# US 12,109,338 B2 · Germicidal lighting > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,338 B2 - Document ID: US12109338B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/428,502 - Filed: 2024-01-31 - Published: 2024-07-04 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-18 - Assignees: Wangs Alliance Corporation - Applicants: Wangs Alliance Corporation - Inventors: Shelley S. Wald; Voravit Puvanakijjakorn; Rong Feng Yu; David Xin Wang; Li Changyong; Zhou Tingting - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109338B2 ## CPC - A61L 9/00: Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air (body deodorants A61Q15/00; purifying air by respirators A62B, A62D9/00; separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours B01D45/00 - B01D51/00, B03C3/00; chemical or biological purification of waste gases B01D53/34; production of ozone C01B13/10; air-conditioning systems incorporating sterilisation F24F3/16, F24F8/20) - A61L 9/20: Ultraviolet radiation - A61L 9/22: Ionisation - F04D 25/088: {Ceiling fans} - A61L 2209/111: Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors - A61L 2209/12: Lighting means - A61L 2209/15: Supporting means, e.g. stands, hooks, holes for hanging - 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) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) ## Abstract Apparatus, methods and instructions for disinfecting air. The apparatus may include, and the methods may involve, a fixture. The fixture may include a germicidal light source. The fixture may include a fan. The fan may circulate air through a volume into which the germicidal light source propagates germicidal light. The light source may be configured to emit, upward from a horizontal plane, a beam that, absent reflection off an environmental object, does not cross the horizontal plane. The apparatus may include a shield that prevents light from the light source from crossing the horizontal plane. The sensor may face upward from the horizontal plane. The sensor may face downward from the horizontal plane. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for disinfecting air of a room, the apparatus comprising: a ceiling fan having a rotatable fan blade that is configured to revolve around an axis; a fixture configured to be suspended into the room from a ceiling; a light-emitting diode (“LED”) that: is configured to emit germicidal light that is incident on the ceiling; is part of an array of LEDs disposed in the fixture such that the LEDs do not rotate with the fan blade; and has a surface corresponding to a plane from which the germicidal light is emitted; and a frame extending along a perimeter about the axis; wherein: the frame interferes with any germicidal light emitted by the LED that propagates along the plane away from the axis and is incident on the frame, but does not interfere with upward propagation of the germicidal light; and the LED is disposed inside the perimeter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the LED is canted relative to a vertical direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a controller that is configured to control operation of the LED based on a flow of air above the plane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the germicidal light is configured to neutralize a virion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the germicidal light is configured to neutralize a bacterium. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the LED emits light having a wavelength that is no longer than ultraviolet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the wavelength is in the UVC spectrum. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further wherein the fixture supports a louver that is configured to direct a beam of the germicidal light. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fixture in operation emits germicidal light that propagates radially away from the array. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the fixture supports a louver that: includes the frame; and is configured to direct a beam of the germicidal light. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising lensing disposed over the LED. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a controller that is configured to control the fixture; wherein the fixture is configured to direct a beam of the germicidal light. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a controller that is configured to control the LED. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a control interface in electronic communication with the controller; wherein the control interface is configured to receive an instruction conforming to a lighting control protocol. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to cause the LED to deliver to the air an amount of energy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the controller is configured to adjust a duration of the energy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the controller is configured to adjust an intensity of the energy. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a reflection sensor configured to detect a reflection of light emitted by the LED from a structure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the structure is the ceiling. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an energy level of the germicidal light is correlated to a setting of the fan. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the setting is speed. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the controller is further configured to cause the LED to deliver to the air a selected amount of energy. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a range sensor that is configured to estimate a distance from the fixture to the ceiling; wherein: in operation, a beam of the germicidal light is incident on the ceiling; the beam has a beam spread; the beam spread and the distance define a volume; and the controller is further configured to select the amount of energy based on a flow of air through the volume. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the selected amount of energy is based on a volume of the air. ### Claim 25 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to change a characteristic of the germicidal light in response to a reflection of light from a structure. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the characteristic is energy emission. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the characteristic is energy intensity. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a range sensor configured to estimate a distance corresponding to a position of the plane below the ceiling. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising a controller; wherein: a beam of the germicidal light is incident on the ceiling; the beam has a beam spread; the beam spread and the distance define a volume; and the controller is configured to estimate the volume. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a controller; and a detector that is configured to detect a presence of a living body; wherein the controller is configured to change a beam characteristic of the germicidal light in response to detection of the living body by the detector.