Microbicidal air filter

Abstract

Microbicidal air filter for use with an air passageway, which includes an immobilization network including a plurality of fibers having an amount of at least one antimicrobial agent incorporated and molecularly bonded into a structure thereof sufficient to substantially immobilize, retain and at least inhibit the growth of, or typically kill, microbes suspended in a volume of air moving through the air passageway. The immobilization network is substantially permeable to air. A microbicidal facemask and a microbicidal air filter used in an air circulation system using the immobilization network are disclosed.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part (C.I.P.) of application Ser. No. 10 / 455,337, filed on Jun. 6, 2003, now abandoned, that is a continuation-in-part (C.I.P.) of application Ser. No. 09 / 982,804, filed on Oct. 22, 2001, now abandoned.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention concerns air filters, more particularly microbicidal air filters. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Removing airborne pathogens and environmental allergens is very important in environments that require high levels of air purity, such as in hospitals and in houses of people suffering from severe allergic responses to the aforesaid allergens. Typically, devices in the form of masks or in-air duct filters filter out particulate material during either air circulation or, in the case of facemasks, during inhalation and exhalation. The facemasks and air duct filters temporarily capture the pathogens and allergens, and particulate matter such as dust, on ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] The present invention reduces the difficulties and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a microbicidal air filter, which captures and kills pathogenic microbes on a novel immobilization network of fibers. To achieve this, the fibers include an antimicrobial agent incorporated into their structure, during manufacturing of the fibers, for the latter to substantially kills the microbes getting in proximity thereto. The antimicrobial agent is internally and externally secured to the structure of the fibers with strong molecular bonds. This significantly reduces or essentially eliminates the problems associated with further release of the microbes from the filter after use and during disposal. Advantageously, the filter can be used as a facemask or in air-circulation ducts, typically as an after-filter or downstream of a filter, and can capture and kill a wide variety of microbes. The fibers can be made of a material, such as but not limited to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based materials, which enables the filter to be washed and reused, almost indefinitely, without significant loss of antimicrobial activity because of the molecular bonds between the antimicrobial agent and the structure of the fibers.

Problems solved by technology

The aforesaid designs suffer from a number of important drawbacks.

Disadvantageously, in the above-mentioned designs removal of the dirty filter or the facemask after use may cause non-immobilized pathogens or particulates to be dispersed into the air immediately around the user, which, if inhaled may be hazardous to the user.

In addition, the designs may not immobilize the air borne pathogens and kill them in situ.

Some designs incorporate complex arrangements of filters inside cartridges, which may be impractical for use in air ducts or in facemasks.

In some cases, fiberglass is used as part of the filter medium, which may be harmful to humans if located near the nose and mouth.

Use of such a wet disinfectant may be harmful to humans in close proximity to the disinfectant and may not be appropriate for use in a facemask.

These fiber designs have the problem of a rapid lost of their antibacterial activity upon cleaning or washing thereof.

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