AU595840B2 - Respirator - Google Patents

Description

PcI i e4 i~" r- OT -AI 64058 /86 WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION International Bureau INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER TH PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (51) International Patent Classification 4 (11) International Publication Number: WO 87/ 01950 A62B 18/02 Al (43) International Publication Datq: 9 April 1987 (09.04.87) (21) International Application Number: PCT/GB86/00576 (22) International Filing Date: 26 September 1986 (26.09.86) (31) Priority Application Number: 8523795 (32) Priority Date: (33) Priority Country: 26 September 1985 (26.09.85)

GB

(74) Agent: ATKINSON, Peter, Birch; Marks Clerk, Suite 301, Sunlight House, Quay Street, Manchester M3 3JY (GB).

(81) Designated States: AT, AT (European patent), AU, BB, BE (European patent), BG, BR, CF (OAPI patent), CG (OAPI patent), CH, CH (European patent), CM (OAPI patent), DE, DE (European patent), DK, FI, FR (European patent), GA (OAPI patent), GB, GB (European patent), HU, IT (European patent), JP, KP, KR, LK, LU, LU (European patent), MC, MG, ML (OAPI patent), MR (OAPI patent), MW, NL, NL (European patent), NO, RO, SD, SE, SE (European patent), SN (OAPI patent), SU, TD (OAPI patent), TG (OAPI patent), US.

Published With international search report.

R. 28 MAY 1987 (71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): PRO- TECTOR SAFETY LIMITED [GB/GB]; Great George Street, Wigan, Greater Manchester WN3 4DE

(GB).

(72) Inventor; and Inventor/Applicant (for US only) FEENEY, John, Robert [GB/GB]; Protector Safety Limited, Great George Street, Wigan, Greater Manchester WN3 4DE (GB).

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(54) Title: RESPIRATOR 6 6 16 13 14 L.

4- (57) Abstract, A respirator having a cup-like body associated with an air inlet and an air outlet and having a peripheral sealing element shaped for location across the nose and around the #outh of a wearer wherein the sealing element is located in position by a clamping element which is reletsably secured to the cup-like body FkERP-IRATOR The present invention relates to a respirator and more particularly (but not exclusively) to those respirators known as half -mask respirators which are intended to cover only the nose and mouth of a wealer.

Most conventional half-mask respirators are moulded from naturai rubber or other similar material (synthetic rubber, silicone rubber, PVC etc.). With this type of mask the face S 0 6 seal is effected by the part of the mask in contact with the ~.face. To achieve this it is usual to ha,.,e a ref lex edge in 44a which region the moulding is thinner and more flexible.

other masks use an inflatable seal against the face and GOO: this may be combined with a rubber mask or a rigid plastic mask.

606* With the conventional masks, it may not be possible to replace the seal easily once it has lost its effectiveness due to repeated use of the mask which must therefore be discarded.

001 It is an object of the present invention to obviate or 0600 mltigaze the above disadvantage.

In one broad form the present invention a respirator having a cup-like body associated with an air-inlet and an air-outlet adapted for location over the nose and mouth of a wearer and having a peripheral sealing element, wherein said cup-like body has a first flange extending around its periphery, and a clamping element having a second flange is releasably secured to the cup-like body, a portion of said sealing element being clamped between said fir and second flanges, thereby holding said sealing element in position.

Preferably, the cup-like body and clamping element each have flanges which come into face-to-face clamping relationship when the clamping element is mounted on the body, and the seal has a 0O3 0 V/AMR r--l I- WO 870,1950 PCT/GB86/00576 2 skirt or the like which is clamped between these flanges to retain the seal in position.

The invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of half-mask respirator in accordance with the invention; -Fig. 2 is an exploded, part-sectional side view of the mask shown in Fig. 1, but omitting details of the harness; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the assembled mask.

The illustrated half-mask respirator comprises a cup-like body 1 shaped for location over the nose and mouth of a user, a cushion-like face seal 2 for location on the cup 1, an outer clamping element 3, a standard filter cartridge 4, an inhalation valve 18 (not shown in Fig. 1, but clearly illustrated in Fig.

exhalation valves 5 (only one shown), and harness straps 6.

Cup 1 is a rigid plastic moulding formed as a cup-shaped body 7 having an aperture 8 in a flat frontal face thereof and two apertures 9 in a flat basal face thereof. Aperture 8 is extended inwardly by an internally screw-threaded tubular projection 8a in which an air inlet valve 18 (see Fig. 2) is located. Projecting laterally from the rim of the body 7 is an integral flange Clamping element 3 is alao a rigid plastics moulding and comprises a wall 11 with a stand-off guard portion 12. More particularly, wall 11 is shaped to be a close fit around the body 7 save that the guard portion 12 will stand slightly clear of the flat basal face of body 7 to allow the exhaust valves 5 to be positioned in apertures 9. The basal surface WO 87/01950 PCT/GB86/00576 3 of guard portion 12 is slotted so as to allow passage of air from valves Also provided on clamping element 3 is a flange 13 integral with the wall 11. Finally, stud-like projections 14 are provided on wall 11.

Complimentary snap-fit formations (not shown) are provided on the wall 11 of clamping element 3 and on the body 7 of cup 1 whereby clamping element 3 is a sn-ap fit on cup 1. The snap fit formations may take a number of forms. For example, the cup-like body 7 may have a contiuous or discontinuous undercut in which a complimentary projection on the inner surface of wall 11 locates. With element 3 snap-fitted on cup 1, the flanges 10 and 13 are in face-to-face clamping relation.

Face seal 2 is of the form illustrated in Fig.

1. More particularly the ring is shaped for location on, and around, the flange 10 of cup 1. Seal 2 is formed of a core ring of soft foam-rubber 15 clad with flexible PVC 16, such that seal 2 is of cushion-like construction. This PVC cladding 16 has a skirt 17 (the purpose of which will be described) provided around the inner periphery of the ring-like face seal body and extending inwardly thereof. The width' of skirt 17 is substantially the same as that of flanges 10 and 13.

SAssembly of the half-mask is as follows, it being assumed that inlet valve 18 and outlet valves have been located in position.

Firstly, face-seal 2 is mounted on the cup 1 by manipulating the skirt 17 of seal 2 such that it overlies flange 10 of cup-like body 1. With the seal 2 so mounted on cup 1, a substantial part of the seal's ring like body is located on the side of flange 10 remote from the cup-shaped body 7.

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WO 87/01950 PCT/GB86/00576 4 Next, clamping element 3 is snap-fitted onto cup 1 thus ensuring that skirt 17 is securely clamped between flanges 10 and 13 thereby fixing seal 2 in position. With clamping element 3 located in position, guard portion 12 serves to protect valves whilst allowing passage of air from the valves Assembly is completed by screwing cartridge 4 into projection 8a and finally attaching harness straps 6 to studs 14.

The assembled mask is of course worn with the seal 2 locating over the bridge of the nose and around the mouth of a wearer, the mask being supported. in position by the harness straps 6 locating around the back of the wearers head. When the mask is worn, these harness straps 6 'pull' the clamping element 3 towards the face of the wearer thus enhancing the clamping action., During inhalation, air is drawn through (and thus filtered by) the cartridge 4. Exhaled air is exhausted via the outlet valves It is inevitable that seal 2 will lose its effectiveness after repeated usage of the mask. With the illustrated mask construction, the seal may be replaced quickly and easily by releasing and removing clamping element 3 from cup 1 (after removal of cartidge 4 if necessary), removing the old seal, j, fitting a new one, and re-assembling the mask.

Consequently there is no need to dispose of the mask once the seal loses its effectiveness.

The illustrated mask has a cushion-like seal.

Other types of seal could however be used, e.g.

inflatable seals or reflex-edge seals.

Claims (9)

1. A respirator having a cup-like body associated with an air-inlet and an air-outlet adapted for location over the nose and mouth of a wearer and having a peripheral sealing element, wherein said cup-like body has a first flange extending around its periphery, and a clamping element having a second flange is releasably secured to the cup-like body, a portion of said sealing element being clamped between said first and second flanges, thereby holding said sealing element in position.

2. A respirator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cup-like body has a front face having an aperture therein, said aperature being extended by an inwardly directed tubular projection forming the air inlet and in which is provided an inhalation valve.

3. A respirator as claimed in claim 2 wherein a filter cartridge is supported in said tubular projection.

4. A respirator as claimed in claim 3 wherein the cup-like body has a flat basal surface having at least one aperature in which is located an exhalation valve.

A respirator as claimed in claim 4 wherein the clamping element has a guard portion for protecting the exhalation valve.

6. A respirator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to wherein the clamping element and the cup-like body have complimentary snap fit formations for effecting said releasable securement.

7. A respirator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the sealing element comprising a ring of soft foam rubber clad with a flexible plastics material.

8. A respirator as claimed in claim ,8 wherein the flexible plastics material is PVC. 0301v/AMR -SPPL i .I 4 6

9. A respirator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the clamping element is provided with studs for the securement thereto of a harness for location around the back of the head of a wearer of the mask. A respirator as herein described and with reference to the accompanying illustrations. DATED this 17th day of January, 1990. PROTECTOR SAFETY LIMITED By Its Patent Attorneys ARTHUR S. CAVE CO. 0 0 4i 00* B 00*Or B 0000 00 0 0000 0 0000 0000 *0 0 0. 0 A H301/AMR