Abstract: A sterile air recycling module is mounted to a wall of a room and includes a housing having an outlet for discharging sterile or clean air into the room, opposed grilled inlets for controlling the volume of air drawn into the interior of the housing from the room, and an inlet for fresh air or plant conditioned air, a supply pressure plenum chamber within the housing for discharging air through a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter which is in fluid communication with the housing outlet, and a blower within the housing for withdrawing air from a negative pressure plenum within the housing and an outlet in fluid communication with the supply pressure plenum, the housing inlets being in fluid communication with the negative pressure plenum.

Abstract: A diffuser of the type used in supplying filtered air to a clean work area includes a filter housing within which is supported a filter panel. Gaskets are carried on the upper and lower peripheral surfaces of the panel and an adjustable, resilient clamp operably engages the filter and biases the filter and the upper gasket to form a knife edge seal with a portion of the filter housing. A protective grill assembly is sealingly latched to the housing and also forms a knife seal with the lower gasket on the filter panel. Further, a curtain support member is disclosed which is carried by the grill assembly and seals an isolation curtain airtight to the ceiling.

Abstract: An operation area on an operating table is flanked by a blower unit and a suction unit. The blower unit creates several vertically spaced and independently adjustable streams of gas each of which is aspirated by a respective intake of the suction unit. The lowermost stream of gas, which is sterilized, flows just tangent to the operation location on the body of a patient lying on the operating table. The outlets of the blower unit and the intakes of the suction unit are independently adjustable to position the respective gas streams in accordance with the dimensions of the body part being shielded.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating a clean air zone, for example around a patient undergoing surgery or for a pharmaceutical or electronic clean room, has air supply means and air delivery means, inlets to the air supply means being distributed about the periphery of the apparatus so that clean air issuing from the delivery means travels first away from the delivery means, next outwardly from the center of the zone and finally inwardly to the inlets, thus sweeping an area larger than the size of the apparatus, and obviating the need for the apparatus to clean large quantities of ambient air.

Abstract: A closed paint spray booth and method of spray painting an article therein which air inlet means is provided around the upper perimeter of the booth. Air exhaust means along lower portions of upstanding walls for the booth withdraws paint laden air from the booth. Inlet air is directed inwardly of the spray booth in position to be drawn downwardly and around the object being painted to define an air curtain around the object which is then drawn outwardly away from said object to the air exhaust means.

Abstract: An improved ventilation method and ventilation system for shooting ranges in which the conventional ventilation system of the shooting range is supplemented by the addition of air in the shooting stall intermediate the shooter's face and weapon. Preferably, the direction of the supplemental air flow is at an angle to the shooter and toward the target area to remove contaminants away from the shooting stall and downrange of the shooter.

Abstract: A laminar airflow biological safety cabinet apparatus is disclosed which is convertible by the user for changing the airflow pattern through the cabinet in order to meet different specialized conditions encountered in laboratory work with potentially hazardous biological specimens. Adjustable damper structure is provided adjacent the air outlet of the cabinet for simultaneously varying the amounts of air discharged and drawn into the cabinet, and the laminar flow of downwardly directed air through the work compartment thereof. An air filter is located immediately below the work surface of the cabinet and upstream of the air fan for removing contaminants from the air.

Abstract: A total exhaust laminar flow biological fume hood safety cabinet is disclosed having a closed housing with a viewing panel and access port therebeneath at its front portion. Centrally a work tray is mounted with means permitting air passage thereabout. A plenum chamber connects the lower portion of the housing to the top, and an exhaust blower in closed pneumatic communication with the plenum delivers contaminated air to an exhaust filter for total exhaust. Makeup air means are provided at the upper portion of the housing to deliver filtered air downwardly over the work tray, and the blower capacities, flow rates, and filter capacities are developed to the end that the air passing through the access port exceeds the quantity of filtered makeup air while providing for an access air velocity at least double that of the makeup air velocity.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing a clean air zone around a patient undergoing surgery or in a pharmaceutical or electronic clean room comprises a plurality of air supply means and a plurality of air delivery means, the air delivery means comprising a central means adapted to supply air at a first velocity and an outer means adapted to supply air at a second lower velocity, the air delivery means having different permeabilities for attaining the desired flow differential.

Abstract: The filtration module is adapted to be installed in groups occupying all or a substantial portion of a wall or ceiling area in a room. The filter elements are replaceable from inside the room without disassembly or removal of the housing structure. The filter elements are held in secure sealing relationship against recessed edge surfaces by an easily removed retaining frame normally secured to the housing with fastenings accessible from within the room.

Abstract: An arrangement for preventing access of bacteria and other contaminants to an area in which medical operations are carried out, having first instrumentalities for producing a stream of sterile gas, second instrumentalities for directing the stream tangentially over the area to form a gas curtain which prevents access of contaminants to the area, and third instrumentalities for preventing ambient contaminants from penetrating into the stream of sterile gas.

Abstract: A ventilated enclosure, for example a paint-spraying booth, is divided into two or more zones by one or more isolating curtains of rapidly-flowing air. One longitudinal curtain is used on each side of the object to be treated in the enclosure, to provide a central longitudinal zone for the surface treatment process and two side zones for the workmen. The two curtains converge downwardly toward each other so that the ventilating air flowing downwardly between the curtains exits from the central zone largely by way of the space between said objects. Transverse curtains and/or additional longitudinal curtains may also be used with special advantages, particularly when the speeds and positions of the curtains are specially selected.

Abstract: A collector of dental scrapings and dust for use by a dental technician. The collector consists of a main housing which is provided with a dust inlet at the lower portion of its front side and which has an open rear side normally closed by a filtering cover provided with a plurality of vent holes and on which is secured an air-permeable foamed plastic sheet for dust collection. A partition wall is provided in said main housing to divide the interior thereof into a suction portion leading from the inlet and an exhaust portion leading to the filtering cover. An electric blower is provided between said suction portion and said exhaust portion to cause air flow from said suction portion to said exhaust portion. The suction portion is provided with a forwardly concave first, relatively short, metal grating of suitable mesh size which is coextensive in width with the inlet and whose length is approximately 1.

Abstract: A mobile air filtering apparatus for hospital rooms, comprises a housing having an inlet and an outlet. A pre-filter is located at the inlet and a fan for directing air in succession through a heater, a diffusion foil moistener and a mechanical filter. The diffusion foil moistener is located between the heater and the mechanical filter and it includes a heat exchange conduit for conducting the water to the moistener which is coiled around the filter. The filter housing is mounted on a fork-shaped arm which is carried on a stand in an adjustable position and the stand is moved around with its associated carriage filter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chuck or handler for carrying thin, substantially planar workpieces intermediate process stations but while maintaining a clean air environment. The chuck includes a substantially planar surface having a workpiece receiving area thereon and a plurality of channels adjacent one edge of the planar surface but superimposed thereof. A conduit is in fluid communication with the channels and includes a foraminous diffuser element in the conduit to equalize the pressure of fluid entering the channels. A source of at least Class 100 air is connected to the conduit for supplying the channels with the gaseous media so that gaseous media emanating from the channels is essentially laminar and flows across the work area to create a surface attachment effect of the air or gaseous media over the workpiece on the work area.The purpose of this abstract is to enable the public and the Patent Office to determine rapidly the subject matter of the technical disclosure of the Application.

Abstract: Plural pressure-displacement type air diffusion modules have separate diffusion means between a control plenum and a space to be conditioned. A single control valve between a source of pressurized air and the control plenum regulates the volume of air admitted into the plenum, whereby laminar flow of air is uniformly produced by pressure displacement through each of the modules. The control valve is either a gate-type valve or a valve head and seat arrangement.

Abstract: A laminar flow producing means is described having a blower which passes air to a distributor having a buffer zone with a ratio between its volume and cross-sectional area A being smaller than 1/2.sqroot.A and two mesh screens spaced about 0.2 to 5 cm apart and each having mesh openings measuring about 0.001 to 1mm so that the air from the blower is passed through the screen meshes seriatim to produce a clean, dust-free laminar flow of air.

Abstract: Apparatus providing a work area at which one or several people can perform tasks requiring ultra-high efficient air filtration. The work area includes an air passageway throughwhich laminar flow of air occurs from a HEPA filter. The apparatus has a leading edge around the work area from which a certain of air flows in an enclosing and parallel relationship to the laminar flow air to extend the laminar air zone a distance beyond the work surface of the apparatus. The curtain air is passed through a HEPA filter prior to discharge. Dual air blowers supply air for the laminar flow air and the enclosing air curtain. The passageways for the two sources of air are in communication so that if necessary, one blower can be the source for both the laminar flow air and the air curtain. When both sources are in operation the communication means also serves to eliminate undesirable harmonics that might originate from either blower if it were to operate alone.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing a clean air zone around a patient undergoing surgery in the form of a plurality of air delivery means and air supply means for supplying sterile air to the air delivery means, a first central one of the air delivery means being adapted to supply air at a first velocity and a second outer one of the air supply means being adapted to supply air at a second lower velocity.

Abstract: A high efficiency air filter system of the type used in clean rooms and the like, and having a sliding plate valve associated with each filter. The sliding plate valve is positioned on the downstream side of each filter, and includes a highly viscous, non-evaporating fluid positioned between the plates to thereby prevent the air from flowing laterally between the plates, whereby the volume of air flow may be accurately controlled over the full area of the clean room as well as the full area of each filter.

Abstract: An air filtering and distribution structure for an environmentally controlled enclosure, such as clean room, has a first planar surface having a mixed array of filter panels and blank panels spaced from a surface of the enclosure defining a dirty air plenum therebetween, and a second planar section of perforated air diffusing panels spaced from the first planar panel defining a clean air plenum therebetween.

Abstract: A device for supplying a germ-free air flow over an operating table, comprising a cabinet with a blower-filter unit and outflow openings near the free extremity and below the lateral sides of an operating table, which openings are provided in a U-shaped tube to be connected to this table, the connection between said tube and said unit being formed by a movable tube connection allowing an adaptation to various table heights and dimensions. This tube assembly can be swung upwards and covered by curtains for disinfection in a disinfectant vapor circulated by said unit and through an additional filter or by an additional blower-filter unit.

Abstract: A down-flow chamber in which, from a filter in the ceiling of a working room, a germfree and dustfree flow of air is directed downwardly to a working face that is surrounded by walls with exhaust openings for the flow of air at the edges and in which, at the front, a transparent wall is mounted. Between the lower edge of the transparent wall and an exhaust grid in front of the working face there is a vertical opening of such a height that arms can be put through the opening to be able to carry out operations in the working room, wherein at the lower edge of the transparent wall a flexible lid preferably of smooth plastics material is mounted that is hanging down and is substantially extending to the exhaust grid. Further, a device is provided on the chamber that prevents the lid from moving outwardly from the vertical plane through the opening.

Abstract: An improved cleaning apparatus for an electrophotographic copying device which comprises (a) a cleaning brush, (b) a casing for said brush having a front end portion which forms a first opening and a rear end portion which forms a second opening adapted to pass a toner therethrough, said brush within said casing and positioned adjacent said first opening so as to be adapted to contact a work surface, (c) a filter bag having a rim which forms an opening adapted to pass toner therethrough and which substantially overlaps said rear end portion, whereby a gap is formed between said rear end portion and said rim, and (d) means for suction of toner-containing air through said filter bag.