Single-emitter lighting device that outputs a minimum amount of power to produce integrated radiance values sufficient for deactivating pathogens

• US 10,456,485 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenall Manufacturing Company (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Kenall Manufacturing Company (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Hawkins, James W., Heiking, Nathan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyner, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US15/485,926
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/084 Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/11 Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
• 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 2209/111 Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/12 Lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/18 Radiation A61L9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0662 Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/06 using light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0624 for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/006 of point-like light sources, e.g. incandescent or halogen lamps, with screw-threaded or bayonet base of sources having contact pins, wires or blades F21V19/0005; of LEDs or sources mounted on printed-circuit board F21V19/001
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 : Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0068 : Medical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 : of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/00 : Reflectors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/20 : Lighting for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 : Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 : comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 : Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 : comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 : Wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/505 : characterised by the shape, e.g. plate or foil
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/56 : involving measures to prevent abnormal temperature of the LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 : Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 : in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 : by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 : following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 : Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 : by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting device configured to deactivate dangerous pathogens (e.g., MRSA bacteria) in an environment. The lighting device includes at least one lighting element with a single light source configured to provide light. At least a first component of the light comprising light having a wavelength of about 405 nm, and at least a second component of the light comprising light having a wavelength of greater than 420 nm. The first component of light has a minimum integrated irradiance of 0.01 mW/cm² measured from any unshielded point in the environment that is 1.5 m from any point on any external-most luminous surface of the lighting device.

Claims

1. A lighting device configured to deactivate MRSA bacteria in an environment, the lighting device comprising:

at least one lighting element with a single light source configured to provide light, at least a first component of the light having a wavelength of about 405 nm, and at least a second component of the light having a wavelength of greater than 420 nm,

wherein the first component of light has a minimum integrated irradiance of 0.01 mW/cm² measured from any unshielded point in the environment that is 1.5 m from any point on any external-most luminous surface of the lighting device.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the minimum integrated irradiance is equal to 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, or 0.30 mW/cm².

3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein a radiometric power at 20 degrees from a center axis of light distribution is equal to 50% of a radiometric power at the center axis of light distribution, wherein the radiometric power at 20 degrees and the radiometric power at the center axis are measured at equal distances from the at least one lighting element.

4. The lighting device of claim 3, wherein a radiometric power at 30 degrees from a center axis of light distribution is equal to 50% of a radiometric power at the center axis of light distribution, wherein the radiometric power at 30 degrees and the radiometric power at the center axis are measured at equal distances from the at least one lighting element.

5. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting element comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED).

6. The lighting device of claim 5, further comprising a means for maintaining a junction temperature of the at least one LED below a maximum operating temperature of the at least one LED.

7. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the light emitted by the at least one lighting element has a luminous flux above a cone angled downward from the lighting device at 60 degrees circumferentially around nadir of the lighting device, the luminous flux being greater than 15%, 20%, 25%, or 30% of a total luminous flux of the light emitted by the at least one lighting element.

8. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional lighting element configured to emit light having a wavelength of about 405 nm.

9. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control the at least one lighting element responsive to a control signal received from a user of the lighting device or a central controller located remotely from the lighting device.

10. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting element comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED) and at least one phosphor element covering or arranged proximate to the at least one LED, the at least one phosphor element configured to produce the second component of the light emitted by the at least one lighting element.

11. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the first component of the light comprises at least 4 watts of the light having the wavelength of about 405 nm.

12. A lighting device configured to deactivate MRSA bacteria in an environment, the lighting device comprising:

at least one light-emitting element with a single light source configured to emit light having a wavelength of about 405 nm;

at least one light converting element,

wherein at least a first component of the light emitted by the at least one light-emitting element travels through the at least one light converting element without alteration, and at least a second component of the light emitted by the at least one light-emitting element is converted into light having a wavelength of greater than 420 nm, and

wherein the first component of the light has a minimum integrated irradiance of 0.01 mW/cm² measured from any unshielded point in the environment that is 1.5 m from any point on any external-most luminous surface of the lighting device.

13. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the minimum integrated irradiance is equal to 0.05 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, or 0.30 mW/cm².

14. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein a radiometric power at 20 degrees from a center axis of light distribution is equal to 50% of a radiometric power at the center axis of light distribution, wherein the radiometric power at 20 degrees and the radiometric power at the center axis are measured at equal distances from the at least one light-emitting element.

15. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the light emitted by the at least one light-emitting element has a luminous flux above a cone angled downward from the lighting device at 60 degrees circumferentially around nadir of the lighting device, the luminous flux being greater than 15%, 20%, 25%, or 30% of a total luminous flux of the light emitted by the at least one light-emitting element.

16. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the at least one light-emitting element comprises at least one light-emitting diode, and the lighting device further comprising means for maintaining a junction temperature of the at least one light-emitting diode below a maximum operating temperature of the at least one light-emitting diode.

17. The lighting device of claim 12, further comprising a controller configured to control the at least one light-emitting element responsive to a control signal received from a user of the lighting device or a central controller located remotely from the lighting device.

18. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the at least one light converting element either covers the at least one light-emitting element or is remote from the at least one light-emitting element.

19. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the at least one light converting element comprises at least one phosphor coating.

20. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the first component of the light comprises at least 4 watts of the light having the wavelength of about 405 nm.

21. A method of deactivating MRSA bacteria in an environment, the method comprising:

providing light from at least one lighting element of a lighting device installed in the environment, the light provided by the at least one lighting element is produced from a single light source, at least a first component of the light has a wavelength of about 405 nm and has a minimum integrated irradiance of 0.01 mW/cm² measured from any unshielded point in the environment that is 1.5 m from any point on any external-most luminous surface of the lighting device, and wherein at least a second component of the light has a wavelength of greater than 420 nm.