Personal and environmental air sampling apparatus

• US 6,945,127 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Christiaan Van Netten
• Original Assignee: Christiaan Van Netten
• Inventors: Van Netten, Christiaan
• Primary Examiner(s): RAEVIS, ROBERT R
• Application Number:
  US10/398,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20040045376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 738/630.1, 738/632.1, 738/632.2, 738/632.3, 738/632.4, 738/632.5, 73/310.1, 73/310.2, 73/280.1, 73/280.4, 73/280.5, 961/15, 964/13
• US Class Current: 73/863.23
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2205 with filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2273 Atmospheric sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/24 Suction devices G01N1/22 - G01N1/2294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2276 Personal monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2279 high altitude, e.g. rockets, balloons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2297 Timing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/245 Fans

Abstract

A self sealing air sampling apparatus includes a body with a filter therein and an air moving device, such as a fan, mounted therein for moving air through the filter. There is an air inlet communicating with the filter. There is also a air outlet communicating with the filter. A manually operable control simultaneously opens the air inlet and the air outlet and operates the air moving device for moving air from the air inlet, through the filter and out through the air outlet. For example, the body may be cylindrical and have a cylindrical shell rotatably mounted thereon. The shell and the body have air inlet openings and air outlet openings which are aligned when the shell is rotated in one direction and become unaligned when the shell is rotated in an opposite direction thus sealing off the filter compartment from the outside environment. Rotation of the shell also closes a switch to operate the fan when the shell is rotated in the one direction.

Claims

1. An air sampling apparatus, comprising:

a body having a filter mounted therein and an air moving device mounted therein for moving air through the filter;

an air inlet communicating with the filter,

an air outlet communicating with the filter; and

a manually operable control which simultaneously opens the air inlet and the air outlet and operates the air moving device for moving air from the air inlet, through the filter and out through the air outlet, and wherein the control can simultaneously close the inlet and the outlet and render the air moving device inoperative.

2.The air sampling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter is sealed within the body when the air inlet and air outlet are closed.

3. The air sampling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the control including an outer member movably mounted on the body, the air inlet including at least one air inlet opening on the body and at least one air inlet opening on the outer member, the air outlet including at least one air outlet opening on the body and at least one air outlet opening on the outer member, said at least one air inlet opening on the body being aligned with said at least one air inlet opening on the outer member and said at least one air outlet opening on the body being aligned with said at least one air outlet opening on the outer member when the outer member is moved in a first direction, to move air through the filter.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air moving device is a fan.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body is unsealed, and the apparatus activated when the control opens the air inlet and the air outlet.

4. The air sampling apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least one air inlet opening on the body becomes unaligned with said at least one air inlet opening on the outer member and said at least one air outlet opening on the body becomes unaligned with said at least one air outlet opening on the outer member, when the outer member is moved in a second direction, to seal the apparatus.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control includes a switch mounted on the body which is contacted by the outer member, to close the switch and operate the air moving device when the outer member is moved in the first direction, and to open the switch and stop the air moving device when the outer member is moved in the second direction.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the outer member is rotatably mounted on the body, the first direction being a first rotational direction and the second direction being a second rotational direction which is opposite the first rotational direction.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the body is generally cylindrical and the outer member is a cylindrical shell rotatably mounted on the body.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the body and the outer member each has a top and a cylindrical side, said at least one air inlet opening on the body comprising an opening in the top of the body, said at least one air inlet opening on the outer member comprising an opening in the top of the outer member, said at least one air outlet opening on the body comprising an opening on the side of the body, and said at least one air outlet opening on the outer member comprising an opening on the side of the outer member.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the outer member has a ramp facing the switch on the body, the ramp closing the switch when the outer member is rotated in the first rotational direction and opening the switch when the outer-member is rotated in the second rotational direction.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fan is power operated.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, including a battery mounted in the body and connected to the fan.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fan is an axial fan.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan.