Sterilization of a fluid by ultraviolet radiation

Claim 2

A sterilizer comprising at least one lamp adapted to produce ultraviolet radiation, a container through which a fluid to be sterilized is passed and having a wall exposed to said radiation formed of a material through which the radiation will pass into the fluid to sterilize it, said wall being flexible and being positioned to be urged against said lamp by said fluid and to conform approximately in shape to a portion of the lamp in a relation enhancing transmission of radiation to the fluid.

Claim 3

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, in which said wall is formed of a flexible film of tetrafluoroethylene polymer.

Claim 4

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, in which said container is a flexible bag extending along a first side of the lamp and then doubled back to return along its opposite side and having said wall in engagement with and conforming in shape approximately to opposite sides of the lamp.

Claim 5

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, including a housing having a portion extending about and holding said container.

Claim 6

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, including a body structure carrying said lamp, and a housing holding said container and detachably connectible to said body structure in a position locating said flexible wall of the container adjacent the lamp.

Claim 7

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, in which said lamp projects downwardly, and said container is a generally U-shaped flExible bag having a first portion extending along one side of the lamp and then doubled back to form a second portion extending along the opposite side of the lamp, with the lamp projecting downwardly between said portions.

Claim 8

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, including a housing having an upper hollow first section and a lower hollow second section, means for securing said lower section of the housing detachably to said first section, a socket mounted to said upper housing section and carrying said lamp in downwardly projecting position, said container being a generally U-shaped flexible bag contained in said lower housing section and having two portions between which said lamp is receivable.

Claim 9

A sterilizer as recited in claim 7, in which said wall of the bag engages and conforms at least partially to both of two opposite sides of the lamp.

Claim 10

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, including a housing within which said container is located and having a wall which is opaque to ultraviolet radiation but is adapted to pass visible light from said lamp to the exterior of the housing for illuminating an associated aquarium.

Claim 11

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, including a housing having a first section which carries said container and is opaque to ultraviolet radiation but transparent to visible light to pass visible light from said lamp to the exterior of said first section at a first side, said housing including a second section having a wall which is opaque to visible light and is received at a second side of the first section as a shield.

Claim 12

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, including a housing structure carrying said lamp and said container and having a mounting portion adapted to hook over the upper edge of an aquarium wall to hang the sterilizer thereon.

Claim 13

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, including a housing having a first section carrying said lamp and a second section carrying said container, and interfitting snap detents on said two sections for releasably securing them together in a sterilizing condition.

Claim 14

A sterilizer as recited in claim 1, including a housing having an upper hollow first section with a mounting portion adapted to hook over and be supported by the wall of an aquarium, a socket carried by said first housing section and carrying said lamp in downwardly projecting position, said housing having a lower hollow second section, releasable detents on said two sections for securing said second section detachably to the underside of said first section, said container being a generally U-shaped bag of flexible tetrafluoroethylene polymer which extends along a first side of said lamp and then doubles back along the opposite side thereof and which conforms approximately in shape to opposite sides of the lamp, a ballast for said lamp in said first housing section, said second section being formed of a substance which is opaque to ultraviolet but transparent to visible light, said lamp producing some visible light which passes to the exterior of said lower section at a first side thereof to enter an associated aquarium, said upper section being formed of a material opaque to visible light and forming a shield opaque to such visible light and projecting downwardly at a second side of the first section.

Claim 15

A sterilizer comprising a housing, a flexible bag contained in and supported by said housing and having a flexible wall adapted to pass ultraviolet radiation, inlet and outlet means for conducting a fluid to be sterilized through said bag, and at least one ultraviolet lamp positioned to pass ultraviolet radiation through said wall and into said fluid to sterilize it, said flexible wall of said bag being positioned to be urged against said lamp by said fluid.

Claim 16

A sterilizer comprising a housing, a flexible bag contained in and supported by said housing and having a flexible wall adapted to pass ultraviolet radiation, inlet and outlet means for conducting a fluid to be sterilized through said bag, and at least one ultraviolet lamp positioned to pass ultraviolet radiation through said wall and into said fluid to sterilize it, said flexible wall of said bag being positioned to be urged against said lamp by said fluid.

Claim 17

A sterilizer as recited in claim 14, in which said bag is generally U-shaped and extends first along one side of said lamp and is then doubled back along the opposite side of said lamp.

Claim 18

A sterilizer as recited in claim 14, in which said housing has a drain opeNing through which any leakage from the bag may escape to the exterior of the housing.

Claim 19

A sterilizer as recited in claim 14, in which said housing has an upper section carrying said lamp and a lower section carrying said bag and secured detachably to the upper section.

Claim 20

A sterilizer as recited in claim 14, in which said housing has an upper section carrying said lamp and a lower section carrying said bag and secured detachably to the upper section, said lower section having a wall opaque to ultraviolet but transparent to visible light, said upper section having a wall which is opaque to visible light projecting downwardly along an outer side of the lower section.

Claim 21

A sterilizer as recited in claim 14, in which said bag first extends along one side of said lamp and is then doubled back in a return bend to extend along the opposite side of the lamp, said bag having inner and outer walls the latter of which is longer than the former to avoid closure of the fluid passage through the bag at said return bend.