Abstract:
A use-evident container for containing an object and selectively preventing elements outside said container to reach the object comprises two housing portions and two caps. The two housing portions define a chamber for surrounding an object. The housing portions each define at least one opening forming a first part of a fluid flow path between the chamber and outside of the housing. The caps close the at least one opening and have at least one cap hole forming a second part of the fluid flow path when the at least one opening and the at least one cap hole at least partially overlap one another. At least one cap connector rotatably connects the housing portions and the cap and enables the fluid flow path to be opened and closed by relative rotation of the housing portion and the cap. At least one single-use lock engages the housing portion and the cap and prevents the relative rotation. The lock holds the housing and the cap in a first relative position in which the fluid flow path is closed. The fluid flow path is openable only by the relative rotation to a second relative position and the relative rotation being possible only upon an unlocking of the single-use lock. The single-use lock thereafter permanently evidences the unlocking.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/652,664, filed May 28, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,218. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to fire fighting safety equipment. More specifically, the invention relates to novel features on a filter container to indicate that the filter container has been opened and used. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Breathing masks are often worn by workers in hazardous environments. One type of such a mask extends only over a user&#39;s nose and mouth, and contains a charcoal filter through which the air being breathed passes. The filter removes particles and toxic gases from the air. However, use of this type of breathing apparatus is typically prohibited by most fire departments as being inadequate, unreliable or unsafe in many environments where fire and smoke are present. 
     Instead, fire fighters are commonly approved to use safer self-contained breathing equipment when entering burning buildings. Such equipment includes a tank of compressed air and a pressure regulator to supply air at a constant pressure that can be tolerated by the fire fighter. A hose connects the air regulator to a full-face mask that is worn over the fire fighter&#39;s face. The mask includes an outlet for air exhaled by the fire fighter and a transparent visor. When worn by the user, the mask not only provides a sealed volume of breathable air over the user&#39;s face, but also protects the fire fighter&#39;s eyes from the smoke. Self-contained breathing apparatus with a full-face mask typically is the only type of smoke inhalation prevention equipment that is authorized by a fire department. 
     The tank of the fire fighter&#39;s breathing equipment has a finite supply of air. Although warning mechanisms are provided to alert the fire fighter when the supply of air is running low, there always is the possibility that the fire fighter will not be able to exit the burning structure before the exhaustion of the air supply. There is also a possibility that a fire fighter may become trapped within a burning structure, due to structure collapse, for example. The fire fighter may become lost in a large smoke-filled area, such as a shopping mall. The fire fighter could also be injured or incapacitated in someway and rendered immobile. In these instances, the fire fighter can run out of breathable air and be in imminent danger of death. As a consequence, it is desirable to provide an alternative breathing apparatus that protects against smoke inhalation for use in such imminent life-threatening emergencies. 
     Although a charcoal filter-type mouth filter could be provided to fire fighters for emergency back-up to authorized self-contained breathing apparatus, fire department officials are often concerned that such masks will be used routinely in the normal course of fire fighting and not reserved for imminent death situations, and therefore prohibit their use outright. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a way of issuing back-up breathing devices to fire fighters in a manner which restricts their use to true emergency imminent death situations. It is also desirable to provide a mechanism by which fire fighters can quickly identify previous use and fire department officials can detect the unauthorized use of such emergency breathing devices. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a use-evidencing container for use in an emergency breathing situation which provides a clear indication that the apparatus has been used. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for storing the emergency device in a durable and moisture resistant manner for long term dormancy. 
     These and other objects of the invention are achieved by the subject device which comprises two housing portions and two caps. The two housing portions define a chamber for surrounding an object such as a filter. The housing portions each define at least one opening which forms a first part of a fluid flow path between the chamber and outside of the housing. A cap closes the opening and has at least one cap hole which forms a second part of the fluid flow path when the opening and the at least one cap hole partially overlap one another. At least one cap connector rotatably connects the housing portions and the cap and enables the fluid flow path to be opened and closed by relative rotation of the housing portion and the cap. At least one single-use lock engages the housing portion and the cap and prevents the relative rotation. The lock holds the housing and the cap in a closed position in which the fluid flow path is closed. The fluid flow path is openable only by the relative rotation to an open position and the relative rotation being possible only upon an unlocking of the single-use lock. The single-use lock thereafter permanently evidences the unlocking. 
     The housing portions can be optionally formed separate from one another. In such a situation, the container further comprises a housing connector joining the first and second housing portions. The housing connector also prevents the first housing portion from rotating relative to the second housing. One embodiment of a housing connector is a circular lip positioned on the first housing portion and a circular recess positioned on the second housing portion. The circular recess is shaped to receive the circular lip and to prevent the circular lip from being removed from the circular recess. 
     One embodiment of a single-use is a pin extending from a housing portion and a pin receiver adapted to receive the pin positioned on a respective cap. Torque applied to the housing portion relative to the respective cap releases the single-use lock by breaking either the pin or the pin receiver. The breaking of the pin or the pin receiver prevents the single-use lock from being engaged and evidences releasing of the single-use lock. 
     The use-evident container can optionally include a conduit connector attached to a cap. The conduit connector is adapted for accepting a conduit. Also, the conduit can communicate with the chamber when the cap is rotated to be in the open position. The use-evident container can also optionally include a rotational stop. The rotational stop orients the housing portion and the respective cap in the open position after the lock is released. A center connector positioned substantially adjacent a center point of the housing portion and the respective cap can also be included. The center connector rotably connects the housing portion with the cap and prevents and helps to prevent fluid communication between the outside and the chamber. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     There are shown in the drawings embodiments of the invention that are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 shows a side view of the use-evident container according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded cross-section of the use-evident container taken along the line  2 — 2  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3A is an end view of a cap. 
     FIG. 3B is an end view of a housing. 
     FIG. 4A is a close up front view of a lock. 
     FIG. 4B is a close up side view of the lock shown in FIG.  4 A. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a use-evident container is shown according to the invention. The use-evident container  10  comprises a first cap  12 , a first housing  14 , a second housing  16 , and a second cap  18 . The first housing  14  and the second housing  16  combine to define a chamber  20  to house an object, not shown. The first and second housings  14 ,  16  can either be one-piece or separate; however, the presently preferred first and second housings  14 ,  16  are separate to facilitate the ease of placing an object within the chamber  20 . 
     Any type of object can be protected with the use-evident container  10 ; however, the presently preferred object is a filter. The use-evident container  10  is also not limited as to the type, shape, or size of filter that can be housed within the chamber  20 , and the filter may or may not completely fill the chamber  20 . The chamber  20  can also be filled either with a pre-formed filter, with loose filter particles, or a combination of both. The presently preferred filter is composed of fibers that are pre-formed in the form of a disc that fits within the chamber  20 . 
     The presently preferred separate first a and second housings  14 ,  16  are connected using a housing connector  28  along a seal  22 . Any type of housing connector  28  used to connect the first and second housings  14 ,  16  is acceptable. Although not necessary, the housing connector  28  preferably forms an air and water tight seal  22  between the first and second housings  14 ,  16 . This feature is particularly useful when the object contained within the chamber  20  is either air and/or water sensitive. 
     The housing connector  28  preferably prevents the two housings  14  and  16  from being subsequently disconnected. Preventing the two housings  14  and  16  from being subsequently disconnected advantageously prevents material outside of the container  10  from undesirably entering the chamber  20  and contaminating the filter. Such types of housing connectors  28  are well known in the art and any that are capable of performing that function are acceptable. The presently preferred housing connector  28  is lip  30  on one of the two housings  14  or  16  that is adapted to be received in a recess  32  in the other housing  16  or  14 . Advantageously, this type of housing connector  28  can also be an air and water tight the advantages of which have been previously discussed. 
     The invention is not limited as to whether the housing connector  28  can enable the first housing  14  and the second housing  16  to rotate relative to one another. However, the first and second housings  14 ,  16  are preferably stationary relative to one another. Features capable of preventing rotation of the first housing  14  relative to the second housing  16  are well known in the art and all are acceptable. For example, the first housing  14  could be sized so as to press fit onto the second housing  16  such that the friction of the connection between the housings  14 ,  16  prevents rotation. 
     The presently preferred combination of features to prevent rotation is a key  24  extending from either housing  14  or  16  and a slot  26  formed in the other housing  16  or  14  to accept the key  24 . When the two housings  14  and  16  are connected, the slot  26  accepts the key  24  and prevents rotation of the housings  14  and  16  relative to one another. The advantage of preventing the housings  14  and  16  from rotating relative to each other will be discussed later in the specification. 
     Each housing  14 ,  16  contains at least one opening  34 . Openings  34  on both housings  14  and  16  are defined by cap receivers  36  extending from the housings  14 ,  16 . The cap receivers  36  are adapted for receiving the first and second caps  12 ,  18 . Although any number, size, and orientation of openings  34  can be used with this invention, the presently preferred openings  34  are a pair of opposing arcs as illustrated in FIG.  3 B. 
     Each cap  12 ,  18  is connected to the cap receivers  36  using a cap connector  38 . Any type of cap connector  38  is acceptable that can be used to connect a cap  12 ,  18  to a cap receiver  36  and to allow the cap  12 ,  18  to rotate relative to the cap receiver  36 . The presently preferred cap connector  38  allows the cap receiver  36  and cap  12 ,  18  to be initially connected but prevents the cap receiver  36  and cap  12 ,  18  from being subsequently disconnected. Preventing the cap receiver  36  and cap  12 ,  18  from being subsequently disconnected advantageously prevents material outside of the container  10  from undesirably entering the chamber  20  and possibly contaminating the filter. The presently preferred cap connector  38  is also air and water proof. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the presently preferred cap connector  38  is a circular lip  42  on either the cap receiver  36  or cap  12 ,  18  and a circular recess  40  on the other feature. The circular recess  40  is adapted to receive the circular lip  42 . Advantageously, this type of housing connector  28  can also provide an air and water tight seal between the caps  12 ,  18  and the cap receivers  36 . 
     Between the cap receiver  36  and each caps  12 ,  18  is at least one singe-use lock  44 . The lock  44  guides the cap  12 ,  18  onto the cap receiver  36  in a particular rotational orientation. The lock  44  also prevents rotation of the caps  12 ,  18  relative to the cap receiver  36 . However, once the lock  44  releases, the lock allows the cap  12 ,  18  to rotate relative to the cap receiver  36 . 
     Each cap  12 ,  18  includes cap holes  46 . Although any number, size, and orientation of cap holes  46  can be used with this invention, the presently preferred cap holes  46  are a pair of opposing arcs as illustrated in FIG.  3 A. When the cap  12 ,  18  is first connected to the cap receiver  36 , the lock  44  orients the cap holes  46  of the cap  12 ,  18  so that the cap holes  46  do not overlap the openings  34  in the housing  14 ,  16  being covered by the cap  12 ,  18 . This positioning of the cap  12 ,  18  relative to the housing  14 ,  16  is defined as the “closed position”. The inside cap surface  48  is preferably flush to the outside cap connector surface  50 , so that in the closed position, the caps  12 ,  18  and the cap receivers  36  form air and water tight seals. 
     Once the lock  44  is released, the cap  12 ,  18  can rotate relative to the cap receiver  36  such that the cap holes  46  of the cap  12 ,  18  and the openings  34  of the cap receivers  36  can at least partially overlap and form a fluid path from outside of the housing  10  into the chamber  20 . This position is defined as the “open position”. 
     When the lock  44  is released, a rotational stop  52  can be included that prevents the cap  12 ,  18  from rotating relative to the cap receiver  36  past a particular rotational orientation. The rotational stop  52  is preferably situated such that rotation is prevented at a position which allows the greatest amount of flow through the fluid path. This feature is particularly useful in aiding an user of the use-evident container  10  to release the lock  44  and to quickly orient the cap  12 ,  18  relative to the cap receiver  36  to obtain the greatest flow into the chamber  20 . 
     Once the lock  44  is released, the presently preferred lock  44  cannot be further engaged. Thus, once the lock is released, the lock  44  will always be released. This particular feature evidences that the container  10  has been opened and thus has been used. This use-evidencing is particular important when the object, such as a filter, contained within the chamber  20  cannot be reused. 
     Although any type of lock  44  that includes the above identified limitations can be used with this invention, the presently preferred lock  44  is illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B and includes a pin  54  located on either of the cap  12 ,  18  or cap receiver  36 , and a pin receiver  56  located on the opposite feature. The presently preferred pin receiver  56  is U-shaped so as to circumferentially surround the pin  54  at a particular radial cross-section. Once the pin  54  is located within the pin receiver  56 , the cap  12 ,  18  cannot rotate relative to the cap receiver  36 . However, once a certain amount of torque has been exerted on the cap  12 ,  18  relative to the cap receiver  36 , either the pin  54  or pin receiver  56  breaks so as to enable the cap  12 ,  18  to rotate relative to the cap receiver  36 . Because either the pin  54  or pin receiver  56  breaks as a result of the “opening” (placing in the open position) of the container  10 , the container  10  becomes use-evident. 
     Although the lock  44  can be released in any manner, the presently preferred lock  44  uses torque applied to the cap  12 ,  18  relative to the housing  14 ,  16  to release the lock  44 . The presently preferred lock  44  is not limited as to the amount of torque needed to release the lock  44 . However, the presently preferred amount of torque is that which can be exerted by an average human being twisting the cap  12 ,  18  relative to the cap receiver  36 . This amount of torque can be predetermined by using a particular configuration of the lock  44 . For example, with the presently preferred lock  44 , the amount of torque is determined by the type of material used for the pin  54  and/or pin receiver  56  and the thickness of the pin  54  and/or thickness of the legs  66  of the pin receiver  56  such that the weakest material/thickness combination of either the pin  54  or pin receiver  56  determines the amount of torque needed to release the lock  44 . 
     Although any rotational stop  52  is acceptable that can prevent rotation of the cap  12 ,  18  relative to the cap receiver  36  at a particular rotational orientation, the presently preferred rotational stop  52  to be used with the presently preferred lock  44  is a bar  52 . The bar  52  extends from either the cap  12 ,  18  or the cap receiver  36  and is positioned so as to abut either the pin  54  or pin receiver  56  at a desired rotational orientation and to prevent further rotation in at least one direction. 
     The cap  12 ,  18  and cap receiver  36  can also include a center connector  58  located substantially in the center of the cap  12 ,  18  and cap receiver  36 . The center connector  58  can be in place of the cap connector  38  or can be in addition to the cap connector  38 . The limitations as to the cap connector  38  also apply to the center connector  58 . The center connector  58  can be advantageously used to pull the inside cap surface  48  flush to the outside cap connector surface  50 . Such a flush connection can enable the cap  12 ,  18  and cap connector  38  to be air and water tight when in a closed position. 
     The caps  12 ,  18  can also include conduit connectors  60 . The presently preferred conduit connector extends from the outside cap surface  62  and surrounds the cap holes  46 . The conduit connectors  60  are adapted to accept any type of conduit, not shown, that can be used to convey a fluid to the cap holes  46 . Conduit connectors  60  are well known in the art and all are acceptable for this purpose. The presently preferred conduit connectors  60  use threads  64  around the outside diameter of the conduit connectors  60  to accept a conduit. 
     Although the caps  12 ,  18  can be similar and the first housing  14  is very similar to the second housing, aside from the aforementioned limitations, these features can vary substantially from one another. These variations can include variations in size, in shape, or in number of openings  34  or holes  46  with these example variations only intended to be illustrative and not limiting. An example why the two housings  14 ,  16  can differ is that the filter could be non-symmetrical. An example why the caps  12 ,  18  can vary is that the conduits going to a given caps  12 ,  18  can vary in size. 
     When the use-evident container  10  is first assembled and an object is within the chamber, the container  10  is in the closed position. To change the use-evident container to the open position, the following presently preferred procedure can be used. Each cap of  12 ,  18  the container  10  is to be held by one hand. Once so held, the user twists the caps  12 ,  18  relative to each other. Because the housings  14 ,  16  of the presently preferred container  10  do not rotate relative to each other, this twisting action will apply a torque to and release the lock or locks  44  between the first cap  12  and first housing  14  and the lock or locks  44  between the second cap  18  and the second housing  16 . The twisting action continues until rotation is stopped by the rotational stops  52 . When the rotation is stopped, the container  10  is in the open position and any fluid outside the container  10  capable of flowing through the conduits can enter into the chamber  20  via the flow paths passing through the first and second housings  14 ,  16 . Because the locks  44  are single-use-evident, the current user or subsequent inspector of the container  10  can easily determine whether the container  20  has been used.