Abstract: A patient isolation room having walls surrounding a relatively smaller patient locus, with continuous air flow loop including an air inlet and outlet relatively sized and oppositely arranged to encompass the patient locus on every side with a horizontal, unidirectional, laminar air stream of uniform velocity throughout its cross-section to maintain patient isolation from room air beyond said locus, the loop conducting depurified air beyond the room for recirculation and repurification.

Abstract: Wearable, self-contained and fully mobile personal breathing apparatus adapted to be worn by a surgeon or other operating room personnel is provided. The apparatus controls contamination of operating room spaces generated by the air normally expired by the wearer during surgery. The apparatus comprises a vest, a high efficiency particulate air filter secured to said vest, and conduit means for capturing and directing contaminated exhaled air from the wearer through the upstream side of said filter and a blower connected to the downstream side of said filter for inducing air flow in the conduit means and through the filter for decontamination and return to the operating room space.

Abstract: An air circulating console is disclosed which produces an ultra clean area suitable for performing surgical operations by first removing bacteria from the air and then forcing this ultra clean air at low velocity and in laminar fashion horizontally from the console to engulf an operation table, surgical team and associated equipment. The effective zone of ultra clean air is projected over a large area with the assistance of a pair of vertical high velocity air curtains emitted at an angle toward the ultra clean air from a pair of air curtain plenums which protrude from the console on opposite sides thereof. Air is returned to the console via a pair of intake ducts positioned on opposite sides thereof, rearward and outboard of the air curtain plenums. The air flow pattern generated by the console in a closed room exhibits a lifting effect which discourages the settling of bacteria.