Lighting device that deactivates dangerous pathogens while providing visually appealing light

• US 10,617,775 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• 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., Marry, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyner, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US16/162,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20190083667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 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 2209/15 Supporting means, e.g. stands, hooks, holes for hanging
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/16 Connections to a HVAC unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/18 Radiation A61L9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0663 Coloured 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: F21K 9/233 specially adapted for generating a spot light distribution, e.g. for substitution of reflector lamps
• 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 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 29/70 : characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• 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: F21V 9/30 : Elements containing photoluminescent material distinct from or spaced from the light source shades F21V1/17; globes, bowls or cover glasses F21V3/08, F21V3/12; refractors F21V5/10; reflectors F21V7/26, F21V7/30; elements with provision for controlling the spectral properties or intensity F21V9/40
• 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 2113/13 : comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/078 : combined with lighting fixtures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 : Wavelength conversion elements
• 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 47/115 : by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 : following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• 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 MRSA bacteria in air in an environment, including a housing; a light-emitting diode (LED) configured to emit light having a wavelength of about 470 nm; a light converting phosphor coating; wherein a first component of the light emitted by the LED travels through the light converting phosphor coating without alteration, and a second component of light emitted by the LED is converted by the converting phosphor coating into light having a wavelength of greater than 500 nm; wherein the first component of the light has a minimum integrated irradiance of 0.01 mW/cm2; wherein the first component of the light emitted by the LED and the second component of light emitted by the LED mix to form a combined light, with the combined light being visible light; and means for directing the combined visible light to the air in the environment.

Claims

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

a housing;

one or more light-emitting elements arranged in the housing and comprising one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to emit light having a wavelength of about 470 nm;

one or more light converting phosphor coatings arranged proximate the one or more LEDs;

means for maintaining a junction temperature of the one or more LEDs below a maximum operating temperature of the one or more LEDs;

wherein at least a first component of the light emitted by the one or more LEDs travels through the one or more light converting phosphor coatings without alteration, and at least a second component of light emitted by the one or more LEDs is converted by the one or more light converting phosphor coatings into light having a wavelength of greater than 500 nm;

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;

wherein the first component of the light emitted by the one or more LEDs and the second component of light emitted by the one or more LEDs mix to form a combined light, with the combined light being visible light; and

means for directing the combined visible light to the air in the environment.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the combined visible light has u′

, v′

coordinates on the 1976 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that lie outside of an area that is bounded (i) vertically between 0.007 Duv below and 0.007 Duv above a planckian locus defined by the ANSI C78.377-2015 color standard, and (ii) horizontally between a correlated color temperature (CCT) isoline of between approximately 1500K and 7000K.

3. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a means for creating air convection proximate to the housing.

4. 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.

5. 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 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.

6. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the combined visible light has a color rendering index of at least 70.

7. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a communication disposed within the housing and configured to communicatively connect the lighting device to one of one or more other lighting devices in the environment.

8. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the combined visible light is output at a power level of between approximately 10,500 mW and 58,000 mW, and wherein between 3,000 mW and 10,000 mW of the combined visible light is about 470 nm.

9. A method, comprising:

deactivating microorganisms in air in an environment via a lighting device, the lighting device comprising a housing, means for mounting the housing to a surface in the environment, one or more light-emitting elements arranged in the housing and comprising one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to emit light having a wavelength of about 470 nm, one or more light converting phosphor coatings, means for maintaining a junction temperature of the one or more LEDs below a maximum operating temperature of the one or more LEDs, wherein at least a first component of the light emitted by the one or more LEDs travels through the one or more light converting phosphor coatings without alteration, and at least a second component of light emitted by the one or more LEDs is converted by the one or more light converting phosphor coatings into light having a wavelength of greater than 500 nm, 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, and wherein the first component of the light emitted by the one or more LEDs and the second component of light emitted by the one or more LEDs mix to form a combined light, with the combined light being visible light, the lighting device further comprising means for directing the combined visible light to the air in the environment.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the combined visible light has u′

, v′

coordinates on the 1976 CIE Chromaticity Diagram that lie outside of an area that is bounded (i) vertically between 0.007 Duv below and 0.007 Duv above a planckian locus defined by the ANSI C78.377-2015 color standard, and (ii) horizontally between a correlated color temperature (CCT) isoline of between approximately 1500K and 7000K.