# US 12,173,926 B1 · Room disinfection systems comprising concentrated light sources > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,173,926 B1 - Document ID: US12173926B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/472,539 - Filed: 2021-09-10 - Granted: 2024-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-10 - Assignees: Framework Product Development LLC - Applicants: Framework Product Development LLC - Inventors: Sam Rhea Sarcia; Scott Brian Mahar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12173926B1 ## CPC - F24F 8/22: using UV light - A61L 9/20: Ultraviolet radiation - G01N 21/3504: for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis - G05B 15/02: electric - A61L 2209/111: Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors - A61L 2209/12: Lighting means - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - 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) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract An upper-air disinfection system is achieved with a plurality of upper air emitters powered by a DC voltage power bus including data conductors. An upper air emitter with one or more concentrated light sources, quartz lenses, and one or more reflectors. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An upper-air disinfection device, comprising: (a) one or more upper-air emitters outputting horizontally oriented germicidal light, positioned above the heads of room occupants at about 7 feet or higher, wherein each emitter is mounted to the wall or ceiling at regularly spaced intervals, wherein each emitter is powered by a power source supplying between 9V DC and 48V DC electricity, (b) one or more power supplies converting main AC electricity into DC voltage, (c) a series of wires connecting said emitters and said power supplies, and (d) one or more centralized air circulators for inducing airflow through said germicidal light, whereby germicidal light can be distributed into the upper room of a space. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An upper-air disinfection device as in claim 1, further comprising one or more control modules capable of communicating with a wireless network. ### Claim 3 An upper-air disinfection device, comprising: (a) one or more upper-air emitters outputting horizontally oriented germicidal light, positioned above the heads of room occupants at about 7 feet or higher, wherein each emitter is mounted to the wall or ceiling at regularly spaced intervals, wherein each emitter is powered by a power source supplying between 9V DC and 48V DC electricity, (b) one or more power supplies converting main AC electricity into DC voltage, (c) a series of wires connecting said emitters and said power supplies, and (d) one or more sensors capable of detecting CO2 concentrations at various locations within a space. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An upper-air disinfection device as in claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors capable of detecting when a human has entered the space where said germicidal light is projected. ### Claim 5 An upper-air disinfection device, comprising: (a) one or more upper-air emitters outputting horizontally oriented germicidal light, positioned above the heads of room occupants at about 7 feet or higher, wherein each emitter is mounted to the wall or ceiling at regularly spaced intervals, wherein each emitter is powered by a power source supplying between 9V DC and 48V DC electricity, wherein one or more of said emitters has a surface visible to room occupants which illuminates when germicidal light is being projected (b) one or more power supplies converting main AC electricity into DC voltage, and (c) a series of wires connecting said emitters and said power supplies, whereby germicidal light can be distributed into the upper room of a space. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An upper-air disinfection device as in claim 1, wherein one or more of said emitters has the capability to track the time that each light source has been powered. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An upper-air disinfection device as in claim 1, further comprising one or more sound generation devices capable of emitting a noise intended to communicate the effect of inactivation. ### Claim 8 An upper-air disinfection emitter, comprising: (a) a concentrated light source producing germicidal light where the volume of the light producing material is less than 200 cubic millimeters, projecting vertically, and (b) an axially symmetric reflector positioned below said light source, wherein said reflector's surface has a specular reflection of greater than 70% of said germicidal light incident on said reflector, whereby the projected light will be reflected into a horizontally oriented pattern. ### Claim 9 An upper-air disinfection emitter, comprising: (a) a concentrated light source producing germicidal light where the volume of the light producing material is less than 200 cubic millimeters, projecting vertically, and (b) an axially symmetric reflector positioned below said light source, wherein said reflector's profile and position is controlled to achieve a desired vertical divergence of said horizontally projected light between zero and ten degrees, whereby the projected light will be reflected into a horizontally oriented pattern. ### Claim 10 An upper-air disinfection emitter, comprising: (a) a concentrated light source producing germicidal light where the volume of the light producing material is less than 200 cubic millimeters, projecting vertically, wherein said germicidal light source is a krypton-chloride excimer lamp, and (b) an axially symmetric reflector positioned below said light source, whereby the projected light will be reflected into a horizontally oriented pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) An upper-air disinfection emitter as in claim 8, wherein said germicidal light source is a one or more light-emitting-diodes. ### Claim 12 An upper-air disinfection emitter, comprising: (a) a concentrated light source producing germicidal light where the volume of the light producing material is less than 200 cubic millimeters, projecting vertically, (b) an axially symmetric reflector positioned below said light source, and (c) a light source producing visible light positioned alongside said germicidal light source, whereby the output pattern of said emitter may be observed with the human eye, whereby the projected light will be reflected into a horizontally oriented pattern. ### Claim 13 An upper-air disinfection emitter, comprising: (a) a concentrated light source producing germicidal light where the volume of the light producing material is less than 200 cubic millimeters, projecting vertically, wherein said reflector is fabricated from polished aluminum, and (b) an axially symmetric reflector positioned below said light source, whereby the projected light will be reflected into a horizontally oriented pattern. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) An upper-air disinfection emitter as in claim 8, wherein said reflector is comprised of a substrate coated by a thin film of reflective material. ### Claim 15 An upper-air disinfection emitter, comprising: (a) one or more light emitting diodes (LED) producing germicidal light oriented horizontally, (b) a focusing optic made of SiO2 (quartz) positioned in front of each said LED, for reducing the full width half maximum (FWHM) field of view (FOV) of the output beam from said optic to 80 degrees or less, and (c) a set of reflectors positioned above and below output of each said optic, reducing the vertical beam divergence to 10 degrees or less. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An upper-air disinfection emitter as in claim 15, further comprising a cross-flow tangential air circulator inducing the flow of air into said beam outputs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) An upper-air disinfection emitter as in claim 16, further comprising a finned heat sink wherein the airflow from said air circulator passes through said finned heat sink to which said LEDs are thermally connected, whereby the heat produced by the LEDs is transferred to the circulator airflow. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) An upper-air disinfection emitter as in claim 15, further comprising a light sources producing visible light positioned alongside said germicidal light source, whereby the output pattern of said emitter may be observed with the human eye. ### Claim 19 (depends on 8) An upper-air disinfection emitter as in claim 8, further comprising a light source producing visible light positioned alongside said germicidal light source, whereby the output pattern of said emitter may be observed with the human eye. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) An upper-air disinfection emitter as in claim 8, wherein said germicidal light source is a krypton-chloride excimer lamp.