Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for providing a ventilation system

• US 10,377,206 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2015
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kehoe, Michael Patrick, D'Ambrosio, Robert Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory L
• Assistant Examiner(s): May, Elizabeth M.
• Application Number:
  US14/626,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20150231945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/008 the input being air quality
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/241 characterised by the location of ventilation devices in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0047 Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0063 using a threshold to release an alarm or displaying means

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for removing gas from a vehicle storage unit. The apparatus includes at least one memory and a processor(s) detecting air being drawn, via an exhaust unit, from the front of a vehicle storage space to a rear of the vehicle storage space and through a ventilation unit forcing the air including emitted gas(es) to exit a top of the ventilation unit. The air is initially directed, from a supply unit in an upper part of the ventilation unit, into the rear of the vehicle storage space to the front of the vehicle storage space. The items emitted the gas. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to measure the gas as the air passes through the ventilation unit to determine whether the measured gas equals or is below a predetermined threshold. Corresponding computer program products and methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a level of a gas within a vehicle storage space using a ventilation unit comprising a supply unit having a first blower and an exhaust unit having a second blower, the method comprising:

detecting, using a sensor located within the vehicle storage space, that the level of the gas within the vehicle storage space is equal to or exceeds a predetermined threshold;

activating the first blower to generate a stream of air that is directed through an interior of the vehicle storage space;

activating the second blower to draw the air comprising the gas from within the vehicle storage space through the exhaust unit and out of the vehicle storage space;

detecting, using the sensor located within the vehicle storage space, that the level of the gas within the vehicle storage space is below the predetermined threshold; and

modifying the operation of the first and second blowers following the detecting that the level of the gas is below the predetermined threshold,

wherein the gas comprises Ethylene Oxide gas, and

wherein the predetermined threshold is 0.5 parts per million of Ethylene Oxide gas.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing multiple measurements of the level of the gas in the vehicle storage space with the sensor until the sensor detects that the level of the gas is below the predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a measurement of the Ethylene Oxide gas from the sensor to a communication device to present the measurement of the Ethylene Oxide gas outside of the vehicle storage space.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the operation of the first and second blowers comprises operating the first and second blowers for a predetermined amount of time after the sensor detects that the level of the gas in the vehicle storage space is below the predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the operation of the first and second blowers comprises deactivating the first and second blowers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined threshold comprises a numerical predetermined threshold.

7. A system for controlling a level of a gas within a vehicle storage space, the system comprising:

a ventilation unit, comprising;

a supply unit comprising a first blower, and

an exhaust unit comprising a second blower;

a sensor configured to detect the level of the gas within the vehicle storage space;

at least one processor; and

one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method comprising;

determining, from a first reading of the sensor, that the level of the gas within the vehicle storage space is equal to or exceeds a predetermined threshold;

operating the first blower to generate a stream of air that is directed through an interior of the vehicle storage space;

operating the second blower to draw the air comprising the gas from within the vehicle storage space through the exhaust unit and out of the vehicle storage space;

determining, from a second reading of the sensor, that the level of the gas within the vehicle storage space is below the predetermined threshold; and

following the determination that the level of the gas is below the predetermined threshold, modifying the operation of the first and second blowers,

wherein the gas comprises Ethylene Oxide gas,

wherein the sensor is configured to detect a parts-per-million of the Ethylene Oxide gas in the vehicle storage space, and

wherein the predetermined threshold is 0.5 parts per million.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

performing multiple measurements of the level of the gas in the vehicle storage space with the sensor until the sensor indicates that the level of the gas is below the predetermined threshold.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

sending a measured level of the Ethylene Oxide gas from the sensor to a communication device to present the measured level of the Ethylene Oxide gas outside of the vehicle storage space.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein modifying the operation of the first and second blowers comprises operating the first and second blowers for a predetermined amount of time after the sensor indicates that the level of the gas is below the predetermined threshold.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a dock seal coupled to the ventilation unit, wherein the dock seal is configured to engage with an opening of the vehicle storage space.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the predetermined threshold comprises a numerical predetermined threshold.

13. A ventilation unit for controlling a level of a gas within a vehicle storage space, the ventilation unit comprising:

a sensor configured to detect if the level of the gas within the vehicle storage space is equal to or exceeds a predetermined threshold;

a supply unit comprising a first blower, the supply unit configured to direct a stream of air through the vehicle storage space when the first blower is activated; and

an exhaust unit comprising a second blower, the exhaust unit configured to draw the air comprising the gas through the ventilation unit when the second blower is activated, forcing the air and the gas out of the vehicle storage space,

wherein the ventilation unit is configured to modify, following a detection by the sensor that the level of the gas within the vehicle storage space is equal to or exceeds the predetermined threshold, the operation of the first and second blowers,

wherein the gas comprises Ethylene Oxide gas, and

wherein the predetermined threshold is 0.5 parts per million of the Ethylene Oxide Gas.

14. The ventilation unit of claim 13, wherein the ventilation unit is further configured to:

perform multiple measurements of the level of the gas in the vehicle storage space using the sensor until the sensor detects that the level of the gas is below the predetermined threshold.

15. The ventilation unit of claim 13, wherein the ventilation unit is configured to:

send a measurement of the level of the Ethylene Oxide gas from the sensor to a communication device.

16. The ventilation unit of claim 13, wherein modifying the operation of the first and second blowers comprises operating the first and second blowers until the sensor detects that the level of the gas within the vehicle storage space is below the predetermined threshold.

17. The ventilation unit of claim 13, wherein the level of the gas is detected in parts per million by the sensor.

18. The ventilation unit of claim 13, wherein:

the predetermined threshold comprises a numerical predetermined threshold.