Toxic work enclosure

Details Toxic work enclosure Toxic work enclosure

1996-05-21

1998-09-22

Joyce, Harold

Ventilation

Workstation ventilator

Covered workbench chamber

454187, B08B 1502

Patent

active

058106561

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
Toxic work enclosures provide a safe working environment for a technician engaged in using various toxic or extremely hazardous materials, including chemical and biological agents, by isolating the hazardous materials from the technician, whilst permitting safe access to the materials.
Laboratories are often equipped with fume cupboards to prevent direct exposure to the potentially hazardous materials normally found in, for example, a chemical laboratory. Fume cupboards consist of an internal working space with an aperture closeable with a usually transparent door, the internal working space being provided with a usually forced draught which induces an airflow from the laboratory into the aperture, which is not air-tight even when closed, through the internal working space and out of an exhaust leading from the internal working space usually into the atmosphere. However, fume cupboards do not allow economical and effective control of environmental conditions such as temperature, and humidity.
Known toxic work enclosures, such as the work stations described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,301, and the safety cabinets described in Canadian Patent 1 126 566 create an airflow through an internal working space away from the technician. They include a vertical air barrier or curtain passing downwards across the aperture giving access to the internal working space, preventing release of toxic substances into the laboratory.
A disadvantage of the toxic work enclosures described in the above mentioned prior art documents is that the internal working space cannot be sealed to permit control of the environmental conditions within the internal working space. For example the temperature or humidity cannot be controlled.
Another disadvantage is that should an unexpected event occur in the internal working space during an experiment the working space, or apparatus containing the working space cannot be removed expeditiously from the laboratory for disposal.
According to the present invention an enclosure is provided including a work compartment; an air intake means, connecting to the work compartment, closeable by a first closure means moveable between a closed and an open position; an air discharge means, connecting to the work compartment, closeable by a second closure means moveable between a closed and an open position; and a connecting means operatively relating the movement of the first closure means between a closed and an open position, to the movement of the second closure means between a closed and an open position; characterised in that the enclosure is arranged to be positioned in a fume cupboard having an internal space connecting to an access aperture and to an exhaust means capable of moving air into the access aperture, through the internal space and out of the exhaust means, the air intake means facing the access aperture, the air discharge means facing the exhaust means; moving the first closure means to the open position and moving the second closure means to the open position defines an air pathway leading from the access aperture into the intake means, through the work compartment, out of the air discharge means and to the exhaust means; in use the exhaust means moves a second airstream, a portion of the air entering the access aperture, along the air pathway, enabling safe access to toxic materials, if present, in the work compartment; moving the first closure means to the closed position and moving the second closure means to the closed position isolates the work compartment enabling environmental control of the air within the work compartment, or safe removal of the enclosure from the fume cupboard by containment of toxic materials, if present, in the work compartment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,301 describes a work station for use with hazardous or toxic substances in which a removable insert work compartment may be easily removed from the work station housing for cleaning or replacement in the event that the work enclosure becomes contaminated. Also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,301 is a chute connecting the

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Patent Abstracts of Japan Pat. 2144157, vol. 14, No. 386, 21 Aug. 1990.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, Pat. 3038257, vol. 15, No. 167, 26 Apr. 1991.

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