Abstract:
Typical prior art circuits for ignition and operation of UV lamps do not optimize power usage through the whole cycle of ignition and ongoing operation. Typically, the higher power required to initially ignite the UV lamp is not diminished once the UV lamp is burning brightly and at a desired temperature. The circuit of the present invention utilizes a sensor to monitor the light emitted from the UV lamp and a sensor to measure the temperature of the device containing the UV lamp as voltage is applied to it. Once the constant light and desired temperature are achieved, the voltage boost converter is latched away and constant lower voltage is provided to the UV lamp from that point forward, thus optimizing the energy consumption or the energy used for a battery powered device incorporating a UV lamp.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62/358,472 filed on Jul. 5, 2016 titled “BATTERY POWERED CIRCUIT FOR IGNITION AND OPERATION OF A UV LAMP” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all that is taught and disclosed therein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This disclosure pertains to UV lamps and ignition and control circuits, and more particularly, to battery operated devices that incorporate a UV lamp and an ignition and control circuit. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    This Summary is provided to introduce in a simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
         [0004]    As used herein, “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together. When each one of A, B, and C in the above expressions refers to an element, such as X, Y, and Z, or class of elements, such as X 1 -Xm, Y 1 -Yn, and Z 1 -Zo, the phrase is intended to refer to a single element selected from X, Y, and Z, a combination of elements selected from the same class (e.g., X 1  and X 2 ) as well as a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Y 1  and Z 3  ). 
         [0005]    It is to be noted that the term “a entity” or “an entity” refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more,” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” can be used interchangeably. 
         [0006]    Unless the meaning is clearly to the contrary, all ranges set forth herein are deemed to be inclusive of the endpoints. 
         [0007]    The detailed description below describes an ignition and control circuit for a UV lamp within a battery powered device. The solution described below enables a sensor to monitor the light emitted from the UV lamp as voltage is applied to it. Once the constant light and desired temperature are achieved, the voltage boost converter is latched away and constant lower voltage is provided to the UV lamp from that point forward, thus optimizing the energy consumption or the energy used for a battery powered device incorporating a UV lamp. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a portable case for oral appliances in a closed position that uses UV light and optionally an ozone generator to kill bacteria and odor utilizing the circuit of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a portable case for oral appliances in an open position that uses UV light and optionally an ozone generator to kill bacteria and odor utilizing the circuit of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic/block diagram of an embodiment of a circuit for controlling a UV lamp of the prior art. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows a schematic/block diagram of an embodiment of a circuit for the ignition and operation of a UV lamp of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of an oral appliance that uses UV light to kill bacteria and odor utilizing the circuit of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  shows a flow chart of the method of operation of the battery-powered circuit for UV lamp ignition and operation of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  shows a flow chart of a safety operating method that runs continuously in the background when the device is powered on of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    To assist in the understanding of the present disclosure the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Table of Components 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Component 
                 # 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 oral appliance cleansing device 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 top half 
                 102 
               
               
                   
                 bottom half 
                 104 
               
               
                   
                 battery 
                 106 
               
               
                   
                 main printed circuit board 
                 108 
               
               
                   
                 lower inner shell 
                 110 
               
               
                   
                 lower UV lamp 
                 112 
               
               
                   
                 lower UV lens 
                 114 
               
               
                   
                 upper UV lens 
                 116 
               
               
                   
                 upper UV lamp 
                 118 
               
               
                   
                 upper inner shell 
                 120 
               
               
                   
                 user interface printed circuit board 
                 122 
               
               
                   
                 LEDs 
                 124 
               
               
                   
                 touch sensing pad 
                 126 
               
               
                   
                 cavity 
                 128 
               
               
                   
                 circuit 
                 300 
               
               
                   
                 battery-powered circuit 
                 400 
               
               
                   
                 method 
                 600 
               
               
                   
                 method 
                 700 
               
               
                   
                 battery power supply 
                 BAT 
               
               
                   
                 charge control 
                 CC 
               
               
                   
                 control unit 
                 CU 
               
               
                   
                 divider one 
                 D1 
               
               
                   
                 divider two 
                 D2 
               
               
                   
                 energy bank 
                 EB 
               
               
                   
                 housing 
                 H 
               
               
                   
                 temperature sensor 
                 TS 
               
               
                   
                 input signaling element 
                 ISE 
               
               
                   
                 boost coil 
                 L 
               
               
                   
                 light sensor 
                 LS 
               
               
                   
                 output 
                 M1 
               
               
                   
                 input 
                 M2 
               
               
                   
                 output 
                 M3 
               
               
                   
                 input 
                 M4 
               
               
                   
                 input 
                 M5 
               
               
                   
                 input 
                 M6 
               
               
                   
                 input 
                 M7 
               
               
                   
                 input 
                 M8 
               
               
                   
                 input 
                 M9 
               
               
                   
                 microprocessor 
                 MCU 
               
               
                   
                 measuring electrode 
                 ME 
               
               
                   
                 proximity detector 
                 PD 
               
               
                   
                 power input 
                 PI 
               
               
                   
                 power steering bridge 
                 PSB 
               
               
                   
                 shorting key terminal 
                 SKT 
               
               
                   
                 step-up transformer 
                 SUT 
               
               
                   
                 type coupler 
                 TC 
               
               
                   
                 UV lamp 
                 UV 
               
               
                   
                 voltage boost converter 
                 VBC 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring now to the Figures, in which like reference numerals refer to structurally and/or functionally similar elements thereof,  FIGS. 1 and 2  show a portable case for oral appliances in a closed position and an open position that uses UV light and optionally an ozone generator to kill bacteria and odor utilizing the circuit of the present invention. Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the oral appliance cleansing device  100 , shown in a closed position in  FIG. 1 , combines the antibacterial use of a UV light and optionally an ozone generator together in a single unit. Oral appliance cleansing device  100  is clean, compact, and easy to use.  FIG. 2  shows the portable case for oral appliances in an open position. A user places his or her oral appliance (not shown) inside oral appliance cleansing device  100  and closes a top half  102  against a bottom half  104 . In one embodiment, closing the top half  102  against the bottom half  104  activates the circuit that turns on the UV light and the optional ozone generator. In another embodiment, a mechanical switch (not shown), or a touch sensor (not shown), on the outside of oral appliance cleansing device  100  activates the circuit. 
         [0017]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of an oral appliances that uses UV light to kill bacteria and odor utilizing the circuit of the present invention. Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a battery  106  is inserted in a lower portion of bottom half  104 . Main printed circuit board  108  connects to and derives power from battery  106 . Lower inner shell  110  protects main printed circuit board  108  and battery  106 , and forms the bottom portion of a cavity  128  within oral appliance cleansing device  100  that will receive an oral appliance (not shown). Lower UV lamp  112  is covered by lower UV lens  114  and both are secured to the lower portion of lower inner shell  110 . 
         [0018]    User interface printed circuit board  122  secured between top half  102  and upper inner shell  120  and connects to main printed circuit board  108  (connections not shown). The user interface printed circuit board  122  houses several LEDs  124  to inform a user about the device status and is the primary function of user interface printed circuit board  122 . In addition, located on the user interface printed circuit board  122  is a touch sensing pad  126  made of copper that changes capacitance when a touch is made, similar to the way touch screens work. User interface printed circuit board  122  carries the signals that control the several LEDs  124  and senses touch input. The main printed circuit board  108  is where the lower UV lamp  112  and upper UV lamp  118  are controlled by a signal that is acquired from the user interface printed circuit board  122 . Microprocessor MCU is located on main printed circuit board  108  and is where the logic for operation of oral appliance cleansing device  100  resides. User interface printed circuit board  122  houses a tiny microprocessor that essentially collects information about touch events and generates the commands to activate the several LEDs  124 . 
         [0019]    Upper inner shell  120  forms the top portion of the cavity  128  within oral appliance cleansing device  100  that will receive an oral appliance (not shown). Upper UV lamp  118  is covered by upper UV lens  116  and both are secured to the upper portion of upper inner shell  120 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic/block diagram of an embodiment of a circuit  300  for controlling a UV lamp of the prior art. Referring now to  FIG. 3 , Output M 1  of the microprocessor unit MCU is connected to the input signaling element ISE which provides the means for command input, such as through touch sensing pad  126 , or in another embodiment, input buttons. Input M 2  to microprocessor unit MCU is connected to the output of proximity detector PD, whose input is connected to the specially shaped measuring electrode ME, which through a special type coupler TC is connected to the housing H. 
         [0021]    The output of power input terminal PI is connected to the input of divider one D 1 , the output of which is connected to an input M 5  of the microprocessor unit MCU. 
         [0022]    Output of power input terminal PI is connected to the input of the charge control CC, the output of which is connected to the input of the energy bank EB, the output of which is connected to the input of divider two D 2 , the output of which is connected to the input M 4  of microprocessor unit MCU. The output of the energy bank EB is connected with input of the power steering bridge PSB, which output is connected to the step-up transformer SUT, the output of which is connected to the input of the boost coil L which output is connected to UV lamp UV. The control input of the power steering bridge PSB is connected to the output M 3  of the microprocessor unit MCU. 
         [0023]    The method of operation of this prior art circuit  300  is as follows. A typical UV lamp requires a relatively high voltage to actually start the ignition of the lamp. The circuit uses a resonance effect of voltage resulting from a series connection of coil L and UV lamp UV. The microprocessor unit MCU controls the power steering bridge PSB with a square wave, which uses a step-up transformer SUT to generate high voltage on the boost coil L. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a battery-powered circuit  400  for controlling a UV lamp of the present invention. Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the description above in relation to  FIG. 3  for the elements MCU, PI, D 1 , D 2 , CC, ISE, PD, ME, TC, H, M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , M 4 , and M 5  apply to the similarly labeled elements in  FIG. 4 , and are not repeated here. 
         [0025]    Battery-powered circuit  400  for ignition and operation of UV lamp UV consists of battery power supply BAT. The positive terminal is input to a shorting key terminal SKT, which is connected along with the input to voltage boost converter VBC. The energy bank EB shown in  FIG. 3  is comparable to battery power supply BAT. Output of the shorting key terminal SKT and the output of voltage boost converter VBC are connected together and then connected to the input of power steering bridge PSB. Output of the power steering bridge PSB is connected to the input of step-up transformer SUT, the output of which is connected to the input of boost coil L, the output of which is connected to UV lamp UV. The light emitted by the UV lamp UV is received by light sensor LS, the output of which is connected to an input M 6  to the control unit CU. The heat emitted by the UV lamp UV is received by temperature sensor TS, the output of which is connected to an input M 7  to the control unit CU. In an alternative embodiment, temperature sensor TS is an integrated temperature sensor that is built into microprocessor MCU. The temperature of the whole device can thus be sensed allowing for the inclusion of sensing alarm features such as battery overheating. One thing is that it does not need to be physically connected to the processor—it can be one that is built in. The control unit CU is connected to the input M 3  of the power steering bridge PSB, the input M 9  of the voltage boost converter VBC, and the input M 8  of shorting key terminal SKT. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  shows a flow chart of the method of operation of the battery-powered circuit for UV lamp illumination of the present invention. Referring now to  FIG. 6 , method  600  begins in block  602  by connecting and switching on battery power supply BAT to the circuit  400 . In block  604  control unit CU starts the voltage boost converter VBC for a time t 1 , typically a few seconds. In block  606  control unit CU starts the generation of control pulses on the input of power steering bridge PSB, monitoring at the same time in block  608  the brightness level and/or flickering of UV lamp UV. In decision block  610 , if there is no ignition or low brightness level of the UV lamp UV, or UV lamp UV flickers, then in block  612  control unit CU increases the VBC. Block  614  determines whether the new operating voltage is within safe operational limits. If yes, then block  616  resets time t 1  in control unit CU and control returns to block  606 . 
         [0027]    If block  614  determines that parameters fall outside of safe operating limits, then block  618  disables control pulses on input of power steering bridge PSB and block  620  signals a critical system error. In block  621  control unit CU puts the device to sleep and the process ends. 
         [0028]    When control returns to block  606  the cycle is continued until the brightness level and lack of flickering is achieved. Brightness or lack thereof, and flickering or lack thereof, are measured with a photo diode of the light sensor LS, where the current from the light sensor LS is proportional to light intensity. In one embodiment, a predetermined value for the current indicates satisfactory brightness. Flickering is defined as an absence of light for a certain duration of time. In one embodiment flickering is determined by several light on/light off events within a span of a second. Flickering in another embodiment is determined by a lack of signal for a duration of 0.2 seconds between received signals. In other embodiments, the predetermined value for the current and the absence of light may be adjusted for specific applications. 
         [0029]    In decision block  610 , when the UV lamp UV reaches the expected level of brightness and it does not flicker, in block  622  the control unit VBC keeps the set parameters (the last voltage level used) for time t 2 , causing the UV lamp UV to heat up. The initial parameters for a particular device are determined experimentally and are pre-programmed into the microprocessor unit MCU for the device. Time t 2  varies based on multiple parameters, such as the ambient temperature and by manufacturing tolerances of components from device to device. Time t 2  will thus vary from device-to-device, and may range from several seconds to several minutes. If decision block  624  determines that the time t 2  has not expired, control returns to block  622 . If decision block  624  determines that the time t 2  has expired and stable lamp ignition has been achieved, then in block  626  the control unit CU disables the voltage boost converter VBC and latches the shorting key terminal SKT at the same time and constant lower voltage is provided to UV lamp UV. 
         [0030]    Decision block  628  determines if the temperature drops below the predetermined temperature stabilization range, or if flicker is detected. If either is yes, then in block  630  the voltage is increased and control returns to decision block  628 . If the determination in decision block  628  is no, control returns to this block for continued monitoring of the temperature and detection of flicker. The method ends when the circuit is powered off. 
         [0031]    Through this method, the UV lamp UV can be illuminated at any ambient temperature (the colder or hotter the ambient temperature is will affect the time to obtain the preheat temperature) and partial discharge of the battery. The battery power supply BAT will output lower voltage at a given load as the device operates. This lower voltage will impact input voltage to the voltage boost converter VBC and affect output voltage. 
         [0032]    Battery-powered circuit  400  takes advantage of actually closing a loop with the UV lamp UV and decreasing the voltage in the UV lamp UV once the UV lamp UV achieves the successful glow (no flickering) and once the temperature stabilizes. The control algorithm for powering the UV lamp UV monitors output of the UV lamp UV and controls input to the voltage boost converter VBC, referred to as a closed control loop. Temperature stabilization may vary from device-to-device and lamp-to-lamp. In one embodiment, temperature stabilization was achieved within +/− three degrees Celsius. In other embodiments, temperature stabilization may be less than or greater this range. 
         [0033]      FIG. 7  shows a flow chart of a safety operating method that runs continuously in the background when the device is powered on. Referring now to  FIG. 7 , method  700  begins in decision block  702  which determines if the temperature of the device stays below a safe operating temperature. If yes, control returns to this decision block for further monitoring to make sure the temperature does not rise to an unsafe level. If no, in block  704  the battery power circuit is disabled, and block  706  signals a critical system error and the method ends. 
         [0034]    In the circuit shown in  FIG. 3  the energy balance in the UV lamp UV is not optimized throughout the whole cycle. Energy is pumped the into UV lamp UV whether it needs it or not. Battery-powered circuit  400  shown in  FIG. 4  reduces the voltage after the UV lamp UV attains the right glow and temperature by means of the shorting key terminal SKT. Once the UV lamp UV is turned on and is successfully glowing, and once the temperature of the UV lamp UV actually reaches a little bit higher temperature, higher power is simply not needed (as is present in circuit  300 ) to sustain the illumination of UV lamp UV. Battery-powered circuit  400  shorts the connection and bypasses the voltage boost converter VBC to sustain UV lamp UV. Light sensor LS and temperature sensor TS monitor what is happening to the light and heat emitted by oral appliance cleansing device  100  as voltage is applied to it. Control unit CU makes decisions based on what light sensor LS and temperature sensor TS are picking up, and once the constant light and desired stabilized temperature are achieved, the voltage boost converter VBC is latched away and constant lower voltage is provided to UV lamp UV from that point forward. If the temperature of the UV lamp UV drops outside of the predetermined temperature stabilization range, the voltage is increased. Voltage will also be increased if flicker is detected, and if the temperature falls below the predetermined temperature stabilization range. Control unit CU resides in the microprocessor unit MCU as shown in  FIG. 4 . Battery-powered circuit  400  monitors what is happening to the light emitted by UV lamp UV when voltage is applied to it. Battery-powered circuit  400  closes the loop and optimizes the energy consumption or the energy used for a battery powered device. Although battery-powered circuit  400  is shown in a specific application of oral appliance cleansing device  100 , the principles taught by battery-powered circuit  400  could work with any UV light application, scaled up or down based on the size of the lamp. 
         [0035]    Having described the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in construction and circuitry and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the present invention.