UV chamber having automatic position-adjusting light intensity meter mounted therein, and UV light intensity measurement method using same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a UV chamber and an UV light intensity measurement method using same, the UV chamber having a lamp, which selectively emits UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C, mounted therein, using a light-blocking unit that can be quickly and automatically opened and closed, so that UV light is emitted at a sample for a precise period of time, and having a UV detection device, which can move up, down, left and right, mounted therein so that a precise amount of UV light can be measured and applied at the location at which the sample is positioned, and comprising: a lighting device communicating with the top surface of the UV chamber and having a UV lamp mounted therein; a sample table on which the sample can be placed; the light-blocking unit, which is positioned above the sample table and can be opened / closed; and a UV detection unit and a control unit positioned between the sample table and the light-blocking unit.

Description

UV chamber equipped with an automatic position-adjusting photometer and a method for measuring UV light intensity using the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a UV chamber equipped with an automatic position-adjusting photometer, and more specifically, to a UV chamber equipped with a lamp that selectively illuminates UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C, and a light blocking part that can be quickly and automatically opened and closed to ensure that UV light is irradiated to a sample for an accurate period of time, and a UV detection device that can move up, down, left, and right to measure and apply an accurate UV light amount at a location where a sample is placed, and a method for measuring UV light amount using the same.

[0002] The UV chamber of the present invention is a device for studying biochemical reactions, etc., due to UV irradiation on samples such as microorganisms and mammalian cells cultured in a culture device, and is commonly used in laboratories for various purposes, such as studying the effect of UV on the reaction of cultured microorganisms and cells, inducing DNA damage in cells, binding DNA or RNA to a membrane in biological experiments, and sterilizing laboratory equipment.

[0003] In a UV chamber, important factors include the type, time, and location of light, and these factors must be adjustable depending on the sample being irradiated. Conventional UV chambers or irradiators place the sample to be irradiated on a stage located within a housing, and irradiate it by moving the upper and lower sources that emit ultraviolet light on the stage. The upper and lower sources irradiate UV corresponding to UV-A, UV-B, or UV-C to the sample. However, the above conventional technology does not allow for the determination of whether UV light is being irradiated. This requires the user to manually measure the UV light intensity at various locations within the UV chamber using a UV light meter. This direct measurement by the user not only makes it difficult to monitor the UV light intensity for a long time, but can also delay the measurement time and result in inaccurate measurements.

[0004] In addition, since there is no separate blocking section inside the UV chamber capable of blocking the light irradiating thereon, the UV transmitted to the sample is manually blocked using a material that does not allow the light to pass through, or the user directly turns off the power to the UV source (UV lamp), or the UV light is blocked by manually opening and closing a sliding door-type blocking screen. Therefore, there is a need to develop a UV chamber capable of providing the correct amount of UV light from the sample.

[0005] [Prior Art Literature]

[0006] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-0353096 (September 4, 2002)

[0007] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide an accurate amount of UV light to a sample irradiated with UV light from a UV lamp.

[0008] In addition, the purpose is to provide a device that can precisely measure the amount of UV light provided to a sample irradiated with UV light from a UV lamp at an accurate location.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above problem, a UV chamber equipped with an automatic position-adjusting photometer may include a UV chamber for observing UV reaction induction of cultured microorganisms and cell samples, the UV chamber comprising: a lighting device including a UV lamp that is connected to and mounted on an upper surface of the UV chamber and irradiates UV light into the interior of the UV chamber; a light blocking part that is positioned below the lighting device and can be opened and closed; a table that is mounted inside the UV chamber and formed parallel to a lower surface, and on which the sample is placed; a UV detection device that is positioned above the sample and measures the amount of UV light by moving the table; a UV shielding part that is positioned above the table and covers the UV detection device from the lighting device; and a control part that controls opening and closing of the light blocking part and controls a position of the UV detection device.

[0010] The above UV lamp can illuminate by selecting any one of UV-A, UV-B and UV-C.

[0011] The above table can move up and down along the z-axis guide.

[0012] The light blocking unit can control the opening and closing time of the light blocking unit or the irradiation time of the lighting device to adjust the amount of UV light irradiated to the sample.

[0013] The above UV detection device can move to a specific position on the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis to measure the amount of UV light of the sample.

[0014] A method for measuring the amount of UV light irradiated to a sample using a UV chamber, the method comprising: a UV light irradiation step in which a UV lamp inside a UV lighting device irradiates UV light to a sample inside the UV chamber; a light blocking unit control step in which the amount of UV light provided to the sample is controlled by controlling the opening and closing of a light blocking unit; and a UV light amount measurement step in which a UV detection device located above the sample moves to measure the amount of UV light provided to the sample.

[0015] In the above UV ray irradiation step, the UV lamp may further include a step of selecting any one of UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C.

[0016] The UV chamber may further include a UV shield to block the UV rays, and the UV detection device may be positioned below the UV shield during the UV irradiation step.

[0017] The above UV chamber includes a control unit, and the control unit can control the opening and closing time of the light blocking unit or the irradiation time of the UV lighting device, and control the movement of the UV detection device.

[0018] The above UV detection device can move in the x-axis and y-axis.

[0019] The above UV detection device can move to a specific position on the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis to measure the amount of UV light of the sample.

[0020] According to the present invention, there is an effect of providing an accurate amount of UV light to a sample by equipping a light blocking unit that can be automatically opened and closed.

[0021] In addition, it has the effect of being able to precisely measure the amount of UV light provided to the sample at an accurate location by installing a UV detection unit whose position can be adjusted within the UV chamber.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the front of a UV chamber equipped with an automatic position adjustment photometer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a side view of a UV chamber equipped with an automatic positioning photometer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a side view of the inside of a UV chamber according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the upper surface of the inside of a UV chamber equipped with an automatic position adjustment UV detection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing the order in which a UV detection unit moves according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for measuring UV light quantity using a UV chamber equipped with an automatic position adjustment photometer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] The terms “unit,” “device,” and “system” used throughout this specification mean a unit that processes operations involving one or more functions, which may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0029] As used herein, terms such as "unit," "device," and "system" can be treated as equivalent to computer-related entities, such as hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. Furthermore, the application program executed in the present invention may be configured as a "unit" unit, and may be recorded in a single physical memory in a readable, writable, and erasable form, or may be recorded in a distributed manner between two or more memories or recording media.

[0030] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a front view of a UV chamber equipped with an automatic position adjustment photometer according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a side view of a UV chamber equipped with an automatic position adjustment photometer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Referring to the drawings, the UV irradiator is configured as a chamber-shaped device for studying biochemical reactions of cells, etc. according to UV irradiation using microorganisms, mammalian cells, etc. cultured in a culture device. The UV irradiator comprises a lighting device (100) including a UV lamp that irradiates UV light into the inside of the UV chamber (10), a light blocking unit (200) located below the lighting device (100), a table (500) for placing the sample inside the UV chamber (10), a UV detection device (300) located above the sample and moving the table to measure the amount of UV light, a UV shielding screen (400) located above the table and covering the UV detection device (300) from the lighting device (100), and a control unit (600) for controlling the light blocking unit (200) and the UV detection device (300).

[0033] An opening (700) consisting of one door or one or more windows is provided on the front of the UV chamber (10) so that the UV chamber (10) can be opened and closed. The opening (700) allows a sample to be placed inside the UV chamber (10) and the sample to be discharged after irradiation is completed. The opening (700) can be opened in any one of the up, down, left, or right directions.

[0034] The above lighting device (100) is connected to and mounted on the upper surface of the UV chamber (10), and a UV lamp (not shown in the drawing) is installed inside the UV chamber (10) to irradiate UV light into the inside of the UV chamber (10). The UV lamp can change the type of light depending on the purpose of irradiation, and the type of UV lamp can be selected from among UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C, and the UV light can be replaced as needed. The UV lamp can be replaced with a necessary UV lamp each time the sample is observed, and after each type of UV lamp is installed in the lighting device (100) as a replacement, a desired UV light can be selected through the control unit (600) and irradiated to the sample.

[0035] The above light blocking unit (200) is installed at the bottom of the lighting unit (100) to control the amount of UV light irradiated from the lighting unit (100) into the UV chamber (10). The light blocking unit (200) can have its opening and closing time controlled by the control unit (600) to control the amount of UV light irradiated to the sample, and the light blocking unit (200) can be configured in various ways depending on its shape.

[0036] The light blocking unit (200) may be controlled by a solenoid blocking method that can open and close the light blocking unit (200) using a solenoid, a rotating plate method that can reduce or increase the area of ​​the formed hole by rotating either a plate in which a hole is formed or a plate covering the upper and lower portions of the hole, and thus control the amount of UV light irradiated from the sample, or a slide shutter method that can control the amount of UV light temporally by forming an opening and closing port and controlling the opening and closing port with a slide type, and controlling the shutter time of the opening and closing port, and so on. The light blocking unit (200) may be performed by selecting any one of the following methods.

[0037] Fig. 3 is a drawing showing the inner side of a UV chamber according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is a drawing showing the upper surface of the inside of a UV chamber equipped with an automatic position adjustment UV detection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the drawings together, the table (500) is installed inside the UV chamber (10) and is formed parallel to the lower surface of the UV chamber (10), and allows a sample to be studied to be placed on the upper surface of the table (500).

[0038] The above table (500) can be mounted one or more times inside the UV chamber (10), and is coupled with a z-axis guide (800c) installed inside the UV chamber (10) so as to be able to move up and down along the z-axis guide (800c). In addition, by moving the table (500) up and down, the gap between the UV detection device (300) and the sample positioned above the table (500) can be adjusted.

[0039] The UV shield (400) is positioned above the table (500) and is positioned parallel to the lower surface. The UV shield (400) can be used in a fixed state for the purpose of protecting the UV detection device (300) when the UV lamp irradiates UV light to the sample. In addition, when the UV detection device (300) is not in use, the UV detection device (300) can be hidden under the light blocking part (200) to block UV light irradiated from the lighting device (100). This allows the UV detection device (300) to be moved to the lower part of the UV shield (400) to avoid UV light in order to avoid measuring unnecessary UV light amounts.

[0040] The UV detection device (300) is positioned between the table (500) and the light blocking unit (200), and functions as a UV photometer that measures the amount of UV light provided to the sample. The UV detection device (300) can move in the x-axis and y-axis through the x-axis guide (800a) and the y-axis guide (800b) above the sample located on the upper surface of the table (500), and the movement can be controlled from the control unit (600). FIG. 5 is a drawing showing the order in which the UV detection unit moves to measure the amount of UV light according to one embodiment of the present invention, and shows the upper surface inside the UV chamber (10). When the table (500) is divided into three equal parts by the x-axis and y-axis, and is configured as a total of nine sections, the UV detection device (300) moves in the x-axis direction from 1 to 2 and then 3, and then moves to specific positions on the x-axis and y-axis in the order of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to measure the amount of UV light, and, if necessary, moves along the z-axis to measure the amount of UV light.

[0041] The control unit (600) controls the opening and closing of the light blocking unit (200) and controls the position of the UV detection device (300). In addition, when the UV lamps are configured in multiples and one lamp is irradiated, a desired UV lamp can be irradiated through the control unit (600), and the opening and closing time of the light blocking unit (200) can be controlled or the irradiation time of the lighting device (100) can be controlled so that the amount of UV light transmitted to the sample is constant, and the UV detection device (300) can be operated or stopped to measure the amount of UV light.

[0042] Hereinafter, a UV light intensity measurement method using the UV chamber (10) according to an example of the present invention will be described. The measurement method of the present invention can utilize the above-described UV chamber (10), and descriptions of content overlapping with the above-described UV chamber (10) will be omitted.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for measuring UV light intensity using a UV chamber equipped with an automatic position-adjusting UV detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a sample to be observed is placed on a table (500) inside a UV chamber (10). Then, power is supplied to the UV chamber (10) to prepare for measurement, motion, control, etc. After reading and initializing the current status values ​​of measurement, motion, control, etc., a UV light irradiation step (S100) in which a UV lamp inside a UV lighting device (100) irradiates UV light to a sample inside the UV chamber (10), a light blocking unit control step (S200) in which the opening and closing of the light blocking unit (200) is controlled to adjust the amount of UV light provided to the sample, and a UV light amount measurement step (S300) in which a UV detection device (300) located above the sample moves to measure the amount of UV light provided to the sample from the UV lamp are performed.

[0044] In the above UV ray irradiation step (S100), the UV lamp irradiates UV rays to the sample, and the UV lamp further includes a step (S110) of selecting one of UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C, which can be performed by turning it on / off in the control unit (600) or by the user replacing the lamp.

[0045] In the above light blocking unit control step (S200), the light blocking unit (200) can control the opening and closing of the hole of the light blocking unit (300) through which UV light passes from the control unit (600).

[0046] In order to measure the amount of UV light, the UV detection device (300) can move in the x-axis and y-axis through the x-axis guide (800a) and y-axis guide (800b) from the upper portion of the sample to measure the amount of UV light, and, if necessary, move in the z-axis along the z-axis guide (800c) to enable measurement of the amount of UV light at all positions. In addition, when irradiating an actual sample, the UV detection device (300) can move to the bottom of the UV shield (400) to avoid irradiation of unnecessary UV light.

[0047] When the measurement is completed, the control unit (600) outputs the results such as charts, dose maps, and analysis-result reports, and saves the results of tasks such as measurement, processing, and analysis and the output results.

[0048] While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without altering the technical spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive.

[0049] [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 10: UV chamber

[0051] 100: Lighting device

[0052] 200: Light blocking section

[0053] 300: UV detection device

[0054] 400: UV shield

[0055] 500: Table

[0056] 600: Control unit

[0057] 700: Opening

[0058] 800a: x-axis guide

[0059] 800b: Y-axis guide

[0060] 800c: Z-axis guide

Claims

1. In a UV chamber for observing the UV reaction induction of cultured microorganisms and cell samples, A lighting device including a UV lamp that is connected to and mounted on the upper surface of the UV chamber and irradiates UV light into the inside of the UV chamber; A light blocking part that is located at the bottom of the above lighting device and can be opened and closed; A table mounted inside the UV chamber and formed parallel to the lower surface, and on which the sample is placed; A UV detection device positioned above the sample and moving the table to measure the amount of UV light; A UV shield positioned on the table top and shielding the UV detection device from the lighting device; and A UV chamber comprising a control unit that controls the opening and closing of the light blocking unit and controls the position of the UV detection device.

2. In paragraph 1, The above UV lamp is a UV chamber that illuminates by selecting one of UV-A, UV-B and UV-C.

3. In paragraph 1, The above table is a UV chamber that moves up and down along the z-axis guide.

4. In paragraph 1, A UV chamber in which the light blocking unit controls the opening and closing time of the light blocking unit or the irradiation time of the lighting device to adjust the amount of UV light irradiated to the sample.

5. In paragraph 1, The UV chamber, wherein the UV detection device moves in the x-axis and y-axis above the sample table.

6. In paragraph 5, A UV chamber in which the above UV detection device moves to a characteristic position on the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis to measure the amount of UV light of the sample.

7. A method for measuring the amount of UV light irradiated to a sample using a UV chamber, A UV light irradiation step in which a UV lamp inside a UV lighting device irradiates UV light to a sample inside the UV chamber; A light blocking unit control step for controlling the amount of UV light provided to the sample by controlling the opening and closing of the light blocking unit; and A UV light quantity measurement step in which a UV detection device located on the upper part of the sample moves to measure the amount of UV light provided to the sample; A method for measuring UV light intensity, comprising:

8. In paragraph 7, A method for measuring UV light intensity, wherein in the UV ray irradiation step, the UV lamp further comprises a step of selecting one of UV-A, UV-B and UV-C.

9. In paragraph 7, Further comprising a UV shield inside the UV chamber to block the UV rays, A method for measuring UV light intensity, wherein, in the above UV light irradiation step, the UV detection device is located below the UV shield.

10. In paragraph 7, The above UV chamber includes a control unit, A method for measuring UV light quantity, wherein the control unit controls the opening and closing time of the light blocking unit or the irradiation time of the UV lighting device and controls the movement of the UV detection device.

11. In paragraph 10, A method for measuring UV light intensity, wherein the above UV detection device moves in the x-axis and y-axis.

12. In paragraph 11, A UV light quantity measuring method in which the above UV detection device moves to a specific position on the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis to measure the UV light quantity of the sample.

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