BREATHING APPARATUS WITH ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT EMITTING DIODE

• US 20160001108A1
• Filed: 07/03/2014
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atmos Life Science, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fang Hu, Ling Zhou
• Inventors: Zhou, Ling, Hu, Fang
• Granted Patent: US 10,335,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1192 with antimicrobial agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/00 Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor for contact lenses A61L12/00; atomisers for disinfecting agents A61M; sterilisation of packages or package contents in association with packaging B65B55/00; treatment of water, waste water, sewage or sludge C02F; disinfecting paper D21H21/36; disinfecting devices for water closets E03D; articles having provision for disinfection, see the relevant subclasses for these articles, e.g. H04R1/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/111 Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/00 Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air body deodorants A61Q15/00; purifying air by respirators A62B, A62D9/00; separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours B01D45/00 - B01D51/00, B03C3/00; chemical or biological purification of waste gases B01D53/34; production of ozone C01B13/10; air-conditioning systems incorporating sterilisation F24F3/16, F24F8/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/02 Masks gas-masks for animals A62B18/06; masks for welders A61F9/06
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/025 Halfmasks A62B23/02 takes precedence; surgical face masks A41D13/11
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/10 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/10 with filter elements

Abstract

A breathing apparatus according to embodiments of the invention includes a facemask portion sized to cover a lower portion of a wearer'"'"'s face. The facemask portion includes a flow chamber. The flow chamber includes a first opening disposed near a first end of the flow chamber, a second opening disposed near a second end of the flow chamber, and a serpentine passage disposed between the first opening and the second opening. At least one light emitting diode configured to emit light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range is disposed in the serpentine passage. The at least one light emitting diode is disposed off center relative to a centerline oriented along a direction of air flow through the serpentine passage.

Claims

1. A breathing apparatus comprising:

a facemask portion sized to cover a lower portion of a wearer'"'"'s face, the facemask portion comprising;

a flow chamber comprising a first opening disposed near a first end of the flow chamber and a second opening disposed near a second end of the flow chamber; and

at least one light emitting diode configured to emit light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range disposed between the first opening and the second opening in the flow chamber;

wherein the flow chamber has a volume no more than 80 cm³.

2. The breathing apparatus of claim 1 wherein a surface intensity of the at least one light emitting diode is at least 6×

10⁶ μ

W/cm².

3. The breathing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flow chamber weighs no more than 8 grams.

4. The breathing apparatus of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the flow chamber is no more than 1.5 cm.

5. The breathing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flow chamber comprises a serpentine passage disposed between the first opening and the second opening.

6. The breathing apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

the serpentine passage comprises a center line oriented in a direction of air flow through the serpentine passage; and

the at least one light emitting diode is positioned in the serpentine passage off the center line.

7. The breathing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a thermal sensor, wherein the thermal sensor is configured to detect a flow rate of air through the flow chamber; and

a controller coupled to the thermal sensor and the at least one light emitting diode, wherein the controller is configured to supply current to the at least one light emitting diode based on information received from the thermal sensor.

8. The breathing apparatus of claim 7 wherein the thermal sensor is a MEMs sensor.

9. The breathing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a data collection module; and

a transponder module for transmitting data collected by the data collection module.

10. A breathing apparatus comprising:

a facemask portion sized to cover a lower portion of a wearer'"'"'s face, the facemask portion comprising;

a flow chamber comprising;

a first opening disposed near a first end of the flow chamber;

a second opening disposed near a second end of the flow chamber; and

a serpentine passage disposed between the first opening and the second opening; and

at least one light emitting diode configured to emit light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range disposed in the serpentine passage, wherein the at least one light emitting diode is disposed off center relative to a centerline oriented along a direction of air flow through the serpentine passage.

11. The breathing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one light emitting diode is disposed in a region of maximum air turbulence or aerosol density in the serpentine passage.

12. The breathing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one light emitting diode is disposed on a sidewall forming the serpentine passage.

13. The breathing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one light emitting diode is disposed on a floor of the flow chamber.

14. The breathing apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a thermal sensor, wherein the thermal sensor is configured to detect a flow rate of air through the serpentine passage; and

a controller coupled to the thermal sensor and the at least one light emitting diode, wherein the controller is configured to supply current to the at least one light emitting diode based on information received from the thermal sensor.

15. The breathing apparatus of claim 14 wherein the thermal sensor is a MEMs sensor.

16. A breathing apparatus comprising:

a facemask portion sized to cover a lower portion of a wearer'"'"'s face, the facemask portion comprising;

a disinfection chamber disposed between an inner shell and an outer shell, each of the inner shell and the outer shell having at least one opening;

a membrane comprising a plurality of light extraction features; and

at least one light emitting diode configured to emit light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range optically coupled to the membrane, wherein light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode is waveguided within the membrane and extracted from the membrane by the plurality of light extraction features.

17. The breathing apparatus of claim 16 wherein the plurality of light extraction features are disposed on a first major surface of the membrane and a reflective material is disposed on at least a portion of a second major surface of the membrane.

18. The breathing apparatus of claim 16 where the at least one light emitting diode is disposed on an edge of the membrane.

19. The breathing apparatus of claim 16 wherein the membrane is flexible.

20. The breathing apparatus of claim 16 wherein the at least one light emitting diode is disposed in cavity formed in a surface of the membrane opposite the plurality of light extraction features.