Air sanitation devices and systems

Abstract

An air sanitation device is disclosed. The air sanitation device can include a base section, a body section, and an air movement device configured to move air through at least a portion of the air sanitation device. The air sanitation device can move air from an inlet of the air sanitation device, and past an ultraviolet (UV) light source, and out an outlet of the air sanitation device. The air sanitation device can be configured to draw in air from within or below a breathing zone. The air sanitation device can be configured to draw in air from below the breathing zone and output sanitized air. The sanitized air can be outputted at an angle such that the sanitized air flows in a generally downward direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air sanitation device having a central axis extending therethrough in a generally vertical direction, the air sanitation device comprising:
 a free-standing base section comprising one or more inlets disposed at a height that is less than or equal to approximately 4.5 feet with respect to a bottom of the base section;   a body section comprising one or more outlets disposed at a height that is greater than or equal to approximately 7 feet with respect to the bottom of the base section, each of the one or more outlets configured to discharge air in a plurality of discharge directions, each of the plurality of discharge directions being at least partially radially outward from the central axis;   an ultraviolet (UV) light source disposed in an interior of the air sanitation device; and   an air movement device configured to move air into the base section via the one or more inlets, past the UV light source, and out of the body section via the one or more outlets,   wherein the air sanitation device is configured to discharge sanitized air into a breathing zone extending between approximately 4.5 feet above ground level and approximately 7.2 feet above ground level to thereby displace non-sanitized from the breathing zone.   
     
     
         2 . The air sanitation device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body section comprises one or more external surfaces extending in an at least partially vertical direction, and   each of the one or more outlets is located on a corresponding one of the one or more external surfaces.   
     
     
         3 . The air sanitation device of  claim 1  further comprising a filter at least partially disposed in the interior of the air sanitation device. 
     
     
         4 . The air sanitation device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more outlets comprise an air distribution device configured to direct a flow such that at least some of the plurality of discharge directions has a downward angle. 
     
     
         5 . The air sanitation device of  claim 4 , wherein the downward angle is between approximately 1 degree and approximately 30 degrees with respect to horizontal. 
     
     
         6 . The air sanitation device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more outlets comprise an air distribution device configured to direct a flow such that at least some of the plurality of discharge directions has an upward angle. 
     
     
         7 . The air sanitation device of  claim 6 , wherein the upward angle is between approximately 1 degree and approximately 80 degrees with respect to horizontal. 
     
     
         8 . The air sanitation device of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of discharge directions are each in a generally horizontal direction. 
     
     
         9 . The air sanitation device of  claim 1 , wherein the air movement device is configured to discharge air between approximately 150 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and approximately 200 CFM. 
     
     
         10 . The air sanitation device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to detect a location of a person relative the air sanitation device; and 
 a controller configured to: 
 output instructions for adjusting a speed and/or an angle discharged air based on the location of the person. 
 
     
     
         11 . An air sanitation device having a central axis extending therethrough in a generally vertical direction, the air sanitation device comprising:
 a free-standing base section comprising one or more inlets configured to draw in air at a height that is within a breathing zone defined as being between approximately 4.5 feet above ground and approximately 7.2 feet above ground;   a body section comprising one or more outlets configured to discharge air at a height that is greater than or equal to approximately 7 feet above ground, each of the one or more outlets configured to discharge air in a plurality of discharge directions, each of the plurality of discharge directions being at least partially radially outward from the central axis;   an ultraviolet (UV) light source disposed in an interior of the air sanitation device; and   an air movement device configured to move air into the base section via the one or more inlets, past the UV light source, and out of the body section via the one or more outlets, wherein the air sanitation device is configured to discharge sanitized air into a breathing zone extending between approximately 4.5 feet above ground level and approximately 7.2 feet above ground level to thereby displace non-sanitized from the breathing zone.   
     
     
         12 . The air sanitation device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the body section comprises one or more external surfaces extending in an at least partially vertical direction, and   each of the one or more outlets is located on a corresponding one of the one or more external surfaces.   
     
     
         13 . The air sanitation device of  claim 11 , wherein the air sanitation device is configured to be installed on the ground, the one or more inlets being disposed at a height that is between approximately 4.5 feet and approximately 7.2 feet from a bottom of the base section. 
     
     
         14 . The air sanitation device of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more inlets comprise at least one of (i) a first inlet disposed at a height that is approximately five feet with respect to the bottom of the base section and (ii) a second inlet disposed at a height that is approximately 7 feet with respect to the bottom of the base section. 
     
     
         15 . The air sanitation device of  claim 11 , wherein the air sanitation device is configured to be installed on an elevated surface, the one or more inlets being disposed at a height that is between approximately 1.5 feet and approximately 2.5 feet from a bottom of the base section. 
     
     
         16 . The air sanitation device of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more outlets are disposed at a height greater than approximately 2.75 feet from the bottom of the base section. 
     
     
         17 . The air sanitation device of  claim 11  further comprising a filter at least partially disposed in the interior of the air sanitation device. 
     
     
         18 . The air sanitation device of  claim 11 , wherein at least some of the plurality of discharge directions are each in a generally horizontal direction. 
     
     
         19 . The air sanitation device of  claim 11 , wherein the air movement device is configured to discharge an airflow between approximately 150 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and approximately 200 CFM. 
     
     
         20 . The air sanitation device of  claim 11  further comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to detect a concentration of aerosols in air proximate the air sanitation device; and 
 a controller configured to:
 output instructions for adjusting a speed of the air movement device based on the concentration of aerosols.