Target odor detection and security apparatus

• US 8,806,914 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freddie R. Brasfield
• Original Assignee: Freddie R. Brasfield
• Inventors: Brasfield, Freddie R.
• Primary Examiner(s): FITZGERALD, JOHN P
• Application Number:
  US13/281,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20120103060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 73/233.4
• US Class Current: 73/23.34
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/24 Suction devices G01N1/22 - G01N1/2294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/022 sampling for security purposes, e.g. contraband, warfare agents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0001 by organoleptic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0004 Gaseous mixtures, e.g. polluted air gaseous biological material G01N33/497; exhaust gas of internal combustion engines G01M15/102
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0057 for warfare agents or explosives properties of explosives G01N33/227
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/10 Movable barriers with registering means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass

Abstract

A target odor detecting apparatus and method, the apparatus including a rotatable door assembly is disclosed for screening odor emitters for target odors. A screening zone is defined within the rotatable door assembly wherein air is moved to an observation room for screening by an animate odor detector to detect one or more target odors.

Claims

1. A screening apparatus comprising:

a rotatable door assembly including a vertical member oriented along a centrally-located vertical axis;

a plurality of panels extending outward from the vertical member and configured to rotate together about the vertical axis;

a curved wall whereon the respective outward edges of the plurality of panels slide past during a full rotation of the plurality of panels about the vertical axis;

a base member on which the bottom edges of the plurality of panels slide past during a full rotation of the plurality of panels about the vertical axis, the base member including a base vent through which air can pass; and

a ceiling member under which the top edges of the plurality of panels slide past during a full rotation of the plurality of panels about the vertical axis, the ceiling member including a ceiling vent through which air can pass;

a screening zone defined as the space between the curved wall, the vertical member, the base member, and the ceiling member;

a barrier including a barrier edge whereon the respective outward edges of the plurality of panels slide past during a full rotation of the plurality of panels about the vertical axis, wherein the barrier separates an entrance zone and an exit zone;

an observation room in fluid communication with the screening zone; and

an airflow inducer for inducing the flow of air through the screening zone to the observation room to entrain odors in the observation room that were emitted in the screening zone to be screened for one or more target odors.

2. The screening apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second observation room in fluid communication with the screening zone; and

the airflow inducer for inducing the flow of air through the screening zone to the second observation room to entrain odors in the second observation room that were emitted in the screening zone to be screened for one or more target odors.

3. The screening apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end of the conduit attached adjacent the ceiling vent and the second end of the conduit attached adjacent the observation room.

4. The screening apparatus of claim 1 wherein the airflow inducer further comprises a fan that, when activated, blows air through the screening zone to the observation room.

5. The screening apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a motor to drive the vertical member and the plurality of panels in a rotating motion.

6. The screening apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second rotatable door assembly including a second vertical member oriented along a second centrally-located vertical axis;

a second plurality of panels extending outward from the second vertical member and configured to rotate together about the second vertical axis;

a second curved wall whereon the respective outward edges of the second plurality of panels slide past during a full rotation of the second plurality of panels about the second vertical axis;

a second base member on which the bottom edges of the second plurality of panels slide past during a full rotation of the second plurality of panels about the second vertical axis, the second base member including a second base vent through which air can pass; and

a second ceiling member under which the top edges of the second plurality of panels slide past during a full rotation of the second plurality of panels about the second vertical axis, the second ceiling member including a second ceiling vent through which air can pass;

a second screening zone defined between the second curved wall, the second vertical member, the second base member, and the second ceiling member;

the barrier including a second barrier edge whereon the respective outward edges of the second plurality of panels slide past during a full rotation of the second plurality of panels about the second vertical axis;

a second screening chamber ephemerally defined completely within the second screening zone;

the observation room in fluid communication with the second screening zone; and

the airflow inducer for inducing the flow of air through the second screening zone to the observation room to entrain odors in the observation room that were emitted in the second screening zone to be screened for one or more target odors.

7. The screening apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a conduit network including a first end, a second end, and a third end, wherein the first end of the conduit network is connected to the observation room, the second end of the conduit network is connected to the base vent, and the third end of the conduit network is connected to the second base vent.

8. The screening apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a conduit network including a first end, a second end, and a third end, wherein the first end of the conduit network is connected to the observation room, the second end of the conduit network is connected to the ceiling vent, and the third end of the conduit network is connected to the second ceiling vent.

9. The screening apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a conduit including a first end and a second end, the first end of the conduit attached adjacent the base vent and the second end of the conduit attached adjacent the observation room.

10. The screening apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a mobile trailer wherein the rotatable door assembly is mounted on the trailer, the trailer further comprising an ingress portal for entering the trailer and the rotatable door, an egress portal for exiting the trailer and the rotatable door, a base conduit, and an observation conduit wherein air is allowed to flow through the ceiling vent, the screening zone, the base vent, the base conduit, and the observation vent to the observation room to be screened in the observation room for one or more target odors.

11. The screening apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an animate odor detector in the observation room for screening the air for one or more target odors.

12. The screening apparatus of claim 11 comprising the observation room which further comprises an engagement apparatus including a sensing device attached adjacent thereto, wherein the sensing device is in communication with an event indicator, and wherein the animate odor detector is trained to engage the engagement apparatus if the animate odor detector senses a target odor wherein a pre-set amount of engagement with the engagement apparatus triggers the sensing device, which, in turn, triggers the event indicator to indicate that a target odor has been detected.

13. The screening apparatus of claim 12 comprising the sensing device wherein the sensing device comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of a microswitch, a vibration sensor, and an accelerometer.

14. A method for screening an odor emitter, the method comprising the steps of:

providing access to an entry point to a security zone for an odor emitter wherein the entry point comprises a rotatable door through which an odor emitter must pass through prior to entering the security zone, wherein the rotatable door includes an enclosed portion defining a screening zone, the enclosed portion including a plurality of adjacent rotatable panes, a curved wall fixed relative to the plurality of rotatable panes, a base member, and a ceiling member;

moving air through the screening zone wherein at least some of the moved air is directed to an observation room;

screening the air from the screening zone that has been moved to the observation room.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the moving step further comprises drawing the air from the screening zone to the observation room.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the screening step further comprises exposing an animate odor detector located in the observation room to air moved from the screening zone to the observation room.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

moving air through the screening zone wherein at least some of the air is directed to a second observation room; and

screening the air from the screening zone that has been moved to the second observation room.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

providing access to a second entry point to the security zone for an odor emitter wherein the second entry point comprises a second rotatable door through which an odor emitter must pass through prior to entering the security zone, wherein the second rotatable door includes a second enclosed portion defining a second screening zone, the second enclosed portion including a second plurality of adjacent rotatable panes, a second curved wall fixed relative to the second plurality of rotatable panes, a second base member, and a second ceiling member;

moving air through the second screening zone wherein at least some of the moved air is directed to the observation room;

screening the air from the second screening zone that has been moved to the observation room.