RESPIRATORY MASK

Abstract: A respiratory mask (1) preferably intended to be used by allergics comprises a cover (2) which is open upwardly but sealingly connected to the chin portion of the user immediately below the under lip by means of a hose (6) forming part of the bottom of the cover and being bent in accordance with the jaw of the user. The cover is kept in position by means of stretching means (7-9) and the front wall (3) thereof is located in front of the nose of the user. The hose (6) is closed at one end thereof and the opposite end thereof is in connection with a pressurized air source. By means of nozzle openings (13, 14) provided in the part of the hose (6) which is located inside the cover there is generated an air seal which guarantees the user a supply of purified air coming from the pressurized air source.

Description: RESPIRATORY MASK The present invention refers to a respiratory mask, i.e. a device which has for its purpose to prevent inhalationof air which by some reason is estimated to be unsuitable to inhale for instance 5 by containing poisonous gases such as welding fumes, exhaust gas from internal combustion engines and the like but also by contain¬ ing pollen or other stuffs which can provoce undesired reactions to allergies. Most of the respiratory masks which have been suggested in the past 10 have been specially designed for one single purpose such as for pro¬ tecting welders from welding fumes but above all they have proven to cause such discomfort and have such other negative properties in use that they have only been used exceptionally. From the view of functions respiratory masks may be divided into two 15 main groups namely passive ones, which substantially comprise a hood which sealingly surrounds at least the respiratory organs and com¬ prise a filter through which respiration takes place, and active ones, by which a filtered air stream generated by a fan is directed towards the face of the user. Respiratory masks of the first cathe- 20 gory may in most cases only be used short times due to the big breathing resistance caused by the filter. Respiratory masks of the second cathegory are usually so designed that they need stationary devices for generating the necessary pressurized air and the air streams cause draught in the eyes of the 25 user. The majority of the respiratory masks are further such designed that they give the user a sense to being locked up and prevent in most - cases speaking communication between the user and his neighbourhood. The object of the invention thus has primarily been to provide a more universal respiratory mask which is not encumbered with the above-mentioned deficiencies and which further may be produced at a reasonably low cost and with such dimensions and such weight that it withoutdifficulty or discomfort may be used during long periods of time and thereby give the user an effective protection against the harmful or disagreeable materials contained in the air at the same time as it eliminates the feeling of being locked up and offers a possibility to speek freely to persons in his enviro- ment. In order to accomplish these and further objects the invention has the characteristics of the patent claims. In the accompanying drawing an exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown and Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section of a respiratory mask accord- ing to the invention and Fig. 2 is a section taken along line II-II in fig. 1. The respiratory mask illustrated in the drawing which has been given the general designation 1 comprises a container or cover 2 having the upper end thereof open and having a substantially vertical front wall 3 which as appears from fig. 1 in the position of use is situated in front of a vertical plane through the foremost part of the users nose. The front wall 3 continues in side walls 4a, 4b which are shaped in such a way 4a',4b' that they contact the cheeks at least by the inner portions thereof by means of internal seal- ings. At the lower end thereof the front wall 3 continues via a rounded transition in a bottom wall 5, which in the illustrated em¬ bodiment is inclined and ends in a combined sealing portion and pressure chamber, which in the illustrated erribodimend has the shape of a hose made from a soft and flexible material such as softended plastic rubber or the like and which is intended to be applied against that portion of the users chin which is situated just below the under lip. The hose is further shaped in accordance with the user's face such that it seals against the portion just below the under lip as well as against the corresponding portions of the cheeks. In order to keep the respiratory mask in place it may according to fig. 1 have a chin-strap 7 a neck-strap 8 and a bow 9 for each ear. The straps 7 and 8 may in a manner known per se be adjustable as to their length or resilient and the bows are in the illustrated embodiment axially resilient. The hose 6 which for instance by a corrugated and thereby particularly resilient hose 10 leads to a pressurized air source is in the opposite end thereof completely or partly closed by means of a plug 11 (see fig. 2) . The hose 6 has in the part thereof which is located inside the cover 2 a plurality of holes 12,13 serving as nozzles, from which a first series 12 are directed towards the front wall 3 and a second series 13 are directed substantially upwardly towards the nose of the user. The hose or the pressurized air source preferably has a filter. The air jet streams coming from the hose 6 which acts as an air channel and which streams by means of the nozzle holes 12 are directed to- wards the front wall 3 hit the front wall and are deflected from this one such that they form substantially upwardly directed air streams and owing to the fact that the cover is closed downardly and at the sides there is generated an upwardly directed air seal in front of the nostrils and said air seal locks out the ambient air and unites with the air jet streams which via the openings 13 are directed to¬ wards the nostrils. Since the cover 2 only is open upwardly intake of polluted ambient air by ejector function is prevented and the required amount of air is minimized and the speed of the air may be held low. The dimension of the nozzle openings and the direction thereof may of course be varied such that the stream conditions most suitable for the specific use may be obtained. Owing to the moderate required amount of air the supply or air can be obtained by means of a small battery powered fan which makes it possible for the user to carry it for instance in a bag or by means of a harness. Since the cover has an open upper end the respirator mask will not be felt as fencing and the user may communicate with his surroundings without difficulty. In the illustrated embodiment the upper end portion of the cover 2 is in the same level as the nostrils of the user but the cover may of course be higher and in certain instances also lower. The respiratory mask now described may successfully be used by allergies and in those cases when it is used by women there can be secured to the cover a covering veil 15 to make the product as di¬ screet as possible. In order to achieve an even distribution of the air streams a finely meshed net 14 or a perforated plastics sheet may be secured a little bit above the nozzle mouths and as appears from fig. 1 such a net can reach the wall 3 with one part 14' thereof.

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 7 December 1988 (07.12.88) original claims 1-10 replaced by amended claims 1-10 (2 pages)] l. Respiratory mask, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises a shield in the shape of a cover (2) which has the upper and rear end thereof open and which when in use is prov¬ ided to seal against that part of the user's chin portion which is located just beneath the mouth by means of a lower soft and deformable portion (6) and by means of rear side surfaces (4a' 4b') against the cheek portion of the user and that said cover (2) has such a height that the upper edge portion thereof will be located above the under lip of the user and such a depth that the front wall (3) thereof will be located in front of the user's nose and that the rear side surfaces (4a' , ' ) of the cover which are in contact with the cheeks of the user are connected to the remaining part (4a,4b) of the side walls of the cover by means of outwardly directed wall portions a'' 4b" ) which form substantially right angles with said rear side surface to constitute a pressure chamber which is limited rearwardly by said outwardly directed wall portions, sideways by the rest (4a,4b) of the side portions, forwardly by the front wall (3) and downwardly by a bottom portion (5,6) having a channel (6) extending around the chin portion of the user and commun cating with a pressurized air source and which has a number of nozzles or nozzle openings (13) for generating an upwardly directed air seal which substantially surrounds the face of the user. 2. Respiratory mask according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the lower soft and deformable portion (α.6) is sealingly pressed against that part of the users chin which is located just beneath his mouth and against the cheek portions of the user which are located at substantially the same level by means of a stretching or pulling means (7-9). 3. Respiratory mask according to claims 1-2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the lower soft and deformable portion (6) of the cover consists of a hose having one end thereof connec¬ ted to a pressurized air source and the opposite end thereof rompletel or partly closed and which has a plurality of nozz¬ les or nozzle openings <12,13> for generating the air seal surrounding the face of the user an -Or air jets directed towards his nose. . Respiratory mask according to claim l, c h a r a t r ¬ i z in that the front wall (3> of the cover t ' 2> is so shaped that it serves as a deflection means for at least some of the air jets from the nozzles or nozzle openings. 5. Respiratory mask according to claims 1-3, c a r a c t e - r i z e d in that a filter is connected to the hose <6> and ' " or to the pressurized air source. 6. Respiratory mask according to claims 1-2, c h a r a c t e ¬ r z e in that one of the stretching or pulling means con¬ sists of bows <9> being resilient in axial direction and int- ended to b used as goggle bows. 7. Respiratory mask according to claim l, c h a r a c t e r ¬ z e in that the pressurized air source consists of a bat¬ tery powered fan carried by the user. S. Respiratory mask according to claim 7_ c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that a carrying device such as a bag or harness is provided for the easy transport of the battery powered fan. 9. Respiratory mask according to claim l, c h a r a c e r ¬ i z e d in that a finely meshed net <14> or the like is prov¬ ided a little bit above the nozzle openings ιi2.i3> in order to obtain an even distribution of the air jets. 10. Respiratory mask, according to claim l, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that a veil <15> is secured to the cover < " 2>.

Inventors: SOEDERBERG STIG, SOEDERBERG, STIG
Applicants: SOEDERBERG STIG, SOEDERBERG, STIG
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A62B18
IPC codes: A62B7, A62B18