Patent Publication Number: US-2007119457-A1

Title: Breath purifying device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to devices for purifying the exhaled air from a user to reduce breath odor. More particularly, the invention is directed to a breath purifying device for use by a hunter or naturalist to reduce the likelihood of game smelling the odor from the user&#39;s breath.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Various techniques have been used to reduce the likelihood of game smelling the odor from a hunter or naturalist. Some techniques involve the owner abstaining from certain types of spicy or exotic foods several days before planning a hunt, taking chlorophyll tablets before a hunt to reduce body odor, and rubbing areas of the body with an alcohol or vinegar. Nevertheless, breath of the hunter or naturalist contains odor, and often that breath odor is sufficient to alert animals to man&#39;s presence. Devices have been designed specifically to reduce odor. Such devices generally are not able to sufficiently reduce odors that are not detected by animals downstream from the hunter. Other devices are awkward to use, or otherwise interfere with the hunter&#39;s actions.  
      U.S. Pat. 5,117,821 discloses a hunting mask with an exhalation tube between the mask and a canister containing charcoal granules. The device uses a one-way air intake valve and a one-way discharge valve for discharging breath from the canister to atmosphere. Publication U.S. 2002/0221841 is directed to a breathing device for reducing fogging of lenses caused by breath vapor, and includes an air purifying bag or canister with charcoal granules. Other patents of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,036,842, 5,697,205, and 6,070,578.  
      The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved breath purifying device is hereinafter disclosed which may be used by hunters, naturalists, and others to reduce their odor.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In one embodiment, a breathing device for purifying a user&#39;s breath prior to discharge includes a snorkel having a mouth end and a canister input end, and a breath purifying canister in fluid communication with the snorkel and housing a plurality of fiber layers within the canister, each fiber layer being treated with a breath deodorizer. At least one disc within the canister includes one or more flow passageways and separates two of the plurality of fiber layers. An activated charcoal layer is provided in the canister, and at least one breath discharge hole in the canister is opposite the canister input end.  
      In another embodiment, the breathing device includes a snorkel and canister, with a plurality of fiber layers within the canister each treated with a breath deodorizer, and at least one of the fiber layers is treated with sodium bicarbonate. At least one disc within the canister separates two of the plurality of fiber layers, and a breath discharge hole in the canister is provided opposite the canister input end.  
      In yet another embodiment, a breath purifying device includes a snorkel and a canister, and a plurality of polyester fiber layers within the canister, each fiber layer being treated with at least one of sodium bicarbonate, hydrogen peroxide and aluminum sulphate. At least one disc within the canister has one or more flow passageways and separates two of the plurality of fiber layers. At least one breath discharge hole in the canister is provided opposite the canister input end.  
      These and further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, wherein reference is made to the figures in the accompanying drawings.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of one embodiment of the breathing device according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates another embodiment of a breathing device with a plastic material canister.  
       FIG. 3  illustrates yet another embodiment of a breathing device with a flexible hose snorkel and an axially shortened canister.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a further embodiment of a breathing device canister with an input cap permanently attached to a sleeve-shaped canister body and a removable cover at the output end of the canister body.  
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a breathing device with layers placed within the canister.  
       FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the canister shown in  FIG. 5 , illustrating a screen material for retaining the activated charcoal in place.  
       FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of an axially shortened canister with baffle layers.  
       FIG. 8  is a side view of a portion of the canister shown in  FIG. 7 .  
       FIG. 9  is a top view of the canister lid shown in  FIG. 8 .  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       FIG. 1  depicts one embodiment of a breathing device  10  suitable for use by a hunter to purify a hunter&#39;s breath prior to discharge. The breathing device  10  comprises a plastic material snorkel  12  having a mouth end  14  for fitting within the mouth of the hunter, and a canister input end  16  opposite the mouth end for sealing with the canister  18 . The canister or container preferably may be cylindrical shaped, although other configuration containers may be used. Also, a mouthpiece  15  may be included on the mouth end  14  of the snorkel  12 , with the mouth end of the snorkel partially flattened or otherwise configured to be tightly secured to the mouthpiece.  
      The breath purification canister  18  includes a generally sleeve-shaped body  20 , an input cap  22  having a hole  23  therein for receiving the snorkel  12 , and an output cap  18  having one or more holes for discharging purified breath to the environment. Each end cap  22 ,  24  may be threaded, glued, or otherwise secured to the housing  20  in a manner which eliminates or substantially reduces any leakage between the components. A hunter preferably breaths in through his nose and discharges air through his mouth and through the snorkel  12  and the canister  18 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 6 , one or more discs  26  each having at least one hole therein may be positioned in the canister housing  20  so that each disc is generally perpendicular to an axis of the housing, with each disc separating one treated fiber layer  28  from another treated fiber layer. The embodiment as shown in  FIG. 6  contains four fabric layers  28  and one activated charcoal layer  30 . The uppermost layer  28  is separated from the middle layer by a disc  26  which, in one embodiment, includes a plurality of holes  40  spaced generally about or near the periphery of the disc. The second fiber layer  28  is separated from the third fiber layer by another disc, which may include a single generally centered hole  41  in this disc. The third fiber layer may be separated from the fourth fiber layer by another disc which includes a plurality of holes  40  about its periphery, as previously described. This varying pattern of holes in the disc thus ensures good air flow through each of the fiber layers, increasing the reaction between the breath and the purifying fibers.  
      The canister also preferably includes an activated charcoal layer  30 , with the charcoal layer  30  preferably being positioned adjacent a netting or screen material  32 . The netting or screen layer  32  as shown in  FIG. 6  is preferably provided between the activated charcoal layer  30  and the holes  42  in the discharge cover  24  to prevent activated charcoal from falling out of the canister. If desired, a similar netting or screen layer may be provided to separate the activated charcoal layer from the fiber layer immediately above the activated charcoal layer. In other embodiments, the disc  26  themselves may be screen layers, such that the plurality of flow passageways in the screen layer allows the passage of air, and separates one fiber layer from another fiber layer or from an activated charcoal layer.  
      When the breathing device is assembled and ready for use by the hunter, the canister may be placed within a camouflage bag  34 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , which may include a tie string at the top thereof for positioning over the canister and about the snorkel. The bag  34  may include one or more tags  36  secured to the material of the bag  34 . A conventional bronze safety pin or other securing member  38  may then be used to removably secure the breathing device to the jacket, cap, or other clothing of the hunter. One safety pin may be used to receive an upper end of the bag  34  about the snorkel  12 , thereby replacing the need for a tie string.  
      In one embodiment, each of the fiber layers is treated with sodium bicarbonate which acts as a breath deodorizer. The sodium bicarbonate may be mixed with water, then the mixture soaked in or applied to polyester fibers, then the fibers allowed to dry. This provides a large surface area for high reaction between the odors in the breath and the sodium bicarbonate. Providing multiple layers with a disc between two layers further ensures interaction between the treated fiber layers and the breath, since the discharged breath passes through one fiber layer and then through the holes in a disc before passing downstream through another layer.  
      In other embodiments, one or more of the layers is treated with one of hydrogen peroxide or aluminum sulphate. Also, polyester fibers are a suitable material for carrying the breath deodorizer in the canister, however, other material fiber layers could be used in other applications. Hydrogen peroxide acts as an anti-bacterial agent, and also absorbs odors. Fibers may thus be treated with hydrogen peroxide, preferably in a formulation less than 10%, and the fibers with the hydrogen peroxide then dried and placed within a canister. Another alternative is to treat the fibers with aluminum sulphate. Aluminum sulphate is more effective in reducing odors in moist breath than in a dry medium.  
       FIG. 1  shows a further feature of the invention, wherein an absorbent wick formed from felt or a cloth material may be secured to the bag  34  by a safety pin  38 . The wick  50  may be dipped in a suitable cover scent, such as pine, sagebrush or an animal scent to mask the human scent and/or further confuse the hunted animal.  
      In one embodiment, the sleeve-shaped housing  20  itself is formed from a wrapped paper or other fibrous material, thereby providing a low manufacturing cost and minimizing noise when in use. In other embodiments, the canister may be fabricated from a plastic material.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates an alternative embodiment, wherein the mouth end  14  of a snorkel  12  is not adapted for a mouthpiece. The tabs  36  on the bag  34  are shown, although the safety pins or other attachment devices are not depicted. In the  FIG. 2  embodiment, a base cover  54  may be fitted over the lower end of the sleeve-shaped canister body  20  after the various layers are installed within the canister. The base cover  54  may then be permanently affixed to the canister, or if desired may be removably affixed to the canister, thereby allowing reuse of a canister with fresh deodorizing material. Also, the canister body  20  as shown in  FIG. 2 , and optionally the base cover  54 , may each be formed from a plastic material.  
       FIG. 3  depicts yet another embodiment, wherein a substantially rigid snorkel is replaced with a flexible hose snorkel  56 , with a mouthpiece  15  provided on the end of the flexible snorkel. In this embodiment, the cylindrical shaped housing  20  is axially relatively short, but the canister has a larger diameter, thereby having more of a “pancake” shape. Discharged air may pass through the snorkel  56  and to a periphery of the canister, and may be discharged from the canister through a plurality of holes provided in a circumferentially opposing periphery of the canister, or through holes in the cover  58  which are circumferentially generally opposite the inlet. After the various fiber layers and the activated charcoal layer are placed within the canister, a lid  58  may be placed over the body of the canister to retain the purifying materials in place.  FIG. 3  also illustrates a drain plug  60  which is provided in the side of canister body  20  circumferentially opposite the intake to the canister, thereby allowing moisture from the user&#39;s breath which accumulates within the canister to be drained from the canister.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates yet another embodiment, wherein the snorkel may be similar to any of the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . The canister  18  includes an inlet cap  22  and an outlet cap  24  each attached to the sleeve-shaped body  20  of the canister  18 . Cap  22  may thus slide over the upper end of the sleeve  20 , and may be permanently attached to the upper end of the sleeve. A central hole  23  for receiving the snorkel is provided in the inlet cap  22 . The outlet cap  24  preferably has a plurality of holes  42  as previously discussed, and may either be permanently or removably secured to the sleeve-shaped canister.  FIG. 4  also illustrates the camouflage cloth bag  34  and the securing tabs  36 .  
       FIG. 7  discloses another embodiment of a breathing device, where the snorkel may be any of the embodiments described above. In this embodiment, the canister is a large diameter member which is axially short compared to the prior embodiments, thereby having more of a “pancake” configuration. Attachment point  36  is thus provided adjacent the portion of the canister which will be the top portion when worn by a hunter. The snorkel may thus input breath into the upper portion of the body  20 . This embodiment includes a plurality of baffles  60 , each of which is secured at one end to a side wall of the housing  20 , with the cantilevered opposing end of each baffle being positioned within the interior of the housing. Air thus travels to the right of top baffle  60 , to the left of the second baffle  62 , to the right of the third baffle  64 , and to the left of the fourth baffle  66  shown in  FIG. 7 . As with the  FIG. 3  embodiment, air enters a periphery of the canister. Air exit holes  70  may be provided in the lower portion of the cover or lid  72 , and a drain plug  68  provided at a location generally radially opposite the attachment point  36 . The baffles may each of the closed cell foam construction, and serve a cough noise suppression purpose in addition to a separation of the fibrous layers and control of flow through the canister.  FIG. 8  shows the cover  72  on the body  20  of the canister.  
      The term “snorkel” as used herein is intended to refer to any type of flow tube suitable for fitting between the user&#39;s mouth and a canister.  
      The term “disc” as used herein to refer to any generally sheet-shaped divider which may be placed within the canister to separate one fiber layer from another fiber layer, while allowing flow passages through holes in the disc or divider and/or between the disc or divider and the canister wall. The disc or divider need not have a generally circular configuration. Discs, which include noise suppression baffles, may also have varying configurations within a canister, as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
      Other embodiments may include a check valve in the snorkel to allow air to pass inward to the snorkel and into the lungs of the hunter, while preventing exhaled air from passing outward without first passing through the canister.  
      The invention as discussed above has particular utility for a hunter. In other situations, a breathing device may be useful for naturalist attempting to film wild game.  
      Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein in some detail, this has been done solely for the purposes of explaining the various aspects of the invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims which follow. Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment shown and described is exemplary, and various other substitutions, alterations and modifications, including but not limited to those design alternatives specifically discussed herein, may be made in the practice of the invention without departing from its scope.