Coincident Lighting and UV Disinfection System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current UV-based disinfection systems are unsafe for human presence due to harmful effects of UV light on humans, require high energy for visible light disinfection, and cause eye discomfort with violet or blue light usage, while achieving lower inactivation rates compared to UV ranges.

Innovation Solution

A lighting disinfection system with separate diffusion hoods and covers for white LED and UV light sources, utilizing quartz glass for high UV transmittance and adjustable UV light emission with laser markers and sensors for safe operation, allowing concurrent lighting and disinfection without direct human exposure to UV light.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If UV light is used for disinfection, then inactivation rate of pathogens is improved, but safety for human presence deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinactivation rateVSAvoidharmful effects on human

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the lighting and disinfection functions into separate modules with distinct light sources (white LED for lighting, UV LED for disinfection) and separate optical paths. This allows independent control of each function, enabling disinfection to occur only when lighting is not needed, thus maintaining high inactivation rates while ensuring human safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic action by alternating between lighting mode and disinfection mode based on occupancy detection. When sensors detect human presence, the system provides lighting only; when no humans are present, it switches to UV disinfection mode. This temporal separation resolves the contradiction between maintaining high pathogen inactivation and ensuring human safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If visible light with longer wavelength is used for disinfection, then safety for human presence is improved, but inactivation rate of pathogens deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety for humanVSAvoidinactivation rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges UV disinfection functionality with white LED lighting in a single integrated fixture. The UV LED module and white LED module are combined in one housing, allowing the system to achieve both high inactivation rates (when UV is activated during unoccupied periods) and human safety (when only white light is used during occupancy).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If violet or blue light is used for disinfection, then safety for human presence is improved, but energy consumption deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety for humanVSAvoidelectric energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the wavelength parameter of the light source by using UV LEDs (wavelength 200-400 nm) instead of visible violet or blue LEDs. UV LEDs achieve the same or better disinfection effectiveness with lower power consumption because they operate at higher efficiency and require lower luminous flux density to achieve effective pathogen inactivation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Object-affected harmful factors

If violet or blue light is used for disinfection, then safety for human presence is improved, but user comfort deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety for humanVSAvoiduser comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the violet/blue light wavelength range from the overall lighting spectrum by using full-spectrum white LEDs that emit across the visible range. This eliminates the harmful concentrated violet/blue wavelengths while maintaining adequate lighting quality and user comfort through the remaining spectral components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Enables safe, energy-efficient, and effective disinfection and sterilization in various environments by optimizing UV light transmission and user safety through controlled UV light exposure, balancing lighting and disinfection functions.

Implementation Method 1

utilizing quartz glass for high UV transmittance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUV light transmission: Light

Implementation Method 2

a diffusion hood suitable for the illumination source

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight diffusion: Scattering

Implementation Method 3

adjustable UV light emission with laser markers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser emission: Laser

Data Source

PatentUS20230330281A1Light and disinfection system with coincident illumination range

Publication Date: 2023.10.19 SAVANT TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a light and disinfection system that includes a lighting system and a disinfection system. The lighting system includes an illumination source and a diffusion hood suitable for the illumination source. The disinfection system includes a disinfection light source and a cover adapted to transmit light from the disinfection light source. The diffusion hood and the cover are respectively used for the illumination source and the disinfection light source.