DESCRIPTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a lighting device.

In particular, the present invention can be widely applied in the sector of lighting for domestic environments.

PRIOR ART

Nowadays the liveability conditions inside a closed environment are becoming increasingly subject to technological research and development, especially in light of increasingly widespread working methods such as smart working, which enables the worker to fulfil his/her work duties, for example through remote access from the company computer, without needing to go to the office.

In substance, the domestic environment is increasingly gaining the connotation of being a real workstation.

Therefore, the improvement in liveability conditions inside such environments has become an essential parameter for guaranteeing the worker’s health.

In particular, the intensity and wavelength of the light emission, together with the positioning of the light source itself inside the environment, constitute essential parameters for determining a degree of comfort that a user can perceive inside an environment.

Furthermore, the quality of the air breathed is one of the fundamental parameters for determining the liveability conditions of an environment.

In fact, it is underlined that the quality of the air breathed is a recurring theme in studies on the population’s quality of life.

Several studies have shown that the level of pollutants that accumulate in a closed space may be equal, if not even higher, than that present in the external environment.

This problem takes on particularly clear connotations not only in particularly urbanised clusters but also in cities in which the multitude of vehicles circulating leads to a high amount of pollution, the well-known smog. On a daily basis, over twenty thousand people die because of urban pollution. In fact, anthropic activities release toxic substances into the air, in total 12.5% of all the deaths in the world.

Therefore, the increasing focus on the quality of living conditions, and the consequent interest in improving the liveability of both domestic and work environments, have led to the development of filtering systems able to remove, or at least make harmless, the harmful substances to human health present in the air.

For example, filtering systems are available on the market that make use of the photocatalytic properties of titanium dioxide. In particular, titanium dioxide, in the presence of UV radiation, is able to destroy the pollutants present in the air by photocatalytic route, degrading them into H2O and CO2.

One of the most common drawbacks in the prior art is the poor adaptability of the devices to the different environments in which they can be used.

In fact, such filtering devices are specifically sized on the basis of the cubic capacity of the environment inside which they will be arranged.

Such characteristics strongly limit the adaptability and operating flexibility as the use of an undersized system results in poor purification efficiency and, vice versa, the use of an oversized system leads to unjustified wastage of energy.

Disadvantageously, furthermore, the efficacy of the elements with photocatalytic properties used for the purification of the air quickly degrades which leads to recurrent maintenance costs.

Furthermore, the purification devices present on the market are expensive due to the installation and operating costs.

Furthermore, disadvantageously, the intrinsically high overall dimensions of such devices (due to the presence of voluminous fans for air suction) limit their use in small domestic environments. In fact, such devices generally lead to an at least partial obstruction of the light sources present inside the environment itself, thus limiting the diffusion of the light.

Furthermore, very disadvantageously, the fans of such devices are very noisy, which worsens the liveability conditions and limits the comfort of the people inside the environment in which the aforesaid devices are arranged.

A further problem of the systems of the prior art is the poor environmental sustainability of the solutions on the market, which are based on physical and/or chemical filtering systems, which imply the periodic replacement of the filtration units, which must be treated and/or disposed of separately.

Finally, no technology currently available on the market is able to eliminate carbon dioxide, one of the most widespread domestic pollutants, as well as being the prevalent greenhouse gas. This limitation becomes particularly significant in the aforementioned context of the increase in the practice of remote working.

Therefore, the aim of the present invention is to provide a lighting device which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art described above.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lighting device that enables the liveability conditions inside an environment to be increased.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a lighting device having high operating flexibility and adaptability to the environments of use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a lighting device (1 ) comprising a light source (2) configured to generate a light signal and a diffuser body (3) coupled to the light source (2) and configured to propagate the light signal. The diffuser body (3) has at least one inlet opening (4) and at least one outlet opening (5) operatively connected to enable the passage of an air flow. Furthermore, the lighting device (1 ) comprises an air purification means (7) arranged at least partially inside the diffuser body (3) and configured to remove polluting agents present in the air flow entering the diffuser body (3).

The aims indicated above are fully achieved by the lighting device according to the present invention, which is characterised by the contents of one or more of the appended claims.

The technical characteristics of the invention, according to the aforementioned objects, can be clearly seen from the contents of the claims set forth below, and the advantages thereof will more fully emerge from the following detailed description, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent a purely exemplary and non-limiting embodiment thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a first exploded perspective view of a lighting device according to a possible embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the lighting device appearing in figure 1 .

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the lighting device appearing in figure 1 . Figure 4 shows the trend of CO2 subtraction (in mg/m ³ ) in a sealed chamber with the device according to the present invention (a) and without the device according to the present invention (b) as described in Example 2. The dashed vertical line indicates the time when the light source of the device according to the present invention was turned on, and line (c) indicates the CO2 concentration present outside the sealed chamber.

Figure 5 shows the trend of O2 production (in L/m ³ ) in a sealed chamber with the device according to the present invention (a) and without the device according to the present invention (b) as described in Example 2. The dashed vertical line indicates the time at which the light source of the device according to the present invention was turned on.

Figure 6 shows the trend in the reduction of mould, psychrophilic bacteria, and mesophilic bacteria after 1 hour and 3 hours of operation of the device according to the present invention as described in Example 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the appended figures, a lighting device according to the present invention is indicated in its entirety by reference number 1 .

The lighting device 1 comprises a light source 2 configured to generate a light signal. Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a diffuser body 3 coupled to the light source and configured to propagate the light signal.

In other words, the diffuser body 3 enables the diffusion of the light signal generated by the light source 2.

Preferably, the light source 2 is arranged facing a base portion of the diffuser body 3. According to a possible embodiment and as illustrated in the appended figures, the light source 2 is arranged below the diffuser body 3 along a direction, preferably vertical, transverse to a rest plane of the lighting device 1 .

Preferably, furthermore, the light source 2 can be arranged below the diffuser body 3 along a vertical direction.

Advantageously, the light source 2 can comprise a plurality of LEDs guaranteeing that, as well as a longer operating life, the lighting device 1 has a strong reduction in absorbed power with the equivalent light flow generated with respect to other light sources being part of the prior art.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment optimal lighting conditions are achieved when a plurality of LEDs, preferably said plurality of LEDs having a total luminous flux between 250 and 50000 lumens, preferably 10000 lumens, is employed. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, said light source is an LED source, preferably a plurality of LEDs, more preferably having a red light:blue light ratio between 1 :1 and 4:1 , preferably 3:1 .

According to a preferred form of embodiment said light source, preferably said plurality of LEDs, creates a total light radiation density within the aqueous medium between 1000 lumens/m ² and 10000 lumens/ m ² , preferably between 2500 and 8000 lumens/m ² .

In particular, the lighting device 1 can comprise a support base adapted to support the aforesaid plurality of LEDs so that it is arranged facing the base portion of the diffuser body 3.

Preferably, the diffuser body 3 is made at least partially of transparent or translucent material, e.g. glass, borosilicate glass or polymethylmethacrylate or the like, so as to be able to enable an effective diffusion of the light signal.

According to a possible embodiment and as illustrated in the appended figures, the diffuser body 3 has a tubular conformation, extending along an extension axis “Z”.

According to a purely descriptive and non-limiting form of the present invention, the diffuser body 3 may have a base diameter comprised between 30 and 1000 millimetres, preferably 100, and a height comprised between 50 and 2000 millimetres, preferably 370.

Preferably, during a use configuration of the lighting device 1 the extension axis “Z” is substantially parallel to a vertical direction so that the diffuser body 3 can guarantee a wide diffusion of the light signal.

According to possible embodiments not illustrated in the appended figures, the diffuser body can have a different conformation, e.g. cubic, parallelepiped or substantially spherical shaped, without the inventive concept at the basis of the present invention being altered.

The diffuser body 3 further has at least one inlet opening 4 and at least one outlet opening 5 operatively connected to enable the passage of an air flow.

In other words, the diffuser body 3 can define a containment volume 6 adapted to enable the transit of the aforementioned air flow.

Advantageously, the openings 4, 5 enable the circulation of an air flow so that it is purified by a relevant air purification means 7 as will be described in more detail below. According to a possible embodiment and as illustrated in the appended figures, the diffuser body 3 can have a tubular conformation having a first end 8 and a second end 9. In particular, at least one inlet opening 4 may be arranged at the first end 8 of the diffuser body 3 and at least one outlet opening 5 may be arranged at a second end 9 of the diffuser body 3 opposing the first end 8 and/or at a side surface of the same diffuser body 3.

Furthermore, the lighting device 1 comprises an air purification means 7 arranged at least partially inside the diffuser body 3 and configured to remove polluting agents present in the air flow entering inside the diffuser body 3.

Advantageously, the air purification means 7 may comprise a photobioreactor 10 comprising an algal culture adapted to photo-convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and/or to purify the air flow through a photosynthesis process of said algal culture.

For the purposes of the present invention, said pollutants comprise carbon dioxide and possibly further pollutants preferably selected from the group consisting of: moulds, bacteria, preferably psychrophilic bacteria and/or mesophilic bacteria, particulates and/or particulate matter, preferably PM10, PM5 or PM 2.5, noxious gases, preferably formaldehyde and/or nitrogen dioxide, or a combination thereof. More preferably said additional pollutants are selected from: mould, bacteria, preferably psychrophilic bacteria and/or mesophilic bacteria, or a combination thereof.

Without wishing to be bound to a specific theory, the Applicant has found that the device according to the present invention makes it possible to purify the air of an indoor environment not only by the abatement of said further pollutants possibly present in said air, preferably said moulds and/or bacteria as described above, but also by the photo-conversion of the carbon dioxide present in said air to oxygen. The device according to the present invention, in fact, allows to retain and abate and/or solubilize said further polluting agents possibly present within the air flow conveyed in the aqueous medium.

In particular, the diffuser body 3 can be configured to house the aforesaid algal culture inside the containment volume 6.

In other words, the photobioreactor 10 is configured to purify the air flow entering the diffuser body 3 through at least one inlet opening 4.

The air flow interacts with the algal culture housed inside the containment volume 10 enabling photosynthesis and is subsequently released, with a reduced content of polluting agents with respect to the content of the entering air flow (preferably substantially free from polluting agents), through the at least one outlet opening 5.

In other words, the photobioreactor 10 enables the lighting device 1 to produce oxygen.

Photosynthesis also contributes to the development of the algal culture which, with a frequency depending on the growth speed of the culture itself, must be at least partially removed from the containment volume 6 to enable the continuation of the air purification.

In other words, such a removal enables the periodic exchange of the organisms present in the algal culture, guaranteeing a purification without the time limits dictated by the necessary replacements of the consumable devices that affect the devices of the prior art.

According to a possible and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the algal culture comprises or consists of micro-organisms chosen from the group consisting of: microalgae of the Chlorella genus, cyanobacteria of the Arthrospira genus, green algae, red algae, grown algae, or a combination thereof.

Preferably, said microalgae of the Chlorella genus are selected from the species C.vulgaris, S.sorokiniana, C.pyrenoidosa, or a combination thereof.

Preferably, said cyanobacteria of the Arthrospira genus are for example cyanobacteria belonging to the A.platensis species, so-called “Spirulina”.

In the embodiment in which said algal culture comprises or consists of a combination of said micro-organisms, said algal culture is a co-culture, i.e. an algal culture in which the aforesaid micro-organisms are not cultivated individually but are cocultivated.

In other words, therefore, the air purification means 7 may advantageously comprise a photobioreactor 10 comprising an algal culture or co-culture suitable for photoconverting carbon dioxide to oxygen and/or purifying the air flow by a photosynthesis process of said algal culture or co-culture.

In particular, the diffuser body 3 may be configured to house the aforementioned algal culture or co-culture within the containment volume 6.

In other words, the photobioreactor 10 is configured to purify the air flow entering the diffuser body 3 through at least one inlet opening 4. The air flow interacts with the algal culture or co-culture housed within the containment volume 10 allowing it to photosynthesize and is subsequently released, with a pollutant content reduced relative to the content of the incoming air flow (preferably substantially pollutant-free), through the at least one outlet opening 5.

In other words, the photobioreactor 10 allows the lighting device 1 to produce oxygen.

Photosynthesis also contributes to the development of the algal culture or co-culture, which, with frequency dependent on the growth rate of the same culture or coculture, must be at least partially removed from the containment volume 6 to allow efficient continuation of air purification.

In other words, such removal allows for a periodic turnover of the organisms present in the algal culture or co-culture ensuring purification devoid of the time constraints dictated by necessary replacements of consumable devices that plague devices of the known art.

Preferably, in order to allow optimal efficiency of the air purification by the device according to the present invention, said removal takes place by replacing with a periodic frequency, at least 60%, preferably between 60 and 80% of the volume of the aqueous medium comprising said algal culture or co-culture with a corresponding volume of fresh aqueous medium.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, said replacement is carried out with a periodic frequency of between 1 time every two weeks and 1 time every 8 weeks, preferably 1 time every three weeks and 1 time every 6 weeks.

Preferably, said periodic frequency is chosen according to the temperature conditions of the environment in which the aqueous medium comprising said algal culture or coculture is located; said temperature conditions vary according to the various seasons of the year.

Preferably said environment is an indoor environment, preferably a home or work environment such as, for example, a room in a house or apartment, a gym, an office. According to a form of embodiment, said replacement is carried out with a periodic frequency of between once every 2 weeks and once every 3 weeks in case the temperature of said environment is between 25 and 40 °C, preferably between 25 and 35 °C.

According to an embodiment, said replacement is carried out with a periodic frequency between once every 8 weeks and once every 6 weeks in case the temperature of said environment is between 5 and 25 °C, preferably between 10 and 20 °C. Advantageously, the inlet opening 4 afforded at the base portion of the diffuser body 3 facilitates the diffusion of the air flow inside the algal culture promoting an effective performance of the photosynthesis reactions.

The lighting device 1 can further comprise an aeration means 11 adapted to introduce a predetermined quantity of air into the diffuser body 3 through the at least one inlet opening 4.

Advantageously, the aeration means 11 can comprise a pneumatic pump 12 adapted to promote the flow of air to the air purification means 7.

In this way, the device 1 promotes the inlet of the air flow into the containment volume 6 guaranteeing reduced overall dimensions and limited acoustic pollution with respect to the devices of the prior art.

Furthermore, the lighting device 1 can comprise an air diffusion means 13 facing the inlet opening 4.

The air diffusion means 13 is configured to receive the air flow passing through the inlet opening 4 and to generate a plurality of air bubbles having an average diameter less than 20 mm, preferably less than 5 mm, more preferably comprised between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

Without wishing to be bound by a specific theory, the applicant has found that thanks to said means of air diffusion 13 which allow a flow of air to be conveyed within said aqueous medium generating a plurality of air bubbles having an average diameter as described above, it is possible to optimize the exchange surface between the air (comprising the pollutants as described above) and the aqueous medium thus resulting in more effective abatement and/or solubilization.

In particular, the air diffusion means 13 can comprise an airstone or a porous body and, being arranged at the inlet opening 4, receives the air flow preferably coming from the aeration means 11 and decomposes it into a plurality of bubbles.

In this way, the diffusion means enables the interface surface between the air flow and the algal culture to be increased, thus increasing the efficiency of the photosynthesis and, therefore, of the purification.

Advantageously, the lighting device 1 can further comprise a heat dissipation means 14 configured to dissipate a quantity of heat generated by the light source 2 so as to guarantee an algal development according to specific temperature conditions.

Preferably, the heat dissipation means 14 comprises one or more from at least one ventilation opening, adapted to enable an effective inflow of air towards the light source 2, and/or a fan, configured to promote the removal of a quantity of air at a high temperature from the vicinity of the light source 2.

Advantageously, said heat dissipation means 14 of the device according to the present invention in combination with the light source (2), allow the effective maintenance of said algal culture or co-culture in a constant growth state as they allow the aqueous medium comprising said algal culture or co-culture to be maintained at an average temperature of between 15 and 27 °C, preferably between 18 and 24 °C. Without wishing to be bound by a specific theory, the Applicant has further found that, said heat dissipation means 14 of the device according to the present invention in combination with the light source (2), advantageously allow to maintain the aqueous medium comprising said algal culture or co-culture at a homogeneous average temperature, that is, said aqueous medium having a homogeneous temperature distribution.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said light source (2) comprises a plurality of LEDs. Without wishing to be bound by a specific theory, it is nevertheless possible to claim that the use of such a plurality of LEDs, in combination with the heat dissipation means 14 as described above allow an ideal maintenance of the algal culture or co-culture in a constant state of growth by ensuring optimal and homogeneous temperature conditions within the aqueous medium comprising said algal culture or co-culture.

Moreover, thanks to the presence of the aforementioned air diffusion means 13 configured to generate a plurality of air bubbles having an average diameter of less than 20 mm, it is possible to effectively increase the interface surface between the air flow and the algal culture increasing the efficiency of photosynthesis and, therefore, of air purification.

Advantageously, the lighting device 1 can further comprise a control and adjustment module configured to enable one or more operating parameters of the lighting device 1 itself to be changed.

According to a purely illustrative and non-limiting form of the present invention, the control and adjustment module can enable the adjustment of the intensity and/or the wavelength of the light source and/or can enable the adjustment of the air flow entering the diffuser body 3 by means of the adjustment, for example, of the aeration means 11. In other words, the control and adjustment module can enable the adjustment of the light signal emitted by the LEDs and the adjustment of the air flow moved by the pneumatic pump 12.

Preferably said airflow is conveyed within said aqueous medium comprising said algal culture at a flow rate of between 5 L/h and 18000 L/h for an aqueous medium volume of between 0.5 and 300 L, preferably at a flow rate of between 500 L/h and 1500 L/h for an aqueous medium volume of between 2 and 25 L, more preferably at a flow rate of between 500 L/h and 1000 L/h for an aqueous medium volume of between 1 .5 and 25 L.

It is underlined that such adjustments enable an effective performance of the photosynthesis reactions inside the containment volume 6, preferably by adjusting the algal development so as to optimise the removal of the polluting agents present in the air flow entering the diffuser body 3.

Preferably, the control and adjustment module can enable the adjustment of the aforementioned operating parameters in an automatic and/or manual way thanks to the intervention of a user.

In particular, the control and adjustment module can comprise a wireless interface means, e.g. of the bluetooth or Wi-Fi type, adapted to enable a user to perform the previously described adjustment through a remote control and/or through an app for mobile devices (e.g. smartphones or tablets).

According to a possible embodiment and as illustrated in the appended figures, the lighting device 1 can comprise a containment body 15 defining a housing adapted to at least partially house the diffuser body and/or the light source giving the lighting device 1 particular structural strength and a pleasant appearance.

In particular, the containment body 15 can comprise a support portion 16 adapted to house a respective base portion of the diffuser body 3, the light source 2 and the aeration means 11 .

Preferably, the support portion 16 defines a rest portion adapted to rest on a rest plane for the device 1 and comprising at least one non-slip portion adapted to increase the stability of the lighting device 1 .

The containment body 15 can further comprise a top portion 17.

Preferably, the top portion 17 is fitted onto the second end 9 of the diffuser body 3 and/or has at least one opening adapted to enable the passage of the air flow from the diffuser body 3 to an environment external to the lighting device 1 . The support portion 16 and the top portion 17 may be made as a single part giving the containment body 15 a monolithic structure with high strength.

According to further embodiments, the support portion 16 and the top portion 17 can be made separately without the inventive concept underpinning the present invention being altered.

Advantageously, the containment body 15 can be made of a plurality of different materials, e.g. wood, metal and/or polymer materials guaranteeing that the device has a highly flexible design and a very pleasant appearance.

It is therefore observed that the present invention achieves the proposed aims by providing a lighting device able to increase the liveability conditions inside an environment thanks to the presence of an air purification means configured to remove the polluting agents present in an air flow that crosses it.

Advantageously, the lighting device has limited overall dimensions and produces low noise levels which gives it high operating flexibility and adaptability to the environments of use.

Advantageously, furthermore, the control and adjustment module enables adjusting the temperature of the algal culture and the inflow of air to the containment volume and, thus, the volumetry of the purified air, enabling an efficient adaptation of the lighting device to the environment in which it is arranged.

Without wishing to be bound by a specific theory, the Applicant has found that thanks to the specific components of the device according to the present invention as described above, it is possible to maintain the algal culture or co-culture in a constant and optimal state of growth which allows to effectively abate the concentration of carbon dioxide initially present in the air flow passing through said device.

Moreover, as also shown in the examples below, the Applicant has surprisingly observed that such abatement is the faster and more effective the higher the concentration of carbon dioxide in said air flow. In other words, the device according to the present invention makes it possible to abate the concentration of carbon dioxide present in the air of an environment in which said device is inserted, effectively purifying said air flow from carbon dioxide and other pollutants, while producing oxygen quickly and effectively.

According to one form of embodiment, the lighting device according to the present invention essentially consists of the components described above.

According to another embodiment, the lighting device according to the present invention consists of the components described above.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

The device according to the present invention as described in the claims has been tested to evaluate the CO2 subtraction capability. More specifically, the device was placed in a 1 m ³ sealed chamber inside which the CO2 concentration was 1000 ppm (equivalent to the CO2 concentration inside a well-ventilated office). It was then possible to measure a CO2 subtraction rate of up to 92 mg/h, equivalent to 25 Kenzia plants.

Example 2

The test as described in Example 1 was repeated by varying the CO2 concentration inside the theca and inserting additional pollutants in order to simulate extremely polluted environments. The device according to the present invention was placed in a 1 m ³ sealed chamber containing air polluted with bacteria (psychrophilic and mesophilic), mould and 10000 ppm CO2. The light source (i.e., plurality of LEDs) of the device according to the present invention was turned off overnight, and turned on at 7:30 AM.

As shown in Figure 4, within a few hours, the device of the present invention removed 95% of the CO2, bringing the concentration back to the same levels as measured outside the theca (i.e., 500 ppm). During such an experiment, it was possible to observe a CO2 sequestration rate of about 1800 mg/h, equivalent to 500 Kenzia plants.

Similarly, as shown in Figure 5, oxygen production was measured. Over the course of 24 hours, the device according to the present invention increased the oxygen concentration in the theca from 19.6% to 22.1%, or an increase of 13% corresponding to about 22 L of oxygen.

The ability of the device according to the present invention to break down mould and bacteria present within the air in the case was also measured. As shown in Figure 6, after only one hour after turning on the device, a 33% reduction in mould was measured. Three hours after the device was turned on, an 89% reduction in bacteria of environmental origin (psychrophilic bacteria) and a 75% reduction in bacteria of human and animal origin (mesophilic bacteria) was measured.