Abstract:
A dust collection system includes a housing defining an inlet and an outlet. A fan is situated within the housing to move air from the inlet to the outlet, and a filter is removably attached to the housing to collect dust entering the housing. To prevent dust from escaping the filter when it is removed from the housing for cleaning or disposal a cover is removably attached to the filter when it is desired to remove the filter. To insure the cover is available the next time it is necessary to remove the dust-laden filter, the cover may be attachable to the housing for storage thereon.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the field of disposable filters for airborne particle collection units, and more specifically to a device and method for the clean disposal of filters using a cover.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Airborne particle collection systems typically employ filters to remove particles from the air as it is passed into an intake of the filter and through the filter. The particle collection unit is typically hung from the ceiling or placed on a work surface. Units may collect particles such as general dust, saw dust, fine shavings, airborne fibers and the like. After the unit has been operating for a significant length of time in a particle-laden environment, the accumulated particles within the filter prohibit airflow through the filter. At this point, the filter requires cleaning or disposal. As the filter is removed from the collection unit and handled during the procedure, the collected particles can escape from the intake of the filter and become airborne again.  
           [0005]    The present invention presents a solution to the problem previously described by closing the intake of the filter and preventing the captured particles from escaping during this service procedure.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In one aspect of the present invention, a filter device for use in a particle collection unit includes a frame defining an intake end, with a filter member connected to the frame for collecting particles entering the intake. A cover removably attachable to the intake end of the frame to prevent particles from escaping the filter device through the intake end, for example, when a user removes the filter to empty dust therefrom. Further, the cover may be removably attachable to the particle collection unit for storage thereon, insuring it is available to a user desiring to empty dust from the filter. In certain embodiments of the invention, a magnet is used to removably attach the cover to the collection unit. The cover may attach to the intake end of the frame, for example, by sliding the cover into a channel defined by the frame.  
           [0007]    In other aspects of the invention, a dust collection system has a housing defining an inlet and an outlet. A fan is situated within the housing to move air from the inlet to the outlet, and a filter is removably attached to the housing to collect dust entering the housing. A cover is provided that is attachable to the filter to prevent collected dust from escaping the filter when the filter is removed from the inlet of the housing. Moreover, the cover can be attachable to the housing for storage thereon, so that it is readily available to a user each time the filter is removed.  
           [0008]    In still further aspects of the invention, a method for collecting airborne dust is disclosed. The method includes attaching a filter inside of a housing. Dust-laden air is moved through the filter to collect dust in the filter, for example, by a fan situated within the housing. When it is desired to remove the filter from the housing, a cover is attached to an inlet of the filter. The filter is then removed from the housing, and the cover prevents dust from escaping therefrom. The cover may be removably attached to an outside surface of the housing for storage prior to removing the filter. After emptying dust from the filter, the cover may be removed from the filter inlet and re-attached to the housing for re-use. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dust collection system in accordance with aspects of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a filter device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2B is a top view of a filter device in accordance with the present invention showing a mess arrest cover partially received by a filter frame;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2C is a partial end view in perspective of the filter device shown in FIG. 2B; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2D is a side view of the filter device shown in FIG. 2B. 
     
    
       [0015]    While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]    Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers&#39; specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary dust collection system  70  employing a particle filter  10  in accordance with aspects of the present invention. The particle collection system  70  typically has a conduit or housing  71  in which the particle filter  10  resides. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, a metal housing  71  is used for the dust collection system  70 . The housing of the particle collection system  70  includes an inlet  72  and an outlet  74 . A fan  80  or other air moving device typically moves air through the system  70 , such that particle-laden air passes into the inlet  72 , is filtered through the filter  10 , and leaves through the outlet  74 .  
         [0018]    FIGS.  2 A- 2 D illustrate the particle filter  10  and the cover  50  in greater detail. The filter  10  includes a frame  20  having an intake  14  and a filter member  12  attached to the frame  20  and situated adjacent the intake  14 . The frame  20  defines a channel  22  that holds a mess arrest cover  50 . During normal operation, the particle filter  10  resides in the particle collection system  70 , while the cover  50  is removably attached to the outside of the particle collection system  70  for temporary storage.  
         [0019]    The particle filter  10  includes a filter frame  20  to which filter material  12  is attached. In the illustrated embodiment, an extruded frame  20  is employed, though the frame  20  may be composed of any suitable material. The frame  20  defines an air intake end  14  where particle-laden air enters. The intake end  14  of the frame  20  includes a channel  22  formed by retaining members  24 ,  26 ,  28 , and having at least one channel opening  30  on an edge of the frame  20  to slidably receive the cover  50 . The retaining members  24 ,  26 ,  28  may be integrally formed with the frame  20 . Other methods of removably attaching the cover  50  to the intake end  14  of the frame  20  are contemplated, such as adhesive tape, VELCRO, clips, snaps, screws, etc.  
         [0020]    The cover  50  is composed of a flat sheet of sturdy material having a top edge  54 , a leading edge  55 , a bottom edge  56  and an outside edge  57 . The cover  50  has one or more fasteners  60  adhered to a side  52  to removably attach the cover  50  to the housing  71  for storage. The housing  71  of the illustrated embodiment defines a generally rectangular cross-section that is suitable for being suspended from a ceiling or placed on a surface. Thus, the cover  50  is rectangular. Of course, the dust collection system  70  may employ a housing  71  of any suitable shape, and the cover  50  would then be correspondingly shaped to cover the intake end  14  of the filter  10 .  
         [0021]    After the dust collection system  70  has been operating for a significant length of time in a dust laden environment, the accumulated dust within the filter material  12  hampers or prohibits air flow through the filter  10 , requiring the filter  10  be cleaned or replaced. For removal of the particle filter  10 , such as when a user wishes to empty the dust therefrom, the particle collection system  70  opens to reveal the particle filter  10 . The cover  50  is remove from the outside of the particle collection system  70  where it has been stored and slides into the channel  22  of the frame  20 . The cover  50  inserts until it substantially covers the intake  14  and attaches thereto.  
         [0022]    The particle filter  10  with retained cover  50  may then be removed from the particle collection system  70 . The retained cover  50  prevents the captured particles from becoming airborne during removal of the particle filter  10 . At this point, the particle filter  10  can be moved to another location for cleaning or disposal without the particles escaping. When the filter  10  is cleaned out or disposed of, the cover  50  slides out of the channel  22  of the particle filter  10 . The cover  50  is than re-attaches to the particle is collection system  70  for future use. Re-attaching the cover  50  to the housing  71  insures that it will be available to the user the next time it is necessary to remove the filter  10  from the collection system  70 .  
         [0023]    The cover  50  may be removably attached to the housing  71  of the system  70  by several different means. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, adhesive  20  backed magnetic material  60  is attached to the cover  50 , allowing the cover  50  to be removably attached to the metal housing  71 . One skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure could use any number of means for attaching the cover  50  on the particle collection system  70  for storage. For example, a metallic cover  50  may be utilized with a magnet connected to the housing  71 . Other configurations of the system  70  use hook and loop fastening systems such as VELCRO, or adhesives may be used to store the cover  50  on the housing  71  until it is needed. In a still further embodiment, the cover  50  is simply laid on top of the unit.  
         [0024]    The cover  50  positions into the channel  22  by inserting the leading edge  55  into the channel opening  30 . Ideally, the cover  50  inserts with the outside surface  52  facing away from the filter material  12  so as not to damage the magnetic material  60 . A top edge  54  and a bottom edge  56  then ride along retainers  24  and  26  of the frame  20 . The retainers  24  and  26  guide the cover  50  on a plane parallel to the intake end  14 . The cover  50  continually inserts until an inner surface  53  substantially covers the intake end  14 . When the leading edge  55  meets the inside retainer  28  and when the outside edge  57  of the cover  50  meets the edge of the opening  30  of the frame  20 , the insertion is complete.  
         [0025]    Other channel configurations may be employed in alternative embodiments. For example, only the retainer  24  on the top edge and the retainer  26  on the bottom edge may be used, allowing the cover  50  to be slidably received in the channel  22  at either end thereof In this way, the particle filter  10  is accessible regardless of its initial orientation in a particle collection unit. Such an arrangement would be especially advantageous if access to the particle filter  10  is limited in the collection unit  70 .  
         [0026]    As disclosed, the present invention offers an economical and simple device to remove particle filters without particles escaping during the procedure. The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below.