EP1838394B1 - Oxygen-producing respiratory protection device - Google Patents

Abstract

The chemical cartridge of a breathing apparatus, through which respiratory air flows to generate oxygen is divided into a plurality of air treatment chambers by retaining grids. An impact-damping member including a multilayer fine wire mesh, which abuts flat against the relevant cover is located in the external air treatment chambers while provided in the middle air treatment chambers is a damping element including a multilayer fine-wire mesh folded in a zigzag fashion, having folded edges running parallel and at a distance from the outer wall of the chemical cartridge, one edge thereof running in a zigzag fashion is fixed to a wire grid. The damping elements of the adjacent air treatment chambers are not in alignment. Potassium hyperoxide granules for oxygen generation are located in the air treatment chambers. One air treatment chamber can be filled with lithium hydroxide tablets for binding excess carbon dioxide.

Description

The invention relates to an oxygen-generating respirator comprising a connected to a breathing tube and a breathing bag, for generating oxygen in both directions flowed through chemical cartridge, the chemical cartridge having a plurality of air-permeable holding grid separated air treatment chambers, and a breathing bag adjacent the air treatment chamber with a carbon dioxide is filled in the other air treatment chambers, the granular chemical for oxygen generation.

An oxygen-generating respirator of this kind is out US 4,515,156 A previously known. This is to an improved distribution and mixing of the breathing gas can be achieved by dividing the chemical cartridge in air treatment chambers. For better heat distribution and removal multicellular space lattice and for damping shock loads coil springs and perforated transverse walls are provided.

In respirators of this type, the exhaled air of the user is passed through a chemical contained in a canister or chemical cartridge, for example, in granular form, potassium peroxide (KO ₂ ). The carbon dioxide contained in the exhaled air and reacting with the chemical oxygen is produced in an exothermic reaction, which passes from the chemical cartridge in a breathing bag and is inhaled by the user again. These devices, where the Exhaling in a so-called pendulum respiration on the chemical and against the resulting resistance, are in case of sudden contamination of the air as self-rescuers or escape aids for a limited period of use, for example, 20 minutes and the single use, for example, in mines determined. The rescue device consisting of the chemical cartridge with breathing bag and breathing tube has a small design and is carried in a stable container by the user during work in a hazardous work area, for example by attachment to the belt, for safety reasons constantly carried (passive use) to Emergency case immediately created and used actively. Despite the high and over many years of unnecessary active use long-lasting mechanical stress, such as in rough mining operation, the device must still be ready for use and fully functional in an emergency. This is contrary, however, that the present for the light air passage in granular form chemical due to the multiple, possibly long lasting vibration of the device of a gradual pulverization subject. The powder can fall into the breathing bag or settle in the region of the bottom of the chemical cartridge and thus in the opening to the breathing bag on a the fine dust particles retentive cotton-like material and due to moisture or the heat generated due to the exothermic reaction to oxygen to bond with the Cotton or caking lead, so that unimpeded flow of breathing air and thus the functioning of the rescue device is not guaranteed.

Hardening of the granules, which would reduce abrasion and dusting, results in decreased reactivity and retarded chemical reaction with the carbon dioxide, so that in this case too little oxygen is generated.

In order to achieve a uniform flow through the chemical accommodated in the canister, it is known from US Pat DE 34 26 757 already known in the canister a sieve-like, dome-shaped, on the side of the chemical with cotton coated air passage element form, with the largest possible air passage area between the chemical and the breathing bag is created and the dust deposition per unit area is minimized. An acute-angled shaped sieve arranged in front of the opening to the breathing bag is intended to laterally divert the granules which melt with the carbon dioxide as a result of the exothermic reaction of the chemical into a collecting ring and thereby ensure the continuous free passage of air between the canister (chemical cartridge) and the breathing bag. The pulverization of the granules as a result of many years of mechanical stress in passive use and the resulting inoperability of the rescue device can not be ruled out with certainty.

Furthermore, it has been proposed to insert in the chemical cartridge over its entire length in the direction of flow extending, multi-folded wire mesh made of stainless steel and also to arrange on the front sides of an elastic wire mesh and thereby reduce the vibrations acting on the granules shocks. However, the shocks can not be completely avoided as the folded fabric insert is not dimensionally stable in itself and can shift in the chemical cartridge. The uniform filling of the cartridge with the granules is difficult or impossible. The respiratory physiological performance is already clearly limited and certainly after a previous mechanical load. With the multi-layered superimposed wire mesh, which can also create a flat against the inner walls of the cartridge, the granules completely traversing air passageway is created so that a large part of the carbon dioxide contained in the exhaled air does not come into contact with the chemical and thus is not absorbed.

The invention has for its object to provide an oxygen-generating respirator, in which a functionality is maintained despite full external mechanical impact unrestricted.

According to the invention this object is achieved with an oxygen-generating respirator characterized in that in the outer air treatment chambers on a frontal, apertured cover of the chemical cartridge subsequent and transverse to the flow direction planar shock damping means of a multi-layer fine wire knit and in the middle air treatment chambers each one of a multilayer , Zigzag extending and fixed to one side of a wire mesh fine wire knit existing damping element is provided with aligned in the flow direction, but offset in the adjacent air treatment chambers walls arranged to each other. The oxygen-generating respirator designed according to the invention, as self-rescuer for persons working under robust conditions, is able to function immediately and with high respiratory physiological performance without restriction even after long years of external mechanical action in a necessary application.

Advantageous developments and expedient embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. The oxygen-generating respirator comprises a chemical cartridge in which oxygen is generated for breathing with the carbon dioxide contained in the exhaled air. To the chemical cartridge on one side a breathing tube with mouthpiece and on the opposite side a breathing bag is connected as an air reservoir. The chemical cartridge is subdivided according to the invention by means of fixed holding grids in individual, successive air treatment chambers. In the two outer air treatment chambers - adjacent to the respective frontal cover of the chemical cartridge - a shock absorbing means of a multi-layer and thus elastic fine wire knitted arranged while in the middle air treatment chambers also consisting of a multi-layer fine wire knit, but zigzag folded and stanchions vertically on the holding lattices, that is aligned in the flow direction damping element, which is fixed to one of the zigzagging edges, is housed. However, the provided in adjacent air treatment chambers zigzag damping elements are not in alignment, but offset from each other, preferably mirror images, arranged. In the air treatment chambers, the present in granular form of chemicals for oxygen generation and - optionally housed in a chamber for carbon dioxide - packed tightly by shaking and pressing. The resilient fine wire knit fabrics of the shock absorbers have a very smooth outer surface.

With the oxygen-generating respirator according to the present invention, even after many years of non-active use, in which the device and in particular the chemical, high mechanical loads (shocks, shocks) has been exposed, in the case of active use immediately and without restriction higher Performance possible to provide the oxygen required for the user's breathing. The chemical granules are housed so resiliently cushioned in the cartridge, that despite long-lasting high mechanical stress hardly abrasion, that is, no functioning of the counteracting pulverization of the granules. In addition, the inventive design of the chemical cartridge allows the use of a very coarse-grained - inexpensive - chemical and optimal flow through the chemical cartridge with high performance data.

In an embodiment of the invention preferably four air treatment chambers are provided. The two outer chambers are significantly smaller than the inner ones. The outer chamber connected to the breathing bag is filled with lithium hydroxide tablets as a carbon dioxide-binding chemical, while the other chambers contain a very coarse-grained potassium hydroxide granules for oxygen production. By connecting to the breathing tube small (first) air treatment chamber, an oxygen production is guaranteed even in the minus temperature range immediately.

According to a further important feature of the invention, the damping means provided in the two outer chambers consist of copper and at the same time serve as additional heat exchangers for cooling the respiratory air, which is strongly heated by the exothermic reaction during the oxygen generation, so that the breathing comfort is improved.

The damping elements in the middle air treatment chambers are made of a prefabricated as a hose fine wire mesh made of stainless steel. The tube is compressed and folded once in the longitudinal direction, after previously for stabilization in the middle of a copper wire knit insert was introduced. After the subsequent stitching, the fabric package is folded zigzag and connected to one of the zigzag running edges with a wire mesh. The substantially parallel to the inner wall extending folding edges of the fabric package are located at a distance from the inner surface of the relevant air treatment chamber in the chemical cartridge.

Fig. 1

eine Vorderansicht eines nicht verpackten Atem- schutzgerätes zur Sauerstofferzeugung mit einem teilweise weggeschnitten dargestellten Atembeu- tel und in diesen eingebundener Chemikalpatro- ne; und

Fig. 2

eine Vorderansicht einer teilweise im Schnitt wiedergegebenen Chemikalpatrone.

An embodiment of the invention, from which further advantageous embodiments result will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a front view of a non-packaged respirator for oxygen generation with a partially cutaway airway and in this incorporated chemical patrons; and

Fig. 2

a front view of a partially cut in the chemical cartridge.

The breathing apparatus for generating oxygen comprises a breathing bag 1 made of airtight material, a chemical cartridge 2 sealingly held in an opening of the breathing bag 1, and a breathing tube 3 having a mouthpiece 4 and a nose clip 5. The breathing tube 3 is integral with a receptacle comprising the upper portion of the chemical cartridge 2 6, via which the chemical cartridge 2 is sealingly held by means of a clamp attachment 7 in the breathing bag 1. The respirator is packaged during non-active use in a sturdy metal container, preferably held on the belt of the user. If the respirator wearer is in an environment with non-respirable gas or smoke, the packaging container is opened and then inhaled and exhaled via the mouthpiece 4. CO ₂ contained in the breathing air reacts with the KO ₂ granulate contained in the chemical cartridge ₂ with the generation of heat to oxygen, which passes through openings (not shown) in the lower cover 9 of the chemical cartridge 2 into the breathing bag 1 and from there via the chemical cartridge 2 , (not shown) openings in the upper cover 10, the breathing tube 3 and the mouthpiece 4 is inhaled. On the upper cover 10 is enclosed by a sealing sleeve 11 heat exchanger 12. The heat exchanger 12 consists of a package of fine copper screens and an air-permeable, but very fine particle-retaining, bordered by two coarse mesh stainless steel mesh cover.

In the present embodiment, the chemical cartridge 2 is subdivided into four air treatment chambers 15 to 18 by three holding screens 14a to 14c respectively fixed to a snap ring 13a to 13c. In the first (upper) air treatment chamber 15 and in the fourth (lower) air treatment chamber 18 are - starting from the upper and lower cover 10, 9 - a coarse screen 19a, 19b made of stainless steel, a fine mesh 20a, 20b made of copper and a multilayer A flat elastic fine wire knit made of copper as upper and lower shock absorbing means 21a, 21b. At the respectively subsequent second and third air treatment chamber 16, 17 towards the first and fourth air treatment chamber 15 and 18 are respectively limited by the above-mentioned holding screen 14 a and 14 c. In the remaining space in the first (upper) air treatment chamber 15 is coarse potassium peroxide granules (KO ₂ ) 22 and in the fourth (lower) air treatment chamber 18 are lithium hydroxide tablets (LiOH) 23, that is, the KO ₂ and the LiOH are to the rigid upper and lower cover 9, 10th stored elastically to absorb shock and shock and to avoid pulverization. The fine sieves 20a, 20b are there for safety and possibly retain any fine KO ₂ particles present in the chemical cartridge 2.

The arrangement of the first, relatively shallow air treatment chamber 15 ensures the immediate function of the respirator, that is, the reaction of the carbon dioxide with the potassium peroxide to oxygen, even at very low temperatures, for example -5 ° C. The lithium hydroxide in the fourth air treatment chamber 18 has the task of binding the excess CO ₂ , which arises at high respiratory rates. An important function of the existing copper shock absorbing means 21a, 21b in addition to the damping effect in the effect of an additional heat exchanger, so that the relatively high inhalation temperature due to the exothermic reaction can be significantly reduced.

In the second and third air treatment chamber 16 and 17 is in each case a consisting of a fine wire knit, flat, but zigzag folded damping element 24, 25 arranged upright in the flow direction in the air treatment chambers 16, 17 damping elements 24, 25 are each at a - zick- zackförmig extending edge to a wire mesh 26, 27 attached. The longitudinal edges 28 of the folds, that is, the fold edges of the damping elements 24, 25 extend at a distance parallel to the side walls 29 of the chemical cartridge 2. The fine wire mesh of the damping elements 24, 25 consists of four - formed from a folded and longitudinally once folded tube - layers made of stainless steel and a stabilizing copper wire mesh lying between the two outer layers thus formed. These five layers are also stapled together, so that in connection with the attachment to the wire mesh 26 and 27 compact damping elements 24, 25 are present whose walls (folds) are elastic in itself and as a whole. The spaces bounded by the elastic walls of the respective damping element 24, 25 are completely filled with the potassium peroxide granules 22 by exerting a pressing pressure and shaking. Due to the elastic fixation of the granules in several by means of holding sieves 14 separate air treatment chambers 15 to 18 and with the upper and lower shock absorbing means 21a, 21b and the two zigzag damping elements 24, 25 are housed in the chemical cartridge 2 chemicals 22, 23 with reference to externally acting shocks and shocks fixed so elastic that the output and dust are negligible and the respirator is immediately functional even after many years of passive use in an active use in an emergency.

In view of the chamber formation and the arrangement of two zigzag damping elements 24, 25, the latter are arranged in mirror image relative to one another with respect to the zigzag shape, so that their mutual walls are offset from one another, that is, they are not in alignment. As a result, a particularly uniform flow through the two filled with potassium hydroxide granules 22 air treatment chambers 16, 17 is achieved, so that a cost coarse granules can be used and due to the resulting optimum flow of respiratory air ultimately very good respiratory physiological performance data can be achieved.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

breathing bag

2

chemical cartridge

3

breathing tube

4

mouthpiece

5

nose clip

6

Elast. Recording f. 2

7

clamped fixing

8th

-

9

Lower cover v. 2

10

Upper cover v. 2

11

sealing sleeve

12

heat exchangers

13

snap ring

14

Retainer

15

First (upper) air treatment chamber

16

Second (middle) air treatment chamber

17

Third (middle) air treatment chamber

18

Fourth (lower) air treatment chamber

19

Coarse sieve (stainless steel)

20

Fine sieve (copper)

21

Level shock absorber (copper)

22

Kaliumhyperoxidgranulat

23

Lithium hydroxide tablets

24

Zigzagged damping element

25

Zigzagged damping element

26

Wire mesh v. 24

27

Wire mesh v. 25

28

Folding edge (longitudinal edges) v. 24, 25

29

Sidewall v. 2

Claims (12)

1. An oxygen-generating breathing apparatus which comprises a chemical cartridge through which respiratory air for generating oxygen flows in both directions, which is connected to a breathing hose and a breathing bag, wherein the chemical cartridge (2) has several air treatment chambers (15 to 18) separated from each other by means of air-permeable retaining grids (14a to 14c) and an air treatment chamber (18) adjacent to the breathing bag (1) is filled with a carbon-dioxide-binding chemical (23), whereas the chemical for oxygen generation, present as granulate (22), is located in the other air treatment chambers (15 to 17), characterized in that a flat impact-damping means (21a, 21b) consisting of a multilayer fine wire mesh, which adjoins a front cover (9, 10) of the chemical cartridge (2) provided with openings and running transversely to the direction of flow is provided in the outer air treatment chambers (15, 18) and a damping element (24, 25) consisting of a multilayer fine-wire mesh which runs in a zigzag fashion and is fixed on one side to a wire grid (26, 27), having walls aligned in the direction of flow but disposed in an offset manner with respect to each other in the adjacent air treatment chambers (16, 17) is provided in the middle air treatment chambers.
2. A breathing apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the impact damping means (21a, 21b) consists of copper and at the same time functions as a heat exchanger for cooling the respiratory air heated in the exothermic reaction for generating oxygen.
3. The breathing apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that a fine screen (20a, 20b) for retaining fine particles is arranged between the impact damping means (21a, 21b) and the cover (9, 10).
4. The breathing apparatus according to Claim 3, characterized in that the fine screen (20a, 20b) is made of copper.
5. The breathing apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the multilayer impact damping element (24, 25) consists of a fine-wire mesh hose made of stainless steel which is compressed in the longitudinal direction and folded once, with a centrally inserted fine-steel mesh insert of copper and the adjacent mesh layers are stapled together.
6. The breathing apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that the damping elements (24, 25) are folded in a zigzag fashion in such a manner that they oppose one another as a mirror image in the air treatment chambers (16, 17) adjoining each other.
7. The breathing apparatus according to Claim 6, characterized in that the fold edges of the damping elements (24, 25) run parallel and at a distance from the side walls of the chemical cartridge (2).
8. The breathing apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the division of the chemical cartridge (2) into air treatment chambers (15 to 18) takes place with the aid of circlips (13a to 13c) and retaining screens (14a to 14c) fixed thereto.
9. The breathing apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the oxygen-generating chemical is potassium hyperoxide which reacts with the carbon dioxide of the respiratory air and the carbon-dioxide-binding chemical is lithium hydroxide.
10. The breathing apparatus according to Claim 9, characterized in that the potassium hyperoxide is a coarse-grained granulate (22) and the lithium hydroxide is present in the form of tablets (23).
11. The breathing apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the chemical cartridge (2) is sealingly connected to a further heat exchanger (12) at the upper cover (10) towards the breathing hose (3).
12. The breathing apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that a total of four air treatment chambers (15 to 18) are provided, wherein the upper first air treatment chamber (15) filled with an oxygen-generating chemical and the lower fourth air treatment chamber (18) filled with a carbon-dioxide-binding chemical are each a multiple smaller than the two centrally arranged second and third air treatment chambers (16, 16) filled with an oxygen-generating chemical.

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