Wireless communication for fume hood control

• US 6,960,126 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2002
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phoenix Controls Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Desai, Mehul
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US10/268,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20040072529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 454/56, 454/61
• US Class Current: 454/61
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 1/50 for storing hazardous materials in the laboratory, e.g. cupboards, waste containers sample containers B01L3/50
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/145 Detecting door closure
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 15/023 Fume cabinets or cupboards, e.g. for laboratories

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a fume hood. A containment condition, i.e., a condition that may affect containment of potentially harmful substances in the hood, may be detected, and information regarding the detected condition sent by wireless signal. A fume hood controller may control at least airflow in the hood base on the information contained in the wireless signal.

Claims

1. A fume hood apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor that detects a containment condition related to containment of substances in a fume hood housing having a hood opening;

at least one transmitter that transmits a wireless signal including information representing the containment condition detected by the at least one sensor; and

a fume hood controller that receives the wireless signal and controls at least airflow through the hood opening based on the information representing the detected containment condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sash movable to adjust a size of the hood opening, and

wherein the at least one transmitter is located on the at least one sash.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes first and second sensors, the first sensor detecting a position of a sash that is movable to adjust a size of the hood opening, and the second sensor detecting the presence of a person at or near the hood opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes an array of magnetically-actuated reed switches that move between open and closed positions based on movement of a sash to adjust a size of the hood opening.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a reel-type cable sensor that outputs a signal related to a sash that is movable to adjust a size of the hood opening.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fume hood controller includes a receiver located in the hood housing that receives the wireless signal from the at least one transmitter.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information representing a detected containment condition includes information representing a size of the hood opening.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

two sashes movable relative to each other to adjust the fume hood opening, and

wherein the at least one sensor detects a position of one sash relative to the other sash.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fume hood controller is adapted to take action to maintain containment in the fume hood when a wireless signal is not properly received from the at least one transmitter.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fume hood controller outputs a wireless signal to an airflow control device to control airflow through the hood opening.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fume hood controller is adapted to receive wireless signals regarding detected containment condition information for a plurality of fume hoods and is adapted to control at least airflow in the plurality of fume hoods based on the detected containment condition information.

12. A fume hood apparatus comprising:

at least one sash movable to adjust a fume hood opening;

at least one sensor that detects a position of the at least one sash;

a transmitter that transmits a wireless signal including information representing a detected position of the sash; and

a fume hood controller that receives the wireless signal and controls at least airflow through the fume hood opening based on the information representing the detected position of the sash.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a sensor that detects the presence of a person at or near the hood opening and provides information to the fume hood controller via wireless signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the transmitter includes a radio transmitter that outputs a wireless radio signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor includes an array of magnetically-actuated reed switches that move between open and closed positions based on movement of a sash to adjust a size of the hood opening.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor includes a reel-type cable sensor that outputs a signal related to a sash that is movable to adjust a size of the hood opening.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fume hood controller includes a receiver located in a hood housing that receives the wireless signal from the transmitter.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, comprising:

two sashes movable relative to each other to adjust the fume hood opening, and

wherein the at least one sensor detects a position of one sash relative to the other sash.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor detects a position of the at least one sash relative to a hood housing.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fume hood controller is adapted to take action to maintain containment in the fume hood when a wireless signal is not properly received from the transmitter.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fume hood controller is adapted to output a wireless signal to an airflow control device to control airflow through the hood opening.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fume hood controller is adapted to receive wireless signals regarding detected containment condition information for a plurality of fume hoods and is adapted to control at least airflow in the plurality of fume hoods based on the detected containment condition information.

23. A method for controlling a fume hood apparatus, comprising:

providing a fume hood housing having a hood opening;

detecting a containment condition related to containment of potentially harmful substances in the hood;

transmitting a wireless signal including information representing the detected containment condition; and

controlling at least airflow through the hood opening based on the wireless signal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of detecting a containment condition comprises:

detecting a position of at least one sash movable to adjust a size of the hood opening.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of transmitting comprises:

transmitting a wireless radio signal.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of detecting a containment condition comprises:

detecting the position of an array of magnetically-actuated reed switches that move between open and closed positions based on movement of a sash to adjust a size of the hood opening.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of detecting a containment condition comprises:

detecting a resistance of a potentiometer in a reel-type cable sensor that outputs a signal related to a sash that is movable to adjust a size of the hood opening.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving the wireless signal at a receiver located in the hood housing.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of transmitting a wireless signal comprises:

transmitting a wireless signal including information representing a size of the hood opening.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of detecting a containment condition comprises:

detecting the position of two sashes movable relative to each other to adjust a size of the hood opening.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of detecting a containment condition comprises:

detecting a position of at least one sash relative to the hood housing.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of transmitting a wireless signal comprises:

transmitting a wireless signal from a transmitter located on a sash movable to adjust a size of the hood opening.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of detecting a containment condition comprises:

detecting at least one of a presence of a person at or near the hood opening, air movement at or near the hood opening, and movement of at least one object in the hood housing.

34. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

maintaining containment when a wireless signal is not properly received from the transmitter by one of increasing an airflow in the hood, providing an indication to actuate an alarm, and automatically reducing a size of the hood opening.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of controlling at least airflow through the hood opening comprising:

transmitting a wireless signal to an airflow control device to adjust airflow in the hood opening.

36. A fume hood apparatus, comprising:

at least one sensor that detects a containment condition related to containment of substances in a fume hood housing having a hood opening;

an airflow control device that controls airflow through the hood opening; and

a fume hood controller that receives information from the sensor regarding the detected containment condition and sends a wireless signal to the airflow control device to control at least airflow through the hood opening based on the information representing the detected containment condition.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the airflow control device includes a damper that has a movable element to adjust airflow through the hood opening.