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US-12618575-B2 - HVAC UVC LED projection unit for HVAC devices

US12618575B2US 12618575 B2US12618575 B2US 12618575B2US-12618575-B2

Abstract

An HVAC UVC light projection unit for providing UVC illumination within an air duct includes at least one UVC light source comprising a UVC LED and a lens configured to receive UVC light from the UVC LED. The UVC light projection unit further comprises a mounting platform for securing to the outside of the duct. An elongate support configured to support the at least one UVC light source connects the mounting platform with the UVC light source via a hole in the wall of the duct such that the UVC light source is inside the duct. The UVC light source is oriented toward the longitudinal direction of the air duct to direct UVC light along the length of the duct.

Inventors

  • Jozef Richelieu

Assignees

  • UVC SCIENCE, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20230517

Claims (17)

  1. 1 . An HVAC UVC light projection unit for providing UVC illumination within an HVAC device having an inside and an outside and a width in a transverse direction and extending along a longitudinal direction to flow air inside said HVAC device along or opposite to said longitudinal direction, said HVAC UVC light projection unit comprising: a mounting platform configured to mount on the outside of said HVAC device; an elongate support extending transversely from said mounting platform such that when said mounting platform is mounted on the outside of said HVAC device, at least a portion of the elongate support is within the HVAC device, said elongate support having a smaller thickness that faces the airflow than width in a transverse direction or depth in the longitudinal direction; at least one UVC light source supported on said elongate support, said at least one UVC light source comprising a UVC light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit light and a respective lens transmissive to UVC light, more than 90% of the light emitted from the UVC LED being in the UVC wavelength range of from 250 to 280 nm, wherein said lens is disposed to receive UVC light from said UVC LED and transmit said UVC light such that said light is directed into said HVAC device, wherein said at least one UVC light source is configured to be oriented so as to direct the majority of the UVC light along the longitudinal direction of said HVAC device; and at least one heat sink comprising a plurality of fins extending in a plurality of transverse directions radially from said UVC light source, said fins having a thickness that is smaller than their depth in the longitudinal direction and width in the transverse direction, said thickness of the fins facing the airflow, both the depth of said fins and the depth of said elongate support extending in the same direction, said width of said fins shorter than the width of said elongate support, wherein said at least one UVC light source comprises a plurality of light sources and said at least one heat sink comprises a plurality of heat sinks, different fins for different heat sinks surrounding different light sources, and wherein said at least one UVC light source is configured to be oriented such that the majority of the UVC light from said at least one UVC light source is directed opposite to said flow of air in said HVAC device such that the UVC light is directed into the oncoming airflow.
  2. 2 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein said at least one UVC light source comprises an optics mount, said lens attached to an optics housing region.
  3. 3 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 2 , wherein said lens is at a forward end of said optics mount and said UVC LED is at a rearward end of said optics mount.
  4. 4 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 2 , wherein said optics mount comprise aluminum.
  5. 5 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 2 , wherein said optics mount includes a channel therein, said channel having forward and rearward ends, said lens at said forward end and said UVC LED at said rearward end of said channel such that UVC light from said UVC LED propagates to said forward end of said channel through said lens.
  6. 6 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein said UVC light source is configured to output collimated UVC light.
  7. 7 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein said lens comprises an aspheric lens comprising at least one aspheric surface configured to refract UVC light.
  8. 8 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein said lens comprises a fused silica lens.
  9. 9 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein said mounting platform includes electronics for driving said UVC LED.
  10. 10 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 9 , wherein said mounting platform includes a housing with said electronics inside and portions with through holes for screwing the mounting platform into said HVAC device.
  11. 11 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein said HVAC device comprises an air duct.
  12. 12 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein said HVAC device comprises a plenum, plenum chamber, or plenum device.
  13. 13 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein said UVC light emitting diode (LED) is configured to emit brightest in a wavelength in the range of 260 to 280 nm.
  14. 14 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein said UVC light projection unit emits sufficient radiation to kill or disable most of the bacteria and/or viruses on a surface that is 1 foot from the UVC light projection unit within 15 seconds.
  15. 15 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein the orientation of said UVC light source is within ±20° of the direction in which the length of the duct extends such that most of the UVC light is directed along the length of the duct.
  16. 16 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein the orientation of most of the emitted UVC light is within ±20° of the longitudinal direction or direction in which the length of the duct extends.
  17. 17 . The HVAC UVC light projection unit of claim 1 , wherein said lens or the UVC LED and said lens has an optical axis within ±20° of the longitudinal direction or direction in which the length of the duct extends.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/343,271, filed May 18, 2022, titled “HVAC UV LED PROJECTION MODULE FOR HVAC DUCTING, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/442,706, filed Feb. 1, 2023, titled “HVAC UVC LED PROJECTION UNIT FOR HVAC DEVICES” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/483,293, filed Feb. 5, 2023, titled “HVAC UVC LED PROJECTION UNIT FOR HVAC DEVICES.” The entire contents of each of the applications listed in this paragraph are hereby incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present application generally relates to apparatus or systems for projecting ultraviolet light, and in particular ultraviolet light projection units providing UVC illumination, for example, for sterilization and/or inactivation of air in HVAC (Heat Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems and/or components. BACKGROUND The need for sterilization and inactivation of viruses was apparent during the recent COVID pandemic. However, applications involving sterilization and inactivation extend beyond this context. More generally tools that provide the ability to combat airborne infectious viruses and disease carrying bacteria is certainly desirable. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Various designs described herein may potentially provide for reducing the activity of viruses and/or bacteria in air within HVAC (Heat Ventilation Air Conditioning) systems and/or equipment. In various such designs, UVC light is projected inside an HVAC device such as an air duct or a plenum device (e.g., plenum). One example design comprises an HVAC UVC light projection unit for providing UVC illumination within an HVAC device (e.g., duct, plenum, plenum chamber, plenum device, etc.). The HVAC device has an inside and an outside and a width in a transverse direction. The HVAC device extends along a longitudinal direction to flow air inside the HVAC device along or opposite to the longitudinal direction. The HVAC UVC light projection unit comprises a mounting platform configured to mount on the outside of the HVAC device. The HVAC UVC light projection unit further comprises an elongate support extending transversely from the mounting platform such that when the mounting platform is mounted on the outside of the HVAC device (e.g., duct, etc.), at least a portion of the elongate support is within the HVAC device. (In some cases, a portion of the elongate support or a portion of the mounting platform extends into or through a hole in the HVAC device, e.g., duct etc., such that the at least one UVC light source is positioned inside the HVAC device, e.g., duct, etc.) The HVAC UVC light projection unit further comprises at least one UVC light source supported on the elongate support. The at least one UVC light source comprises a UVC light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit light having a wavelength and/or a peak wavelength in the range of 260 to 280 nm and a respective lens transmissive to UVC light. The lens is disposed to receive UVC light from said UVC LED and to transmit UVC light such that said light is directed into said HVAC device (e.g., duct, etc.). The UVC light source is configured to be oriented so as to direct UVC light along the longitudinal direction of the HVAC device (e.g., duct, etc.). Other designs and implementations are possible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a UVC light source on an elongate support for positioning inside an HVAC device such as an air duct or plenum device (e.g., plenum). The UVC light source comprises a UVC light emitting diode (LED) (not shown) inside and/or behind a lens holder or lens retainer with an angled cavity that collects and directs the light rays to a lens. FIG. 1 shows the UVC light source including a plurality of radially directed fins for providing heat dissipation. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-section of a UVC light source such as shown in FIG. 1 for providing UVC illumination within an HVAC device such as an air duct or plenum device (e.g., plenum). As illustrated, the UVC light source comprises a UVC light emitting diode (LED) and a lens transmissive to UVC light. The lens is disposed to receive UVC light from the UVC LED and project the UVC light into the HVAC device generally along the longitudinal direction of the HVAC device. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an HVAC UVC light projection unit for providing UVC illumination within an HVAC device such as an air duct or plenum device (e.g., plenum) comprising a mounting platform configured to mount on the outside of the HVAC device. An elongate support extends transversely from the mounting platform such that when the mounting platform is mounted on the outside of the HVAC device, the elongate support is within the HVAC device. The elongate support and/or a portion of the mounting platform can extend into and/or through a hole in the HVAC device. The HVAC UVC light projection unit has a single UVC light source. This UVC light source is supported on the elongat