity of one or more UV-C generating devices may be decreased after a presence is no longer detected and decreased again after a period of time. Alternatively, a UV-C generating device may be provided to provide UV-C to a non-human object and the detection of the presence of a human object may, for example, provide the reduction or elimination of UV-C until the object is removed. Accordingly, the detection of no human presence may cause the amount of UV-C delivered to a workable area to increase (e.g., and increase again after a period of time).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more UV-C generating devices may be placed around any object that a person may touch such as for example a door handle, a car door handle, a char (e.g., the back of a chair and/or arm(s) of a chair), a steering wheel, a seat-belt, a keyboard, a button, a touch-screen, a lock, a handle, a valve, a mailbox door, a trashcan handle, a light switch, a refrigerator handle, a drawer handle, a cabinet handle, a microwave handle, an oven handle, a coffee pot handle, a vacuum cleaner handle, a toaster door handle, door knob, or any other object that a person may interact with. One or more UV-C generating devices may provide UV-C light to such surfaces and the detection of a human presence may turn the UV-C light down or OFF for a period of time or until the human presence is no longer detected (e.g., with a delay/lag).

Flow chart 730 includes setup 731 wherein one or more attributes of a UV light source (e.g., intensity at different angles, intensity at different wavelengths, etc.) are determined. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a calibration may be determined in step 732. A calibration may be, for example, used to create additional uniformity in an array of UV-C light sources (e.g., UV-C LEDs). Accordingly, multiple or several UV-C LEDs may have attributes measured and each UV-C LED calibrated to provide additional uniformity in one or more attributes in the array. Parameters (e.g., LED control parameters) and/or firmware may be updated based on the determined calibration in step 733. A dimming profile may be determined based on a calculation in step 734 and parameters and/or firmware based on that dimming profile (e.g., decay rate) may be updated based on, for example, a calculation in step 735. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that LEDs may be desired to be operated in different modes based on different distances and distance oriented operability modes may be updated in step 736 for one or more attributes (e.g., intensity, pulse length, duty cycle, and/or another controllable attribute of UV-C light). A distance may be determined in step 737 (e.g., via one or more distance measurement sensors) and the distance (or distances) may be determined in step 737 and provided to a system. In turn, for example, the operation of one or more UV-C generating devices and/or UV-C light sources (e.g., individual UV-C LEDs in a UV-C generating device) may be changed based on the provided distance information.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that reflective surfaces may be put on one, two, three, four, or more than four sides of a UV light source (e.g., UV-C LED) or multiple/several UV-C light sources (e.g., UV-C LEDs) in order to, for example, reflect UV-C light to a region. In turn, for example, UV-C light sources may be focused. Reflective surfaces may be moved by, for example, tilting, bending, re-positioning, the surface or surfaces. An environment may be measured in step 761. For example, the amount of UV-C light in an area may be measured and reflective surfaces may be utilized based on a determination from the measurement that the reflective surface or surfaces to move the reflective surfaces in step 762. The mode of operational of the UV-C generating devices may be changed in step 763, for example, as a result of the measured environment and/or moved reflective surface or surfaces. One or more attributes of UV-C light or other environmental attributes (e.g., humidity, type of substance, distance from an object) may be measured in step 764. Information from any of steps 761, 762, 764, and/or any step in flow chart 760 or another process may be stored locally and/or remotely in step 765. A determination may be made, for example, locally and/or remotely whether a movement of a surface may be improved and reflective surface attributes such as position may be changed in step 767.

FIG. 8 shows device 800 that may include UV-C LED array 810 and 820 on circuit board (e.g., a flexible printed circuit board having one, two, three, or more than three layers). UV-C LED array 810 may include, for example, UV-C LEDs 811, 812, and any number of additional LEDs. UV-C LED array 820 may include UV-C LEDs 821, 822, and any number of additional LEDs. Additional circuitry 831, 832, and/or 833 may be included and may be, for example, processor(s), regulation circuit(s), communication circuit(s), or any other type of circuit for a UV-C generating device. Input and/or output connections 834 and 835 and additional input and/or output connections may be included on board 801. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that device 810 may be provided on the inside of a structure and/or outside of a structure and UV-C transparent materials may be provided to protect UV-C light sources and UV-C reflective materials may be utilized to amplify UV-C light in particular areas.

Device 840 may be included and may include any number of UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LEDs 842, 843, and 844) on circuit board 841 or other substrate. Person skilled in the art will appreciate that circuit board 841 may be thinner than one or more UV-C LEDs. UV C LEDs may, for example, include dimensions less than 7 millimeters in the length and/or width, dimensions less than 5 millimeters in the length and/or width, and/or dimensions less than 3 millimeters in the length and/or width. A flexible printed circuit board may be, for example, less than 8 millimeters thick, less than 5 millimeters thick, or less than 3 millimeters thick, or have any thickness.

Device 850 may be included and may include one or more housing 851, one or more heat sink 852, one or more printed circuit board 853, one or more UV-C LED 854, one or more UV-C transparent material 855 (e.g. UV-C transparency greater than 80%, greater than 90%, and/or greater than 95%) and one or more UV-C reflective material 856 (e.g., UV-C reflectivity greater than 60%, greater than 70%, and/or greater than 80%).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV-C reflective material 856 may be an individual structure for each UV-C LED or a structure that for an array of UV-C LEDs. For example, an array of a single line of 18 UV-C LEDs may have a UV-C reflective material on both sides of that line (e.g., as well as UV-C reflective surfaces at each end of the line and between the UV-C LEDs in that line). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a line (e.g., a row and/or column) of UV-C LEDs may be spaced less than 10 millimeters apart, less than 8 millimeters apart, less than 6 millimeters apart, less than 4 millimeters apart, less than 3 millimeters apart, or any spacing). Each UV-C LED in a row and/or column may be evenly spaced from one another or may have separate spacing. A UV-C LED may have a first distance from another UV-C LED and that UV-C LED may have yet another distance from yet another UV-C LED. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV-C LEDs may be positioned in any pattern (e.g., a checkerboard pattern or a dispersed pattern where the distance between UV-C LEDs increases as the distance increases from a particular UV-C LED or UV-C LEDs).

Reflective surface 856 may have an acute, obtuse, or right angle with respect to one or more UV-C LEDs. For example, the surface of UV-C reflective material 856 facing UV-C LED 857 is an obtuse angle with respect UV-C LED 857. The height of UV-C reflective material 856 may be, for example, shorter, the same height, or taller than UV-C LED 857. UV-C reflective material 856 may be positioned less than 10 millimeters, less than 8 millimeters, less than 6 millimeters, less than 4 millimeters, less than 2 millimeters, or any distance from UV-C LED 857. UV-C transparent material 855 may be provided such that UV-C LEDs may provide UV-C light through UV-C transparent material 855. UV-C transparent material 855 may be less than 2 millimeters in thickness, less than 1 millimeter in thickness, less than 0.5 millimeters in thickness or any thickness.

Device 860 may be provided and may include housing 861 with standing structures 865 and 862 and feet structures 863 and 865. Structures 863 and 865 (and/or structures 864 and 865) may be removably attached or permanently attached (e.g., bolted) to a surface (e.g., a countertop, tabletop, floor, etc.). Housing 861 may include any number of UV-C generating devices and may be aligned in parallel with a surface or slanted with respect to a surface. UV-C light sources may provide light through one or more UV-C transparent materials to the surface. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a UV-C transparent material (or UV-C light sources) may be spaced less than 6 inches from a surface, less than 4 inches from a surface, less than 3 inches from a surface, less than 2 inches from a surface, or any distance from a surface. Housing 61 may be less than two feet long, less than one and a half feet long, less than a foot long, and/or less than six inches long. Device 860 may then, for example, provide UV-C light onto objects placed and passed through the UV-C light. Accordingly, for example, device 860 may be provided on a counter-top and objects such as coins, payment cards, cash, receipts, or any object may be passed through the UV-C light and sterilized. Structure 866 may be provided and attached to device 860 and placed on the surface such that the UV-C light may hit structure 866 and not the surface. In doing so, for example, such UV-light hits a material with a pre-determined surface that may have improved surface conditions for sterilization (e.g., may be smoother and less prone to scratching). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that structure 866 may have marks to indicate the locations where UV-C light is being provided or being provided above a certain threshold. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that structure 866 may be a tray such that a user (e.g., customer) may place an object (e.g., payment card) on the tray and the cashier may move the tray through UV-C light source. An alarm may be provided (e.g., an audible and/or visual alarm) if the tray is moved too quickly. Such movement may be determined by a mechanical sensor that senses the mechanical movement or a contactless sensor that senses the movement. A handle may be provided on both or one side (e.g., the side of a cashier or other user). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that device 860 may be placed anywhere in any location (e.g., a table top so a user can clean an object at a table or floor so the device can clean an object on a floor)

Device 870 may be included with UV-C generating devices 871 and 872. UV-C generating devices may face one another so two sides (e.g., opposing) sides of an object may receive UV-C light. UV-C generating devices 871 and 872 may be in the same housing or different housings (which may be removably or permanently attached). Attachment structure 873 and 874 may be provided to attach UV-C generating devices 871 and 872. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a UV-C transparent material (and/or UV-C reflective surface) may be removable so the materials may be replaced and/or cleaned.

Device 880 may be included and may include UV-C generating devices including UV-C generating device 881 with UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LEDs 882). Device 882 may form a compartment with one (or more) openings and UV-C generating devices may provide UV-C light from the top, bottom, left side, right side, and back of the compartment. A door, which may also have a UV-C generating device may be utilized to close an opening of the compartment so that UV-C may be generated from the top, bottom, left, right, front, and back of device 880. Power plug 884 may be coupled to device 880 via wire 883 to bring power to device 880.

FIG. 9 shows device 910 that may include one more circular, rectangular, elliptical, square, or any shape rings that an object may be passed through to receive UV-C light from UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LEDs 913 and 914). The UV-C light source may be provided on, for example, flexible printed circuit board 912 and may be provided on the interior or exterior of the flexible circuit board and may be faced in (e.g., via a standard mounting or a mounting with a secondary board and an aperture in a primary board). Device 910 may include housing 910. Any number of rings may be provided such as for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, or more than six (e.g., more than fifteen).

Topology 920 shows device 921 that may include a UV-C generation area 922 that is provided at a distance from a surface and provides UV-C light on a surface facing UV-C generation area 922. Object 924 may be passed through (e.g., under) device 921. Portion 923 may be provided that is a portion of object 924 that has passed through (e.g., under device 921 and has receive UV-C light (e.g., has been at least partially sterilized). Device 930 may be provided that may be a compartment and object 931 may be placed in a compartment for providing UV-C light in a portion 933 that overlaps with object 931 inside the compartment.

Device 940 may be provided and may include UV-C generating device 946 with UV-C generating area 945 provided between UV-C reflective structures 946 and 974 to provide UV-C light onto structure 941. Structures and/or marketing 942 and 943 may be provide to indicate an area of structure 941 that includes a particular amount of UV-C light.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more conveyers or other object movement devices may be provided to pass an object through (e.g., under) one or more UV-C generation devices. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that conveyers may be UV-C transparent in so that UV-C generating devices may be provided beneath the conveyer. Device 950 may include conveyer 851 and 952 to pass items under UV-C generating device 953 that provides UV-C area 954 on objects passing underneath device 953. Topology 955 may be included with conveyers that have a spacing between them (e.g., conveyer 956 and 957) and a convey may be positioned at a taller position than another conveyer so an object drops from one conveyer to the next. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate one or more control interfaces may be provided to control when the conveyer(s) are ON, OFF, moving in one direction, moving in another direction, and moving at different speeds. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that attributes of UV-C generating devices (e.g., UV-C LEDs may be changed (e.g., the intensity and/or pulse and/or duty cycle) based on the speed. The height of objects on the conveyer (or surface) may be determined and attributes of one or more UV-C generating device may be changed (e.g., the UV-C generating devices that provide light to the area where the object is located. Accordingly, for example, a UV-C generating device may be provided over a conveyer of a grocery check-out so that groceries are sterilized as they move towards the cashier and point-of-sale.

Topology 960 may be provided with a mechanical pass through provided by area 953 about housing 962. UV-C generating device 964 may have UV-C generating area 965 that provides UV-C light on top of an object and device 967 may provide UV-C light through UV-C generating area 966 to provide UV-C light on the bottom of an object. Any number of UV-C generating devices may be provided and positioned in any direction (e.g., any direction toward object 961).

Topology 970 may be provided and may include moveable drawe5973 with one or more handles 875. Drawer 873 may be, for example, UV-C transparent. Devices 971 and 976 may be provided with UV-C generating areas 972 and 976, respectively.

Device 1010 may be provided that may housing 1012 with UV-C generating device 1012 and mating structures 1011 and 1014. Mating structures may be structures that permit the communication of information and control signals between devices 1010 or may just be physically mateable devices without any electrical connectivity. Topology 1010 shows UV-C generating devices 1024, 1029, and 1025 mated by structures 1021-1023 and 1026-1028. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple types of mating structures may be provided on a UV-C generating device such as, for example, to mate together UV-C generating devices or to mate a UV-C generating device to a surface (e.g., a counter-top).

Housing 1031 may include one or more UV-C generating device 1032 that may provide UV-C light toward base 1034. Housing 1031 may be stabilized on base 1034 by stand pole 1033. Person skilled in the art will appreciate that a user may place the user's hand or hands under UV-C generating device 1032 to sterilize the user's hands. An alarm (e.g., audible and/or visual0 may be provided when, for example, a user has kept their hands under beyond a time threshold (e.g., to denote the hand is cleaned or denote too long a of a time has passed). Alternatively, for example, no alarm may be provided (e.g., if UV-C light 1032 is provided at an intensity and pulse and wavelength, and duty cycle that is not harmful to the user for any period of time).

Device 1040 may be a side view that includes housing 1041 and one or more UV-C generating device 1042 and may provide, for example, UV-C light downward. Person skilled in the art will appreciate that stand 1044 attached to housing 1041 via pole 1043 may include one or more pedals (e.g., foot pedals) such as pedal 1046 to turn ON one or more UV-C generating devices (e.g., VU-C generating device 1042. One or more UV-C generating devices 1045 may be provided and may provide UV-C light upward (e.g., to provide UV-C light to the bottom of a shoe and/or foot or other object such as a cane or wheelchair wheel).

Device 1110 may include housing 1112 that includes one or more UV-C generating device 1111 on stand 1114 supported by pole 1113. A user may for example, provide a hand into an opening on top of housing 1112 to provide the hand into an area that is provided UV-C light from UV-C generating device 1111. Device 1120 may be a side view of a device that include housing 1122 on stand 1125 via pole 1121 and may include one or more UV-C generating devices 1123 and 1124. An opening may be provided at the top of housing 1122 so that, for example, one or more hands may be placed into a cavity between UV-C generating devices 1123 and 1124 to receive UV-C light from UV-C devices 1123 and 1124. Device 1130 may be provided with UV-C generating devices 1131-1139 so that a user may, for example, place a hand (or foot) into an aperture between UV-C devices 1136-1139 and another hand into an aperture between UV-C generating devices 1132-1135 about housing 1130. Devices 1140 may be provide with UV-C devices 1141-1144 so that any number of objects (e.g., two hands and/or two feet) may be provided into a cavity or channel to receive light from UV-C generating devices 1141-1144 about housing 1145.

A cavity or channel (e.g., a structure defined by interior wall may have a UV-C reflective material may be placed around the interior wall to reflect UV-C light going into that cavity or channel and may include UV-C transparent areas around UV-C generating devices (e.g., UV-C LEDs).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a cylinder or structure defining a working space may be removeable from a UV-C generating device. For example, a cylinder or other structure defining or partially defining a working space may be removable and cleanable. Additionally, a cylinder or other structure may be removed and replaced. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a disposable/consumable structure (e.g., a UV-C transparent structure) may be provided inside a working space (e.g., inside a cylinder) and that disposable/consumable may be removed and replaced after each use (e.g., from time to time or from patient to patient).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV-C generating device may be a symmetrical device (e.g., in generally a cylindrical, elliptical, spherical shape) around an axis of symmetry or a non-symmetrical device around an axis of symmetry.

Devices may include track lighting (e.g., a number of visible spectrum light sources or one or more visible spectrum light sources with a light guide that distributes the light throughout the light guide) to illuminate the area, or a portion of an area, being operated on by UV-C light.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that elements of any device herein may be utilized in any device herein. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the present invention is not limited to only the embodiments described. Instead, the present invention more generally involves UV-C focus, amplification, and control. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the apparatus of the present invention may be implemented in other ways then those described herein. All such modifications are within the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A structure comprising: a housing that is operable to be permanently mated to a surface at a set distance from said surface, wherein said housing includes a circuit board that includes a plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes, a UV-C transparent material having a UV-C transparency of at least 92%, and said plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes are operable to emit UV-C light through said UV-C transparent material, across said distance, and onto said surface.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes comprise at least sixteen UV-C light emitting diodes.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes comprise at least sixteen UV-C light emitting diodes wherein each one of said plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes are between 220 and 280 nanometer UV-C light emitting diodes.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein said plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes comprise at least sixteen UV-C light emitting diodes wherein each one of said plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes are between 255 and 265 nanometer UV-C light emitting diodes.