LED ultraviolet air sanitizer light fixture

• US 20070053188A1
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Luminator Holding LP (LTG Acquisition, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Luminator Holding LP (LTG Acquisition, Inc.)
• Inventors: New, Richard, Schoel, Todd
• Application Number:
  US11/220,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20070053188A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/276
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/12 Lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/00 Other air-treating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2500/20 associated with air conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/43 General lighting
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/47 Circuits; Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/00 Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for aircraft crew or passengers, or freight space , or structural parts of the aircraft treatment rooms with artificial climate for medical purposes A61G10/02; respiratory apparatus in general A62B; for vehicles in general B60H
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0038 Illumination systems for cabins as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/067 with air ionizers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/22 using UV light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

A lighting fixture and lighting system for a transportation vehicle is disclosed that provides color variations for lighting the passenger cabin of an airplane, train, bus or other type of transportation vehicle. The lighting fixture and system further provide ultraviolet light that helps to disinfect the circulating air in the passenger cabin. A fixture in an exemplary lighting system provides visible light for lighting up the passenger cabin and germicidal ultraviolet light directed toward or into an output vent(s) of the air circulation system of the passenger vehicle. The ultraviolet light is segregated from the visible light such that ultraviolet light is only directed toward or into the circulation vents of the vehicle'"'"'s air circulation system.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture comprising:

a visible light source, attached to said lighting fixture, configured to direct visible light in a first direction;

an ultraviolet LED array, attached to said lighting fixture configured to direct ultraviolet light in a second direction, said second direction being a same direction or a different direction than said first direction;

a control unit attached to said lighting fixture, said control unit being electrically connected to said visible light source and programmed to control an intensity of light emitted from said visible light source, said control unit being electrically connected to said ultraviolet LED array and programmed to control an intensity of light emitted from said ultraviolet LED array.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said visible light source is an RGB LED array and said control unit is further programmed to control the color, hue, saturation, and time to shift from a first color to a second color of the visible light.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said visible light source is attached to a first surface of said lighting fixture, and said ultraviolet LED array is attached to a second surface of said lighting fixture, said first surface and said second surface being angularly displaced from each other.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising an ultraviolet shield, attached to said light fixture between said ultraviolet LED array and said visible light source, said ultraviolet shield preventing ultraviolet light from being directed in said first direction.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said first direction is a direction that illuminates a designated area, second direction is toward an airflow source.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said ultraviolet LED array emits ultraviolet light in at least one of the ultraviolet-B, 280 to 315 nm range, and the ultraviolet-C, 200 to 280 nm, range.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said ultraviolet LED array emits germ killing ultraviolet light.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising a smoke detector device, for sensing whether smoke is in the air about said fixture, is connected to said control circuitry, said control circuitry providing an alarm signal when said smoke detector device senses smoke.

9. A lighting fixture system for use in the passenger cabin of at least one of an airplane, a train and a bus, said lighting fixture system comprising:

an operator interface for controlling a plurality of lighting fixtures in said lighting fixture system, said plurality of lighting fixtures each comprising;

a housing;

a visual light source for providing visual lighting to the passenger cabin, said visual light source attached to said housing;

an ultraviolet LED array providing germicide ultraviolet light in the direction of an air vent in said passenger cabin, said ultraviolet LED array attached to said housing; and

a control module in electronic communication with said operator interface, said control module mounted in said housing, said control module being electrically connected to said visible light source and programmed to control an intensity of light emitted from said visible light source in accordance with first electronic communications with said operator interface, said control unit being electrically connected to said ultraviolet LED array and programmed to control an intensity of light emitted from said ultraviolet LED array in accordance with second electronic communications from said operator interface.

10. The lighting fixture system of claim 9, wherein said visual light source is a RGB LED array or a RGBW LED array, and wherein said control module is further programmed to control color, hue, saturation, and an amount of time to shift from a first color to a second color of visible light.

11. The lighting fixture system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of lighting fixtures each further comprises an ultraviolet shield, attached to the housing between said ultraviolet LED array and said visible light source, said ultraviolet shielding ultraviolet light from being directed into said passenger cabin.

12. The lighting fixture system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of lighting fixtures each further comprises a first surface on said housing where said visible light source is attached and a second surface on said housing where said ultraviolet LED array is attached, said first surface and said second surface being angularly displaced from each other.

13. The lighting fixture system of claim 9, wherein said germicide ultraviolet light is in at least one of the ultraviolet-B, 280 to 315 nm range, and the ultraviolet-C , 100 to 280 nm, range.

14. The lighting fixture system of claim 9, wherein said ultraviolet LED array is removably attached to said plurality of lighting fixtures.

15. A combination ultraviolet germicidal LED array and visible light LED array lighting fixture for use on a transportation vehicle, comprising:

a housing having a length and a first and a second outer surface;

an array of ultraviolet LEDs disposed on the first surface of said housing;

an array of RGB LEDs disposed on a second surface of said housing;

a control circuit electrically controlling said array of ultraviolet LEDs and said array of RGB LEDs, said control circuit comprising;

a microprocessor programmed to control said ultraviolet LEDs separately from said array of RGB LEDs,

a memory, electrically connected to said microprocessor, that stores data associated with a plurality of preprogrammed lighting configurations for said array of ultraviolet LEDs and said array of RGB LEDs; and

communication means, connected to said microprocessor, for communicating with a control panel.

16. The combination ultraviolet germicidal LED array and visible light LED array lighting fixture for use on a transportation vehicle of claim 15, wherein said array of ultraviolet LEDs are in the form of a detachable module that is detachably connected to said housing.

17. The combination ultraviolet germicidal LED array and visible light LED array lighting fixture for use on a transportation vehicle of claim 15, wherein said first surface and said second surface are canted with respect to each other.

18. The combination ultraviolet germicidal LED array and visible light LED array lighting fixture for use on a transportation vehicle of claim 15, further comprising a shield placed between said array of ultraviolet LEDs and said array of RGB LEDS, said shield being opaque to ultraviolet light.

19. The combination ultraviolet germicidal LED array and visible light LED array lighting fixture for use on a transportation vehicle of claim 15, wherein said communication means comprises at least one wire from said control panel to a combination ultraviolet germicidal LED and visible light LED array lighting fixture.

20. The combination ultraviolet germicidal LED array and visible light LED array lighting fixture for use on a transportation vehicle of claim 15, wherein said combination ultraviolet germicidal LED array and visible light LED array lighting fixture is mounted substantially near an output of an air circulation system in said transport vehicle such that ultraviolet light emitted from said array of ultraviolet LEDS impinges on said output of said air circulation system.