Antimicrobial System with Integrated Arming Switch and UV Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing disinfection lighting systems using ultraviolet (UV) light pose risks to human safety due to the potential for acute and chronic damage from harmful UV wavelengths, especially when used improperly or by untrained individuals.

Innovation Solution

An antimicrobial system with distributed disinfection controls and an authenticated safe lockout protocol, which includes luminaires with integrated sensors and switching devices that ensure safe exposure to disinfection light by verifying the absence of humans before emitting high-intensity UV light.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If UV light is used for disinfection, then pathogen deactivation effectiveness is improved, but human safety is compromised due to harmful UV exposure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepathogen deactivation effectivenessVSAvoidhuman exposure to harmful UV light

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces visible light (405-430 nm) as an intermediary substance that can be perceived by humans as a warning signal. This visible light serves as a mediator between the harmful invisible UV light and human occupants, providing a visual indicator that disinfection is active and the space should not be entered, thereby preventing harmful exposure while maintaining disinfection effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback through visible light emission during UV disinfection operation. The visible light provides real-time visual feedback to humans about the active disinfection state, creating a feedback loop that prevents human exposure by making the invisible harmful UV radiation detectable through its visible counterpart

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If visible light wavelength (405-430 nm) is used for disinfection, then human safety is improved by providing visible warning, but pathogen deactivation effectiveness deteriorates and requires much longer exposure duration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehuman safetyVSAvoidpathogen deactivation effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic action by alternating between UV disinfection cycles and visible light warning periods. During UV disinfection, visible light is emitted as a warning; after disinfection completes, UV is turned off. This periodic cycling allows effective pathogen deactivation during UV phases while providing continuous human safety warnings during visible light phases

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by emitting visible light before and during UV disinfection to warn humans to vacate the space. This preliminary warning action prevents human exposure before harmful UV radiation is activated, and maintains warning throughout the disinfection process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If UV light intensity is increased for rapid disinfection, then productivity is improved, but harmful effects on humans are intensified

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisinfection speedVSAvoidharmful UV exposure to humans

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes color changes by emitting visible light (perceptible as visible light during disinfection operations) that changes in intensity or presence based on UV activation. This color/visibility change provides a visual indicator that high-intensity UV is active, allowing rapid disinfection while preventing human exposure through the visible warning signal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively ensures safe and controlled disinfection by preventing human exposure to harmful UV light, while allowing for rapid and effective pathogen deactivation on surfaces and in air.

Implementation Method 1

disinfection light, e.g., ultraviolet (UV) light, to deactivate a pathogen

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotodissociation: Photodissociation

Implementation Method 2

light sources specifically configured to deactivate bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhoto-oxidation: Photo-oxidation

Data Source

PatentUS12214110B2Antimicrobial system with distributed disinfection controls, integrated arming switch sensors, and streamlined safe lockout protocol

Publication Date: 2025.02.04 ABL IP HLDG LLC

AI summary

Antimicrobial system including a luminaire configured to emit a disinfection light in an ultraviolet band for disinfecting a vicinity of a target pathogen. A switching device that includes a primary relay pack. A control station, an integrated arming switch, a room sensor. The integrated arming switch has a communication interface, an integrated room sensor, a processor, and integrated arming switch programming in a memory. Execution of the integrated arming switch programming by processor configures the integrated arming switch to perform the following functions. Based on a second input from the operator, produce a visual inspection signal. In response to the integrated room sensor detecting occupancy of the vicinity of the physical space by the human, produce a room state signal. Send, via the communication interface, the visual inspection signal to enable the primary relay pack to control power to the luminaire to emit the disinfection light.