ES1251725U - PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR SANITARY PERSONNEL (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Personal protective equipment for healthcare personnel comprising a mask and an air filter that can be connected to it, characterized by comprising, in combination, the following characteristics: - a mask with a front screen to cover at least the eyes, nose and mouth, the front screen being transparent at least in the eye area, to allow vision, - a sealing gasket that follows the contour of the mask, to close the mask around a face, and - a vent zone in which the vent area has a fiberglass filter. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Personal protective equipment for healthcare personnel

The present invention refers to personal protective equipment for healthcare personnel. More specifically, it refers to a mask intended for the protection of medical personnel.

The current pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has highlighted that currently known mask systems present supply problems in the event of a pandemic. Medical personnel consume a huge number of these masks, due to the need to dispose of the equipment (possibly contaminated) after each use. Likewise, another problem with the masks currently used in the healthcare environment is that their protection is limited to the mouth and face area, so it has to be combined with the use of glasses or screens.

During the pandemic, due to the lack of protective equipment, the adaptation of diving masks to which the breather part (which, in some cases, featured a cotton filter), has been replaced by an adapter for a filter type FFP3. This option solves some of the aforementioned problems, in particular diving masks cover the entire face, presenting a gasket that closes tightly around the skin. However, the filters used have little durability and, furthermore, they are not sterilizable, or they are difficult to do so, so the consumption of filters remains high.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means of solving the above problems.

More specifically, the present invention discloses an individual protection equipment for healthcare personnel comprising a mask and an air filter, characterized by comprising, in combination, the following characteristics:

- a mask with a front screen to cover at least the eyes, nose and mouth, the front screen being transparent at least in the eye area, to allow vision,

- preferably, an internal separator to separate the eye area from the mouth area,

- a sealing gasket that follows the contour of the mask, to close the mask around a face, and

- a vent zone

in which the vent area has a fiberglass filter.

Preferably the filter is a glass fiber paper filter.

Preferably, the filter has a filter efficiency that is equal to or greater than 99.9%, and more preferably equal to or greater than 99.97%. The efficiency can preferably be determined according to the AFNOR NFX 44 001 standard using uranine. Equivalent tests and standards will also be possible. The test may be determined at a nominal flow rate intended for the application or higher. The efficiency could also be determined by the HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) test. In that case, most preferably, the filter will be category H14.

In particular, the present invention is based on the determination that the glass fiber filter is suitable for the indicated application and, furthermore, is durable. The equipment of the present invention shows promise in terms of its sterilizability.

Preferably, the filter can be connected to the rest of the mask at the top of it. A lower front connection is also envisioned to be even more advantageous.

The present invention is based on the combination of a mask used in hospital settings with a fiberglass filter. This type of filter is not used as FFP / FFP3 filters (EN149 standard) for masks. Filters of this type are used in incubators in maternity hospitals. The applicant has verified that said filters are suitable for the intended use, presenting filtration standards higher than those of surgical masks. In particular, fiberglass filters are capable of receiving HEPA (High Efficency Particulate Air) certification at least up to type H14 (efficiency of 99.995% under HEPA test conditions). In addition, they are breathable and can be sterilized in continuous cycles, so that the entire equipment is reusable, unlike other known solutions, which require discarding after each use, as they are not sterilizable.

For your better understanding are attached, as an explanatory but not limiting example, drawings of some embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 1 shows a front elevation view of a first embodiment of a protective equipment according to the present invention.

Figures 2 is a side elevation of the first example.

Figure 3 shows an exploded front elevation view of the first example.

Figure 4 is an exploded side elevation view of the first example.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the first example.

Figure 6 shows a front elevation view of a second embodiment of a protective equipment according to the present invention.

Figures 7 is a side elevation of the second example.

Figure 8 shows an exploded front elevation view of the second example.

Figure 9 is an exploded side elevation view of the second example.

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the second example.

Figure 11 shows a front elevation view of a third embodiment of a protective equipment according to the present invention.

Figures 12 is a side elevation of the third example.

Figure 13 shows an exploded front elevation view of the third example.

Figure 14 is an exploded side elevation view of the third example.

Figure 15 shows a perspective view of the third example.

Figures 1 to 5 show a first example of embodiment of a protective equipment individual for healthcare professionals according to the present invention.

The equipment 1 consists of a mask area made up of a transparent front screen 2 that, in this case, is attached to a chassis 3 that also supports a separator 4 and a joint 5 that interfaces with the user's face. In addition, it has a vent zone 6 to allow the user to breathe through a filter 7 that is connected to the vent zone 6 through an intermediate piece 8. It could also be connected directly to the vent zone 6, for example to the chassis 3, or any other element. The mask can also be completed with means of attachment to the wearer's head, which for example may comprise a tape 9 or tapes to fix the mask to the head (other known methods are also possible).

The transparent front screen 2 can cover the entire face or just the eye area, for easy viewing. The separator 4 helps to prevent the formation of mist in the eye area, which would make vision difficult.

The chassis 3 serves as a connecting element for the different parts of the equipment, although it could be dispensable in certain embodiments.

The purpose of the joint 5 is to make a closure around the skin of the healthcare professional's face, preventing the access of pathogenic elements to the professional's mucosa.

As can be seen in Figures 1 to 5, the vent zone 6 is located in the upper part of the mask zone of the equipment 1. This has the advantage of constituting a more protected location against biological contamination from the patient, but, on the other hand, it has the disadvantage that it makes communication difficult, since the sound preferably comes out through the area of the vent.

With regard to materials, the seal can be made, for example, of silicone or elastomeric material. The spacer 4 can be made, for example, of any plastic material, although silicone is preferred. The chassis 3 can preferably be made of any plastic material, more preferably polypropylene, while the front screen can be made of any transparent, hard or soft material, including polycarbonate (PC) or Polycarbonate-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC-ABS ).

In Figures 6 to 10, another embodiment of the present invention is seen. Elements The same or similar to those shown above have been identified with identical numerals. The filter is located in the front area, which has the advantage of facilitating breathing and communication, since the sound preferably comes out of the front.

Figures 11 to 15 show a third embodiment of the present invention. Elements equal or similar to those previously shown have been identified with identical numerals. In this case, the filter 7 is connected directly to the vent area 6, without the need for an intermediate piece. For this purpose, the vent area has a thread matching a thread present on the casing or filter housing 7, as well as, optionally, a sealing gasket. It would also be possible for the vent area 6 to be located in the front area, preferably in the lower front area.

Filter 7, characteristically for the invention, is a glass fiber filter. The filter in the example has a side casing made of metal or plastic and may have a sealing gasket to ensure the watertight connection with the rest of the equipment (the sealing gasket can also be arranged in the intermediate piece 8 or in the area 6 if there is no intermediate piece). Preferably it is a very high efficiency glass fiber paper filter. For example, it can be a filter with a retention efficiency equal to or greater than 99.97% in the uranine test determined by the AFNOR NFX 44 011 standard, and more preferably greater than 99.98%. Another desirable parameter in these filters is to have a so-called Decontamination Factor greater than 5000, also calculated using the normal NFX 44 011, using uranine. These efficiency results could also be determined by equivalent or similar standards and / or tests. To maximize the protection of healthcare personnel, these efficiencies must be met in the flows exhaled by healthcare personnel during their work. It is estimated, for example, that a filter with a maximum nominal capacity of 5 m3 / h may be sufficient, since this capacity is almost 10 times higher than the standard respiratory flow of an adult (7.5 l / min). Of course, higher nominal flows are acceptable. Another parameter that must be taken into account when designing the filter is the pressure drop produced by the filter. Low pressure drops facilitate breathing for the healthcare professional wearing the mask. However, pressure drop and filter efficiency are negatively correlated, so a trade-off is a good idea. Filters with drops of less than 60 Pa at 7.5 l / min flow have been found to be acceptable. At higher flow, the pressure drop is usually greater, and the effort to exhale is greater, so lower pressure drops are preferable.

Despite not having been used specifically for the protection of healthcare personnel, fiberglass filters have already been used for maternal incubators, so their safety seems assured. On the other hand, the filtering efficiency ranges of the preferred filter according to the present invention appear to be higher than those of filters commonly used for personal protection.

After testing, the applicant has concluded that they allow adult health personnel to breathe easily under working conditions. An advantage of the filter of the present invention is its durability. Another important advantage that has been determined by the applicant through tests is that the equipment can be decontaminated several times. Specifically, the applicant has carried out the following tests:

Test 1. Filtration test.

The filter filtering capacity was tested as the one considered preferred in the present invention and it was compared with the absence of a filter (environment), and two masks of type FFP2 and FFP3 according to EN149 standard. A laser particle meter with discrimination of the particle measurement range and flow control was used. The test was carried out for a flow of 70 l / min which is almost 10 times the flow rate of the standard respiratory flow (approximately 7.5 l / min), and slightly lower than the maximum nominal flow rate of the filter according to the invention tested (5 m3 / h). By using a flow higher than that estimated in normal operation, you are on the side of safety when estimating the efficiency of the filters.

It is observed that the filtering capacity of the invention is superior to that of the FFP2 and FFP3 masks commonly used in hospitals.

Test 2. Durability

It was proved that the equipment object of the present invention could be sterilized without causing apparent damage.

Likewise, the nominal life of filters similar to those of the present invention in environments such as hospitals is one year. It is estimated that the duration under the conditions of use for which the personal protective equipment object of the present invention is designed is somewhat lower, but in any case sufficient to be used on multiple occasions for months.

Although the invention has been presented and described with reference to embodiments of the same, it will be understood that these are not limiting of the invention, so that multiple construction details or other details could be variable that may become evident to the technicians of the sector after interpret the subject matter disclosed in the present description, claims and drawings. In particular, in principle, all the characteristics of each of the different embodiments and alternatives shown and / or suggested are combinable with each other. Thus, all variants and equivalents will be included within the scope of the present invention if they can be considered to be within the broader scope of the following claims.

Claims (8)

1. Personal protective equipment for healthcare personnel comprising a mask and an air filter that can be connected to it, characterized by comprising, in combination, the following characteristics: - a mask with a front screen to cover at least the eyes, nose and mouth, the front screen being transparent at least in the eye area, to allow vision, - a sealing gasket that follows the contour of the mask, to close the mask around a face, and - a vent zone in which the vent area has a fiberglass filter. 2. Equipment, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the filter is a glass fiber paper filter. 3. Equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter is a HEPA H14 filter. 4. Equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter comprises a protective casing. 5. Equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter is connected to the rest of the mask from the lower front part. 6. Equipment, according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the filter is connected to the rest of the mask at the top of the mask. Equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has an internal separator to separate the eye area from the mouth area. 8. Equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means of attachment to the user's head.