WO2016205392A1

WO2016205392A1 - Personal environmental monitoring system

Info

Publication number: WO2016205392A1
Application number: PCT/US2016/037662
Authority: WO
Inventors: David A. Dikken
Original assignee: Measurement Technology Laboratories, Llc
Priority date: 2015-06-15
Filing date: 2016-06-15
Publication date: 2016-12-22

Abstract

A personal monitoring system utilizes personal environmental monitors that comprise an an operational main body that connects to a filter module. The filter module has a air flow pathway and may have impactors, real or virtual, that provide a desired particle size cut-off, for example 2.5 micrograms, in the pathway. A removable filter is provided that is preweighed with the weight recorded, such as in a memory portion in the module. The weight may be entered also by simple date indicia in the module or may be stored in a database separate from the personal environmental monitor with module. In embodiments, the monitor main bodies are located in the field and the modules are delivered to the field where they are installed in the main body and placed in service. The delivered modules having filters that have been individually pre-weighed at a measurement laboratory before insertion into the modules. Data as to the filter weight may be stored in the module, such as a memory, or elsewhere. The main body and filter module may then be used by an individual with the monitor monitoring relevant data such as pumped air volume, duration of pumping time, environmental parameters and other data. Such data may be stored in the memory on the module. Upon completion of a particular single service, the specific module may be separated from the main body of the monitor and the module returned to the measurement laboratory for disassembly and post-use weighing of the filter. Additionally, data on the memory may be utilized for calculation of accumulated particulates and calculation of presence of the particulates in the air, and particulates of a particular size and smaller. When the module is separated from the main body of the monitor at the testing region, another module may be installed, and the device is ready for another use.

Description

PERSONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEM

Priority Claim

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/175,965 filed June 15, 2015. Said application is incorporated in its entirety herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present inventions herein relate to personal environmental atmospheric particle exposure devices and systems for supporting same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of monitors/equipment are available for sampling or monitoring personal environmental exposures. Collectors that filter pumped air for a period of time and that are carried provide perhaps the most definitive and useable information. Personal environmental monitors that may be carried or worn and that collect particulates in a pumped gas flow over a period of time for calculating personal exposure levels are known.

The most precise and meaningful measurements require separation of the filter from the equipment and measurement of the bare filter weight. See U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,668 which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. This patent describes equipment that utilizes filter cassettes and is not conducive to high accuracy weighing measurements of the filters and accumulated particles. See U.S. Patent No. 9,304, 1 17 which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. This application describes a monitor that needs to be disassembled at the weighing facility in order to accurately weigh filters with accumulated particulates, thus taking the monitor out of service.

Filters, such as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,555,700 are suitable for use in systems where sub microgram levels of measurement are possible. 8,555,700 is owned by the owner of the instant invention and is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

I Known portable personal environmental monitors do not provide the accuracy and ease of use in a single package, particularly with respect to measuring PM 2.5 particles that are understood to pose the greatest threat to health.

Known portable personal environmental monitoring equipment may be improved upon by increasing accuracy in measurements, to the sub microgram level, reducing the size and weight of the equipment, facilitating easier handling of the filters, and by allowing monitors to remain in service while previously used filters are being analyzed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A personal monitoring system utilizes personal environmental monitors that comprise an an operational main body that connects to a filter module. The filter module has a air flow pathway and may have impactors, real or virtual, that provide a desired particle size cut-off, for example 2.5 micrograms, in the pathway. A removable filter is provided that is preweighed with the weight recorded, such as in a memory portion in the module. The weight may be entered also by simple date indicia in the module or may be stored in a database separate from the personal environmental monitor with module. In embodiments, the monitor main bodies are located in the field and the modules are delivered to the field where they are installed in the main body and placed in service. The delivered modules having filters that have been individually pre-weighed at a measurement laboratory before insertion into the modules. Data as to the filter weight may be stored in the module, such as a memory, or elsewhere. The main body and filter module may then be used by an individual with the monitor monitoring relevant data such as pumped air volume, duration of pumping time, environmental parameters and other data. Such data may be stored in the memory on the module. Upon completion of a particular single service, the specific module may be separated from the main body of the monitor and the module returned to the measurement laboratory for disassembly and post-use weighing of the filter. Additionally, data on the memory may be utilized for calculation of accumulated particulates and calculation of presence of the particulates in the air, and particulates of a particular size and smaller. When the module is separated from the main body of the monitor at the testing region, another module may be installed, and the device is ready for another use. A feature and advantage of embodiments of the invention is that a highly accurate particulate measurement device is suitable for repeated usages in the field using replaceable nodules that have specific data stored therein. The systems and devices according to embodiments of the invention offer efficiencies and ease of use.

A feature and.adyantage of embodiments of the invention is that electronics, specifically electronic memory, may be in the filter module, facilitating storage of data necessary or helpful for subsequent analysis of the filter in the filter module. In embodiments further control electronics may be provided.in the module which is separated and returned to the measurement laboratory. In embodiments batteries may be included in the filter module.

A feature and advantage of embodiments of the invention is that various filter modules may be available to obtain different cut-off levels and to meet requirements of various regulatory agencies/countries.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an elevational-schematic view of a personal environmental monitor according to embodiments.

FIG. 2 is an elevational-schematic view of the monitor of FIG. 1 with the filter module separated from the body portion.

FIG. 3 is an elevational-schematic view of a personal environmental monitor according to embodiments.

FIG. 4 is an elevational-schematic view of the monitor of FIG. 3 with the filter module separated from the body portion.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a filter module with a filter having a PTFE filter membrane a rim, a filter support with perforations, a pair of holding members for capturing the filter and filter support.

FIG. 6 represents exemplary steps of preparing filter modules for sending to a use region of use.

FIG. 7 represents exemplary steps of a user or personnel at a region of use. FIG. 8 represents exemplary steps at an analysis station for receiving and handling the filter modules separate from the body portions of the personal environmental monitors.

FIG. 9 represents an exemplary component between a measurement laboratory (analysis station) and a region of use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, embodiments of a personal environmental monitor 20 is depicted and generally comprises a main body 24 and a filter module 28. The main body comprises a housing 30, an air pump 32, a control processor 36, a user interface 40, and a power supply 42 such as a rechargeable lithium ion battery. The filter module 28 comprises a module housing 44, a rough screen filter 46, a first impactor 48, and a removable and replaceable filter 50 retained by holder 52 which may be integral with the module housing 44. Also electronic circuitry 56 including a memory portion 58, which can be a read writeable memory chip, is connected to a connector 59 which connects to a cooperating connector 60 on the main body. In embodiments the memory may be a read/write RFID tag. The filter module and air pump have an air flow pathway 62 which may be defined by the respective housings or contained therein. The air pump may push as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, or pull, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the air through the filter module and may be configured as a fan 32.

Referring to FIG. 5, a filter module 28 may be comprised of a housing 70 or holder, comprising first component 72 and a second component 74, a filter 52, a filter support 54, and a memory portion 58 which may be an RFID component. The filter support may be a metal disc with a multiplicity of perforations. The filter can have a PTFE filter membrane 80 with a PFA rim 82. The housing defines a flow path 85

In embodiments battery power may be provided in the module with battery 70 and/or the power supply 42 may be in the main body 24.

Suitable impactors are known to those skilled in the art and are described in U.S. Patents 9,304,117 and 7,631,568 incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The impactors may be part of the replaceable filter module as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or part of the main body as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In embodiments the impactors as part of the main body or filter modules may be swapped out or refurbished when their effectiveness or useful life is diminished. The control processor is a suitably programmed microprocessor known to those skilled in the art. The user interface may be push buttons and have status indicators.

Referring to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, suitable steps are illustrated for handling the filter modules initially, FIG. 6, at the region of use, FIG. 7, and at the analysis station, FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 9, an exemplary loop of the equipment transfer according to the invention is illustrated. A measurement laboratory receives the personal environment monitors 20 and weighs and installs the filters 50 in the filter modules 28. The specific weight of each filter is suitable recorded, such as in the memory of the filter module and a database. The filter modules, either as part of a complete monitor or as a discrete part to be combined later with a main body is forwarded to regions of use. The assembled monitors, with both the main body 24 and filter module 28, with an unused filter, receive a charged battery or battery charge and are provided to an individual for use. During use, appropriate data is recorded such as duration of test period, environmental conditions, date, geographic location (where gps module is included in the monitor), etc. The filter module may be separated from the main body and shipped back to the measurement laboratory. At the analysis station or laboratory, the filter module is disassembled, the filter removed, suitably conditioned, such as temperature stabilized, static charge dissipation, and other conditioning as known in the art, and weighed. The data downloaded or otherwise retrieved from the module. In particular, the data of the pre-use weight of the filter is retrieved and the amount, the weight of the environmental sample on the filter is calculated. In embodiments, the data is retrieved from the memory included in the filter module. Further analysis of the sample, such as is known in the art, and calculations as desired are performed. The filter module may then be cleaned and reassembled with a new, weighed, filter, the new pre-use weight stored in the memory, the filter module packaged and resent to the testing region for reuse.

Additional sensing capabilities such as real time measurement of particles as disclosed in U.S. Patent 7,631,568, incorporated by reference for all purposes. Components and functionalities of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,080,832; 6,105,440 and 4,375,667 may be applicable hereto and these references are herein incorporated by references in their entirety for all purposes. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including the references incorporated by reference, including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including references incorporated by reference, any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any incorporated by reference references, any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed The above references in all sections of this application are herein incorporated by references in their entirety for all purposes.

Although specific examples have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose could be substituted for the specific examples shown. This application is intended to cover adaptations or variations of the present subject matter. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be defined by the attached claims and their legal equivalents, as well as the following illustrative aspects. The above described aspects embodiments of the invention are merely descriptive of its principles and are not to be considered limiting.

Further modifications of the invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A personal environment monitor for collecting airborne particles, the monitor comprising a main body and a collection filter module removably attachable to the main body, the main body comprising : a main body housing, the housing containing a main body air flow path and attachment structure for removably receiving the collection filter module; an air pump in the housing at the main body air flow path; a user interface; and a control processor; and the monitor further comprising a collection filter module, each module

interchangeable with other like modules, the filter module comprising; a module housing defining a module air flow path; a sample filter receivable in the module housing in the air flow path; a memory portion secured within or with the housing; and a main body engagement portion; wherein the filter collection module removably receives the sample filter after the sample filter is weighed, wherein data regarding at least the pre-use weight of the filter may be recorded in the memory portion and wherein the .

2. The personal environmental monitor of claim 1 wherein the sample filter is retained in the air flow path by a perforated retainer portion.

3. The personal environmental monitor of claim 1 or 2 wherein the memory portion comprises an electronic integrated memory circuit.

4. The personal environmental monitor of any of the above claims wherein the body engagement portion interlocks with the operational body housing.

5. The personal environmental monitor of claim 4 wherein the filter size is 15 mm in diameter.

6. The personal environmental monitor of claim 4 wherein the interlocking of the body engagement portion with the housing body creates a connection between the memory portion and the control processor.

7. The personal environmental monitor of claim 1 wherein control processor puts the monitor in a non-sampling operational mode when a filter collection module is not connected to the main body.

8. The with the body housing includes a sensor connected to the control processor, and the control processor is configured to not run the air pump unless a collection filter module is interlocked thereto

9. The personal environmental monitor of claim further comprises a power supply portion for operating the air pump and the control processor, the power supply comprising a rechargeable battery, the power supply portion contained in or on the module housing.

10. The personal environmental monitor of any of the above claims further comprising least one impactor in the flow path to substantially screen particles larger than 2.5 microns in size up stream of the filter.

1 1. Wherein the control processor is connected to the memory portion of the module, the control processor writing data to the memory portion regarding the operation of the monitor, the data including the duration of the operation of air sampling.

12. The personal environmental monitor of any of the above claims wherein the data includes date and time data, geographic data, user identification data, operational main body identification data.

13. The personal environmental monitor of any of the above claims wherein the main body includes at least one environmental sensor, the at least one environmental sensor configured for sensing at least one of temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure.

14. The personal environmental monitor of claim 13 wherein the control processor records data relating to the at least one of temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure.

15. The personal environmental monitor of any of the above claims wherein the main body being less than .35 liters in volumetric size.

16. The personal environmental monitor of any of the above claims wherein the main body and the attached filter module are less than .25 liters in volumetric size.

17. A method of monitoring environmental data of a person, the method comprising: weighing a collection filter, installing the collection filter in a filter module with a memory portion, recording data relating to the weighing of the collection filter in the memory portion, and installing the filter module in a personal environmental operational main body.

18. A method of monitoring environmental data, the method comprising: weighing a collection filter, installing the collection filter in a filter module with a memory portion,

i recording data relating to the weighing of the collection filter in the memory portion, packaging the filter module and forwarding it for use.

19. A method of monitoring environmental data, the method comprising: individually weighing a plurality of collection filters, installing each collection filter in a respective filter module, each filter module having a memory portion, recording data from each individual weighing to the respective memory portion of the respective filter module.

20. The method of claim 18 or 19, further comprising individually packaging each filter module.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising forwarding the filter modules for use in a geographic location remote from the location of the weighing.

22. The method of any of claims 17 through 21 further comprising installing one of the filter modules on a cooperating operational main body of a personal environmental monitor remotely from the location of weighing the sampling filter of the one of the filter module.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising providing the personal environmental monitor and filter module to an individual to be maintained with that individual for a discrete period of time, and activating the personal environmental monitor whereby an air pump in the monitor pumps air through the sampling filter of the filter module for the discrete period of time.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising removing the filter module and forwarding the filter module to the location where the filter was originally weighed.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising a second weighing of the filter, the filter having accumulated particles thereon.

26. Calculating the particle exposure for the individual for the discrete period of time.

27. Performing additional analysis of the accumulated particles on the filter.

28. A method of monitoring environmental data of a person, the method comprising: weighing a collection filter, installing the collection filter in a filter module with a memory portion, recording data relating to the weighing of the collection filter for future retrieval, and installing the filter module in a personal environmental operational main body.

29. A method of monitoring environmental data, the method comprising: weighing a collection filter, installing the collection filter in a filter module, the filter module uniquely identifiable, recording data relating to the weighing of the collection filter for future retrieval, packaging the filter module and forwarding it for use.

30. The method of claim 28 or 29, further comprising individually packaging each filter module.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising forwarding the filter modules for use in a geographic location remote from the location of the weighing.

32. The method of any of claims 27 through 31 further comprising installing one of the filter modules on a cooperating operational main body of a personal environmental monitor remotely from the location of weighing the sampling filter of the one of the filter module.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising providing the personal environmental monitor and filter module to an individual to be maintained with that individual for a discrete period of time, and activating the personal environmental monitor whereby an air pump in the monitor pumps air through the sampling filter of the filter module for the discrete period of time.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising removing the filter module and forwarding the filter module to the location where the filter was originally weighed.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising weighing the filter of the filter module and calculating the increase in weight.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising calculating an environmental exposure based on the increase in weight and the duration of the sampling and the rate of sampling.

37. A method of monitoring environment exposure comprising: receiving a plurality of individually packaged filter modules that had pre-weighed filters each with a pre-use weight and with the respective pre-use weights recorded, installing one of the plurality of individually packaged filter modules in a personal environmental monitor, providing the personal environmental monitor to an individual for use, receiving the environmental monitor with the one of the filter modules post use by the individual, weighing the filter to obtain a post-use weight.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising retrieving data regarding the use.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the retrieving of the data is from the filter module.

40. The method of claim 37 or 38 further comprising comparing the post-use weight to the pre-use weight and calculating environmental exposure of the individual.

41. A filter module comprising a filter secured in a holder, the filter module configured for attachment to a personal environmental monitor having a cut point of 2.5 microns or 10 microns, the filter having a diameter of 20 mm or less, a filter membrane of PTFE, the filter being configured for removal for weighing after use in the personal environmental monitor, the filter having a pre-use weight, with pre-use weight data electronically recorded in the filter module.

42. The filter module of claim 41 further comprising a read/write memory that has the pre-use weight data of the filter recorded thereon.

43. The filter module of claim 42 wherein the read write memory is an RFID tag attached to or secured in the holder.

44. The filter module of any of claims 41 through 43 wherein the holder is formed of a polymer and is threadedly secured together.

45. The filter module of any of claims 41 through 43 wherein the filter module is hermetically packaged including boxing.

46. The filter module of any of claims 41 through 43 wherein the filter module comprising a support grating and the filter is 15 mm in size.

47. The filter module of claim 46 wherein the holder is formed of a polymer and is threadedly secured together with the support grating and filter captured therein.

48. A packaged replaceable filter module for removable attachment to a body portion of a personal monitoring system, the filter module comprising a housing, a PTFE filter removable from the housing, an electronic memory portion, and packaging enclosing the housing, the PTFE filter, and the electronic memory portion, the filter having a pre-use weight and said weight being electronically recorded on the memory portion.

49. The packaged replaceable filter module of claim 57 wherein personal monitoring system comprises a fan for creating an air stream, a control processor for operating the fan, at least one battery for operating fan and the control processor, and a user interface, the fan, the control processor, the battery all disposed in the body portion and not in the filter module.

50. Any of the personal environmental monitors claimed above with a filter and air pump above further comprising a lithium ion battery that can be hot swapped with another fully charged lithium ion battery without invalidating testing.

51. Any of the personal environmental monitors claimed wherein the filter is a 15 mm test filter with a PTFE membrane and a PFA external rim.

52. Any of the personal environmental monitors claimed above wherein the volume of the environmental monitor is 15 cubic inches or less.

53. Any of the personal environmental monitors claimed above wherein the volume of the environmental monitor is 10 cubic inches or less.

54. Any of the personal environmental monitors or methods claimed above wherein the filter weighing is done to an accuracy of a microgram or less.

55. A personal environmental monitoring system comprising a body portion and a plurality of replaceable filter modules receivable by the body portion, each filter module comprising a removable 15 mm PTFE filter adjacent to a perforated filter support, each filter module having an electronic memory portion that has data recorded therein at least including a pre-use weight of the respective filter, the body portion in conjunction with each of the replaceable filter modules providing an air flow test stream and at least one impactor for removing particles greater than 2.5 microns in size from an air flow test stream generated by the personal environmental monitoring system, the at least one impactor positioned is up stream of the 15 mm PTFE filter.

56. The of claim 55 wherein the electronic memory portion of each filter module is configured as an RFID tag attached to or embedded in the housing.

57. The personal environmental monitoring system of claim 56 wherein each replaceable filter module includes the at least one impactor.

58. The personal environmental monitoring system of claim 55 wherein the at least one impactor is not part of the replaceable filter modules.

59. The personal environmental monitoring system of claim 55 further comprising a rechargeable battery in each replaceable filter module.

60. The personal environmental monitoring system of claim 55 further comprising a rechargeable battery in the body portion.