Device for ultraviolet and color light emission

• US 9,572,902 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• 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): Stoffa, Wyatt
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUCK, SEAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/627,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20160151521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 and visible light, the device comprising:

at least one light emitting source for generating and emitting both ultraviolet light and at least one color, the light emitting source comprising at least one element for the generation of ultraviolet light and at least one element for the generation of the at least one color in the visible light spectrum;

a lens formed of an ultraviolet light transmissive material;

wherein the at least one light emitting 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 at least one light emitting source protected from and impervious to external environmental factors, wherein the at least one light emitting source is in direct and immediate contact with the lens without a gap therebetween such that the ultraviolet light emitting outwardly from the at least one light emitting source passes through the ultraviolet light transmissive material, and

wherein the ultraviolet light transmissive material is permeable to the ultraviolet light emitted from the at least one light emitting source, the ultraviolet light transmissive material retaining and transmitting the photonic energy generated by the at least one light emitting source and projecting ultraviolet light from the lens to sanitize over a distance of up to 18 feet.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light emitting source is in direct and immediate contact with the lens and propagates ultraviolet photons in an omnidirectional pattern, such that the omnidirectional pattern is distributed in all directions simultaneously throughout the entirety of the lens, the pattern further comprising in front, behind, and to all sides of the at least one light emitting source, so as to produce a sanitizing action within or upon the environment, the environment comprising one or more of airborne, liquid, frozen and a solid and combinations thereof.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one controller communicatively coupled to the device, the controller operable to send commands to activate and to deactivate the at least one light emitting source.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the controller is disposed in a location, the location selected from the group consisting of external to the device, on an exterior surface of the device, within the lens and underneath the outer surface formed when the lens surrounds the controller, and combinations thereof.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor to detect presence of an object; and

a controller to deactivate the ultraviolet light in response to detecting the presence of the object.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the sensor is disposed in a location selected from the group consisting of external to the device, on an exterior surface of the device, within the lens and underneath the outer surface formed when the lens surrounds the sensor, and combinations thereof.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the sensor comprises any one or more of a motion detector, an infrared detector, a microwave doppler detector, a sound detector, a vibration detector, a proximity detector, a thermal detector, a chemical detector, a pressure detector, a laser detector, a magnetic detector and a load cell.

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

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the lens is a toilet seat.

10. 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, crown molding, bathtub, shower enclosure, dishwasher liner, washer and dryer tub.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the lens is formed of a functional shape.

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

13. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one light emitting source emits ultraviolet light in a wavelength or in a range of wavelengths anywhere between about 10 and about 400 nanometers.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one light emitting source is at least partially embedded within the lens.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the direct and immediate contact between the lens and at least one light emitting source is such that at least one light emitting source and lens are not divisible as separate components.

16. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more of a display and a status indicator, wherein the display is one or more of the group consisting of a digital screen, a touch screen and a liquid crystal device, and combinations thereof.

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

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light emitting source emits ultraviolet light in a wavelength between about 250 and about 400 nanometers.

19. The device of claim 1, further comprising a shield to deflect the ultraviolet light in a predetermined direction.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the shield is disposed in a location selected from the group consisting of external to the device, on an exterior surface of the device, within the lens and underneath the outer surface of the lens when the lens surrounds the shield, and combinations thereof.

21. A method of providing germicidal protection by projecting ultraviolet radiation and at least one color in the visible light spectrum from a light emitting source in a device, the device projecting the ultraviolet radiation and colored light through an ultraviolet light transmissive material that forms a lens permeable to ultraviolet waves generated by the at least one light emitting source, wherein the light emitting 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 light emitting source protected from and impervious to external environmental factors and which is in direct and immediate contact with the lens, when the lens is formed into a functional shape, the method comprising:

providing a detector for detecting an object;

providing at least one light emitting source for generating and emitting both ultraviolet light and at least one color, the light emitting source comprising at least one element for the generation of ultraviolet light and at least one element for the generation of at least one color;

activating automatically and for a period of time the ultraviolet light, wherein the at least one light emitting source being in direct and immediate contact with the ultraviolet light transmissive material upon activating emits ultraviolet light waves outwardly from the at least one light emitting source for a cycle so that the ultraviolet light waves upon emitting outwardly from the at least one light emitting source pass directly into the surrounding ultraviolet light transmissive material, wherein the activating of the ultraviolet source occurs only in response to the detector failing to detect a detectable object, wherein the cycle is subsequently followed by activating another complete cycle unless the detector detects a detectable object;

in response to detecting a detectable object, inactivating the ultraviolet light emitting source; and

activating the light emitting source for the generation of at least one color, such that activation of the color shall be one or more of separately and in combination with the ultraviolet light when a light emitting source is activated, the activation comprising one or more of a manual, automatic and programmable, and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein in response to not detecting a detectable object, activating a second cycle of ultraviolet light.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing information from the detector into a memory and including 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 the ultraviolet light.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the identifier is applied to a next cycle to automatically affect the next cycle.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising projecting the ultraviolet light toward an object with a shield.

26. A method for projecting ultraviolet radiation and at least one color in the visible light spectrum 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 light emitting source, wherein the at least one light emitting source includes all components for generating ultraviolet waves and components required to generate at least one color, either separately or in conjunction with the ultraviolet components, when a source is activated, wherein the at least one light emitting 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 at least one light emitting source protected from and impervious to external environmental factors, and wherein the light emitting source is in direct and immediate contact with the lens, and projects beyond the device to a selected area, wherein the lens is formed into a functional shape, 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 at least one light emitting source for generating and emitting both ultraviolet light and at least one color, the light emitting source comprising at least one element for the generation of ultraviolet light and at least one element for the generation of at least one color;

providing in accordance with the variable logic-based algorithm, an automatic activation sequence for the ultraviolet components of the at least one ultraviolet light source that is in direct and immediate contact with the lens, such that each automatic activation sequence initiates when the detector detects the absence of a detectable object, each automatic activation sequence comprising one or more of;

(i) activating for at least one cycle without interruption by the detector the light emitting source so ultraviolet light waves emitting outwardly from the light emitting 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 light emitting source prematurely during a cycle upon interruption by the detector when the detector detects a detectable object,

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 light emitting source at some interval of time after activating or deactivating the light emitting source;

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

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

(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

activating the components of the light emitting source required for the generation of at least one color, such that activation of the color components shall be one or more of separately and in combination with the ultraviolet components, when a light emitting source is activated, the activation comprising one or more of a manual, automatic and programmable, and combinations thereof.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising operably linking the control module to a status indicator and activating the status indicator to communicate a current state of the device.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the data is transmitted by a communication module.