Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B18/00—Breathing masks or helmets, e.g. affording protection against chemical agents or for use at high altitudes or incorporating a pump or compressor for reducing the inhalation effort
  • A62B18/003—Breathing masks or helmets, e.g. affording protection against chemical agents or for use at high altitudes or incorporating a pump or compressor for reducing the inhalation effort having means for creating a fresh air curtain
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A42—HEADWEAR
  • A42B—HATS; HEAD COVERINGS
  • A42B3/00—Helmets; Helmet covers ; Other protective head coverings
  • A42B3/04—Parts, details or accessories of helmets
  • A42B3/28—Ventilating arrangements
  • A42B3/286—Ventilating arrangements with forced flow, e.g. by a fan
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B18/00—Breathing masks or helmets, e.g. affording protection against chemical agents or for use at high altitudes or incorporating a pump or compressor for reducing the inhalation effort
  • A62B18/006—Breathing masks or helmets, e.g. affording protection against chemical agents or for use at high altitudes or incorporating a pump or compressor for reducing the inhalation effort with pumps for forced ventilation
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B18/00—Breathing masks or helmets, e.g. affording protection against chemical agents or for use at high altitudes or incorporating a pump or compressor for reducing the inhalation effort
  • A62B18/04—Gas helmets
  • A62B18/045—Gas helmets with fans for delivering air for breathing mounted in or on the helmet
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
  • A61L2209/00—Aspects relating to disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
  • A61L2209/10—Apparatus features
  • A61L2209/14—Filtering means

Definitions

• the field of the invention is that of the design and manufacture of air treatment devices.
• the invention relates in particular to a single-person air purification device.
• These masks and visors are passive devices in that they only form a barrier to pathogens without destroying them, or at least without reducing them.
• the mask which is poorly supported due to its proximity to the face, creates heat and therefore significant discomfort.
• These active devices include ventilated devices.
• These active devices take the form, for example, of part of a diving suit, encompassing the head, or at least the face, in a sealed and closed space, often under overpressure.
• Such active devices are also complex to implement in daily life, and therefore do not allow systematic use in a social environment.
• the invention aims in particular to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by providing protection by an active device against: - external pathogens present in the air; - manual delivery of pathogens to the face; - agents carried by the user and potentially contaminating for others (via droplets, sneezing).
• the invention aims to propose a single-person air purification device which makes it possible to limit the penetration of polluted air between the air blade and the user's face.
• the invention also aims to provide such a device which is comfortable for the user.
• the invention further aims to provide such a device which is simple to use.
• a single-person air purification device comprising a cover forming a hollow body, the cover being intended to be worn on the head of a user, the hollow body defining an air chamber fluidly connecting: - an air inlet having at least one suction mouth and incorporating filtration means, and - an air outlet intended to be placed in front of a user's forehead, the device comprising suction means positioned between the air inlet and the air outlet and configured to suck air through the air inlet and discharge it through the air outlet so as to form a blade of air in front of the user's face, wherein the air chamber has a lower wall intended to extend above the user's head, characterized in that the lower wall is provided with a plurality of orifices allowing the passage of air to form an air overpressure zone between the user's head and the lower wall, and in that the air chamber comprises a partition dividing the air chamber into a first supply cavity of the plurality of
• Such an overpressure zone limits the infiltration of outside air that may be polluted or loaded with bacteria and/or microbes, between the user's face and the air gap.
• the overpressure zone helps to minimize the weight of the device on the user's head.
• the device then becomes more comfortable for long-term use.
• the overpressure zone is positive pressure, which further improves user protection, particularly by creating a space free of bacteria and pathogens in front of the user's face.
• the presence of two cavities allows the feeding of the orifices and the outlet mouth, simultaneously, in order to prevent one of the two evacuation zones, that is to say the slot or the orifices, from harming the efficiency of the other zone, the air choosing the shortest and easiest path.
• the partition ensures a sufficient supply of air to the slot and the orifices to allow the creation of an effective air gap and overpressure zone.
• the valve allows you to choose whether the air gap should be favored over the overpressure zone, or conversely, whether the overpressure zone should be favored over the air gap.
• valve also allows an identical air supply to be maintained for each of the overpressure zone and the air blade.
• the air inlet comprises two suction vents, each suction vent incorporating filtration means.
• this provides a high suction flow rate to increase the power of the overpressure and/or the air blade.
• the device also integrates an electric battery and a control unit configured to control the suction means.
• Such a control unit allows the device to be controlled remotely, for example from a smartphone or tablet, without having to handle the device or provide it with a remote control that may be lost or forgotten.
• the valve is of the electronic type, the control unit also being configured to control the valve.
• the filtration means comprise a particle filter.
• a particle filter makes it possible to remove large particles from the air, particularly dust, in order to generate an air gap and/or an overpressure zone which are depolluted.
• the device 100 comprises a headgear 200 intended to be positioned on the head of a user.
• the device 100 also comprises a visor 150 intended to be positioned in front of the face of a user.
• the visor 150 is for example pivotally mounted on the cap 200.
• the device does not have a visor.
• the device 100 is notably intended to create a blade of air 180 in front of a user's face.
• the cover 200 forms a hollow body defining an air chamber fluidly connecting an air inlet 210 and an air outlet 220.
• the device 100 also comprises suction means 300 positioned between the air inlet 210 and the air outlet 220.
• the suction means 300 are configured to suck air through the air inlet 210 and discharge it through the air outlet 220 so as to form the air blade 180 in front of a user's face.
• the air inlet 210 has at least one suction mouth 211.
• the air inlet 210 has two suction mouths 211 opposite each other.
• the air inlet 210 integrates filtration means 230.
• the filtration means 230 comprise at least one particle filter. When the filtration means 230 comprise one or more particle filters, they are then of the passive type. Alternatively, filtration means 230 of the active type could also be used.
• the filtration means 230 are common to each of the two suction mouths 211.
• each suction mouth 211 integrates its own filtration means 230.
• the filtration means 230 thus make it possible to purify the air entering the air chamber via the suction vents 211 before it is ejected from the air chamber via the air outlet vent 220.
• the air chamber has a lower wall 240 intended to extend above the user's head.
• the lower wall 240 is provided with a plurality of orifices 241 allowing the passage of air to form an air overpressure zone 242 between the user's head and the lower wall 240 of the air chamber.
• the air entering the air chamber through the air inlet 210 is evacuated from the air chamber both through the outlet mouth 220 and through the plurality of orifices 241 made in the lower wall 240.
• the air chamber is divided into a first cavity 250 and a second cavity 260.
• the first cavity 250 is intended for supplying the plurality of orifices 241 of the lower wall 240, and the second cavity 260 is intended for supplying the outlet mouth 220.
• the air chamber comprises a partition 270 dividing its total volume into the first cavity 250 and the second cavity 260.
• the partition 270 extends above the bottom wall 240.
• the partition 270 is connected by a first end 271 to the outlet mouth 220 and has a second free end 272 arranged in the vicinity of the air inlet 210.
• the second end 272 may be spaced from the air inlet 210 so that the volume of the air chamber is only partially divided.
• the device 100 also comprises a valve 400 configured to allow supply of the first cavity 250 only, of the second cavity 260 only, or of the first cavity 250 and of the second cavity 260 simultaneously.
• the second end 272 of the partition 270 is attached to the valve 400 so that the first cavity 250 and the second cavity 260 can be fluidically independent of each other.
• Such a valve 400 may be of the manual type, that is to say manually adjusted by the user via a wheel or, on the contrary, piloted.
• the device 100 also integrates an electric 500 battery and a pilot unit 600.
• the control unit 600 is then configured to control the suction means 300 on the one hand, but also the valve 400.
• the control unit 600 can integrate communication means making it possible to create a communication path between the control unit 600 and a portable computer device, such as a smartphone or a digital tablet, allowing the user to control the suction means 300 and/or the valve 400.
• a portable computer device such as a smartphone or a digital tablet
• control unit 600 can be coupled to a control box secured to the cover 200 and directly accessible to the user to control the suction means 300 and/or the valve 400.
• the headgear 200 also includes a frame 280 incorporating a belt 281 intended to surround the user's head.
• This frame 280 which acts as a connection between the user's head and the headdress 200.
• the frame 280 also incorporates adjustment means 282 of the belt 281 to enclose the user's head without the frame 280 being uncomfortable.
• the cover 200 has two adjacent conduits 201, 202 separated by an opening 203.
• each conduit 202, 203 communicates with one of the first cavity 250 and the second cavity 260.
• each of the first cavity 250 and the second cavity 260 is fluidically connected to only one of the conduits 202, 203.
• the two conduits 202, 203 are connected to each of the first cavity 250 and the second cavity 260.
• Each of the conduits 202, 203 is connected to the air inlet 210, and, consequently, to each of the two suction mouths 211.
• each conduit 202, 203 could be connected to only one of the suction mouths 211.
• each conduit is associated with its own filtration means 230.
• the air outlet 220 extends between two ends 221 separated by a distance greater than or equal to a face width.
• the outlet mouth 220 has a slot 222 through which the air discharged by the suction means 300 is extracted from the air chamber of the cover 200 to form the air blade 180 in front of the user's face.
• the slot 222 extends between the two ends 221 of the outlet mouth 220 and has a curved profile so as to follow the shape of the user's face.
• face shape of the users it is understood that between the two ears of the user, the face is not flat but follows an ovoid trajectory whose tip is centered on the nose.
• the slot 222 widens from a central portion 223 intended to be located above the user's nose towards each of the ends 221.
• the widening of the slot 222 crosses proportionally according to the distance of the central portion 223 towards the ends 221.
• the widening of the slot 222 crosses exponentially as a function of the distance from the central portion 223 towards the ends 221.
• the slot 222 has a symmetry along an axial plane P intended to be merged with a plane of symmetry of the face of a user.
• the slot 222 is made in an insert 224 secured to the air outlet mouth 220.
• the insert 224 comprises a first lip 225 and a second lip 226 parallel to each other, the first lip 225 being movable in translation relative to the second lip 226 along an axis inscribed in the axial plane P.
• the translation movement is schematically represented by the double arrow F on the .
• the mobility of the first lip 225 relative to the second lip 226 makes it possible to vary a distance D between the first lip 225 and the second lip 226 and thus to vary the flow of air exiting through the slot 222.
• the translation of the first lip 225 relative to the second lip 226 is carried out along an axis extending substantially according to the user's gaze.
• the movement of the first lip 225 relative to the second lip 226 is done in such a way that even if the user turns his head, or looks up or down, the air blade 180 remains located in front of his face.
• the device also comprises motor means 227.
• the control unit 600 is also configured to control the motor means 227. Controlling the motor means thus makes it possible to vary the position of the first lip 225 relative to the second lip 226, in order to vary the distance D between the first lip 225 and the second lip 226.
• the device also includes medium barriers 700 intended to extend between the visor 110 and the user's face.
• the barrier means 700 extend between the visor 110 and the user's face along a rim 111 of the visor 110 to form a physical barrier between the user's face and the external environment.
• the barrier means 700 comprise at least one elastically deformable member.
• the classically deformable organ can thus adapt to the user's face in order to create an effective barrier.
• the barrier means 700 also comprise elastically deformable members intended to extend between the lower wall 240 and the user's head.
• the or each elastically deformable member intended to extend between the visor 110 and the user's face is integral with the visor 110 and located along the edge 111 of the visor. This makes it possible to maintain broad visibility for the user, without the barrier means 700 forming a hindrance, or at the very least the hindrance formed by the barrier means being as low as possible.
• the or each elastically deformable member intended to extend between the lower wall 240 and the user's head is integral with the lower wall 240.
• each elastically deformable member is in the form of a foam block.
• each elastically deformable member is in the form of a lip made of polymer material.
• outside air is drawn in through the suction vents 211 of the air inlet 210, via the suction means 300.
• the sucked air passes through the filtration means 230 in order to be depolluted.
• the air is then discharged towards the outlet mouth 220 and/or towards the orifices 241.
• the choice of the evacuation of the air from the air chamber is carried out using the valve 400 when the device 100 is equipped with it. In the absence of the valve 400, the evacuation of the air from the air chamber is carried out both via the outlet mouth 220 and via the orifices 241.
• the air evacuated through the orifices 241 makes it possible to create the overpressure zone between the cover 200 and the user's head, as represented schematically by the .
• the air evacuated through the outlet 220, and more precisely through the slot 222, makes it possible to create the air blade 120 in front of the user's face.
• the device 100 which has just been described offers protection of the user against the external environment.
• the air blade 120 forms a barrier of purified air in front of the user's face, which prevents microbes and/or bacteria from reaching the user's face.
• the overpressure zone created by the presence of the orifices 241 on the lower wall 240, makes it possible to limit air pollution between the air blade 120 and the user's face.
• the maintenance of the clear zone that is to say free of external bacteria or microbes, is ensured by the presence of the barrier means 700.
• the simplicity and lightness of the 100 device, as well as its aesthetics close to lightweight consumer helmets, may facilitate its acceptance by the general public.
• the device 100 makes it possible to: - a supply, in front of the user's nose and mouth, of filtered air purified of any pathogenic agent; - prevent the intrusion of potentially polluted air between the device 100 and the user's head, without having to resort to a tight or pressurized closure, which generates discomfort and a feeling of confinement; - a visible barrier in front of the face, through the presence of the visor, giving the user a psychological warning preventing him from mechanically touching his face, and - the considerable limitation of the projection of aerosols, for example by spitting or sneezing, thus reducing the risk of viral spread from the user to the person they are talking to.
• the device 100 also makes it possible to offer the following advantages.
• the airflow passing between the face and the visor 110 i.e. the air blade 120, considerably reduces the tendency of the visor 110 to become dirty or foggy.
• the device 100 thus offers superior protection to that of a visor 110, while limiting the need for cleaning.
• a collar located on the bottom of the visor 110, can also limit the flow of air penetrating towards the user's face.
• This collar can be either made of rigid material or flexible material (fabric, transparent plastic), but preferably being removable.
• the masks tend to lift and allow rapid projection of air and aerosols laterally to the mask.
• the large volume of air in front of the face and the air blade 120 can more easily absorb a sneeze, and immediately evacuate potentially soiled air from below, without dirtying or polluting the device 100.
• the 100 device remains reasonably acceptable in social life, because it is practical and easy to use while respecting the environment, in particular through the choice of recyclable and recycled materials and low energy consumption.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Respiratory Apparatuses And Protective Means (AREA)
• Disinfection, Sterilisation Or Deodorisation Of Air (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=86331735

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2023
  • 2023-03-02 FR FR2301934A patent/FR3146282A1/fr active Pending
• 2024
  • 2024-02-27 EP EP24707200.2A patent/EP4673232A1/de active Pending
  • 2024-02-27 WO PCT/EP2024/054942 patent/WO2024180055A1/fr not_active Ceased

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