Appliance for disinfection of HVAC systems

• US 7,421,851 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2006
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ultraviolet Devices Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ultraviolet Devices Incorporated
• Inventors: Metzger, Richard N., Crawford, Keith, Orr, Jon W., Arance, Roberto, Veloz, Thomas M., Bowles, Thomas C., Witham, David L., Randall, Larry F.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOERRLER, WILLIAM CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US11/485,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20060254298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 622/64, 422/121, 454/187
• US Class Current: 62/264
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/192 by electrical means, e.g. by applying electrostatic fields or high voltages
• 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

An application and method for disinfecting HVAC systems that includes features for protecting service personnel from unintended exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The safeguards include an interlock that prevents illumination of germicidal lamps when their enclosure case is not properly attached to a duct.

Claims

1. A disinfecting appliance for disinfecting an HVAC system, comprising:

at least one germicidal lamp located in an enclosure being mountable on at least one element selected from a group consisting of an HVAC duct and an HVAC appliance;

a source of electrical power for the germicidal lamp; and

a switch that turns off power to the at least one germicidal lamp, the switch comprising a duct mounting interlock that prevents the electrical power source from reaching the at least one germicidal lamp unless the enclosure is also mounted on the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the HVAC duct and the HVAC appliance.

2. The appliance of claim 1, further comprising:

a base;

a power circuitry located within the base; and

a lamp assembly mounted in the base.

3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the lamp assembly comprises:

a handle base;

a handle cover; and

a connection circuit board through which power is provided to at least one germicidal lamp by way of a connector pin.

4. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the lamp assembly is mounted in the base using a bayonet mount.

5. The appliance of claim 2, further comprising an electrically powered indicator of lamp illumination.

6. The appliance of claim 5, wherein the electrically powered indicator of lamp illumination comprises:

at least two pair of oppositely directed diodes; and

a light emitting diode wired in parallel to thereto.

7. A disinfecting appliance for an HVAC system, comprising:

at least one germicidal lamp located in an enclosure being mountable on at least one element selected from a group consisting of an HVAC duct and an HVAC appliance;

a source of electrical power for the germicidal lamp;

a switch that turns off power to the at least one germicidal lamp, the switch comprising a duct mounting interlock that prevents the electrical power source from reaching the at least one germicidal lamp unless the enclosure is also mounted on the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the HVAC duct and the HVAC appliance; and

a lamp transparent lamp base that allows monitoring of germicidal lamp illumination.

8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the interlock is a mechanical switch interposed in a circuit that supplies electrical power to at least one germicidal lamp that is in a conducting condition when the enclosure is mounted on an HVAC duct or appliance, and in a non-conducting condition when the enclosure is not mounted on an HVAC duct or appliance.

9. An appliance for disinfecting an HVAC system comprising:

at least one germicidal lamp in attached to a lamp assembly, the lamp assembly being removably mounted on an enclosure, the enclosure being mounted on at least one element selected from a group consisting essentially of an HVAC duct and an HVAC appliance; and

a switch positioned close to the lamp assembly, and interposed in a circuit carrying power to the at least one germicidal lamp, the switch being in an open position when the lamp assembly is removed from the enclosure, and closed when the lamp assembly is present, the switch comprising an interlock switch that prevents the electrical power source from reaching the at least one germicidal lamp unless the enclosure is also mounted on the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the HVAC duct and the HVAC appliance, the interlock switch comprising a paddle switch.

10. An apparatus for monitoring the operation of at least one germicidal lamp used for disinfecting an HVAC system, the at least one germicidal lamp located in an enclosure that is mounted on at least one element selected from a group consisting of an HVAC duct and an HVAC appliance, the apparatus comprising a monitoring circuit, the circuit comprising:

two pairs of oppositely directed diodes connected in parallel; and

a light emitting diode connected in parallel therewith, the monitoring circuit being wired in series with a power circuit supplying power to the at least one germicidal lamp.

11. A lamp assembly comprising:

a germicidal lamp located in an enclosure that is mounted on at least one element selected from a group consisting of an HVAC duct and an HVAC appliance;

a lamp base;

a handle with which the lamp assembly can be manually manipulated;

a power circuit;

a connection circuit board; and

a switch that turns off power to the germicidal lamp, the switch comprising a duct mounting interlock that prevents the electrical power source from reaching the germicidal lamp unless the enclosure is also mounted on the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the HVAC duct and the HVAC appliance,

wherein the germicidal lamp is permanently attached to a socket, the socket being removably mounted in a lamp assembly.

12. The lamp assembly of claim 11, further comprising an optical signal indicative of the state of operation of the germicidal lamp of the lamp assembly.

13. The lamp assembly of claim 12, wherein the optical signal is provided by a light pipe.

14. The lamp assembly of claim 12, wherein the optical signal is provided by an electrically powered lamp.

15. An appliance for disinfection of HVAC systems comprising a plurality of lamp assemblies located in an enclosure that is mounted on at least one element selected from a group consisting of an HVAC duct and an HVAC appliance, wherein each lamp assembly is separately provided with electrical power, each lamp assembly of the plurality of lamp assemblies comprising:

a germicidal lamp;

a lamp base;

a handle with which the lamp assembly can be manually manipulated;

a power circuit;

a connection circuit board; and

a switch that turns off power to the germicidal lamp, the switch comprising a duct mounting interlock that prevents the electrical power source from reaching the germicidal lamp unless the enclosure is also mounted on the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the HVAC duct and the HVAC appliance,

wherein the germicidal lamp is permanently attached to a socket, the socket being removably mounted in a lamp assembly.

16. A disinfecting appliance for an HVAC system comprising:

at least one germicidal lamp located in an enclosure that is mounted on at least one element selected from a group consisting of an HVAC duct and an HVAC appliance;

a source of electrical power for the germicidal lamp;

a switch that turns off power to the germicidal lamp when the enclosure is not mounted on the at least one element selected from the group consisting of the HVAC duct and the HVAC appliance;

a base;

a power circuitry located within the base; and

a lamp assembly mounted in the base,

an electrically powered indicator of lamp illumination,

wherein the electrically powered indicator of lamp illumination comprises;

at least two pair of oppositely directed diodes; and

a light emitting diode wired in parallel to thereto.

17. An apparatus for monitoring the operation of at least one germicidal lamp used for disinfecting an HVAC system, the apparatus comprising a monitoring circuit, the circuit comprising:

two pairs of oppositely directed diodes connected in parallel; and

a light emitting diode connected in parallel therewith,

the monitoring circuit being wired in series with a power circuit supplying power to the at least one germicidal lamp.