Self-disinfecting surface with printed LEDs for a surface of a vehicle

• US 9,782,504 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Holub, Patrick Kevin, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert, Salter, Stuart C.
• Primary Examiner(s): May, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/735,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20150273093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• 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 2202/25 Rooms in buildings, passenger compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/20 for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/68 using ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A self-disinfecting surface covering for a vehicle is disclosed. The surface covering comprising a pair of electrodes substantially conforms to a vehicle panel. A plurality of printed LEDs suspended in a semiconductor ink are printed between the electrodes and configured to emit a disinfecting emission. An outer layer of the surface covering is disposed proximate one of the electrodes. The outer layer is operable to transmit at least a portion of the disinfecting emission therethrough.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to disinfect a surface of a vehicle comprising:

a first electrode substantially conforming to a vehicle panel;

a plurality of printed LEDs suspended in a semiconductor ink on the first electrode and configured to emit a disinfecting emission;

a second electrode in electrical connection with the plurality of LEDs; and

an outer layer forming the surface in connection with the second electrode, wherein the outer layer is operable to transmit at least a portion of the disinfecting emission therethrough.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller in communication with the first electrode and the second electrode.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate the disinfecting emission in response to at least one state of the vehicle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one state corresponds to the vehicle being unoccupied.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising at least one occupancy sensor in communication with the controller.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one occupancy sensor corresponds to at least one of a seat sensor, a proximity sensor, an infrared sensor, a camera and a microphone.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a photoluminescent layer applied between the second electrode and the outer layer.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the photoluminescent layer is configured to convert a portion of the disinfecting emission to an output emission.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the output emission corresponds to light in the visible range configured to illuminate at least a portion of the vehicle.

10. A self-disinfecting surface covering for a vehicle comprising:

a base layer;

a pair of electrodes substantially conforming to the base layer;

a plurality of LEDs suspended in a semiconductor ink between the electrodes configured to emit a disinfecting emission; and

an outer layer of the surface covering which is in connection with one of the pair of electrodes, wherein the outer layer is operable to transmit at least a portion of the disinfecting emission therethrough.

11. The surface covering according to claim 10, wherein the surface covering forms a flexible, thin-film layer configured to conform to non-planar surfaces.

12. The surface covering according to claim 10, wherein the surface covering has a profile thickness of approximately 0.1 mm to 2 mm.

13. The surface covering according to claim 10, wherein the base layer comprises an attachment surface configured to conform to a surface of a panel of the vehicle.

14. The surface covering according to claim 10, where the disinfecting emission corresponds to a wavelength of light less than approximately 400 nm.

15. The surface covering according to claim 10, further comprising a photoluminescent layer applied between one of the electrodes and the outer surface.

16. The surface covering according to claim 15, wherein the photoluminescent layer is configured to convert a portion of the disinfecting emission to an output emission corresponding to at least one wavelength of light greater than approximately 400 nm.

17. A formed, self-disinfecting surface covering for a vehicle comprising:

a pair of electrodes substantially conforming to a vehicle panel;

a plurality of LEDs suspended in a semiconductor ink between the electrodes configured to emit a disinfecting emission; and

an outer layer of the surface covering proximate one of the electrodes, wherein the outer layer is operable to transmit at least a portion of the disinfecting emission therethrough.

18. The surface covering according to claim 17, wherein the pair of electrodes corresponds to conductive layers having the printed LEDs applied via a printing process therebetween.

19. The surface covering according to claim 17, further comprising a photoluminescent layer applied between the pair of electrodes and the outer surface.

20. The surface covering according to claim 19, wherein the photoluminescent layer is configured to convert a portion of the disinfecting emission to an output emission corresponding to at least one wavelength of light having a length greater than approximately 400 nm.