Safety workbench with a trough as support and equipment kit for equipping a work surface of a safety workbench

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a safety workbench, wherein the safety workbench comprises a work area with a rear wall, a front panel for providing a working opening to the work area, a work surface in the work area, and a base below the work surface, wherein at least one worktop can be assigned to the work surface, and wherein the safety workbench has at least one channel with a longitudinal dimension and at least one opening for extracting air from the work area and / or for drawing air from the vicinity of the safety workbench through the working opening, wherein the at least one channel is configured in cross-section transverse to the longitudinal dimension with a front leg and a rear leg. The invention further relates to an equipment set for equipping a work surface of a safety workbench.

[0002] Safety cabinets are used for handling substances in the chemical, biological, microbiological, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, and / or medical fields that pose a hazard, such as infectious, carcinogenic, or mutagenic substances. Furthermore, safety cabinets are also used for working with sensitive materials and thus for product protection. To protect personnel and / or products, as well as to prevent the spread of substances within and / or outside the work area, a safety cabinet typically features active ventilation. The vertical displacement airflow is usually unidirectional and uniform, operating as a laminar flow, to prevent the spread of hazardous substances horizontally within the work area.Its specific purpose is to improve product protection against cross-contamination.

[0003] To allow an operator to handle the materials within the work area, a standard design of safety workbench typically incorporates a working opening between the front panel and the top edge of the work surface. This opening allows the operator to insert their hands and forearms into the work area. To protect the operator and the surrounding area from the release of hazardous materials, ambient air is drawn into the work area through this opening. Additionally, a blower located in the upper part of the safety workbench typically directs filtered air downwards into the work area, creating a downward displacement airflow.The downward displacement flow directed towards the work surface prevents contamination, for example by microorganisms or chemical substances of a product located and / or handled in the work area and / or of a sample to be examined.

[0004] The ambient air drawn in through the working opening and / or the downward-flowing displacement air are typically extracted in the lower part of the working opening via planar or trough-shaped extraction openings by means of a blower. This active extraction prevents air from flowing through the working opening from the work area into the environment, or conversely, air from the environment from flowing into the materials in the work area of ​​the safety workbench, thus ensuring reliable protection of personnel and products.

[0005] In a particular design of safety workbench, the front window is permanently closed, and access to the work area is typically via an armrest system integrated into the front window. Personal protection is primarily achieved through the front window and the armrest system, which act as a solid barrier. In this design, also known as a Class III safety workbench or an isolator, a uniform and consistent displacement airflow is crucial for achieving a high level of product protection and preventing cross-contamination. This airflow is extracted at the intake openings in the same manner as in the design described above.

[0006] A disadvantage of known safety workbenches is that the extraction channel is often permanently attached to and / or part of the worktop. This makes it difficult to adapt the work surface and / or the extraction characteristics in a modular way.

[0007] From DE 201 19 232 U1, a safety workbench is known in which the work surface is formed by several parallel, liftable worktops, each with a V-shaped extraction channel on its front side, with legs of equal length and a plurality of slots incorporated into the extraction channel. On the rear side, a plurality of air passages for extraction are provided vertically through the flat top surface of the worktop. Extraction channels with a V-shaped cross-section and equally long, connected legs are also shown in DE 20 2014 005 774 U1, EP 2 711 098 A1 and DE 20 2014 005 774 U1.DE 10 2013 000 768 A1 also shows a safety workbench with an equilateral, trough-shaped extraction opening, which is arranged on the underside of a work area directly behind a working opening of a safety workbench and extends essentially over the entire width of the safety workbench.

[0008] In a company publication of the applicant Berner International GmbH (Claire Pro - Safety Workbench. Elmshorn, 2016 (V1-16 / 04). https: / / www.berner-safety.de / media / 8923 / broschure-sicherheitswerkbank-claire-pro.pdf), a safety workbench according to the preamble of claim 1 is shown, which has a suction channel with a V-shaped cross-section and legs of equal length, wherein the suction channel is arranged below a work surface and does not contact a floor of the safety workbench below the suction channel.

[0009] From US patent 6,368,206 B1, a safety workbench is known in which the front extraction grille has a curved surface, the rear edge of which rests on supports, and the front edge of the work surface rests on the rear edge of the extraction grille. The multiple individual supports are preferably screwed directly into the base plate, with the work surface resting directly on further supports in the middle section and on a support lip at the rear edge. A disadvantage is that the multiple individual supports can obstruct the airflow and must be individually assembled and disassembled.

[0010] WO 2011 / 158763 A1 relates to an insulation bench in which four housings are arranged in a frame below a work chamber, each housing an air filter cleaning unit. These air filter cleaning units serve to treat the internally recirculated air from the work chamber. Each air filter cleaning unit has a rectangular housing with an internal cavity and two HEPA filters. The two HEPA filters are formed from a filter material created by bending a corrugated glass fiber filter material and a rectangular outer frame to hold the peripheral section of the filter.

[0011] KR 101 939 624 B1 describes a range hood for preventing the escape of harmful gases into the environment, comprising a housing, an internal working chamber, and an opening that can be closed by means of a vertically sliding door. When closed, a flow control unit for controlling the airflow rate is arranged beneath the sliding door. The flow control unit has a closed, slotted frame in which an adjustable slotted frame is fully enclosed. The airflow rate can be regulated by sliding the adjustable frame.

[0012] JP H07 63387 A discloses a safety workbench for microbial work, in which a recess is arranged on the front of a worktable parallel to a sliding door, the recess being positioned lower than the position of a sample placed on the worktable. On the rear side of the recess is an inclined surface with holes for drawing in air. The recess serves to draw in air flowing through an opening in the sliding door directly through the holes into a flow channel below, thereby preventing contact with the sample on the worktable.

[0013] The purpose of the invention is to improve the state of the art.

[0014] The problem is solved by a safety workbench according to claim 1.

[0015] This provides a safety workbench which, thanks to its integrated extraction channel, simultaneously ensures optimal airflow and extraction within the workspace and allows for a flexible, modular arrangement of interchangeable worktops to create the work surface. It is particularly advantageous that the channel supports at least the front edge of each worktop as soon as it is placed against and / or on a front edge element of the safety workbench. This enables the flexible and stable insertion of multiple worktops and / or worktop segments in any desired position. Because the channel itself acts as a support, it can be easily inserted into and removed from the safety workbench. This allows for quick, modular configuration of the work surface as well as rapid disassembly for cleaning.With regard to flow guidance, product protection and personal protection are consequently improved in accordance with the state of the art in safety workbenches, and the unintentional spread of contamination and / or hazardous substances is prevented.

[0016] A key aspect of the invention is to design the extraction channel to be self-supporting, upright, and structural, so that after the channel is inserted onto and / or at least one front edge element and / or the front edge of the safety workbench, the channel supports the weight of one or more worktops and / or loads placed on the worktop(s) inside the workbench. The front recess and / or the rear receptacle of the channel are preferably designed such that their upper surfaces are flush with the upper surface of the front edge element and / or the worktop to be placed upon it, thus providing a largely closed work surface and facilitating easy cleaning. The following terms will be explained:

[0017] A "safety workbench" is specifically a workbench for working with chemical, biological, microbiological, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, and / or other hazardous substances and / or sensitive materials and products. A safety workbench can also be, for example, a cleanroom workbench and / or a product protection workbench, where the product is primarily protected by the use of filtered air. Similarly, a safety workbench can be a microbiological safety workbench, where the operator is additionally protected from the release of potentially contaminated, contaminated, and / or hazardous substances and / or aerosols.Safety workbenches can also serve solely for personnel protection, with an airflow design that draws ambient air strongly through the work opening and into the work area, generally without achieving or intending product protection. Similarly, a safety workbench can be an isolator-type design, where personnel protection is achieved through a fixed barrier at the front window. Depending on the level of protection required for the operator and the workpiece, a safety workbench can be classified as a Class I to III safety workbench or a product protection workbench only. A safety workbench typically consists of an upper section with a housing and a lower section and / or base. At the front, where the operator works, a vertically movable front window is usually fitted.The front panel is, in particular, a transparent viewing window. The front panel can be lowered, specifically to the top of a front edge of a horizontal work surface, which in this design simultaneously forms the lower edge of the working opening. The upper edge of the working opening is defined by the underside of the movable front panel. Thus, the height of the working opening can be precisely adjusted by raising and / or lowering the front panel. Typically, the working opening in this design has a rectangular and / or slotted shape. Preferably, the height of the working opening is selected such that the operator can insert their hands and / or forearms through the opening into the work area of ​​the safety workbench and perform the necessary work, examinations, and / or tests, and can also rest or support their forearms on the work surface if necessary.In another design, the windshield is designed as a fixed barrier and is typically equipped with an armrest system for access.

[0018] A "working opening" is, in particular, an access point to the work area. Specifically, a working opening is an access point in, through, and / or below the windshield, through which an operator can reach into the interior and handle materials and / or equipment within it. A working opening can be one or more openings through the windshield, and these openings can be open, closable, or closed. In the case of an isolator, the windshield, with an arm guard system, provides access to the work area and, for example, has two to four round or oval openings to which the arm guard system is tightly attached to achieve a personal protective function. In this case, the displacement flow primarily serves to protect the product and / or prevent the spread of contaminants.In the case of a purely product protection workbench, air is not extracted from the work area through the trough at the working opening, or not completely. Similarly, safety workbenches in general may have two holes in the front panel for the operator's arms, each of which can be closed with a swiveling cover plate.

[0019] The "workspace" is specifically a space within the safety workbench, bounded at the front by the front panel and at the rear by the back wall and two side walls. Its upper surface is bounded by a ceiling and / or ceiling panel, and its lower surface by the work surface, which consists of at least one worktop and / or worktops. If the worktops are removed, the underlying base plate and / or floor constitutes the lower boundary of the workspace. The walls bounding the workspace may be made of different materials, such as glass and / or stainless steel.

[0020] Furthermore, the safety workbench features, in particular, an extraction system. This may include, for example, a blower. The safety workbench may also have one or more filters, such as particle and / or aerosol filters. Specifically, the safety workbench may have one or more HEPA filters and / or cartridge filters. Additional features may include a liquid extraction unit, electrical outlets, gas connections, UV lamps for sterilizing the work area, LED lighting, and sensors, for example, for temperature measurement and / or motion detection of a person moving in front of the safety workbench.

[0021] The "work surface" refers specifically to an area designated for work within the workspace. The work surface essentially occupies the entire width and / or depth of the workspace. It may consist of one or more worktops and / or edge areas adjacent to the front glass, side walls, and / or rear of the workspace. The usable work surface can, for example, be segmented using two to six worktops. Thus, the work surface is only interrupted by a small gap between the flexibly positioned, modular worktops. The work surface is, in particular, flat. The work surface has, in particular, a single working plane.However, the work surface can also have different working levels and thus provide different working heights by structuring the top of the worktop with different heights and / or by having two or more worktops have grooves with different lengths of the front and / or back leg.

[0022] A "work surface" is, in particular, the horizontal surface of the worktop on which work takes place within the work area of ​​the safety workbench. The work surface extends in depth from the front edge element and / or the front edge of the worktop, which rests on the trough, to the rear edge of the worktop at a flat area on the top surface and / or to a rear edge element. In the case of a worktop with varying heights, the work surface is defined as the highest point of the worktop. If the worktop is recessed, for example, by incorporating a tray or trays, the work surface can also be the lowest point and / or the lowest point of the worktop.

[0023] A "worktop" is, in particular, a work and / or storage surface. The worktop is primarily flat only in the area of ​​the work surface and can otherwise be three-dimensional. The worktop may, in particular, have a stepped outer edge from the top to the bottom, allowing it to be placed against and / or supported by at least one front edge element and / or one rear edge element below the flat work surface. Optionally, the worktop may also have side walls on both sides, on which several downward-projecting ribs may be arranged. These ribs may rest on a support rail on each side beneath the worktop. The worktop is, in particular, removable and / or replaceable from the safety workbench. The worktops can have different widths, for example, 30 cm or 60 cm.This allows multiple worktops to be flexibly arranged side-by-side across the width of the work surface and thus the interior of the safety workbench. Alternatively, all worktops can have the same width, with the width of the work surface being an integer multiple of the width of each worktop, so that the worktops butt against each other when placed. The worktops can have a free-form shape to suit their specific use. A worktop can be a functional work surface, incorporating, for example, a piece of equipment such as a pipetting robot or a tray. It can also be a functional work surface on which, for example, a stirrer and / or shaker is placed and operated. The worktop can also serve as a storage area for laboratory equipment.Thus, depending on the intended use of the worktop, its orientation within the workspace can be predetermined or independent. Preferably, the front and back of the worktop can be identical, allowing it to be rotated at least 180° during installation. This makes individual worktop segments particularly versatile and ensures stable placement in any position. Therefore, the segments, especially those of different sizes, can be freely combined according to a grid system.

[0024] A "floor" is, in particular, a base surface of the safety workbench. A floor is, in particular, the lower surface and / or the lower standing surface of the work area. The floor is, in particular, located below a worktop, work level, and / or work surface. A gap is, in particular, arranged between the underside of a worktop, work level, and / or work surface and the top of the floor. This gap can, in particular, be designed as a flow and / or connection channel for the air extracted by the trough. The floor, in particular, forms a standing surface for the at least one support element or elements of the trough. A floor can be a base plate, a base sheet, a base tray, and / or a drip tray. The floor can also have at least one support rail or a support frame. The floor can, in particular, be removable. Preferably, the floor is designed as a closed, easily cleanable tray.

[0025] A "channel" is, in particular, a component with an elongated recess. The longitudinal dimension of the channel is specifically its longest dimension and corresponds, in particular, to the width of one or more worktops. Naturally, the channel can also be longer or shorter than the width of a worktop. The channel is preferably formed in one piece. Perpendicular to its longitudinal dimension, the channel has a cross-section with a front leg and a rear leg. In principle, the channel can have any cross-sectional shape, such as U-shaped or V-shaped. The two legs of the channel are connected to each other at their respective ends, particularly on the underside of the channel, so that the channel is essentially open at the top and / or, depending on the lengths of the two legs, also laterally.The two legs have either the same length or different lengths, resulting in an asymmetrical cross-section of the channel in the latter case. The channel is designed as an extraction channel for the drawn-in ambient air and / or the displaced air. For this purpose, the channel has one, two, or more openings, or a plurality of openings. Thus, the drawn-in air passes from the top of the channel downwards through the opening(s). The channel is made of stainless steel. The channel is detachably connected to a worktop or worktops by placing the worktop(s) onto the rear mounting of the channel.

[0026] The "rear mounting" of the channel refers in particular to a recess in the surface of the channel in a rear-facing area, onto which one or more worktops can be placed. Preferably, the rear mounting is a recessed edge and / or side on the top and / or back of the channel. The rear mounting preferably has a back wall and / or a top surface for attaching and / or placing the front wall and / or underside of the respective worktop.

[0027] A "front recess" is, in particular, a recessed space and / or a cutout in the surface of the channel at its front and / or front leg. The front recess specifically has a front and / or a bottom surface for placing the channel against and / or onto the at least one front edge element.

[0028] A "support" and / or "support element" is, in particular, a component and / or part of the channel that absorbs and / or transfers loads, especially in the vertical direction. The support has a load-bearing capacity that depends, among other things, on the strength of the respective material, the cross-sectional geometry, the width, depth, and / or height of the support and / or the respective support element, and / or other factors such as its geometric design, for example, inclination, curvature, and / or rotation. In its configuration as a support, the channel can, in particular, have one or more support elements. The channel is preferably designed as a single piece, but can also be designed as a two-piece or multi-piece structure.

[0029] A "leg" is understood to be, in particular, a section of the channel which, in cross-section, has a real or approximate straight line that forms an angle with another straight line, and thus with the other leg of the channel. The two lines meet, in particular, at the vertex of the interior angle, which serves as the junction of both legs. In the case of three-dimensionally shaped and / or curved legs, the term "leg" also refers to the inner line and / or edge line located on the inside of the channel. The straight line and / or line may also extend from the free end of the respective leg to the vertex. It should be noted that, in principle, the front leg and the rear leg can be of equal length. Preferably, the rear leg is longer than the front leg.These differences in leg lengths lead to an asymmetry in the cross-section of the channel and to different angles of the legs relative to the working plane. The angle of the rear leg relative to the working plane should preferably be between 30° and 50°. Preferably, the upper surface of the front leg, which is aligned with the front panel, has the same height as the lower edge of the working opening and thus the same height as the upper surface of the front edge element. Likewise, the upper surface of the rear leg preferably has the same height as the upper surface of the worktop it receives. The front leg and / or the rear leg can be straight, curved, bent, and / or otherwise shaped, and / or each have two or more differently shaped sections.

[0030] An "opening" is understood to mean, in particular, a penetration through the wall of the front leg and / or the rear leg. An opening may be circular, slit-shaped, and / or otherwise shaped. In particular, the channel has a plurality of spaced-apart openings across its width through the front leg and / or the rear leg. Preferably, the openings are formed only in the rear leg.

[0031] A "front edge element" is, in particular, a component and / or part of the safety workbench located at its front. The front edge element can be, in particular, an edge and / or the front of the safety workbench directly below and / or directly inside the front glass panel. The front edge element can be, in particular, the top surface of a front edge and / or a front edge of a horizontal surface and / or a component of the work surface directly inside the front glass panel. The front edge element can also be the front wall of a base tray of the safety workbench.The front edge element can, with its upper surface, simultaneously define the lower edge of the working opening in a safety workbench with a vertically movable front panel, or, in the case of a fixed front panel, as in an isolator, the lower boundary of the working space directly below and / or directly inside the front panel. The front edge element specifically features a rear recess with a back wall and / or an underside, against and / or on which the front of the at least one trough with its front recess can be placed.

[0032] In another embodiment, the safety workbench has a second trough, a third trough, a fourth trough and / or a further trough.

[0033] By using a modular design for a multi-section trough, or for two or more troughs, the extraction properties of each section of a trough or of multiple troughs can be specifically adapted. Furthermore, identical and / or different work levels can be provided for varying work requirements. Similarly, multiple sections of a trough, or multiple troughs, can each be specifically adapted to the worktop they are intended to support. Thus, the respective rear mountings and / or the support structure can be designed differently depending on the shape and / or function of the worktop and the required load-bearing capacity.

[0034] A second, third, fourth, and / or further channel is a channel as defined above, but these channels may differ in their form and / or function. For example, the channels may differ in the number and / or arrangement of their openings and / or in the shape of their sides. Particularly in the case of adjacent worktops with different working levels, the respective channel may also be specially shaped at both edges to allow a transition to the next channel on the adjacent worktop.

[0035] In order to provide optimal load-bearing capacity and support in the area of ​​the rear mounting for placing the at least one worktop, the at least one channel or each channel has at least partially below the rear leg and / or at least partially below a free end of the rear leg the at least one support element or several support elements, so that the respective channel is stable and load-bearing on a floor of the safety workbench.

[0036] Thus, the support and load-bearing function of the respective channel can be adapted to the rear worktop by the formation of one or more support elements.

[0037] A "support element" is, in particular, a component and / or part of the trough that absorbs the load of the worktop, any integrated equipment, and / or other loads and transfers it to the floor and / or the base tray of the safety workbench. A support element can be, in particular, a pillar, a vertical beam, or a wall of the trough.

[0038] In another embodiment, the respective channel has two opposing side walls on both sides along its longitudinal dimension, with the opposing side walls being designed as support elements.

[0039] Because the support elements, designed as side walls, are arranged longitudinally along the lateral edges of the trough, they do not impede the airflow after passing through the at least one opening or the openings for air extraction below the trough. This ensures that the airflow runs through the trough essentially across its entire width, including its underside and / or rear. Since the opposing side walls also act as support elements, turbulence and / or eddy currents are prevented in the space between the underside of the trough and the top of the floor and / or base tray after the air passes through the openings from above, thus ensuring smooth and optimal extraction. This also prevents backflow of air into the work area.Preferably, the two opposing side walls have a stable base, at least in the area below the rear mounting.

[0040] In order to provide a flush and aligned work surface with as few gaps as possible, each front leg has a front wall at its free end for abutting a rear wall of at least one front edge element, and the front recess is formed below the front wall of the respective front leg.

[0041] In a further embodiment, the respective rear leg has a rear wall at its free end for placement against a front wall of the at least one worktop, and the rear receptacle is designed as a recess on the back next to the rear wall and above the back of the respective trough.

[0042] This allows the channel to transition seamlessly into the front work surface and / or the front edge element and the rear work surface and / or the integrated worktop, both on the front and back sides, with a small gap.

[0043] In order to optionally increase the working surface of at least one worktop and thus provide a higher working level, as well as to ensure optimal airflow into the channel and thus to its top, the rear leg is longer than the front leg.

[0044] By designing the rear leg of the trough with a longer leg length than the front leg, the working surface of at least one work surface can be raised by the difference between the two leg lengths. In particular, a shorter front leg directs the air flowing into the trough downwards and / or towards the rear leg more quickly. This airflow direction along the top of the shorter front leg into the trough prevents back turbulence in the work area, which could otherwise cause, for example, the spread of contaminants. Consequently, product protection is improved.Furthermore, the downward displacement flow in the working space is directed specifically into the trough, and a flow towards the working opening is avoided, so that the displacement air redirected by the shorter front leg and / or drawn in directly by the longer rear leg hits the at least one opening and the openings of the trough for extraction in a targeted manner.

[0045] Furthermore, personal safety is also improved, as the ambient air drawn in through the working opening passes through the trough more quickly due to the shorter, steeper downward angle of the front leg and is thus drawn in more efficiently. Consequently, there is less mixing of the extracted air from the work area with the air drawn in from the surroundings, and both are extracted more precisely and directly through the trough's opening(s) and thus removed from the work area. Therefore, the different leg lengths of the front and rear legs create different internal angles between the front leg and the horizontal plane (working plane) of the front edge element, and between the rear leg and the top surface (working plane) of the worktop.This results in different flow paths, directions and / or velocities for air flows along the front leg and the rear leg and when flowing through the channel.

[0046] The asymmetrical design of the channel in cross-section, with the shorter, steeper front leg, allows for an increase in the working area due to a saving in installation space compared to a channel with legs of equal length.

[0047] In a further embodiment, an internal angle is arranged between the front leg and the rear leg, aligned to the working space in a range of 10° to 140°, in particular from 55° to 125°, preferably from 70° to 110°.

[0048] Depending on the set internal angle between the two legs, the displacement air and the drawn-in ambient air can be extracted through the trough in separate areas and thus in different ways, either through different openings in the trough or mixed together within the trough. Therefore, the width of the internal angle can be used to selectively enable or prevent the mixing and / or transfer of the displacement airflow and the drawn-in ambient airflow.

[0049] The "interior angle" is specifically the angle enclosed between the two legs. The connection between the end of the front leg and the end of the rear leg, and the resulting corner, forms the vertex of the interior angle. Starting from the interior angle at the vertex between the two legs, the space between the two legs widens towards the working area.

[0050] In another embodiment, the channel has a V-shaped cross-section transverse to the longitudinal dimension.

[0051] This ensures optimal opening of the channel for the inflow of the displacement flow and the ambient air, and a low-flow, short overflow length and area of ​​the channel.

[0052] To further increase personal and / or product protection, the front leg is free of any opening, and the rear leg has at least one opening and / or several openings.

[0053] The front leg is thus designed as a closed overflow surface and preferably with a shorter length. This closed surface promotes a uniform and stable airflow from the surroundings to the working opening and to the rear leg with its openings. This results in less turbulence in the contact zone with the vertically downward flow and / or the displacement flow. This leads to improved airflow in the intake area of ​​the working opening and consequently to improved product and / or personnel protection. Furthermore, product protection is enhanced because, due to the longer rear leg with its single opening, the air in the work area above the work surface is drawn directly over the front edge of the work surface into the adjacent openings of the longer rear leg.

[0054] The term "free from an opening" means that the front leg does not have a penetration through its wall thickness through which air could flow and get below the trough.

[0055] In another embodiment, the safety workbench has at least one rear edge element with a front-facing receptacle for placing the at least one worktop.

[0056] The "rear edge element," analogous to the front edge element, is a rear-mounted element that supports the worktop at its rear. A rear edge element can, for example, be a component positioned between the back of the work area and the back and / or underside of the worktop. Alternatively, a rear edge element can be a strip at the back of the work area upon which the rear edge of the worktop rests.

[0057] In order to also design the edge areas of the work surface modularly and adapt flexibly, at least one front edge element is detachably or permanently connected to a front of the safety workbench and / or at least one rear edge element is detachably or permanently connected to the back of the work area.

[0058] In another embodiment, the safety workbench has at least one worktop and / or two or more worktops, wherein the respective worktop is detachably placed on the rear mounting of the respective trough and / or the at least one rear edge element.

[0059] Because the worktop is simply placed on top and the corresponding channel is designed as an independent, load-bearing, and standing component, the airflow and extraction conditions within the workspace can be easily modified and adapted to the specific tasks and / or equipment being used simply by lifting the worktop and replacing the channel, without having to completely remove the entire worktop from the workspace. It is particularly advantageous that the worktops are interchangeable to suit the required work surface equipment, while at the same time allowing the use of channels specifically designed for each worktop.

[0060] In order to optimally and flushly position the respective worktop against the rear recess of the channel and / or the rear edge element, the respective worktop has a greater width and / or greater depth on its top side than on its underside.

[0061] Consequently, the worktop can be inserted flush and aligned into the rear recess of the rear channel and / or the front recess of the rear edge element in a space-saving manner with a small gap, thus providing a level working surface.

[0062] In a further embodiment, the respective worktop has a recess on its underside and front side and / or on its underside and back side, complementary to the rear receptacle of the respective groove and / or to the front receptacle of the at least one rear edge element.

[0063] Because the worktops are three-dimensionally shaped on their underside and front and / or back, and fit into the complementary rear recesses of the respective groove and / or the front recess of the respective rear edge element, slippage of the inserted worktop is prevented. This allows the worktop to be installed stably in any position. With identical design of the worktop recesses on the front and back, the worktop can also be rotated 180° during installation, allowing for flexible positioning. This makes the worktop segments universally applicable.

[0064] In order to fully insert the respective worktop in any orientation and / or rotation between the groove and the rear edge element, the respective worktop has a recess on its underside and on one other side relative to the front and back, or on both opposite sides.

[0065] Consequently, the recess can be made all around the underside of the worktop surface, along all edges. This allows square worktops in any orientation to be used.

[0066] To significantly improve cleanability and increase the usable work surface, the respective worktop is free of any opening and / or the back of the work area has at least one additional opening or several additional openings for extracting air from the work area.

[0067] Because the worktop is free of any openings and therefore has no penetration through its surface, the usable work area is increased by at least 12%, preferably by more than 14%. Thanks to the optimized airflow and extraction of air from the work area via the specially designed channel, the worktop can be designed to be completely free of any intake and / or exhaust openings.

[0068] The optional additional opening, or multiple openings, at the rear of the work area allow air to be extracted and removed from the back as well. It is particularly advantageous that these rear openings are located solely at the rear of the work area itself and not on the worktop, thus ensuring the worktop's usability is not restricted. The at least one additional opening need not be located directly at the rear of the work area; it could also be a gap and / or a slot in the worktop's support zone in front of the rear and / or on the rear edge element, through which air is extracted from the work area.

[0069] In another aspect of the invention, the problem is solved by an equipment set for equipping a work surface of a safety workbench according to claim 13.

[0070] This provides a complete equipment set for the user and operator of the safety workbench, enabling quick and easy optimal setup and extraction of the work surface through a specific, modular arrangement of troughs and worktops. This allows the work surface of a safety workbench to be individually and precisely adapted to the respective work requirements and the necessary airflow within the workspace for optimal product and / or personnel protection. The worktops are securely supported and held in place by the trough, which rests on the floor of the safety workbench, thanks to at least one support element.

[0071] The invention will now be explained in more detail using exemplary embodiments. These will show... Figure 1 is a partially three-dimensional representation of a central section of a safety workbench with a trough and a worktop placed on top; Figure 2 is an enlarged representation of the trough and the worktop made of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through the channel, Figure 4 is a three-dimensional view of the channel with a view of its back, Figure 5 is a three-dimensional view of the channel in a side view of a front of the channel, and Figure 6 is a sectional view of the worktop.

[0072] A safety workbench 101 has a height-adjustable base 103 and a top section 105 with a housing 107 ( Figure 1 ). A control panel 109 is arranged externally on the housing 107. An internal work area 117 of the safety workbench 101 is separated by a left side wall 108 and an opposite side wall in the Figure 1The right side wall (not shown in the sectional view), a rear side 161, and a front panel 111 (which slides up and down) provide a clear view into the work area 117 for an operator sitting or standing in front of the safety workbench 101. Below the front panel 111 is a wide, slot-like working opening 113 with a rectangular outline and an adjustable height, achieved by moving the front panel 111. A lower edge of the working opening 113 is defined by a front edge element 211, which simultaneously forms the front portion of a work surface 119. The front edge element 211 rests on a drip tray 159. A lower extension of the work area 117 is defined centrally by the work surface 119, which in this area is formed by a worktop 123.Across the width of the safety workbench 101, in addition to the worktop 123, further worktops are arranged on both sides to form the work surface 119, which are shown in the sectional view of the . Figure 1 are not visible.

[0073] The rear side 161 of the work chamber 117 has a plurality of horizontally oriented rear extraction openings 165. The rear side of the safety workbench 101 is double-walled, comprising the rear side 161 of the work chamber 117 and a separate rear side 163 of the safety workbench 101. An air duct 173 is arranged between the rear side 161 of the work chamber 117 and the rear side 163 of the safety workbench 101. A flow grille 167 is arranged at the bottom of the air duct 173. The air duct 173 is fluidically connected to the work chamber 117 via the rear extraction openings 165 and via a connecting channel 171 between the worktop 123 and the bottom of the drip tray 159, and further via the extraction slots 153. Optionally, a cartridge filter or several cartridge filters can be arranged in a filter housing between the connecting channel 171 and the air channel 173.

[0074] As in Figure 1As shown, inside the upper part 105 are a blower 175 and two HEPA filters 177, as well as an unmarked electronic control and regulating device for controlling and / or regulating the components and functions of the safety workbench 101. One HEPA filter 177 is located on the top of the upper part 105 upstream of an exhaust air outlet with a flow direction 185 to the environment. The other HEPA filter 177 is located upstream of the displacement air inlet to the work chamber 117 with a flow direction 183.

[0075] In contrast to the front edge element 211, the safety workbench 101 has a rear edge element 221 below its rear side 161. The front edge element 211 has a rear receptacle 213 formed as a recess with a back wall 217 and a top surface 219 at the recess. The rear edge element 221 has a front receptacle 223 formed as a recess with a front wall 227 and an exposed top surface 229 around the recess.

[0076] A channel 141 is formed in one piece from stainless steel and has a significantly longer longitudinal dimension 142 (width) than its depth 143. The channel 141 has an asymmetrical V-shape in cross-section with a front leg 145 with a free end 148 and a rear leg 147 with a free end 150 ( Figure 3The length 149 of the front leg 145 is 64 mm and the length 151 of the rear leg 147 is 84 mm. An internal angle 152 between the front leg 145 and the rear leg 147 is 90°. The upper surface of the front leg 145 is completely free of any opening (see Figure 4 In contrast, the rear leg 147 has a plurality of continuous and parallel suction slots 153 provided as elongated holes, which are arranged almost over the entire longitudinal dimension 142 of the channel 141 (see Figure 5The channel has a right side wall 144 and a left side wall 146 on both sides along its longitudinal dimension 142. The right side wall 144 and the left side wall 146 each have a rear surface 154, which simultaneously forms the rear of the channel 141. In the rear area located between the side walls 144 and 146, the channel 141 is open and thus designed to allow flow. The right side wall 144 and the left side wall 146 are designed as supports with a support structure 205 and a base 207. At the free end 150 of the rear leg 147, a rear receptacle 197 of the channel 141 is designed as a rear recess 199 located above the rear surface 154. The rear recess 199 for placing the worktop 123 has a surrounding back wall 201 and a surrounding top surface 203 and is formed over the entire longitudinal dimension 142 of the channel 141.

[0077] A front wall 193 adjoins the free end 148 of the front leg 145 downwards. A front recess 191 of the channel 141 is formed below the front wall 193, with an underside 195 adjoining the front recess 191. The front recess 191 of the channel 141 is designed to be complementary to the rear receptacle 213 of the front edge element 211.

[0078] The worktop 123 has a flat top 124 and a bottom 125 ( Figure 6Below the top surface 124, the worktop 123 has a greater depth and width than its underside 125. This gives the worktop 123 a projecting front wall 127, below which a front recess 126 extends downwards, with an underside 128 located at the front recess 126. Similarly, at its rear, the worktop 123 has a rear wall 130 below the top surface 124, and subsequently, in the direction of the underside 125, a rear recess 129 is arranged, which in turn has an underside 132 at the rear recess 129. The front recess 126 with the underside 128 is designed to be complementary to the rear receptacle 197 of the channel 141. The rear recess 129 with the underside 132 of the worktop 123 is designed to be complementary to the front receptacle 123 of the rear edge element 221.

[0079] The following work steps are carried out using the safety workbench 101, the trough 141 and the work surface 123:

[0080] The operator opens the working opening 113 between the underside of the front window 111 and the front edge element 211 to its maximum by lifting the front window 111 and inserts the trough 141 into the working area. The operator places the trough 141 with the underside 195 of the front recess 191 of the trough 141 onto the top side 219 of the rear receptacle 213 of the front edge element 211, so that the front wall 193 of the trough 141 is flush against the rear wall 217 of the front edge element 211. Due to the shape of the asymmetrical V-shaped trough 141, the trough 141 rests on the collection tray 159 at its rear with the contact surfaces 207 of the two side walls 144, 146.The operator then places the worktop 123 into the workspace 117 and positions it with its underside 128 against the front recess 127, resting on the top surface 203 of the rear recess 199 of the channel 141, so that the front wall 127 of the worktop 123 is flush with the rear wall 201 of the rear recess 199 of the channel 141. Similarly, the operator positions the underside 132 of the rear recess 129 of the worktop 123 against the top surface 229 of the front receptacle 223 of the rear edge element 221, with the rear wall 130 of the worktop 123 again being flush with the front wall 227 of the rear edge element 221. Thus, a continuous work surface 119 is formed from the front edge element 211, via the channel 141, the worktop 123 to the rear edge element 221, whereby only the asymmetrical V-shaped channel 141 interrupts the flat work surface 119 due to its shape.

[0081] The operator then places the necessary equipment on the upper surface 124 of the worktop 123. Due to the design of the right side wall 144 and the left side wall 146, each with the support structure 205 and the standing surface 207 below the rear receptacle 197 of the trough 141, the trough 141 bears the weight of the worktop 123 and the equipment placed on it. Because the worktop 123 is free of any openings, the entire upper surface 124 can be used as a work area.

[0082] To work, the operator moves the front window 111 downwards again so that the working opening 113 is sufficiently open so that the operator can place their forearms and hands into the working space 117 to handle materials and equipment on the work surface 119, but not too much ambient air from the outside can enter the working space 117 through the working opening 113 in a suction direction 181.

[0083] After the operator has switched on the safety workbench 101 and its components at the control panel 109 and made the necessary settings, a continuous, particulate-free displacement flow is introduced from above into the work chamber 117 through the lower HEPA filter 177 in the direction of flow 183 while the blower 175 is running. This improves the operator's protection in front of the safety workbench 101, as any contaminants potentially released in the work chamber 117 are extracted directly via the front of the worktop 123 through the upper part of the extraction slots 153 of the longer rear leg 147. In addition, ambient air drawn in through the working opening 113 is directed steeply downwards through the shorter front leg 145, which is free of openings, towards the extraction slots 153 in the lower part of the longer leg 147 and extracted.This design of the channel 141 ensures that the displaced air extracted at the front in the flow direction 183 and the ambient air drawn in through the working opening 113 in the intake direction 181 are separated from each other and guided through at least partially different areas of the extraction slots 153 into the connecting channel 171. This improves both personal and product protection.The ambient air and displacement air extracted through the extraction slots 153 of the longer, rear leg 147 is guided through the connecting channel 171 and mixes there with the displacement air extracted from the rear, which exited through the rear extraction openings 165 through the rear 161 of the working chamber 117 into the air duct 173. Both streams flow upwards through the flow grille 167 for better mixing into the interior of the upper part 105 and are drawn in there by the blower 175, partly through the upper HEPA filter 177, and released to the outside as particulate-free exhaust air in the direction of flow 185. The other part of the mixed air drawn in by the blower 175 is filtered through the lower HEPA filter 177 and blown back into the working chamber 117 as particulate-free displacement air.

[0084] Thus, a safety workbench 101 is provided, which can be used modularly and flexibly to equip the work surface 119 by means of a differently designed trough 141 and a correspondingly designed worktop 123 or several worktops, whereby the trough 141, due to its design and shape, reliably bears the weight of the worktop 123 and further worktops with equipment and loads placed on them, and also ensures optimal airflow in the work area 117 with reliable extraction of ambient air and displacement air. Reference symbol list

[0085] 101 Safety workbench 103 Base frame 105 Top 107 Housing 108 Side panel 109 Control panel 111 Front window 113 Working opening 117 Work area 119 Work surface 123 Worktop 124 Top 125 Bottom 126 Front recess 127 Front wall 128 Bottom at front recess 129 Rear recess 130 Back wall 132 Bottom at rear recess 141 Gutter 142 Longitudinal dimension 143 Depth of gutter 144 Right side wall 145 Front leg 146 Left side wall 147 Rear leg 148 Free end of front leg 149 Length of front leg 150 Free end of the rear leg 151 Length of the rear leg 152 Internal angle 153 Extraction slot 154 Rear 157 Storage rail 159 Drip tray 161 Rear of the work area 163 Rear of the safety workbench 165 Rear extraction opening 167 Flow grille 171 Connecting duct 173 Air duct 175 Blower 177 HEPA filter 181 Ambient air intake direction 183 Displacement air flow direction 185 Displacement air flow directionExhaust air 191 Front recess of the channel 193 Front wall 195 Bottom 197 Rear receptacle of the channel 199 Rear recess 201 Rear wall of the rear recess 203 Top of the rear recess 205 Support structure 207 Base 211 Front edge element 213 Rear receptacle 217 Rear wall 219 Top 221 Rear edge element 223 Front receptacle 227 Front wall 229 Top

Claims

1. Safety workbench (101), wherein the safety workbench (101) has a work space (117) with a rear side (161), a front pane (111) for providing a work opening (113) to the work space (117), a work surface (119) in the work space (117), and a bottom (159) below the work surface (119), wherein at least one work plate (123) is assignable to the work surface, and the safety workbench (101) has, on the front side, at least one channel (141) with a longitudinal dimension and at least one opening (153) for extracting air from the work space (117) and / or for drawing in air from an environment of the safety workbench (101) through the work opening (113), wherein the at least one channel (141), in cross section transversely to the longitudinal dimension, is formed with a front-side leg and a rear-side leg, wherein the at least one channel (141) has a front-side recess (191) for placing and / or laying the at least one channel (141) against and / or on at least one front-side edge element (211) of the safety workbench (101) and is formed with a rear-side receptacle (197) for placing the at least one work plate (123), characterized in that the at least one channel (141) itself is formed with at least one support element (205) as a support, wherein the at least one support element (205) rests at least partially on the bottom (159), such that the at least one channel (141) is formed as an independently load-bearing and standing component.

2. Safety workbench (101) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one channel (141) or a respective channel has the at least one support element (205) or a plurality of support elements at least partially below the rear-side leg (147) and / or at least partially below a free end (150) of the rear-side leg (147), such that the respective channel (141) is stable and load-bearing on the bottom (159) of the safety workbench (101).

3. Safety workbench (101) according to claim 2, characterized in that the respective channel (141) has, on both sides along the longitudinal dimension (142), two mutually opposite side walls (144, 146), wherein the opposite side walls (144, 146) are formed as support elements (205).

4. Safety workbench (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the respective front-side leg (145) has, at its free end (148), a front wall (193) for bearing against a rear-side wall (217) of the at least one front-side edge element (211), and the front-side recess (191) is formed below the front wall (193) of the respective front-side leg (145), and / or the respective rear-side leg (147) has, at its free end (150), a rear wall (201) for bearing against a front-side wall (127) of the at least one work plate (123), and the rear-side receptacle (197) is formed as a recess (199) on the rear side next to the rear wall (201) and above the rear side (154) of the respective channel (141).

5. Safety workbench (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rear-side leg (147) is formed longer than the front-side leg (145).

6. Safety workbench (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front-side leg (145) is free of an opening and the rear-side leg has the at least one opening and / or a plurality of openings (153).

7. Safety workbench (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the safety workbench (101) has at least one rear-side edge element (221) with a front-side receptacle (223) for placing the at least one work plate (123).

8. Safety workbench (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the safety workbench (101) has the at least one work plate (123) and / or two or more work plates (197), wherein the respective work plate (123) is removably placed on the rear-side receptacle (197) of the respective channel (141) and / or on the at least one rear-side edge element (221).

9. Safety workbench (101) according to claim 8, characterized in that the respective work plate (123) has, on its upper side (124), a greatest width and / or greater depth than on its lower side (125).

10. Safety workbench (101) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the respective work plate (123) has, on its lower side (125) and its front side and / or on its lower side (125) and its rear side, in each case a recess (126, 129) complementary to the rear-side receptacle (197) of the respective channel (141) and / or to the front-side receptacle (223) of the at least one rear-side edge element (221).

11. Safety workbench (101) according to claim 10, characterized in that the respective work plate (123) has, on its lower side (124) and on a further side with respect to the front side and the rear side, or on both opposite sides, in each case a recess.

12. Safety workbench (101) according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the respective work plate (123) is free of an opening and / or the rear side (161) of the work space (117) has at least one additional opening or a plurality of additional openings (165) for extracting air from the work space (117).

13. Equipment kit for equipping a work surface (119) of a safety workbench (101), wherein the equipment kit has at least one channel or two or more channels (141) and optionally at least one front-side edge element (211), at least one rear-side edge element (221) and / or at least one work plate (123), wherein the at least one channel (141) has a front-side recess (191) for placing the at least one channel (141) against and / or on at least one front-side edge element (211) of the safety workbench (101) or of the equipment kit and is formed with a rear-side receptacle (197) for placing at least one work plate (123), characterized in that the at least one channel (141) itself is formed with at least one support element as a support, wherein the at least one channel (141) is formed as an independently load-bearing and standing component.