Mercury-Free UV LED Sterilization Module With Waterproof Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional UV sterilization modules using mercury lamps pose environmental pollution risks due to mercury content and are not efficiently miniaturized, and they often suffer from leakage issues.
Innovation Solution
A sterilization module design featuring a light source unit with LED chips mounted on a circuit board, sealed by a sealing member, and a transparent member, which minimizes module size and prevents leakage through a waterproof structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mercury lamp is used for UV sterilization, then sterilization function is achieved, but environmental pollution occurs due to mercury content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the mercury component from the sterilization system by replacing the mercury lamp with a mercury-free UV LED light source. This maintains the sterilization function while removing the harmful mercury substance that causes environmental pollution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the light source from mercury-based arc discharge to LED electroluminescence, operating in the UVC wavelength range (200-280nm). This parameter change enables effective sterilization without mercury content, resolving the contradiction between sterilization effectiveness and environmental safety.
2Illumination intensity
If traditional LED packages are used, then light emission is achieved, but module size cannot be miniaturized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the traditional LED package into its core functional component - the LED chip itself - and mounts it directly on a circuit board without the bulky package structure. This segmentation removes unnecessary housing and mounting components, enabling significant miniaturization while maintaining light emission functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from three-dimensional package structures to a planar mounting approach, where UV LED chips are mounted directly on the circuit board surface. This dimensional reduction from volumetric packaging to surface mounting enables compact module design while preserving illumination output.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional sealing structures are used, then assembly is simple, but leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite sealing structure combining an elastomeric sealing ring with a rigid housing body. The elastomeric material provides flexibility and conformability to ensure tight sealing, while the rigid housing provides structural integrity. This composite approach achieves reliable leakage prevention without overly complicating the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes an elastomeric sealing ring that leverages the flexible properties of rubber or elastomer materials. This flexible sealing element can deform to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations, ensuring reliable sealing and preventing leakage while maintaining relatively simple assembly procedures.
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 design achieves miniaturization and enhanced sterilization efficiency while preventing environmental pollution and leakage, using LED chips instead of traditional LED packages and incorporating a waterproof sealing mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a light source unit irradiating ultraviolet light toward the transparent member, and wherein the light source unit includes a circuit board and a light emitting diode chip mounted on the circuit board
Implementation Method 2
ultraviolet light is configured to be irradiated toward the transparent member by passing through the epitaxial substrate
Implementation Method 3
the sealing member forms a space, in which the light emitting diode chips is disposed, the sealing member being disposed between the transparent member and the circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
A sterilization module including a main body, a circuit board disposed in the main body, a light source disposed on the circuit board to emit sterilizing light, and a transparent unit to protect the light source from an outside and including a material that transmits the sterilizing light, in which the light source includes a mesa including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer, a first electrode electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer, and a second electrode disposed on the second semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer, in which the first electrode includes a first contact region disposed on the outer area of the first semiconductor layer and a second contact region at least partially surrounded by the mesa, and a distance between the transparent unit and the circuit board is greater than a height of the light source.