Apparatus and methods for monitoring concentrations of toxic substances in a work environment
First Claim
1. A portable, personal monitor for measuring and displaying the concentrations of toxic substances to which an individual wearing the monitor is exposed during a shift or other work period of the individual, said monitor comprising,sensor means for sensing the concentration level of the toxic substance in the air ambient to the monitor and effective to produce an analog signal having a magnitude dependent on the concentration level,convertor means for converting the analog signal to a digital signal corresponding to the sensed concentration level,controller means for(a) indicating the present concentration level sensed by the monitor,(b) determining and storing the maximum concentration level sensed during the work period, and(c) computing and storing a time-weighted average of the concentration levels sensed during the work period, andcase means for mounting and housing the sensor means, convertor means, and controller means and constructed for wear by an individual whose exposure to the toxic substance is to be monitored during the work period.
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Abstract
A portable, personal monitor measures and displays the concentrations of toxic substances to which an individual wearing the monitor has been exposed during a shift or other work period of the individual. The monitor is constructed in a compact, portable form, and it is enclosed within an outer case for wear by the individual during the work shift.
31 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A portable, personal monitor for measuring and displaying the concentrations of toxic substances to which an individual wearing the monitor is exposed during a shift or other work period of the individual, said monitor comprising,
sensor means for sensing the concentration level of the toxic substance in the air ambient to the monitor and effective to produce an analog signal having a magnitude dependent on the concentration level, convertor means for converting the analog signal to a digital signal corresponding to the sensed concentration level, controller means for (a) indicating the present concentration level sensed by the monitor, (b) determining and storing the maximum concentration level sensed during the work period, and (c) computing and storing a time-weighted average of the concentration levels sensed during the work period, and case means for mounting and housing the sensor means, convertor means, and controller means and constructed for wear by an individual whose exposure to the toxic substance is to be monitored during the work period.
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7. A method of monitoring a working environment to measure and display the concentrations of toxic substances to which an individual has been exposed during a shift or other work period of the individual, said method comprising,
attaching a portable, personal monitor to the individual for wear by the individual continuously throughout the shift or other work period, sensing the concentration level of a toxic substance in the air ambient to the monitor, producing an analog signal having a magnitude dependent on the sensed concentration level, converting the analog signal to a digital signal corresponding to the sensed concentration level, indicating in the monitor the present concentration level being sensed, determining and storing in the monitor the maximum concentration level sensed during the work period, and computing and storing in the monitor a time-weighted average of the concentration level sensed during the work period.
Specification