Storage device including ultraviolet illumination

• US 10,383,964 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2017
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology Incorporated (Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sensor Electronic Technology Incorporated (Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shatalov, Maxim S., Bettles, Timothy James, Dobrinsky, Alexander, Gaska, Remigijus, Shur, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayekar, Kishor
• Application Number:
  US15/700,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20170368215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• 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 2202/21 Pharmaceuticals, e.g. medicaments, artificial body parts
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/042 Air treating means within refrigerated spaces air conditioning in general F24F
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/0417 using an UV-lamp
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/52 Weighing apparatus combined with other objects, e.g. furniture with walking sticks A45B3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/121 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity, of the fluid moisture content of the tested material G01N27/048
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Ultraviolet radiation is directed within an area. Items located within the area and/or one or more conditions of the area are monitored over a period of time. Based on the monitoring, ultraviolet radiation sources are controlled by adjusting a direction, an intensity, a pattern, and/or a spectral power of the ultraviolet radiation generated by the ultraviolet radiation source. Adjustments to the ultraviolet radiation source(s) can correspond to one of a plurality of selectable operating configurations including a storage life preservation operating configuration, a disinfection operating configuration, and an ethylene decomposition operating configuration.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a storage device configured to contain a set of produce items;

a set of ultraviolet radiation sources configured to generate ultraviolet radiation over a portion of the set of produce items;

a set of infrared radiation sources configured to generate infrared radiation over the set of produce items in order to excite a set of fluorescent signals from a set of microorganisms located on the set of produce items;

a set of sensing devices configured to monitor a set of current conditions of at least one of;

the storage device or the set of produce items, wherein the set of current conditions includes a proximity of a user and the set of fluorescent signals; and

a control system configured to control the infrared radiation generated by the set of infrared radiation sources in order to excite the set of fluorescent signals and control the set of ultraviolet radiation sources based on the set of current conditions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of ultraviolet radiation sources comprises a lamp with a plurality of ultraviolet light emitting diodes.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising an ultraviolet transparent enclosure for enclosing the lamp.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one ultraviolet light emitting diode in the plurality of ultraviolet light emitting diodes are configured to operate at a wavelength in the range of 280 nanometers to 300 nanometers.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of ultraviolet light emitting diodes includes a first set of ultraviolet light emitting diodes operating at a first wavelength range and a first target intensity configured to prolong a storage life for the set of produce items and a second set of ultraviolet light emitting diodes operating at a second wavelength range and a second target intensity configured to suppress mildew and growth of bacteria, wherein radiation from the first set of ultraviolet light emitting diodes has an intensity variation of at most 50%.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of sensing devices includes a set of fluorescent sensors configured to monitor the set of fluorescent signals from the set of produce items over a period of time.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a set of visible light sources, wherein at least one visible light source operates at a peak wavelength of approximately 430 nanometers and at least one visible light source operates at a peak wavelength of approximately 630 nanometers.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the control system is configured to determine a presence of flavonoids in the set of produce items.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of sensing devices includes a visual camera.

10. A storage device comprising:

a storage area including at least one shelf for holding at least one produce item;

a set of ultraviolet radiation sources configured to generate ultraviolet radiation into the storage area and over a portion of the set of produce items;

a set of infrared radiation sources configured to generate infrared radiation over the set of produce items in order to excite a set of fluorescent signals from a set of microorganisms located on the set of produce items;

a set of sensing devices configured to monitor a set of current conditions of at least one of;

the storage device or the set of produce items, wherein the set of current conditions includes a proximity of a user and the set of fluorescent signals; and

a control system configured to control the infrared radiation generated by the set of infrared radiation sources in order to excite the set of fluorescent signals and control the set of ultraviolet radiation sources based on the set of current conditions.

11. The storage device of claim 10, wherein the set of ultraviolet radiation sources comprises a lamp with a plurality of ultraviolet light emitting diodes.

12. The storage device of claim 11, further comprising an ultraviolet transparent enclosure for enclosing the lamp.

13. The storage device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of ultraviolet light emitting diodes includes a first set of ultraviolet light emitting diodes operating at a first wavelength range and a first target intensity configured to prolong a storage life for the set of produce items and a second set of ultraviolet light emitting diodes operating at a second wavelength range and a second target intensity configured to suppress mildew and growth of bacteria, wherein radiation from the first set of ultraviolet light emitting diodes has an intensity variation of at most 50%.

14. The storage device of claim 10, wherein the set of sensing devices includes a set of fluorescent sensors configured to monitor the set of fluorescent signals from the set of produce items over a period of time.

15. The storage device of claim 14, further comprising a set of visible light sources, wherein at least one visible light source operates at a peak wavelength of approximately 430 nanometers and at least one visible light source operates at a peak wavelength of approximately 630 nanometers.

16. The storage device of claim 15, wherein the control system is configured to determine a presence of flavonoids in the set of produce items.

17. A storage device comprising:

a storage area including at least one shelf for holding at least one produce item;

a lamp located over the at least one shelf, the lamp including a set of ultraviolet radiation sources configured to generate ultraviolet radiation into the storage area and over a portion of the set of produce items;

a set of infrared radiation sources configured to generate infrared radiation over the set of produce items in order to excite a set of fluorescent signals from a set of microorganisms located on the set of produce items;

a set of sensing devices configured to monitor a set of current conditions of at least one of;

the storage device or the set of produce items, wherein the set of current conditions includes a proximity of a user and the set of fluorescent signals; and

a control system configured to control the infrared radiation generated by the set of infrared radiation sources in order to excite the set of fluorescent signals and control the set of ultraviolet radiation sources based on the set of current conditions.

18. The storage device of claim 17, further comprising an ultraviolet transparent enclosure for enclosing the lamp.

19. The storage device of claim 17, wherein the set of sensing devices includes a set of fluorescent sensors configured to monitor the set of fluorescent signals from the set of produce items over a period of time.

20. The storage device of claim 19, further comprising a set of visible light sources, wherein at least one visible light source operates at a peak wavelength of approximately 430 nanometers and at least one visible light source operates at a peak wavelength of approximately 630 nanometers, wherein the control system is configured to determine a presence of flavonoids in the set of produce items.