Air supply apparatus

• US 20070102280A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Next Safety, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Next Safety, Inc.
• Inventors: McNeil, Laurie, Hebrank, John, Hunter, Jocelyn, Ballou, Bernard, Hunter, C.
• Application Number:
  US11/434,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20070102280A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/157.150
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/16 using physical phenomena
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/205 using a photocatalyst or photosensitiser
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/91 Bacteria; Microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/007 by irradiation

Abstract

In an air sterilization system that includes a UV kill chamber for sterilizing air that is to be supplied to users, the effectiveness of killing or neutralizing pathogens is increased by including not only a UV light source of a certain intensity but also including a particle filter and providing short duration high intensity UV radiation. In the case of a user specific system that includes a face mask to supply air to a specific user, exhaled air from the face mask may be sterilized as well, either by using the same kill chamber or by using a separate kill chamber.

Claims

1. An air sterilizer, comprising

a UV light source for providing UV radiation of a first intensity,

a blower for generating an air stream,

a particle filter for filtering particles out of the air stream, and

means for radiating pathogens in the air stream with high intensity UV light in a high intensity zone, wherein the high intensity light is of a higher intensity than the first intensity.

2. An air sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the means for radiating pathogens with a high intensity UV light includes a UV beam magnifier focusing UV light onto the high intensity zone.

3. An air sterilizer of claim 2, wherein the UV beam magnifier comprises a UV lens.

4. An air sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising an air flow housing and means for automatically adjusting air pressure or air flow rate of an air stream passing through the airflow housing to account for changes in the demand.

5. An air sterilizer of claim 3, wherein the high intensity zone comprises a passageway or hole located at the focal point of the lens.

6. An air sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the UV light source is a mercury vapor lamp, at least one LED or a flashlamp.

7. An air sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the particle filter is a HEPA filter.

8. An air sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising an airflow housing with a first and a second input and a face mask having an input and an output, wherein the output of the face mask is connected to the second input of the housing.

9. An air sterilizer of claim 8, wherein the air flow housing is divided into a first section in flow communication with the first input, and a second section in flow communication with the second input.

10. An air sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the UV light source includes a mercury vapor lamp mounted in a lamp housing.

11. An air sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the high intensity zone includes a reflector for reflecting back UV light.

12. An air sterilizer of claim 4, wherein the air flow housing includes a UV reflective surface provided with a coating for reducing ozone.

13. An air sterilizer of claim 12, wherein the coating for reducing ozone includes HFlO₂.

14. An air sterilizer of claim 10, wherein the air flow housing and lamp housing include transparent walls, and at least some of the transparent walls are provided with Ti or ZrO₂.

15. An air sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising a Ti sponge mounted in the air stream.

16. An air sterilizer of claim 10, wherein the air flow housing houses a blower or fan, and is separably connected to the lamp housing.

17. An air sterilizer of claim 16, wherein the blower or fan, and the mercury vapor lamp include their own power supplies.

18. An air sterilizer, comprising

an air flow housing having first and second inputs for receiving air from two different air source, and an output,

a UV light source,

a fan or blower for moving air through the air flow housing, and

a particle filter for filtering air entering through at least the first input.

19. An air sterilizer of claim 18, wherein one air source is the surrounding air and the other air source is exhaled air fed into the housing from a face mask.

20. An air sterilizer of claim 18, further comprising a UV beam magnifier for focusing the UV light source on a defined region.

21. An air sterilizer of claim 20, wherein the defined region includes a reflector for reflecting back UV light.

22. An air sterilizer of claim 18, wherein the air flow housing includes a UV reflective surface provided with a coating for reducing ozone.

23. An air sterilizer of claim 18, further comprising a light source housing.

24. An air sterilizer of claim 18, wherein the blower and light source are provided with their own power supplies and their own charging ports.

25. An air sterilizer of claim 23, wherein the air flow housing houses a blower or fan, and is separably connected to the light source housing.

26. An air sterilizer of claim 23, wherein the air flow housing and light source housing include transparent walls, and at least some of the transparent walls are provided with Ti or ZrO2.

27. An air sterilizer of claim 18, further comprising a titanium sponge.

28. An air sterilization system for providing a sterile air supply to a face mask, comprising

a face mask having an air input and an air output,

a kill chamber that includes an air flow housing having a first input for receiving air from the surrounding air, and an output connected to the air input of the face mask,

a UV light source,

a fan or blower for generating an air stream through the air flow housing,

a particle filter for filtering incoming air from the surrounding air, wherein the system includes one or both of a UV beam magnifier and a second input to the air flow housing connected to the output from the face mask.

29. A system of claim 28, wherein the particle filter is a HEPA filter mounted in or on the air flow housing.

30. A system of claim 28, further comprising means for automatically adjusting air pressure in or air flow through the face mask to account for changes in the demand.

31. A system of claim 30, wherein the means for automatically adjusting includes a sensor for measuring the flow rate or the air stream or air pressure, the sensor signal being used to control the flow rate of said air stream or the air pressure in the face mask.

32. A system of claim 31, further comprising an electrically controlled valve mounted in the air flow housing, wherein the flow rate or pressure is controlled by controlling power to the fan or blower or by adjusting the valve, or by controlling both the fan or blower, as well as the valve.

33. A system of claim 31, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor and signals from the pressure sensor are used for maintaining a constant pressure.

34. A system of claim 33, wherein the constant pressure is maintained by controlling at least one of an electrically controlled valve and current to the blower or fan.

35. A system of claim 34, wherein the electrically controlled valve includes a latch.

36. A system of claim 28, wherein the first input to the housing is a 0.5 to 1 cm diameter hole.

37. A system of claim 28, wherein the UV light source is a flash lamp producing a high intensity burst of UV light.

38. A system of claim 28, wherein the beam magnifier is a UV lens.

39. A system of claim 28, further comprising a light source housing for the UV light source.

40. A system of claim 39, wherein the air flow housing and light source housing are separably connected.

41. A system of claim 40, wherein the fan or blower, and the UV light source are provided with their own portable power supplies.

42. A system of claim 39, wherein the air flow housing and light source housing include UV reflective surfaces provided with a coating for reducing ozone.

43. A system of claim 39, wherein the air flow housing and light source housing include transparent walls, and at least some of the transparent walls are provided with Ti or ZrO₂.

44. A method of reducing pathogens in an air stream comprising,

exposing the air stream to at least two different UV radiation intensities at different periods of time.

45. A method of claim 44, wherein the at least two different UV radiation intensities are provided by a UV lamp and a beam magnifier.

46. A method of claim 45, wherein the beam magnifier is a UV lens.

47. A method of claim 46, wherein the beam magnifier focuses the UV radiation onto a channel or hole through which the air stream is forced to pass.

48. A method of claim 44, wherein the radiation exposure is increased by providing reflectors for reflecting the UV radiation.

49. A method of claim 45, wherein the efficiency of the UV light source is enhanced by controlling the temperature of the UV light source.

50. A method of providing protection against air borne pathogens, comprising

filtering the air using a particle filter,

providing a loosely fitting face mask for channeling the filtered air to a user,

providing a fan or blower for generating an air stream, and

controlling the air pressure in the face mask to maintain substantially a constant pressure, slightly positive pressure as demand changes.

51. A method of claim 50, wherein the slightly positive pressure is 0.5 to 1 inch of water pressure over ambient pressure.

52. A method of claim 50, further comprising sterilizing the air channeled to the user.

53. A method of claim 52, further comprising sterilizing the air exhaled by the user.

54. A method of claim 50, wherein the air pressure is controlled by controlling at least one of a flapper valve and the fan or blower.