SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INCREASING WORK AREA AND PERFORMANCE OF UV-C GENERATORS

Abstract

A UV-C generator is provided where multiple UV-C LEDs are provided around a work area (e.g., a tube) in order to sterilize contaminants in that work area (e.g., virus and/or bacteria) to provide a sterilization device for substances in, or flowing through, the work area. The tube may gates to change the speed and/or direction of a flowing working substance and may have a spiraling channel in the tube such that the length of travel in the spiraling channel is longer than the tube. Such UV-C generator devices may be utilized, for example, to sanitize air flowing through devices such as a ventilator or face mask.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 63/140,237, titled “LARGE-SCALE UV-C INACTIVATION DEVICES AND SIMULATIONS OF THE SAME,” filed Jan. 21, 2021 (Attorney Docket No. D/188PROV), 63/109,333, titled “INCREASING EFFICIENCY OF UV-C INACTIVATION DEVICES,” filed Nov. 3, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/187PROV), 63/085,140, titled “UV-C VIRUS INACTIVATION DEVICES AND SUPPRESSING SOUND AND OPERATING THE SAME,” filed Sep. 29, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/186PROV-2), 63/085,134, titled “UV-C VIRUS INACTIVATION DEVICES AND SUPPRESSING SOUND AND OPERATING THE SAME,” filed Sep. 29, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/186PROV-1), 63/056,534, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UV-C INACTIVATED VIRUS VACCINES AND UV-C SANITIZATION,” filed Jul. 24, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/185PROV), 63/042,494, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EFFICIENT AIR STERILIZATION WITHOUT CIRCULATION UNSANITIZED AIR,” filed Jun. 22, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/184PROV), 63/023,845, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HANDS-FREE OBJECT STERILIZATION,” filed May 12, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/183PROV), 63/018,699, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UV-C SURFACE STERILIZATION,” filed May 1, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/182PROV), 63/015,469, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INCREASING WORK AREA AND PERFORMANCE OF UV-C GENERATORS,” filed Apr. 24, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/181PROV), 63/009,301, titled “UV-C AMPLIFIERS AND CONTROL OF THE SAME,” filed Apr. 13, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/180PROV), 63/006,710, titled “SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ULTRA-DENSE, FLEXIBLE LED MICRO-ARRAYS FOR IN VIVO VIRAL LOAD REDUCTION,” filed Apr. 7, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/179PROV-3), 63/003,882, titled “SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ULTRA-DENSE, FLEXIBLE LED MICRO-ARRAYS FOR IN VIVO VIRAL LOAD REDUCTION,” filed Apr. 1, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/179PROV-2), 63/001,461, titled “SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ULTRA-DENSE, FLEXIBLE LED MICRO-ARRAYS FOR IN VIVO VIRAL LOAD REDUCTION,” filed Mar. 29, 2020 (Attorney Docket No. D/179PROV-1), each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to sterilization.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A UV-C generation device is provided that includes multiple UV-C light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) positioned around a work area. For example, the multiple UV-C LEDs may be positioned around a cylinder. The cylinder may be, for example, comprised of a UV-C transparent material (e.g., a material with UV-C transparency greater than fifty percent (50%) such as, for example, quartz or UV-C transparent polymer. The LEDs may be located on a flexible printed circuit board. The flexible printed circuit board may be fabricated, for example, from a polyimide or FR4 and may be, for example between 2 thousandths of an inch and seven thousandths of an inch thick (e.g., between 2 and 4 thousandths of an inch thick such as between 2 and 2.5 thousandths of an inch thick). A working substance (e.g., a gas, a liquid, an air and liquid) may flow through the cylinder and the UV-C LEDs may interact with the working substance to, for example, sterilize the working substance. The UV-C LEDs may, for example, have a wavelength between 200 and 280 nanometers (e.g., between 220 and 280 nanometers or between 250 and 265 nanometers or between 255 and 260 nanometers such as 255, 260, or 265 nanometers).

Each UV-C LED may be independently controlled and regulated through control and regulation circuitry on the flexible printed circuit board or another device. Accordingly, the intensity of each UV-C LED as well as the turn-ON time and turn-OF time of each UV-C LED may be independently controlled. A processor may be provided on the flexible circuit board or on another communicatively coupled device to control the operation of the UV-C LEDs.

The flexible printed circuit board may be, for example, wrapped around all of, or a portion of, the cylinder so that the UV-C LEDs may provide UV-C light into the cylinder through the cylinder wall. UVC-LEDs may be arranged in rows and columns. A UV-C flexible circuit when wrapped around a cylinder may, for example, have rows of three (3) UV-C LEDs in multiple columns (e.g., three columns, six columns, nine columns, twelve columns, more than twelve columns, or any number of columns). Accordingly, six columns of three UV-C LEDs would provide eighteen UV-C LEDs. The UV-C LEDs may be aligned in rows or staggered in rows around the cylinder. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the workspace may not be provide din a cylinder but in any shape that provides a workspace (e.g., inside a cube, rectangular, triangular, or any other type of housing).

UV-C reflective material may be provided on the flexible printed circuit board around the UVC-LEDs or selectively provided, around the UV-C LEDs placement so as to not generally impede UV-C emanating from the UV-C LEDs, on the interior surface or exterior surface of the cylindrical housing. Such a UV-C reflective material may include, for example, aluminum.

One or more heat sinks may be provided around the UV-C LEDs in order to capture and expel heat from UV-C LEDs away from those UV-C LEDs. A battery and/or wall plug and/or battery and wall-plug may be utilized to charge, for example, one or more rechargeable batteries located inside a housing that includes the working space.

Manual inputs may be operable to receive manual input from outside of a housing that may include the working area (e.g., a UV-C transparent cylinder) or be placed within the proximity of a working area. Temperature, humidity, and flow rate may be added and utilized to, for example, control the intensity of one or more of the UV-C LEDs so that, for example, the intensity may be changed for different temperatures, flows, and/or humidity.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of Ultraviolet LEDs, or other light sources, may be provided on an LED array such as UV-B and UV-A LEDs. Similarly, additional wavelengths of light may be provided in LEDs, or other types of light sources. A spectrometer, or other device, may be included to determine the type of material in the working space and may activate different LEDs or different types of LEDs (e.g., based on the detected material(s)). Similarly, different UV-C LEDs, or non-LED UV-C sources, may provide different wavelengths and different modes may be provided to control the UV-C LEDs so a subset of the UV-C LEDs may provide a particular nanometer wavelength (e.g., 255 to 265 nanometers) and other UV-C LEDs may provide another particular nanometer wavelength (e.g., 270 to 280 nanometers).

A flexible circuit board does not have to be rolled, for example, for the flexible circuit board to sterilize a working surface. A device may have a generally flat flexible circuit board at a perimeter separated from a surface that has contaminant (e.g., virus and/or bacteria) that requires sterilization). The housing may have a handle (e.g., a removable handle) so that the UV-C sterilization device can be provided as want for moving over, and sterilizing, a surface.

The housing may include multiple mateable ports for handles such that, for example, one handle may be inserted into one mateable port to provide a sanitizing and a larger handle may be inserted into a different mateable port to provide a sanitizing mop/broom. Such a UV-C sanitizing device may be wall mounted such that, for example, someone can place their hands in a working space and have their hands sterilized. The device may operate on two modes—human mode and non-human mode. The device can prompt this to the user for the mode, wait for the user to activate the mode, or autonomously activate the mode.

The flexible circuit board with multiple UV-C LEDs may be articulated via motors and/or other controls so that different areas that, for example, include UV-C LEDs may be moved away from each other or to each other or moved closer to, or further away from, the other LED's.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The principles and advantages of the present invention can be more clearly understood from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same structural elements throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 3 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 4 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 5 are illustrations of flow charts constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of UV-C device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 7 are illustrations of flow charts constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 8 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 9 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 are illustrations of UV-C devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows device 100 that may include any number of ultraviolet C (UV-C) light sources such as UV-C light emitting diodes 102 and 103. UV-C sources may have a wavelength between approximately 200 nanometers and 280 nanometers. Processor 106 and additional circuitry 107 may be included on circuit board 101 in additional to input/output ports 104 and 105.

Printed circuit board 101 may be, for example, a non-flexible or a flexible printed circuit board. Input/output ports 104 and 105 may be, for example, contacts to couple to another circuit board or an external device. Processor 106 may, for example, control UV-C LEDs 102 and 103 using firmware that is downloaded into processor 106 or provided in a memory of processor 106 before or after placement on circuit board 101. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that printed circuit board 101 may be multiple printed circuit boards that are communicatively coupled together to form a multiple circuit board device. Different circuit boards of a multiple circuit board device may be provided in a single housing or in different housings.

Firmware updates may be downloaded through input/output ports 104 and 105. Any number of input/output ports may be provided and different protocols may be utilized for different ports. Additionally, blue-tooth (e.g., BLE), contactless (e.g., RFID), telecommunications (e.g., cellular such as 4G or 5G cellular), infrared, or other wireless communication structures may be provided such as wireless communication chips, circuitry, protocols, and ports may be provided. Wireless power generation may be provided and may be utilized by power circuitry to change a battery coupled to printed circuit board 101 (e.g., through battery contact pads on circuit board 101).

Printed circuit board 101 may be a flexible polyimide or flexible Fr$. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that such a flexible printed circuit board may be, for example between two thousandths of an inch and seven (7) thousands of an inch in thickness (e.g., between two thousandths of an inch and three thousands of an inch in thickness). Silicon chips may be grinded and polished before placement on printed circuit board 101 to between, for example, five thousandths and ten thousandths of an inch in thickness). Such chips may be mounted on printed circuit board 1010 via a flip-on-flex structure or via a wire-bonded structure. A wire-bonded structure may be for example a low-provide wire-bonded structure with wire-bonds that are placed with less than a five thousandths of an inch profile above the silicon chip and encapsulant that is less than three thousandths of an inch above each wire-bond The entire thickness from the bottom of flexible circuit board to the top of an encapsulant of a chip may be, for example under fourteen thousandths of an inch thick (e.g., under twelve thousandths of an inch thick). For example, the thickness from the bottom of circuit board 101 to the top of the encapsulant may be between ten and sixteen thousandths of an inch thick (e.g., between twelve and fourteen thousandths of an inch thick). Wire-bonds may be for example, gold wire-bonds or aluminum wire-bonds. A low-profile encapsulant may be provided that utilizes at least two separate encapsulate provisioning steps in order to provide the low-profile encapsulant.

Processor 106 may be one or more processors and may be provided between, for example, twenty megahertz and five gigahertz. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that faster processors may provide faster control of UV-C LEDs 102 and 103. Faster control of UV-C LEDs may provided shorter ON times which may provide the ability to damage and sterilize certain elements (e.g., virus) without damaging and sterilizing other elements (e.g., living tissue and cells). Processor 106 may, for example, provide ON times for UV-C LEDs 102 and 103 less than, for example, 100 nanoseconds, less than 10 nanoseconds, less than 1 nanosecond. For example, Processor 106 may turn ON UV-C LEDs 102 and 103 between approximately 1 and 100 nanoseconds (e.g., between 20 and 60 nanoseconds or between 30 and 50 nanoseconds). High speed control circuitry may also be provided in order to control UV-C LEDS 102 and 103 between 1 and 100 femptosecond (e.g., between 1 and 50 femptoseconds or between 1 and 20 femptoseconds).

Circuitry 107 and 108 may include, for example, regulation and control circuitry for UV-C, or other, sources of light on circuit board 101 as well as sources of light and other circuitry on other boards or external devices. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV-C LEDs on circuit board 101 may be, fore example, individually regulated and controlled or controlled as a group or in subsets. For example, circuit board 101 may include over ten (10) or over one hundred (100) UV-C LEDs. UV-C LEDs may be regulated and controlled in groups of two or more (e.g., three or more). A portion of UV-C LEDs may be regulated and controlled independently while another portion of UV-C LEDs may be regulated as a group or in sub-groups.

UV-C LEDs on printed circuit board 101 may be, for example, UV-C LEDs having the same wavelength of may have different wavelengths and they may be independently controlled at different times using different control profiles that provide different turn ON an turn OFF pulses (e.g., the duration of an OFF state for one or more UV-C LEDs may be the same duration or a different duration such as a longer or shorter duration than the ON duration for the respective one or more UV-C LEDs). The UV-C LEDs may all be between approximately 200 and 280 nanometers (e.g., provided at or between 250 and 270 nanometers such as provided at or between 255 and 265 nanometers). Some UV-C LEDs may be provided, for example, at or between 250 and 260 nanometers while others are provided, for example, at or between 260 and 270 nanometers. One or more additional light sources may be provided on board 101 such as, for example, UV-B, UV-A, VUV, and visible spectrum light sources.

Visible spectrum light sources may be provided, for example, to provide a visual indicator when board 101 is ON or OFF as well as different operating modes. For example, a visible spectrum LED may be a single-color LED (e.g., white, green, blue, Or red) or a multiple color LED and may provide indication of when a battery (e.g., a rechargeable battery) is low and/or critically low on power. Manual inputs may be included on circuit board 101 to receive, for example, manual input to turn circuit board 101 ON, Off, and/or change between different modes of operation (e.g., different intensities for UV-C LEDs 102 and 103).

Circuit board 101 may be a single layer or multiple layer circuit board. For example, circuit board 101 may have two, three, four, or more layers. Printed circuit board 101 may be flexible. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a flexible circuit board may be at least partially or fully wrapped around or contorted around one or more objects (e.g., one or more working spaces for sterilization by the UV-C LEDs of board 101). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that flexible circuit board 101 may utilized for multiple sterilization devices as flexible circuit board 101 may be able to flex around one or more objects (e.g., one or more hollow cylinders in which working material may be sterilized by UV-C LEDs) or may not be flexed and may lie flat next to an object (e.g., a surface of an object desired to be sterilized). Flexible circuit board 101 may be actuated so it can be flexed around different objects or placed next to an object so one device may be used in different configurations to change the location of elements of circuit board 101 to sterilize different objects and/or surfaces.

Circuit board 101 may include multiple rows and columns of UV-C LEDs and each UV-C LED, row of UV-C LEDs, and/or column of UV-C LEDs may be, for example, independently controlled (e.g., by processor 106 via additional circuitry such as additional circuitry 107). Circuit board 101 may include, for example, rows of three (or more) UV-C LEDs and columns of five (or more) UV-C LEDs). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that rows may include the same number of UV-C LEDs or a different number of UV-C LEDs than other rows. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that columns of UV-C LEDs may include the same or different number of UV-C LEDs than other columns. A row of UV-C LEDs may have, for example, six UV-C LEDs so that if circuit board 101 is rolled around a tube in a particular manner that the UV-C LED row provides a hexagonal disc around that tube. Each column may then, for example, provide another hexagonal disc of UV-C LEDs.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that circuit board 101 may be folded to provided UV-C LEDs facing in two (or more directions), left unfolded so the UV-C LEDs face in a single direction, wrapped around an object so the UV-C LEDs face into the object, folded inside of an object (e.g., a tube) so the UV-C LEDs face outside of the object, wrapped around an object (e.g., a bronchoscopy or proble) with the UV-C LEDs facing away from that object, or in any form to provide UV-C LED light to any object or objects. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that circuit board 101 may have UV-C LEDs on a single side of board 101 or multiple sides of board 101.

Cross section 110 shows a cross-section of flexible circuit board 113 including UV-C LEDs 114 and 115 inside of a tube having an interior surface 112 and an exterior surface 111. Such a tube may be cylindrical in shape or may have a non-cylindrical shape. Any UV-C material utilized with a sterilization device may be UV-C transparent and may have UV-C transparency greater than fifty percent (50%), greater than seventy percent (e.g., 70%), greater than eighty percent (80%), or greater than ninety percent (e.g., 90%). Such a UV-C transparent material may be, for example, quartz. Cross section 110 may, for example, include a cross section that includes two or more UV-C LEDs such as three or more UV-C LEDS or six or more UV-C LEDs. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that cross-section 110 may be provided such that a flexible circuit board having UV-C LEDs is inserted into a rigid or flexible tube that is UV-C transparent to be placed in a cavity of a living organism (e.g., a nasal, throat, or lung cavity) in order to sterilize material placed about the tube having outer surface 111 and inner surface 112 from contaminants (e.g., viruses). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a thinner thickness between inner surface 111 and 112 of any tube used in connection with a sterilization device may provide more UV-C light to penetrate through inner wall 11 and 112 to interact with a working material. Accordingly, the thickness between inner surface 111 and 112 may be, for example, at or between half a millimeter and four millimeters (e.g., at or between half a millimeter and two and a half millimeters such as at or between a millimeter and two millimeters). For example, the thickness of a UV-C transparent material may be approximately two millimeters in thickness.

Side view 140 shows a side view of a cylinder with a flexible circuit board having UV-C LEDs wrapped around the cylinder. More particularly, side view 140 includes flexible circuit board 141 wrapped around a cylinder that has multiple UV-C LEDs such as UV-C LEDS 142, 143, 144, and 145. UV-C LEDs and 143 may be part of a UV-C disc that includes three or more UV-C LEDs. For example, the far side (not shown) of side view 140 may include a single UV-C LED aligned with UV-C LED 142 and 143 to provide a three UV-C LED disc around a hallow cylinder when placed around a hollow cylinder. UV-C LEDs may be facing into the hollow cylinder to provide UV-C light into a working area inside of the hollow cylinder in order to interact (e.g., sterilize) material (e.g., virus) in and/or moving through that working area. UV-C LED 142 may be aligned with UV-C LED 144 and UV-C LED 143 (and other UV-C LEDs) may be aligned with 145 (and other UV-C LEDs), respectively, so that the UV-C LEDs of multiple discs and/or rows are aligned with each other when wrapped around an object.

Cross-sectional view 120 shows circuit board 123 that may include one more UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LED 124) located around a UV-C transparent hollow cylinder provided by interior wall 121 and exterior wall 122.\

Cross-sectional view 130 shows circuit board 131 located around a hollow cylinder that included an interior wall 132 and an exterior wall 133. Circuit board 131 may have one or more UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LEDs 134 and 135).

Side view 150 shows flexible circuit board 152 wrapped around a hollow cylinder such that LED discs are formed that are staggered from one another. For example, UV-C LED 153 may be associated with two ore more UV-C LEDs located on the far side of the cylinder while UV-C LEDs 152 and 154 may be associated with one or more UV-C LEDs located on the far side of the cylinder. Each UV-C LED disc may have the same (or different) number of UV-C LEDs but, for example, these UV-C LED discs may be staggered such that material flowing through the cylinder at different locations may have staggered UV-C LEDs that may be closer to the material than if the UV-C LEDs were not staggered with respect to one another. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple UV-C discus, rows, or columns may be staggered in two or more configurations 9 e.g., three or more configurations) and multiple groups of UV-C LEDs may be staggered differently than different groups of UV-C LEDS.

Device 160 shows a stepped hollow cylinder 162 that has three circuit boards, each having multiple UV-C LEDs wrapped around different portions of the stepped hollow cylinder. For example, circuit boards (e.g., circuit board 101 of FIG. 1) may be placed (e.g., wrapped around) portions 162, 163, and 164. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple circuit boards (e.g., circuit board 101 of FIG. 1) may be independently controlled via the same of different firmware on each board. Multiple circuit boards may be coupled to a processor and/or circuit board located outside of the boards with UV-C LEDs. A circuit board with UV-C LEDs may act as a master control circuit board to another circuit board with UV-C LEDs that acts as a slave circuit board such that the master control circuit board controls the slave circuit board.

Cross-sectional view 170 includes circuit board 173 around a hollow cylinder including interior wall 171 and exterior wall 172. The cylinder, as in any structure that is provided to include a working space in that structure, may be UV-C transparent. Circuit board 173 may include one or more UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LED 176) that faces into the walls 171 and 172 such that UV-C light from UV-C LED 176 passes through walls 172 and 172 to impact the working space provided by wall 171. A material, e.g. air, may be flowed through the working space provided by wall 171 so that UV-C LEDs may impact (e.g., sterilize) that material from contaminants (e.g., virus and/or bacteria). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a flexible circuit board having UV-C LEDs may be laminated into the hollow cylinder itself (e.g., between walls 171 and 172. Such a configuration may, for example, provide UV-C LEDs closer to the working space. A fan, or other material movement system, may be provided to impact the speed that material is moving through the working space.

Post 175 may be UV-C transparent and may include UV-C LED 174. Configuration 181 may be provided in place of UV-C 174 and may include multiple UV-C LEDs. Any UV-C LED may be tilted at an angle on any axis in order to provide UV-C LED light in any direction. UV-C LEDs 182, 183, 184 may be provided on structure 185 and may be tilted differently on one or more axis from each other).

UV-C LEDs 174 or any UV-C LED located outside of a circuit board (e.g. circuit board 173) may be communicatively coupled (e.g., coupled by a physical conductor) to circuit board 173 so that circuit board 173 may control one or more UV-C LEDs located outside of circuit board 173.

A working space may be any working space in any device such as a ventilator device. In providing UV-C sterilization in a ventilator device any air flowing through that ventilator device (e.g., air entering, flowing through, or exiting) the device may be sterilized.

FIG. 2 shows device 200 that may include housing 213. A hollow cylinder may be fluidically coupled to mateable portion 217 and mateable portion 218 so that a working substance (e.g., air in a ventilator) may pass through mateable portion 217, through the cylinder, and through mateable portion 218. Mateable portion 217 may be a male mateable part that fits into female mateable part (e.g., mateable part 218 may be a female mateable part). In doing so, tubing used in, for example, medical devices such as ventilators may be coupled to mateable portion 217 and 218 such that a working substance flowing through the ventilator is temporarily redirected through device 210. Circuit board 219 may include UV-C LEDs (e.g. UV-C LEDs 220, 221, and 222) around a cylinder that circuit board 2019 is wrapped around). One or more heat sinks (e.g., heat sinks 216 and 223) may be wrapped around a portion or all of circuit board 219 to draw heat generated from circuitry and UV-C LEDs away from the working space (e.g., the space inside of the cylinder). The cylinder may be a UV-C transparent material (e.g., quartz) and may include a thickness between an inner wall and an outer wall between approximately 1.5 millimeters and 2.5 millimeters (e.g., approximately 2 millimeters). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that heat sink 210 and 223 may be a single heat sink wrapped around circuit board 219 wrapped around a hollow cylinder (or other structure providing a working space). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a cylinder or other structure may not be provided and circuit board 219 may define the working space itself. For example, circuit board 2019 may be wrapped into a cylinder and a working material may be followed through that cylinder. A protective layer may be placed (e.g., sprayed or placed) on one or more portions of one or more surfaces of the circuit board to provide protection for the circuit board from any working material.

Device 210 may include one or more batteries 215 and 224. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that batteries 215 and 224 may be separate batteries or a single battery wrapped around housing 213. Batteries may be rechargeable or permanent and removable and replaceable. Charging circuitry may be provided. External power may recharge the power or, for example, may power circuitry of device 210 directly. Switching and regulation circuitry may control, for example, when external power (e.g., wall power) is utilized to charge a rechargeable battery and/or power circuitry of device 210 directly. Manual interfaces 211 may be included such as, for example, to turn device 210 ON/OFF and or change modes or enter other input data into device 210 (e.g., configure device settings and or device modes). Visual indicators 212 may be a bi-stable or non bi-stable display and/or single-color light source(s) and/or multiple color light source(s). A visual indicator may be a two-color display (e.g., black and white or two tone display) or a several color display (e.g., a color display) and may include an interface for the consumer. Visual indicators 212 may include the status of device 210 Status may include, for example, status information such as, for example, whether device 210 is operating properly or incorrectly as well as data associated with the device. For example, device 210 may provide a visual indication of a low battery, broken part (e.g., broken UV-C LED). Audio indicators may also be provided such as speakers. Audio and/or visual information may be provided such as, for example, when a battery is less than a particular amount of charge (e.g., less than twenty percent or less than ten percent of charge) or when a software update is available. External ports 214 may be provided anywhere on housing 213 such as on mateable port 217 and 218 such that external power and/or control and/or data input/output may be provided. By including external ports 214 on mateable portions multiple devices can be physically coupled together and the coupled devices may communicate to each other (e.g., control and power each other). Any number of devices 210 may be coupled to one another to, for example, provide a multiple or several device array or, for example, to increase the sterilization impact on a working substance. Two or more devices 210 may be coupled to a ventilator. Two or more devices 210 may be coupled to different parts of a ventilator or may be coupled adjacently to a single part of a ventilator.

Devices 230 are provided that include device 232 having mateable portions 231 and 233, device 235 having mateable portions 234 and 236 and device 328 having mateable portions 237 and 239. A working substance can be flowed (e.g., pushed and/or pulled) through an opening in mateable portion 231 and through devices 232, 235, and 238 to be expelled through an opening in mateable portion 239.

Devices 240 may be provided and may include devices 241, 243, 244, 246, 247, 248, and 250. Adaptors 242 and 225 may be included to create a joined working space between any number of devices. Adaptor 242 may, for example, fluidically couple device 241 to device 243 and 244. Adaptor 245 may, for example, fluidically coupled devices 243 and 244 to devices 246, 247, 249, and 250.

FIG. 3 shows ventilator 310 that may include housing 311 tubing 312 and device 313 that may include device 313 for providing UV-C light to the working substance provided by tubing 312. Deice 313 may be, for example, any UV-C generating device included herein such as, for example, device 100 of FIG. 1.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a UV-C generating device may have liquid and/or gas flowed through it from any structure. Accordingly, for example, a UV-C sterilization device may be placed about an input and/or output and/or filter port to any device such as a face mask. Accordingly, for example, a face mask wearer (e.g., a military, police, firefighter, caregiver) may enjoy improved protection against contaminants (e.g., bacteria and/or virus). Configuration 320 may be provided that may include UV-C sterilization device 322 fluidically coupled to an air channel of mask 321. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple UV-C sterilization devices may be coupled to one or more air channels of mask 321.

Configuration 330 of FIG. 3 shows device 331 coupled to UV-C generating device 332. Device 331 may be, for example, an substance cooler, substance heater, substance fan, and may be fluidically coupled to provide the substance worked on, expelled, or input into device 331 through device 332 to provide, for example, sterilization capability.

Configuration 340 may be provided any may include device 341 fluidically coupled to device 343 through UV-C generation device 342 such that a substance moved between device 341 and 343 may be sterilized by, for example, device 342.

Configuration 350 may include device 353 communicatively coupled to UV-C generating device 351 via physical or wireless communications 353 such that information and controls may be provided between device 353 and device 351.

Configuration 360 may be included that includes device 353 fluidically coupled to device 261 and communicatively coupled to device 264. Device 264 may also be communicatively coupled or fluidically coupled to device 261. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that device 362 may be communicatively coupled to multiple or several other devices as well as fluidically coupled to multiple or several other devices.

A UV-C generating circuit (e.g., circuit 101) may be elongated and may be placed at the bottom of a wand with the UV-C LEDs facing through a UV-C transparent material so that a surface may be sterilized. Device 410 includes housing 412, handle 411, and a UV-C generating device 413 where UV-C is generated outside of housing 412 in order to provide sterilization in the proximity of where UV-C light from UV-C generating device 413 leaves housing 412. Person skilled in the art will appreciate that a portion of housing 412 may be UV-C transparent (e.g., quartz or another UV-C transparent material). Handle 411 may have a smaller length than housing 412 or may have a length that is more than half of the length of housing 412.

Device 420 may include housing 425, and UV-C generating device wrapped around substance flow channel. A UV-C generating device may have a portion of the device that provides UV-C generation and a portion that does not provide UV-C generation so that both portions wrap around a working channel. Working area 421 of a UV-C generation device may be the area of a flexible circuit board that generates UV-C light.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a UV-C generating device may be provide for sanitizing surfaces by providing a planar UV-C generating surface that generates UV-C extending out from a device. Accordingly, a UV-C wand or UV-C broom may be provided. A UV-C wand and/or UV-C broom may have any structures and components of any UV-C generating device herein (e.g., a visual spectrum LED next to a light guide so that light from the LED causes the light guide to illuminate the color of the LED). Such a visible spectrum LED may be placed around the working area of the UV-C so that when the device is ON and emitting UV-C light, the consumer is provided with a visual reference where the UV-C light is emanating and hitting. Any UV-C generating device may include sensors that may determine, for example, direction of movement, position, velocity, direction of orientation, and/or acceleration along one, multiple, or several axis.

FIG. 4 shows insertable 430 that may be inserted into a workflow channel. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that an insertable may be provide that may be utilized for every use of a UV-C generator or for a period of time. In doing so, a UV-C generators working channel may be cleaned by removing and replacing and insertable. An insertable may be rigid and may be provided in one or more portions. An insertable may be flexible. Insertable 430 include an air channel that permits a working substance (e.g., air and/or liquid) to flow through portion 431, body 440, and portion 436. Insertable 430 may be inserted into, for example, device 420. Portion 431 and 436 may or may not be provided. One or more portions 431 and 436 may provide a stop by extending in a direction that body 440 does not extend to in order to provide a mechanical stop against a structure (e.g., a structure in device 420). Gating structures 433 and 434 may be, for example, positioned adjacent to or within the proximity of the edges of working area 421 of device 420. The surfaces, or portions of the surfaces, of any gate may be UV-C reflective and/or UV-C transparent. For example, the surfaces of gates interior (e.g., facing) a UV-C working area (e.g., working area 421) may be UV-C reflective in order to increase the amount of UV-C light redirected into the UV-C working area that may otherwise escape if not for a UV-C reflective gate.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that gates may be utilized to block and/or change the speed and/or flow of particulates, as well as speed and/or flow of the working substance, moving through a channel that includes a gate. For example, gate 452 may include apertures 451 and 452 that permits working substance to flow through gate 450. For example, gate 460 may have apertures 662 and 463. Apertures in gates may be aligned or not aligned. For example, one, more than one, or all may be aligned or not aligned in one, multiple, several, or all gates. For example, apertures in gate 450 and 460 may all not be aligned with one another between the apertures in gate 450 and the apertures in gate 460. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that aperture may be partially aligned. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that apertures may be rectangular, square, elliptical, triangular, or any shape. Gates may have apertures that change dimensions as substance goes deeper through a gate (e.g., a conical aperture structure). F

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a tube (e.g., a quartz or UV-C reflective plastic) tube may be utilized to provide structure for a working substance to flow through in a UV-C generating device. The tube may have internal structure along the tube to force the working substance to over a longer length than the length of the tube. For example, device 460 shows multiple instances of cross sections of a tube. At each cross section a structure forces the air to move (e.g., twist such as a spiral) around the tube. For example, housing cross-section 461 includes internal structure 462 that is located in a different position than internal structure 464 of housing cross-section 463. Accordingly, a continuous twisting structure may be provided in a working channel that provides one, or more, channels for a substance to flow and twice around a channel in order to, for example, increase the distance the substance has to travel and also provide additional points of contacts for particles to hit (e.g., potentially slow particles and/or change the trajectory of particles). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that one, two, three, four, five, six, or more than six full twists may occur in a working channel so that working substance may have to circulate the respective amount of times around an axis of a working channel while flowing through the working channel.

Cross sections 470 shows housing cross-sections 471 and 474 and internal tube structures 472 and 474. Cross sections 480 includes housing cross-sections 481 and 484 and internal tube structures 482, 485, 483, and 486. Several (e.g., three, four, five, or more than five) tubes may be provided in a channel and such tubes may be twisted to provide multiple pathways for working substance over larger distances than the length of the working channel itself that the tubes are provided in. Persons skilled in the art may appreciate that the area around the tubes may also be utilized to move working substances. All or a portion or multiple portions of internal structures may be UV-C transparent and/or UV-C reflective. UV-C generating devices may include wall mounting such that device 430 may be mounted on a wall.

FIG. 5 shows topology 500 that may include UV-C generating devices 205 that may include one or more UV-C arrays of LEDs coupled through communications 501 to one or more internets and/or networks 502, one or more remote databases and/or servers 503, one or more third party data services 504 (e.g., medical data services for a patient utilizing a UV-C generating device), one or more other devices 507 (e.g., one or more other medical devices for a patient using a UV-C generating device), one or more other services 510 (e.g., a service that provides data regarding other UV-C generating devices), one or more third party services 509 (e.g., timing/clock services for the timing/clock of a UV-C generating devices), and/or one or more pheripherals 508 (e.g., external displays, external batteries).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV-C generation devices may be utilized for surface sanitization such as sanitization of organic or inorganic material.

Flow chart 560 includes step 561 that includes providing a probe into an object such as a body of a living creature or an inanimate object. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a probe may be inserted, for example, through an orifice of a living creature (e.g., mouth and/or nose) or through an incision or other opening artificially introduced to the body. A probe may have one or more UV-C generators in the probe and the UV-C generator may provide UV-C light outside of the probe (e.g., via a UV-C transparent material) and/or one or more UV-C generators may be provided about the exterior of the probe and may include a UV-C transparent protective layer. UV-C element may be turned ON in step 562 to emit UV-C light. The UV-C light generation may be turned OFF in step 563 while a probe is moved to another location. UV-C generator may be turned ON, for example, when the probe is moving part a particular object or when the probe is stopped again.

Flow chart 570 may include step 571 in which a probe may enter the body of a living creature or an inanimate object (or an inanimate object before a living creature). One or more UV-C generators may be turned on in step 572. The probe may be moved while UV-C is ON in step 573. UV-C element may be turned off ins step 573. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more UV-C generators may operate in the same or different modes of operation at different locations as a probe travels through a pre-determined path or a non pre-determined path. The probe may be controlled via manual input or automated input or a combination of manual and automated inputs at the same time or at different times.

Flow chart 580 may be included and may include step 581 in which a living creature's body may be opened in step 581. For example, a chest cavity may be opened or an incision may be created so that a probe may be taken to the outside and/or inside of one or more organs. One or more UV-C generators may be brought around a working area (e.g., the exterior of one or more lungs and a UV-C treatment may be applied in step 583). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple UV-C treatments may be provided at the same time such as one UV-C source outside an organ (e.g., lung) and one UV-C treatment inside an organ (e.g., the same lung). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that these UV-C treatments may be operated in different modes (e.g., the intensity, wavelength, pulse rate, and rest rate, of UV-C light from a UV-C generator source may be different (e.g., greater or smaller) for a UV-C generator outside an organ than inside that organ. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a UV source may be provided that is outside UV-C (e.g., UV-B) and a UV source outside an organ may be one type of UV source (e.g., UV-B) while a UV source inside an organ may be a different type of UV-source (e.g., UV-C). For example, a UV-C source outside an organ may be in the range of 280 to 305 nanometers and a UV-C source inside an organ may be in the range of 200 to 280 nanometers. Multiple UV sources may be placed around an organ (e.g., two, three, four) and the UV sources may have multiple or several UV LEDs focusing on a particular area of an organ or focusing on different areas of an organ. Similarly, multiple or several UV generators may generate light focused on the same area of an organ or different areas of an organ. The UV-C light may be applied at the same time. After a treatment occurs, a body may be closed in step 384.

FIG. 6 includes device 600 that may include one or more processors 601, one or more manual inputs 602, one or more displays and/or visual indicators 603, one or more humidity detectors 605, one or more flow detectors 605, one or more contact and/or contactless input and/or output ports 606, one or more speakers and/or microphones, one or more temperature sensors 6oi (e.g., to sense temperature in a working space), one or more pressure sensors 610 (e.g., pressure sensing for sensing pressure in a working space) and/or other sensors (e.g., metal sensors UV-C transparency sensors), one or more image and/or data capture devices 610 (e.g., a visible and/or infrared or other spectrum camera or data capture device), one or more light-emitting diodes and or other light emitting sources 612 (e.g. UV-C LEDs and/or UV-C light emitting sources), one or more sources of energy 613 (e.g., rechargeable and/or removable batteries), one or more internet or intranet connectivity devices 614, one or more slave and/or master devices 615, one or more auxiliary data storage devices 616 (e.g., a remote server), and one or more peripherals 618 (e.g., an external display to display information from a UV-C generating device). Device 600 may include any number of sensors to determine the movement of device 600.

FIG. 7 includes flow chart 710 that includes step 711 in which UV light (e.g., UV-C light) is generated in a working area (e.g., a surface and/or three dimensional volume such as a channel in a tube). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a working channel (e.g., a tube) may get dirty and, as a result, UV-C may be blocked from operating on the working surface. A UV-C detection circuit may be provided to detect, for example, when this occurs by detecting a lowered amount of UV-C light past a threshold for a period of time. Alternatively, for example, visible light sources (e.g., visible light LEDs) may be provided and may be used to illuminate a working substance in a working area (e.g., a tube) and visible light detectors may be utilized to determine degraded performance by, for example, sensing degraded visible light for a period of time. A self-cleaning process may be utilized (e.g., turning on a motor of a fan to push the working substance through the working tube at a different rate) upon detection of a dirty working channel and/or an indicator may be provided that is human perceivable (e.g., light and/or sound) or that is machine readable (e.g., via a wired and/or wireless data connection). Step 713 may detect if generate light is provided beyond (e.g., below or above) one or more thresholds. The intensity of the light may also be, for example, changed (e.g., increased) and/or any light generation rest period (if any) may be changed (e.g., decreased) in step 716 in order to, for example, counteract a dirty channel. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a working material may have different optical properties at different times and such different optical properties may be utilized to change the mode of operation of one or more light sources (e.g., UV-C light sources). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate, for example, that a UV-C generator device may be utilized with a channel (e.g., a tube) with blood flowing (e.g., being pushed or pulled) through the tube). Such a process may be, for example, utilized to perform a cleaning process to blood during a dialysis or transfusion. Generated light may be turned OFF in step 717.

Flow Chart 730 may be included and may include detection of movement of a device (e.g., a device with one or more UV-C sources (e.g., LEDs). The operation of light sources may be changed, for example based on the velocity of the device (e.g., step 732). The operation of the device may be changed based on, for example, the acceleration of the device in step 733. The operation of the device (e.g., change of mode of operation of UV-C generation) may be changed based on a movement profile in step 734. Operation may be changed based on position of a device in step 735. A visual alarm may be triggered in step 736 and/or an audio alarm may be triggered in step 737 (or, for example, a computer perceivable alarm) and such alarms may be associated with changes of modes of operations or based on changes in position, movement, movement profile, velocity, and/or acceleration.

A UV-C generating device, or another device (e.g., a real-time or static image capture device), may measure the dimensions of a working area in step 761 or another attribute of a working area (e.g., density and/or size). The mode of operation of a UV-C generation device (e.g., intensity, turning ON of particular LEDs of particular wavelengths, pulse rate) may be changed based on the measured dimensions in step 763 after, for example, the mode of operation is determined in step 762. Data may be provided to a database in step 764 such as data associated with the measurements, determinations, and impact of the operation of the UV-C generator on a working substance and the data may be utilized to change the attributes od determinations (e.g., thresholds) based on such data (e.g., measured result of the impact on a working area of a mode of operation) by determined correlations on past and/or present data and such correlations may be provided to another device (e.g., to another UV-C device that is operated on the same working substance and/or located remotely (e.g., via a remote database in communication with several UV-C generators).

FIG. 8 may be included and may include circuit board having UV-C LEDs located around all or a part of the perimeter of a working channel 811 (e.g., the outside of a tube) in housing 812.

Device 820 may include flexible circuit board 821 that may include one, multiple, or several LEDs (e.g., LEDS 822 and 823) as well as processor 824, circuitry 824, and communication ports 826 and 327. A reflective material may be provided over or coated over board 821 such as UV-C reflective material 861. Apertures such as apertures 862 and 863 may be provided that align with UV-C LEDs. For example, Aperture 862 may align with UV-C LED 822 and aperture 863 may align with UV-C LED 823. Apertures may be smaller, the same size, or larger than UV-C LEDs associated with the apertures. An aperture may be associated with multiple or several UV-C LEDs.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a tube may be provided that has less than 0.1 cmH20 of resistivity (e.g. less than 0.05 cmH20 or less than 0.02 cmH20 of resistivity). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a UV-C generator may provide UV-C energy greater than 10 j/m{circumflex over ( )}2 (e.g., greater than 30 j/m{circumflex over ( )}2 or greater than 80 j/m{circumflex over ( )}2).

Device 850 may include a housing that has a tube 855 surrounded by reflective surface 854 and circuit board 852 that includes one or more UV-C LEDs facing into the working channel of tube 855. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that no UV-C reflective material may be provided around a UV-C LED so that UV-C LED light is provided past the UV-C reflective material. UV-C reflective material may be reflective from the perspective of the channel so light generated into tube 855 may be reflected and kept in tube 855. Tube 855 may be UV-C transparent (e.g., quarts or a UV-C transparent polymer). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a tube may be created from UV-C reflective material (e.g., UV-C transparent polymer) and may have UV-C transparent windows (e.g., quartz or UV-C polymer) where UV-C LEDs are deployed on circuit board 852. Heat shield may be included around circuit board 852 and may be in contact with circuit board 852. Batteries (e.g., battery 858 and 583) may be provided in extended housing portions 851 and 857, respectively. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that providing extensions that include batteries may distance batteries from heat sources (e.g., UV-C lights and heat transfer materials such as aluminum). Housing extensions may also provide the housing with surfaces for human interaction (e.g., holding) so that humans do not need to interact with a housing material close to a heat transfer material or that is a heat transfer material. The housing of a UV-C generator may be comprised of a heat distribution/shield material in certain locations and non heat distribution shield materials in other locations. Accordingly, a heat shield/distribution material may be exposed to a circuit board with UV-C LEDs on one side and atmosphere outside the housing on the other side of the heat shield/distribution material. Powered heat distribution may be included such a air exhalation (e.g., air fans) or liquid heat transfer (e.g., cooled liquid moving past heat generation elements such as UV-C LEDs).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate, for example, that a UV-C reflective polymer with apertures to align with UV-C LEDs from a circuit board may be heated onto a UV-C transparent material with higher melting temperature to form the UV-C reflective material around the UV-C transparent material (e.g., quartz).

Device 910 of FIG. 9 includes device 815 that may travel through a structure such as an animate or inanimate object. Structure 915 may be a flexible cylindrical device with one or more mechanically actuated movable portions (e.g., a bronchoscopy or a probe to enter an incision of a body). One or more working channels 917 and 916 may be provided in which objects (e.g., flexible circuit boards with UV-C LEDs may be inserted, moved through, deployed, and/or positioned in). Structure 914 may provide attachment and support of circuit board 911 to probe 915 and may include UV-C LEDs 912 and 913. Support structure 914 may provide a circuit board that is wider than probe 915. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the intensity of UV-C generation for particular structures (e.g., the lung) may benefit from additional UV-C light than able to be provided in and/or through a working channel of a probe (e.g., working channel 917 and 916). Circuit board 920 may be provided that may include UV-C LEDS 922 and 923. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a circuit board (e.g., circuit board 911) may have any number of UV-C rows and columns (e.g., two or more columns of 6 or more rows). Circuit board 930 may include rows that include three UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LEDs 932-934). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more protective layers (e.g., UV-C transparent polymer may be provided over a circuit board (e.g., between LEDS 912 and 913 of device 910 and a working substance) and the surface facing a working substance may have UV-C reflectivity in portions outside the UV-C transmission area of UV-C LEDS 912 and 913).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a circuit board (e.g., a circuit board on device 910 of FIG. 9) may be a convex circuit board and/or dish or a concave circuit board and/or dish. For example, dish 940 may be included with perimeter 943 and UV-C LEDS (e.g., UV-C LEDS 941 and 942). Dish 941 may be, for example, concave. Device 950 may be included and may include UV-C LEDs (e.g., UV-C LEDS 953 and 954). Circuit board 952 may be curved (e.g., concave and/or convey) and may include a curved heat management device (e.g., convex and/or concave heat shield). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a circuit board flexed into a dish may include a heat shield that is also flexed into a dish.

FIG. 10 shows topology 1010. Topology 1010 may include UV generating device 1011 placed outside of object 1012 such as, for example, a living organism or an inanimate object. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV generating device may include one or more UV sources such as UV-C and/or UV-B sources. UV generating device 101 may be utilized to treat parts of a living organism located inside of a living organism from outside the body of that living organism.

Topology 1020 includes object 1021 which may be a living organism or an inanimate object. UV generating device 1022 may be placed inside of object 1021 and outside of object 1023 which may be an inanimate object or a part of a living organism such as an organ such as a lung. UV-C generating unit may be utilized to treat the organ with UV light (e.g., UV-C and/or UV-B light). UV generation device 1022 may be introduced into a body of an individual through an incision and/or the opening of a cavity such as a chest cavity. Persons skilled in the at will appreciate that multiple UV generating devices may be placed inside of a body and outside of an organ for treatment of a organ.

Topology 1030 includes object 1032 which may be an inanimate object or a living organism (e.g., a human). UV generating device 1031 may be placed outside of object 1035 (e.g., an organ such as a lung) while UV-C generating device 1033 may be placed inside of object 1035. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV-generating device 1031 may include one or more UV-B sources of light (e.g., UV-B mercury tubes and/or UV-B LEDs) and may provide UV-B light in the approximate range of 280 to 305 nanometers (e.g., approximately 295 to 305 nanometers) to provide UV-B light to treat organ 1035. UV generating device 1031 may provide UV-C light in the range of wavelengths of 200 nanometers to 280 nanometers. UV-C generating device 1033 may provide UV-C light from the wavelengths of 200 nanometers to 280 nanometers (e.g., approximately 255 to 265 nanometers). Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV generating device 1031 may include UV light that penetrates to at least half a distance from a perimeter of an organ to an internal orifice from outside an organ while UV-C generating device 1033 may penetrate at least half a distance from an internal orifice to outside an orifice from inside the organ. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that UV generating device 1031 may penetrate a further distance than UV-C device 1031 (and that UV-C device 1031 may provide, for example, UV-B light). A probe having a UV-C generating device may be located both inside and outside an organ. A probe may be, for example, operable to reach the L3 as well as L4 regions of the lung and may include a UV-C generating device wrapped around the probe, attached to one or more sides of a probe, and/or providing in one or more working channels of a probe (e.g., and able to telescope and actuate from a working channel of a probe).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that heat may be controlled by turning a UV generating device OFF or lowering the intensity. For example, a UV generating source outside of an organ may be ON for a period of time and OFF for more than the period of time the device was ON (e.g., the time a device is OFF for longer than 1.1, 1.25, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, or 5 times the time the device was ON) and this ON and OFF sequence may repeat several times.

Person skilled in the art will appreciate that a UV-C generating device having an airflow channel for sanitizing working material moving through the working channel may have a mouth piece on one side so that a user may insert it directly into their mouth for inhalation or exhalation. A nose-clip may be attachable to (and removable from) the UV-C generating device. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the working channel (e.g., defined by a tube) may have a length that is under approximately twelve inches (e.g., under approximately six inches or under approximately three inches).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that elements of any device herein may be utilized in any device herein. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the present invention is not limited to only the embodiments described. Instead, the present invention more generally involves UV-C focus, amplification, and control. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the apparatus of the present invention may be implemented in other ways then those described herein. All such modifications are within the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A structure comprising:

a tube having a length of flow longer than the length of the tube;

a flexible circuit board including a plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes, wherein said flexible circuit board is wrapped around said tube with said plurality of UV-C light emitting diodes facing towards the center of said tube, wherein the resistivity of said tube is less than 0.1 cmH20.