Water lock to prevent water ingress

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10364002-B2
Application number	US-201615747456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2016
Priority date	Jul 30, 2015
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

The invention provides an element ( 210 ) comprising: (i) an electrical component ( 1220 ); (ii) an optical medium ( 270 ) comprising medium material ( 275 ) comprising a silicone transmissive for one or more of UV radiation and visible radiation, wherein the electrical component ( 1220 ) is embedded in the optical medium ( 270 ); (iii) an electrical connector ( 510 ) for functionally coupling the electrical component ( 1220 ) external to the optical medium ( 270 ), wherein the electrical connector ( 510 ) is embedded in the optical medium ( 270 ) over at least part of its length; and (iv) a water barrier ( 530 ) at least partly embedded in the optical medium ( 270 ) and configured to enclose at least part of the electrical connector ( 510 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An element comprising:
an electrical component;
an optical medium,
wherein the optical medium comprises medium material, wherein the medium material comprises a silicone,
wherein the silicone is transmissive for at less one of UV radiation and visible radiation,
wherein the electrical component is embedded in the optical medium;

an electrical connector,
wherein the electrical connector is external to the optical medium,
wherein the electrical connector is arranged to functionally couple to the electrical component,
wherein the electrical connector is embedded in the optical medium over at least part of its length; and

a water barrier, the water barrier comprising a silicon adhesive,
wherein the silicon adhesive is at least partly embedded in the optical medium,
wherein the silicone adhesive is configured to enclose at least part of the electrical connector.

2. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the water barrier is configured to adhere to the medium material and the electrical connector, and wherein the water barrier comprises a silicone adhesive.

3. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the water barrier comprises
a tubular glass envelope, the tubular glass envelope having a length selected in a range of 0.1-50 mm, wherein the tubular glass envelope is configured to enclose at least part of the first connector part.

4. The element according to claim 1 , wherein at a position of the water barrier, the electrical connector consisting of metal and wherein the water barrier forming a water tight connection.

5. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the medium material comprises a polydimethyl silicone.

6. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector comprises:
a first connector part, the first connector part embedded in the optical medium, and
an interface connector part, wherein the first connector part is physically accessible external to the optical medium, and wherein the water barrier is configured at a first distance selected from a range of 1-400 mm from the interface connector part.

7. The element according to claim 1 , comprising 1-2000 water barriers per m 2 optical medium.

8. The element according to claim 1 ,
wherein the electrical component comprises a light source, wherein the light source is configured to provide light source radiation in one or more of the UV and the visible wavelength ranges;
wherein the light source is embedded in the optical medium;
wherein the electrical connector is arranged to functionally coupling the light source with a source of electrical power external to the optical medium, wherein the electrical connector comprises:
a first connector part embedded in the optical medium; and
an interface connector part where the first connector part is physically accessible external to the optical medium.

9. The element according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a plurality of light sources embedded in the optical medium;
an electrical connector infrastructure, wherein the electrical connector infrastructure is arranged to functionally couple the plurality of light sources with the source of electrical power, wherein the electrical connector infrastructure comprises a plurality of first connector parts functionally coupled to the plurality of light sources; and
a plurality of the water barriers distributed over the electrical connector infrastructure.

10. The element according to claim 8 , wherein a subset of the plurality of light sources are functionally coupled with one or more first connector parts, wherein all first connector parts comprise at least one of the plurality of the water barriers.

11. The element according to claim 8 , wherein the element is configured to provide element radiation comprising UV radiation.

12. A system comprising:
the element according to claim 1 , and
a control system, the control system configured to control radiation from the element.

13. An object comprising:
the element according to claim 1 , wherein the element is associated with an external surface of the object, wherein the object further comprises an electrical power source, wherein the electrical power source is configured to provide electrical power to the element.

14. A method for providing an object with the element according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
associating the element with an external surface of the object, and
functionally coupling the element to an electrical power source.

15. An element comprising:
a functional combination of:
an electrical component,
an electrical connector, wherein the electrical connector is configured to:
couple the electrical component with a source of electrical power, and
a water barrier, the water barrier configured to enclose at least part of the electrical connector; and

an optical medium configured to
encapsulate a light source, part of the electrical connector and the water barrier, wherein the optical medium comprises a silicone material optically transmissive to radiation of the light source.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Janssen Esther Anna Wilhelmina Gerarda
• Salters Bart Andre
• Hietbrink Roelant Boudewijn
• Visser Cornelis Gerardus

Classifications

• B01J19/123

  Ultraviolet light · CPC title

• C02F1/325

  Irradiation devices or lamp constructions · CPC title

• B63B59/04 Primary

  Preventing hull fouling (anti-fouling paints C09D5/16) · CPC title

• B08B17/02

  Preventing deposition of fouling or of dust · CPC title

• A61L2/10 Primary

  Ultraviolet [UV] radiation · CPC title