Variable wavelength ultraviolet lamp

• US 20050133740A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William G. Gardner
• Original Assignee: William G. Gardner
• Inventors: Gardner, William G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,148,497 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/504.R
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/06 Arrangements for heating or lighting in, or attached to, receptacles for live fish
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/08 the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements and reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/006 by means of optical elements, e.g. films, filters or screens, being rolled up around a roller
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/32 characterised by the arrangement of the photoluminescent material
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/308 for aquaria
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/405 for shop-windows or displays
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/1217 Indexed discrete filters or choppers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/1221 Mounting; Adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0216 using light concentrators or collectors or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0235 using means for replacing an element by another, for replacing a filter or a grating
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0272 Handheld
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry

Abstract

A variable wavelength ultraviolet lamp. An apparatus for selectively producing one or more of a plurality of wavelength distributions of light is provided, comprising a primary light source having a primary wavelength distribution, at least one wavelength-transforming material that, in response to illumination by the primary light source produces secondary light having a wavelength distribution different from the primary light wavelength distribution, the wavelength-transforming material being disposed on a substrate external to the primary light source, and a wavelength-transforming material selection mechanism for placing at least a portion of one or more selected wavelength-transforming materials in front of the primary light source, in a selected preferred direction of light emission from the apparatus, such that the selected wavelength-transforming materials emit from the apparatus light having a wavelength distribution different from the primary light wavelength distribution.

Claims

1. An apparatus for selectively producing one or more of a plurality of wavelength distributions of light, comprising:

a primary light source having a primary wavelength distribution;

at least one wavelength-transforming material that, in response to illumination by said primary light source produces secondary light having a wavelength distribution different from the primary light wavelength distribution, the wavelength-transforming material being disposed on a substrate external to the primary light source; and

a wavelength-transforming material selection mechanism for placing at least a portion of one or more selected wavelength-transforming materials in front of said primary light source, in a selected preferred direction of light emission from the apparatus, such that the selected wavelength-transforming materials emit from the apparatus light having a wavelength distribution different from the primary light wavelength distribution

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more wavelength-transforming materials produce, in response to illumination by the primary light, ultraviolet light having a wavelength distribution different from that of the primary light.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more wavelength-transforming materials are phosphors.

4. A display cabinet including the apparatus of claim 1 as a source of illumination.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the display cabinet is a terrarium.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the display cabinet is an aquarium.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of wavelength-transforming materials are disposed such that the wavelength-transforming material selection mechanism can place more than one of the wavelength-transforming materials in front of the primary light source in a preferred direction of light emission from the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, where the wavelength-transforming material selection mechanism comprises a cylinder surrounding the primary light source, one or more wavelength-transforming materials being disposed on a surface of the cylinder such that at least one wavelength-transforming material may be placed in front of the primary light source in a preferred direction of light emission from the apparatus by movement of the cylinder.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the movement of the cylinder comprises rotation of the cylinder about its axis of rotation.

10. A display cabinet including the apparatus of claim 8 as a source of illumination.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wavelength-transforming material selection mechanism comprises a substantially flat surface comprising one or more wavelength-transforming materials disposed thereon such that one or more wavelength-transforming materials can be placed in front of the primary light source and in a preferred direction of light emission from the apparatus by movement of the substantially flat surface.

12. A display cabinet including the apparatus of claim 11 as a source of illumination.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the movement of the substantially flat surface is linear in the plane of the surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the movement of the substantially flat surface is rotational in the plane of the surface.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, where the wavelength-transforming material selection mechanism comprises a flexible sheet of material having one or more wavelength-transforming materials disposed thereon, the sheet being movably disposed in front of the primary light source and in a preferred direction of light emission from the apparatus so as to select one or more wavelength-transforming materials.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, where said source of primary light is a low pressure mercury vapor discharge bulb.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, where a reflector is disposed so as to reflect light emitted from said primary light source toward one or more selected wavelength-transforming materials in a preferred direction of light emission from the apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure in which the source of primary light, the wavelength-transforming material, and the wavelength-transforming material selection mechanisms are disposed, the enclosure defining a light exit port to direct light emission from the apparatus in a preferred direction.

19. A display cabinet including the apparatus of claim 15 as a source of illumination.

20. A method for producing selectable wavelength distributions of light, comprising:

providing a primary light source having a primary wavelength distribution; and

selectively placing in front of and external to the primary light source in a preferred direction of light emission from the primary light source one or more wavelength-transforming materials for producing light having a wavelength distribution different from the primary light wavelength distribution.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein providing said primary light source comprises providing a source of ultraviolet light, and said selectively placing comprises placing at least one phosphor in front of the primary light source so as to produce ultraviolet light having a wavelength distribution different from the primary ultraviolet light wavelength distribution.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said selectively placing comprises rotating around the primary light source a cylindrical support having wavelength-transforming materials disposed thereon such that one or more wavelength-transforming materials are selectively placed in front of the primary light source in a preferred direction of light emission.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said selectively placing comprises moving a substantially flat substrate linearly in the plane thereof so as to selectively place one or more wavelength-transforming materials disposed on the substrate in front of the primary light source in a preferred direction of light emission.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said selectively placing comprises rotating a substantially flat substrate in the plane thereof so as to selectively place one or more wavelength-transforming materials disposed on the substrate in front of the primary light source in a preferred direction of light emission.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said selectively placing comprises moving a flexible sheet on which one or more wavelength-transforming materials are disposed in front of the primary light source so as to selectively place one or more wavelength-transforming materials disposed on the substrate in front of the primary light source in a preferred direction of light emission.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising placing a reflector unit adjacent to said primary light source so as to direct light emitted from the source toward a preferred direction of light emission.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing a light exit port in the preferred direction of light emission so that the wavelength-transforming materials are placed between the primary light source and the exit port.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein the light produced by the wavelength-transforming materials is used to illuminate the interior of a display cabinet.

29. The method of claim 20 wherein the light produced by the wavelength-transforming materials is used to illuminate a terrarium.

30. The method of claim 20 wherein the light produced by the wavelength-transforming materials is used to illuminate an aquarium.