GB2596304A

GB2596304A - Connected mask system

Info

Publication number: GB2596304A
Application number: GB2009552.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony King Paul
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-06-23
Filing date: 2020-06-23
Publication date: 2021-12-29
Also published as: GB202009552D0

Abstract

A mask system preventing viral and bacterial infection between passengers on aircraft. The face mask 1 (of the surgical mask kind) has an integral inlet (spud) 2. A flexible hose 3 is removably attached to the inlet by rubber coated hand operated clamps 5. The opposite end of the hose connects via another clamp to the air gasper 4 of the passenger service unit/panel (PSU/PSP) 7. The hose may be detached, and a cover fitted to the inlet to allow the passenger to leave the aircraft without removing their mask. The system can be fitted while the user is wearing their mask.

Description

This invention is for a Connected Mask System (CMS) to decrease, greatly, the spread of viruses and bacterial infection in aircraft passenger cabins.

In a commercial airliner it is normal for air to be taken from the low pressure region of the aircraft's jet engines. This air is usually called the "fresh air". The fresh air is cooled by an air-conditioning pack and delivered to the interior of a large chamber below the aircraft floor. This chamber is usually called the "mixing chamber". The mixing chamber also has large fans which suck air in to its interior from below the aircraft floor. The air that is drawn in from below the floor is called "recycled air". Before the recycled air enters the chamber it passes through large High Efficiency Particulate Air filters (HEPA). These HEPA filters are designed to remove 99.97% of viral and bacterial pathogens. This recycled air is mixed with the fresh air from the engines at roughly 30% recycled air, to 70% fresh air. This mixed air is then ducted into a series of distribution pipes above the passenger cabin ceiling. The mixed air enters the cabin through outlets called plenums usually above and below the passenger baggage bins.

To improve the passenger experience it is normal to introduce some form of air outlet, in the cabin, above each passenger. The rate and direction of air flowing out of these outlets can usually be adjusted by the passenger to suit their needs. These components are called air gaspers and they have an adjustment bezel. The air gasper is usually a component part of a Passenger Service Panel (PSU). The bezel, of the air gasper, can be rotated to increase or decrease airflow and can be articulated from side to side to direct the stream of air.

Studies have shown that these streams of air will affect the spread of viral and bacterial pathogens from a contagious individual to those passengers close by or distant. Due to the complexities of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) it has so far been impossible to predict with any useful accuracy where the spread of viral infection will occur. Studies at Porton Down in the UK have shown that the influenza pathogen can survive well over 4 hours, even in the low relative humidity of an aircraft cabin environment, making a solution to the problem of viral transmission in aircraft cabins extremely important and valuable.

During the boarding of an aircraft, airlines have agreed that passengers should, as far as is possible, maintain social distancing and should wear a mask that should be mostly effective in preventing transmission of bacterial or viral pathogens during this social distancing. Once seated however the passengers will not be able to maintain social distancing and it is during this extended time that they are very exposed to infection.

It is likely that many passengers, who think about their exposure, may consider opening and adjusting the air gasper, above their heads, in an attempt to provide some kind of column of fresh air around them to reduce any risk. Studies of airborne pathogens in relation to air gasper operation have shown that this action has a neutral effect on the infection rates in the cabin as a whole, but causes an infection distribution change.

The gasper air can be considered to be a source of pathogen free air and this invention makes use of this air source by providing three items. A lightweight flexible hose with a hand operated spring clip integrated into rubberised sleeves at each end of the hose, a surgical mask with an integral protruding spud, and an inlet cover.

The intent is for the user to connect one end of the lightweight flexible hose to the PSU air gasper by squeezing the integral spring clip to stretch the sleeved end of the hose further open and then slide the hose over the air gasper bezel. The person can then release the spring clip causing the combined forced of the stretched rubber and the spring clip to grip the bezel. The other end of the lightweight hose is then connected to the integrated protruding spud on the CMS mask using the same spring clip method. The passenger can then adjust the aircraft PSU air gasper bezel to provide a flow of air, at a rate that they consider suitable and comfortable, to provide a positive pressure volume of "fresh air" inside the CMS mask.

With a positive air pressure inside the mask, there should be no air from outside the mask leaking in during the normal human inhalation event. During exhalation the exhaled air should diffuse/filter through the cloth material of the mask as per normal. Due to positive pressure, inside the lightweight duct no exhaled air should enter the duct thus preventing rebreathing. With the inlet cover fitted, the surgical mask element of the CMS system can be worn as a normal, surgical, anti-infection mask fastened behind the ears or if preferred behind the head.

Once seated on board the aircraft, the CMS lightweight duct can be attached, without the use of tools, to the bezel, or to other useful protruding parts of the PSU air gasper.

The inlet cover is then removed from the mask and stored. The other end of the CMS lightweight duct is then connected to the integral protruding spud on the CMS mask There are no valves in the surgical mask or anywhere else in this system.

During deplaning the user would disconnect the lightweight duct from the mask and the PSU air gasper. The user should re-install the inlet cover onto the integral spud/boss on the CMS surgical mask and continue to use the mask in the normal manner.

The invented system is called a "Connected Mask System" (CMS).

Figure 1 shows the side view of a passenger wearing the Connected Mask System (CMS) whilst connected to the aircraft air gasper system.

Figure 2 shows the side view of a passenger wearing the Connected Mask System (CMS) whilst not connected to the aircraft air gasper system.

Figure 3 shows a detail section view of the CMS lightweight duct connection to the aircraft air gasper system.

Figure 4 shows a detail isometric view of the CMS lightweight duct connection to the surgical mask element of the CMS.

In Figure 1, a person wearing the CMS surgical mask 1 with a, protruding integral spud 2 is shown connected via the CMS lightweight duct 3 to the air gasper 4 of an aircraft cabin Passenger Service Unit].

In Figure 2, a person wearing the CMS surgical mask 1 with a preformed inlet cover 6 fitted to the protruding integral spud 2.

In Figure 3, the CMS lightweight duct 3 is shown connected using the integral hand operated clamps to the bezel of the gasper 4 in the aircraft cabin Passenger Service Unit 7.

In Figure 4, the lightweight duct 3 is shown connected using the integral hand operated clamps to the protruding integral spud 2 of the CMS surgical mask 1.

Claims

Claims 4 1. A human surgical mask with an integral protruding spud and a lightweight flexible hose with rubberised sleeves with integral hand operated clamps at each end that can be connected to the integral protruding spud on the surgical mask, the other end of the hose being capable of being attached to the bezel or any useful protruding part of the air gaspers of an aircraft passenger service unit.
2. A rubberised inlet cover that when fitted to the integral protruding spud of the surgical mask in claim 1 allows the surgical mask to be used as an normal surgical mask.