Personal environmental control systems and methods for cleanroom personnel

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for maintaining an environment within the interstitial space between a cleanroom worker and a cleanroom garment worn by the cleanroom worker. An air mover draws relatively cool air from the external cleanroom environment and discharges the air through one or more diffusers positioned in the interstitial space between the cleanroom worker and the cleanroom garment worn by the cleanroom worker. The one or more diffusers are positioned proximate the body of the cleanroom worker. Control circuitry monitors the temperature and relative humidity within the cleanroom garment and selectively controls the operation of the air mover to maintain a comfortable environment within the cleanroom garment even when PPE such as splash aprons, boots, gloves, and protective headgear are donned by the cleanroom worker. Reducing perspiration beneficially reduces the likelihood of contamination within the cleanroom environment.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A cleanroom personal comfort system, comprising:
 a power supply;   an air mover to provide an airflow;   at least one diffuser to fit beneath a cleanroom garment worn by a cleanroom worker, the at least one diffuser fluidly coupled to the air mover to receive the airflow and to discharge the received airflow between the cleanroom worker and the cleanroom garment;   an environmental control system that includes:
 humidity sensing circuitry positionable between the cleanroom worker and the cleanroom garment, the humidity sensing circuitry to measure a relative humidity proximate the cleanroom worker inside the cleanroom garment; 
 first temperature sensing circuitry positionable between the cleanroom worker and the cleanroom garment, the first temperature sensing circuitry to measure a first temperature proximate the cleanroom worker inside the cleanroom garment; and 
 control circuitry communicably coupled to the humidity sensing circuity, the first temperature sensing circuitry, and the air mover, the control circuitry to:
 autonomously adjust at least one air mover parameter responsive to the measured first temperature and the measured relative humidity. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The personal comfort system of  claim 1 :
 wherein the air mover comprises a variable speed air mover coupled to the control circuitry;   wherein the at least one air mover parameter includes the speed of the air mover; and   wherein the control circuitry to autonomously adjust the speed of the air mover responsive to the measured first temperature and the measured relative humidity.   
     
     
         3 . The personal comfort system of  claim 2  wherein the air mover comprises an inline fan. 
     
     
         4 . The personal comfort system of  claim 3  wherein the control circuitry includes at least one output to continuously adjust the airflow from the variable speed inline fan. 
     
     
         5 . The personal comfort system of  claim 4 , the control circuitry to further:
 adjust the airflow provided by the variable speed inline fan to maintain at least one of: the measured relative humidity at or below a threshold value or the first temperature within a defined temperature range.   
     
     
         6 . The personal comfort system of  claim 1  wherein the environmental control system further comprises:
 at least one input device to receive a user input indicative of a defined temperature range. 
 
     
     
         7 . The personal comfort system of  claim 1 :
 wherein the at least one air mover parameter includes air mover ON operating mode and an air mover OFF operating mode; and   wherein the control circuitry to autonomously selects the air mover ON operating mode and the air mover OFF operating mode mover responsive to the measured first temperature and the measured relative humidity.   
     
     
         8 . The personal comfort system of  claim 1 :
 wherein the environmental control system further comprises:
 second temperature sensing circuitry positionable external to the cleanroom garment, the second temperature sensing circuitry to measure a second temperature in an ambient environment about the cleanroom worker; and 
   the control circuitry to further:
 autonomously adjust the airflow provided by the air mover using the measured first temperature, the measured second temperature, and the measured relative humidity. 
   
     
     
         9 . The personal comfort system of  claim 1  wherein the environmental control system further comprises:
 wireless communications circuitry to communicate at least one of: one or more physiological parameters associated with the cleanroom worker or one or more environmental parameters associated with the ambient environment about the cleanroom worker. 
 
     
     
         10 . The personal comfort system of  claim 9 , the wireless communications circuitry to further receive at least one signal that includes data representative of a defined temperature range. 
     
     
         11 . The personal comfort system of  claim 10 , the control circuitry to further:
 cause the air mover selectively enter the ON operating mode and the OFF operating mode to maintain the measured first temperature within the received defined temperature range.   
     
     
         12 . The personal comfort system of  claim 10 , the wireless communications circuitry to further receive at least one signal that includes data representative of a defined humidity range. 
     
     
         13 . The personal comfort system of  claim 12 , the control circuitry to further:
 cause the air mover selectively enter the ON operating mode and the OFF operating mode to maintain the measured relative humidity within the received defined humidity range.   
     
     
         14 . The personal comfort system of  claim 1 :
 wherein the environmental control system further comprises:
 moisture sensing circuitry positionable between the cleanroom worker and the cleanroom garment, the moisture sensing circuitry to measure surface moisture on the proximate the cleanroom worker inside the cleanroom garment. 
   
     
     
         15 . The personal comfort system of  claim 14 , the control circuitry to further:
 autonomously adjust the at least one air mover operating parameter responsive to the measured first temperature, the measured surface moisture, and the measured relative humidity.   
     
     
         16 . The personal comfort system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an attachment fixture physically coupled to the power supply and the air mover, the attachment fixture to physically couple the system to the cleanroom worker.   
     
     
         17 . The personal comfort system of  claim 16  wherein the attachment fixture comprises a belt worn about a torso of the cleanroom worker. 
     
     
         18 . The personal comfort system of  claim 16  wherein the power supply comprises a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         19 . A cleanroom compliant personal comfort system control method, comprising:
 receiving, by the control circuitry, a first input signal from first temperature sensing circuitry, the first input signal including information indicative of a measured first temperature between the cleanroom garment worn by the cleanroom worker and the cleanroom worker;   receiving, by the control circuitry, a second input signal from second temperature sensing circuitry, the second input signal including information indicative of a measured second temperature indicative of an ambient temperature external to the cleanroom garment;   receiving, by control circuitry, a third input signal from relative humidity sensing circuitry, the third input signal including information indicative of a measured relative humidity between a clean-room garment worn by a cleanroom worker and the cleanroom worker;   determining, by the control circuitry using at least one of: the measured first temperature, the measured second temperature, and the measured relative humidity between the cleanroom worker and the garment worn by the cleanroom worker to at least one of:
 maintain the first temperature in a defined temperature range; or 
 maintain the relative humidity below a defined humidity threshold value; and 
   causing, by the control circuitry, an air mover fluidly coupled to the one or more diffusers to provide the determined airflow.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the control circuity, a fourth input signal from moisture sensing circuitry, the fourth input signal including a value indicative of a presence of surface moisture on at least one of: the cleanroom worker or the cleanroom garment.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by the control circuitry using the measured presence of surface moisture on at least one of: the cleanroom worker or the cleanroom garment, an airflow through the one or more diffusers disposed between the cleanroom worker and the garment worn by the cleanroom worker to maintain the value indicative of a presence of surface moisture below a defined surface moisture threshold value.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein causing the air mover fluidly coupled to the one or more diffusers to provide the determined airflow further comprises:
 causing, by the control circuitry, a variable speed inline fan to operate at a speed to provide the determined airflow. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein determining an airflow through one or more diffusers disposed between the cleanroom worker and the garment worn by the cleanroom worker to at least one of: maintain the first temperature in a defined temperature range; or maintain the relative humidity below a defined humidity threshold value, further comprises:
 receiving, by the control circuitry via communicatively coupled wireless receiver circuitry, a signal that includes at least one of: information representative of the defined temperature range or information representative of the defined humidity threshold value.