Method of killing organisms and removal of toxins in enclosures
DC
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for killing organisms and removing of toxic substances from an enclosure, which comprises the steps of:
- preparing an enclosure having an interior and an exterior for exposure to a high temperature gas by removing or protecting all heat sensitive items;
positioning a plurality of temperature indicating probes at predetermined locations in said enclosure;
providing at least one ingress duct communicating with said interior of said enclosure and at least one egress duct communicating between said interior and said exterior of said enclosure;
directing said heated gas into said enclosure through said at least one ingress duct for a time sufficient to raise the temperature of said enclosure to said lethal temperature;
heating an environmentally acceptable gas to a temperature lethal to predetermined organisms;
monitoring the temperature from said probes;
recording said temperatures from said probes in real time;
establishing at least a slight positive pressure within said enclosure;
venting said heated gas from said enclosure; and
filtering air passing through said egress duct through a filter to remove remains of said organisms carried by said air.
2 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and kit of components for destroying organisms and toxins in from an enclosure such as a building. Temperature sensing probes are installed in the enclosure to indicate structure temperature and a recorder is used to record the temperature of said sensing probes in real time. Hot air is introduced into the enclosure through one or more ducts to raise the structure temperature to at least about 120° F., as monitored by the temperature sensing probes. This is sufficient to kill essentially all insects, bacteria, virus, dust mites, spiders, silver fish, fungi and toxic molds such as aspergillus oryzae, aspergillus terreus, aspergills versicolor, cladosporium hergbarum, stachybotrys chartarum, penicillium aurantiogriseum, pencillium chrsogenum, pencillium glabrum and fusarium oxysporum, and the like. The air can exit through open doors and windows or through ducts to a filter assembly that captures the remains of the organisms. Ozone may be added to the heated air to improve efficiency. Preferably, air when extracted from an egress duct downstream of the filters improves air flow through the enclosure and filters. A typical building can be treated in six to eight hours.
93 Citations
8 Claims
-
1. A method for killing organisms and removing of toxic substances from an enclosure, which comprises the steps of:
-
preparing an enclosure having an interior and an exterior for exposure to a high temperature gas by removing or protecting all heat sensitive items;
positioning a plurality of temperature indicating probes at predetermined locations in said enclosure;
providing at least one ingress duct communicating with said interior of said enclosure and at least one egress duct communicating between said interior and said exterior of said enclosure;
directing said heated gas into said enclosure through said at least one ingress duct for a time sufficient to raise the temperature of said enclosure to said lethal temperature;
heating an environmentally acceptable gas to a temperature lethal to predetermined organisms;
monitoring the temperature from said probes;
recording said temperatures from said probes in real time;
establishing at least a slight positive pressure within said enclosure;
venting said heated gas from said enclosure; and
filtering air passing through said egress duct through a filter to remove remains of said organisms carried by said air. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A method for killing organisms and removing of toxic substances from an enclosure, which comprises the steps of:
-
preparing an enclosure having an interior and an exterior for exposure to a high temperature gas by removing or protecting all heat sensitive items;
positioning a plurality of temperature indicating probes at predetermined locations in said enclosure;
providing at least one ingress duct communicating with said interior of said enclosure;
heating an environmentally acceptable gas to a temperature lethal to predetermined organisms;
directing said heated gas into said enclosure through said at least one ingress duct for a time sufficient to raise the temperature of said enclosure to said lethal temperature;
monitoring the temperature from said probes;
recording said temperatures from said probes in real time;
establishing at least a slight positive pressure within said enclosure;
venting said heated gas from said enclosure; and
generating a predetermined quantity of ozone and adding said ozone to said heated gas in said ingress duct.
-
-
4. A kit for use in killing organisms and removing toxic substances from an enclosure, which comprises:
-
at least one ingress duct for directing gas into an enclosure and at least one egress duct for directing gas out of said enclosure;
a plurality of temperature indicating probes for installation at predetermined locations in said enclosure;
means for heating an environmentally acceptable gas to a predetermined temperature that is lethal to predetermined organisms;
means for directing said gas through said ingress duct;
means for viewing the temperatures of said indicating probes;
means for recording the temperatures of said indicating probes in real time;
means for removing remains of said organisms from said enclosure; and
filter means in said egress duct for removing remains of said organisms from gas from said enclosure passing through said egress duct.
-
-
5. A kit for use in killing organisms and removing toxic substances from an enclosure, which comprises:
-
at least one ingress duct for directing gas into an enclosure and at least one egress duct for directing gas out of said enclosure;
a plurality of temperature indicating probes for installation at predetermined locations in said enclosure;
means for heating an environmentally acceptable gas to a predetermined temperature that is lethal to predetermined organisms;
means for directing said gas through said ingress duct;
means for viewing the temperatures of said indicating probes;
means for recording the temperatures of said indicating probes in real time;
means for removing remains of said organisms from said enclosure; and
means for generating ozone and adding said ozone to said gas passing through said ingress duct.
-
-
6. A method for sanitizing an enclosed structure having an exterior and an interior, comprising the steps of:
-
preparing said enclosed structure for exposure to a high temperature gas by removing or protecting all heat sensitive items;
disposing a plurality of temperature indicating probes at predetermined locations within said enclosed structure;
heating a gas to a predetermined temperature;
directing said heated gas into said enclosed structure in order to raise the temperature within said enclosed structure to said predetermined temperature;
monitoring the temperature detected from said probes in real time to ensure that all portions of said enclosed structure reach said predetermined temperature;
venting said heated gas from said enclosed structure; and
filtering said heated gas vented from said enclosed structure.
-
-
7. A method for sanitizing an enclosed structure having an exterior and an interior, comprising the steps of:
-
preparing said enclosed structure for exposure to a high temperature gas by removing or protecting all heat sensitive items;
disposing a plurality of temperature indicating probes at predetermined locations within said enclosed structure;
heating a gas to a predetermined temperature;
generating a predetermined quantity of ozone and adding said ozone to said heated gas;
directing said heated gas into said enclosed structure in order to raise the temperature within said enclosed structure to said predetermined temperature;
monitoring the temperature detected from said probes in real time to ensure that all portions of said enclosed structure reach said predetermined temperature; and
venting said heated gas from said enclosed structure.
-
-
8. A system for sanitizing an enclosed structure having an exterior and an interior, comprising:
-
a source of an environmentally acceptable gas;
a heater coupled to said gas source to heat said gas to a predetermined temperature, and means for introducing a flow of said heated gas into said interior of said enclosed structure;
a filter arranged to allow said flow of heated gas to pass therethrough after passing through said interior of said enclosed structure;
a plurality of temperature indicating probes adapted to be disposed at predetermined locations within said enclosed structure; and
a control unit electrically connected to said plurality of temperature indicating probes to thereby provide an indication of temperature at said predetermined locations within said enclosed structure;
wherein, said heated gas serves to kill organisms and remove toxic substances from within said enclosed structure.
-
Specification
-
- Resources
Litigation Campaign Assessment
Thank you for your request. You will receive a custom alert email when the Litigation Campaign Assessment is available.
×
Litigation Data
-
Current AssigneeThermaPure Incorporated
-
Original AssigneeDavid E Hedman, Troy Sears
-
InventorsHedman, David, Sears, Troy
-
Primary Examiner(s)ROWAN, KURT C
-
Application NumberUS09/321,915Time in Patent Office928 DaysField of Search431/24, 431/321US Class Current43/124CPC Class CodesA01M 1/2094 killing insects by using te...A01M 1/24 Arrangements connected with...A01M 19/00 Apparatus for the destructi...A01M 21/04 Apparatus for destruction b...A01M 2200/011 Crawling insectsA01M 2200/012 Flying insects
