AU2002300853B2

AU2002300853B2 - Work Surface Ventilation

Info

Publication number: AU2002300853B2
Application number: AU2002300853A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Clifford Donald Mclean
Original assignee: Mclean & Daughters Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Mclean & Daughters Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2002-09-04
Filing date: 2002-09-04
Publication date: 2007-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2022-09-04
Also published as: AU2002300853A1

Description

P100/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor Address for service is: Clifford Donald McLean Clifford Donald McLean WRAY ASSOCIATES 239 Adelaide Terrace Perth, WA 6000 Attorney code: WR Invention Title: Work Surface Ventilation The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -2- S"Work Surface Ventilation" 0 Z Field of the Invention This invention relates to an extraction system for removing dust and fine particles Sfrom air, and in particular from work surfaces.

00 oo Background Art With a greater understanding in recent times, of the deleterious health effects of inhaling dust and fine particulate matter, there has been an interest in minimising risk to persons engaged in activity where dust, fine particulate matter, and also fumes and vapour, may be present. Typical solutions include fitting masks to persons who are present in these areas, and providing extractor fans to extract contaminated air.

This invention seeks to provide a system for use on work surfaces such as tables and bench surfaces.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Disclosure of the Invention In accordance with the invention there is provided a dust/fume extraction system for a work surface, including a housing for mounting underneath said work surface, said housing having an intake portion through which in use air is drawn to a pump to extract air downward from said work surface, said housing having at least one exhaust port to exhaust air from said pump, said dust/fume extraction system further including an air permeable and dust retaining filter associated with each said exhaust port and located external to said housing in order to provide increased area in said filter, and said air permeable and dust retaining filter having -3-

O

Sa flattened bag-like structure so as to maximise its surface area, and said Nflattened bag like structure incorporating restraining means to prevent inflation z thereof outside of predetermined dimensions.

0The pump may be selected from a radially bladed impeller or a centrifugal circumferential bladed impeller.

00oo OPreferably each said exhaust port includes a duct portion extending away from Ssaid housing, peripherally about the external periphery thereof said air permeable 0 and dust retaining filter is secured.

0 Preferably said duct portion has an extemrnally flared portion extending around the external periphery thereof, and said air permeable and dust retaining filter has an intake fitting arranged to fit over and past said externally flared portion, said air permeable and dust retaining filter having constricting means associated with said intake fitting to secure said intake fitting to said duct portion to prevent said air permeable and dust retaining filter from disengaging in use.

Preferably said restraining means to prevent inflation outside of predetermined dimensions comprises an internal spanning bridge attached to and extending along an axial extent from one side to the other side of the flattened bag-like structure.

Preferably said duct portions are arranged about said housing to allow said air permeable and dust retaining filters to be received in a single plane with said housing.

Preferably said intake portion includes associated therewith, an air permeable intake filter.

Also in accordance with the invention, there is provided an article of furniture having a work surface, incorporating said dust/fume extraction system for said work surface, said work surface having at least one aperture aligned with said -4intake portion, and said housing being located on the underside of said work surface.

Preferably said air permeable intake filter is located in said at least one aperture.

Preferably said at least one aperture is of regular shape, and said air permeable 5 intake filter fits inside said at least one aperture, aligned flush with said work o00 surface. A suitable regular shape may be circular or square.

Preferably retaining means are provided on the underside of said work surface to 1 attach each said dust retaining filter.

A work surface can include a table top, a bench, or any flat surface on or above which work is performed which results in the production of dust or other fine particulate material, or fumes or vapour. Particularly envisaged for the invention are tables on which manicures, in particular those utilising acrylic nails are performed. This results in the production of acrylic dust and fumes, which over a period of time can give rise to chemical sensitivities and other health effects.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in the following description of a manicure table incorporating a dust/fume extraction system, made with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of the manicure table according to the embodiment; Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of the manicure table according to the embodiment; Figure 3 is an end view of part of the manicure table according to the embodiment; Figure 4 is a side view of part of the manicure table according to the embodiment; Figure 5 is an underside plan view of part of the manicure table according to the embodiment; Figure 6 is a further perspective view from below of the manicure table according to the embodiment; z Figure 7 is an underside plan view of the manicure table according to the embodiment; Figure 8 is a perspective view from above of the housing for the dust fume t' extraction system, showing internal details, for the manicure table according to the 00 embodiment; and Figure 9 is a cross-section view through part of the manicure table N according to the embodiment.

Best Mode(s) for Carrying Out the Invention The embodiment is an article of furniture in the form of a manicure table 11 for filing and shaping natural and acrylic finger-nails. The manicure table 11 has a work surface 12, and incorporates a dust/fume extraction system indicated generally at 13, as best seen in figures 1, 2, and 6. The work surface 12 is formed from a 6mm glass top 15 and 25mm thick particle board 17, the glass top resting on 25mm thick particle board 17. The manicure table 11 has four legs 19 secured to the underside of the work surface 12, in normal manner as for any ordinary table. The work surface 12 has at least one aperture in the form of a circular aperture 21 formed therethough. Referring to figure 9, detail of the aperture 21 is shown, where it can be seen that an annular flange 23 is formed in the aperture near the underside of the particle board 17. The annular flange 23 provides a circumferential step 25 on which a grille 27 rests, supporting an air permeable intake filter 29 located in the circular aperture 21, with its upper surface aligned flush with the upper surface of the glass top 15. The air permeable intake filter 29 is formed from an open cell polyurethane foam sheet such as Meracell foam, and exhibits some permeability to dust, in time; however, this prevents clogging of the air permeable intake filter 29, and any dust that passes through will be dealt with as will be understood from the description that follows.

The dust/fume extraction system 13 includes the air permeable intake filter 29 as described above, and also includes a housing 31 which has mounted therein a pump in the form of an electrically operated fan 33 which in operation extracts air -6downward from the work surface 12 through the air permeable intake filter 29 (and aperture 21), and to an intake portion/region 34 in the dust/fume extraction system 0 z 13, before it is exhausted through two exhaust ports 35. The intake portion/region 34 is aligned with the circular aperture 21 formed through the work surface 12.

Both the housing 31 and the electrically operated fan 33 are secured by screws S36 to the underside of the particle board 17.

00 Each exhaust port 35 has a duct 37 extending in protruding manner from the housing 31, at opposite ends of the housing 31. The ducts 37 both have an 0externally flared portion extending around the extemrnal periphery thereof, formed by a bead 39. The ducts 37 are provided to secure about the external periphery thereof, an air permeable and dust retaining filter bag 41. The filter bag 41 has an intake fitting 43 arranged to fit over and past the bead 39 of the duct 37, and constricting means in the form of a draw strap securable by VelcroTM hook and loop fastener is associated with the intake fitting 43 to secure the intake fitting 43 to the duct 37 to prevent the filter bag 41 from disengaging past the bead 39, in use.

The filter bag 41 extends away from the intake fitting 43, to occupy an area underneath the table, and so maximise the surface area of the filter bag 41 and minimise the load on the electrically operated fan 33. The filter bag 41 has a flattened structure, and incorporates restraining means in the form of an intemrnal spanning bridge attached to and extending along the axial extent 45 (indicated by a dashed line) of the filter bag 41, from one side 47 to the other side 49, to minimise the extent of "ballooning-out" of the filter bag 41 under air pressure.

The arrangement of the ducts 37 relative to the housing 31, and the flattened structure of the filter bags 41, allows the dust/fume extraction system 13 to occupy as small a volume as possible, in a single plane under the table 11, protruding as little as possible underneath.

The filter bags 41 are secured to the underside of the table 11 by way of Velcro T M hook and loop fasteners (not shown), which allow the filter bags 41 to be easily removed for cleaning or replacement.

-7- O The filter bags 41 are made entirely of an air permeable but dust retaining fibre such as TFM-390D filter media supplied by Tontine Fibres. This fibre meets the 0 z requirements of AS 1668 part 2. Any other known fibre or other type of filter media having similar performance should prove suitable.

In use, a client's hand would be positioned over the air permeable filter 29 in the work surface 12, while finger nails/acrylic nails were being filed. Any dust (and Svapour in the case of acrylic nails) will be drawn downward into the media of the Sair permeable filter 29. While it has been found in trials conducted to date, that the air permeable filter 29 described herein will entrain all dust if regularly cleaned, the provision of the filter bags 41 ensures that most if not all dust is collected, in the event that cleaning of the air permeable filter 29 is overlooked, avoiding dust settling on the lower clothing of persons seated at the table.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment described herein, and that changes may be made that fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

2. A dust/fume extraction system for a work surface as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said exhaust port includes a duct portion extending away from said housing, peripherally about the extemrnal periphery thereof said air permeable and dust retaining filter is secured.
3. A dust/fume extraction system for a work surface as claimed in claim 2 wherein said duct portion has an externally flared portion extending around the external periphery thereof, and said air permeable and dust retaining filter has an intake fitting arranged to fit over and past said externally flared portion.
4. A dust/fume extraction system for a work surface as claimed in claim 3 wherein said air permeable and dust retaining filter has constricting means associated with said intake fitting to secure said intake fitting to said duct portion to prevent said air permeable and dust retaining filter from disengaging in use. A dust/fume extraction system for a work surface as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said restraining means to prevent inflation outside of predetermined dimensions comprises an internal spanning bridge attached to and extending along an axial extent from one side to the other side of the flattened bag-like structure. -9-
6. A dust/fume extraction system for a work surface as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein said duct portions are arranged about said housing to z allow said air permeable and dust retaining filters to be received in a single plane with said housing.
7. A dust/fume extraction system for a work surface as claimed in any one of ~the preceding claims wherein said intake portion includes associated 00 therewith, an air permeable intake filter.
8. An article of furniture having a work surface, incorporating a dust/fume 0extraction system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, said work surface having at least one aperture aligned with said intake portion, and said housing being located on the underside of said work surface.
9. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 8 as dependent on claim 7, wherein said air permeable intake filter is located in said at least one aperture. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 9 wherein said at least one aperture is of regular shape, and said air permeable intake filter fits inside said at least one aperture, aligned flush with said work surface.
11. An article of furniture as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein retaining means are provided on the underside of said work surface to attach each said dust retaining filter.
12. An article of furniture substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.
13. A dust/fume extraction system for a work surface substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. Dated this Sixth day of November 2007. McLean Daughters Pty Ltd Applicant Wray Associates Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant