# US 11,305,851 B2 · Method and system for preventing fouling of surfaces

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- Number: US 11,305,851 B2
- Document ID: US11305851B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/945,968
- Filed: 2020-08-03
- Published: 2020-11-26
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2013-05-22
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Inventors: Bart Andre Salters; Roelant Boudewijn Hietbrink; Ivo Wilhelmus Johannes Marie Rutten; Hendrik Van Houten
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305851B2

## CPC

- B63B 59/04: Preventing hull fouling (anti-fouling paints C09D5/16)
- A61L 2/10: Ultraviolet [UV] radiation
- B08B 7/0057: {by ultraviolet radiation}
- B08B 17/02: Preventing deposition of fouling or of dust
- G02B 6/00: Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B 6/0043: {provided on the surface of the light guide}
- G02B 19/0019: {having reflective surfaces only (e.g. louvre systems, systems with multiple planar reflectors)}
- G02B 19/0061: {the light source comprising a LED}
- G02B 6/0036: {2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces}
- B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06)
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A method of anti-fouling of a surface while said surface is at least partially submersed in an liquid environment, comprising: providing an anti-fouling light; distributing at least part of the light through an optical medium comprising a silicone material and/or UV grade fused silica; emitting the anti-fouling light from the optical medium and from the surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of anti-fouling of a protected surface, comprising, while the protected surface is at least partially submersed in a liquid environment:
providing an anti-fouling light,
providing a direct-lit optical medium in close proximity to the protected surface, the optical medium having an emission surface, and
emitting the anti-fouling light from the emission surface of the optical medium in a direction away from the protected surface,
wherein a substantial portion of the anti-fouling light is emitted from the emission surface without experiencing reflection from the emission surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the anti-fouling light is emitted from the emission surface of the direct-lit optical medium without letting a substantial portion of the anti-fouling light travel through the optical medium substantially parallel to the emission surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a module comprising a plurality of light sources for generating the anti-fouling light and the direct-lit optical medium are provided and arranged on the protected surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of light sources is arranged onto or in close proximity to the protected surface.

### Claim 5

A module for anti-fouling of a protected surface, comprising:
a light source for generating the anti-fouling light, and
a direct-lit optical medium having an emission surface for emitting anti-fouling light in a direction away from the protected surface when the module is arranged on the protected surface,
wherein the module is configured to emit the anti-fouling light from the emission surface without letting a substantial portion of the anti-fouling light travel therethrough substantially parallel to the emission surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The module of claim 5, further comprising an application surface, opposed to the emission surface, for applying or arranging the module to the protected surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The module of claim 5, wherein the direct-lit optical medium comprises a screen comprising a diffuser, and wherein the light source is present behind the screen.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The module of claim 5, wherein the direct-lit optical medium comprises the light source.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The module of claim 5, wherein the light source is embedded in the direct-lit optical medium.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The module of claim 5, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of discrete light sources, wherein the plurality of discrete light sources are arranged in a grid.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The module of claim 10, wherein the plurality of discrete light sources comprises at least one of: Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs).

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The module of claim 5, wherein the anti-fouling light is UVC light.

### Claim 13 (depends on 5)

The module of claim 5, wherein the module is provided as a foil.

### Claim 14 (depends on 5)

The module of claim 5, wherein the module is shaped as a tile or an elongated strip.

### Claim 15 (depends on 5)

A system for anti-fouling of a protected surface, comprising at least one module of claim 5, wherein the at least one module is arranged on the protected surface so as to provide anti-fouling light over substantially the entire area of the protected surface.

### Claim 16 (depends on 5)

A marine object being provided with at least one module of claim 5.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The marine object of claim 16, being a ship, wherein the hull of the ship is the protected surface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 5)

A method of applying at least one module of claim 5 to a protected surface.

### Claim 19 (depends on 10)

The module of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the direct-lit optical medium is less than a pitch of the grid.

### Claim 20 (depends on 10)

The module of claim 10, wherein the grid comprises a chicken-wire grid.