GB2575258A

GB2575258A - Particulate capture micro-suction device

Info

Publication number: GB2575258A
Application number: GB1810834.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Hambling Stuart; Frederick Scholes Derek; Faulder Benjamin
Original assignee: BAE Systems PLC
Current assignee: BAE Systems PLC
Priority date: 2018-07-02
Filing date: 2018-07-02
Publication date: 2020-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2038-07-02
Also published as: GB201810834D0; GB2575258B

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner attachment suitable for use with a vacuum cleaner for providing micro-suction, wherein the attachment attaches to a vacuum cleaner and comprises an inlet nozzle 3, which is connected to a micro-suction tube 5, an outlet nozzle 2 to provide mating attachment to the vacuum cleaner and a disposable filter 4 located between said inlet nozzle 3 and outlet nozzle 2. The tube 5 is preferably a single use disposable tube and there may be more than one inlet nozzle 3. The tube 5 may include a light source and video camera and the tube 5 can be linked to an articulated endoscope.

Description

PARTICUALTE CAPTURE MICRO-SUCTION DEVICE

The present invention relates to an attachment to a vacuum cleaner particularly to a micro-suction device suitable for use in clean or sterile environments.

Domestic and/or light industrial vacuum cleaners provide very useful levels of vacuum suction. Clinical, sterile or clean room level bespoke vacuum systems are exceptionally costly, but are required to keep levels of contamination to a minimum, that is the vacuum system itself must not introduce debris or infection.

According to a first aspect of present invention there is provided a vacuum cleaner attachment suitable for use with a vacuum cleaner for providing micro-suction, wherein the attachment attaches to a vacuum cleaner and comprises:

i. an inlet nozzle, which is connected to a micro-suction tube ii. an outlet nozzle to provide mating attachment to the vacuum cleaner, iii. and a disposable filter located between said inlet nozzle and outlet nozzle.

The attachment device therefore permits a disposable device which can be readily connected to an existing vacuum cleaner system, thereby allowing for only a relatively small portion of the system to be disposable. The attachment device provides a means to connect to a vacuum cleaner particularly to a microsuction device suitable for the retrieval, removal or capture of particulate I debris. The particles may be retrieved from, for example, from within the bores of pipework, chambers or restricted access cavities.

The end of the micro-suction tube may be operably linked to an articulated endoscope. The endoscope may provide, fine movement and control of the micro suction tube, real time video capture and illumination to allow the detection and then retrieval of debris from confined spaces, such as for example pipes, cavities etc. The size of cavity or bore that maybe inspected or

-2accessed is only limited by the combined diameter of a remote video articulated endoscope and the micro-suction tube diameter.

The particulate capture aspect of the micro-suction device allows for subsequent determination of whether or not the recovered particulates are from a source of contamination, or alternatively to identify the particulate as part of a forensic investigation. When this device is coupled with remote video camera endoscopes, articulated and targeted capture of specific particles is made possible as well as digitally recording the evidence of capture and the location of the particulate via the video endoscope. The targeted capture of particulate assists I may be integral with due diligence root cause analysis and forensic investigations as well as being useful for identifying suitable decontamination strategies as may be deemed necessary.

The inlet nozzle and outlet nozzle, may each comprise an integral mounting plate, such that wherein said integral mounting plates are cooperative, preferably they may be reversibly engaged, to allow facile removal of the disposable filter.

The plates may be fastened together to provide a vacuum tight seal, such as for example by a nut and bolt, screw threads, clamps, clips. The mating surfaces may comprise a seal therebetween to provide an air tight seal and a means of closure, such as, for example an o-ring, washer, sealing compound. The integral mounting plates when engaged may retain said disposable filter in place, such that all air sucked in via the micro-suction tube is passed through said disposable filter.

In a preferred arrangement, the micro-suction tube may be either a single use disposable suction tube or reusable with suitable cleaning or decontamination (using suitable detergents and or solvents as necessary). The inlet and outlet nozzles themselves may also be considered disposable as enduser conditions may require.

A disposable or single use micro-suction tube may require full sterile cleaning. As such the inlet, outlet and micro-suction tube, may be manufactured from polymer resins and / or silicone based elastomers. These may be cleaned

-3with water, detergent, industrial methylated spirits and acetone; making the device suitable for use in, but not limited to, clean rooms and I or sterile facilities.

For high temperature and or high strength applications, the device may be manufactured from variety of ceramics, metal alloys or composites.

When the mounting plates are connected face-to-face I engaged they grip said disposable filter in between each chamber of the inlet and outlet nozzles. Therefore all air drawn in via the micro-suction tube is passed through the disposable filter such that any particles are captured within the filter media are available for analysis I forensic study.

In a preferred arrangement, the integral mounting plates may comprise co-located lugs and voids, for example, an interlocking circular groove and protrusion, such as to provide ready alignment of said inlet nozzle and outlet nozzle, and to grip said disposable filter. The filter may be subject to a significant suction force and it is desirable that the filter is not itself removed and drawn into the vacuum cleaner.

There maybe one or more inlet nozzles, such that one outlet nozzle connected to the vacuum cleaner may provide suction to two, three or a plurality of inlet nozzles and therefore allow connection of more than one micro-suction tube. Where there are one or more inlet nozzles, when an inlet nozzle is not in use it may be capped or turned off to allow fewer active inlet nozzles.

To prevent unwanted removal of the micro-suction tube and vacuum connector, the inlet and outlet nozzles may comprise gradual tapers that allow for sufficient friction grip of said micro-suction tube and vacuum connector. Other externally applied clamps, clips or tapes may be used to secure the tube connectors (for example, hose clips) in place. Further, the inlet and/or outlet nozzles may comprise surface projections to increase friction with the microsuction tube and/or a tube from the vacuum cleaner. The use of ribs, o-rings or flanges are well known to prevent unwanted removal. The vacuum may conveniently be provided by an off-the-shelf domestic vacuum cleaner, such that the outlet nozzle, being externally tapered, can be easily fitted to a large

-4range of readily available vacuum cleaners, thus provide a low cost, readily available, means of providing micro-suction.

The device may be used in disaster clinical environments, where emergency or bespoke medical and or engineering equipment is not available. The device may be used for targeted removal of specific debris from pipework bores, restricted access voids and chambers especially where contamination is to be assessed, identified and or determined by analysis to confirm the contamination species and its source, as well as, assisting with decontamination strategy.

A variety of disposable filter media may be used dependant on contamination type and particulate size. As such the micro-suction device (described herein) is highly adaptable especially when used in conjunction with commercially available articulated remote video inspection endoscopes.

The micro-suction tube may be constructed from any suitable material, for example, polymers or elastomers, particularly silicone elastomers. The use of translucent silicone based elastomeric tubing is desirable and highly adaptable - with the translucent I white colouration aiding visual identification of particulate on the inner surface of the tubing (i.e. particulate captured within the micro-suction tube but before the filter). The silicone elastomer tubing, is compatible with many clean room environments, easily cleaned with detergent, industrial methylated spirits and acetone solvents, as well as, being disposable as it may be simply cut into smaller sections for inspection I analysis of captured particulate. The tube may be flexible or substantially rigid, or it may be flexible and reinforced along some, part or all of its length such as individual sections to provide localised I partial rigidity. The micro-suction tube may in part be telescopic, articulated, concertinaed or bellowed to provide extension, rigidity and or flexibility.

In a highly preferred arrangement the micro-suction tube may be combined with video inspection endoscopes, such as, for example fully articulated camera endoscope and the micro-suction tube may comprise a narrow tip, brush, angled nozzle to allow for focused debris retrieval. The

-5micro-suction tube tools may be themselves removable, a single use disposable item or may be integrated with the micro-suction tube itself, (such as, for example, a cut shaped tip or a moulded fused adaptor tool). The tools may be manufactured from a variety of suitable materials that are compatible with the intended system.

The method of manufacture may be performed by additive layer manufacture (3D printing), to allow bespoke application based materials selection, disposable nature, relative low cost of manufacture and equipment outlay. The device may be manufactured by higher volume machining or moulding processes.

So that the invention may be well understood, embodiments thereof shall now be described with reference to the following figures, of which:

Figures 1a and 1b show the device as defined herein

Turning to figure 1a and 1b there is provided a vacuum cleaner attachment 1, comprising an inlet nozzle 3, which connects to a disposable micro-suction tube 5, so as to draw by suction 8 debris from an area of interest. The outlet nozzle 2 is attached to a vacuum cleaner suction tube 7, and to the vacuum cleaner 14. The inlet nozzle 3 and outlet nozzle 2, have a disposable filter 4 located therebetween, such that as air is drawn 9 into the vacuum cleaner 14, the filter will trap debris. The debris may be examined at a later stage to characterise the said debris. The inlet nozzle 3 and outlet nozzle 2 have respective mounting plates 12, 13, which provides an air tight seal therebetween, and additionally retains the disposable filter 4 in place. The colocated lug and void 6 arrangement provides facile alignment of the mounting plates 12, 13, and further grips and secures said disposable filter 4 such that all air and debris that is sucked from the area of interest must pass through the disposable filter 4.

-6The mounting plates 12, 13, may be securely fastened together by threaded connectors 15, such as a nut and bolt. The seal 11 between the two mounting plates is air tight and may be further enhanced by the use of greases, gaskets, O-hngs and or tapes. To prevent unwanted removal of the microsuction tube 5 from the inlet nozzle 3, there may be surface projections 10a, where tubes are connected to the outer taper, or internal grooves 10b, which may be ridges, O-hngs to increase friction with the micro-suction tube and the same may be present on the tube 7 to the vacuum cleaner 14.

To aid control of the micro-suction tube 5, it may be operably linked to an endoscope 16, which is articulated, such that movement of the articulation in the endoscope causes the micro-suction tube 5 to be moved. The endoscope may be remotely operated so as to allow fine control over the direction of the suction. The endoscope 16 or micro-suction tube may further comprise a light source and video camera to allow an operator to control and retrieve debris via the micro-suction tube 5.

The inlet nozzle comprising of the inlet nozzle internal taper is designed to accept a variety of micro-suction tube diameters. The geometry I shape of the inlet nozzle vacuum chamber has been designed to aid visual detection of particulates.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner attachment suitable for use with a vacuum cleaner for providing micro-suction, wherein the attachment attaches to a vacuum cleaner and comprises

2. An attachment according to claim 1, wherein the micro-suction tube is a single use disposable suction tube.

3. An attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inlet nozzle and outlet nozzle, each comprise an integral mounting plate, wherein said integral mounting plates are cooperative to form an air tight seal.

4. An attachment according to claim 3, wherein the integral mounting plates when engaged retain said disposable filter in place, such that all air sucked in via the micro-suction tube is caused to pass through said disposable filter.

5. An attachment according to any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the integral mounting plates comprise co-located lugs and voids, such as to provide ready alignment of said inlet and outlet nozzles, and to grip said disposable filter.

6. An attachment according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there are one or more inlet nozzles.

7. An attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inlet and/or outlet nozzles comprise surface projections to increase friction with the micro-suction tube and/or a tube from the vacuum cleaner.

8. An attachment according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the microsuction tube comprises further a light source and video capture.

9. An attachment according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said micro-suction tube is operably linked to an articulated endoscope.