Dual-Wavelength Light Irradiation for Safe Bacterial Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional UV curing devices using UV lamps pose a risk of skin aging and cancer due to their adverse effects on the human body, necessitating a safer method for achieving sterilization.
Innovation Solution
A light irradiation device employing a combination of blue light and UV light sources, where the blue light uses photosensitizers to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species and UV light damages DNA, with a controller to manage the emission of light to minimize harm to the human body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UV light is used for sterilization, then sterilization effect is improved, but adverse effects on human body (skin aging, cancer) occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sterilization function into two distinct light sources: a blue light source (405nm) for primary sterilization and a UV light source (225nm or 275nm) for enhanced sterilization. This segmentation allows each light source to operate at optimized doses independently, with the blue light providing sufficient sterilization while the UV light is limited to safe exposure levels, thereby resolving the contradiction between sterilization effectiveness and human body safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges blue light and UV light into a single light irradiation device with coordinated emission. The controller synchronizes both light sources to emit simultaneously or sequentially, creating a synergistic sterilization effect where the combination achieves higher sterilization power than either light source alone, while the UV component remains below harmful thresholds due to the presence of the blue light source
2Reliability
If UV light dose is increased to enhance sterilization, then sterilization power is improved, but harm to human body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by using a UV light source with dose strictly controlled below harmful thresholds (225nm or 275nm wavelengths at limited intensity and duration). Instead of using high-dose UV that would guarantee sterilization but cause harm, the system uses a moderate, safe UV dose combined with blue light to achieve equivalent or superior sterilization效果, thereby implementing sterilization power enhancement without exceeding safety boundaries
Solution Approach 2:
The blue light source acts as an intermediary that enhances the overall sterilization effect while allowing the UV light source to operate at safe, low doses. The blue light (405nm) compensates for the reduced UV dosage, providing a bridging mechanism that maintains sterilization effectiveness without requiring high UV exposure that would be harmful to human tissue
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 device achieves high sterilization power while being harmless to the human body by synergistically combining blue and UV light sources, enhancing sterilization efficacy without adverse effects.
Implementation Method 1
the blue light uses photosensitizers to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species
Implementation Method 2
UV light damages DNA
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2~3a
Figure 3b~3c
AI summary
A light irradiation device includes first and second light sources to emit first light and second light having mutually different wavelengths, respectively, at timings close to each other regardless of overlap between the first light and the second light, the first light has a wavelength band for inducing destruction of bacteria by damaging a cell as the first light acts on a photosensitizer present in the bacteria, wherein the second light has a wavelength band for inducing the destruction of the bacteria by changing the structure of a genetic material present in the cell of the bacteria, and a dose of the second light source is less than 1/10 of a dose of the first light source.