Device for ultraviolet light emission

• US 8,993,988 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Violet Defense Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Violet Defense Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Nathan, Mark, Nathan, Theresa
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnston, Phillip A
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUCK, SEAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/078,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20140131595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 250/504
• US Class Current: 250/504.R
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0047 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation

Abstract

Devices and uses of said devices for transmitting UV light over a broad area and for a long distance to inactivate microbes and non-microbial sources. The device is activated by a variable or dynamic logic process that controls activation of the device, such that activation is automatic and only when there is either a predetermined target or an absence of an action or activity within an effective range of the device. The device comprises at least one ultraviolet light emitting source emitting ultraviolet light in a range from about 10 to 400 nanometers and a lens formed of an ultraviolet light transmissive material. The at least one ultraviolet light emitting source is embedded within the lens. The lens may be formed into a functional or ornamental shape and does not filter or refract significantly the ultraviolet light emitted from the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source.

Claims

1. A device for projecting ultraviolet radiation, the device comprising:

at least one ultraviolet light emitting source for emitting ultraviolet light, the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source being an operable source, the operable source including at least one or more of a bulb, a laser diode, a light emitting diode, and combinations thereof, and further comprising all components including a cathode and an anode of said operable source, inclusive of any present protective cover or native lens, for generating ultraviolet waves when a source is activated; and

a lens formed, in its entirety, of an ultraviolet light transmissive material;

wherein the operable source is embedded and sealed permanently within an interior and underneath an outer surface of the ultraviolet light transmissive material so as to be fully surrounded by the ultraviolet light transmissive material, the operable source protected from and impervious to external environmental factors, wherein the operable source is in direct and immediate contact with the ultraviolet light transmissive material without a gap therebetween so the ultraviolet light waves emitting outwardly from the operable source pass directly into the surrounding ultraviolet light transmissive material,

wherein the ultraviolet light transmissive material is formed into a functional shape of an overall size sufficient to embed and surround the entirety of at least one operable source in order that an overall size of the lens when so shaped is greater than that of a comparative operable source, and

wherein the surrounding lens is permeable to the ultraviolet waves emitted from the at least one operable source, the lens retaining and transmitting photonic energy in order to project the ultraviolet waves from the lens over a distance of up to 18 feet

wherein the surrounding lens propagates ultraviolet photons in an omnidirectional pattern, such that the omnidirectional pattern is distributed in all directions simultaneously throughout the entirety of the surrounding lens, the pattern further comprising in front, behind, and to all sides of the embedded operable source, so as to produce a sanitizing action within or upon an environment, the environment comprising one or more of airborne, liquid, frozen and a solid and combinations thereof.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source is permanently embedded within the lens, such that it is indivisible from the lens as a separate component.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the lens is formed in the shape of a toilet seat.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor operably coupled with the device, the sensor to detect presence of an object; and

a controller to deactivate the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source in response to the activation of the sensor.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the sensor is disposed within the lens.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises any one or more of a motion detector, infrared detector, microwave doppler detector, sound detector, vibration detector, a proximity detector, thermal detector, chemical detector, pressure detector, laser detector, magnetic detector and load cell.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the lens is formed in the shape of one or more of a door hardware, handle, frame, floor molding, chair rail molding, and crown molding.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a shield such that the ultraviolet light emitting from the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source may be focused or deflected in a predetermined direction.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein operation of the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source is controlled by a variable logic process.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the lens is abraded.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the operable source is permanently embedded within the lens, such that the lens is made entirely of only the ultraviolet light transmissive material for transmitting wavelengths of UV-C.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the operable source emits ultraviolet light in a wavelength or in a range of wavelengths anywhere between about 10 and about 400 nanometers.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein there is no air gap between the lens formed of the ultraviolet light transmissive material and the operable source.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein embedding between the lens formed of the ultraviolet light transmissive material and the operable source is such that the operable source and lens are not divisible as separate components.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein the operable source embedded within and underneath the outer surface of the lens allows the device to be protected from and impervious to one or more of damage and tampering.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein a shield may be embedded within and underneath the outer surface of the lens.

27. The device of claim 1 further comprising a shield that allows the device to focus the ultraviolet radiation in a unilateral direction to an area beyond the surface of the device.

28. The device of claim 1 further comprising an emitter that emits in a visible light range and allows the device to emit one or a plurality of colors.

29. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more of a display indicator and a status indicator, wherein the one or more of the display indicator and the status indicator is a liquid crystal device or a colored light emitting diode.

30. The device of claim 1 further comprising a user interface.

31. The device of claim 1 further comprising a communication module.

10. A method of providing germicidal protection by projecting ultraviolet radiation from a device, the device projecting the ultraviolet radiation through an ultraviolet light transmissive material that forms a lens permeable to ultraviolet waves generated by at least one ultraviolet light emitting source embedded and sealed permanently within an interior and underneath an outer surface of the ultraviolet light transmissive material so as to be protected from and impervious to external environmental factors when the lens is formed into a functional shape, the method comprising:

providing a detector for detecting an object;

activating automatically and for a period of time the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source that is embedded permanently within the lens so as to be protected from and impervious to external environmental factors, wherein the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source is an operable source comprising at least one or more of a bulb, a laser diode, a light emitting diode, and combinations thereof and including all components, inclusive of any present protective cover or native lens, for generating ultraviolet waves when a source is activated, wherein upon activating the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source being in direct and immediate contact with the ultraviolet light transmissive material without a gap therebetween emits ultraviolet light waves outwardly from the at least one operable source for a cycle so that the ultraviolet light waves upon emitting outwardly from the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source pass directly into the surrounding ultraviolet light transmissive material formed into a functional shape which projects ultraviolet waves from the lens up to a distance of 18 feet, wherein the surrounding lens propagates ultraviolet photons in an omnidirectional pattern, such that the omnidirectional pattern is distributed in all directions simultaneously throughout the entirety of the surrounding lens, the pattern further comprising in front, behind, and to all sides of the embedded operable source, so as to produce a sanitizing action within or upon an environment, the environment comprising one or more of airborne, liquid, frozen and a solid and combinations thereof, wherein the activating occurs only when there is an absence of activity or when there is an absence of action external to and within range of the device, wherein the cycle is subsequently followed by activating another complete cycle unless the detector is activated; and

in response to activity of the detector, inactivating the cycle by inactivating the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein after inactivating the cycle of ultraviolet radiation and in response to an absence of activity of the detector, activating a second cycle of ultraviolet radiation.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein in response to activity of the detector, the information is stored into a memory and includes an identifier stored in a memory indicating a time of the response to activity of the detector, and iteratively applying one or more of the time of the response to activity of the detector and a pattern thereof to a future cycle of ultraviolet radiation, and thereby variably changing one or both activation and duration of the future cycle of ultraviolet radiation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifier is applied to a next cycle to automatically affect the next cycle.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the device is operable by a power source.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the detector is sensitive to an object.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the ultraviolet radiation is projected toward an object.

17. A method for projecting ultraviolet radiation from a device through an ultraviolet light transmissive material forming a lens of the device such that the lens is permeable to ultraviolet waves generated and emitted by at least one ultraviolet light emitting source when activated, wherein the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source is an operable source, the operable source including at least one or more of a bulb, a laser diode, a light emitting diode, and combinations thereof, comprising all components, inclusive of any present protective cover or native lens, wherein the operable source is disposed by being embedded and sealed permanently within an interior and underneath an outer surface of the ultraviolet light transmissive material without a gap therebetween so ultraviolet light waves emitting outwardly from the operable source pass directly into the surrounding ultraviolet light transmissive material, so as to be protected from and impervious to external environmental factors, and project beyond the device to a selected area, the method comprising:

providing the device with a control module operating a variable logic-based algorithm from a processor;

operably linking the control module to a detector;

providing in accordance with the variable logic-based algorithm, an automatic activation sequence for the at least one ultraviolet light source that is embedded as the operable source and sealed permanently within an interior and underneath an outer surface of the lens without a gap therebetween, such that each automatic activation sequence initiates when there is an absence of activity or when there is an absence of action external to and within range of the device, each automatic activation sequence comprising one or more of;

(i) activating for at least one cycle without interruption by the detector the operable source so ultraviolet light waves emitting outwardly from the operable source pass directly into the surrounding lens,

wherein activating is associated with recording data into memory about the at least one cycle without interruption, recorded as a successful cycle, one that is complete without interruption by the detector; and

(ii) deactivating the at least one ultraviolet light emitting source prematurely during a cycle upon interruption by the detector when the detector detects activity,

wherein deactivating is associated with recording data into memory about the at least one cycle interrupted prematurely, recorded as an unsuccessful cycle, one that is incomplete upon interruption by the detector; and

(iii) reactivating the operable source at some interval of time after activating or deactivating the operable source;

allowing the variable logic-based algorithm to obtain data associated with the activating the operable source and the deactivating the operable source; and

allowing the variable logic-based algorithm to variably alter any next automatic activation sequence with variations selected from one or more of the group of;

(i) allowing the variable logic-based algorithm to variably determine a time of the next automatic activation sequence;

(ii) allowing the variable logic-based algorithm to variably determine a duration of the next automatic activation sequence; and

(iii) allowing the variable logic-based algorithm to variably determine any further activation when the next automatic activation sequence is prematurely interrupted by the detector and

wherein in response to the activation sequence, the surrounding lens propagates ultraviolet photons in an omnidirectional pattern, such that the omnidirectional pattern is distributed in all directions simultaneously throughout the entirety of the surrounding lens, the pattern further comprising in front, behind, and to all sides of the embedded operable source, so as to produce a sanitizing action within or upon an environment, the environment comprising one or more of airborne, liquid, frozen and a solid and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising operably linking the control module to a status indicator and activating the status indicator to communicate a current state of the device.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the data is transmitted by a communication module.