Ultraviolet irradiation apparatus and ultraviolet irradiation method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024238462-A1
Application number	US-202118014773-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 6, 2021
Priority date	Jul 9, 2020
Publication date	Jul 18, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus includes: a UVC-LED configured to emit ultraviolet light; a biosensor disposed such that an irradiation area of the UVC-LED and a detection area of the biosensor overlap each other, the biosensor configured to detect the presence of a person; a control circuit configured to control the UVC-LED based on an output signal of the biosensor; and a light shielding cover configured to shield a part of the ultraviolet light emitted from the UVC-LED. The control circuit is configured to drive and control the UVC-LED to stop emission of the ultraviolet light when the biosensor has detected the presence of the person, and to emit the ultraviolet light when a state has switched from a state where the biosensor is detecting the presence of the person to a state where the biosensor does not detect the presence of the person.

First claim

1 . An ultraviolet irradiation apparatus comprising:
a light source configured to emit ultraviolet light; a biosensor disposed in a vicinity of the light source such that an irradiation range of the light source and a detection range of the biosensor overlap each other, the biosensor configured to detect a presence of a person; an electronic circuit configured to control the light source based on an output signal of the biosensor; and a light shielding cover configured to shield a part of the ultraviolet light emitted from the light source, wherein: the light source is disposed in an area on a side opposite to one side where an irradiation target of the ultraviolet light is present, the light source and the irradiation target sandwiching the light shielding cover; a sensing surface of the biosensor and a light emitting surface of the light source are disposed to face in a same direction; an angle θ 2 half a maximum detection angle of the biosensor in a state where the biosensor is incorporated in the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus is greater than a maximum angle θ 1 formed by a normal vector of the light emitting surface and the ultraviolet light emitted from the light source and passing without being shielded by the light shielding cover; and the electronic circuit is configured to control the light source to stop emission of the ultraviolet light when the biosensor has detected the presence of the person, the electronic circuit configured to control the light source to emit the ultraviolet light again when a state has switched from a state where the biosensor is detecting the presence of the person to a state where the biosensor does not detect the presence of the person.

2 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the angle θ 2 is smaller than an angle twice the maximum angle θ 1 .

3 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , including:
one or a plurality of the light sources; and a protruding portion provided to protrude to the one side from the light shielding cover to surround ultraviolet light emitted from the one or the plurality of light sources and passing through the light shielding cover, wherein, assuming that a distance between, out of the light sources, the farthest light source disposed at a position farthest from the biosensor, and the biosensor is given by L 1 , and that an angle formed by a normal vector of a light emitting surface of the farthest light source and, out of the ultraviolet light emitted from the farthest light source and passing through the light shielding cover, the ultraviolet light passing through a point farthest from the biosensor in plan view is given by θ 3 , a distance along the normal vector of the light emitting surface of the light source between the light emitting surface and a distal end of the protruding portion is equal to or more than

L
⁢
1
×

cos
⁡
(
θ2
)

×

cos
⁡
(
θ3
)

/

sin
⁡
(

θ2
-
θ3

)

.

4 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , including:
one or a plurality of the light sources; the biosensor provided to be inclined to the light source side; and a protruding portion provided to protrude to the one side from the light shielding cover to surround ultraviolet light emitted from the one or the plurality of light sources and passing through the light shielding cover, wherein, assuming that a distance between, out of the light sources, the farthest light source disposed at a position farthest from the biosensor, and the biosensor is given by L 2 , that an angle formed by a normal vector of a light emitting surface of the farthest light source and, out of the ultraviolet light emitted from the farthest light source and passing through the light shielding cover, one ultraviolet light passing through a point farthest from the biosensor in plan view is given by θ 3 , and that an inclination angle of a normal vector of the sensing surface of the biosensor toward the side of the one ultraviolet light is given by θ 4 , a distance along the normal vector of the light emitting surface of the light source between the light emitting surface and a distal end of the protruding portion is equal to or more than

L
⁢
2
×

cos
⁡
(

θ2
+
θ4

)

×

cos
⁡
(
θ3
)

/

sin
⁡
(

θ4
+
θ2
-
θ3

)

.

5 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the light sources is disposed around the biosensor.

6 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the plurality of light sources has a light source inclination adjustment mechanism configured to incline a normal vector of a light emitting surface of the at least one light source.

7 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein, assuming that a distance between, out of the light sources, the farthest light source disposed at a position farthest from the biosensor, and the biosensor is given by L 3 , and that a distance of a straight line from a point of intersection with a surface of the light shielding cover on the one side to a point of intersection with the irradiation target is given by D, the straight line obtained by extending a normal vector passing through a center of the sensing surface of the biosensor, an inclination angle of the normal vector of the light emitting surface to the biosensor side is arcsin (L 3 /D).

8 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the biosensors is disposed around the light source.

9 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a heat sink thermally connected to the light source.

10 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the heat sink is not thermally connected to the biosensor.

11 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a cooling fan.

12 . The ultraviolet irradiation apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a distance sensor configured to detect a distance to an object present in a same direction as a direction of the light emitting surface of the light source,
wherein the electronic circuit is configured to control an emission time of t

Assignees

• Asahi Chemical Ind

Inventors

• Kodama Atsushi
• Yabuki Naoto
• Otsuki Shunya

Classifications

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10H20/8583

  not being in contact with the bodies · CPC title

• H05K7/20509

  Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures · CPC title

• A61L2202/14

  Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs · CPC title

• A61L2202/11

  Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps · CPC title