AU2010212282A1 - Improved Respirator - Google Patents

Description

-2 IMPROVED RESPIRATOR Technical Area This invention relates to an improved respirator. Background to the Invention Respirators are used in many applications and, in particular, in trades, respirators are being used more and more by tradesmen as Occupational Health & Safety Requirements prescribe respirators in their many applications. Also, they can be used by persons going into noxious environments and they can also be used from a medical point-of-view for various persons with allergies and the like. Outline of the Invention Respirators usually overlie the user's nose and mouth and are held to the user's head by straps extending around the head. Extending from the mouthpiece of the respirator there is a filter arrangement Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 0.wpd AT/CM 1 2 8/10 -3 which can take various forms. When used by tradesmen respirators can be uncomfortable and inconvenient. For example, particularly for a self-employed tradesman who must make and receive telephone calls during the day, if he or she is wearing a respirator they will normally have to remove their safety hat, often remove safety goggles, then remove the respirator to speak on the telephone and, once the call is completed, reverse the operation. Also, where tradesmen are to have a conversation with a fellow worker or a foreman, the same procedure has to be followed. Tradesmen with beards can also have difficulties with respirators as it can be difficult for a seal to be made at the interface with the users face and the respirator body as the beard tends to hold the respoirator away from the user's skin. Also, there can be many operations where the respirator is only needed for short periods, such as operating a saw or when entering a polluted atmosphere in a spray booth where the time taken to don and remove the respirator are such as to tempt the operator to carry out the function without a respirator. Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 0.wpd AT/CM 1 2 8/10 -4 The object of the invention is to provide a respirator which effectively overcomes these problems. The respirator of the invention comprises a body to which there is connected a mouth piece, a filtration unit associated with a one way valve through which air may pass into the body and an outlet which has a one way valve through which air can be exhausted therefrom, the respirator being used by the mouthpiece being placed in the mouth of the user and gripped by the user's teeth. It is preferred that the mouth piece, the filtration unit and the associated one way valve and the exhaust valve can readily be removed and replaced. In a preferred form the respirator may also include means to occlude the nostrils and in one particular form may have extending upwardly from the mouth-piece nasal plugs which can either compress the user's nostrils or can directly enter the user's nose to occlude the nasal passages.. Description of an Embodiment of the Invention In order that the invention may be more readily understood there shall be described, in relation to the accompanying drawings, one particular form of respirator made in accordance with the invention. Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 0.wpd AT/CM 1 2 8/10 -5 In these drawings: Fig 1 is a perspective view from the front of the respirator; Fig 2 is a perspective view from the rear on one side;; Fig 3 is a side view, partly in section of the respirator; Fig 4 is a plan view from above; Fig 5 is a side elevation; Fig 6 is a front elevation; Fig 7 is a rear elevation; Fig 8 is an exploded view showing the cap and the outlet valve retainers rem oved; Fig 9 is a front view showing a first form of nose plugs which are free from the body of the respirator; Fig 10 is a rear view of Fig 9; Fig 11 is a view of the respirator of Figs 9 and 10 in use; Figs 12, 13 and 14 are views similar to Figs 9 to 11 using a tethered nose plug; Figs 15, 16 and 17 are views similar to Figs 9 to 11 where the nose plug is integral with the respirator; and Figs 18, 19 and 20 are vies similar to Figs 15 to 17 using a different arrangement of integral plug. The respirator has a body 10 which is of a moulded plastics material which is adapted to receive a mouth piece 20 which may be made of a silicone rubber or Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 0.wpd AT/CM 1 2 8/10 -6 a medical grade plastics material and which is shaped to have a skirt 21 which abuts the user's lips and inwardly-directed portions 22 adapted to be grasped between the user's teeth. At its outer end the mouthpiece has a socket 23 which is removably engageable with a spigot 11 extending rearwardly from the body. This enables ready replacement of the mouth piece either when worn or when the respirator is to be used by a different operator, The body has a central open portion 12 into which the spigot opens and had an open end 15 in which there is located a one-way valve 13 which permits air flow from the exterior of the body to the open portion. There is an outwardly extending threaded annular portion 14 of the body extending about the one way valve and this receives a cap 30 which has a correspondingly threaded portion 31 internally of its skirt 32. The cap 30 has an open front 33 and restrains a replaceable filter cartridge 34. The cartridge 34 may be made of a relatively light plastics material and the filter can be selected to filter dust, various toxic materials or a combination of objectionable materials. These cartridges are well-known in the art. The body of this particular embodiment also has a pair of rearwardly directed externally threaded cylindrical members 16 symmetrically located about the Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 0.wpd AT/CM 1 2 8/10 -7 spigot 11 to which the mouth piece 20 is connected. These members 16 are adapted to receive one way valves 41 located in rem oveable members 40 which are threaded onto the members 16. In its simplest form the respirator is sim ply adapted for the outer end of the mouth piece being located in the users mouth with the skirt 21 abutting the user's lips and the mouth piece to be held in position by the user's teeth contacting the members 22. The user then breathes through his or her mouth causing air to be drawn through the filter cartridge 34, into the space 12 of the body and through the mouth piece 20 into the user's lungs. During this time the valves 41 are maintained closed by the reduction of pressure within the body space 12. When the user exhales the one way valve 13 is held closed and the valves 41 open to permit passage of the exhaled air. It would normally be that nose plugs or a nose peg would be used in association with the respirator to ensure that the user does, in fact, breath through the mouth. Figs 9 to 11, 12 to 14, 15 to 1 7,and 18 to 20 shw different methods of use of nose plugs with the invention. The embodiments of Figs 9 to 11 and Figs 12 to 14 are very similar. They each use a free nose plug 50 (51) which have resilient bands 53 which may have an Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 0.wpd AT/CM 12 8/10 -8 eyelet 53 which enable connection by a flexible cord or the like to a further eyelet 54 on the body 10 of the respirator. The differ in that the plug 50 is designed to close the nostrils from below and occlude the air passages therein whilst the plug 51 compresses the nostrils from above as is shown in Figs 11 and 14 respectively. The pads 55 and 56 are shaped differently to operate efficiently in the different orientations adopted. In the embodiment where the nostrils are closed from below, the nostrils can either be compressed as with the embodiment from above or can actually enter the nostrils and occlude the air passages in that way. The arrangements of Figs 15 to 17 and 18 to 20 are analogous to the earlier forms but, in these cases, a support for the plugs is integral with the body 10. Referring to the first of these, the support 60 is relatively short and has a generally horse shoe shaped flexible member 61 extending upwardly therefrom. At the ends of this member there are pads 62 which are similar to the pads 55 of Figs 9 to 11 and can operate in the same way as discussed with that figure.. In the second, the support member 70 is substantially longer, is generally arcuate in form and has the horse shoe shaped member 71 basically downwardly directed and this has pads 72 which are also downwardly directed. Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 0.wpd AT/CM 1 2 8/10 -9 Which of these arrangements is used depends on the preferment of the wearer. In all cases the pads are readily replaceable when they wear or when the respirator is to be sed y different wearers. In this form of respirator it is only necessary to release the pressure on the body to permit downward movements so the plugs leave the nose and the respirator can be removed from the mouth. The nose plug can be provided as part of a pair of safety goggles or glasses which are to be used by the operator. In this arrangement, the plugs can be of the forms described earlier herein but in this case are either attached to the safety goggles by a flexible cord or the like or can be integrally formed with the goggles to occlude the nostrils from above, which is generally more convenient with this arrangement, or below, as described above. Whilst herein there have been described several forms of respirator made in accordance with the invention, it is to be understood that modifications can be made in these. For example, should it be required the material of the respirator mouth piece could be of somewhat block form and could be permanently distorted by a particular user when they bite on the block. Alternatively, a mould may be made Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 0.wpd AT/CM 1 2 8/10 -10 of the user's front teeth and the mouth piece be specifically cast for a particular user. It will be understood that provided the filter cannister 34 is light, a respirator of this type can be used by a person for substantial periods and very often if a tradesman is doing a particular job that needs a respirator, the respirator is only necessary for use for short periods and the respirator of the invention can readily be removed from the mouth and nose to limit obstruction to the user during much of the working time. Also, the actual form of cannister 34 can be selected depending on the area in which the respirator is to be used. For example, if the respirator is to be used in a dusty atmosphere, such as where wood is being worked, then filtering of dust will be the main requirement. If it is to be used in a toxic atmosphere, such as cleaning of chemical storage tanks, it could be adapted to neutralise the chemical vapour concerned and if it is to be used in an area where there can be both particles and chemicals, such as in smoke, then the cannister could be both a filter and neutralise the chemicals. Various variations and modifications can be made in the respirator without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 0.wpd AT/CM 12 8/10

Claims (15)

1. A respirator comprising a body to which there is connected a mouth piece, a filtration unit associated with a one way valve through which air may pass into the body and an outlet which has a one way valve through which air can be exhausted therefrom, the respirator being used by the mouthpiece being placed in the mouth of the user and gripped by the user's teeth.

2. A respirator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mouthpiece includes a skirt adapted to abut the user's lips and a member which passes into the user's mouth and which can be gripped between the user's teeth.

3. A respirator as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the filtration unit is located in the body adjacent to the one way valve and is held in position by a cap which engages a thread on an annular portion of the body whereby the filtration unit can be removed from and replaced into position.

4. A respirator as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the outlet is provided byan externally threaded cylindrical member extending from the body which member can receive the one way valve which is held in position by a cylindrical cap which is screwed thereover. Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 0.wpd AT/CM 1 2 8/10 -12

5. A respirator as claimed in claim 4 wherein there are two outlets located symmetrically below the mouthpiece.

6. A respirator as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is provided a nose plug for use in association with the respirator.

7. A respirator as claimed in claim 6 wherein the nose plug is connected to the body by means of a flexible member.

8. A respirator as claimed in claim 7 wherein the nose plug is adapted to compress the air passages passing through the nostrils.

9. A respirator as claimed in claim 7 wherein the nose plug is adapted to enter the nostrils and occludes the air passages therethrough.

10. A respirator as claimed in claim 6 having an extension therefrom to the end of which there is connected a nose plug

11. A respirator as claimed in claim 10 wherein the extension and nose plug are so formed that when the respirator is being used the plug passes over the nostrils and compresses the air passages therethrough.

12. A respirator as claimed in claim 10 wherein the extension and the nose Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 12081 0.wpd AT/CM 1 2 8/10 -13 plug are so formed that when the respirator is being used, the plug passes into the nostrils and occludes the air passages therein.

13. A respirator as claimed in claim 6 wherein the nose plug is associated with a pair of safety goggles.

14. A respirator as claimed in claim 13 wherein the nose plug is formed integral with the goggles so that, when the goggles are worn, the plug occludes the nasal passages.

15. A respirator substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 1 2th day of August 2010 MICHAEL AND JULIE CROWE By their Patent Attorneys A TATLOCK & ASSOCIATES Y:\SPEC\Crowe M & J Rcsp Comp 1 2081 O.wpd AT/CM 1 2 8/10