Gas separation – Combined or convertible – In environmental air enclosure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-19
2003-09-23
Smith, Duane (Department: 1724)
Gas separation
Combined or convertible
In environmental air enclosure
C055S356000, C055S357000, C055S358000, C055S467000, C055S472000, C055S473000, C055S482000, C055S501000, C055S502000, C055SDIG001, C096S224000, C096S414000, C096S417000, C096S421000, C454S057000, C454S060000, C454S063000, C454S066000, C454S187000, C454S188000, C454S189000, C454S193000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06623538
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a compact, portable, lightweight, low power consuming, convenient, versatile and sterile laminar airflow device, useful in obtaining a workspace substantially devoid of airborne particulate contaminants. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for obtaining a working platform devoid of both biological and a-biological contaminants for tissue culture operations, watch and electronic device assembling, and initiation of aseptic cultures of micro-organisms from field samples ‘in situ’.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In tissue culture and industries like the electronic industry, watch industry etc., the requirements for a clean area are near absolute and even a small leakage or mishandling can lead to disastrous results in the production line. Such is the essentiality of the clean area or clean benches that a substantial amount of money goes into the erection of these structures and the maintenance of the same. Maintaining these structures is also expensive, leading to an escalation in the ultimate cost of production.
UV cabinets, which are being used for this purpose, have the drawback of limited O
2
supply. This leads to restricted use. Also, it may endanger the safety of the user if the sprayed alcohol/rectified spirit inside the chamber does not dry up. Further, these are quite bulky and unsuitable for portability and do not offer flexibility in their usage, e.g. in the electronic industry, as the materials need to be placed well before use.
The horizontal and vertical sterile laminar air flow systems which are also presently being used have the disadvantage of being heavy, bulky, and expensive in terms of cost and maintenance, making them unsuitable for low end applications, where sterile environment is not required intensively, and more often a high infrastructure cost is not warranted, such as micro-electronics works, cottage tissue culture practices, demonstration and teaching in schools; for field activities such as collection of biological samples like microbes and plants from far off places. Field applicability is further limited by the inevitable high power inputs required. At times, it becomes the limiting factor in dissemination of technologies at the grass root levels where these could be more suitable.
It is well known that the hills, because of congenial environmental conditions are very rich in biodiversity that needs to be conserved. Taking plant or microbe samples and bringing them to the base laboratory are always accompanied with dangers of cross contamination leading to spoilage of precious materials and time as well. Therefore, the suitability of a low power consuming, portable, sterile laminar airflow device is highly desirable.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the present invention is to provide a compact, lightweight, versatile and convenient sterile airflow device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable sterile laminar airflow cabinet with a working platform providing a sterile environment for carrying out aseptic operations.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a light weight, portable, compact, low power consuming sterile laminar air flow cabinet that can be conveniently used in far flung remote areas for ‘in situ’ aseptic inoculation of biological samples such as plants and microbes for establishment of their cultures.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sterile air flow device suitable for integration with other devices that may at times require a sterile environment, such as the workbench of an enlarging device, thus increasing the versatility of applications.
One more object of the present invention is to provide a low cost sterile laminar airflow cabinet for demonstration and teaching purposes.
One another object of the present invention is to provide a low cost sterile laminar airflow cabinet for promotion of plant tissue culture as a cottage industry.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable, versatile, convenient sterile air flow device, that is small in size, requires less space and can therefore, be used for desktop sterile air applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a compact, portable, lightweight, low power consuming, convenient, versatile and sterile laminar airflow device, useful in obtaining a workspace substantially devoid of airborne particulate contaminants.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, making reference to FIGS. I through III, the present invention provides a sterile laminar airflow device, useful in obtaining a workspace substantially devoid of airborne particulate contaminants, said device comprising a body (C) divided into an upper and lower chambers; the upper chamber housing one or more pre-filtration members (B), a motor (T) mounted with fan (S), one or more HEPA filters (U), which are mounted on a gasket (V); and the lower chamber provided with a front panel (M) and housing a removable platform (X) and a perforated plane (N).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the body is made up of materials selected from the group comprising of solid wood, laminated wood, stainless steel or any other metal sheets and a lightweight high-strength plastic.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the lightweight high-strength plastic is selected from the group comprising of Polycarbonate, fibre-glass and reinforced strengthened glass, acrylic polymethacrylate, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene and polymethyl pentene (TPX).
In still another embodiment of the present invention, the body has provisions for housing the dust filter, fan and HEPA filters.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the length to width ratio of the laminar airflow device is in the range of 3 to 2.
In one more embodiments of the present invention, a twin turbo fan ensures continuous downward movement of sterile air.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the turbo fan is a heavy-duty axial fan.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the front panel is preferably of sliding type.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the front panel has upward and downward restricted movement.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, the front panel can be held at any desired position.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the platform is made up of materials selected from the group comprising steel, wood, non-corrosive polyethylic material, non-corrosive polyplast material and non-corrosive metallic material.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, the base of the lower chamber is perforated and with or without provision for removing the central part.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the central part of the perforated platform is made removable by a slit and groove mechanism, enabling integration of the device with other devices that may at times require a sterile environment.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the perforated plate is made up of a non-corrosive material selected from the group comprising metal, synthetic material and wood.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the HEPA-filter opening facing towards the lower chamber is covered with a plastic grill.
The present invention further provides a compact, portable, lightweight, low power consuming, convenient and versatile sterile laminar airflow device, useful in obtaining a workspace substantially devoid of airborne particulate contaminants, said device comprising a body (C) provided with mounts (O) and divided into upper & lower chambers; the upper chamber being provided with a removable panel (D) at the front for access to the internal components, housing a pre-filtration member (B) capable of retaining suspended particles in the air, a motor (T) with a twin turbo fan (S) compartmentalized by a partition (R) into a suction channel for pushing the air entrapped in the pre-filtration member (B) unidirectionally through the air tight exhaust channel and a HEPA filter (
Ahuja Paramvir Singh
Sood Anil
Thakur Rajesh
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research
Greene Jason M.
Smith Duane
Volpe and Koenig P.C.
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