Method and apparatus for integrating chemical and environmental sensors into an air purification filter through a reusable sensor post

Abstract

A sensor device is disclosed for providing end of service life indication for an air purification filter. The sensor device has a cylindrical housing for insertion into a sorbent bed of a filter, and can be removed from the bed and reused at the end of the filter service. One or more sensors inside the housing are configured to sense physical/chemical characteristics of air passing through the sorbent bed, and to provide associated data to a sensor conditioning board within the housing. The sensor conditioning board processes the received data and conditions the data as desired. The housing is receivable in a cavity formed in the filter bed. A receiving structure receives the housing therein. Data from the one or more sensors can be used to calculate predicted end of service life of the filter. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

1 . A device comprising:
 a filter cartridge containing a filter, wherein the filter cartridge removably couples to a respirator; and   a housing extending upstream in the filter cartridge through at least a portion of the filter and having a first path with an opening to provide a sample of air,   wherein the first path extends upstream in the filter cartridge.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the filter cartridge removably couples to the respirator through an adapter, and wherein the first path extends from the adapter upstream in the cartridge. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a second path and opening, wherein the second path extends upstream in the filter cartridge. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the second path opening is downstream of the opening of the first path. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing provides the sample of air to a gas sensor, and wherein the gas sensor is incorporated into the respirator. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor supported by the filter cartridge. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one sensor is placed inside the filter cartridge. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas permeable filter layer positioned between the opening and the filter. 
     
     
         9 . A device comprising:
 a filter cartridge containing a filter, wherein the filter cartridge removably couples to a respirator having a gas sensor; and   a housing extending upstream in the filter cartridge through at least a portion of the filter and having a first path with an opening to provide a sample of air to the gas sensor, and a second path and opening, the second path opening being downstream of the path opening of the first path,   wherein the first path extends upstream in the filter cartridge, and wherein the second path extends upstream in the filter cartridge.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the filter cartridge removably couples to the respirator through an adapter, wherein the first path extends from the adapter upstream in the filter cartridge, and wherein the second path extends from the adapter upstream in the filter cartridge. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising a gas permeable filter layer positioned between the first or second opening and the filter. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one sensor supported by the filter cartridge. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor is placed inside the filter cartridge. 
     
     
         14 . A device comprising:
 a cartridge containing a filter material, wherein the cartridge includes an adapter operable to removably couple to a respirator mask; and   an insert extending from the adapter upstream in the cartridge through at least a portion of the filter material and having a first path with an opening to provide a sample of air that is representative of the saturation of the filter material,   wherein the first path extends from the adapter upstream in the cartridge.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the insert includes a second path and opening to return the sample of air to the filter material, wherein the second path extends from the adapter upstream in the cartridge. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the second path opening is downstream of the path opening of the first path to provide a difference in pressure between the openings when air is drawn through the filter material by a user of the device. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the adapter provides the sample of air to a gas sensor, and wherein the gas sensor is incorporated in the respirator mask. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the adapter comprises at least two circular channels, each of which is coupled to a respective path to provide rotational symmetry to couple to the gas sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising a remotely readable RFID or SAW sensor supported by the cartridge. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the remotely readable sensors is placed inside the cartridge. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein an absorption layer on the remote sensor facilitates irreversible absorption of gas components in the sample air. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising a gas permeable filter layer positioned between the opening and the filter material. 
     
     
         23 . A device comprising:
 a cartridge containing a filter material and an adapter operable to couple to a gas sensor incorporated into a respirator mask; and   an insert extending from the adapter upstream in the cartridge through at least a portion of the filter material and having a first path with an opening to provide a sample of air to the gas sensor that is representative of the saturation of the filter material, and a second path and opening to return the sample of air to the filter material, the second path opening being downstream of the path opening of the first path to provide a difference in pressure between the openings when air is drawn through the filter material by a user of the device,   wherein the first path extends from the adapter upstream in the cartridge, and the second path extends from the adapter upstream in the cartridge.   
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the adapter comprises at least two circular channels, each of which is coupled to a respective path to provide rotational symmetry to couple to the gas sensor. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 23 , further comprising a gas permeable filter layer positioned between the channel opening and the filter material. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 23 , further comprising a remotely readable RFID or SAW sensor supported by the cartridge. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the remotely readable sensors is placed inside the cartridge. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27 , wherein an absorption layer on the remote sensor facilitates irreversible absorption of gas components in the sample air. 
     
     
         29 . A device comprising:
 a cartridge containing a filter material and an adapter operable to couple a gas sensor incorporated into a respirator mask, the adapter comprising at least two circular channels, each of which is coupled to a respective path to provide rotational symmetry to couple to the gas sensor;   an insert extending from the adapter upstream in the cartridge through at least a portion of the filter material and having a first path with an opening to provide a sample of air to the gas sensor that is representative of the saturation of the filter material, and a second path and opening to return the sample of air to the filter material, the second path opening being downstream of the path opening of the first path to provide a difference in pressure between the openings when air is drawn through the filter material by a user of the device; and   a remotely readable RFID or SAW sensor supported by the cartridge.   
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 30 , further comprising a gas permeable filter layer positioned between the channel opening and the filter material. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the remotely readable sensors is placed inside the cartridge. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein an absorption layer on the remote sensor facilitates irreversible absorption or dose to irreversible absorption of gas components in the sample air.