Patent Publication Number: US-8534279-B2

Title: Respirator system including convertible head covering member

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 of PCT/US2009/035629, filed Mar. 2, 2009, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/042,304, filed Apr. 4, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its/their entirety herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure is related generally to a respirator system including a convertible head covering member. The present disclosure is also related to headgear articles including convertible head covering members, which are suitable for use in respirator systems. 
     Respirator systems are often used to aid a user&#39;s breathing in an environment containing dusts, fumes, vapors, and/or gases. The respirator systems may be configured to filter the air or they may provide a supply of uncontaminated air. In a supplied air respirator system, clean air may be forced into the interior gas space from an air supply tank or from a powered air source that drives ambient air through an air filter, usually by means of a hose. A respirator system may in some cases include a helmet, hardhat or a similar head covering device for impact resistance. Respirator systems that include impact resistant head covers are frequently worn by people working in areas where there is a potential for impact from a foreign object. A visor or face shield is often included in the respirator system and may have any suitable configuration to provide appropriate amount of substantially unrestricted vision for the user of the surrounding environment. When the respirator system is in use with the face shield lowered, the system should inhibit passage of contaminants, both particulate and gaseous, into the wearer&#39;s air space. Many face shields are pivotally attached to the head covering member to allow the face shield to be lifted when it is not needed. Common respirator systems are mounted on a user&#39;s head by means of a head suspension system attached to the interior of the head covering device. 
     Generally, it is desired that a respirator system, and, particularly the head covering device, be comfortable to wear for extended periods of time in variable conditions. 
     SUMMARY 
     Thus, there is a need for respirator systems including head covering members that can be modified depending on the working conditions to suit the wearer&#39;s needs. 
     In one implementation, the present disclosure is directed to a respirator system including a headgear article defining an interior zone. The headgear article includes a visor and a head covering member. The head covering member has a first opening formed therein that provides fluid communication between the interior zone and environment outside the headgear article. A first panel is disposed over the first opening and is removably attached to the head covering member. The respirator system further includes a clean air supply system having an inlet configured for connection to a source of clean air and an outlet disposed within the interior zone. 
     In another implementation, the present disclosure is directed to a respirator system including a headgear article defining an interior zone. The headgear article includes a visor and a head covering member. The head covering member has first and second openings formed therein that provide fluid communication between the interior zone and environment outside the headgear article. A first panel is disposed over the first opening and is removably attached to the head covering member, and a second panel is disposed over the second opening and is removably attached to the head covering member. The respirator system further includes an air duct disposed between the first and second openings, the duct having an inlet configured for connection to a source of clean air and an outlet disposed within the interior zone. 
     In yet another implementation, the present disclosure is directed to a headgear article including a head covering member having an opening formed therein. A panel having an outer surface is disposed such that a substantial portion of the outer surface is disposed over the opening. The panel includes at least one retaining member configured to removably attach to the edge of the opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  shows schematically a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a respirator system according to the present disclosure with its visor in a lowered position; 
         FIG. 1B  shows schematically a side view of the exemplary respirator system shown in  FIG. 1A  with its visor in a raised position; 
         FIG. 1C  shows schematically a cross-sectional side view of the exemplary respirator system shown in  FIG. 1A  disposed on a user&#39;s head; 
         FIG. 2A  shows schematically a top view of a headgear article according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2B  shows schematically a bottom view of the headgear article shown in  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 3A  shows schematically a bottom partial view of an exemplary head covering member demonstrating in detail an example of removable attachment of the panel to an edge of an opening; and 
         FIG. 3B  shows schematically a bottom partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary head covering member demonstrating in detail an example of removable attachment of the panel to an edge of an opening. 
     
    
    
     The figures are not necessarily to scale. Like numbers used in the figures refer to like components. However, it will be understood that the use of a number to refer to a component in a given figure is not intended to limit the component in another figure labeled with the same number. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration several specific embodiments. It is to be understood that other embodiments are contemplated and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense. 
     All scientific and technical terms used herein have meanings commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified. The definitions provided herein are to facilitate understanding of certain terms used frequently herein and are not meant to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing feature sizes, amounts, and physical properties used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the foregoing specification and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by those skilled in the art utilizing the teachings disclosed herein. 
     The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g. 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5) and any range within that range. 
     As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” encompass embodiments having plural referents, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide one or more openings in the headgear article, which may be useful for ventilation. According to the present disclosure, the one or more openings can be covered by one or more panels, which removably attach to the headgear article. The removability of the one or more panels allows the user of the headgear article the flexibility to remove or install them when desired. By adding impact-resistant material to the panels, the impact resistance of the headgear article may be enhanced. The removable panels may be provided with colored layers, patterns, images and/or reflective materials. 
     An exemplary embodiment of a respirator system  100  according to the present disclosure is illustrated in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B and  1 C. The respirator system  100  includes a headgear article  120 , which includes a visor  122  and a head covering member  124 . Preferably, the visor  122  is pivotally attached to the head covering member  124  via pivot mechanism  123 , such that the visor may have a lowered position ( FIG. 1A ), a raised position ( FIG. 1B ) and various intermediate positions. Any suitable pivoting mechanism is within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The visor  122  includes a transparent member, which may be made of any suitable transparent material, such as a plastic material. In an exemplary embodiment, the visor  122  includes a generally curved lens  122   a  and a lens frame  122   b . Lens frame  122   b  supports lens  122   a  and facilitates pivoting of the visor  122  via pivot mechanism  123 . The curved lens  122   a  may be characterized by a cylindrical curvature with a spherical or an elliptical cross-section. The visor  122  includes a seal  125  attached to the lens  122   a , the lens frame  122   b  or both. Seal  125  typically engages frontal area of the head covering member  124 , when visor  122  is in its lowered or closed position ( FIG. 1A ). In some embodiments, the seal may be fluid tight, e.g., air tight. 
     The head covering member  124  typically includes an outer shell that has sufficient structural integrity to retain its desired shape (and the shape of other layers that are supported by it) under normal handling. Preferably, the head covering member  124  includes a shape-retaining outer shell, which substantially retains its shape after any deforming forces have ceased. In exemplary embodiments providing at least some impact protection to a user of the headgear article  120 , the head covering member  124  is configured to resist impact. For the purposes of the present disclosure, impact resistance exists where the head covering member absorbs at least a certain amount of mechanical energy from impact that would otherwise reach a user&#39;s head. Exemplary materials suitable for use in a head covering member include, without limitation, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polycarbonate, ABS, styrene. Aluminum, fiber reinforced plastics, laminated paper products could also be used. 
     In accordance with the present disclosure, the head covering member  124  has at least one opening  130  formed therein. The opening  130  is configured to provide fluid communication between an interior zone  102  (shown in  FIG. 1C ), defined by the headgear article  120  and a user&#39;s head  10 , and environment outside the headgear article. A layer of filter material may be disposed in the opening such that it separates the interior zone  102  from the environment outside the headgear article  120 . The layer of filter material would typically include one or more layers of material, which layer(s) is adapted for the primary purpose of removing contaminants (such as particles) from an air stream that passes through it, while allowing the passage of hot, moist air from above the wearer&#39;s head into the outside environment. A panel  140  is configured such that it can be disposed over the first opening and removably attached to the head covering member  124 , as described in more detail below in connection with  FIGS. 2A-3B . Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may include two or more openings, such as  130 , and panels, such as  140 , configured to be removably attached thereto. One, two or more removable panels may include an impact resistant material. 
     Referring further to  FIG. 1C , the headgear article  120  of the respirator system  100  also may define a breathing zone  104  in the interior thereof as a subsection of the interior zone  102 . The breathing zone  104  is located between the visor  122  and the wearer&#39;s face. In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1C , the breathing zone  104  is also defined by the face seal  126 . A breathing zone seal  127  may be used to separate the breathing zone  104  from the remainder of the interior zone  102 . In the illustrated embodiment, the remainder of the interior zone  102  resides between the head covering member  124  and the top of the user&#39;s head. 
     Clean air can be provided into the breathing zone  104  from any suitable source of clean air. The wearer breathes the air and exhales it back into the breathing zone. This exhaled air, along with excess clean air that is forced into the breathing zone, may exit the breathing zone through openings or through any other suitable route. For the purposes of the present disclosure, “clean air” means atmospheric ambient air that has been filtered or air supplied from an independent source. “Clean air source” means an apparatus, such as a filtering unit, compressed air source or a tank, that is capable of providing a supply of clean, breathable air for the user of the respirator system. 
     Referring further to  FIGS. 1A and 1C , the headgear article  120  may also include a face seal  126  and a suspension system  128 . The suspension system  128  serves to mount and support the headgear article  120  on a user&#39;s head, and it may be adjustable and typically includes a headband  128   a  configured to be disposed across a user&#39;s forehead. The face seal  126  is typically configured as to engage a wearer&#39;s face and aid in separating the breathing zone  104  from the outside environment. The face seal  126  may be permanently or removably attached to the headgear article  120 . In one exemplary embodiment, the face seal  126  is attached, e.g., removably attached, to the lens frame  122   b . Preferably, the face seal  126  is made of a soft material due to the need to put it in contact with a user&#39;s skin, such as a woven or non-woven material, e.g., fabric. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the outer periphery  126   a  of the face seal  126  is constructed to be disposed at least in part under the user&#39;s chin. The face seal  126  may be at least partially elastic, so that it could move with the user&#39;s jaw when the user talks and fit securely about the user&#39;s face after being stretched. In a typical embodiment, the face seal  126  has an elastic member disposed along the periphery  126   a  of the face seal  126  and characterized by at least a certain degree of sealing effectiveness or integrity that reduces or minimizes the leakage of air into the breathing zone. For example, the face seal  126  may include an elastic band (not shown) that can be made from any suitable material, such as SPANDEX material or the like. Alternatively, the face seal  126  itself may have elastic properties. 
     The face seal  126  may include one or more openings in its bottom portion  126   b . The openings allow the breathable air delivered to the head covering member to exit upon exhaling. In another exemplary embodiment, instead of the one or more openings, the bottom portion  126   b  may include relatively air permeable material that will allow air to escape. Other approaches for allowing air out of the respirator system  100  may be used with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     The respirator system  100  further includes a clean air supply system  150  which includes an inlet  152  configured for connection to a source of clean air  170  and an outlet  154  (shown in  FIG. 1C ) disposed within the breathing zone, preferably proximate a user&#39;s face. In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1C , the clean air supply system  150  includes a duct  156 , connecting the inlet  152  and the outlet  154 . The clean air supply system may further include a diverter  155  disposed in the outlet  154  and configured to allow the user to alter the direction and/or amount of air flow into the breathing zone  104 . A diverter  155  can be a moveable structure disposed adjacent the outlet  155  and that determines the flow direction of air exiting the outlet, dependent upon the position of the structure relative to the outlet. Thus, the outlet  154  may be adjustable between at least a first outlet configuration wherein the air flow from the outlet is directed in a first direction and at least a second outlet configuration wherein the air flow from the outlet is directed in a second, different direction. 
     The breathing zone seal  127  may be on one end permanently or removably attached to the head covering member  124 , for example, adjacent the outlet  154 , and on another end it may be permanently or removably attached to the headband  128   a . The breathing zone seal  127  may be made from the same type of material as the face seal  126  or from another suitable material, such as foam. 
     The inlet  152  can be connected to the source of clean air  170  by a hose  160 . The source of clean air may be an air exchange apparatus, which is an apparatus for providing a finite breathing zone volume around the head of a user in which air can be exchanged in conjunction with the user&#39;s breathing cycle. 
     One example of a respirator system utilizing an air exchange apparatus is a Powered Air Purifying Respirator” (PAPR), which is a powered system having a blower to force ambient air through air-purifying elements to an inlet  152  of the clean air supply system  150 . However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may include any other suitable air supply system, including but not limited to negative pressure systems. Other exemplary air supply systems may include, without limitation, any suitable supplied air system or a compressed air system, such as a self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). 
     The inlet opening  152  may be positioned in the back of the headgear article  120 . An air inlet fluid coupling arrangement (not shown) may be connectable to the hose  160 , which, in turn, may be connected to the clean air supply  170 . In an exemplary embodiment, air that enters through the inlet opening  152  is allowed to pass into the breathing zone through the outlet  154  and circulate between the visor  122  and a user&#39;s face. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  show top and bottom views, respectively, of an exemplary headgear article  220  suitable for use with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The headgear article includes a head covering member  224  having an outer shell with a first opening  232  and a second opening  234  formed therein.  FIG. 2A  shows an outer surface of the head covering member  224 , while  FIG. 2B  shows an inner surface of the head covering member  224 . When uncovered, the first and second openings  232  and  234  are configured to provide fluid communication between an interior zone defined by the headgear article  220  and environment outside the headgear article. A layer of filter material  262   a ,  262   b  may be disposed in one or both of the openings  232  and  234 , such that the layer of filter material separates the interior zone from the environment outside the headgear article  220 . The filter material may be attached to the head covering member  224  in any suitable manner. 
     A first panel  242  is disposed over the first opening  232  and removably attached to the head covering member  224 . A second panel  244  is disposed over the second opening  234  and removably attached to the head covering member  224 .  FIG. 2A  shows outer surfaces of the removable panels  242  and  244 , while  FIG. 2B  shows their inner surfaces.  FIG. 2A  also shows the first panel  242  disengaged from the first opening  232 , while the second panel  244  is shown as attached to the head covering member  224  to cover the second opening  234 .  FIG. 2B  shows the first and second panels  242  and  242  attached to the head covering member  224  to cover the first and second openings  232  and  234 . 
     In some exemplary embodiments, one or more removable panels  242  and  244  are configured to cover at least a portion of the outer surface of the head covering member  224 . For example, in some exemplary embodiments, removable panels (e.g.,  242 ) are configured to not only cover the opening but also at least the area of the outer surface of the head covering member  224  that is adjacent to an edge of the opening. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the removable panel  242  is configured to cover at least the area  233   a  of the outer surface of the head covering member  224  that is adjacent to an edge of the opening  232  and surrounds the opening  232 . Preferably, the removable panel  242  is also configured to cover an additional area  233   b  of the outer surface of the head covering member  224 . Nonetheless, in typical embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more removable panels are disposed such that at least a substantial portion of the outer surface of the panel is disposed to cover the opening. 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , a clean air supply system  250  is attached to the head covering member  224 . In this exemplary embodiment, the clean air supply system includes an air duct  256  having an inlet  252  configured for connection to a source of clean air and an outlet disposed within the breathable zone. Preferably, when the headgear article  220  is supported on a user&#39;s head, the outlet is disposed in the proximity of the user&#39;s face. In one exemplary configuration, the air duct  256  is disposed between the first opening  232  and the second opening  234 . 
       FIG. 2B  shows an outlet that includes a central opening  254   a  and a pair of side openings  254   b  and  254   c . The central opening  254   a  includes a diverter  255 . Here, the diverter  255  is a panel that extends across the central opening  254   a  and is pivotally mounted adjacent thereto. The diverter  255  can be sized to completely cover the central opening  254   a , in which case the flow of clean air is delivered into the breathing zone through the side openings  254   b  and  254   c . The exemplary panel has side projections that are pivotally received within short walls  257  adjacent to the outlet and that separate the central opening  254   a  from the side openings  254   b  and  254   c . The diverter  255  includes an actuator  259  projecting therefrom. Movement of the actuator  259  causes movement of the diverter  255 . Depending upon the position of the diverter  255  relative to the central opening  254   a , the direction of air flow exiting the central opening  254   a  is changed so that it may be directed in a first direction or in a second, different direction or another direction selected by a user. 
       FIG. 2B  also illustrates an exemplary mechanism for attaching a breathing zone seal to the head covering member  220 . The exemplary mechanism is a ridge  227  disposed in the frontal portion of the head covering member  220  and projecting from its inner surface. The ridge  227  is typically configured to aid in isolating the breathing zone of the headgear article from the remainder of the interior zone. For example, in one embodiment, the ridge  227  is configured as a wall projecting from the inner surface of the head covering member  220  that forms a part of the boundary between the breathing zone and the remainder of the interior zone. The exemplary ridge  227  may include a groove  227   a  for receiving and housing one end of the breathing zone seal. To facilitate attachment, the end of the breathing zone seal received in the groove may be shape-stable, for example, rubberized or made of a shape-stable polymeric material. 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  show bottom partial views of an exemplary head covering member  324  demonstrating in detail removable attachment of the panel  342  to an edge (e.g.,  332   a ,  332   b ) of the opening  332 .  FIG. 3A  shows the panel  342  with two retaining members  410  and  420  configured to removably attach to an edge of the opening  332 . Other exemplary embodiments of removable panels may have only one retaining member or more than two retaining members. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, retaining members  410  and  420  are elongated latch members. The one or more latch members can be configured to form a snap-fit with an edge of the opening  332 . 
     The latch members may be formed from a resilient material, such that they are capable of bending when a force is applied and then recovering its original shape when the force is released. One or more retaining members (e.g.,  410 ,  420 ) can be formed integrally with the panel  342 , such as by injection molding.  FIG. 3B  shows a cross-sectional view of a panel  342  removably attached to edges  332   a ,  332   b  of an opening  332  via retaining members  410 ,  420 . Each exemplary retaining member  410 ,  420  includes a ledge  414 ,  424 . In this exemplary embodiment, the ledge  414 ,  424  cooperates with an opposing peripheral edge of the panel  412 , 422  to removably retain an edge  332   a ,  332   b  of the opening  332  therebetween. Thus, at least one retaining member  410 ,  420  may be configured such that at least a portion thereof (e.g., a portion of the ledge  414 ,  424 ) is in contact with the inner surface of the head covering member  324 . The at least one retaining member  410 ,  420  also may be configured such that at least a portion thereof (e.g.,  412 ,  422 ) is in contact with the outer surface of the head covering member  324 . 
     Other types and configurations of retaining members are within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, other suitable removable fastening systems include hook and loop systems, clips, screws, and adhesives, such as repositionable adhesives. In some exemplary embodiments, rotatable latches may be used as one or more retaining members. Rotatable latches typically utilize an arm rotatably mountable on the removable panel or the head covering member. The arm can be pivoted to extend across the edge of the opening and the removable panel to retain the panel to the head covering member. If the rotatable latch is mounted onto the removable panel, it may be rotated to extend under the lower surface of the head covering member and thereby retain the removable panel to the head covering member. The removable panel preferably further includes at least one locating feature to aid proper alignment of the removable panel with respect to the opening. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the panel  342  includes one or more locating ridges  430 ,  440 , which have shapes that mate with the periphery of the opening  332  to allow only one orientation in which the retaining members  410 ,  420  can interlock with the edges of the opening  332 . Other types and configurations of locating features are also within the scope of the present disclosure, including but not limited to discrete protrusions or one or more tabs, slots, pegs and holes. 
     Thus, embodiments of the R ESPIRATOR  S YSTEM  I NCLUDING  C ONVERTIBLE  H EAD  C OVERING  M EMBER  are disclosed. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced with embodiments other than those disclosed. The disclosed embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow.