Patents by Inventor Kevin J. Benner

Kevin J. Benner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230248862
    Abstract: A disinfection system includes one or more light sources configured to emit ultraviolet light effective for inactivating pathogens in an environment for human occupancy, and one or more occupancy sensors configured to acquire data indicative of occupancy of the environment for human occupancy. Intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted by the one or more light sources is controlled based on the data indicative of occupancy of the environment acquired by the one or more occupancy sensors. In another embodiment, a light source for disinfection includes an intensity setting input disposed on the light source. The intensity setting input is operative to set an intensity of light emitted by light emitting elements of the light source. The light source has no other control besides the intensity setting input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin J. Benner, Gary R. Allen, Stephen P. Glaudel
  • Patent number: 11666674
    Abstract: A lighting system includes a light source configured to generate light to inactivate one or more pathogens. The light includes an inactivating portion. In one embodiment, a method for inactivating one or more pathogens and optionally concurrently illuminating a room having one or more human occupants while the pathogens are inactivated is also provided. The method includes generating light from a light source to inactivate the one or more pathogens. The light is generated with an inactivating portion of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Clynne, Gary R. Allen, Kevin J. Benner, Kevin J. Vick, Erik L. Kvam
  • Patent number: 11541136
    Abstract: A lighting system includes a light source configured to generate light to inactivate one or more pathogens. The light includes an inactivating portion having wavelengths in a range of 280 to 380 nanometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Clynne, Gary R. Allen, Kevin J. Benner, Kevin J. Vick, Erik L. Kvam
  • Publication number: 20220395593
    Abstract: An irradiation method includes irradiating an environment with light using one or more one ceiling-mounted light sources, where each ceiling-mounted light source has an optical axis oriented vertically downward, and wherein each ceiling-mounted light source emits a light distribution having more angle-integrated intensity in a higher angular range relative to the optical axis of the ceiling-mounted light source than in a lower angular range relative to the optical axis of the ceiling-mounted light source. A ceiling-mounted light source may include a support structure, one or more light emitters disposed on a surface of the support structure, and a reflector with a funnel-shaped reflective surface facing the support structure and expanding with increasing distance from the support structure along the optical axis. The light emitters may be ultraviolet (UV) light emitters whereby the light source is a UV ceiling-mounted light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Applicant: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Gary R. Allen, Mark E. Kaminski, Kevin J. Benner
  • Publication number: 20220143241
    Abstract: A lighting system includes a light source configured to generate light to inactivate one or more pathogens. The light includes an inactivating portion. In one embodiment, a method for inactivating one or more pathogens and optionally concurrently illuminating a room having one or more human occupants while the pathogens are inactivated is also provided. The method includes generating light from a light source to inactivate the one or more pathogens. The light is generated with an inactivating portion of the light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Clynne, Gary R. Allen, Kevin J. Benner, Kevin J. Vick, Erik L. Kvam
  • Publication number: 20220001069
    Abstract: A multispectral light source for disinfection is disclosed, including a plurality of light sources with different disinfection peak wavelengths and electronics. Each disinfection peak wavelength is effective for disinfection, and the electronics are configured to drive the plurality of light sources to emit light at the different disinfection peak wavelengths. In a specific embodiment, multispectral light source includes one or more UV-C light sources emitting ultraviolet light in a UV-C range, and one or more UV-A light sources emitting ultraviolet light in a UV-A range. The multispectral light source optionally may further include one or more white light sources emitting white light providing illumination. In a disinfection method, light in the UV-C range is emitted into an occupied space, and light outside of the UV-C range that is effective for inactivating at least one target pathogen is also emitted, optionally simultaneously, into the occupied space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Gary R. Allen, Kevin J. Benner, Stephen P. Glaudel
  • Patent number: 11177422
    Abstract: An LED filament includes an underlying layer exhibiting a first appearance at a first temperature, and an over-coated layer comprising a thermochromic material that exhibits at the first temperature, a preselected appearance other than the first appearance, and at a second temperature, a transparent or translucent appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: SAVANT TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Brandie Basalla, Kevin J. Benner, Glenn H. Kuenzler
  • Publication number: 20210008235
    Abstract: A lighting system includes a light source configured to generate light to inactivate one or more pathogens. The light includes an inactivating portion having wavelengths in a range of 280 to 380 nanometers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Clynne, Gary R. Allen, Kevin J. Benner, Kevin J. Vick, Erik L. Kvan