IP Library Granted Patent US 11,305,138
Granted Patent B2
US 11,305,138 · App. 17/290,216 · Granted Apr 19, 2022

In situ respirator fit testing

Inventors: Daniel C. Bjorkquist (Shoreview, MN); Arantzazu Eiguren Fernandez (El Cerrito, CA); Kenneth Farmer (Lake Elmo, MN); Melissa Grose (Shoreview, MN); Susanne Vera Hering (Berkeley, CA); Gregory Stephen Lewis (Berkeley, CA); Steven Russel Spielman (Oakland, CA); David Workman (Shoreview, MN)
Assignees: TSI Incorporated; Aerosol Dynamics Inc.
A62B27/00G01N1/2273G01N15/065G01N2001/2276G01N2015/0046
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,305,138
App. No.
17/290,216
Granted
Apr 19, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a first and second condensation particle counter, each counter having an inlet port, a growth column, and an optical element for counting particles detected at the respective inlet ports. The counters are configured to include a wick in which the wick is wetted by water. A differential pressure sensor is coupled to the first inlet port and coupled to the second inlet port. The sensor is configured to provide a pressure signal. A processor is coupled to memory and configured to receive the first signal, the second signal, and the pressure signal and generate an output corresponding to a ratio of the first signal and the second signal and correlate the ratio with the pressure signal. A housing is configured to receive the first counter, the second counter, the differential pressure sensor, the processor, and the memory.

Claims (19)

1. A system comprising:

a first condensation particle counter having a first inlet port, a first growth column, and a first optical element for counting particles detected at the first inlet port, the first condensation particle counter configured to provide a first signal corresponding to the particles counted at the first inlet port;

a second condensation particle counter having a second inlet port, a second growth column, and a second optical element for counting particles detected at the second inlet port, the second condensation particle counter configured to provide a second signal corresponding to the particles counted at the second inlet port;

wherein the first condensation particle counter and the second condensation particle counter are configured to include a wick in which the wick is wetted by water;

a differential pressure sensor coupled to the first inlet port and coupled to the second inlet port, the sensor configured to provide a pressure signal;

a processor coupled to memory and configured to receive the first signal, the second signal, and the pressure signal and generate an output corresponding to a ratio of the first signal and the second signal and correlate the ratio with the pressure signal; and

a housing configured to receive the first condensation particle counter and the second condensation particle counter, the differential pressure sensor, the processor, and the memory.

2. The system of claim 1 further including an accelerometer coupled to the housing, the accelerometer configured to provide an acceleration signal corresponding to sensed acceleration, and wherein the processor is configured to receive the acceleration signal.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the accelerometer is sensitive to acceleration in three dimensions.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the processor is configured to correlate the acceleration signal with the ratio.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the wick includes materials selected from Nylon, high-density polyethylene resin (HDPE), low-density polyethylene resin (LDPE), polyethylene, stainless steel, sintered material, ceramic, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), nitrocellulose, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or hydrophilic material.

6. The system of claim 1 further including a thermal unit coupled to both the first condensation particle counter and the second condensation particle counter.

7. The system of claim 1 in which the housing is devoid of a reservoir.

8. The system of claim 1 further including a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor.

9. The system of claim 1 further including a battery coupled to the processor and carried by the housing.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to calculate a protection factor.

11. The system of claim 1 further including a display affixed to the housing and configured to depict the ration.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the first inlet port is configured to couple with a first end of a first tube, the first tube having a second end coupled to a respiratory mask.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the second inlet port is configured to couple with a first end of a second tube, the second tube having a second end terminating proximate the respiratory mask.

Assignments (3)
AMENDED AND RESTATED PATENT, TRADEMARK AND COPYRIGHT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 21, 2022
From: TSI INCORPORATED; TSI FRANCE, INC.; ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; DICKEY-JOHN CORPORATION; DICKEY-JOHN INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TEKRAN USA, INC.
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 059746/0428 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: BJORKQUIST, DANIEL C.; FARMER, KENNETH; GROSE, MELISSA; WORKMAN, DAVID
To: TSI INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 059118/0843 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: EIGUREN FERNANDEZ, ARANTZAZU; HERING, SUSANNE VERA; LEWIS, GREGORY STEPHEN; SPIELMAN, STEVEN RUSSEL
To: AEROSOL DYNAMICS INC.
Reel/Frame 059118/0985 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62754542 · Nov 1, 2018
Related Publication 20210316175A1 · Oct 14, 2021