Air filtration system with filter efficiency management
First Claim
1. A filtration system for trapping airborne contaminants, said filtration system comprising:
- a) a housing with an airflow channel therethrough having an air entry port and an air exit port;
b) a vacuum production device for drawing air through said airflow channel;
c) a variable speed motor operating the vacuum production device;
d) air pressure measuring apparatus disposed at the air exit port for measuring air pressure at said port, upstream from the motor;
e) a system processor for receiving and processing data, said system processor in communication with the variable speed motor for controlling motor speed and receiving operation duration data and in communication with the air pressure measuring apparatus for receiving air pressure difference measurement to thereby correlate cumulative motor speed, operation duration, and air pressure difference measurements into a cumulative time and filtered-air volume operating correlated value and automatically comparing said operating correlated value to a plurality of known pre-determined correlated values each reflecting remaining time duration operability of a replaceable filter structure at one respective pre-determined correlated value;
f) a data display site in communication with the system processor for displaying data from said system processor; and
g) a replaceable filter structure disposed in the airflow channel for capturing airborne contaminants, said filter structure comprising at least one filtration medium for capturing airborne contaminant, and a memory device in communication with the system processor for receiving and storing remaining time duration operability data and for sending said remaining time duration operability data from the filter structure to the system processor for display at said data display site.
4 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A filtration system for trapping airborne contaminants as exemplified in evacuating smoke generated during a surgical procedure wherein operation efficiency thereof is automatically reported in relation to filter structure cumulative use time and cumulative airflow volume. In a first embodiment a system processor correlates cumulative vacuum pump motor speed, operation duration, and air pressure difference measurements over an airflow filter path into a cumulative value and automatically compares that value to a plurality of known pre-determined correlated values to thereby provide filter life expectancy which is conveyed to a memory device of the filter structure for retention and. conveyance for display. In a second embodiment a self-contained microprocessor and memory device of the filter structure is in communication with the system processor to receive, store, and send filter structure time-duration operability data which is sent to a data display site for display.
362 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A filtration system for trapping airborne contaminants, said filtration system comprising:
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a) a housing with an airflow channel therethrough having an air entry port and an air exit port;
b) a vacuum production device for drawing air through said airflow channel;
c) a variable speed motor operating the vacuum production device;
d) air pressure measuring apparatus disposed at the air exit port for measuring air pressure at said port, upstream from the motor;
e) a system processor for receiving and processing data, said system processor in communication with the variable speed motor for controlling motor speed and receiving operation duration data and in communication with the air pressure measuring apparatus for receiving air pressure difference measurement to thereby correlate cumulative motor speed, operation duration, and air pressure difference measurements into a cumulative time and filtered-air volume operating correlated value and automatically comparing said operating correlated value to a plurality of known pre-determined correlated values each reflecting remaining time duration operability of a replaceable filter structure at one respective pre-determined correlated value;
f) a data display site in communication with the system processor for displaying data from said system processor; and
g) a replaceable filter structure disposed in the airflow channel for capturing airborne contaminants, said filter structure comprising at least one filtration medium for capturing airborne contaminant, and a memory device in communication with the system processor for receiving and storing remaining time duration operability data and for sending said remaining time duration operability data from the filter structure to the system processor for display at said data display site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A replaceable filter structure for use within a filtration system for trapping airborne contaminants and positionable within an airflow channel of the filtration system through which air to be filtered travels, the filter structure comprising:
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a) at least one filtration medium; and
b) a memory device connectable with a system processor of the filtration system for receiving, storing, and reporting remaining time duration operability of said replaceable filter structure, said remaining time duration operability correlated and determined by said system processor from past cumulative motor speed, operation duration, and air pressure difference measurements. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A filtration system for trapping airborne contaminants, said filtration system comprising:
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a) a housing with an airflow channel therethrough having an air entry port and an air exit port;
b) a vacuum production device for drawing air through said airflow channel;
c) a variable speed motor operating the vacuum production device;
d) air pressure measuring apparatus disposed at the air entry and air exit ports for measuring air pressure difference between said ports;
e) a data display site; and
f) a replaceable filter structure disposed in the airflow channel for capturing airborne contaminants, said filter structure comprising;
i) at least one filtration medium; and
ii) a self-contained microprocessorand memory device in communication with the variable speed motor for receiving motor speed and operation duration data and in communication with the air pressure measuring apparatus for receiving air pressure difference measurement to thereby correlate cumulative motor speed, operation duration, and air pressure difference measurements into an operating cumulative time and filtered-air volume correlated value and automatically comparing said operating correlated value to a plurality of known pre-determined correlated values each reflecting remaining time duration operability of a replaceable filter structure at one respective pre-determined correlated value to determine remaining time duration operability of said filter structure, and for sending said remaining time duration operability data from the filter structure to a data display site for display. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification