Air ventilated protection suit

An air ventilated protection suit includes an air input port, and a flat air duct connected to an inner end of the air input port. The flat air duct has hoses provided therein to separately extend in directions along which air is delivered to a whole interior of the protection suit. The hoses keep the flat air duct in an always unimpeded state, and respectively include an axially extended spiral cut, such that air supplied into the hosts pushes open the spiral cuts to flow from the hosts into the flat air duct via the push-opened spiral cuts. The protection suit also includes an inspection port to allow an air-tightness inspection of the protection suit before a wearer entering into a working environment; and an air-guiding case fitted around each pressure relief valve provided on the protection suit to provide a space for air released from the pressure relief valve.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an air ventilated protection suit, which can be filled with air to have internal pressure higher than ambient pressure, so as to safely protect a wearer against hazardous particles, toxic gas, bacteria or virus in a working environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In industrial and medical researches as well as in many manufacturing processes for different products, some health-hazardous particles will be produced to exist in the working environment. Therefore, persons engaging in such researches or product manufacture must wear a protection suit in the working environment to isolate the particle from the wearers, and particularly to prevent the particles from entering the wearers' bodies via respiration.

After a wearer has put on the protection suit, air must be immediately supplied into the protection suit, so that there is sufficient oxygen-containing air in the protection suit for the wearer to breathe in. Therefore, it is an important and basic requirement that air can be quickly supplied into the protection suit. Generally, a protection suit is internally provided with a duct for guiding air to four limbs of the protection suit. The duct consists of an upper and a lower plastic sheet that are adhered to each other along their two lateral edges, so that a normally flat duct is formed. When the protection suit is stored in an environment with relatively high temperature and humidity, the upper and lower sheets of the duct will very possibly become attached to each other to result in a blocked duct, which no doubt seriously adversely affects the important operation of quickly supplying air into the protection suit.

Meanwhile, to protect the wearer against the health-hazardous instantaneous high pressure in the protection suit caused by movements of the wearer during work, check valves are provided on the protection suit so that the air that causes the instantaneous high pressure can be discharged from the protection suit via the check valves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an air ventilated protection suit that ensures an internal air duct thereof is always in an unimpeded state for delivering air, so as to quickly complete the supply of air into the protection suit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an air ventilated protection suit that includes an inspection port to enable an air-tightness inspection of the protection suit before a wearer can safely enter a working environment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an air ventilated protection suit that includes an air-guiding case fitted around each pressure relief valve provided on the protection suit, so that air released from the pressure relief valves can be successfully guided out of the protection suit.

To achieve the above and other objects, the air ventilated protection suit according to the present invention includes an air input port, and a flat air duct connected to an inner end of the air input port. The flat air duct has hoses provided therein to separately extend in directions along which air is delivered to a whole interior of the protection suit. The hoses respectively include an axially extended spiral cut, such that air supplied via the air input port into the hoses pushes open the spiral cuts to flow from the hoses into the flat air duct via the push-opened spiral cuts.

The flat air duct can have four hoses provided therein, and the four hoses separately extend from the inner end of the air input port to four limbs of the protection suit.

The protection suit further has pressure relief devices provided thereon. Each of the pressure relief devices includes a pressure relief valve and an air-guiding case. The air-guiding case is a substantially flat case configured for inserting in a pocket on the protection suit and having front and rear open ends with at least four bars provided at the front open end to prevent the same from deformation. And, the pressure relief valve is introduced into the air-guiding case.

The air-guiding case includes a top plate being provided at a rear end with four air outlets, and a bottom plate being provided at a rear end with a notch. And, the pressure relief port on the protection suit is arranged at a position corresponding to the notch on the bottom plate of the air-guiding case.

The protection suit further has an inspection port and a plug for sealing the inspection port; and the plug is connected to an outer wall of the inspection port via a flexible belt.

The protection suit further includes an entry/exit opening, which is openable via a zipper for a wearer to put on the protection suit; and a seal flap set provided on an outer side of the entry/exit opening to prevent air from entering the protection suit via the entry/exit opening. The seal flap set includes a left flap and a right flap, which can be fastened to each other to prevent air from entering the protection suit via the entry/exit opening; and the left and right flaps of the seal flap set are fastened to each other at a position offset from the zipper on the entry/exit opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIGS. 1 to 4. An air ventilated protection suit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a one-piece protection suit10with an integral hood11providing sufficient space for head. The protection suit10includes an entry/exit opening16, via which a wearer puts on the protection suit10. A seal flap set162is provided on an outer side of the entry/exit opening16to prevent air from entering the protection suit10via the entry/exit opening16. The entry/exit opening16is provided with a zipper161for opening or closing the entry/exit opening16. The seal flap set162includes a left flap1621and a right flap1622, which can be fastened to each other to achieve the purpose of preventing air from entering the protection suit10. The left and right flaps1621,1622of the seal flap set162are fastened to each other at a position offset from the zipper161, so that a slide1611of the zipper161does not press against and accordingly force open the fastening position of the left and right flaps1621,1622to cause air leak of the protection suit10at the entry/exit opening16.

Please also refer toFIGS. 3 and 5. The protection suit10is provided with an air input port17, which is connectable with an air hose of an air supply device (not shown) for delivering oxygen-containing air into the protection suit10, so that the protection suit10has internal pressure higher than the air pressure in a working environment. The air supply device can be an air compressor or a powered inflation device. The air input port17has an inner end connected to a flat air duct20, which delivers the supplied oxygen-containing air to four limbs12,13,14,15of the protection suit10. As can be seen inFIG. 6, the air duct20consists of an upper and a lower plastic sheet21,22, which are adhered to each other along two lateral edges thereof to thereby form the flat air duct20. The flat air duct20is internally provided with hoses30, which extend in the flat air duct20in a direction along which air is delivered. With the hoses30, the upper and lower sheets21,22of the air duct20are always spaced from each other at a transversely middle portion thereof without the risk of becoming completely adhered together when the protection suit10is folded for storage, particularly in a high-temperature and high-humidity environment. In this way, it can be ensured the air duct20is always in an unimpeded state, allowing quick delivery of the oxygen-containing air to the limbs12,13,14,15and a whole internal space of the protection suit10.

FIGS. 7 and 8show the hose30for the protection suit10. As shown inFIG. 7, the hose30includes an axially extended spiral cut31. When the oxygen-containing air is supplied into the hose30, the spiral cut31on the hose30is pushed open by the air pressure, as shown inFIG. 8, so that the air flows from the hose30into the air duct20via the opened spiral cut31and the air delivery rate is not adversely affected at all.

Four hoses30can be provided in the flat air duct20to separately extend from the inner end of the air input port17to the four limbs12,13,14,15.

The wearer will move his or her body, limbs and head during work. Some of the wearer's movements might squeeze the air in the protection suit10to form instantaneous high internal pressure therein. To avoid causing any possible discomfort to the wearer by the high internal pressure, the protection suit10includes pressure relief devices40arranged at the hood11and the back thereof for discharging the air that causes the instantaneous high pressure. The protection suit10also includes pockets18, in which the pressure relief devices40are positioned.

Please refer toFIGS. 9 and 10. Each of the pressure relief devices40includes a pressure relief valve41and an air-guiding case42. The pressure relief valve41includes a first thin sheet411and a second thin sheet412. The first thin sheet411has an aperture413, which is in close contact with a pressure relief port181provided on the protection suit10. The second thin sheet412is superimposed on the first thin sheet411with four corners of the two thin sheets411,412fixedly connected to one another, so as to seal the pressure relief port181. Each of the pressure relief ports181on the protection suit10includes a diaphragm182, which is able to prevent the air in the protection suit10from leaking out via the pressure relief port181in normal condition. Since the pressure relief valve41is a known skill and not a feature of the present invention, it is not discussed in more details herein. The air-guiding case42is a substantially flat case having front and rear open ends. At least four bars421are provided at the front open end of the air-guiding case42for preventing the front open end from deformation. The air-guiding case42is configured for inserting in the pocket18on the protection suit10, and the pressure relief valve41is introduced into the air-guiding case42. When the air released from the protection suit10via the pressure relief port181flows through the aperture413of the pressure relief valve41, the released air swells a space between the first thin sheet411and the second thin sheet412, allowing the air to be discharged from between the first and the second thin sheet411,412. The air-guiding case42has an internal space sufficient for the first and the second thin sheet411,412to complete the movement of swelling to release air.

The air-guiding case42includes a top plate422and a bottom plate423. The top plate422is provided near a rear end with four air outlets424, via which the air released via the pressure relief valve41is guided to the top of the air-guiding case42, lest the released air should have an adverse influence on the swelling state of the space between the first thin sheet411and the second thin sheet422. The bottom plate423has a notch425formed at a rear end thereof. The pressure relief port181on the protection suit10is located at a position corresponding to the notch425.

After a wearer has put on the protection suit10, it is necessary to ensure the protection suit10is perfect without any leak hole or fissure. Any leak hole or fissure resulting in air leak would endanger the wearer's life, safety or health. Please refer toFIG. 5. The protection suit10of the present invention is provided with an inspection port19and a plug191for sealing the inspection port19. The plug191is connected to an outer wall of the inspection port19via a flexible belt192, such that the plug191can be integrally connected to the protection suit10. Before the wearer entering into the working environment, the plug191is unplugged from the inspection port19, and a pressure gauge (not shown) is connected to the inspection port19to measure the internal pressure of the protection suit10. When the measured internal pressure is in a constant state, it indicates the protection suit10is airtight. After the pressure inspection is completed, the plug191is plugged in the inspection port19again to seal the same. The protection suit10may be further provided with an openable sealing member193for covering over an outer side of the inspection port19and the plug191. Before the sealing member193is opened, external air is stopped from entering into a space between the sealing member193and the protection suit10. Before entering into the working environment, the wearer may determine whether to inspect the protection suit10or not. In the case the wearer decides to inspect the protection suit10before entering into the working environment, he or she may do the inspection simply by tearing open the sealing member193. On the other hand, when the wearer decides not to inspect the protection suit10, he or she may leave the sealing member193in its originally sealed state.

The air ventilated protection suit provided by the present invention is characterized in that the flat air duct has spirally cut hoses arranged therein to ensure smooth flowing of air through the air duct to the entire interior of the protection suit, the inspection port enables a safety inspection of the protection suit before the wearer entering into the working environment, and the air-guiding case ensures normal operation of the pressure relief valve.