Patent Application
20190329305
The present disclosure relates generally to accessories for laboratory fume hoods. In particular devices for channeling air and supporting equipment within the fume hood are described.
Existing methods of using laboratory fume hoods are not entirely satisfactory for the range of applications in which they are employed. For example, existing fume hoods may become clogged with equipment, obstructing air flow where it is needed most and causing dangerous conditions within the hood.
Thus, there exists a need for systems that improve upon and advance the design of existing fume hoods. Examples of new and useful systems relevant to the needs existing in the field are discussed below.
In one embodiment, a fume hood equipment support system may include a platform having a plurality of vertical air channels therethrough, support legs configured to hold the platform above the work surface of a fume hood, and an air chamber formed beneath the platform. The platform may include a lattice of interconnected horizontal slats forming a plurality of vertical air channels through the platform. The platform may have sidewall surfaces, an upper surface and a lower surface. The support legs may be attached to the platform to hold the platform above the work surface of fume hood. The work surface and the lower surface of the platform may form the air chamber beneath the platform. The air chamber may be in fluid communication with the vertical air channels. The sidewall surfaces, the upper surface and the lower surface may together define a bulk volume of the platform, the bulk volume having void space defined by the vertical air channels. In on example, the bulk volume comprises at least 50% void space.
The disclosed fume hood air channeling devices will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide merely examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations; however, for the sake of brevity, each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description.
Throughout the following detailed description, examples of various fume hood air channeling devices are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in an example explained previously. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example.
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Device 10 includes a platform 100 including vertical air channels 110, support legs 200 and an air chamber 400.
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The platform 100 may be sized to fit within a laboratory fume hood. In one embodiment, platform 100 may be sized to essentially match the dimensions of the countertop work surface inside of a laboratory fume hood. In other embodiments, the platform may be sized to cover only a portion of the fume hood work surface, for example approximately half the work surface. The platform 100 may have an upper surface and a lower surface.
Support legs 200 function to hold platform 100 above the work surface of the fume hood. For example, the support legs 200 may position the platform 100 such that the lower surface of the platform 100 is several inches above, and essentially parallel with, the countertop work surface in the fume hood. Thus, a long horizontal air chamber 400 may be formed beneath platform 100.
Support legs 200 may be attached to platform 100 via fasteners 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the support legs comprise L-shaped metal bodies. In other embodiments, the support legs 200 may comprise cylindrical or tubular members. The support legs may be made of plastic, glass, carbon, metal and/or composite. In some embodiments, the support legs may be adjustable in height. For example the support legs 200 may include a series of holes sized to accept the fastener 210, thus the height of the support legs may be adjusted by selecting another one of the series of holes to place the fastener 210 though. In other embodiments, the support legs may be telescoping or otherwise adjustable.
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The platform may be constructed of plastic, glass, carbon, metal and/or composite. In one embodiment, the platform 200 is comprised of one or more materials having a Class A fire rating, as defined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
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The disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” element, “a first” element, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claims should be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed to combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed inventions that are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in the present application or in a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to the same invention or a different invention and whether they are different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventions described herein.
