Black Landing System

Abstract

An air sterilizing apparatus is created which can be set within an environment without adversely affecting people, pets, or plants within the environment such as a room. The apparatus uses a passage through which ambient air passes. The passage has a treatment chamber in which ultraviolet light (ideally UV-C) is used to sterile the ambient air. Each end section of the passage is configured to block light from exiting the passage. In the preferred embodiment, each end section includes a coating of UV adsorbing material to provide further protection to the environment from the UV light.

Claims

1. A sterilizing apparatus comprising: a) A passage communicating ambient air therethrough, said passage having a treatment chamber therein and a first and second end sections, each end section configured to block light from the treatment chamber from escaping through the first end section and the second end section; and, b) An ultraviolet light source located within the treatment chamber.

2. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light source generates light in the UV-C range.

3. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 2, further including a coating of UV adsorbing placed in the first end section and the second end section.

4. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an interior portion of the treatment chamber is reflective of ultraviolet light.

5. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an interior potion of the treatment chamber is mirror coated.

6. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 3, further including a lens adapted to focus ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet source onto ambient air flowing through the treatment chamber.

7. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the treatment chamber has an open and a closed state, in the open state, ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source is permitted into the environment, in the closed state all ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source is contained within the treatment chamber.

8. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 7, further including an alarm activated when the treatment chamber is in an open state.

9. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the alarm is visual.

10. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 7, further including a motor adapted to selectively move the treatment chamber between the open state and the closed state.

11. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 7, further including a motion sensor and wherein the motion sensor activates the motor so that the treatment chamber is moved to a closed state when activity within the environment is sensed.

12. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 10, further including an operator controller for activating the motor.

13. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 10, further including a timer mechanism for activation of the motor.

14. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein ambient air is drawn through the treatment chamber for a pre-selected period of activation and is idle between such periods of activation.

15. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 3, further including: a) at least two ultraviolet light permeable channels through the treatment chambers; and, b) Dampening apparatus for selectively restricting flow of ambient air through all but one of the ultraviolet light permeable channels.

16. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the dampening apparatus includes a motor rotating a plate having an opening therethrough, said plate being positioned at an end of the at least two ultraviolet light permeable channels.

17. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a rotation of the plate is chosen to obtain a desired dwell time of the ambient air within each of the at least two ultraviolet light permeable channels.

Description

DRAWINGS IN BRIEF

[0024] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates the affect that magnifying glass has upon the concentration of UV light being applied to the ambient air stream.

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates the preferred embodiment for creating the desired dwell time.

DRAWINGS IN DETAIL

[0027] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0028] The apparatus 10 is divided into three basic sections: a first end section 10A, a second end section 10B, and a treatment chamber 10C. Ambient air is pulled by fan 12 from the first end 10A through the treatment chamber 10C and then out through end 10B. While this illustration shows the fan 12 pulling the ambient air, in another embodiment, the fan 12 is located at the opposing end and pushes the air through apparatus 10.

[0029] Located with the treatment chamber 10C is UV light source 15 which, in this illustration is connected to panel 14A which can be raised to panel position 14B to expose the UV light source 15 to the room's environment.

[0030] UV adsorbing materials 11A and 11B are located near baffles 9A and 9B. Baffles 9A and 9b are structured to assure that the UV light from UV light source 15 is not allowed to exit apparatus 10. The UV adsorbing materials 11A and 11B also provide assurance that UV light does not escape from apparatus 10.

[0031] In this embodiment, when the room is empty of humans, pets, and plants, UV light source 15 is raised by motor 16 as indicated by arrows 19 to expose UV light source 15. In this position, the surfaces within the room are treated to UV rays for sterilization purposes.

[0032] Exposing the UV light source 15 by motor 16 is either remotely controlled 18A or is set to operate from a timer 18B. In like manner, closing 14B is also done by motor 16 which is controlled by remote 18A or timer 18B.

[0033] Because the UV rays are harmful to humans, this embodiment utilizes a variety of safety measures. When open 14B, light beacon 17 is activated (alternatively an audio alarm is sounded). Further, motion sensor 18C is also used to sense if a human is in the room and if so, the UV light source 15, using motor 16, is again positioned within apparatus 10.

[0034] To obtain a lengthened dwell time within the treatment container 10C, in this embodiment, fan 12 is operated for a short period to draw the ambient air into treatment chamber 10C and then allowed to rest there until fully treated when it will then be exhausted by fan 12.

[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates the affect that magnifying glass has upon the concentration of UV light being applied to the ambient air stream.

[0036] UV light source 20 is positioned so that it's emissions pass through magnifying lens 21 to focus, as illustrated 22, the focused rays onto ambient air stream 23. In this way, the concentrated UV rays have more impact upon the bacterium and viruses within ambient air stream 23.

[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates the preferred embodiment for creating the desired dwell time.

[0038] In this embodiment, within container 30 are four different channels/tubes 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D, which are preferably made of glass or other transparent material allowing the UV rays (not shown) to penetrate to the ambient air flowing through the channels/tubes 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D.

[0039] A fan (not shown for clarity purposes) draws the ambient air into the channels/tubes 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D, but, the channels or tubes are periodically opened to the fan using plate 32 (mounted as indicated by arrows 34) which slowly rotates allowing portal 33 to selectively open/close a channel or tube. By controlling the speed of rotation of plate 32 and the length of the channels/tubes 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D, the desired dwell time of the ambient air within is controlled.

[0040] It is clear that the present invention provides a continuously operating sterilizer.