Vacuum barrier

Claim 1

An apparatus for reducing the potential for contamination of personnel during a procedure likely to produce both contaminated sprays and aerosols in an area of said procedure; said apparatus comprising: (a) a transparent shield adapted to be placed in a covering relationship to the area to be isolated to form a physical barrier thereabove; (b) a vacuum drawing conduit extending substantially around a perimeter of said shield and including a plurality of apertures spaced therealong; and (c) vacuum generating means operably connected to said vacuum drawing conduit for drawing fluids through said apertures from beneath said shield.

Claim 2

An apparatus for reducing the potential for contamination of personnel during a procedure likely to produce both contaminated sprays and aerosols in an area of said procedure; said apparatus comprising: (a) a transparent shield adapted to be placed in a covering relationship to the area to be isolated to form a physical barrier thereabove; (b) a vacuum drawing conduit extending substantially around a perimeter of said shield and including a plurality of apertures spaced therealong; and (c) vacuum generating means operably connected to said vacuum drawing conduit for drawing fluids through said apertures from beneath said shield.

Claim 12

An apparatus for preventing the exchange of harmful substances; said apparatus comprising: (a) a transparent shield adapted to be placed in a covering relationship to an area to be isolated so as to form a physical barrier between the area and an environment thereabout; (b) a vacuum conduit positioned substantially around and attached on an underside of the perimeter of said shield, said conduit including an internal channel; (c) a plurality of apertures located along said vacuum conduit and communicating from beneath said shield with said internal channel in said vacuum conduit; (d) means for generating a vacuum and communicating same with said apertures through said channel such that fluids from under said shield are urged to be drawn therethrough; (e) means adapted to collect harmful substances after the substances are drawn into said vacuum conduit; and (f) a support structure for supporting said transparent shield.

Claim 13

An apparatus for preventing the exchange of harmful substances; said apparatus comprising: (a) a transparent shield adapted to be placed in a covering relationship to an area to be isolated so as to form a physical barrier between the area and an environment thereabout; (b) a vacuum conduit positioned substantially around and attached on an underside of the perimeter of said shield, said conduit including an internal channel; (c) a plurality of apertures located along said vacuum conduit and communicating from beneath said shield with said internal channel in said vacuum conduit; (d) means for generating a vacuum and communicating same with said apertures through said channel such that fluids from under said shield are urged to be drawn therethrough; (e) means adapted to collect harmful substances after the substances are drawn into said vacuum conduit; and (f) a support structure for supporting said transparent shield.

Claim 16

An apparatus for preventing the transfer of harmful substances to a practitioner during medical procedures and the like; said apparatus comprising: (a) a substantially planar transparent shield constructed of a rigid material; said shield being adapted to be placed in a covering relationship to a source of hazardous substances; (b) a cantilever support structure hingedly connected to one side of and supporting said shield in spaced relationship above the source; said structure having a pair of depending legs including height and horizontal adjustment means and adapted to be slideably and removeably received in mounting brackets on a table; (c) a tubular member being positioned in generally surrounding relationship to the underside of a periphery of said shield; (d) a plurality of spaced apertures located along said tubular member; said apertures oriented downwardly and inwardly in relation to said tubular member; said tubular member having a generally continuous internal channel flow connecting with said apertures; and (e) vacuum drawing means operably flow connected to said channel for drawing fluids from under said shield through said apertures and said channel.

Claim 17

An apparatus for preventing the transfer of harmful substances to a practitioner during medical procedures and the like; said apparatus comprising: (a) a substantially planar transparent shield constructed of a rigid material; said shield being adapted to be placed in a covering relationship to a source of hazardous substances; (b) a cantilever support structure hingedly connected to one side of and supporting said shield in spaced relationship above the source; said structure having a pair of depending legs including height and horizontal adjustment means and adapted to be slideably and removeably received in mounting brackets on a table; (c) a tubular member being positioned in generally surrounding relationship to the underside of a periphery of said shield; (d) a plurality of spaced apertures located along said tubular member; said apertures oriented downwardly and inwardly in relation to said tubular member; said tubular member having a generally continuous internal channel flow connecting with said apertures; and (e) vacuum drawing means operably flow connected to said channel for drawing fluids from under said shield through said apertures and said channel.

Claim 19

A method of preventing the exchange of harmful substances between the environment and an area to be isolated, while providing visual and hand access to the area to be isolated; said method comprising the steps (a) placing a shield in closely spaced relationship over said area; said shield having a substantially planar surface and being constructed of a generally rigid transparent material; (b) providing a support structure for said shield to space said shield above said area; (c) adjusting the position of said support structure to position said shield in a selected spaced relationship with respect to but generally directly above said area; (d) providing a vacuum drawing system including a tubular member with an internal channel and apertures spaced along said member therefor flow connecting said channel with the surrounding environment; (e) placing said tubular member in surrounding relationship to the underside of a periphery of said shield; and (f) generating a vacuum to operably draw fluids through said tubular member while said shield is in a covering relationship to said area thereby evacuating harmful substances from beneath said shield.

Claim 20

A method of preventing the exchange of harmful substances between the environment and an area to be isolated, while providing visual and hand access to the area to be isolated; said method comprising the steps (a) placing a shield in closely spaced relationship over said area; said shield having a substantially planar surface and being constructed of a generally rigid transparent material; (b) providing a support structure for said shield to space said shield above said area; (c) adjusting the position of said support structure to position said shield in a selected spaced relationship with respect to but generally directly above said area; (d) providing a vacuum drawing system including a tubular member with an internal channel and apertures spaced along said member therefor flow connecting said channel with the surrounding environment; (e) placing said tubular member in surrounding relationship to the underside of a periphery of said shield; and (f) generating a vacuum to operably draw fluids through said tubular member while said shield is in a covering relationship to said area thereby evacuating harmful substances from beneath said shield.