Bench structure with dust collector

#This invention is related to laboratory bench assemblies, and more specifically, to a dental laboratory bench having novel exhaust hoods for use with various grinding stations.

#In the finishing and polishing of dentures and the like it has been found desirable to collect as much of the precious metal dust which the lathes would grind away during the polishing and finishing process for later salvage of the precious metal as well as retaining a clean environment in the laboratory. In the past, this dust has been collected through dust hoods which were simply conduits connected to a source of negative air pressure. The dust-laden air would flow through a filter and out an exhaust to the open air. The hoods and lathes were permanent and fixed and took up considerable bench space. The dust was collected in a filter which was normally a conventional cloth bag or simply a rectangular disposable filter. By either method, the precious metal dust collected from various stations was combined into a single air flow which made a pass through a single series of filters trapping the precious metal and other dust particles in the filter, the air flow being exhausted. Thus, the air intake of a plurality of stations was combined into one air stream to go through the filter. Of course, with such arrangement the filter of the prior art dust became frequently clogged and in need of replacement, as it constituted a single pathway for the whole of the dust thus collected. Mechanical shakers were employed to dislodge some of the dust to extend the life of the filters somewhat. This practice proved to be rather inefficient, dislodging only the large dust particles, leaving the smaller particles still blocking the air flow.

#Therefore, an object of the subject invention is a laboratory bench having a new and improved dust collector for the efficient collection of precious metal dust.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the laboratory bench of the subject invention, showing the work stations in the operational mode;

#FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the base of the laboratory bench of FIG. 1 showing filter inlets, the jets, the filtering compartment and the exhaust compartment of the subject invention;

#FIG. 3 is an exploded isometric view of the laboratory bench base of FIG. 2 showing the interior of the exhaust chamber, filter cartridges and exhaust blower and motor of the subject invention;

#Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, there is shown a laboratory bench 100 having a top fixed bench counter 98 and an upper shelf 97 for the storage of utensils, reagents, samples and the like. A lamp 99 may be positioned where desired and may be of the type shown, i.e., extensible and adjustable to provide sufficient lighting on any specific area within a given radius from the point of its attachment to the bench.

#The bench 100 may have a lathe work station 20. A lathe exhaust hood 21 is positioned surrounding the lathe work area so as to collect all the dust generated by the lathe during grinding and polishing operations. A hood work station 110 may also be a part of the bench 100, with the exhaust hood pivotal for storage in the bench interior when not in use. A telescoping work station 40 can be constructed to allow a technician to comfortably set on a stool and grind articles in his lap without the loss of any dust. In addition, a countertop exhaust 70 may be provided integral with the countertop 98, which, upon swinging the hinged countertop portion up, establishes connection with the exhausting air flow to thereby collect the dust particles generated at the work station when in use.

#Each of these work stations, the lathe work station 20, the hood work station 110, the countertop work station 70, and the telescoping exhaust station 40, are retractable into the interior of the bench unit 100 to present an unobstructed countertop as shown in FIG. 13. In this manner, the bench unit 100 may present selected open and clear space on the countertop 98 to a technician when the respective work stations are not in use, thereby allowing a more efficient use of the bench, a particular work station being convertible to other widely variant uses when its normal function is not needed at that point in time.