KR20210002442A - Ultraviolet light emitting device and uv curing apparatus employing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are an ultraviolet light emitting device capable of controlling the light output of a light emitting unit in real time, and an ultraviolet curing device employing the same. According to the present invention, the ultraviolet light emitting device may comprise: a main body; a light emitting unit installed in the main body and generating and irradiating ultraviolet light; a sensor unit for receiving a part of the light irradiated from the light emitting unit and monitoring the sensitivity of the light emitting unit; a light path conversion unit installed between the light emitting unit and the sensor unit to transmit a part of the light irradiated from the light emitting unit to the sensor unit; and a sensitivity adjustment unit which adjusts the sensitivity of the light emitting unit based on a signal detected by the sensor unit.

Description

UV light emitting device and UV curing device employing it {ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE AND UV CURING APPARATUS EMPLOYING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to an ultraviolet light emitting device that irradiates light of an ultraviolet wavelength and an ultraviolet curing device employing the same, and in detail, to an ultraviolet light emitting device capable of controlling the light output of a light emitting unit in real time, and an ultraviolet curing device employing the same. .

Ultraviolet (Ultraviolet, hereinafter referred to as'UV') is light with a wavelength range of 10 to 400 nm (energy range of 3 eV to 124 eV), and is a generic term for electromagnetic waves whose wavelength is shorter than visible light and longer than X-rays. This UV has a chemical property that breaks molecular bonds when absorbed by a material due to its high photon energy, so it has unique sterilization and photochemical reactions. For this reason, a UV light-emitting device that irradiates UV has been used in many technical fields such as industry, medical care, and beauty. For example, the UV light emitting device can be applied to a UV curing device, which is an equipment that hardens paint, ink, adhesive, etc. in a liquid state by using a photochemical reaction of UV.

In general, ultraviolet light-emitting devices can be classified into lamp-type UV light-emitting devices and light-emitting diodes (Light Emitting Diode, hereinafter referred to as'LED')-type UV light-emitting devices according to a light source that irradiates UV.

The lamp-type UV light-emitting device employs a lamp that emits a natural wavelength according to the usage environment such as a mercury UV lamp or a metal UV lamp as a light source. This lamp-type UV light emitting device is relatively inexpensive and can obtain a wide range of wavelengths from short wavelengths to short wavelengths. On the other hand, this lamp-type UV light-emitting device has disadvantages in that it is difficult to have a compact structure, a short lifespan of the lamp, and heat damage to surrounding structures because it emits heat rays.

The LED-type UV light-emitting device is expensive compared to the lamp-type UV light-emitting device, and has a disadvantage in that it is vulnerable to heat resistance. On the other hand, since this LED-type UV light-emitting device uses an LED light source, a compact configuration is possible, and the life of the LED is dramatically longer than that of a lamp, and since it emits UV of a single wavelength, heat rays are hardly emitted. It has the advantage of emitting UV. Therefore, this LED-type UV light emitting device is expanding its influence in the market.

In this LED type UV light emitting device, it is required to maintain a stable light output of the LED light source. On the other hand, the LED light source may have different light output and center wavelength due to temperature change due to heat generation or aging of the light source due to long-term use. Therefore, this LED-type ultraviolet light-emitting device requires a technology capable of maintaining constant light output and center wavelength through real-time feedback control of the LED.

U.S. Patent No. 4,794,431 (1988.12.27.) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0587019 (2006.06.08.) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1781748 (2017.09.25.)

The present invention is invented in view of the above points, and provides an LED-type ultraviolet light-emitting device capable of monitoring the light output of an LED light source in real time, and maintaining the light output and center wavelength of the light source constant based on this. There is a purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, an ultraviolet light emitting device according to the present invention includes: a main body; A light-emitting unit installed in the main body and generating and irradiating ultraviolet light; A sensor unit configured to receive a portion of the light irradiated from the light emitting unit and monitor the sensitivity of the light emitting unit; An optical path converting unit installed between the light emitting unit and the sensor unit to transmit a part of the light irradiated from the light emitting unit to the sensor unit; It may include a sensitivity adjusting unit for adjusting the sensitivity of the light emitting unit based on the signal detected by the sensor unit.

Here, the light-emitting unit includes a light source for generating and irradiating ultraviolet light; It may include an optical member that transmits most of the light irradiated from the light source at a predetermined magnification.

In addition, the sensor unit includes a light detector configured to receive light irradiated from the light source and converted into a path by the light path conversion unit; It may include a filter member disposed between the optical path converter and the photodetector to filter light so that ultraviolet light having a predetermined wavelength is directed to the photodetector.

Here, a part of the light irradiated from the light source is reflected from the incident surface of the optical member, and the optical path converting unit may include a mirror that reflects the light reflected by the optical member toward the sensor unit.

In addition, the light path conversion unit may include a reflective member formed on the incident surface of the optical member to reflect a part of the light irradiated from the light source toward the sensor unit.

In addition, the light path converting unit may further include a waveguide installed between the reflective member and the sensor unit and configured to guide light reflected by the reflective member to the sensor unit.

In addition, in the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the present invention, when the light emitting unit, the sensor unit, the light path conversion unit, and the sensitivity adjusting unit are referred to as one light emitting module, the body includes at least two or more light emitting modules each independently driven. I can.

In addition, in the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the present invention, when the light emitting unit and the light path converting unit are referred to as one light emitting module, the body includes a plurality of light emitting modules, and each of the sensor unit and the sensitivity adjusting unit includes the plurality of light emitting units. It can be applied in common to at least two or more of the modules.

In addition, in order to achieve the above object, the ultraviolet curing apparatus according to the present invention includes the ultraviolet light emitting device; It is installed outside the main body and may include a control unit for controlling each of the light emitting unit and the sensor unit according to a curing condition.

The ultraviolet light emitting device according to the present invention can monitor the light output of a light source that irradiates ultraviolet rays in real time through a sensor unit and control it through a sensitivity adjustment unit. Therefore, it is possible to maintain the light output of the light source within a certain range even when environmental changes such as temperature and aging due to long-term use of the light source.

In addition, the ultraviolet curing device according to the present invention has the advantage of being able to precisely control the light output of the irradiation light source by employing the above-described ultraviolet light emitting device, and thus can irradiate illumination light having an intensity that satisfies the curing conditions.

1 is a schematic view showing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a schematic diagram showing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a schematic diagram showing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a schematic view showing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a schematic diagram showing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a schematic block diagram showing an ultraviolet curing device employing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an ultraviolet light emitting device according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention, and the same reference numerals will be used for the same or similar components throughout the specification.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 1, a light-emitting unit 10, a sensor unit 20, and an optical path conversion unit installed in the main body 1 30) and a sensitivity adjustment unit 40 may be included.

The main body 1 refers to a housing of an ultraviolet light emitting device according to the present invention, and may be formed by deforming into various shapes according to use. For example, the main body 1 may be configured in a cylindrical shape with a diameter of about 10 mm. In addition, the main body 1 may have an enlarged diameter so as to include a plurality of light emitting units 10 therein.

The light-emitting unit 10 is installed in the main body 1, and generates and irradiates ultraviolet light. To this end, the light-emitting unit 10 may include a light source 11 for generating and irradiating ultraviolet light, and an optical member 15.

The light source 11 may be composed of a semiconductor LED. For example, the light source 11 may be composed of a chip on board (COB) or a surface mount type LED (Surface Mount Device) (SMD), which is a type of LED chip mounted on a substrate. The wavelength of light irradiated from the light source 11 may be variously set according to the application.

The optical member 15 is disposed on the light source 11 and performs a function of a transparent window for transmitting light having an ultraviolet wavelength to the outside of the main body 1. That is, the optical member 15 transmits most of the light Lm of the light irradiated from the light source 11 at a predetermined magnification. The optical member 15 may be composed of a lens having a positive (+) refractive power, a lens having a negative (-) refractive power, or the like according to the use of the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the present invention. Here, some of the light Lr irradiated from the light source 11 may be reflected from the incident surface 15a of the optical member 15 toward the light path conversion unit 30.

The sensor unit 20 receives a portion of the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 10 and monitors the sensitivity of the light emitting unit 10. The sensor unit 20 may include a photo detector 21 and a filter member 25. The photodetector 21 may receive the light irradiated from the light source 11 and converted by the light path conversion unit 30 to monitor the light output of the light source 11 in real time. The photodetector 21 is a photoelectric conversion element and transmits an electric signal corresponding to the received light amount to the sensitivity adjusting unit 40. The filter member 25 is disposed between the light path conversion unit 30 and the photodetector 21, and filters light other than the light reflected from the light source 11. In this way, by filtering the incident of light other than ultraviolet light of a predetermined wavelength irradiated from the light source 11 including the filter member 25 to the photodetector, the present invention improves the accuracy of monitoring the light output of the light source 11 Can be improved.

The optical path conversion unit 30 is installed between the optical member 15 and the sensor unit 20, and some light irradiated by the light source 10 and reflected from the incident surface 15a of the optical member 15 Is transmitted to the sensor unit 20. The first embodiment is shown as an example of including a mirror M for reflecting light Lr reflected from the optical member 15 toward the sensor unit 20 as the optical path conversion unit 30. .

The sensitivity adjustment unit 40 adjusts the sensitivity of the light source 11 based on the signal detected by the photodetector 21. That is, the sensitivity adjustment unit 40 increases the power (voltage or current) applied to the light source 11 when the light output of the light source 11 is less than the reference value, and applies it to the light source 11 when it exceeds the reference value. The light source 11 is controlled so as to reduce the power generated.

By configuring as described above, the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention can monitor the light output of the light source 11 irradiating ultraviolet rays in real time and control it through the sensitivity adjustment unit 40. Accordingly, the present invention can maintain the light output of the light source 11 within a certain range even when environmental changes such as temperature and aging due to long-term use of the light source.

2 is a schematic diagram showing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 1, light-emitting units 11 and 15 installed in the main body 1, a sensor unit 20, and a light path conversion. It may include a unit 30 and a sensitivity adjustment unit 40. Here, components other than the optical path conversion unit 30 are substantially the same as components using the same reference numerals of the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the first embodiment, and thus detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

The optical path conversion unit 30 may include a reflective member 31 formed on the incident surface 15a of the optical member 15. The reflective member 31 reflects a part of the light irradiated from the light source 11 toward the sensor unit 20. By providing the reflective member 31 as described above, a part of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source 11 can be reflected to the sensor unit 20 regardless of the total reflection condition on the incident surface 15a.

3 is a schematic diagram showing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes first and second light emitting modules A10 and B10 that are disposed adjacent to each other in the main body 1 and are independently driven and controlled. Include. Here, each of the first and second light-emitting modules A10 and B10 includes light-emitting units 11 and 15, sensor units 21 and 25, an optical path conversion unit (30 in Fig. 2), and the sensitivity adjustment unit 40. Includes. These configurations are substantially the same as components using the same reference numerals of the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention.

When the first and second light-emitting modules A10 and B10 are configured in the main body 1 as described above, one of the first and second light-emitting modules A10 and B10 may be driven or may be simultaneously driven. In addition, in the present embodiment, two light-emitting modules are shown as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and more light-emitting modules may be included.

By including a plurality of light emitting modules that are independently driven and controlled as described above, the ultraviolet light emitting device can be controlled according to the intended use. Therefore, it can be applied to various applications such as curing, exposure, sterilization, and cleaning.

4 is a schematic diagram showing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention includes first and second light emitting modules A20 and B20 that are disposed adjacent to each other in the main body 1 and are independently driven and controlled. , A sensor unit 120 and a sensitivity adjustment unit 140. Here, each of the first and second light-emitting modules A20 and B20 includes light-emitting units 11 and 15 and an optical path conversion unit 30 in FIG. 2. These configurations are substantially the same as components using the same reference numerals of the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention. In addition, in the present embodiment, two light-emitting modules are shown as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and more light-emitting modules may be included.

Here, each of the sensor unit 120 and the sensitivity adjustment unit 140 may be commonly applied to at least two or more light emitting modules among the plurality of light emitting modules. That is, one sensor unit 120 and one sensitivity adjustment unit 140 may be included for the first and second light emitting modules A20 and B20. In this case, when the sensitivity of each of the first and second light-emitting modules A20 and B20 is to be adjusted, the first light-emitting module A20 and the second light-emitting module B20 are selectively driven while the sensor unit 120 is used. The outgoing light may be monitored, and the sensitivity of a corresponding light source may be adjusted through the sensitivity adjusting unit 140.

In the case of configuring the ultraviolet light emitting device as described above, compared to the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the third embodiment, there is an advantage that the configuration can be more simplified while performing the same function.

5 is a schematic diagram showing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention includes first and second light emitting modules A20 and B20 that are disposed adjacent to each other in the main body 1 and are independently driven and controlled. , A sensor unit 120 and a sensitivity adjustment unit 140. Here, as compared with the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the fourth embodiment, it is distinguished in that it further includes a waveguide 35 as the light path conversion unit 30, and other components are substantially the same.

The waveguide 35 is installed between the reflective member 31 and the sensor unit 120, and guides the light reflected by the reflective member 31 to the sensor unit 120. When the waveguide 35 is provided as described above, there is an advantage in that the installation location of the sensor unit 120 can be freely changed, thereby minimizing the restriction on the installation location.

6 is a schematic block diagram showing an ultraviolet curing device employing an ultraviolet light emitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, an ultraviolet curing device according to the present invention includes an ultraviolet light emitting device and a control unit 50. The ultraviolet light-emitting device includes a main body 1, and a light-emitting unit 10, a sensor unit 20, and a sensitivity adjusting unit 40 installed in the main body 1. Since the ultraviolet light emitting device is substantially the same as the ultraviolet light emitting device according to the exemplary embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The control unit 40 is installed outside the main body 1 and controls each of the light-emitting unit 10 and the sensor unit 20 according to a curing condition.

The above-described embodiments are merely exemplary, and various modifications and other equivalent embodiments are possible from those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Therefore, the true technical scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the invention described in the claims.

1: main body 10: light emitting unit
11: light source 15: optical member
20, 120: sensor unit 21: photodetector
25: filter member 30: optical path conversion unit
31: reflective member 35: waveguide
40, 140: sensitivity adjustment unit 50: control unit
A10, A20: first light emitting module B10, B20: second light emitting module

Claims (11)

In the ultraviolet light emitting device,
Main body;
A light-emitting unit installed in the main body and generating and irradiating ultraviolet light;
A sensor unit configured to receive a portion of the light irradiated from the light emitting unit and monitor the sensitivity of the light emitting unit;
A light path converting unit installed between the light emitting unit and the sensor unit to transmit a part of the light irradiated from the light emitting unit to the sensor unit;
Ultraviolet light emitting device comprising a sensitivity adjusting unit for adjusting the sensitivity of the light emitting unit based on the signal detected by the sensor unit. The method of claim 1,
The light emitting part,
A light source for generating and irradiating ultraviolet light;
And an optical member that transmits the light irradiated from the light source at a predetermined magnification. The method of claim 2,
The sensor unit,
A light detector for receiving light irradiated from the light source and converted by the light path conversion unit;
And a filter member disposed between the optical path converter and the photodetector to filter light so that ultraviolet light of a predetermined wavelength is directed to the photodetector. The method of claim 2,
Part of the light irradiated from the light source is reflected on the incident surface of the optical member,
The optical path conversion unit,
And a mirror reflecting light reflected from the optical member toward the sensor unit. The method of claim 2,
The optical path conversion unit,
And a reflective member formed on the incident surface of the optical member and reflecting a part of light irradiated from the light source toward the sensor unit. The method of claim 5,
The optical path conversion unit,
And a waveguide installed between the reflective member and the sensor unit and configured to guide light reflected by the reflective member to the sensor unit. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
When the light emitting unit, the sensor unit, the light path conversion unit and the sensitivity adjustment unit are referred to as one light emitting module,
An ultraviolet light-emitting device, characterized in that the main body includes at least two or more light-emitting modules each independently driven. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
When the light emitting unit and the light path converting unit are referred to as one light emitting module, the body includes a plurality of light emitting modules,
Each of the sensor unit and the sensitivity adjusting unit is applied in common to at least two or more light emitting modules among the plurality of light emitting modules. The ultraviolet light emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6;
An ultraviolet curing machine installed outside the main body and including a control unit for controlling each of the light emitting unit and the sensor unit according to a curing condition. The method of claim 9,
When the light emitting unit, the sensor unit, the light path conversion unit and the sensitivity adjustment unit are referred to as one light emitting module,
An ultraviolet curing machine, characterized in that the body includes at least two or more light-emitting modules each independently driven. The method of claim 9,
When the light emitting unit and the light path converting unit are referred to as one light emitting module, the body includes a plurality of light emitting modules,
Each of the sensor unit and the sensitivity adjusting unit is applied in common to at least two or more light emitting modules among the plurality of light emitting modules.

Images