Air handling system and method for an operating room

DETAILED DESCRIPTION We claim: 1.
An air handling system for supplying filtered air to an operating room having an operating region where surgical procedures are performed so as to reduce airborne contaminants and improve comfort within said operating region, said operating region being provided with an operating table, said operating room including a first wall, an opposite wall, and having a ceiling and a floor, said operating room also having a upper corner defined by the intersection of said ceiling and said first wall, said air handling system being used in conjunction with an air supply unit provided with an air outlet and an air return inlet, said air handling system comprising: a plenum mounted at said upper corner of said operating room, said plenum defining an air chamber therein connected in fluid communication to said air outlet of said air supply unit whereby air, under pressure, is supplied to said air chamber, said plenum further defining at least one diffuser opening accessing said chamber to said operating room; at least one air diffuser for communicating said air within said air chamber to said operating room, said air diffuser being closely received in said diffuser opening and disposed therein so as to depend downwardly from a point proximate said ceiling and converge with said first wall, said diffuser including an upper section and a lower section, said upper section being disposed at a first preselected angle for directing air flow emanating from said upper section in a first stream diagonally through said operating region above said operating table, said lower section being disposed at a second preselected angle for directing air flow emanating from said lower section in a second stream diagonally through said operating region toward said operating table; at least one air return connected in fluid communication with said air return inlet of said air supply unit for removing a major portion of air from said operating room, said air return being disposed in said opposite wall proximate said floor of said operating room; and at least one further air return connected in fluid communication with said air return inlet of said air supply unit for removing a minor portion of air from said operating room, said further air return disposed in said first wall proximate said floor of said operating room