Ultraviolet light shielding system

Abstract

To provide a system and a method for prohibiting the spread of pathogens between passengers onboard a vehicle during a trip, such as between passengers in a cabin of an aircraft during a flight, without risking harm to the passengers.SOLUTION: An ultraviolet (UV) light shield system 100 includes multiple UV lamps 124 attached into an internal cabin 122 of a vehicle. The UV lamps are positioned to emit UV light in fields of illumination 128 that extend along sides 118, 120 of passenger seats 110 disposed within the internal cabin. Two adjacent fields of illumination are spaced to define a protection zone 130 for a passenger sitting on one of the passenger seats.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the subject matter of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods that can be used to sanitize structures and air within an enclosed structure.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles such as commercial aircraft are used to transport passengers between various locations. Systems are currently being developed to sterilize or otherwise sanitize surfaces in order to kill or disable various harmful microorganisms or other pathogens. Typical methods of sanitizing surfaces within an aircraft involve significant manual labor by one or more flight attendants. For example, some flight attendants may spray a cleaning chemical on the surfaces within the interior cabin of the aircraft and wipe it off. Other flight attendants may slowly wave a rod that emits ultraviolet (UV) radiation near the surfaces of the interior cabin. UV radiation can kill or disable some microorganisms or other pathogens if maintained in the vicinity of a target surface for at least a specified amount of time.

[0003] Furthermore, many commercial vehicles such as aircraft have HEPA filters within their air conditioning systems that can capture microorganisms and pathogens. The HEPA filters receive and clean the air that is exiting or attempting to enter the cabin. Frequent cleaning of the cabin between HEPA filter and flights is one way to ensure the health of the passengers and flight attendants on board the aircraft. Additional sanitizing methods can be used to supplement the HEPA filters and chemical cleaning.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] There is a need for systems and methods to prevent the spread of pathogens among passengers on a moving vehicle, such as among passengers within the interior cabin of an aircraft in flight, without risking harm to the passengers.

[0005] In view of these needs, certain embodiments of the subject matter of the present disclosure provide an ultraviolet (UV) light shielding system that includes a plurality of UV lamps mounted within the interior cabin of a vehicle. The UV lamps are arranged to emit UV light within an irradiation field that extends along the sides of passenger seats disposed within the interior cabin. Two adjacent irradiation fields are spaced apart so as to define a protection zone for a passenger sitting in one of the passenger seats.

[0006] In one or more embodiments, a method is provided for shielding and sanitizing a passenger within a seat. The method includes mounting a UV lamp within the interior cabin of a vehicle. The UV lamp is mounted to emit and direct UV light within an irradiation field that extends along the sides of passenger seats disposed within the interior cabin. Two adjacent irradiation fields are spaced apart so as to define a protection zone for a passenger sitting in one of the passenger seats.

[0007] In one or more embodiments, a UV light shielding system is provided that includes a plurality of UV lamps, sensors, and a control unit. The UV lamps are mounted within the interior cabin of a vehicle and are arranged to emit UV light within an irradiation field that extends along the sides of passenger seats disposed within the interior cabin. Two adjacent irradiation fields are spaced apart so as to define a protection zone for a passenger sitting in one of the passenger seats. The sensors are configured to monitor the occupancy of the passenger seats and the proximity of passengers to the UV lamps. The control unit includes one or more processors and is operably connected to the UV lamps and the sensors. The control unit is configured to receive sensor signals from the sensors and to adjust the output of one or more of the UV lamps based on the occupancy of the passenger seats and the proximity of passengers to the UV lamps. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

[0009] The above summary, and the following detailed description of specific embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that a singular element or step following "a" or "an" as used herein does not necessarily exclude a plurality of such elements or steps. Further, reference to "one embodiment" should not be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments incorporating the features described herein. Further, unless explicitly stated otherwise, an embodiment "comprising" or "having" one or more elements with a particular condition may include additional elements without that condition.

[0010] Certain embodiments of the subject matter of this disclosure provide a UV light shielding system that shields an occupant of a seat from pathogens along one or both sides of the occupant of each seat. The system utilizes UV lamps that are specifically mounted, positioned, and controlled to generate a virtual shield or side curtain using UV light emitted by the UV lamps. The shield or side curtain is defined by the irradiation field of the UV light. The UV light can be filtered at a specified wavelength or narrow range of wavelengths that are safe for human tissue. For example, the specified wavelength can be 222 nm. The system provides safe and effective sanitization by integrating UV lamps into locations on one or both sides of a passenger seat depending on the location of the seat. For example, a middle seat may have UV lamps on both sides, while a window seat furthest from the aisle may have UV lamps only between the window seat and the adjacent seat. The UV lamps emit light into a plurality of areas on either side of a passenger to generate a virtual shield of UV light. Some of the UV light impinges on the passenger within the seat, but most of the light is directed into the space along one or both sides of the passenger within the area adjacent to the upper body and head of the passenger. Thus, the UV light essentially generates a side curtain similar to a side curtain airbag or stall. The placement and / or control of the UV lamps can avoid irradiating the immediate vicinity of the passenger, such as the passenger's face, without ceasing to shield the passenger.

[0011] In the above embodiments, the system can be controlled to continuously emit UV light (e.g., automatically by passengers, crew, based on sensor data, etc.) to continuously sterilize air, surfaces, and people. In some embodiments, the UV lamps of the shielding system are mounted within or on both sides of the upper seat portion of the passenger seat structure. In some embodiments, one or more of the UV lamps may be mounted at the rear of the seat in front of the passenger instead of the seat occupied by the passenger. An air fan can be mounted within the seat structure in the vicinity of the UV lamp to maintain an air flow across the UV lamp. The air of the fan can be sanitized by the UV light emitted by the UV lamp and can be pushed away from the passengers with the unsanitary air. A reflector may be integrated within the UV lamp or disposed outside the seat structure to direct the UV light to generate an irradiation pattern of the side curtain or stall. Using the reflector, most of the UV light can be directed into the unoccupied space on either side of the passenger, and a small amount of UV can be directed at the passenger. The UV lamp can be electrically connected to existing wiring within the passenger seat, such as wiring for a headrest display device. The UV lamp can receive power from a mounted power source, such as one or more generators. Further, sensors can be used by the system to automatically adjust the power and duty cycle of the UV lamp when passengers are not in their seats and / or are within the immediate vicinity of the UV lamp.

[0012] One or more technical effects of the UV light shielding system disclosed herein include the ability to kill or disable a significant percentage of pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses, etc.) on one or both sides of a passenger's head when the passenger is sitting inside the interior cabin. Pathogens in the air can be killed or disabled by the UV side curtains before reaching the passenger's breathing area. The UV light shielding system can be harmless to passengers because the UV light has a specified narrow wavelength or range of wavelengths that is safe for human tissue. Still, the UV light shielding system reflects UV light into the space along the sides of the seats (where the upper body and head of the passenger are typically not present) and / or automatically reduces the power to the UV lamps or deactivates the UV lamps when detecting a passenger directly in front of the UV lamps (within a specified threshold proximity of the UV lamps) to avoid exposing the passenger to UV light in the immediate vicinity (e.g., high dose). For example, the system can temporarily deactivate the UV lamps if it detects a person looking directly into the lamp from a few centimeters away. The UV shielding system disclosed herein can complement other methods for reducing the spread of pathogens among people, such as the use of face masks and social distancing.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of an aircraft 10 according to some embodiments of the subject matter of the present disclosure. The aircraft 10 includes a propulsion system 12 that includes, for example, engines 14. Optionally, the propulsion system 12 can include more engines 14 than shown. The engines 14 are carried by the wings 16 of the aircraft 10. In some embodiments, the engines 14 can be carried by the fuselage 18 and / or the tail 20. The tail 20 can also support the horizontal stabilizer 22 and the vertical stabilizer 24.

[0014] The fuselage 18 of the aircraft 10 defines an interior cabin that includes a cockpit (flight deck or cockpit), one or more work areas (e.g., galley, crew baggage area, etc.), one or more passenger areas (e.g., first class, business class, and economy class), one or more lavatories, and the like.

[0015] Alternatively, embodiments of the subject matter of the present disclosure can be used with various other transport vehicles such as automobiles, buses, railway vehicles, ships, etc. instead of aircraft. For example, the UV light shielding system disclosed herein can be implemented within the interior cabins of passenger cars, buses, passenger ships, etc. Embodiments of the subject matter of the present disclosure can also be used for enclosed areas within fixed structures such as commercial and residential buildings. For example, the shielding system disclosed herein can be installed and operated within the scope of theaters, concert halls, religious places, office buildings, hospitals, stores, lecture halls, classrooms, stadiums, etc. The continuous UV light of harmless wavelengths can provide continuous sterilization of the air and surfaces.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a UV light shielding system 100 within a portion of the interior cabin 122 of an aircraft 10 according to an embodiment of the subject matter of the present disclosure. The interior cabin 122 includes a mounted wall 102 having a window 106 formed therein. The floor 108 supports a plurality of passenger seats 110. The seats shown in FIG. 2 may be priority seats such as seats within the first class section or the business class section of the interior cabin 122. However, the system 100 disclosed herein can be used with seats within any section of the interior cabin 122 including economy.

[0017] Seat 110 has a cushion 112, a backrest 114, and a headrest cushion 116. The seat 110 has an inboard side 118 and an outboard side 120. The outboard side 120 faces the outboard wall 102. The UV light shielding system 100 in the illustrated embodiment includes two UV lamps 124 integrated within the seat 110. The UV lamps 124 are light sources such as excimer lamps that emit light within the UV region of the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, a first UV lamp 124A is attached to the front portion 126 of the backrest 114 that is on or near the inboard side 118. A second UV lamp 124B is attached to the front portion 126 of the backrest 114 that is on or near the outboard side 120. The UV lamps 124 emit UV light forward. The direction and / or spread of the UV light can be controlled. Thereby, the irradiation field 128 constructively generates a side curtain or stall of UV light. The irradiation field 128 of the UV lamp 124 refers to a three-dimensional space within a space defined by the propagation of the waves (e.g., light rays) of the UV light emitted by the UV lamp 124. The shape of the irradiation field 128 may depend on the mechanical characteristics of the UV lamp 124 such as reflectors, collimators, lenses, etc., and in this case, can be controlled to provide a shape with a long vertical dimension and a short lateral width dimension. The irradiation field 128 may resemble a panel or a shield. The irradiation fields 128 sandwich and define a passenger protection zone 130 therebetween. When a passenger is sitting properly in the seat 110, the passenger is disposed within the passenger protection zone 130. The UV lamps 124 are mounted and arranged to direct UV light such that the irradiation field 128 generally aligns with the upper body and head of the passenger.

[0018] FIG. 3 shows a passenger 140 sitting in a seat 142 incorporating a UV light shielding system 100 according to an embodiment. The passenger 140 is positioned within a protection zone 130. The UV light within the irradiation field 128 is disposed on both sides of the passenger 140. A portion of the UV light may impinge on the passenger's body such as the shoulders, head, and arms, but most of the UV radiation is directed into the space at the sides of the passenger 140. The UV light within the irradiation field 128 can kill or inactivate pathogens in the air before they can be inhaled by the passenger 140. The UV light shielding system 100 can prevent the spread of at least some pathogens to and from the passenger 130 when the passenger 140 is seated within the seat 142.

[0019] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an aircraft interior cabin 150 including a UV light shielding system 100 according to some embodiments. In FIG. 4, UV lamps 124 are mounted along the rear portion 152 of the passenger seats 154. The UV lamps 124 are arranged to direct the emitted UV light rearward, towards the seats 154 in the row 156 behind the seats 154 that hold the UV lamps 124. The UV lamps 124 are mounted along the backs 160 of the seats 154, respectively or in the vicinity of, the inboard side 162 and the outboard side 164 of the seats 154. The UV light creates a side curtain 164 or stall for the seats 154 in the rear row 156 and extends between the passengers sitting in the row 156. Optionally, as shown in FIG. 4, instead of mounting two UV lamps 124 to one seat 154, the outermost lamp 124 may be mounted to an adjacent seat 154 as shown without any UV lamp 124.

[0020] In some embodiments, at least some of the UV lamps 124 may be mounted to the ceiling of the interior cabin above the seats 154 and arranged to direct the UV light downward (towards the floor) into the space along both sides of the seats 154 and the passengers occupying the seats 154.

[0021] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a UV light shielding system 100 (hereinafter referred to as system 100 in this specification) according to an embodiment. The system 100 includes a UV lamp 120, a control unit 170, a sensor 178, and a switching and / or conversion device 180. The UV lamp 124 is powered by an outboard power supply 172 that supplies power. The power supply 172 may be a generator that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. Various conductive wires and cables can conduct power from the power supply 172 to the UV lamp 124. For example, the UV lamp 124 may utilize the same conductive path that supplies power to other components within the cabin, such as personal lights or headrest display units. For example, the UV lamp 124 may be plugged into the same electronic circuit package that controls cabin lighting.

[0022] The control unit 170 is operably connected to the UV lamp 124, the switching and / or power conversion device 180, and the sensor 178 via wired and / or wireless communication paths. The control unit 170 generates a control signal that controls the operation of the UV lamp 124. The generated control signal may be based on a signal (e.g., data) received from the sensor 178. The control unit 170 represents a hardware circuit that includes and / or is connected to one or more processors 182 (e.g., one or more microprocessors, integrated circuits, microcontrollers, field programmable gate arrays, etc.). The control unit includes and / or is connected to a tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g., memory) 184. For example, the memory 184 may store programmed instructions (e.g., software) that are executed by one or more processors 182 to perform the operations of the control unit 170 described herein.

[0023] The control unit 170 can control the UV lamps 124 by controlling the presence and amount of power (e.g., voltage and / or current) supplied to each of the UV lamps 124. In this function, the control unit 170 can utilize a switching and / or power conversion device 180. The switching and / or power conversion device 180 can include one or more solid state relays, electromechanical relays, optical switches, power converters (e.g., DC to DC, DC to AC), etc. The control unit 170 can deactivate or shut off one or more of the UV lamps 124 and change the non-zero output of one or more of the UV lamps 124 via the switching and / or power conversion device 180. The switching and / or power conversion device 180 can not only simply switch the lamps 124 on (e.g., start and emit UV light) and off (e.g., do not start and do not emit UV light), but also enable variable control over the amount of power supplied to the associated UV lamps 124. The variable power levels can include multiple settings such as low, medium, and high.

[0024] In the above embodiments, the UV light emitted by the UV lamp 124 is controlled such that a person occupying the seat (e.g., a passenger and a crew member) can be exposed to the UV light for a long time without being harmed. For example, the emitted UV light may have a designated wavelength or a narrow band of wavelengths that have been experimentally determined to be harmless to human tissue through long exposure. Thus, even if the UV lamp 124 continuously emits UV light throughout the duration of the flight, the passengers cannot be harmed. In one non-limiting embodiment, the designated wavelength is 222 nm. It has been found that the sanitizing UV light having a wavelength of 222 nm kills pathogens (such as viruses and bacteria) instead of inactivating them. In contrast, UVC light with a wavelength of 254 nm inactivates pathogens by interacting with DNA, resulting in temporary inactivation, but may not kill the pathogens. Instead, the pathogens can be reactivated at a reactivation rate of approximately 10% per hour by being exposed to normal white light. Thus, UVC light with a wavelength of 254 nm may be ineffective in illuminated areas such as the interior cabin of a transporter. Further, 254 nm UVC light is not recommended for human exposure because it can penetrate human cells. In contrast, the sanitizing UV light having a wavelength of 222 nm is safe for human exposure and kills pathogens. Further, the sanitizing UV light having a wavelength of 222 nm can be emitted at the full output of the UV lamp 120 within a range of 1 millisecond or less after being activated (in contrast, UVC having a wavelength of 254 nm may require several seconds or minutes to reach full output).

[0025] Sensor 178 can monitor the occupancy of the seat and / or the proximity of the passenger to the UV lamp 124. For example, a first subset of sensors 178 can be configured to monitor the occupancy of each seat to determine the presence or absence of occupancy. The first subset can include pressure sensors, optical sensors, proximity sensors, cameras, etc. The pressure sensor can be integrated into the cushion or the backrest to record changes in the sensor signal in response to a passenger sitting on and rising from the seat. The optical sensor can detect when the light beam in the vicinity of the seat cushion is blocked. Such blocking can occur when a person sits on and rises from the seat. The proximity sensor attached to the seat can utilize infrared and / or microwave to identify when a person is present within the seat. Sensor 178 can generate a sensor signal that is transmitted to the control unit 170 periodically at regular intervals or in response to detecting a change such as the light beam being blocked. The sensor signal can identify the source of the signal, such as the individual sensor that generates each signal. The control unit 170 receives the signal from sensor 178 and analyzes the signal to determine the occupancy of each seat. In some embodiments, when a seat is determined to be unoccupied and not occupied for at least a threshold amount of time (e.g., 1 minute), the control unit 170 is configured to reduce the output setting of one or more UV lamps 124 that provide the UV side curtain for that seat. The output setting can be reduced to a low setting and can remain so until at least the sensor signal indicates that the seat is occupied, or the (one or more) UV lamps can be deactivated. When the control unit 170 determines that passengers in two adjacent seats are both present within the seats, the UV lamp 124 that emits UV light between the two adjacent seats can operate at a high output or full output to sanitize the air between the two passengers.

[0026] The second subset of sensors 178 can be configured to monitor the proximity of passengers to the UV lamp 124. The second subset can be proximity sensors mounted on or in the vicinity of the UV lamps 124. The proximity sensors can use infrared or microwaves to identify when a person is within a specified threshold proximity range to the UV lamp 124. The specified threshold proximity can be a few inches, such as 2 inches, 4 inches, 6 inches, 8 inches, or 10 inches, etc. The proximity sensors can be aimed at the proximity of objects within the irradiation field of the UV light and can ignore the proximity of a person's head that is next to but not within the irradiation field of the UV lamp 124. In response to receiving a signal indicating that a person has crossed the threshold proximity, the control unit 170 can reduce the output setting of the associated UV lamp 124. The output setting can be reduced to a low setting or the UV lamp can be deactivated until the sensor signal indicates that at least the seat is occupied.

[0027] If the proximity threshold is not crossed or the seat is not occupied, the control unit 170 can control the UV lamp 124 to continuously emit UV light during the movement of the transporter to provide continuous protection from pathogens. Optionally, the control unit 170 can be configured to generally adjust the output setting of the UV lamp 124 based on various factors such as the level of activity within the cabin and the time of day. For example, the UV lamp 124 can operate at a high output or full output when passengers board and disembark from the transporter. When the transporter is moving / cruising during the day, the control unit 170 can operate the UV lamp 124 at a medium output setting to conserve energy compared to the high output setting. When the transporter is moving / cruising at night, the control unit 170 can operate the UV lamp 124 at a low setting, as most people are relatively inactive and either sleeping, reading, or watching a video. Additionally, the intensity of the UV irradiation can be increased to sterilize very quickly without excessive human exposure. The control actions taken by the control unit 170 can be stored in the memory 184.

[0028] The UV light shielding system 100 disclosed herein can sanitize the air entering a sealed passenger space without directly illuminating the passengers with UV light. The UV lamps are positioned to primarily provide protection to the face and upper body of the protected person. Reflectors can be used to direct most of the UV towards unoccupied spaces on either side of the passengers, with a small amount of UV directed towards the passengers themselves. The UV lamps can be placed above or on the backrest of the seat in front of the passenger. When a passenger is within the immediate vicinity of the UV lamp, sensors can be used to adjust the UV output and duty cycle.

[0029] As described herein, embodiments of the subject matter of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for sanitizing and sterilizing surfaces, air, and people (especially within passenger seats) within the interior cabin of a conveyance using UV light without harming people exposed to the UV light. Further, embodiments of the subject matter of the present disclosure provide an air sanitization shield generated via UV light. The UV shield is provided on one or both sides of a passenger within a seat, similar to side curtains or stalls, to sanitize the air before it reaches the passenger and / or before air from the passenger zone reaches another person or surface.

[0030] For purposes of describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, various terms related to space and direction, such as upper, lower, below, central, lateral, horizontal, vertical, forward, etc., may be used, but it should be understood that such terms are used only with respect to the directions shown in the drawings. The orientation can be reversed, rotated, or otherwise changed such that the upper becomes the lower, the lower becomes the upper, and the horizontal becomes vertical, etc.

[0031] As used herein, a structure, limitation, or element “configured to” perform a task or operation is physically formed, constructed, or adapted to correspond specifically to the task or operation. For clarity and to avoid misunderstanding, an object that is merely capable of being modified to perform a task or operation is not “configured to” perform the task or operation used herein.

[0032] As used herein, value modifiers such as “about,” “substantially,” and “approximately” inserted before a numerical value indicate that the value may represent other values within a specified threshold range above and / or below that particular value, such as a value within 5%, 10%, or 15% of that particular value.

[0033] It should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and / or aspects thereof) can be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications can be made to the teachings of various embodiments to adapt them to particular situations or materials without departing from their scope. The shape dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define parameters of various embodiments of the present disclosure, but these embodiments are illustrative rather than limiting. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the present invention. The scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure should be determined with reference to the appended claims and the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms "including" and "in which" are used as plain-English synonyms for the terms "comprising" and "wherein," respectively. Also, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used merely as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations in the following claims are not set forth in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be construed under 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph (f), unless such claim limitations expressly use the recitation "means for" followed by a description of a function without further structure.

[0034] Furthermore, the present disclosure includes embodiments according to the following clauses. Clause 1. An ultraviolet (UV) light shielding system (100), A plurality of UV lamps (124) mounted inside the inner cabin (122) of the transporter, the plurality of UV lamps (124) being arranged to emit UV light within an irradiation field (128) extending along the side portions (118, 120) of the passenger seat (110) arranged inside the inner cabin (122), and two adjacent irradiation fields (128) being spaced apart so as to define a protection zone (130) for a passenger (140) sitting on one of the passenger seats (110), a UV light shielding system (100). Article 2. The UV light shielding system (100) according to Article 1, wherein one of the UV lamps (124) is attached to the front portion (126) of the backrest (114) of one of the passenger seats (110) on the inboard side (118) or the outboard side (120) of or in the vicinity of one of the passenger seats (110). Article 3. The UV light shielding system (100) according to Article 1, wherein one of the two UV lamps (124) is positioned on or in the vicinity of the inboard side (118) of one of the passenger seats (110), the other of the two UV lamps (124) is positioned on or in the vicinity of the outboard side (120) of one of the passenger seats (110), and the two UV lamps (124) are attached to the front portion (126) of the backrest (114) of one of the passenger seats (110) so as to provide the two adjacent irradiation fields (128). Article 4. The UV light shielding system (100) according to Article 1, wherein at least one of the two adjacent irradiation fields (128) is provided by a UV lamp among the UV lamps (124) attached to the rear portion (152) of the passenger seat (154) in front of the passenger seat (154) occupied by the passenger (140). Article 5. The UV light shielding system (100) according to Article 1, wherein the two adjacent irradiation fields (128) are aligned with the upper body and head of the passenger (140). Article 6. The UV lamp (124) of the UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 1 is configured to emit the UV light having a designated wavelength or a narrow range of wavelengths that is safe for human tissues. Claim 7. The designated wavelength of the UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 1 is 222 nm. Claim 8. The UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 1 further comprises a control unit (170) and a sensor (178), the control unit (170) includes one or more processors (182), is operably connected to the UV lamp (124) and the sensor (178), the sensor (178) is configured to monitor the passenger seat (110), and the control unit (170) is configured to determine whether the passenger seat (110) is occupied based on a sensor signal received from the sensor (178). Claim 9. In response to determining that a passenger (140) in one of the passenger seats (110) has not occupied the one passenger seat (110) for at least a threshold time, the control unit (170) is configured to reduce an output setting of at least one of the UV lamps (124) providing the two irradiation fields (128) of the UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 8. Claim 10. The sensor (178) of the UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 8 may be a pressure sensor (178), an optical sensor (178), or a proximity sensor (178). Claim 11. The UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 1 further comprises a control unit (170) and a sensor (178), the control unit (170) includes one or more processors (182), is operably connected to the UV lamp (124) and the sensor (178), the sensor (178) is disposed on or near the UV lamp (124), and the control unit (170) is configured to detect when a person is within a designated proximity threshold of the UV lamp (124) based on a sensor signal received from the sensor (178). Article 12 In response to detecting that a person is within the specified proximity threshold of the first UV lamp of the UV lamp (124), the control unit (170) is configured to deactivate the first UV lamp or reduce the output setting of the first UV lamp without deactivating the first UV lamp, the UV light blocking system (100) according to Article 11. Article 13 The UV light blocking system (100) according to Article 1, wherein the transporter is an aircraft (10). Article 14 A method for shielding and sanitizing a passenger within a seat (110), comprising: Installing a UV lamp (124) within an interior cabin (122) of a transporter, the UV lamp (124) being installed to emit and direct UV light within an irradiation field (128) extending along sides (118, 120) of a passenger seat (110) disposed within the interior cabin (122), wherein two adjacent irradiation fields (128) are spaced apart to define a protection zone (130) for a passenger (140) sitting in one of the passenger seats (110), the method further comprising: Controlling the UV lamp (124) to continuously emit the UV light within the irradiation field (128) during movement of the transporter. Article 15 The method according to Article 14, further comprising supplying power from an onboard power source (172) to the UV lamp (124). Article 16 The method according to Article 14, wherein the UV lamp (124) is controlled to shape the emission of the UV light such that the vertical dimension of the irradiation field (128) is long and the lateral dimension is short. Article 17 The method according to Article 14, wherein the UV lamp (124) is controlled such that the emitted UV light has a specified wavelength or a narrow range of wavelengths that are safe for human tissue in long exposures. Article 18 Determining that one of the passenger seats (110) has not been occupied for at least a threshold time, and in response, further reducing the output setting of at least one of the UV lamps (124) that provides an irradiation field (128) extending along the unoccupied passenger seat (110), the method according to clause 14. Clause 19. Determining that one of the passengers is within a specified proximity threshold of one of the UV lamps (124), and in response, further reducing the output setting of one of the UV lamps, the method according to clause 14. Clause 20. An ultraviolet (UV) light shielding system (100), A plurality of UV lamps (124) mounted within the interior cabin (122) of a vehicle, the plurality of UV lamps (124) being arranged to emit UV light within an irradiation field (128) extending along the sides (118, 120) of passenger seats (110) disposed within the interior cabin (122), two adjacent irradiation fields (128) being spaced apart to define a protection zone (130) for a passenger (140) sitting in one of the passenger seats (110), the system (100) further comprising A sensor (178) configured to monitor the occupancy of the passenger seats (110) and the proximity of the passengers to the UV lamps (124), and A control unit (170) including one or more processors (182), the control unit (170) being operably connected to the UV lamps (124) and the sensor (178), receiving sensor signals from the sensor (178), and configured to adjust the output of one or more of the UV lamps (124) based on the occupancy of the passenger seats (110) and the proximity of the passengers to the UV lamps (124), the UV light shielding system (100).

[0035] The description provided herein discloses various embodiments of the present disclosure, including the best mode, and uses examples to enable those skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments of the present disclosure, including the creation and use of any device or system and the execution of any incorporated method. The scope of patentability of the various embodiments of the present disclosure is defined by the claims and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that differ only slightly from the language of the claims.

Claims

1. An ultraviolet (UV) light shielding system (100), comprising a plurality of UV lamps (124) mounted within an interior cabin (122) of a transporter, the plurality of UV lamps (124) being arranged to emit UV light within an irradiation field (128) extending along side portions (118, 120) of a passenger seat (110) disposed within the interior cabin (122), two adjacent irradiation fields (128) being spaced apart to define a protection zone (130) for a passenger (140) sitting in one of the passenger seats (110), wherein at least one of the two UV lamps (124) providing the two adjacent irradiation fields (128) is mounted at a rear portion (152) of a passenger seat (154) in front of a passenger seat (154) occupied by the passenger (140), the UV light shielding system (100).

2. The UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 1, wherein one of the two UV lamps (124) providing the two adjacent irradiation fields (128) is mounted at a front portion (126) of a backrest (114) of the one passenger seat (110) on an inboard side (118) or an outboard side (120) of the one passenger seat (110) or in the vicinity thereof.

3. The UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the two UV lamps (124) providing the two adjacent irradiation fields (128) are mounted at a rear portion (152) of a passenger seat (154) in front of the one passenger seat (154) occupied by the passenger (140).

4. The UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the two UV lamps (124) providing the two adjacent irradiation fields (128) are electrically connected to wiring within the passenger seat (110).

5. The UV light shielding system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the two adjacent irradiation fields (128) are aligned with the upper body and head of the passenger (140).

6. The UV light shielding system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of UV lamps (124) are configured to emit the UV light at a designated wavelength or within a narrow range of wavelengths that is safe for human tissue.

7. The UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 6, wherein the designated wavelength is 222 nm.

8. Further comprising a control unit (170) and a sensor (178), the control unit (170) includes one or more processors (182), and is operably connected to the plurality of UV lamps (124) and the sensor (178), the sensor (178) is configured to monitor the passenger seat (110), the control unit (170) is configured to determine the presence or absence of occupancy of the passenger seat (110) based on a sensor signal received from the sensor (178), and in response to determining that a passenger (140) in one of the passenger seats (110) has not occupied the one passenger seat (110) for at least a threshold time, the control unit (170) is configured to reduce the output setting of at least one of the two UV lamps (124) that provide the two adjacent irradiation fields (128). The UV light shielding system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The sensor (178) includes at least one of a pressure sensor (178), an optical sensor (178), or a proximity sensor (178). The UV light shielding system (100) according to claim 8.

10. Further comprising a control unit (170) and a sensor (178), the control unit (170) includes one or more processors (182), and is operably connected to the plurality of UV lamps (124) and the sensor (178), the sensor (178) is disposed on or near the plurality of UV lamps (124), and the control unit (170) is configured to detect when a person is within a specified proximity threshold of the plurality of UV lamps (124) based on a sensor signal received from the sensor (178). In response to detecting that a person is within the specified proximity threshold of the first UV lamp of the plurality of UV lamps (124), the control unit (170) is configured to deactivate the first UV lamp or reduce the output setting of the first UV lamp without deactivating the first UV lamp. The UV light shielding system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

11. The transporter is an aircraft (10). The UV light shielding system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A method for shielding and sanitizing a passenger in a seat (110), comprising: Installing a plurality of UV lamps (124) inside the internal cabin (122) of a vehicle, wherein the plurality of UV lamps (124) are installed to emit and direct UV light within an irradiation field (128) extending along the sides (118, 120) of a passenger seat (110) disposed within the internal cabin (122), including installing a plurality of UV lamps (124) inside the internal cabin (122) of a vehicle, wherein two adjacent irradiation fields (128) are spaced apart so as to define a protection zone (130) for a passenger (140) sitting in one of the passenger seats (110). The method further includes controlling the plurality of UV lamps (124) to continuously emit the UV light within the irradiation field (128) during movement of the vehicle. A method, wherein at least one of the two UV lamps (124) providing the two adjacent irradiation fields (128) is attached to the rear portion (152) of a passenger seat (154) in front of a passenger seat (154) occupied by the passenger (140).

13. The plurality of UV lamps (124) are configured to shape the emission of the UV light such that the vertical dimension of the irradiation field (128) is long and the lateral dimension is short, or the emitted UV light is controlled by at least one of having a designated wavelength or a narrow range of wavelengths that is safe for human tissue in long exposures. The method according to claim 12.

14. Determining that one of the passenger seats (110) has not been occupied for at least a threshold time, and accordingly reducing the output setting of at least one of the plurality of UV lamps (124) providing an irradiation field (128) extending along the unoccupied passenger seat (110), or Determining that one of the passengers is within a designated proximity threshold of one of the plurality of UV lamps (124), and accordingly reducing the output setting of one of the UV lamps. The method according to claim 12 or 13 further includes at least one of these.

15. An ultraviolet (UV) light shielding system (100), A plurality of UV lamps (124) mounted within an interior cabin (122) of a transporter, the plurality of UV lamps (124) being arranged to emit UV light within an irradiation field (128) extending along side portions (118, 120) of a passenger seat (110) disposed within the interior cabin (122), two adjacent irradiation fields (128) being spaced apart to define a protection zone (130) for a passenger (140) sitting in one of the passenger seats (110), the system (100) further comprising a sensor (178) configured to monitor the occupancy of the passenger seat (110) and the proximity of a passenger to the plurality of UV lamps (124), and including one or more processors (182), a control unit (170) operably connected to the plurality of UV lamps (124) and the sensor (178), the control unit (170) receiving a sensor signal from the sensor (178) and configured to adjust the output of one or more of the plurality of UV lamps (124) based on the occupancy of the passenger seat (110) and the proximity of the passenger to the plurality of UV lamps (124), a UV light shielding system (100) in which at least one of the two UV lamps (124) providing the two adjacent irradiation fields (128) is attached to a rear portion (152) of a passenger seat (154) in front of a passenger seat (154) occupied by the passenger (140).

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