US-12623928-B2 - Sterilizing device

US12623928B2US 12623928 B2US12623928 B2US 12623928B2US-12623928-B2

Abstract

A sterilizing device includes a pipe having an inlet and an outlet and allowing fluid to move therethrough and a light source provided on one side of the pipe and providing light to the fluid. At least a portion of the pipe is provided in a spiral shape and the inlet and/or the outlet are arranged in a light emitting region.

Inventors

Jae Young CHOI
Shi Hyun AHN
Ki Yon Park
Woong Ki Jeong
Kyu Won HAN

Assignees

SEOUL VIOSYS CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240322
Priority Date: 20180808

Claims (20)

1 . A light emitting device, comprising: a housing including a bottom having a first diameter and a sidewall having a first height and extending upwards from the bottom and having an accommodation space defined by the bottom and the sidewall; a reflector disposed on the housing and including a region protruding upwards from the bottom; and a light emitter disposed in the accommodation space and configured to emit light, wherein, a height of the region of the reflector is lower than the first height of the sidewall, wherein the height of the region of the reflector is greater than a height at which the light emitter is disposed, and wherein the reflector has a curved surface and protrudes from the bottom in a direction from an edge of the bottom towards a center of the bottom.
2 . The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the first diameter is greater than the first height.
3 . The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light emitting device is positioned to emit light toward the curved surface of the reflector.
4 . The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the region of the reflector is a highest region of the reflector protruding from the bottom.
5 . The light emitting device of claim 4 , wherein in plan view, the region of the reflector is disposed on a center of the bottom.
6 . The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the reflector partially covers the bottom.
7 . The light emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising a blocking layer disposed on the housing and configured to block some fraction of light emitted from the light emitter to travel in an upward direction.
8 . The light emitting device of claim 7 , wherein the blocking layer is disposed along a circumference of the sidewall and placed at an end of the sidewall distant from the bottom.
9 . A light emitting device, comprising: a housing including a bottom having a first diameter and a side wall having a first height extending upwards from the bottom; a light emitter disposed on the housing and configured to emit light; and a reflector disposed on the housing and including a region protruding upwards from the bottom, wherein a height of the region of the reflector is lower than the first height of a sidewall, wherein the height of the region of the reflector is greater than a height at which the light emitter is disposed, and wherein the reflector has a curved surface in a direction of light emitted from the light emitter.
10 . The light emitting device of claim 9 , wherein the first diameter is greater than the first height.
11 . The light emitting device of claim 9 , wherein the region of the reflector is a highest region of the reflector protruding from the bottom.
12 . The light emitting device of claim 11 , wherein in plan view, the region of the reflector is disposed on a center of the bottom.
13 . The light emitting device of claim 9 , wherein the reflector partially covers the bottom.
14 . The light emitting device of claim 9 , further comprising a blocking layer disposed on the housing and configured to block some fraction of light emitted from the light emitter to travel in an upward direction.
15 . The light emitting device of claim 14 , wherein the blocking layer is disposed along a circumference of the sidewall and placed at an end of the sidewall distant from the bottom.
16 . A light emitting device, comprising: a housing including a bottom having a first diameter and a side wall having a first height extending upwards from the bottom; light emitters disposed on the housing and configured to emit light; and a reflector disposed on the housing and including a region protruding upwards from the bottom, wherein a height of the region of the reflector is different from the first height of a sidewall, wherein the height of the region of the reflector is greater than a height at which the light emitters are disposed.
17 . The light emitting device of claim 16 , wherein the region of the reflector is a highest region of the reflector protruding from the bottom.
18 . The light emitting device of claim 17 , wherein in a plan view, the region of the reflector is disposed on a center of the bottom.
19 . The light emitting device of claim 16 , further comprising a blocking layer disposed on the housing and configured to block some fraction of light emitted from at least one of the light emitters to travel in an upward direction.
20 . The light emitting device of claim 19 , wherein the blocking layer is disposed along a circumference of the sidewall and placed at an end of the sidewall distant from the bottom.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATIONS AND PRIORITY This document is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/069,666, filed on Dec. 21, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/170,730, filed on Feb. 8, 2021, which is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT/KR2019/009934, filed Aug. 8, 2019, which claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Application No. 10-2019-0001944, filed on Jan. 7, 2019, and Korean Application No. 10-2018-0092397, filed on Aug. 8, 2018. The aforementioned applications of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiment of the present invention relate to a sterilizing device and, more specifically to a sterilizing device adapted to emit light to a sterilization object for sterilization. BACKGROUND In recent years, pollution caused by industrialization, resulted in significant interest in the environment together with well-being trends. Demand for clean water or clean air has increased and is increasing, and various products such as water purifiers and air/water purifiers facilitating clean water and clean air are in demand. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present invention provide a sterilizing device capable of efficiently sterilizing a sterilization object. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a sterilizing device includes: a pipe having an inlet and an outlet and adapted to deliver a fluid; and a light source provided to one side of the pipe and emitting light to the fluid, wherein at least part of the pipe has a spiral shape and at least one of the inlet and the outlet is disposed in a light emission region. In at least one variant, at least part of the pipe may be transparent. In another variant, one of the inlet and the outlet may correspond to a center of the spiral shape. In yet another variant, the light source may include a substrate and at least one light emitting device disposed on the substrate. In another variant, the pipe may be placed on a predetermined virtual plane. The virtual plane may be a flat surface. In another variant, the plane may be parallel to the substrate. In another variant, the inlet and the outlet may be placed at the same side as the plane. In another variant, one of the inlet and the outlet may be placed at one side of the plane and the other may be placed at the other side of the plane. In another variant, at least one of the inlet and the outlet may be placed in a direction parallel to the plane. In another variant, the pipe may be placed on a certain virtual plane. The virtual plane may be an inner surface of a funnel shape. In another variant, an angle defined between the inner surface of the funnel shape and an upper surface of the substrate may be in the range of 0 degrees to 20 degrees. In another variant, the pipe may have flexibility. In another variant, a line passing through a center of the pipe may be a curved line having a predetermined radius of curvature. In another variant, a portion of the pipe may contact another portion of the pipe in plan view. In another variant, a portion of the pipe may overlap another portion of the pipe in plan view. In another variant, an area of the pipe in which a portion of the pipe overlaps another portion of the pipe may be 50% or less of an entire area of the pipe in plan view. In another variant, the sterilizing device may further include a housing receiving the pipe and the light source. The sterilizing device may further include a cover fastened to the housing and covering the housing. In another variant, at least one of the housing and the cover may have openings corresponding to the inlet and the outlet. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the sterilizing device may be employed by a water supply including: a reservoir containing water; and a water treatment device connected to the reservoir and treating the water. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a sterilizing device may be provided in various forms and includes: a housing including a bottom and a sidewall extending upwards from the bottom and having an accommodation space defined by the bottom and the sidewall; a reflector disposed on the bottom and having a curved reflective surface protruding from the bottom; a support portion disposed on the reflector and having light transmittance; and a light emitting device disposed on the sidewall and emitting light, wherein, in a cross-section of the curved surface taken along a line perpendicular to the bottom and passing through a center of the bottom, a curved line corresponding to the curved surface corresponds to a portion of a parabolic line and a distance from the bottom to a focal point of the parabolic line may be greater than a distance from the bottom to a vertex of the curved reflective surface. In at least one variant, the curved surface may have a vertex having the highest height from the center of the bottom in pla