Indicator arrangement for air cleaner systems and methods thereof

Claim 1

A dust collector system comprising: (a) a dust filter unit including a housing defining a clean air plenum and a dirty air plenum; (i) said dust filter unit including a blower oriented to selectively draw air from said dirty air plenum to said clean air plenum; (b) a dust collection container in air and dust flow communication with said dirty air plenum; (c) a sensor conduit defining an internal volume and having a first open end; (i) said sensor conduit first open end being positioned within said dust collection container at a position whereat a selected level of collected dust is to be detected; (ii) said sensor conduit having an external section including an air vent therein; said external section being positioned externally to said collection container; (d) a pressure differential detector including: a first air flow tap; a second air flow tap; and, a pressure differential indicator; (i) said first air flow tap being connected in air flow communication with said dust filter unit dirty air plenum; (ii) said second air flow tap being connected in air flow communication with said sensor conduit internal volume at a portion of said sensor conduit above a location corresponding to a level of collected dust to be detected; (iii) said pressure differential detector being constructed and arranged to indicate a presence of at least a selected pressure differential between said first and second air flow taps; (e) said dust filter unit, dust collection container, sensor conduit and pressure differential detector being operably assembled such that: (i) dust filtered in said dust filter unit is selectively directed into said dust collection container; (ii) when a level of dust in said dust collection container reaches a selected level, it will enclose said sensor conduit first open end; (iii) when said sensor conduit first open end is closed, a pressure within said sensor conduit internal volume will rise toward atmospheric as a result of air flow through said air vent; and, (iv) when the pressure within the sensor conduit internal volume rises, said detector will detect a selected pressure differential between the first and second taps and will indicate the presence of the selected pressure differential with said indicator.

Claim 19

A method of detecting whether a collected dust level, in a dust collection container of a dust collection system, has reached a selected level; said method comprising steps of: (a) continuously monitoring for presence of a selected pressure differential between: (i) an interior of a sensor conduit in air flow communication with an interior of the dust collection container; the sensor conduit having: (A) an open, downwardly directed end positioned at a level of collected dust to be indicated; and (B) an open air vent positioned exterior to the dust collection container; and, (ii) a dirty air plenum in the dust collection system; (b) said step of continuously monitoring being conducted until a level of collected dust closes the open end of the sensor conduit and a pressure differential between the sensor conduit interior and the dirty air plenum is detected, due to air leakage into the sensor conduit through the vent.

Claim 20

A method of detecting whether a collected dust level, in a dust collection container of a dust collection system, has reached a selected level; said method comprising steps of: (a) continuously monitoring for presence of a selected pressure differential between: (i) an interior of a sensor conduit in air flow communication with an interior of the dust collection container; the sensor conduit having: (A) an open, downwardly directed end positioned at a level of collected dust to be indicated; and (B) an open air vent positioned exterior to the dust collection container; and, (ii) a dirty air plenum in the dust collection system; (b) said step of continuously monitoring being conducted until a level of collected dust closes the open end of the sensor conduit and a pressure differential between the sensor conduit interior and the dirty air plenum is detected, due to air leakage into the sensor conduit through the vent.