EP2829304A1 - Air-fed protective suit with detachable breathing filter - Google Patents
Air-fed protective suit with detachable breathing filter Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2829304A1 EP2829304A1 EP13178097.5A EP13178097A EP2829304A1 EP 2829304 A1 EP2829304 A1 EP 2829304A1 EP 13178097 A EP13178097 A EP 13178097A EP 2829304 A1 EP2829304 A1 EP 2829304A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- filter
- protective suit
- air
- breathing
- exterior
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 95
- 230000029058 respiratory gaseous exchange Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 77
- YZCKVEUIGOORGS-NJFSPNSNSA-N Tritium Chemical compound [3H] YZCKVEUIGOORGS-NJFSPNSNSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 229910052722 tritium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 abstract description 5
- 238000001914 filtration Methods 0.000 abstract description 3
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 abstract description 2
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000012528 membrane Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000004321 preservation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000241 respiratory effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 2
- 206010063600 Exposure to contaminated air Diseases 0.000 description 1
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000000356 contaminant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 235000012771 pancakes Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000737 periodic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 210000002345 respiratory system Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
- A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
- A62B17/00—Protective clothing affording protection against heat or harmful chemical agents or for use at high altitudes
- A62B17/006—Protective clothing affording protection against heat or harmful chemical agents or for use at high altitudes against contamination from chemicals, toxic or hostile environments; ABC suits
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
- A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
- A62B7/00—Respiratory apparatus
- A62B7/10—Respiratory apparatus with filter elements
Definitions
- Various embodiments relate generally to personal respiratory protection systems, such as systems used in, for example, contaminated environments.
- Air-fed protective suits are widely used in the various industries.
- air fed protective suits may be used to permit employees to work in tritium contaminated atmospheres.
- the pharmaceutical industry may have work areas that may be contaminated with biological hazards.
- Chemical companies may have manufacturing facilities that may present chemical vapor dangers to its employees. Also many industrial settings may result in the production of particle contamination. Both employee and employer have cause for concern for the safety of employees working in atmospheres that present dangerous hazards to the workers.
- Apparatus and associated methods relate to an air-fed protective suit having a breathing filter detachably coupled to the suit.
- the air-fed suit may have an interior tear strip to provide for filter seal and/or for removal from the air-fed protective suit.
- the air-fed suit may include a sealed flap which the user can open to expose the filter to the atmosphere exterior to the suit.
- Some embodiments may provide a user accessible mouthpiece connected to the filter via a breathing tube permitting the user to breathe the exterior atmosphere through the filter.
- the filter may perform tritium filtration of exterior atmospheric gases inhaled therethrough, for example. When exiting a contaminated area, for example, a user may first enter an airlock, detach the filter, remove the suit and then exit the airlock while continuing to breathe through the detached filter.
- some embodiments may achieve one or more advantages. For example, some embodiments may permit the user to breath through the filter should the air-fed suit lose its air-feed. If, for example an air-feed compressor loses power, the user may be in urgent need of an alternative source of oxygen. Breathing the unfiltered air exterior to the suit may present grave dangers to the suit wearer. But the use of an appropriate filter for a particular atmospheric danger may permit the user to breath the exterior atmosphere through the filter, even if but for a short time of exiting a contaminated area. Some embodiments may provide an emergency back-up source of air for tritium contaminated atmospheres. Such atmospheres may be present in some nuclear facilities. Various embodiments may permit a person to breath through the filter while changing out of the air-fed suit.
- Some facilities with contaminated atmospheres may provide an airlock for such donning and/or doffing of protective suits.
- Some airlock chambers may have residual contamination therein.
- Some embodiments may permit a protective suit wearer to doff his/her suit while breathing through a filter appropriate for the contamination risk. After doffing an exemplary protective suit, the wearer may continue using the detached filter for breathing while exiting the airlock chamber.
- FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary doffing of an air-fed protective suit while using and detaching an exemplary breathing filter.
- a contaminated-air facility 100 is depicted in this figure.
- the airlock chamber 110 may permit a worker to put on an air-fed protective suit 120 before entering the contaminated-air area 105.
- the airlock chamber 110 may also permit a worker to take off an air-fed protective suit 120 after exiting the contaminated-air area 105.
- the level of air-contamination in the air-lock chamber 110 may be significantly lower than the level of air-contamination in the contaminated-air area 105.
- a worker 125 is shown in the airlock chamber 110 removing his air-fed protective suit 120.
- the worker 125 may remove the air-fed protective suit 120 and detach a protective breathing filter 130 so that he may continue to breathe using a protective breathing filter 130. Even after removing his air-fed protective suit 120, he may use the protective breathing filter 130.
- a second worker 135 entering the clear-air area 115. This second worker 135 is still breathing through a protective breathing filter 130 after exiting from the airlock chamber 110. Now in the clean-air area of the facility, the wearer may now safely remove the protective breathing filter 130.
- FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a protective suit with a detachable breathing filter being worn by a person.
- an exemplary protective suit 200 with a detachable breathing filter 205 is shown being worn by a wearer 210.
- the interior side of the detachable filter 205 is shown connected to a breathing tube 215.
- the breathing tube 215 in turn is shown connected to a mouthpiece 220.
- a head region 225 of the protective suit 200 is depicted to be transparent so that the user may be able to see outside of the protective suit 200.
- the main air supply for the protective suit 200 is shown by an air line 230 which may supply a source of breathable air to the wearer 210
- FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary openable flap exposing a filter which is attached to an air-fed protective suit.
- an exemplary air-fed protective suit 300 is depicted.
- the air-fed protective suit 300 has an exemplary breathing filter 305 in a chest area 310 of the air-fed protective suit 300.
- a covering 310 has been peeled back to expose a front face 315 of the breathing filter 305.
- the covering 310 had a welded seem 320 attaching the covering 310 to the air-fed protective suit 300.
- the covering 310 together with the intact weld and a skin 325 of the air-fed protective suit 300 provided a substantially air-imperious covering of the breathing filter 305.
- a tearable weld 330 for removing the breathing filter 305 from the air-fed protective suit 300.
- the tearable weld 330 may be torn from the outside of the air-fed protective suit 300.
- the tearable weld 330 may be torn from the inside of the air-fed protective suit 300.
- the tearable weld 330 may be torn from either side of the air-fed protective suit 300.
- FIG. 4 depicts the inside of an exemplary air-fed protective suit showing a mouthpiece, a breathing tube, and a breathing filter.
- an exemplary air-fed protective suit 400 is depicted from a perspective view showing an inside 405.
- a chest area 410 is shown wherein an air tube 410 attaches to a breathing filter 415.
- the air tube 410 fluidly connects a mouthpiece 420 to the breathing filter 415.
- a tearable weld 425 is shown in this figure. The tearable weld 425 may be torn to release the breathing filter 415 from the air-fed protective suit 400.
- FIGs. 5A-5B depict close-up views of an exemplary openable flap covering and exposing a breathing filter.
- an exemplary openable flap covering 500 is depicted.
- the openable flap covering 500 is covering an air filter 505.
- the openable flap covering 500 has a welding 510 attaching the openable flap covering 500 to a shell 515 of a protective suit.
- the welding 510 may provide a sealed covering of the air filter 505.
- the openable flap covering 500 has been torn, exposing the air filter 505.
- the shell 515 has a circular hole 518 inside of the welding 510. This circular hole exposes the air filter 505 to an external atmosphere.
- a second welding 520 attaches the openable flap covering 500 to the shell 515 of the protective suit.
- This second welding 520 may prevent the openable flap covering 500 from becoming a foreign body discarded in an air-contaminated area.
- This second welding is described in the EP 2583721 published application, for example, at least with reference to figures 3A-3B of that published application.
- the welded openable flap covering may prevent the filter from exposure to contaminated air before one intends to use it. In this way, the capacity of the air filter to remove undesirable air contaminants may remain substantially effective until the air filter is needed to be used.
- FIG. 6 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary mouthpiece, an exemplary breathing tube, and an exemplary filter.
- an exemplary breathing system 600 for contaminated air is depicted attached to an exemplary protective suit 605.
- An exterior atmosphere 610 may be contaminated.
- an interior atmosphere 615 may be supplied by an air tube carrying clean breathable air.
- the wearer may be able to use a filter 620 to substantially decontaminate the contaminated air of the exterior atmosphere 610.
- the wearer would be in urgent need of a secondary source of breathable air.
- the wearer may first grab a mouthpiece 625 with his/her mouth by moving his head to the nearby located mouthpiece within the head area of the suit, for example.
- the wearer may then tear a tearable filter covering 630 with his/her hand, for example.
- the wearer may then begin breathing through the filter 620 simply by inhaling and exhaling through the mouthpiece 625.
- the mouthpiece in this exemplary embodiment contains a valve 635 which directs the inhaled air through the filter as indicated by the arrows with the diagonal hash marks 640.
- the valve 635 directs the exhaled air into the interior atmosphere 615 of the protective suit 605, as indicated by the arrows with checkerboard hash marks 645.
- the exhaled air into the interior atmosphere 615 may help the protective suit 605 maintain a positive air pressure with respect to the exterior atmosphere 610. If, for example, the air supply line becomes kinked, the suit may otherwise lose the positive pressure of the interior atmosphere 615.
- FIG. 7 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary removable breathing filter showing a tearable strip and openable flap.
- a protective suit skin 705 is connected to a filter assembly 710 via a filter removal device 715.
- the filter removal device may be a tearable strip, for example.
- the filter removal device may be a line of preferential weakness in the protective suit skin 705, which may permit the user to detach a filter 715 by tearing the protective suit skin 705 along the line of preferential weakness.
- An openable seal 720 is shown covering a breathing filter 725.
- the openable seal 720 may be a flap which may be torn to expose a front face 730 of the breathing filter 725.
- the openable seal may be attached to the protective suit skin 705. In some embodiments, the openable seal may be attached to the filter assembly 710. In some embodiments, the removal of the openable seal 720 may permit a wearer to breath through the breathing filter 725. In some embodiments, the removal of the openable seal 720 may expose the breathing filter 725 to an exterior atmosphere 735.
- FIG. 8 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary tritium filter and corresponding openable flaps interior and exterior to a protective suit.
- a breathing tube 800 is shown connected to a mouthpiece 805 but disconnected from a tritium filter 810.
- the tritium filter 810 may require moisture for preservation, for example.
- a protective suit 815 may have two filter covers, one an exterior filter cover 820 and one an interior filter cover 825.
- a wearer may remove the interior filter cover 825, for example, when he/she first puts on the protective suit 815. After the interior filter cover is removed, an interior surface 850 may be exposed to an atmosphere interior to the protective suit.
- the filter has an inner connector 840 for connection to the breathing tube 800. Then, if the wearer encounters a need to use a tritium filter 810, he/she may remove the exterior filter cover 820, exposing an exterior surface 845 to an atmosphere exterior to the protective suit. The removal of the exterior filter cover 820 may also permit the flow of an exterior atmosphere 835 through the tritium filter 810. The user may then secure a mouthpiece with his/her mouth and breathe through the mouthpiece 805.
- some embodiments may use a P3 type of filter.
- pancake type filters may be used for the purpose of filtering the contaminated atmospheric air.
- tritium filters may be used.
- Some exemplary filters may require storage within a substantially air-tight environment until time of use. The use of such filters may require a tearable interior filter cover to be removed when a wearer dons a protective suit so equipped. An air tube may then be coupled to the filter after such a removal of the interior filter cover.
- a breathing filter may be located in the chest area of an exemplary air-fed protective suit.
- a breathing filter may be located in the mask region of a protective suit.
- a filter may be located in a neck region of a protective suit.
- apparatus and methods may involve a protective suit that has a source of breathable air attached to the suit or the wearer of the suit.
- a suit may encapsulate a user with a bottle of compressed air attached to the user's body, for example.
- a protective suit may be connected to a tank of compressed air via an air line.
- Various embodiments may include an encapsulated protective suit including a skin configured to substantially isolate a wearer from an exterior atmosphere. Some embodiments may include an air-connection port configured to attach to a source of breathable air.
- An exemplary embodiment may include a breathing filter detachably coupled to the skin, the breathing filter having an exterior side and an interior side. Some exemplary configurations my include a tearable filter-release strip, wherein before the filter-release strip is torn, the breathing filter is coupled to the skin, and after the filter-release strip is torn, the breathing filter is detached from the skin.
- Some embodiments include a tearable exterior filter cover, wherein before the exterior filter cover is torn, the exterior side of the filter is covered by the filter cover, and after the exterior filter cover is torn, the exterior side of the filter is exposed to the exterior atmosphere.
- Some exemplary embodiments include a mouthpiece accessible to the wearer from within the encapsulated protective suit.
- a protective suit may include a breathing tube having a first port connected to the mouthpiece, and a second port configured to connect to the interior side of the breathing filter.
- Some exemplary embodiments may include a protective suit including a substantially air-impervious shell.
- An air-connection port may be configured to attach to a source of breathable air, for example.
- Some embodiments may include a filter having an inner connector and an outer face, the filter having an attached mode and a detached mode, wherein when the filter is in the attached mode, the filter is attached to the substantially air-impervious shell, and when the filter is in the detached mode, the filter is detached from the substantially air-impervious shell.
- a breathing tube may have a first port connectable to a mouthpiece and in fluid communication with a second port configured to connect to the inner connector of the filter, for example.
- a protective suit may include a substantially air-impervious shell.
- a substantially air-impervious suit may include an air-connection port configured to attach to a source of breathable air.
- Some embodiments may include a detachable filter coupled to the substantially air-impervious shell, the filter having an inner connector and an outer face.
- a breathing tube having a first port connectable to a mouthpiece and in fluid communication with a second port configured to connect to the inner connector of the filter, may be included in some embodiments.
- the filter may be toollessly detached from the substantially air-impervious shell without interruption of user respiration via the filter. Such means of toollessly detachment may include the use of a tearable weld, for example.
- Some embodiments may include a rigid structure underlying a substantially air-impervious membrane. And when the user wishes to detach the filter, he may pull the string which may simultaneously remove the air-impervious membrane.
- the flexible shell of the protective suit may be scored such that the flexible shell may preferentially tear along the scoring.
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Emergency Management (AREA)
- Toxicology (AREA)
- Pulmonology (AREA)
- Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)
- Respiratory Apparatuses And Protective Means (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- This application fully incorporates the disclosures of the following previously submitted published applications by reference herein:
-
EP 2583721 Emergency Filter System for Encapsulated April 24, 2013 Suit - Various embodiments relate generally to personal respiratory protection systems, such as systems used in, for example, contaminated environments.
- Air-fed protective suits are widely used in the various industries. In the nuclear industry, for example, air fed protective suits may be used to permit employees to work in tritium contaminated atmospheres. The pharmaceutical industry may have work areas that may be contaminated with biological hazards. Chemical companies may have manufacturing facilities that may present chemical vapor dangers to its employees. Also many industrial settings may result in the production of particle contamination. Both employee and employer have cause for concern for the safety of employees working in atmospheres that present dangerous hazards to the workers.
- Apparatus and associated methods relate to an air-fed protective suit having a breathing filter detachably coupled to the suit. In some embodiments, the air-fed suit may have an interior tear strip to provide for filter seal and/or for removal from the air-fed protective suit. In some examples, the air-fed suit may include a sealed flap which the user can open to expose the filter to the atmosphere exterior to the suit. Some embodiments may provide a user accessible mouthpiece connected to the filter via a breathing tube permitting the user to breathe the exterior atmosphere through the filter. The filter may perform tritium filtration of exterior atmospheric gases inhaled therethrough, for example. When exiting a contaminated area, for example, a user may first enter an airlock, detach the filter, remove the suit and then exit the airlock while continuing to breathe through the detached filter.
- Various embodiments may achieve one or more advantages. For example, some embodiments may permit the user to breath through the filter should the air-fed suit lose its air-feed. If, for example an air-feed compressor loses power, the user may be in urgent need of an alternative source of oxygen. Breathing the unfiltered air exterior to the suit may present grave dangers to the suit wearer. But the use of an appropriate filter for a particular atmospheric danger may permit the user to breath the exterior atmosphere through the filter, even if but for a short time of exiting a contaminated area. Some embodiments may provide an emergency back-up source of air for tritium contaminated atmospheres. Such atmospheres may be present in some nuclear facilities. Various embodiments may permit a person to breath through the filter while changing out of the air-fed suit. Some facilities with contaminated atmospheres may provide an airlock for such donning and/or doffing of protective suits. Some airlock chambers may have residual contamination therein. Some embodiments may permit a protective suit wearer to doff his/her suit while breathing through a filter appropriate for the contamination risk. After doffing an exemplary protective suit, the wearer may continue using the detached filter for breathing while exiting the airlock chamber.
- The details of various embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
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FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary doffing of an air-fed protective suit while using and detaching an exemplary breathing filter. -
FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a protective suit with a detachable breathing filter being worn by a person. -
FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary openable flap exposing a filter which is attached to an air-fed protective suit. -
FIG. 4 depicts the inside of an exemplary air-fed protective suit showing a mouthpiece, a breathing tube, and a breathing filter. -
FIGs. 5A-5B depict close-up views of an exemplary openable flap covering and exposing a breathing filter. -
FIG. 6 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary mouthpiece, breathing tube, and filter. -
FIG. 7 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary removable breathing filter showing a tearable strip and openable flap. -
FIG. 8 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary tritium filter and corresponding openable flaps interior and exterior to a protective suit. - Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
- To aid understanding, this document is organized as follows. First, an exemplary application of an air-fed protective suit with detachable breathing filter is briefly introduced with reference to
FIG. 1 . Second, with reference toFIGs. 2-4 the discussion turns to exemplary embodiments that illustrate the openable cover of the detachable protective filter. Finally, with reference toFIGs. 5-7 , schematic representations of exemplary detachable breathing filters will be used to assist in the description of methods of use of the detachable breathing filters. -
FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary doffing of an air-fed protective suit while using and detaching an exemplary breathing filter. A contaminated-air facility 100 is depicted in this figure. Within the contaminated-air facility, a contaminated-air area 105, anairlock chamber 110 and a clean-air area 115 exist. Theairlock chamber 110 may permit a worker to put on an air-fedprotective suit 120 before entering the contaminated-air area 105. Similarly, theairlock chamber 110 may also permit a worker to take off an air-fedprotective suit 120 after exiting the contaminated-air area 105. The level of air-contamination in the air-lock chamber 110 may be significantly lower than the level of air-contamination in the contaminated-air area 105. Some air contamination may exist, however, in theairlock chamber 110 due to the periodic opening of the door between theairlock chamber 110 and the contaminated-air area 105. - In the
FIG. 1 embodiment, aworker 125 is shown in theairlock chamber 110 removing his air-fedprotective suit 120. Theworker 125 may remove the air-fedprotective suit 120 and detach aprotective breathing filter 130 so that he may continue to breathe using aprotective breathing filter 130. Even after removing his air-fedprotective suit 120, he may use theprotective breathing filter 130. Also depicted in this exemplary application is asecond worker 135 entering the clear-air area 115. Thissecond worker 135 is still breathing through aprotective breathing filter 130 after exiting from theairlock chamber 110. Now in the clean-air area of the facility, the wearer may now safely remove theprotective breathing filter 130. -
FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a protective suit with a detachable breathing filter being worn by a person. If this figure, an exemplaryprotective suit 200 with adetachable breathing filter 205 is shown being worn by awearer 210. The interior side of thedetachable filter 205 is shown connected to abreathing tube 215. Thebreathing tube 215 in turn is shown connected to amouthpiece 220. Ahead region 225 of theprotective suit 200 is depicted to be transparent so that the user may be able to see outside of theprotective suit 200. The main air supply for theprotective suit 200 is shown by anair line 230 which may supply a source of breathable air to thewearer 210 -
FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary openable flap exposing a filter which is attached to an air-fed protective suit. In this figure, an exemplary air-fedprotective suit 300 is depicted. In this embodiment, the air-fedprotective suit 300 has anexemplary breathing filter 305 in achest area 310 of the air-fedprotective suit 300. A covering 310 has been peeled back to expose afront face 315 of thebreathing filter 305. Prior to being peeled back, the covering 310 had a welded seem 320 attaching the covering 310 to the air-fedprotective suit 300. Prior to being peeled back, the covering 310 together with the intact weld and askin 325 of the air-fedprotective suit 300 provided a substantially air-imperious covering of thebreathing filter 305. Also depicted in this figure is atearable weld 330 for removing thebreathing filter 305 from the air-fedprotective suit 300. In various embodiments, thetearable weld 330 may be torn from the outside of the air-fedprotective suit 300. In some embodiments, thetearable weld 330 may be torn from the inside of the air-fedprotective suit 300. In some embodiments, thetearable weld 330 may be torn from either side of the air-fedprotective suit 300. -
FIG. 4 depicts the inside of an exemplary air-fed protective suit showing a mouthpiece, a breathing tube, and a breathing filter. In this figure, an exemplary air-fedprotective suit 400 is depicted from a perspective view showing an inside 405. Achest area 410 is shown wherein anair tube 410 attaches to abreathing filter 415. Theair tube 410 fluidly connects amouthpiece 420 to thebreathing filter 415. When a person is wearing such an exemplary air-fedprotective suit 400, the wearer may move his head to take hold of themouthpiece 420 with his mouth to make respiratory connection with thebreathing filter 415. Again, atearable weld 425 is shown in this figure. Thetearable weld 425 may be torn to release thebreathing filter 415 from the air-fedprotective suit 400. -
FIGs. 5A-5B depict close-up views of an exemplary openable flap covering and exposing a breathing filter. In theFIGs. 5A-5B embodiments, an exemplary openable flap covering 500 is depicted. InFIG. 5A , the openable flap covering 500 is covering anair filter 505. The openable flap covering 500 has awelding 510 attaching the openable flap covering 500 to ashell 515 of a protective suit. Thewelding 510 may provide a sealed covering of theair filter 505. InFIG. 5B , the openable flap covering 500 has been torn, exposing theair filter 505. Note that theshell 515 has acircular hole 518 inside of thewelding 510. This circular hole exposes theair filter 505 to an external atmosphere. - A
second welding 520 attaches the openable flap covering 500 to theshell 515 of the protective suit. Thissecond welding 520 may prevent the openable flap covering 500 from becoming a foreign body discarded in an air-contaminated area. This second welding is described in theEP 2583721 published application, for example, at least with reference tofigures 3A-3B of that published application. The welded openable flap covering may prevent the filter from exposure to contaminated air before one intends to use it. In this way, the capacity of the air filter to remove undesirable air contaminants may remain substantially effective until the air filter is needed to be used. -
FIG. 6 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary mouthpiece, an exemplary breathing tube, and an exemplary filter. In this figure, anexemplary breathing system 600 for contaminated air is depicted attached to an exemplaryprotective suit 605. Anexterior atmosphere 610 may be contaminated. But aninterior atmosphere 615 may be supplied by an air tube carrying clean breathable air. Should a wearer of such aprotective suit 605 experience an interruption in the supply of clean breathable air, or should there be a break in the protective suit, the wearer may be able to use afilter 620 to substantially decontaminate the contaminated air of theexterior atmosphere 610. For example, should the air line feeding theprotective suit 605 become kinked, the wearer would be in urgent need of a secondary source of breathable air. The wearer may first grab amouthpiece 625 with his/her mouth by moving his head to the nearby located mouthpiece within the head area of the suit, for example. The wearer may then tear a tearable filter covering 630 with his/her hand, for example. The wearer may then begin breathing through thefilter 620 simply by inhaling and exhaling through themouthpiece 625. The mouthpiece in this exemplary embodiment contains avalve 635 which directs the inhaled air through the filter as indicated by the arrows with the diagonal hash marks 640. When a user exhales, thevalve 635 directs the exhaled air into theinterior atmosphere 615 of theprotective suit 605, as indicated by the arrows with checkerboard hash marks 645. The exhaled air into theinterior atmosphere 615 may help theprotective suit 605 maintain a positive air pressure with respect to theexterior atmosphere 610. If, for example, the air supply line becomes kinked, the suit may otherwise lose the positive pressure of theinterior atmosphere 615. -
FIG. 7 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary removable breathing filter showing a tearable strip and openable flap. In thisrespiratory system 700, aprotective suit skin 705 is connected to afilter assembly 710 via afilter removal device 715. The filter removal device may be a tearable strip, for example. In some embodiments, the filter removal device may be a line of preferential weakness in theprotective suit skin 705, which may permit the user to detach afilter 715 by tearing theprotective suit skin 705 along the line of preferential weakness. Anopenable seal 720 is shown covering abreathing filter 725. Theopenable seal 720 may be a flap which may be torn to expose afront face 730 of thebreathing filter 725. In some embodiments, the openable seal may be attached to theprotective suit skin 705. In some embodiments, the openable seal may be attached to thefilter assembly 710. In some embodiments, the removal of theopenable seal 720 may permit a wearer to breath through thebreathing filter 725. In some embodiments, the removal of theopenable seal 720 may expose thebreathing filter 725 to anexterior atmosphere 735. -
FIG. 8 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary tritium filter and corresponding openable flaps interior and exterior to a protective suit. In theFIG. 8 embodiment, abreathing tube 800 is shown connected to amouthpiece 805 but disconnected from atritium filter 810. Thetritium filter 810 may require moisture for preservation, for example. If moisture is required for preservation of a filter, aprotective suit 815 may have two filter covers, one anexterior filter cover 820 and one aninterior filter cover 825. In this embodiment, a wearer may remove theinterior filter cover 825, for example, when he/she first puts on theprotective suit 815. After the interior filter cover is removed, aninterior surface 850 may be exposed to an atmosphere interior to the protective suit. In this exemplary embodiment, the filter has aninner connector 840 for connection to thebreathing tube 800. Then, if the wearer encounters a need to use atritium filter 810, he/she may remove theexterior filter cover 820, exposing anexterior surface 845 to an atmosphere exterior to the protective suit. The removal of theexterior filter cover 820 may also permit the flow of anexterior atmosphere 835 through thetritium filter 810. The user may then secure a mouthpiece with his/her mouth and breathe through themouthpiece 805. - Although various embodiments have been described with reference to the Figures, other embodiments are possible. For example, some embodiments may use a P3 type of filter. In some examples, pancake type filters may be used for the purpose of filtering the contaminated atmospheric air. In some embodiments tritium filters may be used. Some exemplary filters may require storage within a substantially air-tight environment until time of use. The use of such filters may require a tearable interior filter cover to be removed when a wearer dons a protective suit so equipped. An air tube may then be coupled to the filter after such a removal of the interior filter cover. In some embodiments a breathing filter may be located in the chest area of an exemplary air-fed protective suit. In some embodiments a breathing filter may be located in the mask region of a protective suit. In one example, a filter may be located in a neck region of a protective suit.
- In various embodiments, apparatus and methods may involve a protective suit that has a source of breathable air attached to the suit or the wearer of the suit. Such a suit may encapsulate a user with a bottle of compressed air attached to the user's body, for example. In various embodiments a protective suit may be connected to a tank of compressed air via an air line.
- Various embodiments may include an encapsulated protective suit including a skin configured to substantially isolate a wearer from an exterior atmosphere. Some embodiments may include an air-connection port configured to attach to a source of breathable air. An exemplary embodiment may include a breathing filter detachably coupled to the skin, the breathing filter having an exterior side and an interior side. Some exemplary configurations my include a tearable filter-release strip, wherein before the filter-release strip is torn, the breathing filter is coupled to the skin, and after the filter-release strip is torn, the breathing filter is detached from the skin. Some embodiments include a tearable exterior filter cover, wherein before the exterior filter cover is torn, the exterior side of the filter is covered by the filter cover, and after the exterior filter cover is torn, the exterior side of the filter is exposed to the exterior atmosphere. Some exemplary embodiments include a mouthpiece accessible to the wearer from within the encapsulated protective suit. In one example, a protective suit may include a breathing tube having a first port connected to the mouthpiece, and a second port configured to connect to the interior side of the breathing filter.
- Some exemplary embodiments may include a protective suit including a substantially air-impervious shell. An air-connection port may be configured to attach to a source of breathable air, for example. Some embodiments may include a filter having an inner connector and an outer face, the filter having an attached mode and a detached mode, wherein when the filter is in the attached mode, the filter is attached to the substantially air-impervious shell, and when the filter is in the detached mode, the filter is detached from the substantially air-impervious shell. A breathing tube may have a first port connectable to a mouthpiece and in fluid communication with a second port configured to connect to the inner connector of the filter, for example.
- In various embodiments, a protective suit may include a substantially air-impervious shell. In some examples, a substantially air-impervious suit may include an air-connection port configured to attach to a source of breathable air. Some embodiments may include a detachable filter coupled to the substantially air-impervious shell, the filter having an inner connector and an outer face. A breathing tube having a first port connectable to a mouthpiece and in fluid communication with a second port configured to connect to the inner connector of the filter, may be included in some embodiments. In various embodiments the filter may be toollessly detached from the substantially air-impervious shell without interruption of user respiration via the filter. Such means of toollessly detachment may include the use of a tearable weld, for example. Some embodiments may include a rigid structure underlying a substantially air-impervious membrane. And when the user wishes to detach the filter, he may pull the string which may simultaneously remove the air-impervious membrane. In one exemplary embodiment, the flexible shell of the protective suit may be scored such that the flexible shell may preferentially tear along the scoring.
- A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modification may be made. For example, advantageous results may be achieved if the steps of the disclosed techniques were performed in a different sequence, or if components of the disclosed systems were combined in a different manner, or if the components were supplemented with other components. Accordingly, other implementations are contemplated.
Claims (15)
- An encapsulated protective suit comprising:a skin configured to substantially isolate a wearer from an exterior atmosphere;an air-connection port configured to attach to a source of breathable air;a breathing filter detachably coupled to the skin, the breathing filter having an exterior side and an interior side;a tearable filter-release strip, wherein before the filter-release strip is torn, the breathing filter is coupled to the skin, and after the filter-release strip is torn, the breathing filter is detached from the skin;a tearable exterior filter cover, wherein before the exterior filter cover is torn, the exterior side of the filter is covered by the filter cover, and after the exterior filter cover is torn, the exterior side of the filter is exposed to the exterior atmosphere;a mouthpiece accessible to the wearer from within the encapsulated protective suit; and,a breathing tube having a first port connected to the mouthpiece, and a second port configured to connect to the interior side of the breathing filter.
- The encapsulated protective suit of Claim 1, further comprising a tearable interior filter cover, wherein befor the interior filter cover is torn, the interior side of the filter is covered by the filter cover, and after the interior filter cover is torn, the interior side of the filter is exposed to an interior atmosphere.
- The encapsulated protective suit of Claim 1, wherein the breathing filter comprises a tritium filter.
- The encapsulated protective suit of Claim 1, wherein the breathing filter comprises a P3 filter.
- The encapsulated protective suit of Claim 1, wherein the breathing filter is a pancake-type filter.
- The encapsulated protective suit of Claim 1, further comprising a valve which directs an exhalation of the wearer to the interior of the encapsulated protective suit and directs an inhalation from the breathing tube.
- The encapsulated protective suit of Claim 1, wherein after the tearable exterior filter cover is torn it remains partially attached to either the skin or the breathing filter.
- The encapsulated protective suit of Claim 1, wherein the encapsulated protective suit is a one-time use suit.
- The encapsulated protective suit of Claim 2, wherein the filter is moisture laden when both the exterior filter cover is not torn and the interior filter cover is not torn.
- The encapsulated protective suit of Claim 2, wherein after the tearable interior filter cover is torn it remains partially attached to either the skin or the breathing filter.
- A protective suit comprising:a substantially air-impervious shell;an air-connection port configured to attach to a source of breathable air;a filter having an inner connector and an outer face, the filter having an attached mode and a detached mode, wherein when the filter is in the attached mode, the filter is attached to the substantially air-impervious shell, and when the filter is in the detached mode, the filter is detached from the substantially air-impervious shell; and,a breathing tube having a first port connectable to a mouthpiece, and in fluid communication with a second port configured to connect to the inner connector of the filter.
- The protective suit of Claim 11, further comprising an exterior flap having a sealed mode and an opened mode, the sealed mode providing an air-tight seal covering the outer face of the breathing filter, the opened mode exposing the outer face of the breathing filter to an atmosphere exterior to the protective suit.
- The protective suit of Claim 11, further comprising a removal member, which when removed puts the filter in the detached mode and when unremoved leaves the filter in the attached mode.
- The protective suit of Claim 11, wherein the breathing filter comprises a tritium filter.
- The protective suit of Claim 12, wherein when the exterior flap is in the opened mode the exterior flap remains affixed to one of the substantially air-impervious shell or the filter.
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EP13178097.5A EP2829304B1 (en) | 2013-07-25 | 2013-07-25 | Air-fed protective suit with detachable breathing filter |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
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EP13178097.5A EP2829304B1 (en) | 2013-07-25 | 2013-07-25 | Air-fed protective suit with detachable breathing filter |
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EP2829304A1 true EP2829304A1 (en) | 2015-01-28 |
EP2829304B1 EP2829304B1 (en) | 2017-01-04 |
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EP13178097.5A Active EP2829304B1 (en) | 2013-07-25 | 2013-07-25 | Air-fed protective suit with detachable breathing filter |
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Cited By (5)
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WO2017074329A1 (en) * | 2015-10-28 | 2017-05-04 | Honeywell International Inc. | Mask with oral intake worn with protective suit or hood |
JP2021504103A (en) * | 2017-11-21 | 2021-02-15 | フレコテック アクチェンゲゼルシャフト | Equipment and method for connecting the protective cover and safety cover in a sealed state from the surroundings |
US11027156B2 (en) | 2011-10-21 | 2021-06-08 | Honeywell International Inc. | Emergency filter system for ventilated hood |
US11123582B2 (en) | 2011-10-21 | 2021-09-21 | Honeywell International Inc. | Emergency filter system for encapsulated suit |
US12035764B1 (en) * | 2020-02-04 | 2024-07-16 | Blauer Manufacturing Company, Inc. | Zipper path for a hazardous materials protection suit |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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KR102001438B1 (en) * | 2017-05-19 | 2019-07-18 | 엔알텍주식회사 | Smoke proof mask |
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EP0056613A2 (en) * | 1981-01-21 | 1982-07-28 | Albert H. Wong | Protective enclosures having self-contained air supply |
FR2941624A1 (en) * | 2009-02-05 | 2010-08-06 | Materiels Ind De Securite | DEVICE FOR PROTECTING A PERSON AND CORRESPONDING PROTECTION ASSEMBLY. |
EP2583721A2 (en) | 2011-10-21 | 2013-04-24 | Honeywell International Inc. | Emergency filter system for encapsulated suit |
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EP0056613A2 (en) * | 1981-01-21 | 1982-07-28 | Albert H. Wong | Protective enclosures having self-contained air supply |
FR2941624A1 (en) * | 2009-02-05 | 2010-08-06 | Materiels Ind De Securite | DEVICE FOR PROTECTING A PERSON AND CORRESPONDING PROTECTION ASSEMBLY. |
EP2583721A2 (en) | 2011-10-21 | 2013-04-24 | Honeywell International Inc. | Emergency filter system for encapsulated suit |
Cited By (5)
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US11027156B2 (en) | 2011-10-21 | 2021-06-08 | Honeywell International Inc. | Emergency filter system for ventilated hood |
US11123582B2 (en) | 2011-10-21 | 2021-09-21 | Honeywell International Inc. | Emergency filter system for encapsulated suit |
WO2017074329A1 (en) * | 2015-10-28 | 2017-05-04 | Honeywell International Inc. | Mask with oral intake worn with protective suit or hood |
JP2021504103A (en) * | 2017-11-21 | 2021-02-15 | フレコテック アクチェンゲゼルシャフト | Equipment and method for connecting the protective cover and safety cover in a sealed state from the surroundings |
US12035764B1 (en) * | 2020-02-04 | 2024-07-16 | Blauer Manufacturing Company, Inc. | Zipper path for a hazardous materials protection suit |
Also Published As
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