EP4157467A1

EP4157467A1 - Respirator mask having replaceable filter elements

Info

Publication number: EP4157467A1
Application number: EP21739239.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Frank HORNUNG; David Salehi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-05-29
Filing date: 2021-05-27
Publication date: 2023-04-05
Also published as: WO2021239189A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a respirator mask into which replaceable inserts can be fitted. The problem addressed by the invention is that of providing a respirator mask which can be arranged so as to cover the mouth and the nose, the housing of said mask comprising replaceable filter pads and retaining straps. This problem is solved according to the invention by a housing comprising two filter wings which are angled away from a central region with respect to one another and have planar openings and receiving regions which are open on the inside, in which regions filter inserts in the form of pads are removably arranged. The filter wings have cheek contact surfaces which interact with cheek-contact-surface enlargements that are situated on at least one of the inserts in such a way that they enlarge the cheek contact surfaces.

Description

Respirator with replaceable filter elements

The present invention relates generally to respirators and more particularly to a half mask into which interchangeable inserts can be inserted.

Breathing protection masks, and here in particular half-breathing masks, are characterized in that they cover the mouth and the nose of the person wearing the mask, so that the eyes remain free and, for example, it is also possible to wear glasses. The task of such a half-breathing mask is therefore limited to protecting the respiratory tract of the person wearing the protective mask, be it from contaminants such as fine dust or from pathogens such as viruses that can be transmitted by droplet infection. All of these pollutants that can be absorbed through the air can be absorbed through the respiratory tract, which should be prevented by appropriate filters in the respiratory mask for those wearing the respiratory half mask. Basically, it makes sense to wear such a mask in all places where pollutants can get into a person's airways via airborne particles, be it in the industrial sector when working with pollutants or working processes that produce dust also, for example, in the field of medicine and emergency medicine and in operating theaters, in order to avoid the risk of contagion through infections that can be absorbed through the respiratory tract.

One focus of the design of the respiratory half masks is that they should fit so well on the head that no entries can be made via, for example, gaps that exist between the respirator and the face of the wearer. Therefore, already during the shaping, care is taken to ensure that the masks are either elastically adaptable to the facial contour of the wearer or are designed to be adapted as a result of the previous shaping. In addition, the respirators are usually fastened by elastic Hal tebänder on the head of the person wearing the respirator, whereby the straps can either run over the ears of the wearer or at least enclose the back of the head with a strap. As a rule, a combination of two straps is led along the back of the head or neck of the wearer to prevent the breathing mask from accidentally slipping off the face.

Breathing masks of this type which surround the nose and the mouth are already known from the prior art, which, depending on the area of application, can have differently complex structural features.

For example, the publication EP 3 533 496 A1 discloses a respiratory protection device which can additionally accommodate filter cartridges. In addition, a nozzle element is provided that is fluidly coupled to the filter cartridge receiver, whereby an air flow channel is generated. It is therefore a comparatively complex ge designed protective mask, which forms other construction due to its design, such as bayonet connections, he can put on breathing masks.

From the publication DE 60014 972 T2 a respiratory mask is also disclosed, which is primarily via a ne innovative arrangement of retaining straps defined. This is intended to improve the wearing comfort and use of the respirator.

The object of the present invention is to create a respiratory protection mask that allows a high level of comfort with an individualizability with regard to the filter elements used on and in the mask.

This is achieved according to the invention by a breathing mask with the characterizing features of claim 1.

The subclaims have advantageous Ausgestaltun conditions of the respiratory mask to the subject.

In the respiratory protection mask according to the invention it is realized in an inventive manner that different filter inserts or adapter inserts can be inserted into the respiratory protection mask on the inside. For this purpose, the respirator has inside receptacles for, for example, filter pads for filter inserts, but also for a filter cover or filter adapter plates or closure plates, which can be inserted into the respirator in such a way that the filter cover or filter adapter plates fit flush with the receiving area the respirator comes.

It is particularly advantageous here that the filter cover or the filter adapter plate has a transition section which, as a continuation, comes to rest on the face of the person wearing the protective mask. In other words, the respiratory protection mask has, in an expedient design, two filter wings with two receiving areas on the inside, which extend flat to one another at a defined angle. These flat receiving areas are embedded as depressions on the inside in the plastic structure of the filter wings of the respirator and form flat openings on the outside so that they form a large breathing and filter surface. In this inside receiving area with a breakthrough in the respirator, a filter pad or an adapter plate is now used to the outside, which on the one hand is precisely designed in its contour on the recess in the receiving area within the respirator. Frames or gradations in the recess in the receiving area serve as contact surfaces for the respective use and prevent ver falling out of the opening and a safe hold in the receiving area. On the other hand, the filter pad or adapter plate has an area which is designed in such a way that it runs at the same level as the actual cheek contact surface of the respirator to rest against the cheek of the person wearing the respirator.

That is to say, the respiratory protection mask according to the invention is designed in such a way that it comes to rest comfortably on the face of the person wearing the respiratory protection mask. Both the nasal region and the chin region are adapted to the facial contour of a person and supported on it, as are the roughly vertical cheek regions that serve as contact surfaces for the respiratory mask on the sides between the chin region and the nasal region.

The contact surfaces for these cheek areas of the respirator, which are designed according to the shape of the face, are designed in such a way that there are no linear or punctiform contact lines or points, but that a curved surface adapted to the contour of the cheek of a person makes it comfortable to wear. This is where the inventive approach of the new type of respirator comes in, in which precisely this area relevant for the safe and sealing fit of the face mask on the face of a person is enlarged again by means of an enlargement of the cheek contact surface, which is part of the filter cover or filter adapter plate that is inserted in the depth of this area. This enlargement of the cheek contact surface also follows the curved surface of the cheek contact surface of the filter wing and thus the contour of a person's cheek. This means that the contact surface on the cheek of a person, which is already provided in the breathing mask, is now lengthened and enlarged again by a section of the filter cover or the filter adapter plate, the cheek contact surface being continuously extended here.

It is provided here that, for example, in the case of an expedient sandwich insert in a first layer, a filter pad to support a filter insert in the receiving area in the filter wing of the respirator is inserted on the inside and this filter insert is then inserted through the filter cover placed on the filter insert in the receiving area in the respirator is fixed. For example, a design is provided in which the filter cover is lamel-shaped so that there is a large area for breath to escape between these lamellae, while the lamellar grille secures the filter insert in a stable manner in the respirator. Alternatively, the filter pad as well as the filter cover can also have a perforated, honeycomb or lattice structure, with a large area for breath exiting in each design.

This filter cover surface, which is usually made of plastic, rests directly on an inserted filter insert in the respiratory protection mask in a supporting and stabilizing manner and is graded in relation to the plane of the cheek contact surface enlargement. This gradation can arise, for example, in that the surface of the filter cover resting on the filter insert is approximately parallel to the cheek contact surface enlargement in the filter cover and runs approximately in the plane of the outer surface of the respirator, whereas the cheek contact surface enlargement compared to this inwardly offset, runs directly on the face surface.

It is provided here that a distant breathing space of the respiratory protection mask remains in front of the respiratory organs of the people, whereby here the step between the to the Filter insert adjacent surface of the filter cover and the cheek contact surface enlargement, for example, also a handle in this intermediate area of the filter cover made light. Both an additive manufacturing process, in which material is built up layer by layer, as well as subtractive manufacturing, in which material is removed in order to manufacture the respiratory mask, can be used for the manufacture of the respiratory protection mask. A complementary application of subtractive and additive manufacturing processes can also be used here.

In the following, the respiratory protection mask according to the invention is explained in more detail with reference to drawings

Show it

Figure 1 A respiratory protection mask worn on the head of a person in a perspective presen- tation;

FIG. 2 shows the main body of the respiratory protection mask 1 in a frontal view;

FIG. 3 shows a side detail view of the interior of a wing of the respiratory protection mask

1;

Figure 4 is a full view of the inner surface of the

Cover respiratory mask 1 with inserted filter 7;

FIG. 5 shows a filter cover 7 in a front view;

FIG. 6 shows an adapter plate 15 in an interior view;

FIG. 7 an adapter plate 15 in an external view; FIG. 8 shows the respiratory protection mask in a front view with adapter plates 15 inserted on both sides;

FIG. 9 shows a side view of a filter wing 19 of the respirator 1 with adapter plate 15 and filter cover 7 in an exploded view as well

FIG. 10 shows a perspective interior view of a filter wing 19 of the respiratory protection mask 1 with adapter plate 15 and filter cover 7 in an exploded view.

In the illustration according to FIG. 1, the respiratory protection mask 1 according to the invention is shown in a design that includes respiratory surfaces arranged at right angles to one another with openings 5, into which filter elements or adapter plates 15 can be inserted. The respirator 1 is attached to the face of a person wearing the mask by means of Haltebän countries 2 for this purpose. In the present design, these retaining straps are arranged on lateral mounting brackets 18, with a first retaining strap section 2 'above the ear enclosing the rear head and a second lower retaining strap section 2' 'enclosing the neck area, whereby the respirator 1 is well aligned in front of the nose and mouth it can be attached to the person carrying it.

The respiratory protection mask 1 itself has filter pads 3 inserted into the respiratory protection mask 1 in the present design, which have a honeycomb structure 13 in the illustrated design.

On the upper side, the respirator 1 with a nose support section 4 is adapted to the face of the person wearing it. Here, in a particular embodiment of the invention, it is also envisaged that thermal deformability should be achieved by choosing a suitable plastic material. for example, by briefly heating the respiratory mask in liquid, so that here the contact contour of the respiratory mask can be individually shaped to the face of the person wearing it.

One design of the respiratory mask 1 provides for production from a special PLA (polylactide), the main components of which are corn starch and lactic acid. The mask can also be made of other biocompatible plastics such as PA (polyamide) or PEEK (polyether ether ketone) or PEKK (polyether ketone ketone), provided it is not to be plastically deformed. This is useful, for example, if the mask is manufactured individually for the person wearing it using 3D scanning processes. In principle, the housing of the respirator is not tied to a special material.

In the present design, the filter pads 3 are inserted on the inside in the receiving areas 9 of the respiratory protection mask 1 and close to the front opening 5 in the main body of the respiratory protection mask 1. Between the two approximately at right angles to each other Filterflü rules 19 with front-side openings 5, a central area 6 is formed as a web in this design, in which no further filter component or other functional element is inserted. In a further embodiment of the invention, however, this can also be designed in such a way that, for example, a valve inserted at the front can only be arranged in the central region 6 for the escape of breathable air.

The angular alignment of the two filer wings 19 of the respiratory mask 1 accommodating the filter elements can also accommodate other suitable angular shapes to one another in addition to the arrangement in this exemplary design in an approximately right-angle arrangement. In the present design, a roughly rectangular course is selected to create a space for the person wearing the respiratory protection mask 1 in front of the respiratory tract, which facilitates breathing for the person wearing the respiratory protection mask 1. In FIG. 2, the main body of the respiratory protection mask 1 is shown on its own without retaining straps 2. The view is directed frontally on the respiratory protection mask 1 and here on the web in the central area 6 of the respiratory protection mask 1, from which the lateral filter wings 19 run leading to the cheek surfaces 11.

In the filter blades 19, the front openings 5 are formed identically on both sides, into which the filter pads 3, filter inserts 8, filter covers 7 and / or adapter plates 15 can be inserted from the inside into corresponding receiving areas 9. Here, combinatorial arrangements of these elements in the receiving areas 9 are provided.

Here, the inventive feature of the respiratory mask 1 becomes clear that it can be used in different functional applications. For example, the present solution also enables different inserts to be combined in one breathing mask 1. The background is that, for example in the medical field, it is quite conceivable to only open the respiratory mask 1 on one side for ventilation, so that, for example, medical staff can always approach a patient from a certain side and thus only into the filter wing away from the patient 19 an insert that is open to ventilation is used, for example, with a filter insert 8 or an adapter plate 15 with an attached filter. The second filter wing 19 facing the patient can be completely closed, for example, by an inserted plate. This increases safety in the medical field, but could also be useful in an industrial application in order to effect a certain orientation of the intake of breathable air.

FIG. 3 now shows a view of the inside of the respiratory mask 1 and also a section of a filter wing 19 of the respiratory mask 1. In the present version, a specific application is illustrated here, namely the insert of an already inserted filter pad 3 as the bottom outward-facing insert, on which a filter insert 8 is then used, which in turn is locked and secured by placing a filter cover 7 in the receiving area 9 of the filter wing. All the elements used are here adapted in terms of their shape to the receiving area 9 in the filter wing 19 of the respiratory protection mask 1.

However, the final filter cover 7 is of particular importance here, since it has an innovative design in the area of a peripheral cheek contact surface enlargement 12, which is flush with the actual cheek contact surface 11 integrated in the main body of the respirator 1, which is part of the actual respiratory mask and here of a filter wing. That is, we have a cheek contact surface 11 on the respective filter wing 19, which rests on the cheek of the person wearing it and which is now enlarged by the inserted filter cover 7 and its cheek contact surface enlargement 12. At the same time it is enough that by the application of the face in the filter wing 19 elements, such as filter inserts and pads are pressed by the application of the face of the person wearing them in the receiving area 9 of the filter wing 19 and held here th.

This is also clear from the overall view of FIG. 4, since the individual elements are now completely inserted into the receiving area 9. As a result, only the view of the inside final filter cover 7 with the cheek contact surface enlargement 12 remains in the drawing. Here, the arrangement of different elements in each Filterflü gel side 19 would be possible.

The arrangement of the nose pad 4 on the top side, which is adapted to the physiognomy of the face of the person wearing it, as well as can also be clearly seen in FIG a chin support area 14 arranged on the underside, with which the respiratory mask 1 is supported on the chin of the person wearing it via this chin support area 14. That is, a flat chin support area 14 is also ergonomically formed here in order to effect a comfortable but also sealing attachment to the face of the person wearing it. In addition, it is to be safely excluded that the breathing mask 1 can be displaced in the direction of the neck by the retaining straps 2.

In FIG. 4 it is also clear that the transition from the cheek contact surface 11, which is part of each filter bracket 19, to the cheek contact surface enlargement 12 is designed to merge seamlessly into one another. It also becomes clear that there is a height offset between the flat honeycomb structure 13 pressing an insert into the receiving area 9 and the enlargement of the cheek surface 12, since the honeycomb structure 13 is offset approximately towards the outer surface of the respirator 1 and the enlargement of the cheek contact surface 12 is aligned with the inner cheek contact surface 11 on the face. The design of the filter cover 7 is therefore a special inventive element of the respiratory protection mask 1, which in the design shown has two areas running approximately parallel to one another in the form of the honeycomb structure 13 and the cheek contact surface enlargement 12.

This is also clear once again from FIG. 5, since a filter cover 7 is shown here on its own. It can be seen here that the surface lying directly on a filter system 8, in this case the honeycomb structure 13, also has approximately the size of the front opening 5 as a flat body in order to be able to fit on an inside contact surface 10 (see FIG. 10) the recording area 9 to be able to rest. On the other hand, the cheeks contact surface enlargement 12 is only formed as a marginal transition area to the actual cheek contact surface 11 of the Fil terflügel 19 and thus arranged to run only in a partial area at the edges of the filter cover 7. It is also clear from this FIG. 5 that, as mentioned, a different plane is selected for these two components of the honeycomb structure 13 and the cheek contact surface enlargement 12, these planes of the filter cover being spaced apart from one another.

Figure 6 now shows a further alternative to this use, namely an adapter plate 15 with a breathing opening 16. Here, also in this design, a cheek contact surface enlargement 12 is part of this adapter plate in this design to cause an extension of the cheek contact surface of the filter wing . Alternatively, however, this can also be solved separately in that the adapter plate is designed without enlargement of the cheek contact surface 12 and for this purpose a separate filter cover 7 is finally placed on the adapter plate 15, as shown in FIG. Here the filter cover 7 fixes the adapter plate 15 in the receiving area 9.

In Figure 7, this adapter plate 15 of Figure 6 is shown from its outside. In the present design, this has a bayonet adapter 17 on which a replaceable filter attachment which can be arranged on the outside of the respiratory mask 1 and can be arranged over the bayonet catch, which is not shown here. Here at it is again pointed out that combinations of such an adapter plate 15 with a normal Filtereinla ge 8 with filter cover 7 in a respiratory mask 1 can be realized in common sam in for example in the different filter blades 19.

FIG. 8 again shows a frontal view of a respiratory protection mask 1 into which an adapter plate 15 has been placed on both sides, which has a bayonet adapter 17 approximately in the center. This bayonet adapter 17 is thus inserted approximately centrally into the front opening 5 of the respiratory mask 1 and is used to connect special filters, for example particle filters of special protection classes with a bayonet connection. Figure 9 shows an exploded view in a side view of the respirator 1 with top Nasenab section 4 and a side mounting bracket 18. In the receiving area 9 with front opening 5 from the inside is now an adapter plate 15 with a front bayonet adapter 17 is inserted according to this view is designed as a separate body and is held by a Filterab cover 7 in the respirator 1. This form of the exploded view is also shown once again in FIG. 10 in a perspective interior view of a filter wing.

In this case, the adapter plate 15 with a filter cover 7 is inserted into the receiving area 9. In FIG. 10 it becomes particularly clear once again that the receiving area 9 has frame-like contact surfaces 10 which serve to support the respective inserts, for example the filter support 3 or also the adapter plate 15. There are here not shown guides and possibly the detachable fixation supporting latching projections before seen, depending on the design, which support the detachable insertion of the inserts in the receiving area. The latching projections attack, for example, defined areas of attack on the lateral edges of the inserts to support the releasable fixation and to prevent the inserts from slipping or falling out unintentionally when the respirator 1 is put on and taken off.

Claims

1. Respirator (1) for the mouth and nose covering arrangement comprising a housing with replaceable filter inserts (8) and / or inserts and straps

(2), characterized in that

- The housing has at least two filter blades (19) arranged at an angle to one another from a central area (6) with flat perforations (5) and receiving areas (9) open on the inside,

- in which filter pads (3) and / or filter inserts (8) and / or filter covers (7) and / or adapter plates (15) and / or closure plates are detachably arranged as inserts,

- wherein the filter wings (19) have cheek contact surfaces (11) which interact with cheek contact surface enlargements (12) which are arranged to enlarge the cheek contact surfaces (11) on at least one of the inserts.

Breathing protection mask (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the housing has a nose pad (4) and a chin support area (14).

3. Respiratory protection mask (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the receiving areas (9) which are open on the inside have contact surfaces (10) on which the filter pads (3) and / or

The edge areas of the filter inserts (8) and / or adapter plates (15) and / or filter covers (7) and / or closure plates rest at least in sections.

4. Respirator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

- A filter pad (3) as the first use in the Aufnah mbereich (9) at least one filter wing (19) is arranged,

- On the at least one filter insert (8) and one Fil terabdeckungen (7) are placed facing inwards.

5. Respirator (1) according to one of the preceding Ansprü surface, characterized in that the cheek contact surface enlargement (12) on the Filterauf (3), filter inserts (8), adapter plates (15), Fil terabdeckungen (7) or closure plates so are arranged so that they form a stepless enlargement of the Wangenan contact surface (11) of the filter blades (19).

6. Respirator (1) according to one of the preceding Ansprü surface, characterized in that the filter pads (3), filter inserts (8), adapter plates (15), filter covers (7) or closure plates have a contact surface inserted into the open receiving area (9) which is spaced apart from the plane of the cheek contact surface enlargement (12).

7. Respirator (1) according to one of the preceding Ansprü surface, characterized in that at least parts of the housing of the respirator (1) are made of PLA (polylactide) and formed thermoplastically deformable, the main components of which are corn starch and lactic acid.

8. Respirator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

- Guides and / or locking projections for the inserts are arranged in the receiving area (9),

- Attack the locking projections at defined areas of attack on the side edges of the inserts placed in the receiving area (9).

9. Respirator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

- An adapter plate (15) is used in at least one receiving area (9),

- which has a breathing opening (16) pointing inwards and

- which, pointing outwards, leads into a bayonet adapter which protrudes from the opening (5) in the filter wing (19).

10. Respiratory protection mask (1) according to one of the preceding Ansprü surface, characterized in that the filter pad (3) and the filter cover (7) has a plurality of openings which have a grid, honeycomb (13), lamellar or hole structure .