Hazardous material detection system for use with mail and other objects
US6948653B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 29, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 27, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 29, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2001/2223
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A portable detection system (10) for hazardous materials including explosives and infectious or hazardous biological agents readily adapted to conventional mail collection boxes (12), rural mailboxes (100) and the like. The system includes a fan (14) and a sensor (16). The fan (14) provides sufficient airflow to circulate the air within a mailbox such that the internal air after coming in contact with the contents is directed the sensor for analysis. The air quality can be determined visually (137), audibly (138), or electronically (139). Consequently once such detection is made and the air is verified as being safe, the contents can be removed safely. If it is determined that the air contains some type of hazardous material, further steps can be taken to specifically locate the source of such hazardous material. An alternative embodiment includes a filter (15) to improve fan efficiency.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.