GB2183318A

GB2183318A - Drying aircrew respirators

Info

Publication number: GB2183318A
Application number: GB08528657A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Stuart Tweedie; Gordon Edward Thorne
Original assignee: Negretti Aviation Ltd
Current assignee: Negretti Aviation Ltd
Priority date: 1985-11-21
Filing date: 1985-11-21
Publication date: 1987-06-03
Also published as: GB8528657D0

Abstract

A drier unit for aircrew respirators, or similar equipment is provided comprising a drying cabinet (1) and an air blower (6) which is arranged to direct air into the cabinet, via an upstanding air tube (3 or 4) around which the equipment (14) is supported, the upper end of the airtube having a port (10) or ports (10, 11) for directing a flow of air against the inner surface of a head part (17) of the equipment with sufficient momentum that it then flows downwardly to follow the contour of the inner surface of an apron (19) of the equipment, after which it is directed upwardly to follow the contour of the outer surface of the apron and head part before exiting through a vent (2) in an upper part of the cabinet. The air blower may be arranged to direct air into an air chamber (5) beneath, or forming a lower part of the cabinet, in which case two or more upstanding air tubes are provided, each communicating with said air chamber, each air tube being adapted to support equipment and direct an airflow therearound. The upper end of the or each air tube may be fitted with a plug (9) having a vertically extending throughbore (10) for the main airflow, and an angled bore (11) for directing a stream of air against the inside of a respirator unit (18) of the equipment. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Drying aircrew respirators This invention relates to the drying ofaircrewre- spirators, orsimilar equipment, particularly after a cleansing operation.

An aircrew respirator, normally referred to as an AR, is made of tough butyl material and normally comprises a hood part, which incorporates an optical face mask plate and mask unit, and an apron which is shaped to sit on the shoulders ofthe user.

The current accepted method of drying an AR is to use a hot air blower, which is hand held and directed firstonto onesurfaceoftheARwhiletheoperator rotates the AR with his other hand, whereafter the AR isturned inside out and hot air is similarly directed onto the other surface. It will be appreciated that this is a time consuming operation and it has also been found that damage is sometimes caused to the mat erialdueto localised overheating and also the optical face plate is often scratched by the chain harness normally provided for attachment to a helmetdueto careless handling.

An object ofthe invention is to provide a drier unit for aircrew respirators, orsimilar equipment, in which handling oftheequipmentduring drying is avoided.

According to this invention, such a drier unit comprises an air blowerwhich is arranged to direct a flow of air into a drying cabinet via an upstanding airtube, overwhich the equipment is supported,the upper end ofthe airtube having portsfordirecting air againstthe inner surface ofthe hood part ofthe equipment, the airflow having sufficient momentum that it passes downwardly over the inner surface ofthe apron and then upwardly over the outer surface of the apron and hood part before exiting through a vent in the upper part of the cabinet.

Thus, the drier unit utilisesthe contour shape of the equipment in that,with the equipmentsupported on the airtube, the airflow passes over both the inner and outer surfaces so thatthey are dried withoutthe need to turn the equipment inside out.

Preferably, the air blower directs air into an air chamber beneath the cabinet, in which case the drier unit can be designed to caterfortwo or more pieces of equipment by providing two or more spaced upstanding airtubes both of which communicate with said chamber.

In orderthatthe invention may be readily understood, one embodiment of drier unit in accordance therewith, for aircrew respirators, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure lisa somewhat diagrammatic front view of the unit, and Figure2 is a side view of the unit.

Referring to the figures, the drier unit is designed for accommodating two respirators, and comprises a drying cabinet 1 having a vent2 in itstopwall.Two spaced airtubes 3 and 4 extend vertically into the cabinetthrough itsfloor4. The airtubes lead from an air chamber 5 into which air is blown via an air blower6. A heating element7 and filter8 may be associated with the blower 6.

The upper end of each airtube is fitted with a plug 9 having a vertically extending throughbore 10 and an angled bore 11 (see Figure 1). The upper end of the plug is chamfered and is provided with grooves 12 extending radiallyfrom the throughbore 10 (see Figure 2).

A support rod 13 is associated with each airtube and holds its respirator 14to be dried loosely in posi tionviathechain harness 15 normally provided on the face plate 16 thereof for attachment to a helmet.

Any other support arrangement can be provided, eg hooks extending down from the roof ofthe cabinet.

As mentioned above, the respirator comprises a hood part 17which encloses a mask unit 18 carried by the face plate 16 and an apron 19. Referring particularlyto Figure 2, in use ofthe drier unit, air is drawn into the air chamber 5 at a required volume and is heated to an appropriate temperature. The heater air then flows via the tubes3 and 4to be direct tedtowardsthe innersurface ofthe hood parts 17 of the respirators 14. Most of the airflow exits via the bore 10, whilst a reduced flow is directed bythe bore 11 againstthe mask unit 18.Due to the continuing flowofthis heated air, itfollowsthe innercontourof the hood partdown overtheinnersurfaceofthe apron 19 and then flows upwardly overthe upper surface of said apron and hood part to exhaust through the vent 2. In this way, the respirators are dried both inside and outside via one airflow. The length of drying time can be varied by adjusting the throughputvolume of air and/or by adjusting the temperature. It will be appreciated that the velocity ofthe airflow tends to centre each respirator 14 over its airtube 3 or4 and thatthe grooves 12 in the plug 9 ensure that occlusion cannot occur.

Tests have indicated that suitable parameters for a two respirator drier unit as described above is an airflow of 900-1000 litres/min and a temperature of approximately 40"C.

In this embodiment a take offport20 is provided in the wall ofthe airchamberforaflexible hose 21 ,to enablethe operatorto dry off by hand any dampness left on a respirator after removal from the cabinet.

1. Adrierunitfor aircrew respirators, orsimilar equipment, comprising a drying cabinet and an air blowerwhich is arranged to direct air intothecab- inet, via an upstanding airtube around which the equipment is supported,the upperend ofthe air tube having a port or portsfordirecting a flow of air againstthe inner surface of a head part of the equip ment with sufficient momentum that it then flows downwardlytofollowthecontouroftheinnersurface of an apron of the equipment, after which itis directed upwardlyto follow the contour of the outer surface ofthe apron and head part before exiting through a vent in an upper part ofthe cabinet.

2. Adrierunitaccording to Claim 1,whereinthe air blower is arranged to direct air into an air chamber beneath, orforming a lower part of, the cabinet.

3. A drier unit according to Claim 2, wherein two

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Drying aircrew respirators This invention relates to the drying ofaircrewre- spirators, orsimilar equipment, particularly after a cleansing operation. An aircrew respirator, normally referred to as an AR, is made of tough butyl material and normally comprises a hood part, which incorporates an optical face mask plate and mask unit, and an apron which is shaped to sit on the shoulders ofthe user. The current accepted method of drying an AR is to use a hot air blower, which is hand held and directed firstonto onesurfaceoftheARwhiletheoperator rotates the AR with his other hand, whereafter the AR isturned inside out and hot air is similarly directed onto the other surface. It will be appreciated that this is a time consuming operation and it has also been found that damage is sometimes caused to the mat erialdueto localised overheating and also the optical face plate is often scratched by the chain harness normally provided for attachment to a helmetdueto careless handling. An object ofthe invention is to provide a drier unit for aircrew respirators, orsimilar equipment, in which handling oftheequipmentduring drying is avoided. According to this invention, such a drier unit comprises an air blowerwhich is arranged to direct a flow of air into a drying cabinet via an upstanding airtube, overwhich the equipment is supported,the upper end ofthe airtube having portsfordirecting air againstthe inner surface ofthe hood part ofthe equipment, the airflow having sufficient momentum that it passes downwardly over the inner surface ofthe apron and then upwardly over the outer surface of the apron and hood part before exiting through a vent in the upper part of the cabinet. Thus, the drier unit utilisesthe contour shape of the equipment in that,with the equipmentsupported on the airtube, the airflow passes over both the inner and outer surfaces so thatthey are dried withoutthe need to turn the equipment inside out. Preferably, the air blower directs air into an air chamber beneath the cabinet, in which case the drier unit can be designed to caterfortwo or more pieces of equipment by providing two or more spaced upstanding airtubes both of which communicate with said chamber. In orderthatthe invention may be readily understood, one embodiment of drier unit in accordance therewith, for aircrew respirators, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure lisa somewhat diagrammatic front view of the unit, and Figure2 is a side view of the unit. Referring to the figures, the drier unit is designed for accommodating two respirators, and comprises a drying cabinet 1 having a vent2 in itstopwall.Two spaced airtubes 3 and 4 extend vertically into the cabinetthrough itsfloor4. The airtubes lead from an air chamber 5 into which air is blown via an air blower6. A heating element7 and filter8 may be associated with the blower 6. The upper end of each airtube is fitted with a plug 9 having a vertically extending throughbore 10 and an angled bore 11 (see Figure 1). The upper end of the plug is chamfered and is provided with grooves 12 extending radiallyfrom the throughbore 10 (see Figure 2). A support rod 13 is associated with each airtube and holds its respirator 14to be dried loosely in posi tionviathechain harness 15 normally provided on the face plate 16 thereof for attachment to a helmet. Any other support arrangement can be provided, eg hooks extending down from the roof ofthe cabinet. As mentioned above, the respirator comprises a hood part 17which encloses a mask unit 18 carried by the face plate 16 and an apron 19. Referring particularlyto Figure 2, in use ofthe drier unit, air is drawn into the air chamber 5 at a required volume and is heated to an appropriate temperature. The heater air then flows via the tubes3 and 4to be direct tedtowardsthe innersurface ofthe hood parts 17 of the respirators 14. Most of the airflow exits via the bore 10, whilst a reduced flow is directed bythe bore 11 againstthe mask unit 18.Due to the continuing flowofthis heated air, itfollowsthe innercontourof the hood partdown overtheinnersurfaceofthe apron 19 and then flows upwardly overthe upper surface of said apron and hood part to exhaust through the vent 2. In this way, the respirators are dried both inside and outside via one airflow. The length of drying time can be varied by adjusting the throughputvolume of air and/or by adjusting the temperature. It will be appreciated that the velocity ofthe airflow tends to centre each respirator 14 over its airtube 3 or4 and thatthe grooves 12 in the plug 9 ensure that occlusion cannot occur. Tests have indicated that suitable parameters for a two respirator drier unit as described above is an airflow of 900-1000 litres/min and a temperature of approximately 40"C. In this embodiment a take offport20 is provided in the wall ofthe airchamberforaflexible hose 21 ,to enablethe operatorto dry off by hand any dampness left on a respirator after removal from the cabinet. CLAIMS

3. A drier unit according to Claim 2, wherein two ormoreupstanding airtubesare provided, each communicating with said air chamber, each airtube being adapted to support equipment and direct an airflowtherearound.

4. A drier unit according to anyone of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the upper end ofthe or each airtube is fitted with a plug having a vertically extending throu ghboreforthe main airflow, and an angled bore for directing a stream ofairagainstthe insideofare- spiratorunitofthe equipment.

5. A drier unit according to Claim 4, wherein the upper wend ofthe plug is chamfered and is provided with grooves extending radially from thethroughbore the arrangement being such that, in use, the velocity ofthe airflow tends to centre the equipment over its airtube and the grooves in the plug ensure that occlusion cannot occur.

6. A drier unit according to any preceding Clairn, wherein a take off port is provided in the wall ofthe air chamberfor a flexible hose, to enable an operator to dry off by hand any dampness left on a respirator after removal from the cabinet.

7. Adrierunitforaircrewrespirators,orsimilar equipment constructed, arranged and adapted for use substantially as hereinbefore described with referenceto and as shown in the accompanying drawing.