Patent US4061480A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4061480A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vacuum cleaner for radioactively contaminated particles
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1976-05-20
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Granted: 1977-12-06
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Expires: 1996-05-20
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus which uses suction to draw radioactive particles through a high efficiency filter and contains such filtered particles in a disposable bladder-filter unit for subsequent disposal. The bladder-filter unit prevents the escape of filtered radioactive particles to the ambient atmosphere during the operation of the apparatus and also during disposal, as well as preventing the radioactive contamination of the remainder of the apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 Burton L. Frye
- 👤 Max G. Pittman
- 👤 David A. Runge
- 👤 Lawrence C. Souza
- 👤 Raymond V. LaVoie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:23
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D46/00; B01D46/0084; B01D46/0091; B01D46/0094; B01D46/10; G; G21; G21F; G21F9/00; G21F9/001; B01D2279/00; B01D2279/55; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S422/00; Y10S422/903; Y10S55/00; Y10S55/02; Y10S55/03; Y10S55/09; Y10S55/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
242 words
A vacuum cleaner for removing radioactive particles from the surface of an object comprising: a. an upper housing having an exhaust port; b. a lower housing having an input port; c. means for sealably connecting said upper housing to said lower housing in an airtight manner; d. a suction means, having an intake opening and an exhaust opening connected to said exhaust port, for creating a local pressure differential, said suction means being fixedly contained in said upper housing; e. a filter container having two openings and containing a material capable of filtering very fine particles, one opening of said container being removably attached to said intake opening of said suction means; f. a retainer of a flexible material located in said lower housing, said retainer having a central opening, a fold concentric with said central opening, and a port opening, said central opening being attached annularly to the side of said filter container in an airtight manner such that the second opening of said filter container is enclosed by said retainer, said port opening being removably attached in an airtight manner peripherally to said input port of said lower housing, and said fold being peripherally held by the interface of said upper and said lower housings; whereby ambient air containing radioactive particles enters said retainer through said port opening and is filtered by said filter container so that the radioactive particles are retained in said retainer without contaminating said vacuum cleaner.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
242 words
A vacuum cleaner for removing radioactive particles from the surface of an object comprising: a. an upper housing having an exhaust port; b. a lower housing having an input port; c. means for sealably connecting said upper housing to said lower housing in an airtight manner; d. a suction means, having an intake opening and an exhaust opening connected to said exhaust port, for creating a local pressure differential, said suction means being fixedly contained in said upper housing; e. a filter container having two openings and containing a material capable of filtering very fine particles, one opening of said container being removably attached to said intake opening of said suction means; f. a retainer of a flexible material located in said lower housing, said retainer having a central opening, a fold concentric with said central opening, and a port opening, said central opening being attached annularly to the side of said filter container in an airtight manner such that the second opening of said filter container is enclosed by said retainer, said port opening being removably attached in an airtight manner peripherally to said input port of said lower housing, and said fold being peripherally held by the interface of said upper and said lower housings; whereby ambient air containing radioactive particles enters said retainer through said port opening and is filtered by said filter container so that the radioactive particles are retained in said retainer without contaminating said vacuum cleaner.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 1 further comprising: a. a frame attached to the second opening of said filter container; and b. a filter bag having an opening attached annularly to the side of said filter container in an airtight manner which encloses said frame and said second opening; whereby ambient air carrying radioactive particles is filtered in sequence by said filter bag and said filter container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 2 further comprising: a. said retainer having a vent opening to said lower housing; and b. a filter positioned within said vent opening; whereby the pressure within said retainer is equalized to the pressure outside said retainer and inside said lower housing to prevent collapse of said retainer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 3 further comprising means for removing said upper housing from said lower housing so that said retainer with entrapped radioactive particles can be removed and replaced.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 4 wherein said filter material of said container is capable of filtering smaller particles than said filter bag is capable of filtering.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 5 wherein said filter material of said container is capable of filtering particles as small as 0.3 microns in diameter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 6 wherein said filter container is a cylinder with said openings at the opposing ends of said cylinder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 7 wherein said sealably connecting means comprises a heat shrinkable tubing shrunk about the exterior periphery of the interface between said upper and said lower housings.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 8 wherein said removing means comprises: a. a flange having curved ends which hook under an overhanging surface of said upper housing; and b. means for exerting a vertical force to said flange to lift said upper housing from said lower housing after said heat shrinkable tubing is removed.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-12-05 | 1981-06-06 | 1981-12-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-12-05 | 1985-06-06 | 1985-12-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-12-05 | 1989-06-06 | 1989-12-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |