Process and device for monitoring apparatus for emission of electro-magnetic radiations

• US 5,434,419 A
• Filed: 12/16/1993
• Issued: 07/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jean Decupper
• Original Assignee: Jean Decupper
• Inventors: Decupper, Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANIG, RICHARD E
• Application Number:
  US08/167,364
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 250/372, 250/373, 250/372 EM, 250/492.1, 250/436, 250/432 R
• US Class Current: 250/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/429 applied to measurement of ultraviolet light using counting tubes G01T
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/1657 one signal being spectrally modified, e.g. for UV

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for monitoring the flowrate and intensity of an electro-magnetic emission, particularly of very short wave-length, in the vicinity of visible light, such as a wave emission in the ultra-violet, for germicidal or bacteriostatic or atmosphere purifying purposes, characterized in that a first and a second sensor are exposed to the radiations to be monitored, each sensor constituted by a transducer, particularly of the photovoltaic type, while a series of filters is interposed in front of said sensors, such that a first sensor is rendered exclusively sensitive to the radiations of the wave-length to be monitored, while the second sensor is rendered insensitive to said radiations, the currents issued by each of these transducers are permanently compared, the differential between the two currents being proportional to the intensity of the radiation monitored, which makes it possible to display this intensity. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out this process.

Claims

1. A process for monitoring the flowrate and intensity of an electro-magnetic emission, particularly of very short wave-length, in the vicinity of visible light, such as a wave emission in the ultra-violet, and of the type in which a first and a second sensor are exposed to the radiations to be monitored, the first sensor being a first photovoltaic transducer and the second sensor being a second photovoltaic transducer, while a series of filters is interposed in front of said sensors, such that a first sensor is rendered exclusively sensitive to the radiations of the wave-length to be monitored, while the second sensor is rendered insensitive to said radiations, the currents issued by each of these transducers are compared, the differential between the two currents being proportional to the intensity of the radiation monitored, which makes it possible to display this intensity,

wherein, the emission of waves being employed for germicidal or bacteriostatic or atmosphere purifying means, a minimum reference threshold of said differential is determined, below which is actuated a visual or sound alarm means or a relay triggering off an automatic intervention such as the cut-off of supply to the electro-magnetic emission.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein there is interposed in front of the second photovoltaic transducer a first filter adapted to attenuate or stop the adjacent marginal radiations lying in the visible light and there is interposed in front of the other first photovoltaic transducer a second filter adapted to transform the emission of radiations monitored into visible light adapted to be detected by a transducer of the photoelectric cell type.

3. A device for detecting, controlling and monitoring an emitter of electro-magnetic radiations, of the type comprising two sensors, a series of filters sensitive to the radiations to be monitored, a down-conversion means, and means for measuring and comparing between the currents issued by the sensors, wherein said device is arranged to carry out the process of claim 1.

4. A device for detecting, controlling and monitoring an emitter of electro-magnetic radiations, of the type comprising two sensors, a series of filters sensitive to the radiations to be monitored, and means for measuring and comparing between the currents issued by the sensors, wherein said device is arranged to carry out the process of claim 2.

5. A device for permanently detecting, controlling and monitoring an emitter of electro-magnetic radiations of wave-length located in the vicinity of visible light, particularly in the ultra-violet and used for especially for germicidal and atmosphere purifying purposes, more particularly in sensitive environments such as medical premises, hospitals or premises where food products are treated, air-conditioning installations or swimming pools, wherein said device comprises two identical photoelectric cells disposed in the field of the radiation monitored, a plurality of filters being interposed in front of the cells and the filters being such that a first cell is rendered sensitive to only the radiations of the wave-length monitored, whilst a second cell is rendered insensitive to said radiations, the voltaic currents issued by the two photoelectric cells being of different intensity by reason of this difference, and this for a normal period of emission of the emitter, and the two voltaic currents being collected at the terminals of a comparator programmed to tip a relay when the differential between the two currents falls below a determined reference value.

6. The control and monitoring device of claim 5, wherein it comprises a relay adapted to cut off the supply of the emitter and, in parallel, to actuate a signalling assembly.

7. The monitoring device of claim 5, wherein it comprises a first filter or group of filters adapted to attenuate or stop the marginal radiations adjacent the wave-length monitored and lying in the visible light spectrum, and it comprises a down-conversion means adapted to transform the emission of the radiation to be monitored into visible light adapted to be detected by the first photoelectric cell, whilst the second photoelectric cell comprises alone a filter occulting the visible radiation resulting from said transformation, the visible radiation resulting from this transformation being received only by the first cell.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein it is permanently associated with an ultra-violet emitter itself constituted by an ultraviolet emission tube integrated in a protective housing.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein it is permanently mounted in the immediate proximity of the emitter of radiations to be monitored, whilst at least the photoelectric cells comprise means ensuring their displacement from a retracted position towards an active position in which they are located in the field of the radiation to be monitored.

10. The device of claim 5, wherein it comprises an assembly of components mounted on a base which is itself magnetic, enabling it to be positioned on the metal housing of the box of an U.V. radiation emission apparatus.

11. The device of claim 5, wherein it comprises a split shaft potentiometer for adjusting the threshold of sensitivity, i.e. the intensity of radiations below which the intensity of the radiations is considered as insufficient and inefficient.

12. The device of claim 5, wherein it comprises a relay adapted to cut off its own supply when the emission subjected to monitoring falls below the determined reference threshold, the apparatus being mounted in series upstream of the emitter apparatus, cut-off of the supply consequently stopping the emitter apparatus itself.

13. The device of claim 5, wherein it comprises an assembly bearing electronic components, connections, alarm means and protection means grouped on a base comprising a magnetic sole allowing positioning on the metal housing of the U.V. emission apparatus, and the base is associated with a separate box connected to said base by a wire linkage, the box comprising the two cells and the filters, adapted to be positioned in the field of the U.V. radiations, this box also comprising a sole which is magnetic for fixation thereof.

14. The device of claim 5, wherein it is connected by a signalling circuit to a central control and monitoring console grouping the signals coming from all the U.V. apparatus belonging to the same unit.

15. The device of claim 5, wherein the assembly of filters and cells is disposed in the field radiated by the ultra-violet emitter, inside the apparatus but not in direct contact with the U.V. tube so as to avoid the rapid destruction of the cells.

16. A device for remote-controlling a plurality of U.V. radiation emitter tubes, disposed in a bank, wherein each emitter tube belonging to said bank is connected to a central monitoring station by a wave guide, particularly in optical fiber form, each guide being specific to a tube and comprising a distal end facing said tube and a proximal end adapted to deliver the radiation transmitted to the level of the central station, this latter thus being adapted to receive the radiations emitted and transmitted by said wave guides by each of the tubes, and the central station is provided with an assembly of photovoltaic transducers, particularly photoelectric cells, provided with a first set of light modifying means intended to stop the radiations lying in the visible light, one light modifying means of said first set being provided to transform the ultra-violet radiations into visible light, particularly green light, and a second set of filters adapted to stop the radiations lying in the wave-length monitored, i.e., the ultra-violet radiations, and a third set of filters being rendered transparent to only the green light resulting from the transformation of the ultra-violet radiations, the central station comprising mechanical means, particularly an electric motor adapted to position said assembly of photovoltaic transducers successively facing the proximal end of each of the wave guides, each time allowing the supply of said transducers with radiation coming successively from each of the tubes.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the proximal ends of the wave guides are disposed along a line parallel to the path of the input of the photovoltaic transducer assembly, and in particular said proximal ends of the wave guides are disposed in a circle, the assembly of photovoltaic transducers being disposed in radial position and being animated by a step-by-step angular movement allowing it to come successively into position of interrogation in front of each of said proximal ends of the wave guides.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein each tube comprises an assembly of twinned photovoltaic transducers and each assembly is connected to a central station by an appropriate circuit specific to the corresponding tubes, the central station being adapted to compare the characteristics of the voltages collected at the output of said photovoltaic transducer assemblies to deduce therefrom the state of functioning of the corresponding tubes.