Patent Description:
Extraction systems include a filtering system to remove and neutralize air of harmful chemical and particulates. A problem with some extraction systems in the past is that they include a cover with an air intake incorporated therein. To change a pre-filter and/or a main filter, the cover with air intake had to be pivoted open or removed to access the pre-filter and/or a main filter. To change the main filter, the pre-filter first had to be removed. Consequently, changing the pre-filter and/or the main filter was neither convenient nor easy. Further, exhaust air from the extraction system, which rested on a floor by a user's feet, often blew on and cooled a user's feet, making them uncomfortable.

<CIT> discloses a portable extraction system for extracting airborne substances generated during construction works, and a method of extracting airborne substances using the same. In particular, said system comprises: an enclosure comprising an inlet and an outlet; a suction unit disposed in the enclosure, the suction unit configured to move air along a fluid flow path formed between the inlet and the outlet; and a filter unit disposed on the fluid flow path between the inlet and the suction unit, the filter unit configured to prevent passage of the airborne substances along the fluid flow path. <CIT> further discloses an extractor according to the preamble of claim <NUM> and a method of using an extractor according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

<CIT> discloses a portable airborne contamination control device which basically has two parts, i.e. a main unit and a remote unit. The main unit includes a wheeled cabinet-type housing including a motor-blower, cone, filter, control panels, multiple intake and exhaust ports. The remote unit, which may be wheeled, has a general cabinet-like configuration with multiple intake and exhaust ports. The remote unit is in communication with the wheeled housing by an elongated duct.

A first aspect of the claimed invention involves an extractor according to claim <NUM>. Said extractor is an extractor for extracting harmful chemicals and particulates from air for a soldering iron station, the extractor including an intake assembly, a filter assembly including a main filter, a fan, and an exhaust assembly, wherein the extractor is arranged for: receiving harmful chemicals, particulates, and air from the soldering iron station through the intake assembly; filtering the fumes from the air with the filter assembly, said filtering comprising filtering the fumes from the air with the main filter; and exhausting the filtered air with the exhaust assembly, wherein the extractor includes a housing with one or more sides, wherein the main filter is removable with respect to a side of the one or more sides of the housing, and wherein the extractor is further arranged for removing the main filter from the side of the housing to replace the main filter at least partly by rotating the main filter relative to the side of the housing to remove the main filter.

A second aspect of the claimed invention involves a method according to claim <NUM>. Said method is a method of using an extractor for extracting harmful chemicals and particulates from air for a soldering iron station, the extractor including an intake assembly, a filter assembly including a main filter, a fan, and an exhaust assembly, comprising: receiving harmful chemicals, particulates, and air from the soldering iron station through the intake assembly; filtering the fumes from the air with the main filter of the filter assembly; and exhausting the filtered air with the exhaust assembly, wherein the extractor includes a housing with one or more sides, wherein the main filter is removable with respect to a side of the one or more sides of the housing, wherein the method further comprises removing the main filter from the side of the housing to replace the main filter, and wherein removing includes rotating the main filter relative to the side of the housing to remove the main filter.

Aspects of the disclosure involve an extractor for extracting harmful chemicals and particulates from the air around a workstation such as, but not limited to, a soldering iron station comprising an intake assembly configured to receive harmful chemicals, particulates, and air, a filter assembly configured to filter the harmful chemicals and particulates from the air, a fan configured to transport the harmful chemicals, particulates, and air into the filter assembly, and an exhaust assembly configured to exhaust filtered air.

One or more implementations of the above aspects comprises one or more of the following: the intake assembly includes flexible intake tubes each with a proximal portion and a distal portion; the proximal portions include nozzles, which include nozzle inlet screen receivers that receive replaceable nozzle inlet screens; the replaceable nozzle inlet screens include tabs that allow a user to handle the replaceable nozzle inlet screens; the replaceable nozzle inlet screens provide a first filter to capture large items such as paper wipes that are drawn into the intake assembly via the nozzles; the proximal portions include respective fans that move the air, harmful chemicals, and particulates into the intake assembly; the fans include an outer periphery that the nozzles slide onto; the filter assembly includes a pre-filter, a main filter, and impregnated activated carbon; the pre-filter is a disposable liner to remove large particles before entering the main filter; the pre-filter is placed in a pre-filter tray, which is removable/insertable relative to an upper portion of a front section of the housing; the main filter along with the impregnated activated carbon is externally removable; the main filter is held in place by a filter holder with a releasable latch on a peripheral portion of a front face of the filter holder; the releasable latch disengages the main filter element, allowing main filter element and filter holder to be rotated relative to each other to separate the main filter element relative to the filter holder to replace the main filter element; the main filter is rotatably coupled to and insertable/removable relative to the front section of the housing, below the pre-filter, for replacing the main filter element; the exhaust assembly includes a rotational exhaust vent that is rotatably coupled to a rear section of the housing for <NUM> degree rotation to adjust the direction of exhaust air flow from the extractor; an exterior exhaust vent cover is coupled to the rear section of the housing; and/or a L-shaped exhaust tube is coupled to the exterior exhaust vent cover to connect the exhaust assembly to outside venting.

Another aspect involves a method of using an extractor for extracting harmful chemicals and particulates from air for a soldering iron station, the extractor including an intake assembly, a filter assembly, a fan, and an exhaust assembly, comprising receiving harmful chemicals, particulates, and air from the soldering iron station through the intake assembly; filtering the harmful chemicals and particulates from the air with the filter assembly; and exhausting the filtered air with the exhaust assembly.

One or more implementations of the above aspect include one or more of the following: the intake assembly includes an intake path and an intake fan disposed therein, and receiving comprising pulling harmful chemicals, particulates, and air from the soldering iron station through the intake path with the intake fan; the intake assembly includes an intake path and replaceable intake screen therein, and the method further comprising replacing the replaceable inlet screen of the intake assembly; the replaceable inlet screen include a tab, and replacing comprising handling the replaceable inlet screen by the tab when replacing the replaceable inlet screen of the intake assembly; the intake assembly includes a nozzle, an intake port, and a replaceable inlet screen disposed therein, and receiving comprising receiving harmful chemicals, particulates, and air from the soldering iron station through the nozzle, intake port, and replaceable inlet screen of the intake assembly; the intake assembly includes a pair of intake tubes with respective nozzles, and receiving comprising receiving harmful chemicals, particulates, and air from the soldering iron station through the nozzles and intake tubes of the intake assembly; the extractor includes a housing with one or more sides and the filter assembly includes a main filter removable with respect to a side of the one or more sides of the housing, filtering comprising filtering the fumes from the air with the main filter, and the method further comprising removing the main filter from the side of the housing to replace the main filter; removing includes rotating the main filter relative to the side of the housing to remove the main filter; the main filter includes a filter holder and a main filter element, and removing includes removing the main filter from the side of the housing, removing the main filter element from the filter holder, and replacing the main filter element; the main filter element includes a front end, the filter holder includes a peripheral portion with a latch that engageable with the front end of the main filter element, and removing the main filter element from the filter holder includes disengaging the latch from the front end of the main filter element; the filter assembly includes a pre-filter, and filtering comprising filtering the fumes from the air with the pre-filter and the main filter; the filter assembly includes a tray with the pre-filter that deploys from the side of the housing to replace the pre-filter, and the method further comprising deploying the tray to replace the pre-filter; the exhaust assembly includes a rotational exhaust vent, and the method further comprising rotating the rotational exhaust vent to exhaust filtered air in a desired direction; and/or the exhaust assembly includes an exterior exhaust vent cover and an exhaust tube coupled to the exterior exhaust vent cover, and exhausting includes exhausting the filtered air to outside venting through the exterior exhaust vent cover and the exhaust tube.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, an embodiment of an extractor <NUM> for extracting harmful chemical and particulates from air for a soldering iron station will be described. In alternative embodiments, the extractor <NUM> is used for extracting any fumes or particles such as coating, spraying, nail salons, laser marking, welding, cutting, grinding, chemical applications, smelting, brazing, molding, powder filling, solvent use of production, pharmaceutical labs, manufacturing, medical field, etc. other than for a soldering iron station. The extractor <NUM> includes a housing <NUM> with one or more sides <NUM>, an intake/inlet assembly <NUM>, a filter assembly <NUM>, a fan <NUM>, and an exhaust assembly <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the intake assembly <NUM> includes flexible intake tubes <NUM> each with a proximal portion <NUM> and a distal portion <NUM>. The distal portions are received in intake ports <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. The proximal portions <NUM> include nozzles <NUM>, which include nozzle inlet screen receivers <NUM> that receive replaceable nozzle inlet screens <NUM> within intake paths <NUM>. The replaceable nozzle inlet screens <NUM> include tabs <NUM> that allow a user to insert the replaceable nozzle inlet screens <NUM> into (and pulled out of) the intake path via the nozzle inlet screen receivers <NUM>. The replaceable nozzle inlet screens <NUM> provide a first filter to capture large items such as paper wipes that are drawn into the intake assembly <NUM> via the nozzles <NUM>. The proximal portions <NUM> may include fans <NUM> with an outer periphery <NUM> that the nozzles <NUM> slide onto. The fans <NUM> help to move the air, harmful chemicals, and particulates through the intake assembly <NUM> and into the filter assembly <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the filter assembly <NUM> includes a pre-filter <NUM>, a main filter <NUM>, and impregnated activated carbon that remove greater or equal to <NUM> percent of the particles and gasses from the air that are as small as <NUM>.

The pre-filter <NUM> is a disposable liner to remove large particles before entering the main filter <NUM>, which extends the life of the main filter <NUM>. The pre-filter <NUM> is placed in a pre-filter tray <NUM>, which is removable/insertable relative to an upper portion <NUM> of a front section <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. The pre-filter <NUM> can easily be replaced at a workstation or bench without removing the main filter <NUM> or opening the housing <NUM>.

The main filter <NUM> along with the impregnated activated carbon is externally removable so that one does not have to remove an inlet hose and/or open the unit to replace either filter, whether on the floor under a work bench or placed on a shelf of a workstation, as was required in the past. The main filter <NUM> includes a filter holder <NUM> with a releasable latch <NUM> on a peripheral portion <NUM> of a front face <NUM> of the filter holder <NUM>. Pulling outward/frontward on the releasable latch <NUM> disengages the releasable latch <NUM> from a front end <NUM> of a main filter element <NUM>, allowing rotatably coupled main filter element <NUM> and filter holder <NUM> to be rotated relative to each other to separate the main filter element <NUM> relative to the filter holder <NUM> to replace the main filter element <NUM>. The main filter <NUM> is rotatably coupled to and insertable/removable relative to the front section <NUM> of the housing <NUM>, below the pre-filter <NUM>, for replacing the main filter element <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the exhaust assembly <NUM> will not be described in more detail. The exhaust assembly <NUM> includes a rotational exhaust vent <NUM> that is rotatably coupled to a rear section <NUM> of the housing <NUM> of the extractor <NUM> for <NUM> degree rotation to adjust the direction of exhaust air flow from the extractor <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, an optional exterior exhaust vent cover <NUM> may be removably coupled to the rear section <NUM> of the housing <NUM> of the extractor <NUM> and a L-shaped exhaust tube <NUM> may be coupled to the exterior exhaust vent cover <NUM> to connect the exhaust assembly <NUM> to outside venting.

With reference to <FIG>, an exemplary method <NUM> of using the extractor <NUM> for extracting harmful chemicals and particulates from air for a soldering iron station will be described. In alternative embodiments, the method <NUM> is used for filtering applications other than for a soldering iron station. In block <NUM>, the intake assembly <NUM> receives harmful chemicals, particulates, and air from the soldering iron station. In block <NUM>, the filter assembly <NUM> filters the harmful chemicals and particulates from the air. In block <NUM>, the exhaust assembly <NUM> exhausts the filtered air.

Claim 1:
An extractor (<NUM>) for extracting harmful chemicals and particulates from air for a soldering iron station, the extractor (<NUM>) including an intake assembly (<NUM>), a filter assembly (<NUM>) including a main filter (<NUM>), a fan (<NUM>), and an exhaust assembly (<NUM>), wherein the extractor (<NUM>) is arranged for:
receiving harmful chemicals, particulates, and air from the soldering iron station through the intake assembly (<NUM>);
filtering the fumes from the air with the filter assembly (<NUM>), said filtering comprising filtering the fumes from the air with the main filter (<NUM>); and
exhausting the filtered air with the exhaust assembly (<NUM>),
wherein the extractor (<NUM>) includes a housing (<NUM>) with one or more sides (<NUM>), wherein the main filter (<NUM>) is removable with respect to a side of the one or more sides (<NUM>) of the housing (<NUM>), and wherein the extractor (<NUM>) is further arranged for removing the main filter (<NUM>) from the side of the housing (<NUM>) to replace the main by filter (<NUM>) characterised in that the extractor is arranged for removing the main filter at least partly by rotating the main filter (<NUM>) relative to the side of the housing (<NUM>) to remove the main filter (<NUM>).