US 4,898,089 AGranted

Laminar flow work table with controllable ventilation of a work surface

OwnerGeorge B. Roosinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A laminar flow work table has a perforated work surface positioned and supported a predetermined distance above a floor surface. The perforated work surface is divided into sections. Each section communicates with a separate duct communicating with the perforations in its respective section and extending to a common exhaust manifold connected with a return duct in a ventilation system where the table is situated. Each section of the work surface is ventilated by drawing fluid through the perforations into the ductwork and out to the return duct through the common manifold. Each duct has a baffle which controls the flow of fluid in its respective duct which permits the ventilation in various parts of the work table to be balanced. This arrangement permits the work table to be adequately and uniformly ventilated so that noxious fluids may be effectively removed from the vicinity of the work table so that a worker is not exposed to dangerous, unpleasant, or unhealthful conditions. This arrangement is particularly useful as a work table to be used in performing autopsies and other like procedures which produce dangerous or unpleasant contamination of the work environment.

A substantially laminar flow work table, comprising:

a generally horizontal perforated work surface supported at a predetermined distance above a floor surface;
a first duct means situated below the perforated work surface and communicating with a predetermined first portion of the perforated work surface for permitting a fluid flow to be drawn through the first duct means and through the perforations in the predetermined first portion of the work surface, the first duct means having a predetermined cross sectional configuration and area transverse to the flow of fluid in the first duct means;
a first controllable baffle means situated in the first duct means for controlling the flow of fluid through the first duct means and the perforations in the predetermined first portion of the work surface, the first baffle means being continuously adjustable between two extreme positions defining minimum and maximum flow conditions, so that the flow of fluid through the first duct means and the perforations in the predetermined first portion of the work surface is adjustable to all flow conditions between the minimum and maximum flow conditions as a continuous function of the position of the first baffle means;
a second duct means situated below the first duct means and communicating with a predetermined second portion of the perforated work surface for permitting a fluid flow to be drawn through the second duct means and through the perforations in the predetermined second portion of the work surface, the second duct means having a predetermined cross sectional configuration and area transverse to the flow of fluid in the second duct means;
a second controllable baffle means situated in the second duct means for controlling the flow of fluid through the second duct means and the perforations in the predetermined second portion of the work surface, the second baffle means being continuously adjustable between two extreme positions defining minimum and maximum flow conditions, so that the flow of fluid through the second duct means and the perforations in the predetermined second portion of the work surface is adjustable to all flow conditions between the minimum and maximum flow conditions as a continuous function of the position of the second baffle means;
and
a means for connecting the first and second duct means to a common exhaust manifold.

4 more elements

Abstract

Claims18