Method, apparatus and system for reducing pathogens in a breathable airstream

A handheld apparatus for presenting treated air to a user, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a handheld apparatus body having at least one inlet and at least one outlet;
• (b) a power source;
• (c) a flow path through the handheld apparatus body from the at least one inlet to the at least one outlet;
• (d) an illumination chamber in the flow path, the illumination chamber comprising:
• a plurality of UV light sources uniformly spaced along a length of the illumination chamber and in electrical connection with the power source and operable to emit photons over time;
• and
• UV reflective walls, wherein at least a portion of the photons emitted by the plurality of UV light sources are reflected by the UV reflective walls at least five times;
• and
• (e) a mouthpiece without a mask for covering a mouth and nose of the user, the mouthpiece embedded at the at least one outlet and integral with the handheld housing without tubing, the mouthpiece having a mouthpiece body configured for positioning directly in the mouth of the user to sealingly engage the mouth with the mouthpiece.

A method of presenting treated air to a user, the method comprising:

• (a) sealingly engaging a mouth around a body of a mouthpiece embedded at an outlet and integral to a body of a handheld housing;
• and
• (b) generating air movement through an illumination chamber having a flow channel in the handheld housing by an inhalation of the user to impart an initiation signal to a controller retained in a handheld housing and to expose the moved air to a plurality of UV light sources uniformly spaced along the length of the illumination chamber, wherein energy produced by the plurality of UV light sources passes through the illumination chamber multiple times to provide a gain wherein the photon density is multiplied by at least 5;
• and
• wherein the mouthpiece does not have a mask for covering a mouth and nose of the user, the mouthpiece embedded at the at least one outlet and integral with the handheld housing without tubing, the mouthpiece having a mouthpiece body configured for positioning directly in the mouth of the user to sealingly engage the mouth with the mouthpiece.

A method of presenting treated air to a user, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a first duty cycle comprising
• (i) cycling on a plurality of UV light sources uniformly spaced along the length of an illumination chamber in an airflow channel in a handheld housing, during inhalation of a user to emit photons into an air flow in the illumination chamber in the airflow channel, wherein at least a portion of the emitted photons are reflected within the illumination chamber at least 3 times and
• (ii) cycling the plurality of UV light sources off during an exhalation of a user to terminate emitting photons corresponding to at least one of a flow through the airflow channel and a pressure in the airflow channel;
• (b) providing a second duty cycle comprising driving the plurality of UV light sources with a high frequency cycle when the plurality of UV light sources is cycled on according to the first duty cycle, wherein the overall duty cycle of the first duty cycle multiplied by the second duty cycle is less than 25%, wherein a heat dissipation requirement of the plurality of UV light sources is less than 40 W;
• and
• sealingly engaging a mouth around a body of a mouthpiece embedded at an outlet and integral to a body of the handheld housing;
• and
• wherein the mouthpiece does not have a mask for covering a mouth and nose of the user, the mouthpiece embedded at the at least one outlet and integral with the handheld housing without tubing, the mouthpiece having a mouthpiece body configured for positioning directly in the mouth of the user to sealingly engage the mouth with the mouthpiece.