CN117858640A - Protective suit comprising a removal opening - Google Patents

Abstract

A protective suit (100) for an individual, comprising: a main part; and a fully removable strap (36) having a predetermined profile extending from the neck (17) of the suit to the lower ends of the left and right legs (19) of the suit.

Description

Protective suit comprising a removal opening

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the protection of operators in or possibly in a dirty, dangerous or polluted environment, in particular against particles of radioactive or any other nature, for example of chemical, biological or pharmacological origin, deposited on surfaces or suspended in an ambient gas, for example air.

"contaminated" or "contaminant" refers to an environment in which radioactive particles, for example, may come into contact with an operator operating in a facility, are dispersed. The invention is also applicable to dirty environments where operators wish to protect themselves from dust contamination, or to environments where substances with health risks, such as viruses, are dispersed.

The present invention thus relates to an individual protection suit and a protection method. Hereinafter, the suit is also referred to as a gown.

Background

In a nuclear power plant, control and maintenance of various devices is planned. In some locations, the operator may be exposed to ionizing radiation. These areas are called controlled areas. They are classified according to their dangerous nature and comply with strict rules to protect operators. One of these risks is contamination. The contaminant is a radioactive substance that may diffuse into the air and onto the floor of the room in the event of an open circuit. All measures are taken so that the operator cannot ingest or inhale the radioactive particles. Based on the surface activity (pollution rate indicator) measured in each room, the operator must follow the rules of dressing and dressing.

The operator's usual work clothes may be his personal clothing, such as a dress, or mandatory general purpose clothing, such as t-shirts, a pair of socks, a suit, a pair of cotton-padded gloves, hats and helmets, a pair of shoes.

When intervening in a controlled area containing contaminated areas, he must wear a gown or a nonwoven paper cover, such as produced by the manufacturer Tyvek, outside the coverall. Current gowns are commonly used in power plants for all types of professions and environments. These gowns mainly ensure that they are not contaminated during activities in contaminated areas.

Generally, when an operator has to perform an intervention in one of said contaminated areas, he first wears gowns, gloves outside the work clothes and, according to field practice, flexible boots or overshoes mainly covering the foot outside the work shoes.

The common practice includes:

-the contamination of the entry surface of wearing a generic garment is lower than 4Bq/cm ² Controlled area of (2)

-if the surface contamination is between 4 and 400Bq/cm ² In between, the general garment is worn and the gown is worn into the controlled area.

One particular approach that has recently become more common in nuclear power plants includes:

the work clothes worn outside the controlled area enter the controlled area, which requires setting the surface pollution limit, for example less than 0.4Bq/cm ² And (b)

If the surface is contaminated, for example at 0.4 and 400Bq/cm ² And if the working clothes are not kept outside the controlled area, putting on the gown and entering the controlled area.

Whether general or specific practice, at 400Bq/cm ² Above, the operator must wear a ventilation helmet, for example covering the whole head to the bottom of the neck, or wear a ventilation waterproof garment, for example covering the whole body.

The process of dressing and dressing stage is defined so that the worker is not contaminated during dressing. However, the physical and health safety issues associated with the declotation phase have been identified. In fact, when a worker wants to leave a contaminated area to reach an uncontaminated area, he must remove the suit, glove and boot without contaminating his own clothing worn inside. In doing so, he must achieve a continuous crossing of the boundary, for example by means of uprights, to enter the uncontaminated zone.

Although it has been demonstrated in terms of radiation protection, such spanning is not always easy for the operator and may cause inconvenience. In fact, this uncoupling phase requires him to perform a series of technical actions, including rolling up the suit in order to inhibit soiling, and then uncoupling each trouser leg by alternately keeping the single leg standing and bending down. During the tests carried out by EDF, it was observed that during the average duration of 55 seconds of the duration of the unhairing operation, the worker stands 8 times on his foot, thus in an unbalanced posture, and he maintains a tilt of 40 seconds, 45 ° with respect to his legs, which is considered to be a very restrictive posture in terms of difficulty. However, even if the worker is trained to complete the procedure, especially when the space in which the area jump is located is narrow, deviations (the suit is not rolled up or split from the crotch to release the legs) are observed. This non-conforming process may eventually lead to conventional preventive risks (falls, etc.), and also risks of contamination transfer (re-suspension of contaminated particles due to broken clothing, contamination of the floor if the suit is not rolled up). Furthermore, it is also important to consider the time pressures associated with certain operations in which workers must repeatedly enter and exit the contaminated area. The time of the removal of the garment in an optimal safe environment is also an important factor to consider.

A similar suit opening solution as mentioned above (garments known as "paper" garments, such as Tyvek) is implemented on a nuclear facility. It has only one zipper starting from the top of the neck and ending in the crotch. The zipper can be used for opening the suit and closing the suit. The zipper is made up of two strips, each strip comprising a series of teeth, each tooth cooperating with the spaces between the teeth of the opposite strip, the cooperation being caused by the action of the slider forcing the teeth to interweave.

The drawbacks of such a suit are mainly focused on the doffing phase. Due to its design, the kit requires a number of technical procedures to avoid contamination. However, this results in a very restrictive posture, combined with a relatively long time for the doffing, which may lead to the risks of the traditional safety field (falls due to unbalance during doffing, restrictive posture related to difficulty, etc.). In fact, even if the process carried out is intended to be free from contamination, it is still possible for the process to be contaminated, in particular due to the conventional safety risks posed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to avoid restrictive positions that pose a regular risk (fall, etc.) and a pollution risk, and to reduce the time of the dresses while maintaining an optimal protection against regular and radiation risks.

Disclosure of Invention

For this purpose, according to the invention, a protective suit is provided for an individual,

the kit comprises:

-a main part; and

-a fully removable strap having a predetermined profile extending from the neck of the suit to the lower ends of the left and right legs of the suit;

the suit is arranged such that the strap is detached from the main part under the effect of pulling the strap from the neck up to the lower end of the leg and forming an opening in the main part.

Thus, to remove the suit, the strap is completely detached from the main portion and then the remainder of the suit is removed from the individual through the larger opening left by the strap. These operations can be easily performed by the worker himself. The present invention allows the worker to remain standing with both legs during the entire phase of the doffing, thus avoiding a restrictive posture (standing with one foot and holding stooped over approximately three-quarters of the removal time). The invention also allows for the removal of the garment in a very short time. Thus, the time to shed can be reduced to 10 seconds on average, which is much shorter than 55 seconds currently observed on nuclear facilities. The present invention is particularly effective in avoiding contamination of workers by themselves during the removal of the garment and contamination of third party operators and sites.

Thus, the removal of the garment is particularly easy to accomplish, and the gestures for this purpose are natural and spontaneous.

Advantageously, the kit further comprises at least one tab fixed to the strap and arranged such that pulling on the tab produces pulling on the strap.

Thus, the worker can grasp the tab without thinking and without touching the top of the neck, thereby avoiding any potential contamination.

The strap may be provided with an edge extending from the lower end of the left leg to the lower end of the right leg, the edge being arranged to open from the crotch of the suit under the effect of pulling the strap from the neck.

In one embodiment the edge is secured to the rest of the suit by securing means having a breaking point in the crotch portion.

For example, the securing means comprises a row of teeth and the teeth are absent in at least one row of teeth of the row.

The kit may be arranged to include a securing means defining a strap.

In one embodiment, at least one of the securing means, preferably each securing means, comprises teeth arranged in a row along the means.

In another embodiment, at least one, preferably each, of the fixation devices comprises a protrusion shaped in the longitudinal direction of the device.

It may be provided that at least one of the fastening means does not have a slide.

Advantageously, for at least one edge of the strip, preferably for each edge of the strip, the suit comprises a tab covering the edge over a greater length of the edge.

Indeed, without such a flap, contaminating particles may be deposited in the fixture and then re-suspend and contaminate the clothing during the doffing due to mechanical action. With this tab, there is no particle deposition in the fixture.

Preferably, the tab is secured to the strap.

Thus, the tab and strap are removed simultaneously. If contaminated particles are contained therein, they are preferentially removed with the tape.

It is believed that the kit comprises at least at one end region of at least one edge of the strip, preferably at each end region of each edge, frangible elements for blocking the opening of the edge.

Thus, this element allows to avoid accidental opening of the fixation device during intervention. However, when a worker removes the strap, the strap is easily broken by the worker.

In one embodiment, the suit comprises on each leg:

a terminal frangible element at the lower end region of one of the edges,

-an end frangible element at the lower end region of the other edge, and

an intermediate frangible element at the lower end region of one of the edges,

the two end elements extend at the same distance from one end of the leg and are interposed between the intermediate element and the end.

Thus, when the fixation device is separated, the intermediate element breaks first, then the other two elements break, thereby avoiding any re-suspension of potential contaminants. In contrast, without the intermediate element, there would be a risk of the two end elements breaking simultaneously, which would encourage the particles to project into the environment.

In one embodiment, the strip is defined by:

a first edge extending from the neck to the lower end of the left leg,

a second edge extending from the neck to the lower end of the right leg, an

A third edge extending from the lower end of the left leg to the lower end of the right leg.

The suit may be provided with a wearing opening arranged to allow an individual to put on the suit through the wearing opening without having to at least partially detach the strap from the main part.

This is thus a problem that allows the suit to be put on without disassembly, even without the need to partially disassemble the strap. It is thus possible to configure the straps on the one hand and the wearing openings on the other hand such that they optimally fulfil their respective function.

For example, the wearing opening extends completely into the strap.

According to the present invention there is also provided a method for removing a protective suit worn by an individual, wherein:

the strap of the suit is completely detached from the neck to the lower ends of the left and right legs of the suit,

the main part of the suit is then detached from the individual.

For example, the strap is simply detached by applying one or more pulling forces on the strap.

Drawings

Several embodiments of the present invention will now be presented by way of non-limiting examples supporting the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a kit according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of a zipper of the type used in the kit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of an upper portion of the kit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view of a middle portion of a third opening fixture of the suit;

FIG. 5 is a view of a rear portion of the device of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view of an upper portion of the securing device of the first opening of the suit;

FIG. 7 is a view of a lower portion of one of the legs of the suit;

FIG. 8 is a view of the strap of the suit after separation from the suit;

FIG. 9 is a view of the suit without the strap;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are views showing successive steps of removing clothing by an operator wearing the suit;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing another embodiment of the invention;

fig. 13 and 14 are views of one of the fixtures in another embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 15 is a detailed view of a kit in another embodiment.

Various embodiments of a disposable personal protective suit or gown will be provided to support the figures. For example, this is a protective suit for radioactive particles.

Detailed Description

First embodiment

Referring to fig. 1 to 11, the suit 100 mainly comprises a torso portion 2 secured at a lower portion to a trouser leg portion 3 extending it. Left and right sleeves 4 for the arms of the user are provided at the top of the torso part 2 and are fixed thereto. At the top of the torso part 2 there is a neck 17 which may extend posteriorly through a hood, not shown.

The torso portion 2, pants 3, and sleeves 4 form a main portion 6, and each include one or more pieces of woven or nonwoven material, which will be referred to hereinafter as walls. The flexible walls are configured to prevent radioactive particles from passing through the kit from the exterior to the interior. In general, the tightness indicated for the different parts of the suit 1 (in particular the walls) is a dust-tight tightness and may also be an outside-to-inside water tightness and/or an outside-to-inside water vapor tightness. Furthermore, one or more portions (particularly walls) of the kit 100 may be breathable, that is to say allow water vapour to flow from the interior to the exterior. The wall may for example be continuous from the torso part 2 to the pants 3. The flexible wall may be made of a nonwoven material such as polyester fiber.

For example, the kit and/or wall may have one or more of the following characteristics (the criteria shown are criteria for validating on day 2015, 12, 22):

the surface quality according to standard NF EN ISO 3801 is comprised at 40g/m ² To 70g/m ² Between them.

Wear resistance according to standard NF EN 13034, standard NF EN 1073-2 (tested according to standard NF EN 530) and standard NF EN ISO 13982-1: grade 2/6 (> 100 grinding cycles).

Crack resistance obtained by bending according to standard NF EN ISO 13982-1 (tested according to method B of NF EN ISO 7854): stage 6/6 (> 100,000 cycles).

Resistance to perforation according to standard NF EN 1073-2 (tested according to standard EN 863): 2/4 stage (> 10N).

Puncture resistance according to standard NF EN 13034 and standard NF EN ISO 13982-1 (tested according to standard EN 863): 2/6 stage (> 10N).

Trapezoid tear strength according to standard NF EN 13034 and standard NF EN ISO 13982-1 (test method: standard EN ISO 9073-4): 2/6 stage (> 20N).

Tear strength according to standard NF EN 1073-2 (test method according to standard EN ISO 9073-4): 3/6 stage (> 20N).

Seam strength, joints and components according to standard NF EN 13034 and standard NF EN ISO 13982-1 (test method according to standard ISO 13935-2); 3/6 stage (> 75N).

Seam strength according to standard NF EN 1073-2 (test method according to ISO 13935-2 standard): 3/5 stage (> 75N).

Tensile strength according to standard NF EN 13034 (test method according to standard EN ISO 13934-1 or standard EN 29073-3): 2/6 stage (> 60N).

Penetration resistance to liquid chemical products: the class 6 classification according to standard NF EN 13034 is followed. The suit for protection has the same specifications as the 6-class garment to prevent radioactive contamination of the liquid by (light and non-prolonged) contact or light splattering. Thus, the requirements of the standard NF EN 13034 (class 6) and related test methods are applicable to the present product. However, the suit remains comfortable when worn. Rejection rating of liquid: 3/3 stage (at least for e.g. H ₂ SO ₄ Rejection index of standardized products such as NaOH, o-xylene and butan-1-ol>95%). Penetration protection rating of chemical products: 3/3 stage (at least for e.g. H ₂ SO ₄ Permeation index of standardized products such as NaOH, o-xylene and butane-1-ol<1%). Protection rating against penetration of liquid as haze (haze test): meets the requirements of the standard NF EN 13034.

Particle permeation prevention performance: the garment complies with the class 5 classification according to standard NF ISO 13982-1 and complies with standard NF EN 1073-2. Inward leakage according to standard NF EN ISO 13982-1 (tested according to standard NF EN ISO 13982-2): meets the minimum requirements, namely IL82/90 is less than or equal to 30 percent and TILS8/10 is less than or equal to 15 percent. Total inward leakage according to standard NF EN 1073-2 (tested according to standard NF ISO 13982-2): 1/3 stage.

Antistatic properties: the surface resistivity was evaluated according to the test method described in standard NF EN 1149-1. The surface resistivity of the homogeneous material must be less than or equal to 5x 1010 ohms.

Fire protection: according to standard NF EN ISO 14116, the constituent materials (including optional hood and translucent window) are classified as class 1, as the device is intended to be worn outside of a basic garment having a higher level of protection.

The product does not contain toxic chemicals (Pb, B, ni, cr, as, sb, se, cd, hg, be, CN, asbestos).

In torso portion 2, the suit 100 has a donning opening 12 in its front wall that allows an operator to don the suit without using other openings that would be present.

The opening 12 extends from an upper region of the torso portion to a crotch portion 21 of the suit where a lower end of the opening is located. In this example, the opening 12 thus forms a vertical straight line dividing the front surface of the torso portion into two symmetrical parts from the neck to the crotch. However, other locations and other configurations of the wear opening are also possible.

In this case, the opening 12 is provided with a slide fastener 13 of the type shown in fig. 2, comprising two series of teeth 15 arranged consecutively along two opposite edges of the opening and arranged to mutually engage under the influence of the channels of the slide 14 when the slide is advanced over the teeth in the first direction. When the slider is advanced in the opposite direction, it separates the teeth from each other to release the opening. The sprocket 15 may have a shaped form in a direction perpendicular to the wall of the suit.

As shown in particular in fig. 11, the upper end of the slide fastener 13 is located at a distance from the upper edge of the neck 17. It is actually preferred that the slide 14 of the device stops at the bottom of the neck rather than at the top thereof.

The suit also has three removal openings 16a, 16b and 16c, only which allow the operator to take off the suit without opening the wearing opening 12 or tearing the suit.

Two of the removal openings 16a, 16b extend from the neck 17 to the lower ends of two corresponding legs 19 of the trousers. More precisely, the left removal opening 16a starts from the neck and extends downwards along the left side of the torso part, here extending substantially straight up to the lower end of the left leg. The right and left positions are defined herein with reference to fig. 1, and not with reference to the operator or clothing. Likewise, right removal opening 16b begins at the neck and passes on the right side of torso portion 2, in a straight line down to the lower end of the right leg. The wearing opening 12 extends between two removal openings 16a, 16 b. The neck 17 here is of the military suit type and covers well the entire neck. Each end of the first and second openings starts from the bottom of the neck to facilitate opening of the suit and to help avoid any potential contamination at that location.

The third removal opening 16c extends from the lower end of one of the leg portions 3 along the leg portion to the crotch portion 21, and then extends down the other leg portion again to the lower end of the other leg portion. As with the two other removal openings, the removal openings are located on the front side of the suit, but are located posteriorly.

The four donning and removal openings are different, non-adjacent and independent of each other. All are waterproof.

The kit includes a strap 36 defined by the first, second and third openings 16a-16 c. These openings constitute the edges of the strip.

Each removal opening 16a, 16b, 16c is provided with fastening means 25, which are here formed by zip fasteners of the same type as the wearing opening 12. But this time these zippers have no slider.

The suit comprises, for each of the first and second openings 16a, 16b, a tab 24 covering the respective fastening means 25 over a greater length of the fixing means. In this case, the tab 24 is secured only to the strip 36. As shown in fig. 3, a strip of fabric is sewn to cover the teeth of the fastening means 25 from the outside. Indeed, without the fins, contaminant particles may remain on and between the sprocket 15 and then re-suspend and contaminate the suit by mechanical action during removal. In this way, no particles can be deposited on and between the teeth 15.

The kit 100 is arranged such that pulling the strap 36 causes the three fastening means 25 to open. For this purpose, the suit comprises in this case two tabs or pull tabs 26 sewn to the strap at a distance from the neck 17, as shown in fig. 3, and the tabs are arranged to create a similar pulling force on the strap 36 when the wearer of the suit pulls the tabs forward and/or downward. Here, each tab 26 is located near the respective upper ends of the first opening 16a and the second opening 16 b. They allow to start to separate the sprocket 15 from the fixture at the neck 17. The tabs are oriented toward the shoulder and their size is such that the worker can grasp without thinking and do not contact the top of the neck, thereby avoiding any potential contamination.

The fastening means 25 of the third opening 16c have a breaking point at the crotch portion 21 of the package. For this purpose, as shown in fig. 4, the teeth are missing in at least one row of teeth 15. This breaking point aids in the separation of the sprocket when the strip 36 is removed from top to bottom. To ensure the tightness of the suit and its solidity (maintaining the connection of the teeth), a wire mesh or tab 28 forming a lower ridge is fixed to the inside of the suit at the crotch where the breaking point is, as shown in fig. 5. Which covers the entire area of the missing sprocket. It is stitched only by means of the seam 30 on one side of the securing means 25 and the lower ridge 28, so that removal of the strip 36 is not prevented.

Furthermore, at each end region of each opening 16a-16c, the sleeve comprises a frangible element 32, which in this case is located externally, for locking the fastening means 25 in the closed position.

As shown in fig. 6, such an element 32 is provided at the upper end of each of the first and second removal openings 16a-16 b. In this example, it is a frangible tab sewn to the suit on both sides of the opening 16a-16b to span the opening. The tab 32 ensures that each opening does not accidentally open during intervention. However, the tab is easily torn by the worker during the movement of removing the strip.

Referring to fig. 7, the kit 100 includes on each leg:

an end frangible element 32b2 at the lower end region of the first opening or the second opening,

an end frangible element 32b1 at the lower end region of the third opening 16c, and

an intermediate frangible element 32a at the lower end region of one of the openings.

The two end elements 32b1 and 32b2 extend at the same distance from the end edge 34 of the leg and are interposed between the intermediate element 32a and the edge 34.

In fact, at the bottom of the trousers, the two open ends are juxtaposed on one leg and the two on the other leg. To facilitate the separation of the slide fastener 13 without the risk of re-suspending potential contaminants, the three tearable elements are sewn.

For example, on the left leg, the first tearable element 32a is retracted about 1.5cm from the first opening 16a relative to the bottom of the pants (fig. 7). The two tearable elements 32b1 and 32b2 form a single piece and cover the first and third openings 16a, 16c at the lower edge 34 of the pants.

However, the opening may remain at the junction between the frangible elements 32a and 32b2 covering the first opening 16 a. That is why the inner tab 38 forming the lower ridge is sewn into the interior portion of the suit to prevent contaminants from penetrating into the interior of the suit. The tab, here triangular, is sewn to the suit on only one side of one of the openings so as not to obstruct the opening.

Thus, when the fixation device is separated, the intermediate element 32a breaks first, and then the two subsequent elements 32b1 and 32b2 break, thereby avoiding any re-suspension of potential contaminants.

Referring to fig. 12 to 13, the kit is used to protect an operator in a potentially contaminated environment.

Initially, all removal openings 16a, 16b, 16c are in a closed state. It is assumed here that the wearing opening 12 is closed.

The operator opens the wearing opening 12 and opens it only.

He wears the suit 100 outside his usual work clothes through the wearing opening 12. In particular, he places his arms in the sleeves 4 and his legs in the trousers. Once his entire body is put on the suit so that only the head, hands and feet are exposed, he lifts the slider 14 of the zipper from the crotch to the neck to close the wearing opening 12.

The operator then enters the environment in which he must intervene. Once he has completed the intervention, he leaves this environment.

To remove the suit 100, he completely removes the strap 36 from the rest of the suit from the neck 17 by applying a forward and downward pull on the strap 36 by means of the tab 26.

More precisely, with reference to fig. 10 and 11, the operator grabs the respective tab 26 and pulls it thereon for a forward movement. Thus, the frangible fabric element 32 is easily torn and the teeth 15 of the securing means 25 of the openings 16a and 16b are separated. The worker need only grasp the center strap 36 and pull it to the waist. Thus, it gradually separates from the rest of the suit from the top to the crotch 21. From this position, the separation continues by also opening the third opening 16c due to the breaking point. The operator continues to pull to release the crotch and legs to the bottom of the suit. This releases the strip completely, as shown in fig. 9. Thus, the torso portion and the two legs are open. The strap 36 is completely detached from the rest of the suit. Thus, figures 8 and 9 show the strap 36 and the main part 6 of the suit after the strap has been removed, respectively. The main portion 6 is manufactured in one piece.

The worker discards the strip 36 into a dustbin provided for this purpose.

The void left by the strap at the front of the suit ultimately allows the operator to take off the remainder. He can then easily withdraw the shoulder and then withdraw the rest of the suit. He then rolls the suit on the outside looking for a coloured, for example green, inner seam, so as to avoid contamination. He finally throws the suit into the dustbin.

It can be seen that the wearing is entirely by means of the wearing opening 12 and its zipper, which is open only from the crotch to the neck. And the removal is done by means of the removal openings 16a, 16b, 16c only, the wearing opening 12 remains closed and the suit is not torn.

The system prevents the operator from tearing his suit from the crotch to the bottom of the pants, which may lead to re-suspension of the contaminants. The system allows to accompany the action of opening the suit without suddenly moving the trousers.

Other embodiments

Other embodiments identical to the above-described embodiments will be given below, except for the following features.

In one embodiment shown in fig. 12, the third removal opening 16c is also provided with a guard flap 24. In fact, the maximum pulling force exerted on the teeth of the fixing device during the removal phase mainly relates to the teeth of the first and second openings 16a and 16 b. That is why a protective flap 24 is fastened to each opening in order to finally avoid contamination of the workwear inside the suit. This was confirmed by the results of tests conducted with powder simulated contamination. However, in order to ensure maximum protection against contamination, such a protective flap or fold can be fastened to the fastening means 25 of the same third removal opening 16c as the other two. Here too the tab is sewn to a strip 36 separate from the rest of the suit.

In another embodiment shown in fig. 13 to 15, at least one fastening means 25, preferably each fastening means, does not comprise a sprocket, but rather comprises a protrusion 20 shaped along the longitudinal direction of the opening in order to keep the removal opening closed by shape complementation. These protrusions have configurations shown in fig. 13 and 14 in open and closed positions, respectively.

The projections 20 form, for example, a "lying 3" or "w" cross-sectional profile. The cross section comprises three lips 22, of which the free ends of two are curved so as to cooperate with the lips of the other profile and to keep the two profiles mutually engaged to ensure closure of the opening. Two cavities are arranged between the three lips. The two lips of one profile fit into the cavity of the other profile. However, other shapes may be provided for the profile section.

These securing means are also opened by pulling the strap 36 from the neck. In this case, a breaking point may also be generated at the crotch portion of the third opening 16c. For this purpose only one of the contours need to be split at this location.

Of course, many modifications may be made to the invention without departing from its scope.

In particular, the shape, number and arrangement of the wearing openings and the removal openings may be modified.

The invention is not limited to use in environments associated with the risk of contamination by radioactive materials. Indeed, this type of kit may be used in other fields of activity (such as environmental sampling, construction, chemistry, biology, pharmacology laboratories, etc.). These areas may be of interest because of the reduced difficulty during the doffing.

It is considered that the strip 36 is delimited by the precut and not the fastening means 25. When separating the strip from the rest of the suit, the cutting takes place after the precut.

Claims (18)

1. A protective suit (100) for an individual,

the kit comprises:

-a main portion (6); and

-a fully removable strap (36) having a predetermined profile extending from the neck (17) of the suit to the lower ends of the left and right legs (19) of the suit;

the suit is arranged such that the strap (36) is detached from the main portion (6) by pulling the strap from the neck (17) up to the lower end of the leg (19).

2. The kit according to the preceding claim, further comprising at least one tab (26) fixed to the strap (36) and arranged such that pulling of the tab results in pulling of the strap.

3. The suit of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strap (36) has an edge (16 c) extending from the lower end of the left leg to the lower end of the right leg, the edge being arranged to open from the crotch (21) of the suit under the effect of pulling the strap from the neck (17).

4. The kit according to the preceding claim, wherein the edge (16 c) is secured to the rest of the kit by fastening means (25) having a breaking point in the crotch portion (21).

5. Kit according to the preceding claim, wherein the fastening means (25) comprise a row of teeth (15) and the teeth are missing in at least one row of teeth of the row.

6. Kit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising fastening means (25) defining said strap (36).

7. Kit according to the preceding claim, wherein at least one, preferably each, of the fastening means (25) comprises a sprocket (15) arranged in a row along the device.

8. Kit according to any of claims 6 or 7, wherein at least one, preferably each, of the fastening means (25) comprises a protrusion (20) shaped in the longitudinal direction of the device.

9. Kit according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein at least one of the fastening means (25) has no slide.

10. The kit according to any of the preceding claims, comprising, for at least one edge (16 a-16 c) of the strip (36), preferably for each edge of the strip, a flap (24) covering the edge over a greater length of the edge.

11. The kit according to the preceding claim, wherein the tab (24) is fixed to the strip (36).

12. Kit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising, at least at one end region of at least one edge of the strip (36), preferably at each end region of each edge, frangible elements (32, 32a, 32b1, 32b 2) for blocking the openings (16 a-16 c) of the edge.

13. Kit according to the preceding claim, comprising on each leg:

a terminal frangible element (32 b 1) at the lower end region of one of the edges,

-a terminal frangible element (32 b 2) at the lower end region of the other edge, and

an intermediate frangible element (32 a) at the lower end region of one of the edges,

two end elements extend at the same distance from one end of the leg and are interposed between the intermediate element (32 a) and the end.

14. The kit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strap (36) is defined by:

a first edge (16 a) extending from the neck (17) to the lower end of the left leg,

-a second edge (16 b) extending from the neck to the lower end of the right leg, and

-a third edge (16 c) extending from the lower end of the left leg to the lower end of the right leg.

15. The kit according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a wearing opening (12) arranged to allow an individual to put on the kit through the wearing opening without at least partly separating the strap (36) from the main part.

16. The kit according to the preceding claim, wherein the wearing opening (12) extends completely into the strap (36).

17. A method for removing a protective suit (100) worn by an individual, wherein:

completely detaching the strap (36) of the suit from the neck (17) to the lower ends of the left and right legs (19) of the suit,

-then removing the main part (6) of the suit from the individual.

18. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the strip (36) is simply detached by exerting one or more pulling forces on the strip.