Patent ID: 6923183

Claim:
Breathing apparatus for an aircraft crew member, comprising: a generator of oxygen-enriched air, a breathing mask provided with a demand regulator, an inflatable pneumatic harness, an individual buffer plenum having an outlet connected to the regulator of the mask on a line for feeding the regulator of the mask and for feeding the harness, connecting means having a non-return check valve between the generator and the plenum, said plenum having a volume sufficient to provide for at least two typical breaths in succession of said crew member and in which the pressure is sufficient to make a rapid donning of the harness, said connecting means further comprising valve means for preventing initial filling of said buffer plenum from said generator until an oxygen content of the gas delivered by the generator exceeds a predetermined threshold and for preventing initial filling of said buffer plenum from said generator until an outlet pressure of the generator exceeds a predetermined value; a sensor providing a signal representative of the oxygen content of gas delivered by the generator; and an electronic module connected to receive said signal and control said valve means which is a solenoid valve, wherein the module is arranged to also put the generator and the non-return check valve into communication in response to opening of a box containing the mask.