Patent ID: 9093258
Filing Date: 2015-07-28
Classification: A61L,G02B,H01J

Abstract:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a u-shaped discharge lamp configured to emit ultraviolet light and visible light; a power circuit configured to operate the u-shaped discharge lamp; and an optical filter arranged adjacent to the u-shaped discharge lamp, wherein the optical filter is configured to attenuate a majority amount of visible light emitted from the discharge lamp, wherein the optical filter comprises multiple panels which attenuate visible light, wherein the multiple panels are fused together or joined by one or more support structures, and wherein a spacing between two parallel sections of the u-shaped discharge lamp is larger than a width of a fused area between two of the multiple panels or is larger than a width of one of the support structures; and a support structure containing the power circuit and supporting the discharge lamp, wherein the apparatus is configured such that at least some ultraviolet light emitted from the discharge lamp and passed through the optical filter is propagated to a region which encircles an exterior surface of the apparatus, and wherein the ultraviolet light propagated to the encircling region during an operation of the apparatus collectively occupies the entirety of the encircling region.