PROTECTIVE HOOD AND ORAL-NASAL MASK

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a respiratory device and more particularly, is concerned with providing fresh, breathable air from contaminated air for use in aircraft and providing visibility to escaping aircraft passengers involved in an aircraft fire as well as other vehicle use and non-vehicle use. When installed in an aircraft the present invention embodies the function of the present supplemental oxygen mask, common in the art and referred to as the "gold cup", providing supplemental oxygen in cases of aircraft decompression.

Description of the Prior Art

[0002] In the past, many smoke hoods have been designed to protect the wearer by providing fresh breathable air from air in environments contaminated by smoke and noxious gases.

[0003] US-A-4,559,939 discloses a respiratory device for a user comprising;
   a protective hood means constructed and arranged to cover and enclose the user's head and neck area, and
   an oral-nasal mask means for a user,
   said hood means being connected to said mask means, said hood means including at least one viewing means made of generally rigid, transparent material located substantially in front of the user's eyes for providing a user wearing said hood means over the user's head with visibility into a smoke filled atmosphere outside said hood means,
   said hood means protecting the user's eyes from the effects of irritant gases and soot disposition resulting from toxic fire,
   said oral nasal mask means covering at least one of the user's air intake means,
   said mask means being fabricated of semi-flexible material and protecting the user from suffocation and asphyxiation due to smoke or toxic gas inhalation, or aircraft rapid decompression,
   a headband means attached to said mask means for preventing said mask means from dislodging from the air intake means of the user,
   said headband means being fabricated of an elastic means for maintaining said mask means upon the user's air intake means during inhalation, and
   air purifier means comprising air filtration means for converting atmospheric air filled with smoke, noxious gas and other gases into breathable air,
   a mask tube connecting said mask means to said air purifier means, and
   an atmospheric inlet tube having an air purifier end operably connected to said air purifier means, said atmospheric inlet tube having an atmosphere input end,
   said atmospheric inlet tube including means allowing for the prevention of the flow of ambient atmospheric air into the air purifier means.

[0004] US-A-4,116,237 discloses a supplemental air tank and hood system.

[0005] These devices only provide dry filters that mainly remove particulates.

[0006] US-A-4,554,683 provides a barrel shaped smoke hood sufficient to sustain the wearer for a short period of time. This hood works in situations involving high rise building fires where fresh, breathable air is available for a period of time prior to contamination by smoke and noxious gases. The major drawback of this hood when used in the aircraft fire situation is the consumption of the fresh, breathable air and generation of carbon dioxide within the hood, leading to hypercapnia and anoxia. In the aircraft fire situation, the time from onset of fire to time of evacuation may exceed the capacity of the device of US-A-4,554,683.

[0007] The present invention provides a oral-nasal mask which may be connected to any air supply and may be connected to an aircraft's emergency air supply and an air purification system through a chemical filter such that fresh, breathable air is available to the passenger at any point during the fire thereby eliminating the need to "fill" the hood with fresh air prior to donning the hood. The oral-nasal mask provides breathable air prior to placement of the hood over the head of the user and after placing the hood over the user's head.

[0008] While US-A-4,554,683 does mention that optional filters may be attached to the barrel shaped hood, the hood may not provide the passenger with fresh, breathable air prior to the passenger's asphyxiation or suffocation due to the smoke and noxious fumes even with the incorporation of the optional filters. Because the hood allows atmospheric air, which is likely to be contaminated in the aircraft fire case, into the hood prior to incorporation on the wearer, the wearer will have to take several breaths of contaminated air before any filtering system allows the purified air to enter the barrel shaped hood. Survivors of recent aircraft fires have stated that one and two breaths of the smoke and noxious gases present in the aircraft fire resulted in the passenger's lungs feeling solidified and in the passenger's experiencing extreme sleepiness. The passengers of aircraft fires cannot risk taking several breaths of the contaminated, toxic, atmospheric air within the hood of US-A-4,554,683 prior to receiving the purified air where such immediate and critical symptoms occur from one or two breaths.

[0009] The present invention provides an oral-nasal mask and hood. The oral-nasal mask does not require a user or passenger to take several breaths of the contaminated, surrounding atmospheric air prior to receiving the fresh, breathable air. The oral-nasal mask may be of relatively small volume, just sufficient to cover the user's or passenger's mouth and nose region such that the passenger will receive fresh, breathable air immediately upon the user's or passenger's first breath from a supply or from the aircraft supply and/or from the surrounding air filtered through the wet and dry purification filter.

[0010] Further, traditional filters are not effective in removing some toxic materials, specifically Hydrogen Cyanide, Hydrogen Chloride, Hydrogen Fluoride, and Carbon Monoxide, some of the more lethal and commonly occurring gases in modern building fires or in aeroplane fires. The disclosed chemical cleansing system which may be used in the present invention is more effective in reducing levels of Hydrogen Cyanide, Carbon Monoxide and other gases which enter the filtration system. The wet filter scrubs the incoming contaminated air in a wet bath of bases to neutralize the acidic toxic gases. A porous plastic material may be used that allows the liquid to remain inside the purifier but allows the user's lungs to draw the contaminated air through the interior of the porous plastic section. The porous plastic material is a hydrophobic material composed of polyethylene or other common plastics, a trade name common in this application is POREX POROUS POLYETHYLENE.

[0011] Smoke hoods that have been proposed are disclosed in several prior patents including: US-A-4,554,683, 4,231,118, 3,562,813 and 3,458,864. However, the device of the present invention may be relatively small and compact for use in a building or vehicle or an aircraft and in leaving same. The respiratory device may also include a wet chemical scrubbing filter for cleaning a room or cabin air of toxic and other gases connected to the oral-nasal mask, the combination of a collapsible hood that is connected to the oral-nasal mask allowing the oral-nasal mask to be placed over the user's nose and mouth prior to covering the user's eyes with the hood. While the above mentioned prior art utilizes a protective hood to surround the user with breathable air, the protective hood which may be used in the present invention has as one of its primary purposes, not to surround the user with fresh air, as the oral-nasal mask already provides this, but to insulate the user's eyes from the irritating effects of the noxious gases and soot disposition by filling the hood with the user's exhaust gases from the oral-nasal mask. In addition, the present invention provides the passenger with fresh, breathable air before the user or passenger dons the smoke hood. This psychological advancement provides the passengers with the security of fresh breathable air before surrounding their heads with the air impervious hood.

[0012] In addition, no other prior art incorporates a dual air supply system providing the user or passenger with either, or both, fresh air from the local supply aircraft's emergency air source if provided, or from the contaminated surroundings by filtering same through a chemical filter. The present invention may rely entirely upon the ambient air supply to provide the user or passenger with fresh, breathable air from contaminated surrounding air for a temporary period sufficient to escape from the room, the surrounding area or the cabin of a aircraft. The filtering system is stored in the cup-like oral-nasal mask. The hood that may be easily placed over the user or passenger is conveniently attached to the outside of the oral-nasal mask.

[0013] Consequently, a need exists for an aircraft respiratory device incorporating both an oral-nasal mask providing the passenger with fresh, breathable air from alternative sources, the aircraft's emergency air source and an air purifier source that removes contaminants from the surrounding cabin air, and a protective hood to insulate the passenger from the smoke and noxious gases associated with an aircraft fire to improve passenger's visibility by filling the hood with the user's exhausted gas during an escape from the aircraft. The same compact respiratory device may be used in other vehicles or by firemen or the like. The chemical air purifier continues to work after the user detaches himself from the bottled air or the aircraft's emergency air in order to exit the area, room or aircraft.

[0014] In US-A-1,929,343 there is disclosed a respiratory device for a user comprising:
   a protective hood means constructed and arranged to cover and enclose the user's head and neck area, and
   an oral-nasal mask means for a user,
   said hood means being connected to said mask means, said hood means including at least one viewing means made of generally rigid, transparent material located substantially in front of the user's eyes for providing a user wearing said hood means over the user's head with visibility into a smoke filled atmosphere outside said hood means,
   said hood means protecting the user's eyes from the effects of irritant gases and soot disposition resulting from toxic fire,
   said oral-nasal mask means being constructed and arranged to conform to the contours of at least one of the user's air intake means so as to form a relatively tight seal around the latter,
   said mask means being fabricated of semi-flexible material and protecting the user from suffocation and asphyxiation due to smoke or toxic gas inhalation, or aircraft rapid decompression,
   air purifier means comprising air filtration means for converting atmospheric air filled with smoke, noxious gas and other gases into breathable air, the air purifier means being separate from and independent of the hood means,
   a headband means attached to said mask means for preventing said mask means from dislodging from the air intake means of the user, said headband means being fabricated of an elastic means for maintaining said mask means upon the user's air intake means during inhalation, and
   an atmospheric inlet means having an air purifier end operably connected to said air purifier means, said atmospheric inlet means having an atmosophere input end.

[0015] According to the present invntion there is provided a respiratory device for a user comprising:
   protective hood means constructed and arranged to cover and enclose the user's head and neck area, and
   an oral-nasal mask means for a user,
   said hood means being connected to said mask means, said hood means including at least one viewing means made of generally rigid, transparent material located substantially in front of the user's eyes for providing a user wearing said hood means over the user's head with visibility into a smoke filled atmosphere outside said hood means,
   said hood means protecting the user's eyes from the effects of irritant gases and soot disposition resulting from toxic fire,
   said oral-nasal mask means being constructed and arranged to conform to the contours of at least one of the user's air intake means so as to form a relatively tight seal around the latter,
   said mask means being fabricated of semi-flexible material and protecting the user from suffocation and asphyxiation due to smoke or toxic gas inhalation, or aircraft rapid decompression,
   air purifier means comprising air filtration means for converting atmospheric air filled with smoke, noxious gas and other gases into breathable air, the air purifier means being separate from and independent of the hood means,
   a headband means attached to said mask means for preventing said mask means from dislodging from the air intake means of the user, said headband means being fabricated of an elastic means for maintaining said mask means upon the user's air intake means during inhalation, and
   an atmospheric inlet means having an air purifier end operably connected to said air purifier means, said atmospheric inlet means having an atmosphere input end,
   characterised in that the hood means is made of non-flammable, gas impermeable material, the mask means forming a relatively tight seal around both of the user's air intake means, the air purifier means comprising oxidation catalyst means and acid neutralising means, and the air purifier means being disposed within and open to the interior of a sealed air bag which is itself disposed within the hood means, the sealed air bag being provided with a normally closed one-way valve constituting the said atmospheric inlet means, the sealed air bag also being provided with a further inlet for admitting emergency air from a source thereof, the normally closed one-way valve opening when the air pressure within the sealed air bag falls below a predetermined value.

[0016] The device of the present invention is suitable for use by users of rooms and various areas that may have emergency fires, as well as passengers of aircraft involved in aircraft fires, to temporarily maintain the user or passenger's air supply and visibility as well as for other aircraft emergencies such as loss of cabin pressure at high altitudes. The present invention may be embodied in the existing drop down oral-nasal mask to air supply systems. The first of these is the ordinary bottle emergency air or airplane emergency air supply system that allows the user or passenger to breath directly from the emergency air source. The second of these is from a filtering system, a chemical air purifier, stored in the cup shaped mask that scrubs toxic and other gases that are taken in from the surrounding room, area or cabin air to purify same for human use in breathing in the event of a fire in the room, area, or cabin. The hood is connected to the outside of the cup shaped mask for easy access after the user or passenger places the mask over his nose and mouth. Such a dual respiratory device with a chemical air purifier has not been incorporated in prior aircraft respiratory systems.

[0017] Accordingly, the present invention is such as to provide temporary life support to permit each user or passenger involved in a room fire, area fire or aircraft fire, and the device may include the ordinary drop down oral-nasal mask to cover the passenger's mouth and nose region and to surround the passenger's mouth and nose region with fresh,breathable air, a protective hood to insulate the user's or passenger's eyes from the irritant effects of smoke and noxious gas when the hood is filled with the user's exhaust gases, and an air purifier to provide the user or passenger with fresh,breathable air in addition to the aircraft's emergency air source or to provide the user or passenger with the fresh, breathable air after the bottled air or aircraft oxygen is depleted or turned off or the passenger has disconnected himself from the bottled air or aircraft supply when exiting the room, area or aircraft. In the present invention, the preferred embodiment allows the user or passenger to initially breath the two types of air first, the bottled air or the aircraft's emergency air source and second, the purified room, area or cabin air source through the wet filter.

[0018] The invention is illustrated, merely by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the respiratory device of the present invention emerging from the ceiling on a lanyard and an oxygen tube of the aircraft with the oral-nasal mask, wet and/ordry chemical air purifier system behind a sealed cover, and hood under a cover connected to the outside of the mask;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a user or passenger user grabbing the respiratory device;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the user or passenger releasing the wet chemical air purifier system from behind the cover and in breaking the seal between the oral-nasal mask and wet chemical air purifier system and extending the purifier system away from the cover with the breathing tube extended;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the oral-nasal mask and air purifier in its extended position for use and the lanyard disconnected;

Figure 5 is a view of the oral-nasal mask and wet chemical air purifier in position on the user's or passenger's head;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the user or passenger beginning to release the hood on the oral-nasal mask;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the user or passenger having pulled the mask over his head and the oral-nasal mask;

Figure 8 is a front view of the user or passenger in Figure 7 illustrating the supply air tube of the stored air tube severed from the bottled air or aircraft to allow the user or passenger to exit the room, area or aircraft;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the user or passenger in Figure 7 with the hood stored under the hood cover,

Figure 10 is a cross section of the lower cap showing the air passages and the internal configuration of the wet and dry air purifier; and

Figure 11 is a top view of Figure 10 with the right portion tilted upward.

[0019] This is a new and improved invention for a respiratory device 12 shown in Figures 1 and 2, for use by an individual carrying bottled air or in a vehicle, such as an aircraft. The device 12 provides users and aircraft passengers with fresh,breathable air in case of smoke, fire or rapid decompression from an air supply or an aircraft supply and from purified room, area or cabin air and to improve the user's or passenger's visibility and breathing during an escape when the air supply or aircraft supply is disengaged or depleted,. The respiratory device 12, includes an oral-nasal mask 1, composed of semi-flexible material constructed from film or injection molded. The mask includes a open cup-shaped interior 5 shown in Figure 4, to engage upon the user's or passenger's mouth and nose region 2 shown in Figure 5, to isolate the user's or passenger's mouth and nose region 2, from the contaminated area, room or cabin atmosphere surrounding the user's head. The oral-nasal mask 1, is generally cup-shaped with edges 7 and 7', contoured to substantially conform to a human face and particularly, to contour to the passenger's cheekbones 8, and chin 9. This prevents the inflow of area air into the nose-mouth piece.

[0020] Door 50 of the storage opens either manually or automatically container. Illustrated is an airplane's storage container. The door 50 hangs down on hinge 52 to open the small overhead compartment 56 to allow the respirator system 12 to drop out as shown in Figure 1. The system 12 may be pulled out of the small storage container 56. The oxygen or air tube 58 and lanyard 60 are connected to the respirator system 12 and the inside of the small storage compartment 56. The user's hand 62 grabs handle 64 and pulls as shown in Figure 2 purifier shell 66 as shown by arrow A in Figure 3 from the mask 1 and upper cap 70. The plastic seal 68 is broke as shown in Figure 3 and shell 66 is placed in an in-use position as shown in Figure 3 exposing the outer filter 72 of the wet chemical air purifier 14 that is below filter 72. The purifer shell 66 is supported by lanyard 60.

[0021] An elastic band 10, is attached to the oral-nasal mask 1, near the edges 7 and 7′. The passenger extends the elastic band 10, behind the passenger's head 11, to compress the oral-nasal mask 1, against the passenger's mouth and nose region 2 to maintain oral-nasal mask 1, with a substantially airtight seal around the passenger's mouth and nose region 2 as shown in Figure 5. The elastic band would allow exhaled air to move out around the edges 7 and 7′ by reason that the nose-mouthpiece has a one-way valve to allow air into the mouthpiece from tube 74. To keep a tight seal at all times, one way exit valves 90 located on the nose-mouthpiece 1. The elastic band 10, also supports the rest of the respiratory system 12, in place without further assistance. The elastic band 10, is flexible and is easily folded into the interior 5 of the oral nasal mask 1 along with a portion of the wet chemical air purifier 14, for storage purposes.

[0022] The oral-nasal mask tube 58 is connected to the purifier shell 66, with a passageway shown by arrows B, C, D, E and F shown in Figure 10 into the oral-nasal mask 1. The tube 74 extends into the interior 5 of the oral nasal mask 1 and may have a one-way valve in tube 74. The end of tube 74, of the oral-nasal mask tube 74, extends into the interior 5, of the oral-nasal mask 1, which is unblocked and provides the path for fresh, breathable air to enter the oral-nasal mask 1. The sealed air bag 80 has a one-way flapper valve 84 to allow air to come into the air passageway as shown by arrow B′. Outside of flapper valve 84 and bag 80 is particulate filter 72 for filtering out larger particles. The area, room or aircraft air enters at 86. The tube 58 may be broken at 58′ as shown at 88 in Figure 8 or the tube 58 may be pulled off entrance member 86.

[0023] When the lanyard is pulled down, disengaging it by handle 64, air through 58 fills bag 80 and expands filter 72 as shown in Figure 4. The user as shown in Figure 5, breaths air from tube 58 through passageways B, C, D and E and from the cabin air through valve 84.

[0024] The user breaths air in through the oral-nasal mask 1 and exhales into the mask out through one-way valves 90.

[0025] The wet chemical air purifier 14, is a multichambered assembly of chemicals and filter media, designed to effectively remove the critical levels of harmful, noxious gases and smoke from the atmospheric air coming through particle filter 72 and one or more one-way valves 84 in the plastic non-porous plastic breather bag 84. The air from the cabin coming through valve 84 first passes through rigid purifier structure and filter 100. The material making up filter 100 is a combination of metal or plastic screen, various filtering media common in the art and a hydrophobic porous membrane to enclose the wet filter. In the first chamber 110 is defined by a porous plastic container 112 that allows gases to pass through from filter 100 through filter 120 but keep the wet chemical within container 112. The gas is scrubbed as it passes through container 112. Acid gases are neutralized in container 112 containing wet base materials. The gases are neutralized before they pass through filter 120 and on through the second chamber 130. Chamber 130 catalyzes CO to CO₂, by passing the gas stream through a catalyst such as hopcalite, a mixed metal oxide to provide breathable air at F. The air purifier 14, consists of a container 112 which contains a sac 113 to store the wet base materials until activated by pulling actuator, 64. The wet chemical air purifier 14, is completely enclosed and seals the active chemical agents 16 within the container 112 and sac 113 from the atmosphere. The chemical may be both wet and/or dry when activated for use.

[0026] The chemical portion of the air purifier in container 112 and stored in sac 113, is actuated by the pull on handle 64 relative to lower cap 66 that pulls cord 150. The cord pulls sac 113 between rollers 152 and 154 to rupture sac 113 and displace chemical agents 16 into container 112, as described hereinafter. The chemical portion of the air purifier in container 112, has two parts, wet and dry which are mixed at the time of actuation, to provide effective neutralizing solution for wet filtration of the noxious and toxic gases as they pass through the filter before moving on through the dry filter portion of the air purifier 14.

[0027] As illustrated in Figure 4, the air purifier 14, rests partially in the interior 5, of the oral nasal mask 1, while in storage, prior to deployment. In this state, cord 150 is attached to handle 64 and one end of the inactivated container 112. The other end of container 112 may be connected to filter 100. The opposing end of the pull cord 150 when pulled downward as shown in Figure 10, pulls the sac 113 storing the liquid component of the purifier. The end of the pull cord 150 is attached to the sac 113 within the air purifier container 112. As the passenger pulls the handle 64, releasing the purifier shell 66 holding the air purifier 14, to deploy the oral nasal mask 1, the tension on the cord 150, causes rupture of the wet sac 112, releasing the wet chemical into the surrounding dry chemical agent 162. As the user or passenger continues to pull on the handle to pull on the lanyard 60 to release air from the air craft storage into the air breather bag 80, the cord 150 will again be pulled to ensure the breaking of container 160 in container 112 when the user is preparing the mask 1 for deployment. The release of wet chemical 164, which may be water solutions of various alkaline hydroxides or similar base solutions, into the dry chemical 162 which may be a mixture of metal hydroxides, or metal oxides, fully actuates the wet chemical air purifier and filtering system.

[0028] The aircraft emergency air can enter the air purifier 14, through the air tube 58 through entry tube 86 through passage 166 and 168 into chamber 110 and through chamber 130, and through tube 74 into the mask 1, a one-way valve only allowing air to pass into compartment 166 from entry 86. At each stage the elements are sealed to require passage of air in the desired direction. The fresh, breathable air from the bottled air or aircraft's emergency air source enters the air tube 58 from the aircraft supply system or storage means. Because the fresh, breathable air from the bottled air or aircraft's emergency air source is non-contaminated, it does not react with the chemicals in filter 112 as it proceeds from tube 58 into bag 80, adding to its expanded shape and then filter 100 in the air purifier 14. From the filter, the fresh, breathable air passes along a path shown by arrows D and F and enters the oral-nasal mask tube 74 which passes the air into the oral-nasal mask 1, where it is inhaled by the user or passenger.

[0029] Also attached to the air purifier 14, is an atmospheric valve 84 or additional valves within filter 72. The valve 84 is open to the atmosphere in the cabin allowing the contaminated air into the air purifier through filter 100. The area, room or cabin air passes through the first chamber 110 and the second chamber 130 and out through tube 74 into the mask 1.

[0030] The user can breath both bottled air or aircraft supply air and purified area, room or cabin air in a percentage governed by the pressure of the aircraft supply air and the design pressure of the valve 84 for example 60% bottled air or aircraft supply air and 40% area, room or cabin air. In the case of rapid decompression of an aircraft, the user's air is substantially provided by the aircraft supply.

[0031] The valve assembly 84 may be redesigned in another embodiment so that the valve 84 will remain "normally closed", blocking the flow of the contaminated air from the cabin into the wet chemical air purifier 14, until the internal pressure of air from the bottled air or aircraft supply system, is reduced below a design pressure or the ambient pressure of the area, room or cabin. This reduction would result from reduced flow through the air tube 58, or increased flow demand by the user or passenger. The internal pressure within the air purifier caused by the flow of fresh, breathable air into the air purifier 14, via the air tube 58, may also act to force the closure of the valve 84 (depending on the design features), until the flow of fresh, breathable air via the air tube 58, ceases. The valve assembly 58, may be a simple flapper valve well known in the art.

[0032] The air tube 58, has a breakpoint or may be pulled off the entrance connection, where the air tube is easily separated thereby disconnecting the passenger from the aircraft's emergency air source and giving the passenger the mobility necessary to escape the aircraft. Upon disconnection of the air tube, the entrance into the air purifier is exposed to the contaminated atmospheric air thereby allowing additional contaminated, cabin air into the air purifier. Because the contaminated air contains smoke, toxic gases and noxious gases, the wet and dry chemical materials in the air purifier reacts with and removed the smoke, toxic gases, and noxious gas from the contaminated air thereby rendering the air fit to breath. The purified air is then pulled through the oral-nasal mask tube by the force of the passenger inhaling from the oral-nasal mask 1, such that the passenger can temporarily continue to breath purified, breathable air despite the disconnection of the air tube 58, from the bottled or aircraft's emergency air source.

[0033] In the event the user or passenger neglects to remove or break the air tube, to afford the user or passenger's escape from the area, room or aircraft and the bottled air or aircraft's emergency air source becomes depleted, the respiratory system, will always automatically deliver fresh, breathable air to the user or passenger despite the air source depletion. The respiratory system 12, accomplished this using the flapper valve 84 attached to the breather bag. When the user or passenger inhales against the depleted emergency air source, a vacuum is created in the interior of chambers 110 and 130 within the air purifier 14. In an attempt to equalize internal pressures, the higher pressured air in the area, room or cabin moves through the filter 100 toward the lower pressured air in the air purifier 14. The force of the higher pressured area, room or cabin air moving into the air purifier 14, lifts the flapper valve 84, to the open position thereby allowing cabin air into the air purifier to be cleansed by the chemical material prior to delivery to the user or passenger's mouth and nose, via the oral-nasal mask 1.

[0034] The interior 5, of the oral-nasal mask 1 is sterilized prior to use of the respiratory system 12, to promote cleanliness. The air purifier 14, is shaped to engage against the edges 7 and 7′ of the oral-nasal mask 1, to seal the interior 5 of the oral-nasal mask 1, and to prevent the oral-nasal mask 1 from losing its sterility prior to use by the passenger. The user or passenger breathes air in through tube 74 and exhausts air out flapper valves 90.

[0035] The hood 28, is folded and attached on the exterior, near the apex, of the cup shaped oral-nasal mask 1 below cup 70, see Figure 6, in the respiratory system's storage state, prior to deployment. The upper cap 70 is positioned over the hood 28. The lens 29 may be flexible and generally curved to lay flat against the exterior of the mask 1 or in a folded position just underneath the folded hood 28.

[0036] A hood tab 30, is attached to the hood 28, to allow the user or passenger to quickly grab one tab as shown in Figure 6 or more tabs in at least one hand to pull outward in order to pop off the upper cap in the direction of arrow H as shown in Figure 7. The hood is then pulled as shown by arrow G off of the oral-nasal mask 1, and over the user's or passenger's head 11 as shown in Figure 7. The hood tab is conspicuously positioned substantially in front of the wearer's eyes to promote awareness of the availability of the smoke hood attached to the oral nasal mask 1. When properly placed, the hood 28 covers the passenger's entire head and neck area 31 and generally over the shoulders. The lens 29 is positioned substantially in front of the user's or passenger's eyes. The front 32, of the hood 28, may include a short slit to allow the air tube 58 to run from the lower cup of the air purifier 14 to the bottled air or aircraft's emergency air source or it may extend out from under the bottom of the hood as shown in Figure 7.

[0037] The lens 29, may be formulated of Kapton polymer and is transparent to promote visibility in the presence of dense smoke,
   The present invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art, all within the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims hereof.

Claims

1. A respiratory device for a user comprising:
   a protective hood means (28) constructed and arranged to cover and enclose the user's head and neck area, and
   an oral-nasal mask means (1) for a user,
   said hood means (28) being connected to said mask means (1), said hood means (28) including at least one viewing means (29) made of generally rigid, transparent material located substantially in front of the user's eyes for providing a user wearing said hood means over the user's head with visibility into a smoke filled atmosphere outside said hood means,
   said hood means (28) protecting the user's eyes from the effects of irritant gases and soot disposition resulting from toxic fire,
   said oral nasal mask means (1) being constructed and arranged to conform to the contours of at least one of the user's air intake means so as to form a relatively tight seal around the latter,
   said mask means (1) being fabricated of semi-flexible material and protecting the user from suffocation and asphyxiation due to smoke or toxic gas inhalation, or aircraft rapid decompression,
   air purifier means (14) comprising air filtration means for converting atmospheric air filled with smoke, noxious gas and other gases into breathable air, the air purifier means being separate from and independent of the hook means (28),
   a headband means (10) attached to said mask means (1) for preventing said mask means from dislodging from the air intake means of the user, said headband means (10) being fabricated of an elastic means for maintaining said mask means upon the user's air intake means during inhalation, and
   an atmospheric inlet means (84) having an air purifier end operably connected to said air purifier means (14), said atmospheric inlet means (84) having an atmosphere input end,
   characterised in that the hood means (28) is made of non-flammable, gas impermeable material, the mask means forming a relatively tight seal around both of the user's air intake means, the air purifier means (14) comprising oxidation catalyst means and acid neutralising means, and the air purifier means (14) being disposed within and open to the interior of a sealed air bag (80) which is itself disposed within the hood means (28), the sealed air bag (80) being provided with a normally closed one-way valve (84) constituting the said atmospheric inlet means, the sealed air bag (80) also being provided with a further inlet (86) for admitting emergency air from a source thereof, the normally closed one-way valve (84) opening when the air pressure within the sealed air bag (80) falls below a predetermined value.

2. A respiratory device as claimed in claim 1 wherein:
   said hood means (28) includes flexible material to allow said hood means to be folded into a compact hood package removably connected to said mask means.

3. A respiratory device as claimed in claim 2 wherein:
   said mask means (1) has connecting means for attaching said hood package in a collapsed position to said mask means and has additional connecting means for attaching said air purifier in a collapsed position to said mask means, said hood means and said air purifier means in a collapsed position being connected to said mask means for providing a compact package.

4. A respiratory device as claimed in claim 3 wherein:
   said mask means includes a cup-shaped concave surface, said air purifier means being attached to said concave surface, and providing a cover for said mask means such that said mask means is kept substantially clean prior to contact with the user's air intake means.

5. A respiratory device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein:-
   said device includes a standard overhead oxygen mask aircraft compartment (56),
   said hood means (28), said mask means (1), said headband means (10), said air purifier means (14), said mask tube (74), and said atmospheric input means (84) being collapsible into said standard overhead oxygen mask compartment (56).

Ansprüche

1. Atemvorrichtung für einen Benutzer, umfassend:
ein Schutzhaubenmittel (28), welches zum Überdecken und Umschließen des Kopf- und Halsbereichs des Benutzers aufgebaut und eingerichtet ist, und
ein Oral-Nasal-Maskenmittel (1) für einen Benutzer,
wobei das Haubenmittel (28) mit dem Maskenmittel (1) verbunden ist,
wobei das Haubenmittel (28) wenigstens ein Sichtmittel (29) umfaßt, welches aus im allgemeinen steifem, transparentem, im wesentlichen vor den Augen des Benutzers angeordnetem Material gebildet ist, um einem das Haubenmittel über dem Benutzerkopf tragenden Benutzer eine Sichtmöglichkeit in eine rauchgefüllte Atmosphäre außerhalb des Haubenmittels zu verschaffen,
wobei das Haubenmittel (28) die Augen des Benutzers vor den Wirkungen von reizenden Gasen und Rußablagerung schützt, welche aus toxischem Feuer herrühren,
wobei das Oral-Nasal-Maskenmittel (1) dazu aufgebaut und eingerichtet ist, mit den Konturen wenigstens eines der Luftansaugmittel des Benutzers derart zusammenzupassen, daß eine relativ dichte Abdichtung um letzteres oder letztere gebildet ist,
wobei das Maskenmittel (1) aus semiflexiblem Material erzeugt ist und den Benutzer vor Atembeklemmung und Erstickung schützt, welche auf das Einatmen von Rauch oder toxischem Gas oder auf rasche Druckverminderung in einem Flugzeug zurückzuführen sind,
Luftreinigermittel (14), welche Luftfiltrationsmittel zum Umwandeln von mit Rauch, schädlichem Gas und anderen Gasen erfüllter atmosphärischer Luft in atembare Luft umfassen, wobei das Luftreinigermittel gesondert und unabhängig von dem Haubenmittel (28) ist,
ein an dem Maskenmittel (1) befestigtes Kopfbandmittel (10), um zu verhindern, daß sich das Maskenmittel von dem oder den Luftansaugmitteln des Benutzers entfernt, wobei das Kopfbandmittel (10) aus einem elastischen Mittel hergestellt ist, um das Maskenmittel während des Einatmens auf dem oder den Luftansaugmitteln des Benutzers zu halten und
ein Atmosphäreneinlaßmittel (84) mit einem betriebsmäßig mit dem Luftreinigermittel (14) verbundenen Luftreinigerende, wobei das Atmosphäreneinlaßmittel (84) ein Atmosphäreneingangsende aufweist,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Haubenmittel (28) aus nicht brennbarem, gasundurchlässigem Material hergestellt ist, wobei das Maskenmittel eine relativ dichte Abdichtung um beide Luftansaugmittel des Benutzers bildet, wobei das Luftreinigermittel (14) Oxidationskatalysatormittel und Säureneutralisierungsmittel umfaßt und das Luftreinigermittel (14) in dem und offen zu dem Inneren eines abgedichteten Luftsacks (80) angeordnet ist, welcher seinerseits in dem Haubenmittel (28) angeordnet ist, wobei der abgedichtete Luftsack (80) ein das Atmosphäreneinlaßmittel bildendes, normalerweise geschlossenes Rückschlagventil (84) aufweist, wobei der abgedichtete Luftsack (80) ferner einen weiteren Einlaß (86) zum Einlassen von Hilfsluft aus einer Quelle für dieselbe aufweist, wobei sich das normalerweise geschlossene Rückschlagventil (84) öffnet, wenn der Luftdruck in dem abgedichteten Luftsack (80) unter einen vorbestimmten Wert fällt.

2. Atemvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, bei welcher
das Haubenmittel (28) flexibles Material umfaßt, um ein Zusammenlegen des Haubenmittels in einen mit dem Maskenmittel lösbar verbundenen, kompakten Haubenpack zu ermöglichen.

3. Atemvorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, bei welcher
das Maskenmittel (1) Verbindungsmittel zum Anbringen des Haubenpacks in einer zusammengelegten Stellung an dem Maskenmittel aufweist und zusätzliche Verbindungsmittel zum Anbringen des Luftreinigers in einer zusammengelegten Stellung an dem Maskenmittel aufweist, wobei das Haubenmittel und das Luftreinigermittel in einer zusammengelegten Stellung mit dem Maskenmittel verbunden sind, um einen kompakten Pack zu bilden.

4. Atemvorrichtung nach Anspruch 3, bei welcher
das Maskenmittel eine schalenförmige, konkave Oberfläche umfaßt, wobei das Luftreinigermittel an der konkaven Oberfläche angebracht ist und eine Abdeckung für das Maskenmittel bildet, so daß das Maskenmittel vor Kontakt mit den Luftansaugmitteln des Benutzers im wesentlichen sauber gehalten ist.

5. Atemvorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, bei welcher
die Vorrichtung ein Standard-Luftfahrzeug-Überkopfsauerstoffmasken-Fach (56) umfaßt,
wobei das Haubenmittel (28), das Maskenmittel (1), das Kopfbandmittel (10), das Luftreinigermittel (14), die Maskenröhre (74) und das Atmosphäreneingangsmittel (84) in das Standard-Überkopfsauerstoffmasken-Fach (56) zusammenlegbar sind.

Revendications

1. Dispositif respiratoire pour un utilisateur, comprenant :
   un moyen de casque de protection (28) construit et disposé pour couvrir et entourer la tête et la région du cou de l'utilisateur, et
   un moyen de masque (1) bucco-nasal pour un utilisateur,
   ledit moyen de casque (28) comprenant au moins une fenêtre de vision (29) construite en un matériau transparent généralement rigide, placée sensiblement devant les yeux de l'utilisateur pour donner à l'utilisateur, portant ledit moyen de casque sur sa tête, la visibilité à travers une atmosphère remplie de fumée extérieure audit moyen de casque,
   ledit moyen de casque (28) protégeant les yeux de l'utilisateur des effets de gaz irritants et de dépôts de suie résultant d'un incendie toxique,
   ledit moyen de masque bucco-nasal (1) étant construit et disposé pour épouser les contours d'au moins un des moyens d'apport d'air de l'utilisateur, afin de former un joint relativement étanche autour de ce dernier,
   ledit moyen de masque (1) étant fabriqué en un matériau semi-souple et protégeant l'utilisateur de l'étouffement et de l'asphyxie dus à l'inhalation de fumées ou de gaz toxiques, ou à la décompression rapide d'un avion,
   des moyens de purification (14) de l'air, comprenant des moyens de filtrage de l'air pour transformer l'air atmosphérique rempli de fumées, de gaz toxiques et d'autres gaz, en air respirable, les moyens de purification de l'air étant distincts et indépendants du moyen de casque (28),
   un moyen de bandeau (10) fixé sur ledit moyen de casque (1) pour empêcher ledit moyen de masque de se dégager du moyen d'apport d'air à l'utilisateur, ledit bandeau (10) étant fabriqué en un matériau élastique pour maintenir ledit moyen de masque sur le moyen d'apport d'air pendant l'inhalation, et
   un moyen d'entrés de l'air atmosphérique (84) ayant une extrémité du côté du purificateur d'air fonctionnellement reliée audit moyen purificateur d'air (14), ledit moyen d'entrée de l'air atmosphérique (84) ayant une extrémité d'entrée de l'air atmosphérique,
   caractérisé en ce que le moyen de casque (28) est construit en un matériau non combustible, imperméable aux gaz, le moyen de masque formant un joint relativement étanche autour du moyen d'apport d'air à l'utilisateur, le moyen purificateur d'air (14) comprenant un moyen de catalyseur d'oxydation et un moyen de neutralisation des acides, et le moyen purificateur d'air (14) étant placé dans et ouvert vers l'intérieur d'un sac à air étanche (80) qui est lui-même placé dans le moyen de casque (28), le sac à air étanche (80) étant équipé d'une vanne monodirectionnelle (84) qui constitue ledit moyen d'entrée de l'air atmosphérique, le sac à air étanche (80) étant équipé d'une autre entrée (86) d'admission d'urgence d'air venant d'une source correspondante, la vanne monodirectionnelle (84) normalement fermée s'ouvrant quand la pression d'air, à l'intérieur du sac à air étanche (80), descend au-dessous d'une valeur prédéterminée.

2. Dispositif respiratoire selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit moyen de casque (28) comprend un matériau souple qui permet de plier ledit moyen de casque en un paquet compact de casque relié de façon amovible audit moyen de masque.

3. Dispositif respiratoire selon la revendication 2, dans lequel ledit moyen de masque (1) comporte des moyens supplémentaires de connexion pour relier ledit purificateur d'air en position aplatie audit moyen de masque, ledit moyen de casque et ledit moyen purificateur d'air étant reliés dans leur état aplati audit moyen de masque pour former un ensemble compact.

4. Dispositif respiratoire selon la revendication 3, dans lequel ledit moyen de masque comprend une surface concave en forme de coupelle, ledit moyen purificateur d'air étant fixé à ladite surface concave, et constituant pour ledit moyen de masque un couvercle tel que ledit moyen de masque est maintenu sensiblement propre avant de venir en contact avec le moyen d'apport d'air à l'utilisateur.

5. Dispositif respiratoire selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ledit dispositif comprend un compartiment (56) pour masque à oxygène d'avion, standard, suspendu, ledit moyen de casque (28), ledit moyen de masque (1), ledit moyen de bandeau (10), ledit moyen purificateur d'air (14), ledit tube de masque (74) et ledit moyen d'entrée de l'air atmosphérique (84) pouvant être aplatis à l'intérieur dudit compartiment (56) standard pour masque à oxygène suspendu.

Drawing