US 2026/0166602 A1Published application

Sash sensing in a fume hood

AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.

InventorsBo An, Dongyan Yan, Gilbert Zhao, Wei Hua, Xiaokun Di, Zhi Xiong Wang

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Abstract

A fume hood includes a housing with a fume hood opening for accessing a working chamber and movable sashes that cover the opening. The fume hood has sash position sensors with a base fixed to the housing and terminals fixed to the sashes. The sensors determine sash positions using time of flight measurements of radio signals between the base and terminals. An exhaust fan exhausts air from the working chamber, controlled by a controller that modulates exhaust air flow based on sash positions. The fume hood can include multiple sashes movable in horizontal and/or vertical directions, with single or multiple bases communicating with multiple terminals. Methods include transmitting radio signals between bases and terminals, determining sash positions from time of flight measurements, and adjusting exhaust air flow accordingly. Ultra-Wide Band radio signals with bandwidth greater than 500 MHz may be used.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A fume hood comprising:

a fume hood housing defining a fume hood opening for accessing a working chamber of the fume hood;
one or more movable sashes movably coupled to the fume hood housing, wherein the one or more movable sashes are configured to cover the fume hood opening in a closed position but are movable away from the closed position to provide an opening to access the working chamber of the fume hood;
one or more sash position sensors for sensing a position of each of the one or more movable sashes, wherein the one or more sash position sensors include:
a base operatively fixed relative to the fume hood housing;
a terminal operatively fixed relative to a corresponding one of the one or more movable sashes, wherein the position of the corresponding one of the one or more movable sashes is based at least in part on a time of flight (TOF) measure of a radio signal traveling between the base and the terminal;
an exhaust fan for exhausting air from the working chamber;
and
a controller operatively coupled to the exhaust fan and the one or more sash position sensors, wherein the controller is configured to control the exhaust fan to modulate an amount of exhaust air that is exhausted from the working chamber based at least in part on the position of each of the one or more movable sashes.

5 more elements

A method for determining a sash position of each of a plurality of movable sashes of a fume hood, the fume hood having a fume hood housing, the method comprising:

transmitting a first radio signal from a first base that is fixed relative to the fume hood housing;
receiving the first radio signal at a first one of a plurality of terminals, wherein the first one of the plurality of terminals is operatively coupled to a first one of the plurality of movable sashes of the fume hood;
determining a position of the first one of the plurality of movable sashes of the fume hood based at least in part on a time of flight (TOF) measure of the first radio signal traveling between the first base and the first one of the plurality of terminals;
transmitting a second radio signal from a second base that is fixed relative to the fume hood housing;
receiving the second radio signal at a second one of the plurality of terminals, wherein the second one of the plurality of terminals is operatively coupled to a second one of the plurality of movable sashes of the fume hood;
and
determining a position of the second one of the plurality of movable sashes of the fume hood based at least in part on a time of flight (TOF) measure of the second radio signal traveling between the second base and the second one of the plurality of terminals.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/413,620Filed 9 Dec 2025
Priority: 13 Dec 2024
Published: 18 Jun 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B08B 15/023
Using chambers or hoods covering the area: fume cabinets or cupboards, e.g. for laboratories
B08B 13/00
Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning
G01S 11/08
Using radio waves: using synchronised clocks
G01S 13/76
Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems: wherein pulse-type signals are transmitted