Light Fixture Having a Fan and Ultraviolet Sterilization Functionality

Abstract

A lighting fixture is disclosed with effective disinfection properties against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The fixture includes a fan to continuously draw air into the light fixture. The air drawn in is irradiated with UV radiation within the fixture, such as is provided from UV LED chips. The relatively small volume of the light fixture allows the flux or energy density of the UV radiation to be made more intense. After the air is sterilized, it can be put back into the room or building in which the fixture is placed. The white light provided by white light LEDs in the fixture provides illumination, and can further provide significant emission peaks at 405 nm and 470 nm which is also useful to pathogen inactivation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing sterilized air to a room, comprising:
 a fixture configured for mounting in a ceiling of the room, comprising:
 a fan configured to draw air from the room into the fixture; and 
 a sterilization box comprising at least one path configured to receive the drawn air and to output sterilized air at one or more hose connectors of the fixture, wherein the sterilization box comprises a plurality of ultra violet (UV) radiation sources configured to irradiate the drawn air with UV radiation along each at least one path to produce the sterilized air; and 
   one or more vents configured for mounting in the room; and   one or more hoses configured to connect to the one or more hose connectors to the one or more vents to allow the one or more vents to output the sterilized air to the room.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sterilization box comprises two hose connectors, wherein the one or more hoses comprises a first hose and a second hose connected to each of the two hose connectors. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , where the first hose is configured to connect to a first of the one or more vents, and wherein the second hose is configured to connect to a second of the one or more vents. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more hoses comprises a third hose, and further comprising a junction, wherein the junction combines the sterilized air provided from the first and second hoses and output the combined sterilized air at the third hose. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the third hose is configured to connect to the one or more vents. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises one vent. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more vents comprise one or more supply vents of an air handling system, wherein the one or more supply vents are configured to connect to one or more ducts of the air handling system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more hoses is configured to connect to the one or more ducts to allow the one or more supply vents to output the sterilized air to the room. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fixture further comprises a plurality of white light sources configured to provide illumination to the room. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the fixture comprises a light box, wherein the plurality of white light sources are in the light box. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the light box further comprises a diffuser, wherein the plurality of white light sources are configured to provide illumination to the room through the diffuser. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the fan is located in the light box, and wherein the drawn air is input into the sterilization box. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each at least one path is non-linear. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each at least one path is serpentine or spiral along at least a portion of its length. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one air flow path is defined by one or more baffles within the sterilization box. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the UV radiation sources are configured to produce the UV radiation with a peak wavelength in the range from 200 to 280 nm. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the UV radiation sources are configured to irradiate the drawn air with the UV radiation along at least a majority of a length of each at least one path. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one filter configured to filter the sterilized air. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sterilization box comprises a removable top cover. 
     
     
         20 . A method for providing sterilized air to a room, comprising:
 mounting a fixture in a ceiling of the room, the fixture comprising:
 a fan that draws air from the room into the fixture; and 
 a sterilization box comprising at least one path to receive the drawn air and to output sterilized air at one or more hose connectors of the fixture, wherein the sterilization box comprises a plurality of ultra violet (UV) radiation sources that irradiate the drawn air with UV radiation along each at least one path to produce the sterilized air; and 
   mounting one or more vents in the room; and   connecting the one or more hose connectors to the one or more vents using one or more hoses to allow the one or more vents to output the sterilized air to the room.