Ultraviolet (uv) light emission device employing uv light source housing to achieve uv light emission irradiance uniformity

Abstract

Ultraviolet (UV) light emission devices employing UV light source housing to achieve UV light emission irradiance uniformity, and related methods of use. The UV light emission devices disclosed herein are particularly suited for use in disinfecting surfaces and air. The UV light emission devices disclosed herein can be provided in the form factor of a handheld device that is easily held and manipulated by a human user. The human user can manipulate the handheld UV light emission device to decontaminate surfaces, air, and other areas by orienting the handheld UV light emission device so that the UV light emitted from its light source is directed to the area of interest to be decontaminated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handheld light emission device, comprising:
 a UV light source comprising a light source housing, comprising:
 a plurality of apertures rows each disposed in a first axis direction, each aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows comprising a plurality of apertures and having a row pitch and each comprising an aperture opening; and 
 a plurality of UV lights each disposed in a respective aperture in each aperture row of the plurality of aperture rows, each UV light among the plurality of UV lights configured to emit UV light in a direction of the opening of its aperture towards a target area of interest; 
   a center line of each aperture in each aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows offset by an offset distance from a center line of each aperture in an adjacent aperture row among the among the plurality of aperture rows.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the offset distance is between ⅙ row pitch and ½ row pitch. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the offset distance is ½ row pitch. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of aperture rows form a plurality of aperture columns disposed in a second axis direction orthogonal to the first axis direction;   each aperture column among the plurality of aperture columns comprising an aperture among the plurality of apertures from each aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows;   the plurality of apertures columns having a column pitch; and   a second center line of each aperture in each aperture column among the plurality of aperture columns offset by a second offset distance from a second center line of each aperture in an adjacent aperture column among the among the plurality of aperture columns.   
     
     
         5 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 4 , wherein the second offset distance is between ⅙ column pitch and ½ column pitch. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the offset distance is ½ column pitch. 
     
     
         7 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of each opening of each of the plurality of apertures in each aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows is between 8 to 13 millimeters (mm). 
     
     
         8 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of each opening of each of the plurality of apertures in each aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows is between 12.8 to 13 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of each opening of each of the plurality of apertures in each aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows causes the UV light disposed in the respective aperture to emit UV light at a UV beam collimation angle between 10-20 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of each opening of each of the plurality of apertures in each aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows causes the UV light disposed in the respective aperture to emit UV light at a UV beam collimation angle between 9-11 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between a bottom surface and the opening of each aperture in each aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows is between 10-17 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the UV light source is configured to emit UV light on the target area of interest with an average irradiance between 9-15 mW/cm 2 . 
     
     
         13 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the UV light source is configured to emit UV light on the target area of interest with an average irradiance between 10-13 mW/cm 2 . 
       when the distance between the UV light source and the target of area of interest is 25 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the UV light source is configured to emit UV light on the target area of interest with an average irradiance between 10-11 mW/cm 2 . 
       when the distance between the UV light source and the target of area of interest is 50 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the UV light source is configured to emit UV light on the target area of interest with an average irradiance between 10-11 mW/cm 2 . 
       when the distance between the UV light source and the target of area of interest is 75 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the light source housing further comprises:
 a second aperture row each comprising a plurality of second apertures and each comprising a second aperture opening; and   a second plurality of UV lights each disposed in a respective second aperture in the second aperture row, each second UV light among the plurality of second UV lights configured to emit UV light in the direction of the opening of its second aperture towards the target area of interest;   the second aperture row disposed adjacent and outside a first outer aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows;   a third aperture row each comprising a plurality of third apertures and each comprising a third aperture opening; and   a third plurality of UV lights each disposed in a respective third aperture in the third aperture row, each third UV light among the plurality of third UV lights configured to emit UV light in the direction of the opening of its third aperture towards the target area of interest;   the third aperture row disposed adjacent and outside a second outer aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows, on the opposite side of the first outer aperture row; and   a diameter of each opening of each of the plurality of apertures in each aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows is smaller than a second diameter of the second opening and third opening of each second and third row aperture of the second and third aperture rows.   
     
     
         17 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 4 , wherein the light source housing further comprises:
 a second aperture column each comprising a plurality of second apertures and each comprising a second aperture opening; and   a second plurality of UV lights each disposed in a respective second aperture in the second aperture column, each second UV light among the plurality of second UV lights configured to emit UV light in the direction of the opening of its second aperture towards the target area of interest;   the second aperture column disposed adjacent and outside a first outer aperture column among the plurality of aperture column;   a third aperture column each comprising a plurality of third apertures and each comprising a third aperture opening; and   a third plurality of UV lights each disposed in a respective third aperture in the third aperture column, each third UV light among the plurality of third UV lights configured to emit UV light in the direction of the opening of its third aperture towards the target area of interest;   the third aperture column disposed adjacent and outside a second outer aperture column among the plurality of aperture columns, on the opposite side of the first outer aperture column; and   a diameter of each opening of each of the plurality of apertures in each aperture column among the plurality of aperture columns is smaller than the second diameter of the second opening and the third diameter of the third opening of each second and third row aperture of the second and third aperture columns.   
     
     
         18 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical control system comprising one or more light driver circuits each configured to couple power to the one or more UV lights to cause the one or more UV lights to emit UV light towards the target area of interest. 
     
     
         19 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 1 , wherein the UV light source housing further comprises one or more visible lights each configured to emit a respective visible light beam in the direction of the UV light emitted by the one or more UV lights at a given visible light beam spread on the target area of interest based on the distance between the one or more visible lights in the light source housing and the target area of interest. 
     
     
         20 . A handheld light emission device, comprising:
 a UV light source comprising a light source housing, comprising:
 a first plurality of apertures rows each disposed in a first axis direction, each first aperture row among the plurality of first aperture rows comprising a plurality of first apertures and having a first row pitch and each comprising a first aperture opening having a first diameter; and 
 a plurality of first UV lights each disposed in a respective first aperture in each first aperture row of the plurality of first aperture rows, each first UV light among the plurality of first UV lights configured to emit UV light in a direction of the first opening of its aperture towards a target area of interest; 
 a second aperture row each comprising a plurality of second apertures and each comprising a second aperture opening having a second diameter; 
 a second plurality of UV lights each disposed in a respective second aperture in a second aperture row disposed in the first axis direction, each second UV light among the plurality of second UV lights configured to emit UV light in the direction of the second opening of its second aperture towards the target area of interest; 
 the second aperture row disposed adjacent and outside a first outer aperture row among the plurality of aperture rows; 
 a third aperture row each comprising a plurality of third apertures and each comprising a third aperture opening having a third diameter; and 
 a third plurality of UV lights each disposed in a respective third aperture in a third aperture row disposed in the first axis direction, each third UV light among the plurality of third UV lights configured to emit UV light in the direction of the third opening of its third aperture towards the target area of interest; 
 the third aperture column disposed adjacent and outside a second outer aperture column among the plurality of aperture columns, on the opposite side of the first outer aperture column; and 
   a diameter of each first opening of each of the plurality of first apertures in each first aperture row among the plurality of first aperture rows is smaller than a second diameter of the second opening and the third diameter of the third opening of each second and third row aperture of the second and third aperture rows.   
     
     
         21 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 20 , wherein the diameter of each first opening of each of the plurality of first apertures in each first aperture row among the plurality of first aperture rows is between 12.8 to 13 mm. 
     
     
         22 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 20 , wherein the first diameter of each first opening of each of the plurality of first apertures in each first aperture row among the plurality of first aperture rows causes the first UV light disposed in the respective aperture to emit UV light at a UV beam collimation angle between 9-11 degrees. 
     
     
         23 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 20 , wherein the UV light source is configured to emit UV light on the target area of interest with an average irradiance between 9-15 mW/cm 2 . 
     
     
         24 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 an electrical control system comprising:
 one or more light driver circuits each configured to couple power to the one or more first and second UV lights to cause the one or more first and second UV lights to emit UV light towards the target area of interest. 
   
     
     
         25 . A handheld light emission device, comprising:
 a UV light source comprising a light source housing, comprising:
 a first plurality of apertures columns each disposed in a first axis direction, each first aperture column among the plurality of first aperture columns comprising a plurality of first apertures and having a first column pitch and each comprising a first aperture opening having a first diameter; and 
 a plurality of first UV lights each disposed in a respective first aperture in each first aperture column of the plurality of first aperture columns, each first UV light among the plurality of first UV lights configured to emit UV light in a direction of the first opening of its aperture towards a target area of interest; 
 a second aperture column each comprising a plurality of second apertures and each comprising a second aperture opening having a second diameter; 
 a second plurality of UV lights each disposed in a respective second aperture in a second aperture column disposed in the first axis direction, each second UV light among the plurality of second UV lights configured to emit UV light in the direction of the second opening of its second aperture towards the target area of interest; 
 the second aperture column disposed adjacent and outside a first outer aperture column among the plurality of aperture columns; 
 a third aperture column each comprising a plurality of third apertures and each comprising a third aperture opening having a third diameter; and 
 a third plurality of UV lights each disposed in a respective third aperture in a third aperture column disposed in the first axis direction, each third UV light among the plurality of third UV lights configured to emit UV light in the direction of the third opening of its third aperture towards the target area of interest; 
 the third aperture column disposed adjacent and outside a second outer aperture column among the plurality of aperture columns, on the opposite side of the first outer aperture column; and 
   a diameter of each first opening of each of the plurality of first apertures in each first aperture column among the plurality of first aperture columns is smaller than a second diameter of the second opening and the third diameter of the third opening of each second and third column aperture of the second and third aperture columns.   
     
     
         26 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 25 , wherein the diameter of each first opening of each of the plurality of first apertures in each first aperture row among the plurality of first aperture rows is between 12.8 to 13 mm. 
     
     
         27 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 25 , wherein the first diameter of each first opening of each of the plurality of first apertures in each first aperture row among the plurality of first aperture rows causes the first UV light disposed in the respective aperture to emit UV light at a UV beam collimation angle between 9-11 degrees. 
     
     
         28 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 25 , wherein the UV light source is configured to emit UV light on the target area of interest with an average irradiance between 9-15 mW/cm 2 . 
     
     
         29 . The handheld light emission device of  claim 25 , further comprising an electrical control system comprising one or more light driver circuits each configured to couple power to the one or more first and second UV lights to cause the one or more first and second UV lights to emit UV light towards the target area of interest.