Lighting device that deactivates dangerous pathogens while providing visually appealing light

• US 10,363,325 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2018
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenall Manufacturing Company (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Kenall Manufacturing Company (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Hawkins, James W., Heiking, Nathan D., Marry, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyner, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US16/027,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20180311386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/084 Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/11 Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/25 Rooms in buildings, passenger compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/111 Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/12 Lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/15 Supporting means, e.g. stands, hooks, holes for hanging
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/16 Connections to a HVAC unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/18 Radiation A61L9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0663 Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/06 using light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0624 for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/233 specially adapted for generating a spot light distribution, e.g. for substitution of reflector lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/006 of point-like light sources, e.g. incandescent or halogen lamps, with screw-threaded or bayonet base of sources having contact pins, wires or blades F21V19/0005; of LEDs or sources mounted on printed-circuit board F21V19/001
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 : characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0068 : Medical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 : of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/00 : Reflectors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/30 : Elements containing photoluminescent material distinct from or spaced from the light source shades F21V1/17; globes, bowls or cover glasses F21V3/08, F21V3/12; refractors F21V5/10; reflectors F21V7/26, F21V7/30; elements with provision for controlling the spectral properties or intensity F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/20 : Lighting for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 : Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 : comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 : comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/078 : combined with lighting fixtures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 : Wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/56 : involving measures to prevent abnormal temperature of the LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 : Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 : by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 : following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting system configured to provide light and disinfect air in an environment. The lighting system includes an HVAC unit configured to provide air to the environment, and a lighting device configured to deactivate microorganisms in the air. The lighting device includes a housing, means for mounting the housing to a surface in the environment, one or more first light-emitting elements arranged in the housing and configured to each produce disinfecting light having a wavelength in a first range of wavelengths, and one or more second light-emitting elements arranged in the housing and configured to each produce disinfecting light having a wavelength in a second range of wavelengths different from the first range of wavelengths. The disinfecting light produced by the first light-emitting elements and the disinfecting light produced by the second light-emitting elements mix to form a combined light, the combined light being visible light other than white light.

Claims

1. A system configured to provide light and disinfect air in an environment, the system comprising:

an HVAC unit configured to provide air to the environment; and

a lighting device configured to deactivate microorganisms in the air, the lighting device comprising;

a housing;

means for mounting the housing to a surface in the environment;

one or more first light-emitting elements comprising one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in the housing and configured to each produce disinfecting light having a wavelength in a first range of wavelengths; and

one or more second light-emitting elements arranged in the housing and configured to each produce disinfecting light having a wavelength in a second range of wavelengths different from the first range of wavelengths;

wherein the disinfecting light produced by the one or more LEDs and the disinfecting light produced by the one or more second light-emitting elements mix to form a combined light, the combined light being visible light other than white light, and

wherein the visible light has u′

, v′

coordinates on the 1976 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that lie outside of an area that is bounded (i) vertically between 0.007 Duv below and 0.007 Duv above a planckian locus defined by the ANSI C78.377-2015 color standard, and (ii) horizontally between a correlated color temperature (CCT) isoline of between approximately 1500K and 7000K.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the lighting device heats air proximate to the lighting device to a temperature that is greater than a temperature of the air provided by the air handling unit, thereby creating an air convection current proximate to the lighting device.

3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the combined light has a disinfecting dose of at least 0.06 J/cm² measured from any unshielded point in the environment.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the lighting device further comprises:

means for maintaining a junction temperature of the one or more LEDs below a maximum operating temperature of the one or more LEDs; and

means for directing the disinfecting light produced by the one or more LEDs and the disinfecting light produced by the one or more second light-emitting elements.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more second light-emitting elements comprise one or more light-converting elements.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more light-converting elements comprise one or more phosphors.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more phosphors comprise red phosphors and green phosphors.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first range of wavelengths comprises wavelengths between 400 nm and 420 nm, and wherein the second range of wavelengths comprises wavelengths greater than 500 nm.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second range of wavelengths comprises wavelengths between 530 nm and 580 nm or between 600 nm and 650 nm.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the lighting device further comprises one or more third light-emitting elements arranged in the housing and configured to each produce disinfecting light having a wavelength in a third range of wavelengths different from the first and second ranges of wavelengths.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first range of wavelengths comprises wavelengths less than 500 nm, the second range of wavelengths comprises wavelengths between 530 nm and 580 nm, and the third range of wavelengths comprises wavelengths between 600 nm and 650 nm.

12. A method, comprising:

providing air to an environment via an HVAC unit;

deactivating microorganisms in the air in the environment via a lighting device, the lighting device comprising a housing, means for mounting the housing to a surface in the environment, one or more first light-emitting elements comprising one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in the housing and configured to each produce disinfecting light having a wavelength in a first range of wavelengths, and one or more second light-emitting elements arranged in the housing and configured to each produce disinfecting light having a wavelength in a second range of wavelengths different from the first range of wavelengths, wherein the disinfecting light produced by the one or more LEDs and the disinfecting light produced by the one or more second light-emitting elements mix to form a combined light, the combined light comprising visible light other than white light, and wherein the visible light has u′

, v′

coordinates on the 1976 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that lie outside of an area that is bounded (i) vertically between 0.007 Duv below and 0.007 Duv above a planckian locus defined by the ANSI 078.377-2015 color standard, and (ii) horizontally between a correlated color temperature (CCT) isoline of between approximately 1500K and 7000K.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising circulating the air proximate to the lighting device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of providing air to the environment via the HVAC unit comprises providing air to a first room in the environment via the HVAC unit, and wherein the act of deactivating microorganisms in the air in the environment via the lighting device comprises deactivating microorganisms in the air in the first room via the lighting device, the method further comprising providing, via the HVAC unit, a portion of the air in the first room to a second room in the environment, the second room being structurally separate from the first room.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of deactivating microorganisms in the air in the environment via the lighting device comprises outputting the combined light at a disinfecting dose of at least 0.06 J/cm² measured from any unshielded point in the environment.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the first range of wavelengths comprises wavelengths between 400 nm and 420 nm.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first range of wavelengths comprises wavelengths of about 405 nm.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first range of wavelengths has an integrated irradiance of at least 0.035 mW/cm² measured from any unshielded point in the environment that is 1.5 m from any point on any external most luminous surface of the lighting device.