Pandemic tabletop system and methods for preventing pathogen transmission

Abstract

The invention provides, in some aspects, a tabletop-based system to prevent pathogen transmission that includes a collection vent that collects airflow from a volumetric region above a tabletop, a filter that filters the collected airflow and that is in fluid coupling with the collection vent, an air mover that creates the airflow through the volumetric region to the vent, and one or more surfaces that define the region, where those surfaces include at least the tabletop. According to these aspects of the invention, the vent is disposed in a vicinity of at least one of the aforesaid surfaces and is elongate along an axis substantially aligned with a useable edge of the tabletop, i.e., an edge of the tabletop at which a person who is using the tabletop sits, kneels, stands or is otherwise disposed.

In view of the foregoing, what I claim is: 
     
         1 . A tabletop-based system to prevent pathogen transmission, comprising
 A. a collection vent that collects airflow from a volumetric region above a tabletop,   B. a filter that filters the collected airflow and that is in fluid coupling with the collection vent,   C. an air mover that creates the airflow through the volumetric region to the vent,   D. one or more surfaces that define the region, the surfaces including a least said tabletop, and   E. the vent being disposed in a vicinity of at least one of the surfaces and being elongate along an axis that is substantially aligned with a useable edge of the tabletop.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tabletop comprises a surface of a desk. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tabletop and one or more other of said surfaces define an alcove. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the collection vent is disposed adjacent the tabletop. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the collection vent is disposed adjacent an edge of the tabletop. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the collection vent is disposed adjacent an edge of the tabletop opposed to the usable edge. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the collection vent is coupled to a duct that routes to the filter airflow collected from the region by the collection vent. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the collection vent comprises a portion of the duct having one or more apertures that collect airflow from the region. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the air mover comprises any of a fan and a vacuum pump in fluid coupling with the duct. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a HEPA filter. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising an exhaust vent disposed to circulate to an environment in a vicinity of the tabletop airflow that has passed through the filter. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more surfaces that define the volumetric region include a top barrier. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the tabletop is disposed at a height of a midsection of a person using the tabletop, and wherein the top barrier is disposed at a height above a head or just below eye level of such person. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the collection vent is disposed adjacent the top barrier. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the collection vent is disposed adjacent an edge of the top barrier. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vent is disposed adjacent the tabletop centrally with respect to the usable edge and an edge opposed to the useable edge. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more surfaces comprise a facing barrier that is disposed normal to the tabletop centrally with respect to the usable edge and the opposing edge, wherein the facing barrier has opposing faces parallel to those edges. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the facing barrier is positioned to permit airflow to the collection vent from volumetric regions above the tabletop between the usable edge and the edge opposed thereto. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more surfaces include one or more side barriers disposed normal to the tabletop and to the usable edge. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more surfaces include the tabletop, and one or more of
 (i) a top barrier disposed offset from and above the tabletop,   (ii) a facing barrier that is disposed normal to the tabletop and parallel to the useable edge,   (iii) a side barrier that is disposed normal to the tabletop and to the useable edge.   
     
     
         21 . A tabletop-based system to vitiate pathogen transmission, comprising
 A. a collection vent that collects airflow from a volumetric region above a tabletop,   B. an exhaust vent that is in fluid coupling with the collection event and that exhausts the collected airflow away from the tabletop,   C. an air mover that creates the airflow through the volumetric region to the vent,   D. one or more surfaces that define the region, the surfaces including a least said tabletop, and   E. the vent being disposed in a vicinity of at least one of the surfaces and being elongate along an axis that is substantially aligned with a useable edge of the tabletop.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the exhaust van exhausts the collected airflow away from a room in which the tabletop is disposed.