Abstract:
A compact protective hood comprising a pre-molded, substantially non-elastic crown having at least one preformed fold line whereby the package size of the hood is reduced by folding the hood along the at least one preformed fold line

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a compact protective escape hood design that provides pre-molded fold lines. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Compact protective hoods enclose the head of a wearer in a crown either of transparent material or of opaque material with a transparent visor. Respiration is typically filtered through a mouth piece, oral-nasal cup or a full-face piece. The hood is sealed about the neck by an elastomeric dam. To make the storage package compact and portable the hood assembly must be folded for storage until deployment. 
         [0003]    Protective hoods must operate effectively and reliably virtually every time. Inconsistencies in folding may negate the high protection factor of well-designed hoods. By analogy, the best designed parachute may be rendered ineffective by poor packing. Thus, even when a hood is designed and constructed to the highest specifications, the manual packing of the hood introduces an element of uncertainty into an otherwise highly governed process. Improper folding of protective hoods may lead to creasing or mechanical stress that creates a risk of leaks. At the same time, tight folding is a design requirement to keep the folded package size at a minimum. 
         [0004]    A long-felt but unfulfilled need in the art exists for a hood that can be folded with a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility. Another need in the art exists to provide a hood that reduces the time and skill level required to fold the assembly to the requisite quality control target. Yet another need in the art exists to provide a compact protective hood that folds into a tight package but also provides semi-rigid structural support for hood accessories. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0005]    An embodiment of the invention includes a compact protective hood comprising at least one pre-molded fold line channel whereby folding made along the fold line channel produces an optimized packed configuration. The fold line channel is concave with the opposing surface of the fold line channel convex. This concavity/convexity allows the hood thickness to be uniform even along fold lines. The concavity/convexity also clearly indicates the direction of the fold to be made. This increases both efficiency and consistency in the packing process. 
         [0006]    In yet another embodiment of the invention thickened panels may be integrally molded to the crown about the pre-molded fold lines. The panels are shaped to match the geometric shape of the crown area defined by the boundaries of the fold lines. As fold lines may intersect at various points a mosaic of panels may be formed into either the interior or exterior of the crown. As the panels align with the fold line mosaic the hood assembly may be packed into a compact unit while providing elements of rigidity in a deployed state. Panels may be used to support a variety of components including, but not limited to, filters, electronic communications, vision systems, cooling systems, drink conduits, and armor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a prior art compact protective hood. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a prior art compact protective hood in packaged form. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an elevated, isometric front view of a compact protective hood according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an elevated, isometric rear view of a compact protective hood according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an elevated, isometric front view of a compact protective hood according to an embodiment of the invention flatted about a coronal plane. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 6-8  are elevated, isometric front views of a compact protective hood according to an embodiment of the invention flatted about a coronal plane and folded. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is an elevated, isometric front view of a folded compact protective hood according to an embodiment of the invention being inserted into a package. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is an elevated, isometric front view of a compact protective hood according to an embodiment of the invention showing a fold line detail. 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is an elevated, isometric front view of a compact protective hood according to an embodiment of the invention showing a thickened panel section. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    Prior art hood designs are shown in  FIGS. 1-2 . In  FIG. 1 , hood assembly  10  comprises upper crown  20  and lower elastomeric neck dam  30 . Filter  40  and visor  50  are shown for illustrative purposes. In some hood designs, crown  20  is constructed of a plurality of composite panels stitched and/or taped together forming seams throughout crown  20 . Additional seams exists at the interface between crown  20  and visor  50  as well as the interface between crown  20  and neck dam  30 . These seams are subject to stress during initial packing, storage, unpacking, donning and actual use. Furthermore, various interfaces for respiration, drinking, communication and cooling may also be subject to similar stress. If a seam or interface is structurally compromised then the protection factor of the device may be sacrificed. 
         [0018]    However, compact design is a necessity for many applications. If the hood cannot be reliably packed, stored and carried then it may not be logistically available in an emergency situation. In  FIG. 2 , a typical packing enclosure is shown wherein packed hood assembly  10  is inserted into package  60  which may also be vacuum-bagged to further reduce size. 
         [0019]    Packing hood assembly  10  under prior art methods is labor-intensive and potentially subject to inconsistencies. Improperly located folds may stress seams, stress interfaces and/or crease optical materials such as those used in visors. Furthermore, as folds deviate from optimum locations, higher levels of training and quality control are necessary. This leads to higher costs of manufacture. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 3  of an embodiment of the present invention, plurality of pre-molded fold lines  70 A-E are shown in exemplary locations for illustrative purposes. Front facing orientation of hood assembly  10  is denoted as cranial direction X. Fold line  70 A encircles crown  20  on a coronal plane. Fold line  70 B encircles crown  20  on a horizontal plane above visor  50 . Fold line  70 C encircles crown  20  on a horizontal plane below visor  50 . Fold line  70 D runs on a cranial, left-offset sagittal plane, intersecting fold lines  70 B and  70 C. Fold line  70 E runs on a cranial, right-offset sagittal plane, intersecting fold lines  70 B and  70 C. 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of hood assembly  10  showing fold line  70 F running on a caudal, right-offset sagittal plane intersecting fold lines  70 B and  70 C. Fold line  70 G runs on a caudal, left-offset sagittal plane, intersecting fold lines  70 B and  70 C on a second lateral side of visor  50 . 
         [0022]      FIGS. 5-9  illustrate an exemplary folding process. In  FIG. 5 , a top portion of hood assembly  10  is folded over visor  50  about axis Y along fold line  70 B. In  FIG. 6 , a bottom portion of hood assembly below visor  50  is prepared to be folded over the top portion about axis Z along fold line  70 C. In  FIG. 7 , the bottom portion of hood assembly below visor  50  is folded along axis Z thereby overlapping top and bottom portions (already folded) of hood assembly  10 . In  FIG. 8 , the lateral sides of hood assembly  10  are prepared to be folded inward along axis W of fold line  70 F and axis U of fold line  70 G. 
         [0023]    In  FIG. 9 , the lateral sides of hood assembly  10  are folded. Hood assembly  10  is inserted into package  60 . It should be noted that the folding shown in  FIGS. 5-9  are exemplary only. There are multiple ways to fold a hood and the optimal pattern may depend on the application. For example, a military application will likely require the smallest possible package size. A commercial application may allow a larger package size but will likely require a shorter donning time. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 10 , a closer view of fold line  70 D is provided. Exemplary concavity  80  and corresponding convexity  90  are formed when the hood is molded. Other fold line configurations may include V-shaped indentations, rectangular indentations, elliptical indentations or any other predetermined geometric shape that permits a mechanical fold to be performed. Molding of the fold lines may be varied so they have higher, similar or lesser thickness relative to the panels formed between fold lines. Thickening the area around the fold lines may be advantageous to counter mechanical stresses exerted during packing, unpacking and donning. Thinning of the fold lines during the molding process may facilitate folding. 
         [0025]    In  FIG. 11 , thickened panel  100  supports hood accessory  110 . Hood accessory  110  may include, but is not limited to, armor, respiration, communication, imaging, drinking and/or cooling devices. Hood assembly  10  is molded having panels such as panel  100  of varying thickness to provide a heavier substrate upon which to mount, insert, affix or overlay items. Panel  100  borders fold line  70 B at the top, fold line  70 E to the right, fold line  70 A to the left and fold line  70 C at the bottom. Because panel  100  is constructed in view of a predetermined fold line pattern, it is not only compatible with the packing process, but actually facilitates packing along the planned fold line pattern. Panel  100  is defined by fold line boundaries in this example but may also bound other portions of the hood such as the neck dam, visor, filter or the like. 
         [0026]    The fold lines are detectable both visually and tactilely which facilitates the packing process. As the fold lines are pre-molded in the fabrication process, the costs of producing the hood are not increased. However, packing time, training requirements, and folding inconsistencies are dramatically reduced. 
         [0027]    The hood crown may be molded by a process including, but not limited to, injection molding, compression molding, transfer molding, thermoforming and dip molding. 
         [0028]    An embodiment of the invention includes the method of molding the hood crown not only with pre-molded fold lines, but with the folds partially closed. When the material is removed from the mold, the hood crown is biased towards a semi-closed state. At equilibrium, the hood is between a fully packed state and a fully deployed state. Upon deployment, the hood is biased open by the head of the wearer. As the hood biases against the head of the wearer, less slack material is in motion and the noise level of the hood may be diminished. This may be a significant advantage in tactical situations such as those encountered by law enforcement and the military. 
         [0029]    It will be seen that the advantages set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
         [0030]    It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. Now that the invention has been described,