Ultraviolet light system having means for maintaining constant intensity light profile

Claim 2

In an ultraviolet light processor having an optical system comprising a plurality of concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors for reflecting light from generally linear parallel sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors to the second foci thereof, said second foci being more remotely located from said reflectors than said first foci, the improvement comprising: a. the second foci of a plurality of said substantially elliptical reflectors being superimposed at a common focus to form a conjugate reflector system; b. first means for increasing the intensity of at least one of said sources located at the first focus of a said reflector of said conjugate reflector system; c. second means for detecting a reduction in intensity of another of said sources located at the first focus of another said reflector of said conjugate reflector system; and d. third means for activating said first means in response to detection of a reduction in intensity of said other source by said second means whereby in response to a detection of a reduction in intensity of said other source by said second means, said third means causes said first means to increase the intensity of said first source to thereby reestablish the total intensity to substantially that before said reduction in intensity and substantially reestablish the intensity profile.

Claim 3

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 1 wherein the eccentricity of said substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors is in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9.

Claim 4

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 1 wherein the second foci of all of said substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors are superimposed at a common focus.

Claim 5

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 1 wherein the second foci of a plurality of said substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors are superimposed at a first common focus and the second foci of another plurality of said substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors are superimposed at a second common focus, which is spaced apart from said first common focus.

Claim 6

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 1 including means for varying the total intensity of the sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors of said optical system.

Claim 7

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 1 wherein said third means activates said first means only after said second means detects the intensity of said other source reduced to a preestablished value which is below the normal operating intensity of said other source.

Claim 8

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 6 wherein said preestablished value is at least about 20 percent below the normal operating intensity of said other source.

Claim 9

In an ultraviolet light processor having an optical system comprising a plurality of concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors for reflecting light from generally linear parallel sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors to the second foci thereof, said second foci being more remotely located from said reflectors than said first foci, the improvement comprising: a. the second foci of a plurality of said substantially elliptical reflectors being superimposed at a common focus to form a conjugate reflector system; b. first means for varying the intensity of at least one of said sources located at the first focus of a said reflector of said conjugate reflector system; c. an activator for adjusting said first means; d. a sensor for determining the intensity of another of said sources located at the first focus of another said reflector of said conjugate reflector system; and e. a controller for comparing the intensity of said other source as determined by said sensor with a setpoint and, upon detecting a difference therein, causing said first means to adjust the intensity of said first source to thereby substantially reestablish the total intensity to a predetermined value and substantially reestablish the intensity profile.

Claim 10

In an ultraviolet light processor having an optical system comprising a plurality of concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors for reflecting light from generally linear parallel sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors to the second foci thereof, said second foci being more remotely located from said reflectors than said first foci, the improvement comprising: a. the second foci of a plurality of said substantially elliptical reflectors being superimposed at a common focus to form a conjugate reflector system; b. first means for varying the intensity of at least one of said sources located at the first focus of a said reflector of said conjugate reflector system; c. an activator for adjusting said first means; d. a sensor for determining the intensity of another of said sources located at the first focus of another said reflector of said conjugate reflector system; and e. a controller for comparing the intensity of said other source as determined by said sensor with a setpoint and, upon detecting a difference therein, causing said first means to adjust the intensity of said first source to thereby substantially reestablish the total intensity to a predetermined value and substantially reestablish the intensity profile.

Claim 11

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 8 wherein the eccentricity of said substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors is in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9.

Claim 12

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 8 wherein said sensor and said controller function continuously.

Claim 13

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 8 including means for varying the total intensity of the sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors of said optical system.

Claim 14

In a ultraviolet light processor having an optical system comprising a plurality of concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors for reflecting light from generally linear parallel sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors to the second foci thereof, said second foci being more remotely located from said reflectors than said first foci, the improvement comprising: a. the second foci of said substantially elliptical reflectors being superimposed at a common focus to form a conjugate reflector system; b. first means for varying the intensity of such of said sources as are functional; c. an activator for adjusting said first means; d. a sensor for determining the total intensity of said sources; e. a controller for comparing said total intensity as determined by said sensor with a setpoint and, upon detecting a difference therein, causing said first means to adjust the intensity of such of said sources as are functional to thereby substantially reestablish the total intensity to a predetermined value and substantially reestablish the intensity profile.

Claim 15

In a ultraviolet light processor having an optical system comprising a plurality of concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors for reflecting light from generally linear parallel sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors to the second foci thereof, said second foci being more remotely located from said reflectors than said first foci, the improvement comprising: a. the second foci of said substantially elliptical reflectors being superimposed at a common focus to form a conjugate reflector system; b. first means for varying the intensity of such of said sources as are functional; c. an activator for adjusting said first means; d. a sensor for determining the total intensity of said sources; e. a controller for comparing said total intensity as determined by said sensor with a setpoint and, upon detecting a difference therein, causing said first means to adjust the intensity of such of said sources as are functional to thereby substantially reestablish the total intensity to a predetermined value and substantially reestablish the intensity profile.

Claim 16

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 12 wherein the eccentricity of said substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors is in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9.

Claim 17

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 12 including means for varying the total intensity of the sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors of said optical system.

Claim 18

In an ultraviolet light processor having an optical system comprising a cluster of four concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors for reflecting light from generally linear parallel sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors to the second foci thereof, said second foci being more remotely located from said reflectors than said first foci, wherein a. the eccentricity of said substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors is in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9; b. the second foci of a first pair of said reflectors which are adjacent are superimposed to form a common focus; c. the second foci of the second pair of said reflectors which are adjacent are superimposed to form a common focus; the improvement comprising d. first means for increasing the intensity of a first source of said first pair; e. second means for increasing the intensity of a second source of said first pair; f. third means for increasing the intensity of a first source of said second pair; g. fourth means for increasing the intensity of a second source of said second pair; h. fifth means for detecting a failure of said first source of said first pair; i. sixth means for detecting a failure of said second source of said first pair; j. seventh means for detecting a failure of said first source of said second pair; k. eighth means for detecting a failure of said second source of said second pair; l. ninth means for activating said first means in response to detection of failure of said second source of said first pair by said sixth means to increase the intensity of said first source of said first pair to thereby reestablish the total intensity to substantially that before said failure of said second source of said first pair and to substantially reestablish the intensity profile; m. tenth means for activating said second means in response to detection of failure of said first source of said first pair by said fifth means to increase the intensity of said second source of said first pair to thereby reestablish the total intensity to substantially that before said failure of said first source of said first pair and to substantially reestablish the intensity profile; n. eleventh means for activating said third means in response to detection of failure of said second source of said second pair by said eighth means to increase the intensity of said first source of said second pair to thereby reestablish the total intensity to substantially that before said failure of said second source of said second pair and to substantially reestablish the intensity profile; o. twelfth means for activating said fourth means in response to detection of failure of said first source of said second pair by said seventh means to increase the intensity of said second source of said second pair to thereby reestablish the total intensity to substantially that before said failure of said first source of said second pair and to substantially reestablish the intensity profile.

Claim 19

In an ultraviolet light processor having an optical system comprising a cluster of four concave substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors for reflecting light from generally linear parallel sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors to the second foci thereof, said second foci being more remotely located from said reflectors than said first foci, wherein a. the eccentricity of said substantially elliptical cylindrical reflectors is in the range of from about 0.2 to about 0.9; b. the second foci of a first pair of said reflectors which are adjacent are superimposed to form a common focus; c. the second foci of the second pair of said reflectors which are adjacent are superimposed to form a common focus; the improvement comprising d. first means for increasing the intensity of a first source of said first pair; e. second means for increasing the intensity of a second source of said first pair; f. third means for increasing the intensity of a first source of said second pair; g. fourth means for increasing the intensity of a second source of said second pair; h. fifth means for detecting a failure of said first source of said first pair; i. sixth means for detecting a failure of said second source of said first pair; j. seventh means for detecting a failure of said first source of said second pair; k. eighth means for detecting a failure of said second source of said second pair; l. ninth means for activating said first means in response to detection of failure of said second source of said first pair by said sixth means to increase the intensity of said first source of said first pair to thereby reestablish the total intensity to substantially that before said failure of said second source of said first pair and to substantially reestablish the intensity profile; m. tenth means for activating said second means in response to detection of failure of said first source of said first pair by said fifth means to increase the intensity of said second source of said first pair to thereby reestablish the total intensity to substantially that before said failure of said first source of said first pair and to substantially reestablish the intensity profile; n. eleventh means for activating said third means in response to detection of failure of said second source of said second pair by said eighth means to increase the intensity of said first source of said second pair to thereby reestablish the total intensity to substantially that before said failure of said second source of said second pair and to substantially reestablish the intensity profile; o. twelfth means for activating said fourth means in response to detection of failure of said first source of said second pair by said seventh means to increase the intensity of said second source of said second pair to thereby reestablish the total intensity to substantially that before said failure of said first source of said second pair and to substantially reestablish the intensity profile.

Claim 20

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 15 wherein the common focus of said first pair are superimposed upon the common focus of said second pair.

Claim 21

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 15 wherein the common focus of said first pair are spaced apart from the common focus of said second pair.

Claim 22

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 15 wherein the common focus of said first pair are spaced apart from the common focus of said second pair by a distance in the range of from about 10 percent to about 50 percent of the distance between the two extreme first foci.

Claim 23

The ultraviolet light processor of claim 15 including means for varying the total intensity of the sources of ultraviolet light located at the first foci of said reflectors of said optical system.