Cookery air purification and exhaust system

• US 9,010,313 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mikulec, Conrad S.
• Original Assignee: Mikulec, Conrad S.
• Inventors: Mikulec, Conrad S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Basichas, Alfred
• Application Number:
  US13/650,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20130087134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 126/299.D, 126/299.R, 126/25.C, 454/49
• US Class Current: 126/299.D
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/2021 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety systems

Abstract

An air filtration and exhaust system is described. The system comprises a microcontroller, a power supply, and a series of sensors that detect the presence of airborne contaminants such as ultra fine particles, smoke, natural gas and radon gas. In the presence of these airborne contaminants, the system is designed to inactivate and prevent operation of nearby food preparation appliances. Once these contaminants have been safely removed, the operation of these appliances is restored. In addition, the ventilation system may be equipped with a purification subassembly, which safely and efficiently removes such containments from the area. The system may also comprise an alarm that is activatable in the presence of these contaminants.

Claims

1. A ventilation system, comprising:

a) a microcontroller electrically connectable to an electrical power supply;

b) an impellor capable of variable speed operation electrically connectable to the microcontroller and the power supply;

c) a sensor capable of emitting a measurable sensor signal electrically connectable to the microcontroller and the power supply;

d) a filtration subassembly comprising a filter positioned within a filtration housing positionable adjacent the impellor;

e) a stove shutoff mechanism activatable when a sensor threshold value is exceeded;

f) an electrical outlet shutoff mechanism activatable when the sensor threshold value is exceeded; and

g) wherein actuation of the stove shutoff mechanism and/or the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism occurs when the sensor signal has exceeded the sensor threshold value.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of an ultra fine particle sensor, a temperature sensor, a smoke sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a natural gas sensor, a radon gas sensor, and combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the speed of the impellor increases when the sensor signal has exceeded the signal threshold value.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor signal is an electrical voltage ranging from about 0.01 mV to about 100 mV.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter is selected from the group consisting of a carbon filter, a hepa filter, a glass filter, and combinations thereof.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the carbon filter comprises activated carbon, granulated carbon, a polymeric material, graphene or combinations thereof.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein an antimicrobial coating resides on at least a portion of an exterior surface of the carbon filter, the hepa filter, or the glass filter.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein a UV light source is positionable within a ventilation hood adjacent the filtration subassembly.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the UV light source and a screen mesh of the filtration subassembly are capable of initiating a photocatalytic process wherein microorganisms and viruses present in the surrounding air are destroyed.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller, the power supply, the impellor, and the filtration subassembly reside within a ventilation hood.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein a layer of titanium oxide resides on at least a portion on an interior surface of the ventilation hood.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein a side opening resides through a thickness of a panel portion of the ventilation hood.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the stove shutoff mechanism comprises a gas relay switch, an electric range relay switch, a gas solenoid, a gas flow sensor, an electric range contactor, a first current sensor and combinations thereof.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism comprises an electric outlet relay, an electric outlet contactor, a second current sensor and combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein when the sensor signal is determined to be below the signal threshold value, the stove shutoff mechanism and the electrical outlet shutoff mechanisms are deactivated such that the flow of gas and electricity to the stove and electrical outlets are restored.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein when the sensor signal is determined to be below the signal threshold value, the speed of the impellor is reduced.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein after a period of time ranging from about 1 second to about 60 seconds has passed, the stove shutoff mechanism and the electrical outlet shutoff mechanisms are deactivated such that the flow of gas and electricity to the stove and electrical outlets is restored.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein after a period of time ranging from about 1 second to about 60 seconds has passed, the speed of the impellor is decreased

19. The system of claim 1 wherein a first screen mesh is positionable at a distal end of the filtration subassembly and a second screen mesh is positionable adjacent a proximal end of the filtration subassembly.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the first and second screen meshes comprise stainless steel or graphene.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the first and second screen meshes comprise an exterior coating of titanium oxide or graphene.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein an alarm is activatable by the microcontroller.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the stove shutoff mechanism comprises a mechanical, an electrical, a pneumatic gas, and/or an electrical shutoff mechanism.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism comprises a mechanical or an electrical mechanism.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the stove shutoff and/or the electrical outlet shutoff mechanisms are actuatable by an X10 communication protocol signal.

26. The system of claim 1 further comprising a camera capable of providing a video signal, a microphone capable of providing an audio signal, a motion sensor capable of providing a motion sensor signal, a wireless transmitter capable of transmitting a wireless signal, a wireless receiver capable of receiving a wireless signal and combinations thereof.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein the stove shutoff and/or the electrical outlet shutoff mechanisms are actuatable via a wireless signal.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the stove shutoff mechanism and/or the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism are actuatable when the microprocessor receives an input from the video signal, the audio signal, the motion sensor signal or combinations thereof.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein a fire suppression system is provided in a canopy portion of a ventilation hood.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein actuation of the fire suppression system occurs when the sensor threshold value is exceeded.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein actuation of a latch mechanism controls the independent opening and closing of a ventilation side hood opening and/or a filtration subassembly opening.

32. A safety system comprising:

a) a microcontroller electrically connectable to an electrical power supply;

b) a sensor capable of emitting a measurable sensor signal electrically connectable to the microcontroller and the power supply;

c) a stove shutoff mechanism activatable when a sensor threshold value is exceeded;

d) an electrical outlet shutoff mechanism activatable when the sensor threshold value is exceeded; and

e) wherein actuation of the stove shutoff mechanism and/or the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism occurs when the sensor signal is determined to have exceeded the signal threshold value.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of an ultra fine particle sensor, a smoke sensor, a temperature sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a natural gas sensor, a radon gas sensor, and combinations thereof.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the sensor signal is an electrical voltage ranging from about 0.01 mV to about 100 mV.

35. The system of claim 32 wherein the microcontroller and the power supply reside within a ventilation hood.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the ventilation hood comprises a side opening residing through a thickness of a side panel portion of the hood.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein a layer of titanium oxide resides on at least a portion of an interior surface of the ventilation hood.

38. The system of claim 32 wherein when the sensor signal is determined to be below the signal threshold value, the stove shutoff mechanism and the electrical outlet shutoff mechanisms are deactivated such that the flow of gas and electricity to a stove and electrical outlets are restored.

39. The system of claim 32 wherein after a period of time ranging from about 1 second to about 60 seconds has passed, the stove shutoff mechanism and the electrical outlet shutoff mechanisms are deactivated such that the flow of gas and electricity to a stove and electrical outlets are restored.

40. The system of claim 32 wherein an alarm is activatable by the microcontroller.

41. The system of claim 32 wherein a filtration subassembly comprising a filter is positionable within a ventilation hood.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the filter is selected from the group consisting of a carbon filter, a hepa filter, a glass filter, and combinations thereof.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the filtration subassembly comprises a UV light source.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the UV light source and a screen mesh of the filtration subassembly are capable of initiating a photocatalytic process wherein microorganisms and viruses present in the surrounding air are destroyed.

45. The system of claim 32 wherein the stove shutoff mechanism comprises a gas relay switch, an electric relay switch, a gas solenoid, a gas flow sensor, a first current sensor, an electric range contactor or combinations thereof.

46. The system of claim 32 wherein the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism comprises an electric outlet relay, an electric outlet contactor, a second current sensor and combinations thereof.

47. The system of claim 32 wherein the stove shutoff mechanism comprises a mechanical or an electrical mechanism.

48. The system of claim 32 wherein the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism comprises a mechanical or an electrical mechanism.

49. The system of claim 32 wherein the stove shutoff and/or the electrical outlet shutoff mechanisms are actuatable by an X10 communication protocol signal.

50. The system of claim 32 further comprising a camera capable of providing a video signal, a microphone capable of providing an audio signal, a motion sensor capable of providing a motion sensor signal, a wireless transmitter capable of transmitting a wireless signal, a wireless receiver capable of receiving a wireless signal and combinations thereof.

51. The system of claim 32 wherein the stove shutoff and/or the electrical outlet shutoff mechanisms are actuatable via a wireless signal.

52. The system of claim 50 wherein the stove shutoff mechanism and/or the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism are actuatable when the microprocessor receives an input from the video signal, the audio signal, the motion sensor signal or combinations thereof.

53. The system of claim 32 wherein a fire suppression system is provided in a canopy portion of a ventilation hood.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein actuation of the fire suppression system occurs when the sensor threshold level is exceeded.

55. A method of operating a ventilation system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a ventilation system comprising;

i) a microcontroller electrically connectable to an electrical power supply;

ii) an impellor capable of variable speed operation electrically connectable to the microcontroller and the power supply;

iii) a sensor capable of emitting a sensor signal electrically connectable to the microcontroller and the power supply;

iv) a filtration subassembly comprising a filter positioned within a filtration housing;

v) a stove shutoff mechanism activatable when a sensor threshold value is exceeded; and

vi) an electrical outlet shutoff mechanism activatable when the sensor threshold value is exceeded;

b) measuring the sensor signal;

c) determining whether the sensor signal exceeds the sensor threshold value; and

d) activating the stove shutoff mechanism and the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism when the sensor signal exceeds the sensor threshold value.

56. The method of claim 55 including increasing a speed of the impellor when the sensor signal exceeds the sensor threshold value.

57. The method of claim 55 including deactivating the stove shutoff mechanism and the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism when the sensor signal is below the sensor threshold value, such that the flow of gas and electricity are restored.

58. The method of claim 55 including waiting a period of time ranging from about 1 second to about 60 seconds, after which the stove shutoff mechanism and the electrical outlet shutoff mechanisms are deactivated such that the flow of gas and electricity are restored.

59. The method of claim 55 including providing the sensor selected from the group consisting of an ultra fine particle sensor, a smoke sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a natural gas sensor, a radon gas sensor, and combinations thereof.

60. The method of claim 55 including providing the sensor signal is an electrical voltage ranging from about 0.01 mV to about 100 mV.

61. The method of claim 55 including providing the filter selected from the group of filters consisting of a carbon filter, a hepa filter, and a glass filter.

62. The method of claim 61 including providing the carbon filter comprising activated carbon, granulated carbon, graphene, or combinations thereof.

63. The method of claim 55 including providing a UV light within a ventilation hood adjacent a proximal end of the filtration subassembly.

64. The method of claim 55 including providing a first screen mesh positioned at a distal end of the filtration subassembly and a second screen mesh positioned adjacent a proximal end of the filtration subassembly.

65. The method of claim 64 including providing the first and second screen meshes comprising stainless steel or graphene.

66. The method of claim 64 including providing the first and second screen meshes having an exterior coating of titanium oxide or graphene.

67. The method of claim 55 including providing the stove shutoff mechanism comprising a gas relay switch, an electric relay switch, a gas solenoid, a gas flow sensor, an electric range contactor, a first current sensor and combinations thereof.

68. The method of claim 55 including providing the electrical outlet shutoff mechanism comprising an electrical outlet shutoff relay switch, an electrical outlet contactor, a second current sensor and combinations thereof.

69. The method of claim 55 including providing a wireless signal that activates the stove shutoff and/or the electrical outlet shutoff mechanisms.

70. The method of claim 55 including providing a fire suppression system provided in a canopy portion of a ventilation hood.