DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REDUCING SPREAD OF MICROORGANISMS AND AIRBORNE HEALTH HAZARDOUS MATTER AND/OR FOR PROTECTION FROM MICROORGANISMS AND AIRBORNE HEALTH HAZARDOUS MATTER

• US 20120199003A1
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technical University of Denmark
• Original Assignee: Technical University of Denmark
• Inventors: Melikov, Arsen Krikor, Zhu, Shengwei, Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov
• Granted Patent: US 9,310,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 95/273
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 10/02 with artificial climate; with means to maintain a desired pressure, e.g. for germ-free rooms dust-free laboratory rooms B01L1/04; decompression arrangements B63C11/32; arrangements or adaptations in aircraft B64D13/00; air-conditioning in general F24F
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/108 Means providing sterile air at a surgical operation table or area treatment rooms A61G10/00; instruments or implements for sterile operation A61B90/00; sterilisation of air A61L9/00; purification of air in air-conditioning systems F24F3/16, F24F8/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 15/10 Parts, details or accessories A61G15/14 takes precedence; dental instruments A61C
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/111 Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/14 Filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/163 Clean air work stations, i.e. selected areas within a space which filtered air is passed
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/80 for detecting, monitoring or modelling epidemics or pandemics, e.g. flu

Abstract

Disclosed is an air distribution control unit or a filtration/ventilation unit which is portable and/or can be mounted on or integrated in furniture e.g. as a cabinet of at the head region of a bed. The filtration/ventilation unit cleanses air from a person/patient by aspirating the person'"'"'s/patient'"'"'s exhalation air into the filtration/ventilation unit. To construct an at least partly isolated area around the patient, filtered air can be directed e.g. vertically out of the filtration/ventilation unit to perform an air curtain. Use of the filtration/ventilation unit reduces the risk of dissipation of air-borne diseases and health hazardous matter, and reduces the amount of air to ventilate a room with patients.

Claims

1-39. -39. (canceled)

40. A filtration/ventilation unit for filtration of air, said filtration/ventilation unit comprises

a cabinet,

at least one first air slot in said cabinet for directing air into the filtration/ventilation unit,

at least one fan for directing air through the cabinet,

at least one means for killing or inhibiting the growth capability of microorganisms or virus present in air, said means for killing or inhibiting the growth capability of microorganisms or virus being located inside of said cabinet and/or being a part of the inner surface or the cabinet,

at least one second air slot in said cabinet for directing air out of the filtration/ventilation unit,

said at least one fan is capable of changing the direction of air through the ventilation unit whereby at least one of the at least one first slot can function for directing air out of the filtration/ventilation unit and at least one of the at least one second slot can function for directing air into the filtration/ventilation unit, and said filtration/ventilation unit when in use produces an air curtain outside of the filtration/ventilation unit with air directed through the second air slot.

41. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40 wherein the filtration/ventilation unit comprises means for removing smell and/or hazardous airborne matter and/or a filter.

42. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein air in the air curtain has a velocity of at least 0.1 m/s at the position where the air leaves the filtration/ventilation unit through the at least one second air slot.

43. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein the air curtain has a height of at least 0.5 m measured from the position where the air leaves the filtration/ventilation unit through the at least one second air slot.

44. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40 wherein said at least one second air slot have guiding means for guiding the directing of the air when air is directed out of the air slot.

45. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 44, wherein said guiding means of a slot can change its position and guide the outflow air in a direction of down to 0°

in either directions.

46. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40 further comprising a third and/or fourth slot for directing air into and/or out of said filtration/ventilation unit.

47. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein the filtration/ventilation unit comprises heating means and/or cooling means.

48. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein the filtration/ventilation unit comprises means for drying the air passing out of the cabinet and/or means for humidifying air passing out of the cabinet.

49. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein the filtration/ventilation unit comprises means for regulating the composition of gasses in the air curtain.

50. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 49, wherein the means for regulating the composition of gasses in the air curtain, regulates the amount of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and/or nitrogen in the air curtain.

51. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein said cabinet comprises at least one fastening means to make it possible to attach the filtration/ventilation unit to furniture, ceilings, frames, supports, such as a bed, dental chair, animal farm and/or conveyor belt.

52. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 51, wherein said at least one fastening means are hinges located in the back and/or at the bottom of the cabinet.

53. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein the dimensions of the cabinet is 20-150 cm in length, 20-150 cm in height and 2-30 cm width.

54. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein the weight of the filtration/ventilation unit is between 2 and 100 kg.

55. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein the filtration/ventilation unit further comprises wheels at a side of the cabinet opposite of the second air slot and/or at a side next to the second air slot such that the overall direction of an air curtain is horizontal and/or vertical.

56. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein the filtration/ventilation unit further comprises at least one sensor for

Determining whether an air source is located within a distance of 1 m to the first air slot,

Determining whether an air is directed from an air source towards the first air slot, and/or

Determining the velocity of an air directed from an air source and towards the first air slot.

57. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 56, wherein the at least one sensor are CO₂-sensors and/or infrared temperature sensors.

58. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein the filtration/ventilation unit further comprises means for regulating the direction and/or velocity and/or angle of the air producing the air curtain.

59. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 58, wherein the means for regulating the direction and/or velocity of the air producing the air curtain automatically regulates the direction and/or velocity of the air producing the air curtain and this regulation is based on the information determined by at least one sensor which is operable for

determining whether an air source is located within a distance of 1 m to the first air slot,

determining whether an air is directed from an air source towards the first air slot, and/or

determining the velocity of an air directed from an air source and towards the first air slot.

60. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein the fan is driven by electricity obtained from an integrated battery of the unit or from a connection to the mains.

61. The filtration/ventilation unit according to claim 40, wherein said means for killing or inhibiting the growth capability of microorganisms or virus present in air comprises at least one light bulb capable of emitting light having a disinfecting effect on microorganisms present in the air directed through said filtration/ventilation unit.

62. A filtration system comprising at least one filtration/ventilation units of claim 40.

63. The filtration system according to claim 62, wherein at least two portable filtration/ventilation units are positioned on each side of an area to partly isolate said area from the surroundings and/or on each side of an area being at risk of containing infectious microorganisms, viruses and/or health hazardous matter.

64. The filtration system according to claim 63, wherein said at least two filtration/ventilation units each create a negative pressure within said area.

65. The filtration system according to claim 63, wherein said at least two portable filtration/ventilation units each direct outlet air vertically out of said filtration/ventilation unit and/or the outlet air has an overall direction tilted towards the inner part of the area.

66. The filtration system according to claim 63, wherein at least one of said at least two filtration/ventilation units create a negative pressure in said area and at least another of said at least two filtration/ventilation units create a positive pressure in said area.

67. The filtration system according to claim 63 wherein at least two filtration/ventilation units produces an air curtain across the area at least between an air slot directing air out of a first filtration/ventilation unit and an air slot directing air into a second filtration/ventilation unit.

68. The filtration system according to claim 66, wherein said at least one filtration/ventilation unit producing a negative pressure

is located closer to a source of air located inside of said area than said at least one filtration/ventilation unit producing a positive pressure and/or

is located such that the filtration/ventilation unit is facing the direction of the air emerging from a source of air located inside of said area.

69. The filtration system according to claim 62, wherein measuring means is positioned in said filtration system to measure the direction of air emerging from a source of air located inside said area and wherein the direction of air emerging from a source of air located inside is used to determine which filtration/ventilation unit or units produce(s) a negative pressure and which filtration/ventilation unit or units produce(s) a positive pressure.

70. The filtration system according to claim 68, wherein the source of air is exhalation air from an individual.

71. A method for controlling air distribution control and/or partly isolating an area and/or removing microorganisms and/or viruses in air from an area, said method comprising

Localising an area which is to be partly isolated,

Providing at least one filtration/ventilation unit including a filtration system according to claim 62 around or in connection to said area,

Directing air from said area into said at least one filtration/ventilation unit,

Directing air out of said at least one filtration/ventilation unit in a direction of between 0°

to 120°

when compared to the overall or central direction of air being directed into said filtration/ventilation unit and/or directing air out of said at least one filtration/ventilation unit and further into pipes directing the air to a larger ventilation system, hereby

Partly isolating the area and/or removing microorganisms and/or viruses in air from the area.

72. A bed with at least one of said filtration/ventilation unit as described claim 40 located at least at the head region of a bed, where said at least one filtration/ventilation unit is an integrated part of said bed or said at least one filtration/ventilation unit is releasable mounted on said bed such that said at least one filtration/ventilation unit can be reposition together with said bed.

73. The bed according to claim 72, wherein said at least one filtration/ventilation unit is at least two filtration/ventilation units and said ventilations units are located at least one filtration/ventilation unit at each side of said head region of said bed and/or further comprising a filtration/ventilation unit at least one end of the bed.

74. The bed according to claim 72, wherein said at least one filtration/ventilation unit is connected to said bed with a hinge allowing said filtration/ventilation unit to be removed entirely from said bed and/or to be tilted/glided about 180°

downward in vertical direction.

75. The bed according to claim 72, wherein said bed is a bed for prolonged rest of a human.

76. The bed according to claim 72, wherein at least two filtration/ventilation units produces an air curtain across the bed between an air slot directing air out of a first filtration/ventilation unit and an air slot directing air into a second filtration/ventilation unit thereby isolating at least part of the bed from the surroundings.

77. The bed according to claim 72, wherein said filtration/ventilation unit further comprises

at least one air outlet for directing air out of the filtration/ventilation unit, said air outlet having a smaller dimension than said air inlet and/or

means for controlling the direction of the outlet air and/or

means for controlling the velocity of the outlet air.

78. A method for protecting personnel working with at least one patient by establishing at least one air curtain produced by a filtration/ventilation unit of claim 40 between the patient and the personnel.