U.S. patent application number 11/069844 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-20 for ultra-violet ventilation system having an improved filtering device.
Invention is credited to Magner, Erik, Profenna, Joe, Raczewski, Chester.
Application Number | 20050229922 11/069844 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34919413 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050229922 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Magner, Erik ; et
al. |
October 20, 2005 |
Ultra-violet ventilation system having an improved filtering
device
Abstract
An air ventilation system, comprising an air inlet for admitting
contaminated air into the ventilation system, an air outlet for
discharging decontaminated air from the ventilation, and an
ultra-violet light source disposed therebetween. The ventilation
system has a filter disposed upstream of the ultra-violet light
source. The filter has a grease particle separator with at least
two layers of expanded metal associated therewith. Each has a
predetermined number of apertures forming a reticulum. A cartridge
filter may be provided for each grease particle separator and
disposed upstream thereof. Each cartridge filter and associated
grease particle separator preferably forms an integral filtering
unit and may be placed at any location of the system.
Inventors: |
Magner, Erik; (Oakville,
CA) ; Raczewski, Chester; (Mississauga, CA) ;
Profenna, Joe; (Toronto, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Paul D. Greeley, Esq.
Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle, L.L.P.
10th Floor
One Landmark Square
Stamford
CT
06901-2682
US
|
Family ID: |
34919413 |
Appl. No.: |
11/069844 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60548878 |
Mar 2, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/299D |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C 15/2035 20130101;
F24F 8/10 20210101; F24F 8/22 20210101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/299.00D |
International
Class: |
F24C 015/20 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An air purifying device comprising: a structure having an air
inlet for disposal over a source of contaminated grease laden air
and an air outlet for discharging the air stream to ambient, said
air inlet and said air outlet defining a grease laden air flow; a
device being adjacent said air inlet with said device defining a
compartment, said device for reducing an amount of grease in the
contaminated grease laden air stream, wherein said device has a
first member extending into said compartment, said grease laden air
flow abruptly turning around said first member in said compartment,
said grease laden air flow jettisoning an amount of grease from
said grease laden air flow after flowing past said first member and
reducing a grease particle size of grease in said grease laden air
flow, said device having a plurality of sheets of material with
each of said plurality of sheets having a plurality of apertures
therethrough.
2. The air purifying device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of
apertures of a first sheet of said plurality of sheets of material
are offset from said plurality of apertures of a second sheet of
said plurality of sheets of material.
3. The air purifying device of claim 2, wherein said plurality of
apertures of said first sheet, and wherein said plurality of
apertures of said second sheet form a labyrinthine air flow
pattern.
4. The air purifying device of claim 2, wherein said plurality of
apertures of said first sheet, and wherein said plurality of
apertures of said second sheet form a turbulent air flow
pattern.
5. The air purifying device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of
apertures of a first sheet of said plurality of sheets of material
are offset from said plurality of apertures of a second sheet of
said plurality of sheets of material, and wherein at least some of
said plurality of apertures have a shape being conducive to reduce
an amount of grease in said grease laden air stream.
6. The air purifying device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of
apertures of a first sheet of said plurality of sheets of material
are offset from said plurality of apertures of a second sheet of
said plurality of sheets, and wherein said first sheet and said
second sheet are made from a temperature resistant material.
7. The air purifying device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of
apertures have a predetermined shape, and wherein said
predetermined shape is conducive to reduce an amount of grease from
said grease laden air stream.
8. The air purifying device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of
apertures of a first sheet of said plurality of sheets of material
are offset from said plurality of apertures of a second sheet of
said plurality of sheets, said plurality of apertures of said first
sheet of material and said second sheet of material forming a net
like structure, said net like structure for reducing an amount of
grease in said contaminated air stream.
9. The air purifying device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of
apertures are generally orthogonal shaped.
10. The air purifying device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of
apertures are generally diamonds shaped.
11. An air purifying device comprising: a ventilation structure
having an air inlet for disposal over a source of contaminated
grease laden air and an air outlet for discharging the air stream
to ambient, said air inlet and said air outlet defining a grease
laden air flow; a grease removal device being adjacent said air
inlet with said grease removal device defining a compartment
therein, said grease removal device for reducing an amount of
grease in the contaminated grease laden air stream, wherein said
grease removal device has a first member extending into said
compartment, said grease laden air flow abruptly turning around
said first member in said compartment and jettisoning an amount of
grease from said grease laden air flow after flowing past said
first member, said grease removal device having a first sheet of
material having a plurality of first apertures therethrough, and a
second sheet of material spaced from said first sheet of material,
said second sheet having a plurality of second apertures
therethrough and communicating with said ventilation structure,
wherein said plurality of first apertures are offset from said
plurality of second apertures.
12. The air purifying device of claim 11, wherein said first
apertures and said second apertures form a netlike structure.
13. The air purifying device of claim 11, wherein said first
apertures and said second apertures each have a shape conducive to
reduce said amount of grease from said grease laden air stream.
14. The air purifying device of claim 13, wherein at least one of
said plurality of apertures has a diamond shape.
15. The air purifying device of claim 13, further comprising an
ozone producing device on or in said ventilation structure for
reducing said amount of grease from said grease laden air
stream.
16. The air purifying device of claim 1, further comprising an
ozone producing device on or in said ventilation structure for
reducing said amount of grease from said grease laden air
stream.
17. An air purifying device comprising: a structure having an air
inlet for disposal over a source of contaminated grease laden air
and an air outlet for discharging the air stream to ambient, said
air inlet and said air outlet defining a grease laden air flow; a
device being adjacent said air inlet with said device defining a
compartment, said device having a first section for abruptly
changing a grease laden air flow, said first section reducing an
amount of grease from said grease laden air flow, said device
having a second section for changing said grease laden air flow
from a laminar flow to a turbulent air flow, said second section
further reducing said amount.
18. The air purifying device of claim 17, further comprising an
ozone producing device on or in said ventilation structure for
reducing said amount from said grease laden air stream.
19. The air purifying device of claim 17, wherein the device
changes said grease laden air flow from a laminar flow to a
turbulent air flow by passing said grease laden air flow through a
net like structure, said second section further reducing said
amount of said grease in said grease laden air stream.
20. The air purifying device of claim 19, wherein said net like
structure has a grease particle separator comprising at least two
layers of expanded metal associated therewith, each having a
plurality of predetermined apertures forming a reticulum.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] The instant application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No.: 60/548,878 filed on Mar. 2, 2004 which is
herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an air ventilation system
for use with a cooking appliance. More particularly, the present
invention relates to an improved ventilation system having an
ultra-violet light source and an improved filter at an air inlet
for treating a contaminated air stream.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Ventilation systems are well known in the art for removing
contaminated air produced by a cooking appliance. The contaminated
air has contaminants disposed therein, such as smoke, grease, odor,
particles and other unwanted gaseous substances. Grease laden air
has proven to be especially problematic in commercial cooking
establishments.
[0004] Although grease laden air emitted from a cooking source
usually travels up along a ventilation duct disposed at a certain
distance above the cooking source, some of the grease laden air may
collect on the ventilation duct, hood or other areas of the
ventilation system in the form of grease deposits that may create a
dangerous fire hazard. These grease deposits can pose a fire hazard
and local law and ordinances require frequent cleaning for the
removal of the same.
[0005] Once the grease is cooled the cooled grease may accumulate
and/or back flow down the food to, for example, the floor, in the
duct or collect behind a stove. This back flow creates a risk of
fire hazard. Given the transient nature of the employees employed
in the hospitality and commercial cooking establishments, the
collected grease may without knowing accumulate on a wall, duct or
floor. This accumulation of cooking grease may result in a number
of detrimental aspects to an overall productivity of amenity of the
food establishment.
[0006] These detrimental aspects may include the fact that grease
accumulation attracts bacteria, dirt, pests, rodents and viruses
and results in unsanitary conditions. The grease accumulation may
also lead to repelling odor that has negative effects on overall
dining experience of customers, and the health of workers.
[0007] In a normally operating food establishment, hot grease laden
air continuously flows through a ventilation system. The
ventilation system also operates at a high temperature environment.
Thus, any accumulation of grease in ventilation system may also
create a fire hazard if neglected and not cleaned. One attempt in
the art has been the use of ultra-violet (UV) light to
decontaminate air in ventilation systems.
[0008] Ultra-violet wavelengths commonly used for purification are
185 nano-meters (nm) and 254 nm. Ultra-violet based air
purification devices generally includes an ultra-violet light
source located within a quartz tube or sleeve that is disposed in a
ventilation duct or hood. The ventilation duct has an inlet for
receiving a contaminated grease laden air stream and an outlet. The
outlet is for discharging the contaminated air stream to ambient.
Contaminated air stream is passed through a chamber over the quartz
sleeve. Ultra-violet lights operating at a suitable predetermined
wavelength, such as around 185 nm produce ozone in the contaminated
air stream and thus oxidizes effluents, grease, oil, volatile
organic compounds and germs in the air stream.
[0009] In order to enhance air purifying function, a filter may be
disposed adjacent the inlet of the ventilation duct. The filter
filters out particles and captures grease before treatment with the
ultra-violet light source. Such filters are typically made from a
mesh. When grease and oil droplets are captured in or on the
filter, the grease and oil tend to be retained thereon. This
creates potential risks of a fire hazard.
[0010] Therefore, there is a need for an improved ventilation
system that reduces a fire hazard.
[0011] There is also a need for a ventilation system that can be
easily cleaned and reduces maintenance time.
[0012] There is also a need for a ventilation system that reduces
cleaning costs and labor costs associated with cleaning the
ventilation duct and hood by modulating a grease laden air stream's
flow to remove grease from the grease laden air stream.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention,
there is provided an air ventilation system having an air inlet for
admitting contaminated air into the ventilation system, an air
outlet for discharging decontaminated air from the ventilation, an
ultra-violet light source disposed therebetween. The ventilation
system further comprises a filtering means disposed upstream of the
ultra-violet light source. The filtering means has at least one
grease particle separator with at least two layers of expanded
metal associated therewith. Each has predetermined apertures
forming a reticulum.
[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
air ventilation system has a cartridge filter provided for each
grease particle separator. The cartridge filter is disposed
upstream thereof. Each cartridge filter and associated grease
particle separator preferably forms an integral filtering unit.
[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
ventilation system allows for easy cleaning of the ventilation
system and minimizes a down time of a food establishment associated
with cleaning of the ventilation system, and allows a more
continuous operation thereof.
[0016] According to still another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided an air purifying device that has a structure
having an air inlet for disposal over a source of contaminated
grease laden air and an air outlet for discharging the air stream
to ambient. The air inlet and the air outlet define a grease laden
air flow. The air purifying device also has a device adjacent the
air inlet with the device defining a compartment. The device is for
reducing an amount of grease in the contaminated grease laden air
stream and has a first member extending into the compartment. The
grease laden air flow abruptly turns around the first member in the
compartment and the grease laden air flow jettisons an amount of
grease from the grease laden air flow after flowing past the first
member and reduces a grease particle size of grease in the grease
laden air flow. The device has sheets of material with each sheet
having a number of apertures therethrough.
[0017] According to still a further aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an air purifying device that has a
ventilation structure with an air inlet for disposal over a source
of contaminated grease laden air and an air outlet for discharging
the air stream to ambient. The air inlet and the air outlet define
a grease laden air flow. The device also has a grease removal
device adjacent the air inlet with the grease removal device
defining a compartment therein. The grease removal device is for
reducing an amount of grease in the contaminated grease laden air
stream and has a first member extending into the compartment. The
grease laden air flow abruptly turns around the first member in the
compartment and jettisons an amount of grease from the grease laden
air flow after flowing past the first member. The grease removal
device has a first sheet of material with a number of first
apertures therethrough, and a second sheet of material spaced from
the first sheet of material with the second sheet having a second
apertures therethrough. The second sheet communicates with the
ventilation structure. The first apertures are offset from the
second apertures.
[0018] According to still yet another further aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an air purifying device that has a
structure with an air inlet for disposal over a source of
contaminated grease laden air and an air outlet for discharging the
air stream to ambient with the air inlet and air outlet defining a
grease laden air flow. The air purifying device has another device
being adjacent the air inlet with the device defining a compartment
and having a first section for abruptly changing a direction of the
grease laden air flow. The first section reduces an amount of
grease from the grease laden air flow and the device has a second
section. The second section changes the grease laden air flow from
a laminar flow to a turbulent air flow. The second section further
reduces the amount of grease.
[0019] According to still yet another further aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an air purifying device that has a
device for reducing an amount of grease in a grease laden air flow
with the device adjacent an air inlet and the device defining a
compartment. The device has a first section for abruptly changing a
direction of the grease laden air flow with the change reducing the
amount of said grease from the grease laden air flow. The device
also has a second section for changing the grease laden air flow
from a laminar flow to a turbulent air flow by passing the grease
laden air flow through a net like structure. The second section
further reduces the amount of the grease in the grease laden air
stream. The air purifying device also has an ozone producing device
on or in a ventilation structure in communication with the net like
structure for reducing the amount of the grease from the grease
laden air stream.
[0020] According to still yet another further aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an air ventilation system. The air
ventilation system has an ozone generating device between an air
inlet of the ventilation system and an air outlet of the
ventilation system. The system also has a first structure having a
compartment at or adjacent the air inlet of the ventilation system.
The first structure modulates an air flow at two places in the
compartment for removal of a contaminant in the air flow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0021] Other and further objects, advantages and features of the
present invention will be understood by reference to the following
specification in conjunction with the accompanying figures, in
which like reference characters denote like elements of structure
and:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ventilation system having
an improved filter unit in accordance with the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a front side of the improved
filter unit of FIG. 1 having an integrated cartridge filter and a
grease particle separator in accordance with the present invention
with a grease laden air stream entering the filter unit;
[0024] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the integrated cartridge
filter and grease particle separator of the filter unit of FIG. 2
in accordance with the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the integrated cartridge filter and
grease particle separator of the filter unit in accordance with the
present invention;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a side view of the integrated cartridge filter and
grease particle separator of the filter unit showing the grease
laden air flow traversing therethrough in accordance with the
present invention; and
[0027] FIG. 6 is a plan view of one preferred embodiment an
expanded metal sheet of the grease particle separator of the filter
unit of FIGS. 1 through 6 in accordance with the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective schematic
view of a preferred embodiment of an air purifying device 10 of the
present invention, for use in commercial or home kitchens. In this
embodiment, the air purifying device 10 generally has a hood 12, a
ventilation duct 14, a fan 16, and a ultra-violet device 18 that
has a number of UV lights 20, and a filter 22.
[0029] The filter 22 preferably has a number of unexpected benefits
over the art and allows for relatively clean operation of the air
purifying device 10, and reduces a risk of fire hazard while
simultaneously allowing the air purifying device 10 to be used over
a longer period of time without the costly and labor intensive
cleaning that is known in the art. It has been observed that the
filter 22 of the present invention preferably modulates a fluid
flow of the contaminated air stream having at least grease and oil
therein. This modulation is a change in a fluid flow of the air
traversing therethrough from at least a laminar air flow to a
turbulent air flow and allows for increased productivity of the air
purifying device 10 and an overall reduced amount of grease in the
grease laden air stream. The reduced amount of grease further
allows for a more productive operation of the ultra-violet device
18 of the air purifying device 10. This operation allows for
reduced labor costs and allows the commercial kitchen to be more
productive, and aggregate less grease, and grease deposits. Instead
the grease is allowed to pass through and be treated by the air
purifying device 10.
[0030] The air purifying device 10 in one embodiment is a
ventilation system for removing contaminated air from a commercial
cooking establishment. However, one skilled in the art should
appreciate that the air purifying device 10 is not limited to this
configuration and may have any other known configurations and be
used in other settings such as in a hospital, a health care center,
a chemical facility, a secured facility, a correction facility or
any other venue or location using or controlling contaminated air
or gas, or air having oil, dirt, grease and organic and non-organic
compounds.
[0031] The hood 12 of the air purifying device 10 or in one
embodiment the ventilation system 10 is disposed at a certain
convenient distance above a cooking appliance 24, such as a grill,
an oven, a stove, a broiler, a deep fat fryer, a microwave oven, or
any other cooking apparatus known in the art that emits a
contaminated air stream. The ventilation system 10 has an air inlet
26. The air inlet 26 is for receiving a contaminated grease laden
air stream and drawing the same into the air purifying device or
ventilation system 10. The ventilation system 10 also has an outlet
28 on an opposite side for discharging the air stream that has been
purified flowing through the ventilation system to the ambient.
Preferably, the outlet 28 is a great distance away from the
user.
[0032] The fan 16 is typically disposed adjacent the air outlet 28
of the entilation duct 14 provided on, for example, a roof of the
food establishment, or in any other suitable location depending in
part on the local building rules. However, the present invention is
in no way limited to this location.
[0033] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown, the ventilation
system 10 having the filter 22 in one embodiment being adjacent the
air inlet 26 shown in FIG. 1. One skilled in the art should
appreciate that the filter 22 is not limited to this location, and
may be placed in other locations, or more than one, two or three
filters may be placed at the inlet depending on the size of the
ventilation unit 10.
[0034] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing an interior view of
the filter 12, the filter has a cartridge filter 30 and a grease
particle separator 32. In this embodiment, the cartridge filter 30
and the grease particle separator 32 are connected to one another
so the cartridge filter 30 is on one side facing the cooking
appliance 24 shown in FIG. 1 and the grease particle separator 32
is opposite the cooking appliance toward the ventilation duct 14.
Both the cartridge filter 30 and the grease particle separator 32
form as an integral filter or filter generally represented as
reference numeral 22.
[0035] The cartridge filter 30 can be made of stainless steel,
aluminum or other high temperature resistant materials that are not
damaged by the heat associated with cooking well in excess of one
hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Referring now to a rear view of the
filter 22 shown in FIG. 4 and a front of the filter shown in FIG.
2, the filter preferably draws a contaminated air stream having
contaminants, such as oil, grease and smoke into the cartridge
filter 30 via the air inlet 34 thereof. One skilled in the art will
appreciate that the air inlet 34 is disposed on a top side of the
filter 22. This facilities with the removal of grease in the filter
22. Most preferably, the cartridge filter 30 preferably abruptly
changes a direction of the contaminated air stream with the grease
and the oil therein. Upon the abrupt change, larger grease
particles will be jettisoned from the grease laden air stream and
fall out of the air stream to be collected later. Most preferably,
this results in the contaminated air stream having less grease upon
exiting the cartridge filter 30 relative to entering the cartridge
filter.
[0036] Once in the cartridge filter 30, substantially all of the
relatively large grease and oil droplets pass along a path that is
arcuate. The arcuate path allows the relatively heavier oil and
grease particles to drop out of the air path and thus be captured
therein and drain through one or more holes into a grease
receptacle (not shown). Preferably, the grease receptacle is
disposed below the cartridge filter 30 for easy of removal and the
grease receptacle is well known in the art. Referring now to FIG.
5, the remaining relatively fine droplets of grease and oil that
are not captured or that do not drop out of the path come into
contact with the grease particle separator 32 that is disposed on
the opposite side of the filter 22.
[0037] As can be seen in FIG. 6, the grease particle separator 32
has at least two layers of expanded metal 36. Preferably each of
the two layers of metal 36 have a number of predetermined sized
apertures 38 forming a reticulum formation 40. The reticulum
formation 40 is preferably a netlike formation or structure or a
network. The suitable materials include, but are not limited to,
iron, stainless steel, chromium, yttrium, zirconium, aluminum or
combination, mixture or alloy thereof. In one preferred embodiment,
the aperture size is a 0.154 inch by 0.154 inch diamond shaped
aperture. The sized aperture could be different depending on air
flow, velocity, type of grease etc. The optimal size will differ
for different conditions. Moreover, the size and shape of each
aperture 38 on each sheet of expanded metal may be the same or
different.
[0038] The apertures 38 can be of any shape known in the art and
may be a diamond shape as shown in FIG. 6 or be rectangular,
square, orthogonal, triangular or any other shape in the art. The
at least two layers of expanded metal 36 are juxtaposed or stacked
adjacent one another such that the apertures 38 of the two
immediately adjacent layers of expanded metal reticulum are
slightly offset from one another. The slightly offset configuration
38 is essential and thereby modulates a fluid flow of the grease
laden air stream. The grease laden air fluid flow having the oil
and grease therein will be changed. The grease laden air fluid flow
will pass through one set of the expanded metal sheets 36 through
the apertures 38 of a first layer. However, the apertures 38 of the
second layer behind the first layer are offset from the apertures
of the first layer. Thus, the filter 22 causes the grease and oil
laden fluid flow to become turbulent and thus jettison further
grease and oil prior to entering the ventilation duct 14. Thus, the
apertures 38 of a first layer and the apertures of a second layer
thereby form a netlike structure or labyrinthine flow path for air
stream passing therethrough. In one preferred embodiment of the
present invention, the two or more layers of expanded metal 36 may
have no spacing therebetween. Less preferably, the two or more
layers of expanded metal 36 may have a slight spacing
therebetween.
[0039] The expanded metal or sheets 36 shown in FIG. 6 can be
manufactured from any suitable temperature resistant material to
reduce fire hazard, and most preferably are suitably rated and will
pass any commercial cooking establishment building code standards.
The suitable materials include, but are not limited to, iron,
stainless steel, chromium, yttrium, zirconium, aluminum or
combination, mixture or alloy thereof. As can be best seen in FIGS.
3 and 4, the expanded metal layers 36 or stack may be disposed
inside a frame 42. The frame 42 preferably provides better support
from the expanded metal and facilities the metal sheets being
secured together.
[0040] The remaining finer droplets of grease and oil that have
passed through the cartridge filter 30 contact the expanded metal
layers 36 of the grease particle separator 32 and are deposited on
a solid portion 44 of the expanded metal reticula shown in FIG. 6
while the reduced amount of grease in the grease laden air stream
is allowed to pass or otherwise traverse therethrough to the duct
14. The fire hazard risk is fully minimized with the of expanded
metal grease particle separator 32 of the present invention. Most
preferably, the amount of grease in the grease laden air stream is
modulated and an amount of the grease is reduced at two points in
the filter 22 prior to the treatment of the grease laden air stream
in the duct 14.
[0041] It has been observed that the air stream passing through the
grease particle separator 32 has less contaminants relative to the
instance without the filter 22. Referring again now to FIG. 1, the
air stream enters the hood 12 and the ventilation duct 14. A number
of first ultra-violet light bulbs 20 are disposed within the hood
12. The first UV light bulbs 20 preferably create ozone in the
contaminated air stream. The ozone proceeds to oxidize organic
contaminants in the air stream, including the grease and the oil.
The UV radiation also breaks down large organic substances through
the process of photolysis. These processes are particularly
effective at removing odors from the air stream.
[0042] Most preferably, the cartridge filter 30 and the grease
particle separator 32 form an integrated filter unit 22 that may be
sold as one unit or otherwise installed and/or removed in one piece
from the air purifying device 10. The integrated filter unit 22 is
removably attached to the hood 12. The cartridge filter 30 has the
air inlet 34 formed as a longitudinal slot. However, the air inlet
34 may also take the form of a lateral slot, a vertical slot, a
series of baffles, one or more apertures and any combination
thereof that allow the grease laden air stream to communicate with
the ventilation system 10, and is not limited to any such
configuration. The air inlet 34 preferably is of a suitable width
and length to draw contaminated air therein. The air inlet 34
facilitates a laminar flow of the contaminated grease laden air
stream in layers for entry into the cartridge filter 30.
[0043] A chamber 46 is preferably formed within and between the
integrated cartridge filter 30 and the grease particle separator
32. The chamber 46 has a predetermined volume that allows an even
distribution of air with remaining fine grease droplets to enter
the grease particle separator 32. The grease droplets are
intercepted by the expanded metal stacks 36 of the grease particle
separator 32 and as mentioned above, drained down to a grease
collector tray 48 provided at the bottom of the chamber 46. The
grease collector tray 48 may be provided with optional holes to
permit grease drain out of the integrated cartridge filter 30 and
grease particle separator 32 via a hose (not shown) to an external
container such as an oil drum. The collector tray 48 may be a
substantially rectangular shaped member having a slight depth.
However, it may take various shapes as can be appreciated by those
skilled in the art, including but not limited to, U shape, V shape,
etc. The collector tray 48 may further be provided with one or more
optional channels (not shown) for facilitating collection and flow
of the grease therein.
[0044] The grease particle separator 32 is disposed substantially
at the rear most portion opposite the cartridge filter 30 of the
filter 22 along the generally flow direction of the air stream.
However, the grease particle separator 32 or additional grease
particle separators 32 having two or more sheets 36 may be disposed
at any desired location downstream of the cartridge filter 30. The
grease particle separator 32 may preferably have an inclined
upstream side or be disposed in an inclined position to promote
collection of grease on a grease collector tray 48 at the bottom of
the chamber 46.
[0045] The cartridge filter 30 is formed with one or more flat
shaped lateral panel 50. The lateral panels 50 can be fixedly or
removably connected to the cartridge filter 30 and the grease
particle separator 32. The panels 50 define two lateral sides of
the chamber 46 of the integrated filter 22 with the cartridge
filter 30 and the grease particle separator 32, and aid with the
fluid flow.
[0046] The grease particle separator 32 and the cartridge filter 30
are connected by suitable connectors. In this embodiment, two first
lugs 52 and two second lugs 54 are respectively on two lateral
sides 56 of the cartridge filter 30 and grease particle separator
32 through members 60. The connectors provide support to the grease
particle separator 32 and maintains the grease particle separator
32 relative to the cartridge filter 30. The grease particle
separator 32 can be detached from cartridge 30 and placed
downstream the cartridge, anywhere between the cartridge and UV
lights.
[0047] It can be appreciated that the connectors 52, 54 can also be
provided on top, bottom sides of the integrated cartridge filter 30
and grease particle separator 32. The connectors 52, 54 may also be
any suitable means that allows service personnel to removably open
and close the integrated cartridge filter 30 and grease particle
separator 32. Such connectors can include, but are not limited to,
bolt, clamp, coupling, latch, snap fasteners, hooks, locks, lugs,
nails, pins, a rivet and any optional combinations thereof.
[0048] When it is necessary to cleaning the integrated cartridge
filter 30 and grease particle separator 32, the service personnel
may only need to withdraw the dirty filter unit 22 from the hood 12
and replace the unit with a second fresh filter unit. This is
particularly advantageous as this minimize the down time of the
oven food establishment.
[0049] Referring again now to FIG. 1, two or more filters 22 can be
removably connected to the hood 12. The number of the filters 22
can be determined according to parameters such as the volume,
capacity, and flow rate of the ventilation system.
[0050] It is to be appreciated that the ultra-violet lights 20 can
be disposed in other space or chambers within the ventilation
system 10 as known to those skilled in the art, depending on the
configuration of the hood 12 and/or ventilation duct 14 of the
ventilation system in a particular application. Specifically, the
ultra-violet lights 20 can be disposed in a stand-alone hood 12.
Alternatively, it can be disposed in a retro-fit unit to be added
to an existing ventilation system 10. Likewise, the filter 22 may
also be incorporated in a stand-alone ventilation hood or a
retro-fit unit.
[0051] The present invention having been thus described with
particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be
obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *