Excimer Bulb Pass Filter for Human-Safe UV-C Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UV-C sterilization technologies are not safe for use in the presence of humans and living tissues, as they can emit harmful wavelengths that pose risks to human health.
Innovation Solution
A human-safe UV-C sterilizing bulb assembly that includes an excimer bulb and a pass filter, constructed with hafnium oxide layers, to prevent the emission of substantial UV radiation in wavelengths longer than 231 nm, ensuring safety for human exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional UV-C sterilization technologies are used, then pathogen killing effectiveness is improved, but safety for human exposure deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the UV-C spectrum into safe and harmful wavelength ranges, using a filter to block harmful wavelengths (below 200 nm and above 280 nm) while transmitting safe wavelengths (200-280 nm). This allows the system to maintain pathogen killing effectiveness through safe UV-C wavelengths without exposing humans to harmful radiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wavelength-selective filter as an intermediary component between the UV-C light source and the environment. This filter mediates the interaction by selectively transmitting safe UV-C wavelengths while blocking harmful wavelengths, thus protecting human tissue while maintaining sterilization effectiveness.
2Reliability
If shorter UV-C wavelengths are used to increase sterilization power, then pathogen killing effectiveness is improved, but harmful ozone generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and blocks the harmful wavelength components (particularly those below 200 nm that generate excessive ozone) from the UV-C spectrum while retaining the beneficial sterilization wavelengths (200-280 nm). This is achieved through a filter that selectively removes harmful wavelengths that cause ozone generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of the UV-C radiation by using a filter to transmit only specific wavelength ranges (200-280 nm) while blocking others. This parameter modification maintains sterilization power through effective UV-C wavelengths while reducing harmful ozone generation from extreme short wavelengths.
3Productivity
If broader UV-C spectrum is emitted to maximize sterilization coverage, then sterilization effectiveness is improved, but safety for continuous public use deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different wavelength components of the UV-C radiation have different transmission properties. The filter allows safe wavelengths (200-280 nm) to pass through for sterilization while blocking harmful wavelengths, thus achieving broad sterilization coverage while ensuring human safety for continuous public use.
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 solution provides a safe, efficient, and affordable UV-C sterilization system that can be used in continuous public places, effectively killing pathogens without harming humans, and includes features like IoT connectivity for monitoring and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a pass filter, constructed with hafnium oxide layers, to prevent the emission of substantial UV radiation in wavelengths longer than 231 nm
Implementation Method 2
an excimer bulb and a pass filter, constructed with hafnium oxide layers, to prevent the emission of substantial UV radiation in wavelengths longer than 231 nm
Data Source
AI summary
An excimer bulb assembly including an excimer bulb and a pass filter such that the excimer bulb assembly does not emit substantial UV radiation in wavelengths longer than 231 nm, 232 nm, 233 nm, 234 nm or 235 nm. The wavelengths are measured at an incident angle of zero (0) degrees to the filter plane. The pass filter is preferably constructed of a plurality of layers of hafnium oxide, and most preferably constructed of less than seventy five (75) layers of hafnium oxide. The excimer bulb, pass filter, and two electrical connectors may be adapted to form a cartridge which may be adapted to swivel along its main axis. The cartridge may further include a smart chip. The smart chip may retain and store information regarding the assembly and preferably retains hours of use of the excimer bulb.