Patent Publication Number: US-2007116314-A1

Title: Facemask-earpiece combination

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention pertains to a facemask of a type worn by a firefighter or by an emergency rescue worker, as combined with an earpiece, which is mounted to the facemask.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Measuring body core temperature or measuring a temperature enabling body core temperature to be calculated, determined, or approximated can be very important to a firefighter or to an emergency rescue worker, either of whom can become overheated to a potentially fatal condition.  
      In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2004/0242976 A1, it is disclosed in FIG. 55 and in paragraph 0439 to mount a temperature sensor on a nosepiece of a mask, such as a mask for a firefighter. The temperature sensor is used to sense, on an external region on the nose of a wearer, a temperature approximating body core temperature.  
      In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0177034 A1, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, an ear canal sensing device is disclosed. The ear canal sensing device, which is inserted into an ear canal of a wearer, is employed to monitor physiological factors, which can include a temperature approximating body core temperature. Furthermore, it is disclosed that the ear canal sensing device can be also adapted to provide full duplex (two-way) communication, via a speaker and a microphone.  
      As exemplified in numerous prior patents including U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,419, No. 5,012,813, No. 5,199,436, No. 5,445,158, No. 5,381,796, No. 5,653,238, No. 6,047,205, and No. 6,219,573 B1; technology is known, by which to calculate, determine, or approximate body core temperature from a temperature sensed in an ear canal.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention provides, for a firefighter or for an emergency rescue worker, a novel combination comprising a facemask and an earpiece, which is mounted to the facemask so as to extend into an ear canal of a wearer wearing the facemask.  
      Preferably, the earpiece comprises a temperature sensor, which is arranged to measure a temperature in the ear canal of the wearer. Via known technology, the temperature can be then used to calculate, determine, or approximate body core temperature of the wearer. Preferably, the earpiece comprises a microphone, a speaker, or both so as to provide for audible communication between the wearer and another.  
      Preferably, the facemask comprises a frame, to which the earpiece is mounted. Preferably, the combination comprises an arm, by which the earpiece is mounted to the frame. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a fragmentary, pictorial view illustrating a firefighter, who is wearing a face mask connected by a hose to an air tank (not illustrated) of a self-contained breathing apparatus and who also is wearing a hood, a helmet, and an earpiece, which is mounted to a frame of the facemask, via an arm.  
       FIG. 2 , on a larger scale compare to  FIG. 1 , is a fragmentary, pictorial view of what is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , as seen from a different vantage without the hood and without the helmet.  
       FIG. 3 , on a larger scale compared to  FIG. 2 , is a perspective view of the earpiece. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT  
      As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a firefighter is wearing a face mask  10 , which is connected by a hose  12  to an air tank of a self-contained breathing apparatus and also is wearing a hood  20 , a helmet  30 , and an earpiece  40 , which is mounted to a frame  12  of the facemask  10 , via an arm  42  mounted to a side portion  14  of the frame  12 . The arm  42  is a telescoping arm, which can be lengthwise adjusted and which can be upwardly and downwardly adjusted along the side portion  14  of the frame  12 , so as to enable the earpiece  40  to be properly positioned where a projecting portion  42  of the earpiece  40  can enter the ear canal of one ear of the firefighter. Except as illustrated and described herein, the earpiece  40  is similar to the ear canal sensing device disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0177034 A1, supra.  
      On the projecting portion  42 , the earpiece  40  has a temperature sensor  50 , which is useful to sense a temperature continuously, intermittently, or whenever polled, at a location at or near a surface of the firefighter&#39;s ear canal entered by the projecting portion  42 . Via known technology, the sensed temperature is used to calculate, determine, or approximates the body core temperature of the firefighter wearing the earpiece  40 . The sensed temperature can be electronically transmitted, either via a wired connection (not illustrated) or wirelessly, e.g., via Bluetooth technology, to a monitor carried by the firefighter in a pocket. Desirably, the monitor is equipped with an alarm, which emits an audible signal whenever the sensed temperature equals or exceeds a preset temperature. The sensed temperature can be wirelessly transmitted, e.g., via simplex (one-way) radio communication, to a monitor being monitored by a safety officer, who may be located at a command center.  
      On the projecting portion  42 , the earpiece  40  has a microphone  60 , which enables the firefighter wearing the earpiece to speak to another firefighter, a safety officer, or an incident commander, who may be located at a command center. On the projecting portion  42 , the earpiece  40  has a speaker  70 , which enables another firefighter, a safety officer, or an incident commander, who may be located at a command center, to speak to the firefighter wearing the earpiece  40 . The microphone  60  and the speaker  70  may be components of a duplex (two-way) radio communications system. in a preferred embodiment, the earpiece  40  has a programmable microchip  100 , which is programmed (a) to store a preset temperature, (b) to receive a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor  50 , (c) to compare the sensed and preset temperatures, and (d) if the sensed temperature equals or exceeds the preset temperature, then to sound an alarm via the speaker  70 , but (e) if the sensed temperature does not equal or exceed the preset temperature, then not to sound the alarm.  
      In an alternative embodiment, the temperature sensor  50  is not employed in step (b) but the microchip  100  is programmed in step (b) to receive a temperature sensed by one of the temperature-sensing means disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0177034 A1, supra.