Reflective Ultraviolet Light Shield for a HVAC Unit
AssigneeLennox Industries Inc.
InventorsRakesh Goel, Randall L. Lisbona
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) unit. The unit comprises a heat exchanger or drain pan located inside a HVAC housing that has one or more access openings and ultraviolet light-sensitive components therein. The unit also comprises a light located inside of the HVAC housing and a light shield located between the heat exchanger or drain pan and the light source. The light source includes a network of open-ended cells, each cell having ultraviolet light reflective walls. The light shield is oriented to direct an ultraviolet light from the light source through the open-ended cells towards the heat exchanger or drain pan and away from the one or more access openings and ultraviolet light-sensitive components.
Claims20
A housing for one or more components of a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, comprising:
- one or more ultraviolet light-sensitive components;
- a plurality of light sources located inside of said housing;
- and
- a plurality of light shields at least partially located between the one or more components and said plurality of light sources, and at least partially located between the one or more ultraviolet light-sensitive components and said plurality of light sources, the plurality of light shields comprising a network of open-ended cells, each cell having ultraviolet light reflective walls, the plurality of light shields configured to have a fixed orientation relative to said plurality of light sources, wherein the fixed orientation causes said plurality of light shields to direct an ultraviolet light from said plurality of light sources through said open-ended cells towards the one or more components and away from the one or more ultraviolet light-sensitive components.
A method of manufacturing a housing for a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, comprising:
- providing a housing having one or more access openings and one or more ultraviolet light-sensitive components;
- placing one or more components in said housing such that the one or more components are located between paths for conditioned air and return airflow;
- locating a light source inside of said housing such that ultraviolet light emitted from said light source can reach the one or more components;
- situating a light shield in the housing and at least partially between the one or more components and said light source, and at least partially between the one or more ultraviolet light-sensitive components and said light source, wherein the light shield comprises a network of open-ended cells, each cell having ultraviolet light reflective walls, and
- situating said light shield to have a fixed orientation relative to said light source, wherein the fixed orientation causes said light shield to direct an ultraviolet light from said light source through said open-ended cells towards the one or more components and away from the one or more ultraviolet light-sensitive components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.