Inventor's corner
07/01/2002
Clean HEPA replacement
The invention is a method and apparatus for replacing spent HEPA filters without contaminating the surrounding environment. The filter housing is cylindrical and has a filter-receiving cavity that is made up of receiving and removing ends. An active HEPA filter is installed within the housing, near the removing end. A backup HEPA filter is received within the housing, near the receiving end. A change-out bag is within the filter housing rests adjacent to the removing end. The filter housing includes a gas flow path through the active HEPA filter, but does not permit air from passing through the backup HEPA filter. For replacing contaminated HEPA filter, end covers are removed from the filter receiving and removing ends of the housing and the change-out bag is opened. The backup HEPA filter is pushed into position of the active HEPA filter, and the contaminated HEPA filter is removed and placed into the change-out bag. The change-out bag is sealed to isolate the HEPA filter for disposal.
 |
6,364,923 B1
April 2, 2002
Stanley G. Wiedmeyer, Arthur Frigo, Edward F. Bielick, Richard F. Malecha, of The University of Chicago (Chicago, IL).
Air filter and packaging
The invention outlines a packaged air filter part and a method of packaging the air filter part to suppress the absorption of organic substances. The air filter unit (A) is encased within a material (B), forming the packaged filter (C). The filter medium (D) is made of PTFE and formed in a frame (E). The method of manufacturing and packaging the unit includes producing the air filter, encasing the air filter part within a frame (E). It is then packaged within material to protect it from outside air.
 |
6,391,075 B1
May 21, 2002
Kazuhiro Meiji, Seiichi Hirano, Osamu Inoue, Shinji Ohno, of Daikin Industries Ltd. (Osaka).
Reflow and cleaning apparatus
A compact reflow oven and cleaning apparatus has unitary housings for both the reflow and cleaning functions, which saves valuable floor space in printed circuit board assembly areas. The unitary housing and control of temperatures in the reflow and cleaning areas remove contaminants before they can solidify.
The apparatus has a series of conveyors, an inlet conveyor (A), a reflow conveyor (B), and a cleaning conveyor (C). The inlet conveyor will take printed circuit boards (D) in strip forms or individually in trays, boats or carriers to be processed from an inspection apparatus in the linear direction (E) of the manufacturing line.
 |
As printed circuit boards approach the inner end (F) of the inlet conveyor, sensors will cause sweeping members (G) to move toward the reflow conveyor in a direction (H) perpendicular to the linear direction to move the printed circuit boards onto the beginning of the reflow conveyor. The reflow conveyor moves the printed circuit boards along a reflow direction (H), perpendicular to the linear direction (E).
Patent number: 6,354,481 B1
Date granted: March 12, 2002
Inventors: Randall L. Rich and Shean R. Dalton, Speedline Technologies Inc. (Franklin, MA)
Clean air device
The invention is an air device designed for the pharmaceutical, food and biotechnology industries. It has at least one fan (A) for bringing fresh air (B) into the cleanroom and for removing return air (C), at least one filter (D) downstream of the fan. A heat exchanger (E) is arranged upstream of the fan, while a common housing forms a mounting module, where the fan, the filter and the heat exchanger are arranged.
The filter (D) is attached to a frame (F), near the flow space (G) to ensure the clean air is supplied across the surface of the filter. Clean air flows up to an annular space (H) via the fresh air grating (I).
 |
Fresh air flows at a slant into the cleanroom, away from a cooling unit (J), so that fresh air does not mix with returning air, which contains particles and flows to a return grating (K) to the cooling unit, where the air is cooled and mixed with incoming fresh air before the cycle is repeated.
Patent number: 6,358,139 B1
Date granted: March 19, 2002
Inventor: Manfred Ranz, of M+W Zander Facility Engineering GmbH (Stuttgart).
Send your inventions
Information on the patents highlighted above was obtained through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Inventors who have been granted patents within the last six months for new cleanroom and contamination technology are encouraged to submit them to CleanRooms magazine for publication. Send a brief description of the invention along with a detailed drawing to Mark A. DeSorbo, associate editor, CleanRooms, 98 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, NH 03062, or e-mail at [email protected].