U.S. patent application number 10/394166 was filed with the patent office on 2003-12-04 for base pan for a safety workbench.
Invention is credited to Frickel, Edmund.
Application Number | 20030222087 10/394166 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27798243 |
Filed Date | 2003-12-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030222087 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Frickel, Edmund |
December 4, 2003 |
Base pan for a safety workbench
Abstract
The invention pertains to a base pan for placement in the lower
section of the workspace of a safety workbench which has a bottom
area surrounded by side walls, in the lowest region of which is a
collection area, such that the bottom area slopes downward, at
least in part, in the direction of the collection area, and that
the height of the side walls running toward the collection area
increases in the direction of the collection area. Furthermore, the
invention pertains to a method for the manufacture of a base pan,
wherein the side walls are produced from a piece of sheet metal by
bending, such that the bent edges, which correspond to the lateral
edges of the bottom area of the base pan, run at an angle to the
upper edges of the side walls.
Inventors: |
Frickel, Edmund; (Grundau,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BAKER & HOSTETLER LLP
Washington Square
Suite 1100
1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Family ID: |
27798243 |
Appl. No.: |
10/394166 |
Filed: |
March 24, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/571 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B08B 15/023 20130101;
B01L 9/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/571 |
International
Class: |
B65D 001/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 28, 2002 |
DE |
DE 10214158.4 |
Claims
1. Base pan (6) for placement in the lower section of the workspace
(3) of a safety workbench (1) which has a bottom area (7)
surrounded by side walls (8), in the lowest region of which there
is a collection area (9), characterized in that the bottom area (7)
slopes downward, at least in part, in the direction of the
collection area (9), and that the height of the side walls (8)
running toward the collection area increases in the direction of
the collection area (9).
2. Base pan (6) according to claim 1, characterized in that
essentially the entire surface area of the base area (7) has a
gradient that runs down toward the collection area (9).
3. Base pan (6) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that
the bottom area (7) is sloped continuously and that the height of
the side walls (8) increases continuously toward the collection
area (9).
4. Base pan (6) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in
that the collection area (9) is located in one corner of the bottom
area (7).
5. Base pan (6) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in
that the bottom area (7) is sloped in the direction of one of its
lateral edges or a portion of its lateral edges.
6. Base pan (6) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in
that the bottom area (3) is sloped at an angle of 0.5.degree. to
10.degree., in particular 1.degree. to 3.degree., with respect to
the horizontal direction.
7. Base pan (6) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in
that the side walls are sloped at an angle of 90-150.degree., in
particular 120-140.degree. with respect to the bottom area (7).
8. Base pan (6) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in
that the upper edges (11) of the side walls (8) located away from
the bottom area (7) run essentially in a plane, in particular in an
essentially horizontal plane.
9. Base pan (6) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in
that the front edges of mutually adjoining side walls (8) or
sections of side walls are welded together.
10. Base pan (6) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized
in that the collection area (9) is formed as an outlet and in
particular as an opening in the bottom area (7).
11. Base pan (6) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized
in that a closable drain line is located at the outlet.
12. Method for the manufacture of a base pan (6) according to one
of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it is produced by bending
the side walls (8) from a piece of sheet metal, in such a way that
the bent edges (10) which correspond to the lateral edges of the
bottom area (7) of the base pan (6) run at an angle to the upper
edges (11) of the side walls (8), so that during bending, the side
walls (8) or sections of side walls surrounding the bottom area (7)
are produced with an increasing height in the direction of the
collection area (9).
13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that before
bending of the side walls (8), wedges (12) are cut from the sheet
metal in the vicinity of mutually adjoining side walls or sections
of side walls.
14. Method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the
side walls (8) run at an angle of 90-150.degree., in particular
120-140.degree., with respect to the bottom area (7).
15. Method according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in
that the sheet metal runs at an angle outwardly in the region of
the upper side walls of the base pan (6) along the upper edges (11)
of the base pan (6), as seen from the bottom area (7).
16. Method according to one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in
that the sheet metal edges of neighboring side walls (8) and/or of
outwardly angled sheet metal areas are welded together.
Description
[0001] The invention pertains to a base pan for placement in the
lower section of the workspace of a safety workbench.
[0002] Base pans for safety workbenches are needed for the
collection of quantities of material, such as liquids, from the
workspace. These quantities of material move from the work plate in
the workspace via air intake slots or slits in the work plate area
into the base pan.
[0003] The disadvantage of these base pans is that small quantities
of material that collect in the base pan do not flow by themselves
into a collection area. By forming a dished area in the base pan, a
drain direction can be created for the quantities of material. This
carving of the base pan requires additional, complex work steps
which are associated with additional expense and time. Also, the
achieved results with regard to the running off of liquids are not
satisfactory. Moreover, due to the dishing, stresses appear in the
component which result in undefined "bending states" of the base
pan.
[0004] Another possibility for the manufacture of base pans with a
defined collection area is the deep drawing of sheet metal. These
deep-drawn sheet metal base pans are very expensive in small
quantities, and the large expenses for machine tools and machinery
are not economically feasible.
[0005] Accordingly, the problem of the invention is to design a
base pan for safety workbenches with a defined collection area
which can be manufactured at low cost in small quantities. The
manufacture should involve as few additional and expensive work
steps as possible.
[0006] The solution to this problem is obtained for the base pan
according to claim 1 and the method of manufacture according to
claim 12. The preferred embodiments and process variants are
indicated in the specific subordinate claims.
[0007] The base pan according to the present invention features a
bottom area surrounded by side walls, in the lowest region of which
there is a collection area, such that the bottom area is sloped
downward, at least in part, in the direction of the collection area
and that the height of the side walls running toward the collection
area increases in the direction of the collection area.
[0008] The bottom area of a base pan according to the invention can
thus also have horizontally running sections of the bottom area. At
least one section of the bottom area is sloped in the direction of
the collection area. The bottom area can also be of stepped
design.
[0009] In order to ensure a uniform run-off of the quantities of
material, it is preferred that the entire surface of the bottom
area be essentially at a decline to the collection area; preferably
it will decline in a continuous manner. The height of the side
walls thus will increase continuously toward the collection area.
In this case, the collection area is located preferably in one
corner of the bottom area. The collected liquid can be removed
quite easily from this collection area. The liquid can be removed
manually from the collection area, or the liquid can leave the
collection area through a drain with an opening in the bottom area.
The drain opening can have various forms. It can be in the form of
an elongated hole or it can be circular or it can have any other
possible shape. In addition, a closable flow-off line can be
provided at the drain.
[0010] In another embodiment according to the present invention,
the bottom area can be sloped in the direction of one of its
lateral edges or a portion of its lateral edges. Preferably, the
slope is also continuous here. The collection area in this case is
then located in the area of one edge of the bottom area of the base
pan.
[0011] The collection area can also be located essentially in the
middle of one lateral edge of the bottom area. The side wall
neighboring the collection area is then divided into two side wall
sections, each of which can run from the corners of the side wall
to the collection area. In this embodiment form, the height of the
side wall sections increases in the direction of the collection
area. Preferably the slope is again continuous, so that the height
of the side wall sections also increase continuously. The maximum
height of the side wall is thus located in the middle, where the
side wall sections abut each other, while the minimum height of the
side wall is formed at its side ends.
[0012] As described above, according to the invention, the height
of the side walls increases toward the collection area. Thus, not
all side walls of the base pan need have a changing height.
Accordingly, it is possible that at least one side wall or one
section of a side wall has an essentially constant height across
its length. It is then expedient to place the section of the bottom
area adjoining this side wall in a horizontal plane.
[0013] In order to save space and material, the bottom area may be
sloped in the horizontal direction only as much as necessary to
ensure a sufficient run-off of liquid. An angle of slope between
0.5.degree. and 10.degree., in particular between 1-3.degree., is
recommended. The side walls can enclose an angle from
90-150.degree. to the bottom area, and an angle of between
120-140.degree. is preferred.
[0014] The mounting of the base pan in a safety workbench can occur
essentially by any means of the prior art. Accordingly, the upper
edges of the side walls bending away from the bottom area run
preferably essentially in a plane, in particular, in an essentially
horizontal plane.
[0015] The bottom pan seals the working space on the bottom. For
sealing the bottom pan in the safety workbench, it is preferable to
use conventional sealing materials.
[0016] In order to seal the corners of the base pan, the front
edges of mutually adjoining side walls or sections of side walls
are joined together, preferably by welding.
[0017] The invention also pertains to a method for the manufacture
of a base pan. In this regard, it is produced by bending of the
side walls from a piece of sheet metal in such a way that the bent
edges, which correspond to the lateral edges of the bottom area of
the base pan, run at an angle to the upper edges of the side walls,
so that during bending, the side walls or sections of side walls
surrounding the bottom area are produced with an increasing height
in the direction of the collection area.
[0018] With regard to the manufacturing method, the advantage is
that only simple and low-cost tools and machinery are required.
Starting with the sheet metal, the angled base pan can be cut out
from a single piece according to the present invention. The cutting
of the sheet metal can be handled either by punching or by today's
very low cost and flexible laser cutting methods, for example.
Laser cutting is particularly suitable for the manufacture of small
quantities since no additional tool costs are incurred, in contrast
to punching. The bending or folding can be handled with a
conventional folding or bending press.
[0019] Base pans according to the present invention can thus be
manufactured in small quantities at low cost and in a simple
manner.
[0020] In order to conserve materials, the pattern of the base can
be cut from an essentially rectangular piece of sheet metal.
Preferably, a slightly trapezoidal piece of sheet metal is used as
starting material for the method of the invention.
[0021] In order to simplify the manufacturing method for the base
pan according to the present invention, before the folding of the
side walls, cut-outs (hereinafter called wedges) are cut from the
sheet metal in the vicinity of mutually adjoining side walls or
sections of side walls. The wedges are located basically in the
corners of the base pan. If the collection area is located in the
region between two sections of the side walls, then the wedges can
also be cut in the middle region of side walls. The collection area
of the finished base pan is then located accordingly in the middle
region of the corresponding lateral edge of the bottom area.
[0022] Preferably the side walls run at an angle of 90-150.degree.,
in particular 120-140.degree., with respect to the bottom area. The
reasons for this, among others, are that the quantities of material
can be more easily collected and can thus be guided more easily to
the collection area.
[0023] The upper region of the base pan is configured preferably as
in conventional base pans, in order to fit it into state-of-the-art
safety workbenches. Therefore, the sheet metal in the region of the
upper side walls of the base pan along the upper edges of the base
pan slants outwardly with respect to the bottom area.
[0024] As one of the final work steps, the sheet metal edges of
neighboring side walls and/or of outward angled sheet metal areas
are joined together, preferably by welding.
[0025] The invention will be explained in greater detail below with
reference to the drawing.
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a safety workbench
with a built-in base pan according to the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows a schematic developed top view of the base pan
of FIG. 1 according to the present invention, after it has been cut
out from the sheet metal.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows a schematic oblique view of the base pan of
FIG. 1 according to the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a schematic front view of the base pan of FIG.
1 according to the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 5 shows a schematic side view of the base pan of FIG. 1
according to the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 6 shows a schematic top view of the base pan of FIG. 1
according to the present invention.
[0032] The safety workbench 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 corresponds
essentially to a conventional safety workbench 1, like that
described in DE 44 41 784 C2, for example. A frame 2 encloses a
workspace 3 in which samples can be processed. On the front side of
the safety workbench 1 (the left side in the figure) the workspace
3 is accessible through a work opening, which can be sealed off
with a front plate. During the processing of the samples in the
workspace 3 and for cleaning of the work plate 4, small quantities
of material can fall or flow through air intake slots 5 in the work
plate 4 or slits between sections of the work plate into the base
pan 6 located underneath. The air intake slots 5 are necessary to
allow air to circulate within the workbench. The base pan 6 has
dimensions so that it can fit into the frame 2. In this regard it
is important that the base pan 6 seal off the work space 3 from
below, so that no materials can escape from the safety workbench 1.
Preferably the collection area 9 of the base pan 6 is located at
the longitudinal side of the work opening, so that, if necessary,
residual material can be pushed along by hand to the collection
area 9. The top edges 11 of the side walls 8 are located in a
horizontal plane, so that the work plate 4 can be set flat onto the
base pan 6. The barrier 16 of the base pan 6 fits flushly against
the work plate 4, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and in accordance with
the state of the art.
[0033] The starting point for the manufacture of the base pan 6 is
a corrosion-resistant piece of sheet metal, and a polished
stainless steel type is recommended. The advantage of this type of
sheet metal is that it allows liquids and quantities of material
collected in the base pan 6 to flow off easily. The sheet metal
also has a film coating to protect it during processing. The film
can be entirely removed only after completion of manufacture of the
base pan 6.
[0034] A flat template of the base pan 6 of the invention is cut
out from the sheet metal, as is illustrated in FIG. 2. Preferably
the template is cut from the sheet metal by using a laser. This
method is low in cost for small quantities manufactured and is very
flexible with regard to the shapes to be cut.
[0035] Therefore, laser cutting is an excellent method for forming
the required cut-outs, each of differing size, from the corners of
the flat template of the base pan 6. These cut-outs, hereinafter
called wedges 12, are formed so that when bending the side walls 8,
the sheet metal material does not overlap at the front of the side
walls 8, and thereby produces flush weld at the front of the side
walls 8. The lengths of the front sides of the side walls 8 thus
correspond essentially to the lengths of the sides of the wedges
12. The length of the front sides of the side walls 8 is determined
first by the height of the side walls 8, and second by the angle to
be cut between the bottom area 7 and the side walls 8. The height
of the side walls 8 running to the drain increases in the direction
of the collection area 9, so that the collection area 9 is located
at the lowest point of the bottom area 7. In this case, the result
is that the front sides of the side walls 8 are longest in the
close vicinity of the collection area 9, and the front sides of the
side walls 8 that are farthest from the collection area 9 are the
shortest. The smallest wedges 12 are thus farthest from the
collection area 9 and the largest are closest to the collection
area 9. From the requirement for continuously increasing height of
the side walls 8 in the direction of the collection area 9, in the
present example, the result is that the bending edges 10--which
correspond to the lateral edges of the bottom area 7 of the base
pan 6--separate at an angle toward the subsequent upper edges 11 of
the side walls 8.
[0036] At each side wall 8 there is at least two additional
rectangular shoulders, which are produced by additional bending.
Thus, they are basically not visible at all on the angled, punched
sheet metal, as is indicated in FIG. 2, but rather are combined
into a single rectangular shoulder. The first rectangular shoulder
is used to produce a horizontal frame with horizontal frame
surfaces 13 around the pan. The second rectangular shoulder 14,
which is bent at a right angle to the horizontal frame surface 13,
is used to join the base pan 6 flush to the frame 2 of the safety
workbench 1. Two additional right-angle shoulders adjoin the
vertical shoulder 14 on what will be rear side wall 8 of the base
pan 6; once bent, these shoulders form a type of hook. Four
additional right-angle shoulders adjoin what will be front side
wall 8 at the shoulder for the horizontal frame surface 13; after
these additional shoulders are bent, they produce a barrier 16 with
a terminating fold for hook engagement. This barrier 16 prevents
fluids from easily escaping from the workspace 3. This barrier 16
is visible as a U-shaped shoulder in FIG. 5. The last bent surface
of the barrier 16 (which forms a closed folding border) can be used
for hooking and for sealing of the base pan 6 in the safety
workbench 1.
[0037] For better understanding, the edges which are bent over are
indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 2.
[0038] In order to attach the base pan 6 to the frame 2 of the
safety workbench 1, holes 15 are drilled in the shoulder for the
vertical side wall 14, through which suitable fasteners can be
installed. The vertical side walls 14 have lower sealing edges
which run essentially horizontal in the finished base pan 6.
[0039] The front sides of the neighboring, right-angled shoulders
are then welded together at the corners.
[0040] A larger drilled hole serving as collection area 9 is
located on the imaginary line running to the peak of the largest
wedge 12, that is, in one of the corners of the bottom area 7 of
the finished base pan 6.
[0041] FIG. 3 provides an oblique view of the base pan 6 according
to the present invention, in the final assembled state. The base
pan 6 has a collection area 9, which is designed here as a drain
with a hole-like opening, in the front left corner with respect to
the working opening of the safety workbench 1. As can be seen in
the left side wall 8 and in the rear side wall in FIG. 3, the
bending edges 10 run at an angle to the top edges 11 of the side
walls 8. The horizontal frame surfaces 13 are presented here as
thinner at the front sides of the base pan 6 than at the
longitudinal sides. Overall, the frame surface 13 has an
essentially rectangular profile, as do conventional base pans.
[0042] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the different angles of gradient of the
bottom area 7 with respect to the horizontal, in the longitudinal
and transverse direction of the base pan 6.
[0043] Once again, FIG. 6 clearly shows the bottom area 7 with the
bending edges 10 running at an angle to the upper edges 11 of the
side walls 8. The essentially rectangular profile of the frame
surface is clearly portrayed in this view.
LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0044] 1 Safety workbench
[0045] 2 Frame
[0046] 3 Workspace
[0047] 4 Work plate
[0048] 5 Air intake slot
[0049] 6 Base pan
[0050] 7 Bottom area
[0051] 8 Side wall
[0052] 9 Collection area
[0053] 10 Bent edge
[0054] 11 Top edge of side wall
[0055] 12 Wedge
[0056] 13 Horizontal frame surface
[0057] 14 Vertical side wall
[0058] 15 Drilled hole
[0059] 16 Barrier
* * * * *