IP Library Granted Patent US 11,522,989
Granted Patent B2
US 11,522,989 · App. 17/339,515 · Granted Dec 6, 2022

UV-C sanitizing phone case and mobile phone

Inventors: Douglas A Crosby (Port Huron, MI); Kevin Scott Beedon (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Crosby Innovations, LLC
H04M1/17A61L2/10A61L2/26A61N5/0624A61L2202/11A61L2202/14A61L2202/16A61L2202/26A61N2005/0651A61N2005/0661
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,522,989
App. No.
17/339,515
Granted
Dec 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A UV-C emitting phone case is provided that includes a main body defining a receiving cavity and a perimeter configured to receive and hold a mobile phone, surround a perimeter and a back portion of the phone. The phone case includes at least one UV-C light emitting diode (LED) positioned in the main body of the phone case and exposed on a back side of the phone case. It further includes a window for exposing the UV-C LED and optionally having a color metric to indicate if the light is being emitted, a power source built into the phone case and connected to the UV-C LED; an on/off switch coupled to the power source configured to activate and deactivate the UV-C LED; and an optional distance sensor to indicate a distance from a target surface to the UV-C LED.

Claims (29)

1. A UV-C emitting mobile device case comprising:

(a) a main body defining a receiving cavity and a perimeter configured to receive and hold a mobile device and surround a perimeter and a back portion of the mobile device configured to allow access to and exposure of a display screen of the mobile device;

(b) at least one UV-C light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit UV-C light from the LED at a wavelength between 200 and 250 nm and positioned in the main body of the mobile device case and exposed on a back side of the main body through a window; and

(c) a power source built into the mobile device case and connected to the UV-C LED and coupled to an on/off switch configured to activate and deactivate the UV-C LED, wherein the power source is connected to the mobile device and configured to draw power directly from the mobile device; and

(d) a distance sensor configured to indicate a distance from a target surface to the UV-C LED;

wherein the UV-C light emitted from the UV-C LED is configured to kill germs and viruses, and

wherein the UV-C light is coupled to a mobile application hosted on the mobile device configured to activate the at least one UV-C LED, control the wavelength of emission, and provide a status of activation.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the window includes a color metric to indicate if the UV-C light is being emitted and the color metric is fluorescent configured to emit a visible color when the UV-C LED is activated and the window is a transparent plastic or glass and the visible color is activated by the UV-C light emission.

3. The mobile device case of claim 1 , further comprising a filtering lens configured to limit the bandwidth of the UV-C light emission.

4. The mobile device case of claim 1 wherein the UV-C LED is configured to emit light at a wavelength in a range from 220 to 230 nm.

5. The mobile device case of claim 1 wherein the UV-C LED is configured to emit light at a wavelength of 222 nm.

6. The mobile device case of claim 1 further comprising wa plurality of UV-C LEDs arranged on a circuit board connected to the power source and spaced apart relative to each other to emit UV-C light to cover a broader area as compared to a single UV-C LED.

7. The mobile device case of claim 1 wherein the window defines a convex shape.

8. The mobile device case of claim 1 wherein the window includes quartz glass.

9. The mobile device case of claim 1 , wherein a front side of the phone case includes an LED indicator and a battery charge indicator.

10. The mobile device case of claim 9 , wherein the LED indicator and the battery charge indicator include indicator lights positioned at a bottom portion of the phone case.

11. The mobile device case of claim 1 , further comprising at least one fluorescent LED light configured to activate and emit a visible color to indicate if the UV-C light is being emitted.

12. The mobile device case of claim 1 , wherein the UV-C light emitted from the LED is configured to safely disinfect skin of a user.

13. The mobile device case of claim 1 , wherein the LED defines a width of about 3 mm to 5 mm and configured to receive a current of about 20 mA and a power consumption of about 70 mW.

14. The mobile device case of claim 1 , wherein the UV-C emission is configured to kill at least 99% of unwanted germs or microorganisms within a preset exposure area present on a user's hands, skin, or gloves that come in contact with the emitted UV-C light.

15. The mobile device case of claim 1 , wherein the UV-C emission is configured to kill viruses including SARS-CoV-2 to assist with prevention of Covid-19.

16. The mobile device case of claim 1 , wherein the main body is fabricated from a material that includes copper or silver oxide operable to impart natural antimicrobial characteristics.

17. A UV-C emitting mobile device case comprising:

(a) a main body defining a receiving cavity and a perimeter configured to receive and hold a mobile device and surround a perimeter and a back portion of the mobile device configured to allow access to and exposure of a display screen of the mobile device;

(b) at least one UV-C light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit UV-C light from the LED at a wavelength between 200 and 250 nm and positioned in the main body of the mobile device case and exposed on a back side of the main body through a window; and

(c) a power source built into the mobile device case and connected to the UV-C LED and coupled to an on/off switch configured to activate and deactivate the UV-C LED, wherein the power source is connected to the mobile device and configured to draw power directly from the mobile device; and

(d) a distance sensor configured to indicate a distance from a target surface to the UV-C LED;

wherein the UV-C light emitted from the UV-C LED is sufficient to kill SARS-CoV-2 to assist with prevention of Covid-19, and

wherein the UV-C light is coupled to a mobile application hosted on the mobile device configured to activate the at least one UV-C LED, control the wavelength of emission, and provide a status of activation.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2022
From: BEEDON, KEVIN SCOTT; CROSBY, DOUGLAS A., M.D.
To: CROSBY INNOVATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 061711/0384 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63034967 · Jun 4, 2020
Related Publication 20210385317A1 · Dec 9, 2021