GB2612608A

GB2612608A - Wearable air purifier

Info

Publication number: GB2612608A
Application number: GB2115881.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tennison Reilly Philip; Mackey Nelson James; John Burrowes Dale
Original assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
Current assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2021-11-04
Filing date: 2021-11-04
Publication date: 2023-05-10
Also published as: WO2023079270A1

Abstract

A wearable air purifier comprising an air purifier assembly 14 comprising a filter 32a,32b, at least one conduit 16 for receiving a filtered airflow from the air purifier assembly 14. An outlet assembly 18 connected to the at least one conduit 16, the outlet assembly 18 comprising an outlet body 60 defining an air outlet 62 for emitting filtered airflow from the at least one conduit 16. A headgear 20 configured to support the outlet assembly 18 such that, in use, the air outlet 62 is positioned proximal to a user’s mouth. Wherein the outlet assembly 18 comprises an uppermost surface 70 extending between an upper edge 72 which, in use, is proximal to the user’s mouth and a lower edge 74 which, in use, is distal from the user’s mouth, wherein the uppermost surface 70 extends downwardly between the upper and lower edges 72,74 at an angle to the user’s horizontal optical plane 76.

Description

WEARABLE AIR PURIFIER

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a wearable air purifier and, in particular, a wearable air purifier mounted within a headgear.

Background

Air pollution is an increasing problem and a variety of air pollutants have known or suspected harmful effects on human health. The adverse effects that can be caused by air pollution depend upon the pollutant type and concentration, and the length of exposure to the polluted air. For example, high air pollution levels can cause immediate health problems such as aggravated cardiovascular and respiratory illness, whereas long-term exposure to polluted air can have permanent health effects such as loss of lung capacity and decreased lung function, and the development of diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and possibly cancer.

Exposure to air pollution is of particular concern to cyclists who are exposed to vehicle exhaust fumes, often for prolonged periods.

In locations with particularly high levels of air pollution, many individuals have recognised the benefits of minimising their exposure to these pollutants and have therefore taken to wearing face masks with the aim of filtering out at least a portion of the pollutants present in the air before it reaches the mouth and nose.

There have been various attempts to develop air purifiers that can be worn by the user but that do not require the wearer's mouth and nose to be covered. For example, there are various designs for wearable air purifiers that are worn around the neck of the wearer and that direct filtered towards the wearer's face.

It is advantageous for any wearable air purifier to be positioned as close as possible to the user's mouth and/or nose to increase the chance of filtered air reaching the user without becoming contaminated (e.g. by mixing with unfiltered air). However, this may result in the purifier at least partially obstructing the wearer's view of the ground below. This is especially problematic for cyclists where unobstructed vision is essential in ensuring road safety.

Thus, it is important for such wearable air purifiers to provide unpolluted air to a wearer whilst not obstructing the user's view of their surroundings.

Summary

In general, the present application is directed towards a wearable air purifier comprising: an air purifier assembly comprising a filter; at least one conduit for receiving a filtered airflow from the air purifier assembly, an outlet assembly connected to the at least one conduit, the outlet assembly comprising an outlet body defining an air outlet for emitting filtered airflow from the at least one conduit; and a headgear configured to support the outlet assembly such that, in use, the air outlet is positioned proximal to a user's mouth.

In a first aspect the outlet assembly comprises an uppermost surface extending between an upper edge which, in use, is proximal to the user's mouth and a lower edge which, in use, is distal from the user's mouth, wherein the uppermost surface extends downwardly between the upper and lower edges at an angle to the user's horizontal optical plane.

The wearable air purifier according to the first aspect may be beneficial principally because the uppermost surface is configured such that it increases the user's visibility by removing or reducing obstacles from the user's eyeline. In use, the wearable air purifier is wearable on, or about, the user's face such that the air outlet is positioned proximal to the user's mouth.

The outlet assembly is configured such that its angled uppermost surface extends downwardly and away from the user's face, at an angle to the user's horizontal optical plane. This has the effect of removing the outlet assembly from the user's eyeline, which increases their visibility.

Furthermore, since the angled uppermost surface is advantageously configured to increase the user's field of view, the outlet assembly can be arranged in a higher position relative to the user's face (e.g. substantially in line with the user's mouth and/or nose). This then reduces the distance between the air outlet and the user's mouth and/or nose, which increases the efficacy of the breathing apparatus by reducing contamination of the filtered air (i.e. with unfiltered air).

Optional features of the first aspect will now be set out. These are applicable singly or in any combination with any aspect.

The uppermost surface of the outlet assembly may extend from the upper edge to the lower edge at an angle of at least 30° and up to 60° to the user's horizontal optical plane. The uppermost surface may extend from the upper edge to the lower edge at an angle of about 45° to the user's horizontal optical plane.

It will be appreciated that the horizontal optical plane may correspond to the user's horizontal eyeline when the user is wearing the headgear. The horizontal optical plane may be substantially parallel to the horizontal basic plane as defined by the European Standard EN 1078. Accordingly, the uppermost surface is arranged to conform with the European Standard EN 1078, since it is angled from the horizontal basic plane in order not to obstruct the wearer's peripheral vision.

The uppermost surface may define a substantially planar surface (e.g. a planar or flat surface). Accordingly, the uppermost surface may extend at a substantially constant angle, relative to the user's horizontal optical plane.

In a second aspect, the outlet body comprises at least one flow surface which extends transversely across at least a portion of the air outlet and inwardly from a lower upstream edge which, in use, is distal from the user's face towards an upper downstream edge which, in use is proximal the user's face.

The wearable air purifier according to the second aspect may be beneficial principally because the at least one flow surface is configured to direct air upwardly towards a user's mouth and nose, which thereby allows the outlet body to be positioned out the user's eyeline.

In particular, the upward trajectory of the airflow directed by the at least one flow surface allows the outlet assembly to be positioned lower on the user's face (i.e. at a position which is substantially lower, in a vertical direction, than a corresponding outlet assembly which does not comprise the at least one flow surface). By positioning the outlet assembly lower down, the outlet assembly is thereby removed from the user's eyeline, thereby enhancing the user's visibility.

Optional features of the second aspect will now be set out. These are applicable singly or in any combination with any aspect.

A plane (e.g. a flow plane) may be defined between the lower upstream edge and the upper downstream edge. The flow plane may be angled relative to the optical horizontal plane of the user, when in use. The flow plane may extend from the lower upstream edge to the upper downstream edge at an angle of at least 300 and up to 600 to the user's horizontal optical plane. The flow plane may be arranged at an angle of about 45° to the user's horizontal optical plane.

The flow surface may comprise a curved surface portion. The curved surface portion may be configured to smoothly direct air flow towards the user's face, and thereby reduce turbulence in the air flow. The curved flow surface may extend across the entire flow surface, i.e. from the lower upstream edge to the upper downstream edge.

The flow surface may comprise a substantially planar surface portion. In exemplary arrangements, the planar surface portion may extend across the entire flow surface, i.e. from the lower upstream edge to the upper downstream edge.

The curved surface portion may comprise a substantially constant radius of curvature. The curved flow surface may be configured with a substantially constant curvature from the lower upstream 15 edge to the upper downstream edge The flow surface may comprise a radius of curvature which decreases towards the upper downstream edge. The flow surface may comprise a substantially planar flow surface towards the lower upstream edge. The flow surface may transition from the substantially planar flow surface to a curved flow surface towards the upper downstream edge. The flow surface may comprise a curved flow surface which extends between the lower upstream edge to the upper downstream edge, wherein the curvature increases towards the upper downstream edge.

The outlet assembly may comprise at least one air vane which extends transversely across at least a portion of the air outlet. The at least one flow surface may be provided on the at least one air vane.

The at least one air vane may comprise an upper flow surface. The at least one air vane may comprise a lower flow surface. The upper flow surface may define a concave upper surface of the at least one air vane. The lower flow surface may define a convex lower surface of the at least one air vane.

The outlet assembly may comprise a plurality of air vanes which extend transversely across at least a portion of the air outlet. The plurality of air vanes may be spaced apart, in use, in a substantially vertical direction across the air outlet. The at least one flow surface may be provided on each of the plurality of air vanes.

In exemplary arrangements comprising a plurality of air vanes, the at least one flow surface may comprise a curved surface portion provided on each of the plurality of air vanes. Each of the plurality of curved surface portions may conform with one another (e.g. being configured with substantially the same radius of curvature and orientation). Each of the plurality of air vanes may comprise two curved flow surfaces (e.g. an upper concave flow surface and a lower convex flow surface).

In alternative exemplary arrangements comprising a plurality of air vanes, the at least one flow surface may comprise a planar surface portion provided on each of the plurality of air vanes. Each of the plurality of air vanes may comprise two curved flow surfaces (e.g. an upper flow surface and a lower flow surface).

It may be considered that in either of the above described arrangements, each of the plurality of air vanes comprises a single flow surface which extends at least partly across both the upper and lower surfaces of the air vane. Alternatively, each of the plurality of air vanes may be considered to comprise a first flow surface and a second flow surface, which are arranged, for example, on the respective upper and lower surfaces of each air vane.

The at least one air vane may comprise a deformable material. The deformable material may be configured, for example, such that wearer comfort is provided in the event of accidental contact with a face of a wearer in use (e.g. caused by a collision). The deformable material may comprise silicone or rubber.

The at least one air vane may comprise a rigid material that is at least partially over moulded with a deformable material. If the user's face comes into contact with the at least one air vane, the deformable material can absorb the energy of the impact, thereby reducing the risk of injury to the user, while the rigid material ensures the air vane retains its shape and can continue, therefore, to direct air. The rigid material may comprise an engineering plastic, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or polypropylene. It will be appreciated that the rigid material may comprise at least one of a number of engineering plastics without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Any of the above described features of the first and second aspects may be combined with any other aspect. Further optional features of the first and/or second aspect(s) will now be set out.

These are applicable singly or in any combination with any aspect.

At least one of the components of the wearable air purifier may be mechanically attached or coupled to the headgear. Alternatively, the at least one of the components of the wearable air purifier may be housed within the headgear (i.e. within a housing of the headgear).

The wearable air purifier may be supported by the headgear. At least one or each of the components of the wearable air purifier may be directly connected to the headgear, for example with no intervening components therebetween, or may be indirectly connected to the headgear, for example with one or more intervening components therebetween.

The outlet assembly may be supported by the headgear such that, when the headgear is worn by a wearer, the outlet assembly extends in front of the face of the wearer. In particular, the outlet assembly may be configured to extend in front of the mouth and/or lower nasal region of the wearer, without contacting the face of the wearer.

The headgear may comprise a crown portion for covering at least a portion of the crown of a user's head in use. In particular, the crown portion may, in use, be configured to protect an upper portion (e.g. the crown) of the user's head.

The conduit may extend generally from the rear to the front of the headgear. For example, the conduit may extend along one side of the headgear. In arrangements comprising a plurality of conduits, a first conduit may extend along a first side of the headgear and a second conduit may extend along a second side of the headgear. For example, the first and second conduits may extend generally along opposite sides of the headgear.

The conduit may be substantially arcuate and thereby may at least partially define a void between its first and second ends. A head of a wearer may be received within the void when the headgear in use. According to such exemplary arrangements, the air outlet may be formed in a wearer facing side of the outlet assembly, for example in a wall of the outlet assembly facing inwardly toward the void defined at least partially between the first and second ends of the conduit.

As described above, the outlet assembly may be arranged proximal to a user's mouth and/or nasal region, e.g. towards a front portion of the headgear. The air purifier assembly may be arranged towards a rear portion of the headgear (e.g. at the rear of the headgear) such that the air purifier assembly is positioned proximal to the back of a user's head, when in use.

The outlet assembly may comprise a transverse outlet housing, which in use may extend in a transverse direction across the user's face, e.g. in a direction from one side of the user's face to the other. The transverse outlet housing may at least partially enclose the outlet body. The transverse outlet housing may define a protective cover for the outlet body. In exemplary arrangements comprising an uppermost surface of the outlet assembly, the uppermost surface may be provided on the transverse outlet housing.

The transverse outlet housing may be configured such that, in use, with the headgear located on a head of a wearer, the transverse outlet housing may extend in front of a wearer's face, for example such that the air outlet is located close to the wearer's mouth and/or lower nasal region.

The transverse outlet housing may be configured such that, in use, the transverse outlet housing extends in front of a face of the wearer without contacting the face of the wearer. This may provide an arrangement with increased comfort for the wearer, for example relative to an arrangement where the transverse outlet housing contacts a face of a wearer in use. The transverse outlet housing may be generally elongate and arcuate in form. The air outlet may be substantially centrally located along the transverse outlet housing.

The transverse outlet housing may be connected to the crown portion by at least one conduit housing. The conduit housing may at least partially enclose at least a portion of the at least one conduit. For example, a portion of the at least one conduit may be integrally formed within the conduit housing. At least a portion of the conduit housing may extend, when in use, between the crown portion of the headgear and the transverse outlet housing in a substantially vertical direction, i.e. in a direction from a lower portion to an upper portion of the user's face. At least a portion of the conduit may be arranged within the crown portion of the headgear. The portion of the conduit arranged within the crown portion may define a fluidly connection between the air purifier assembly and the portion of the conduit which is enclosed within the conduit housing.

The headgear may include a visor. The visor may be movable between a deployed position in which the visor is positioned in front of the user's eyes, in use, and a stowed, position in which the visor is at least partially hidden from the user's view. Accordingly, the visor may be stowable inside a visor housing of the headgear. The visor may comprise a curved inner and outer surface (i.e. a surface which, in use, is proximal and distal to the user's face, respectively).

In exemplary arrangements comprising an uppermost surface of the outlet assembly, the visor may be configured to contact, at its lowermost edge, the uppermost surface. The uppermost surface of the outlet assembly may comprise a ridge which is configured to abut against a surface of the visor which in use is proximal to the user's face. The ridge may be arranged towards the upper edge of the uppermost surface.

The visor may comprise a tab portion arranged on a lowermost edge of the visor. The tab portion may be substantially planar so as to follow the contour of the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly.

The planar tab portion may protrude from a surface of the visor which, in use, is distal from the user's face. The distal surface of the visor may be arranged, in use, to face away from the user.

The planar tab portion may extend in a direction which is substantially parallel to the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly. In this way, the planar tab portion may extend downwardly, away from the user's face, and at an angle to the user's horizontal optical plane. The planar tab portion may closely follow the contour of the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly.

The planar tab portion may extend beyond the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly to expose a portion of its underside. When in use, the user can exert pressure on the underside of the planar tab portion to lift the visor away from the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly. The planar tab portion may be arranged in a central location at the lowermost edge of the visor.

The planar tab portion may be configured to cover only a small portion of the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly (i.e. the planar tab portion does not extend in a transverse direction along the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly), so as to reduce the obstruction to the user's view.

In exemplary arrangements in which the visor is retractable and/or stowable, the planar tab portion may allow the user to move the visor from the deployed position to the stowed position, and/or vice versa. The tab portion is configured, when the visor is arranged in its deployed position, to follow the contour of the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly, which thereby prevents the tab portion from obscuring the user's eyeline.

In an exemplary arrangement, the conduit may extend from a first end arranged in fluid communication with the air purifier assembly (e.g. an upstream end) to a second end in fluid communication with the outlet assembly (e.g. a downstream end). For example, the conduit may comprise an inlet aperture configured to receive filtered airflow from an outlet aperture of the air purifier assembly. The conduit may comprise an outlet aperture configured to deliver filtered airflow to an inlet aperture of the outlet assembly. In this way, the conduit may be configured in use to convey received filtered airflow to the air outlet of the outlet body.

The conduit may comprise a generally tubular body at least partially defining a flow passage from the inlet aperture to the air outlet of the outlet body. The combination of the conduit and the outlet body may define a flow passage from the air purifier assembly to the air outlet.

The wearable air purifier may comprise a plurality of conduits. For example, the wearable air purifier may comprise a first conduit and a second conduit. The first conduit may define a first airflow arranged along one side of the headgear and the second conduit may define a second airflow arranged along a second side of the headgear. Accordingly, the first and second conduits may each comprise first and second ends that fluidly couple to the air purifier and outlet assemblies, respectively.

The filtered airflow may be split into the first and second conduits to define separate filtered airflows. Accordingly, the air purifier assembly may be configured to provide filtered airflow to the plurality of conduits.

The outlet assembly may be arranged to emit filtered airflow from the plurality of conduits. For example, the first and second conduits may converge at the outlet assembly so that the first and second airflows can be emitted therefrom. The outlet body may comprise a divider for dividing the air outlet into first and second air outlet portions. This may be beneficial as it may provide a more stable airflow through the air outlet than, for example, an arrangement where the first and second filtered airflows can collide.

The outlet body may comprise a mesh which covers the air outlet. The mesh may form part of the outlet body. The mesh may be formed by a plurality of perforations in a sheet which extends substantially across the air outlet. Alternatively, the mesh may comprise a woven plastic mesh that is over moulded into a frame which forms part of the outlet body. This arrangement may provide smaller pore sizes (i.e. producing a finer mesh) than could be achieved with a moulded plastic arrangement.

The air purifier assembly may comprise an airflow generator for creating an airflow through the filter. For example, the airflow generator may be actuatable to draw ambient air into the air purifier assembly, through the filter, and expel the filtered airflow into the conduit. The airflow generator may comprise an impeller, and an electric motor configured to drive the impeller. The airflow generator may further comprise a power source, such as a battery, configured to power the electric motor.

The air purifier assembly may comprise a plurality of airflow generators, e.g. a first airflow generator for creating a first airflow that is directed through a first filter and into the first conduit, and a second airflow generator for creating a second airflow that is directed through a second filter into the second conduit.

In certain exemplary arrangements, the air purifier assembly may comprise a single airflow generator and may be configured to divide the filtered air flow into the first and second conduits to define the respective first and second filtered airflows.

An air purifier assembly comprising a first airflow generator and a second airflow generator may enable use of airflow generators of a smaller size relative to a single airflow generator designed to provide the same total airflow. Also, smaller airflow generators may be easier to package.

The air purifier assembly may be enclosed within an air purifier assembly housing of the headgear. The headgear may comprise an eccentrically elongated rear portion which houses the air purifier assembly housing. Such an elongated rear portion may be configured to improve the aerodynamic performance of the headgear, while also providing storage for the air purifier assembly.

The air purifier assembly may comprise first and second air purifier assembly housings, with the airflow generator and the filter (i.e. a first airflow generator and a first filter) located within the first air purifier assembly housing, and the second airflow generator and second filter located within the second air purifier assembly housing.

In arrangements where the air purifier assembly is wearable on a user's head, the first and second air purifier assembly housings may be positioned towards the rear of the head wearable air purifier. The first and second air purifier assembly housings may be located at opposing sides of the head wearable air purifier, for example at opposing lateral sides of the headgear. This may provide a weight balanced arrangement, which may provide comfort for a wearer in use.

The air purifier assembly housing (e.g. at least one or each of the first and second air purifier assembly housings) may comprise one or more hollow compartments which are configured to house the components of the air purifier assembly. For example, the air purifier assembly housing may comprise a filter compartment configured to house the filter. The air purifier assembly housing may comprise an airflow generator compartment configured to house the air flow generator. The filter may be held in position, within the air purifier assembly housing by a shroud or cover. The filter cover may be removable to allow periodic replacement of the filter.

The air purifier assembly housing may be provided with at least one ambient air inlet, configured to receive ambient air from outside the air purifier assembly, and at least one filtered air outlet arranged to deliver filtered air to the conduit. Accordingly, the filter may be disposed between the ambient air inlet and the filtered air outlet to cause filtration of the ambient air which is drawn through the air purifier assembly and delivered to the conduit.

The air purifier assembly housing may comprise a battery compartment for receiving at least one battery therein. The at least one battery may be removable from the battery compartment or may be intended to be retained within the battery compartment during normal use. In embodiments where the at least one battery is/are replaceable and intended to be removable from the battery compartment, the battery compartment may, for example, comprise a releasable door or cover to enable access to the interior of the battery compartment.

Where the at least one battery is rechargeable and intended to be retained within the battery compartment in normal use, the battery compartment, may comprise at least one charge port to enable recharging of the at least one battery. It will be appreciated that the at least one charging port may be positioned at other suitable locations on the headgear, to allow convenient charging of the at least one battery.

The filter may comprise one or more filter elements. The filter may comprise a material chosen to provide a desired degree of filtration of air to be provided to a wearer in use. In exemplary arrangements comprising a plurality of filter elements, the filter elements may be formed of different materials configured to filter different contaminants from the ambient air. For example, the filter may comprise a plurality of filter elements formed of material with incrementally smaller porosity, to remove progressively smaller particulates from the ambient air.

The headgear may comprise a helmet. The helmet may be configured for use during a wide variety of activities relating to a number of industries including sports, athletics, construction, mining, military defence, and others, to reduce the risk of damage to a user's head and brain.

According to an exemplary arrangement, the helmet may be configured to comply with European Standard EN 1078 relating to helmets for pedal cyclists and for users of skateboards and roller skates.

The helmet may be configured to restrict hard objects or sharp objects from directly contacting the user's head, and thereby preventing or reducing contact injuries to a user. For example, the helmet may comprise an outer shell which is formed of a resilient material. Also, the helmet may be configured to absorb, distribute, or otherwise manage energy of an impact, which can thereby prevent or restrict non-contact injuries, such as brain injuries caused by linear or rotational accelerations of a user's head. For example, the helmet may comprise a layer of energy absorbing material, such as expanded polystyrene.

The helmet may comprise a strap assembly, which loops below the user's chin to retain the helmet in position on the user's head. The helmet also has an adjustable mechanism at the rear of the helmet to tighten onto the circumference of the user's head. The combination of the two enable the helmet to retain onto the wearer's head.

In summary, the features of each of the first and second aspects are advantageously configured to remove potential obstructions from the user's eyeline. This may reduce the risk of the user tripping over an obstacle on the ground ahead of them, and/or below their feet. This can be especially important when the user is moving quickly (e.g. when running, cycling, skating etc.) and so has less time to identify obstacles on the ground ahead of them. In this way, the air purifier enhances the user ability to observe and avoid such obstacles, and thereby increases their safety and wellbeing.

It will be appreciated that any one of the features of the first and second aspects of the present disclosure may be incorporated and/or combined with any other feature of either aspect.

Furthermore, any of the optional features may be combined with any one of the features of the first and/or second aspects.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Aspects of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an isometric view of a wearable air purifier according to the present disclosure; Figures 2, 3 and 4 are respective front, top and side views of the wearable air purifier of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the wearable air purifier of Figure 1, the cross-section taken through line B-B as shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the wearable air purifier of Figure 1 according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the wearable air purifier is shown in use on a wearer's head with the cross-section taken through line A-A as shown in Figure 3; Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the wearable air purifier of Figure 6, the enlarged portion corresponding to the circle C as shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the wearable air purifier of Figure 1 according to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the wearable air purifier is shown in use on a wearer's head with the cross-section taken through line A-A shown in Figure 3; Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the wearable air purifier of Figure 8, the enlarged portion corresponding to the circle D shown in Figure 8; and Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an outlet assembly of the wearable air purifier of Figure 9, the enlarged portion corresponding to the circle E shown in Figure 9.

Detailed Description

Aspects will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures. Further aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Figures 1 to 5 illustrate a wearable air purifier 10 for use by a user when cycling. Figures 6 and 7 show a wearable air purifier 10 according to an aspect of the present disclosure, and Figures 8 to 10 show a wearable air purifier according to a further aspect. The wearable air purifier 10 comprises a headgear 12, an air purifier assembly 14, a conduit 16 and an outlet assembly 18.

When in use, the air purifier assembly 14 directs ambient air through a filter, and into the conduit 16. The filtered airflow is channelled by the conduit 16 towards the outlet assembly 18, which then directs the filtered airflow proximal to the user's mouth and/or nasal area.

The air purifier assembly 14, the conduit 16 and the outlet assembly 18 are all housed within the headgear 12. The air purifier assembly 14 is positioned at the rear of the headgear 12, the outlet assembly 18 is arranged at the front of the headgear 12 and the conduit 16 extends along the side of the headgear 12.

The headgear 12 has the form of a helmet 20 which can be worn on a user's head, as depicted schematically in Figs 6 to 9. The air purifier assembly 14, the conduit 16 and the outlet assembly 18 are all at least partially incorporated within the structure of the helmet 20, as will be explained in more detail below.

The helmet 20 has a crown portion 22 which covers the crown of a user's head. The helmet also includes a chin portion 24 (e.g. a chin guard or chin visor) arranged in use to protect a mouth and chin area of the user's face.

The helmet 20 is particularly configured to provide protection to the wearer when cycling. The helmet 20 includes a strap assembly (not shown), which loops below the user's chin to keep the helmet 20 in position on the user's head.

The helmet 20 generally provides protection to the user's head and brain. In particular, the helmet 20 comprises a resilient outer shell 26 which is configured to restrict hard objects or sharp objects from directly contacting the user's head, and thereby preventing or reducing contact injuries to a user. The helmet 20 also includes an energy absorbing layer 28 made from a material which is configured to absorb, distribute, or otherwise manage energy of an impact. In this way, the helmet 20 is configured to prevent or restrict non-contact injuries, such as brain injuries caused by linear or rotational accelerations of a user's head.

Aspects of the air purifier assembly 14, according to each aspect of the present disclosure, will now be described in greater detail with particular reference to Figs. 5, 6 and 8. As described above, the air purifier assembly 14 is configured to deliver a filtered airflow to the conduit 16. In particular, the air purifier assembly 14 includes a pair of airflow generators 30a, 30b which draw ambient air into the air purifier assembly 14 and through a filter assembly. The filtered airflow is directed into a first conduit 16a and a second conduit 16b which define respective first and second airflows of the conduit 16.

A first airflow generator 30a generates a first airflow which is directed through a first filter 32a and into the first conduit 16a. A second airflow generator 30b creates a second airflow which is directed through a second filter 32b into the second conduit 16b.

The airflow generators 30a, 30b each have an impeller 34, and an electric motor 36 configured to drive the impeller 34. The airflow generators 30a, 30b are both connected to a battery 38, which powers the electric motors 36.

The air purifier assembly 14 is enclosed within an air purifier assembly housing 40 of the helmet 20. The rear portion of the helmet 20 is elongated to accommodate the air purifier assembly housing. Such an elongated rear helmet portion advantageously improves the aerodynamic performance of the helmet 20, while also providing storage for the air purifier assembly 14.

The air purifier assembly housing 40 is divided up into a plurality of compartments which are dimensioned to house the different components of the air purifier assembly 14. For example, the first airflow generator 30a and the first filter 32a are located within a first air purifier assembly housing 40a. Similarly, the second airflow generator 30b and the second filter 32b are located within a second air purifier assembly housing 40b.

The first and second air purifier assembly housings 40a, 40b, containing the respective first and second airflow generators 30a, 30b and filters 32a, 32b, are located at opposing sides of the helmet 20, as shown in Fig. 5. This arrangement distributes and balances the mass of the air purifier assembly 14 across the rear of the helmet 20, which thereby provides comfort for a wearer in use.

The filters 32a, 32b are substantially annular in shape, and are positioned to sit around the respective airflow generators 30a, 30b. The filters 32a, 32b are both held in position, within the respective air purifier assembly housings 40a, 40b, by a cover 42. The filters 32a, 32b each comprise one or more filter elements. The filter elements are each comprised of materials chosen to provide a desired degree of filtration of air to be provided to a wearer in use.

The air purifier assembly 14 is configured with a plurality of ambient air inlets 44, that receive ambient air from outside the air purifier assembly housing 40. As is shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, the first and second air purifier assemblies 14a, 14bare each provided with a plurality of ambient air inlets 44 which are arranged across the respective filter covers 42.

The air purifier assembly 14 includes a pair of filtered air outlets 46, as shown in Fig. 5, which are fluidly connected to the conduits 16a, 16b. Accordingly, each of the filters 32a, 32b is disposed between the respective inlets and outlets 44, 46. The filters 32a, 32b are thereby able to filter the airflow created by the generators 30a, 30b before it's expelled to the respective conduits 16a, 16b.

The air purifier assembly housing 40 includes a battery compartment for receiving the battery 38 therein. The battery 38 is rechargeable and intended to be retained within the battery compartment in normal use. The battery compartment includes a charge port (not shown) to enable recharging of battery 38.

As described above, the conduit 16 comprises a first conduit 16a and a second conduit 16b. Each of the conduits 16a, 16b extends generally from the rear of the helmet 20 to the front of the helmet 20 and are enclosed within the body of the helmet 20, as shown in Fig. 5. Each of the conduits 16a, 16b provides a fluid connection between the air purifier assembly 14 at the rear of the helmet to the outlet assembly 18 at the front of the helmet 20.

The first conduit 16a defines a first airflow arranged along one side of the helmet 20 (e.g. the right side of the helmet 20 to the user, when in use) and the second conduit 16b defines a second airflow arranged along a second side of the helmet 20 (e.g. the left side of the helmet 20 to the user, when in use).

The first and second conduits 16a, 16b each comprise an upstream end 50 arranged in fluid communication with the air purifier assembly 14 and a downstream end 52 arranged in fluid communication with the outlet assembly 18.

Each of the first and second conduits 16a, 16b is substantially arcuate and thereby at least partially defines a void 54 between its upstream and downstream ends, as shown in Fig. 5. The wearer's head is received within the void 54 when the helmet 20 is in use.

The outlet assembly 18 is arranged towards a front portion of the helmet 20 (e.g. at the front of the helmet 20), such that the outlet assembly 18 is proximal to the front of a user's head, when in use. The outlet assembly 18 includes an outlet body 60 defining an air outlet 62 which is configured to emit the filtered airflow from the first and second conduits 16a, 16b.

The outlet assembly 18 is mounted within the helmet 20 such that, when the helmet 20 is worn by a wearer, the outlet body 60 extends in front of the face of the wearer. In particular, the outlet body 60 is configured to extend in front of the mouth and lower nasal region of the wearer, without contacting their face as shown in Figs. 6 to 9.

The air outlet 62 is formed in a wearer facing side of the outlet body 60, for example in a wall of the outlet body 60 facing inwardly toward the void 54 defined between the upstream and downstream ends 50, 52 of the conduits 16a, 16b.

The outlet body 60 defines a final component of the air purifier 10 through which filtered airflow travels before being emitted to a wearer. For example, the outlet assembly 18 may be configured such that there is no component of the wearable air purifier 10 positioned downstream of the outlet body 60 through which filtered airflow passes in use. In exemplary arrangements comprising a mesh, the mesh may form part of the outlet body 60, as would be readily understood by the skilled person.

The first and second conduits 16a, 16b converge at the outlet assembly 18 so that the first and second airflows can be emitted therefrom. The outlet body 60 includes a divider 64 for dividing the air outlet 62 into first and second air outlet portions. This is beneficial since it provides a more stable airflow through the air outlet 62 than, for example, an arrangement where the first and second filtered airflows can collide.

With reference to Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 8, the helmet 20 includes a visor 66 which in use forms a transparent barrier in front of the user's face. Accordingly, the visor 66 is formed of a transparent or semi-transparent material. The visor 66 has a curved inner and outer surface (i.e. a surface which, in use, is proximal and distal to the user's face, respectively). The visor 66 is stowable (e.g. rotatably retractable) inside a visor housing 68 of the helmet 20. The visor 66 can be moved in use between a deployed position in front of the user's face and a stowed position within the helmet's visor housing 68.

A first exemplary arrangement of the wearable air purifier 10 will now be described with particular reference to Figs. 6 and 7.

According to this arrangement, the outlet assembly 18 has an uppermost surface 70 extending between an upper edge 72 which, in use, is proximal to the user's mouth and a lower edge 74 which, in use, is distal from the user's mouth. The uppermost surface 70 extends downwardly between the upper and lower edges 72, 74 at an angle (X) to the user's horizontal optical plane 76.

The angle (X) is at least 300 and up to 60° to the user's horizontal optical plane 76, and preferably about 45° to the user's horizontal optical plane 76. The uppermost surface 70 is a substantially planar surface, so that the angle (X) relative to the user's horizontal plane 76 is substantially constant.

By angling of the uppermost surface 70 to the user's horizontal optical plane 76 in this way, the user's visibility is increased by removing or reducing obstacles from their eyeline. The user's eyeline is depicted schematically by the viewing cone 78, shown in Fig. 6. The lower boundary of the viewing cone 78 corresponds to an angle (Y) relative to the horizontal optical plane 76.

In the exemplary arrangement shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the outlet assembly 18 is also arranged within the helmet 20 such that the uppermost surface 70 is positioned outside of the viewing cone 78, when in use. Also, the angle (X) of the outlet assembly's uppermost surface 70 is substantially equal to the angle (Y) of the lower viewing cone boundary, such that no part of the outlet assembly 18 obstructs the view of the wearer.

The outlet assembly 18 includes a transverse outlet housing 80 which at least partially encloses the outlet body 60. As such, the transverse outlet housing 80 forms a protective cover for the outlet body 60, and the uppermost surface 70 of the outlet assembly 18 is provided on the uppermost surface of the transverse outlet housing 80. It will be appreciated that, in certain exemplary arrangements, the transverse outlet housing 80 may be integrally formed with the outlet body 60. In this situation, the uppermost surface of the outlet body 60 would define the uppermost surface 70 of the outlet assembly 18.

The transverse outlet housing 80 forms at least part of the chin portion 24 of the helmet 20, as shown in Fig. 2. When in use, the transverse outlet housing 80 extends in front of the wearer's face such that the air outlet 62 is located proximal to the user's mouth and/or lower nasal region.

The transverse outlet housing 80 is generally elongate and arcuate in form, such that it at least partially defines the void 54 through which the user's head can be received. The air outlet 62 is substantially centrally located along the transverse outlet housing 80, so as to be proximal to the user's mouth and/or lower nasal area.

The transverse outlet housing 80 is connected at its transverse ends to respective sections of conduit housing 82, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The corresponding portions of the first and second conduits 16a, 16b are integrally formed within their respective conduit housings 82. Each conduit housing 82 is configured to enclose a portion of the first and second conduits 16a, 16b arranged at the sides of the helmet 20. Accordingly, the conduit housings 82 form a mechanical connection between the crown portion 22 of the helmet 20 and the transverse outlet housing 80 (i.e. the chin portion 24 of the helmet 20).

Each of the first and second conduits 16a, 16b has a portion which is arranged within the crown portion 22 of the helmet 20. These portions of the conduits 16a, 16b are configured to fluidly couple the air purifier assemblies 14a, 14b to the respective portions of the first and second conduits 16a, 16b which are enclosed within the conduit housings 82.

The visor 66 contacts, at its lowermost edge, the uppermost surface 70 of the outlet assembly 18.

The uppermost surface 70 of the outlet assembly 18 includes a ridge 84 which is arranged towards the upper edge 72 of the uppermost surface 70 and which is configured to abut against the inner surface of the visor 66 (i.e. the surface which in use is proximal to the user's face).

The visor 66 includes a tab portion 86 which is arranged on the lowermost edge of the visor 66.

The tab portion 86 is substantially planar so as to follow the contour of the uppermost surface 70 of the outlet assembly 18.

The planar tab portion 86 protrudes from the visor's outer surface (i.e. the surface which in use is distal from the user's face). The planar tab portion 86 extends in a direction which is substantially parallel to the uppermost surface 70 of the outlet assembly 18, as is shown most clearly in Fig. 8.

In this way, the planar tab portion also extends downwardly, away from the user's face, and at an angle (X) to the user's horizontal optical plane 76.

The planar tab portion 86 extends beyond the lower edge 74 of uppermost surface 70 of the outlet assembly 18 to expose a portion of the tab's underside. When in use, the user can exert pressure on the underside of the planar tab portion 86 to lift the visor 66 away from the uppermost surface 70 of the outlet assembly 18. The planar tab portion 86 is arranged centrally along the lowermost edge of visor 66, as shown in Fig. 2. The tab portion 86 is also dimensioned to only cover a small portion of the uppermost surface 70 of the outlet assembly 18, so as to minimise the obstruction to the user's view. The tab portion 86 is formed of the same transparent material as the visor 66 to further reduce the visual distractions to the user.

Turning now to Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the second exemplary arrangement of the wearable air purifier 10 will now be described in more detail. Fig. 9 shows an enlarged portion of the wearable air purifier 10 corresponding to the circle D shown in Fig. 8, whereas Fig. 10 shows an enlarged portion of an outlet assembly 18 corresponding to the circle E shown in Fig. 9 The outlet assembly 18 comprises a plurality of flow surfaces 90 which extend transversely across at least a portion of the air outlet 62, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The plurality of flow surfaces 90 also extend inwardly from a lower upstream edge 92 towards an upper downstream edge 94. The lower upstream edge 92 is arranged such that, in use, it is distal from the user's face, whereas the upper downstream edge 94, in use, is proximal to the user's face.

The plurality of flow surfaces increase the efficacy of the air purifier 10 by directing the flow of filtered air upwardly towards the user's mouth and/or lower nasal region, which in turn reduces the potential for contamination of the filtered air (e.g. with unfiltered air).

A flow plane 98 is defined between the lower upstream edge 92 and the upper downstream edge 94, as is shown in Fig. 10. The flow plane 98 is angled relative to the optical horizontal plane of the user, when in use. According to the exemplary arrangement shown in Figs. 8 to 10, the flow plane 98 is arranged at an angle (Z) of about 45° to the user's horizontal optical plane 76. It will be appreciated, that the flow plane 98 may be arranged at different angles to the user's horizontal optical plane 76, without diverging from the scope of the present disclosure.

Each of the plurality of flow surfaces 90 includes a curved surface portion, which smoothly direct airflow towards the user's face, and thereby reduces turbulence in the airflow. In alternative arrangements, the flow surface may be substantially planar such that it lies parallel to the flow plane 98 between the upper downstream edge 94 and the lower upstream edge 92.

In the exemplary arrangement shown in Fig. 10, the curved flow surface extends from the lower upstream edge 92 to the upper downstream edge 94, although it will be appreciated that in some arrangements, the curved surface portion may only partially extend across the flow surface 90 (i.e. the flow surface 90 may also comprise a substantially planar flow surface portion).

The flow surface is curved such that it deviates below the flow plane which extends between the upper downstream edge 94 and the lower upstream edge 92. The curved surface portion has a substantially constant radius of curvature from the lower upstream edge 92 to the upper downstream edge 94. In alternative arrangements, the flow surface 90 may comprise a radius of curvature which decreases towards the upper downstream edge 94. In certain arrangements, the flow surface 90 may comprise a substantially planar flow surface towards the lower upstream edge 92. The flow surface may transition from the substantially planar flow surface to a curved flow surface towards the upper downstream edge. Alternatively, the flow surface 90 may comprise a curved flow surface which extends between the lower upstream edge 92 and the upper downstream edge 94, wherein the curvature increases towards the upper downstream edge 94.

Each of the plurality of flow surfaces 90 are provided on respective air vanes 96, which extends transversely across the air outlet 62. The plurality of air vanes 96 are spaced apart in a vertical direction across the air outlet 62 to define a plurality of equally sized air channels through the outlet body 60. Each air vane 96 includes an upper flow surface 90a, defining a concave upper surface of the air vane 96, and a lower flow surface 90b which defines a convex lower surface of the air vane 96. Accordingly, each air vane 96 may be considered to comprise two flow surface portions (e.g. an upper concave flow surface portion and a lower convex flow surface portion).

Alternatively, it may be considered that each of the air vanes 96 comprise a single flow surface which extends on the upper and lower surfaces of the air vane 96.

Each of the air vanes 96 is formed of a rigid material that is at least partially over moulded with a deformable material. If the user's face comes in to contact with the at least one air vane, the deformable material can absorb the energy of the impact, thereby reducing the risk of injury to the user, while the rigid material ensures the air vane retains its shape and can continue to direct air from the outlet assembly 18. The rigid material may comprise an engineering plastic, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or polypropylene, and the deformable material may comprise silicone or rubber.

It will be appreciated that any one of the features of the first and second exemplary arrangements of the wearable air purifier 10 may be combined with any other feature of the other exemplary arrangement.

For the avoidance of any doubt, any theoretical explanations provided herein are provided for the purposes of improving the understanding of a reader. The inventors do not wish to be bound by any of these theoretical explanations.

Any section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

Throughout this specification, including the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" and "include", and variations such as "comprises", "comprising", and "including" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

It should be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" one particular value, and/or to "about" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by the use of the antecedent "about," it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. The term "about" in relation to a numerical value is optional and means for example +1-10%.

Claims

Claims 1. A wearable air purifier comprising: an air purifier assembly comprising a filter; at least one conduit for receiving a filtered airflow from the air purifier assembly, an outlet assembly connected to the at least one conduit, the outlet assembly comprising an outlet body defining an air outlet for emitting filtered airflow from the at least one conduit; and a headgear configured to support the outlet assembly such that, in use, the air outlet is positioned proximal to a user's mouth; wherein the outlet assembly comprises an uppermost surface extending between an upper edge which, in use, is proximal to the user's mouth and a lower edge which, in use, is distal from the user's mouth, wherein the uppermost surface extends downwardly between the upper and lower edges at an angle to the user's horizontal optical plane.
2. A wearable air purifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the uppermost surface extends from the upper edge to the lower edge at an angle of at least 30° and up to 60° to the user's horizontal optical plane.
3. A wearable air purifier as claimed in claim 2, wherein the uppermost surface extends from the upper edge to the lower edge at an angle of about 45° to the user's horizontal optical plane.
4. A wearable air purifier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the uppermost surface defines a substantially planar surface.
5. A wearable air purifier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet assembly comprises a transverse outlet housing, which at least partially encloses the outlet body.
6. A wearable air purifier according to claim 5, wherein the uppermost surface is provided on the transverse outlet housing.
7. A wearable air purifier according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the headgear comprises a helmet having a crown portion for covering the crown of a user's head in 35 use.
8. A wearable air purifier according to claim 7, when dependent on claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the transverse outlet housing is connected to the crown portion by at least one conduit housing, which at least partially encloses the at least one conduit.
9. A wearable air purifier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the headgear comprises a visor which contacts, at its lowermost edge, the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly.
10. A wearable air purifier as claimed in claim 9, wherein the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly comprises a ridge which is configured to abut against a surface of the visor which in use is proximal to the user's face, wherein the ridge is arranged towards the upper edge of the uppermost surface.
11. A wearable air purifier as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the visor comprises a planar tab portion arranged at its lowermost edge, wherein the planar tab portion protrudes from a surface of the visor which in use is distal from the user's face, the planar tab portion extends in a direction which is substantially parallel to the uppermost surface of the outlet assembly.
12. A wearable air purifier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air purifier assembly is supported by the headgear.
13. A wearable purifier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air purifier assembly comprises an airflow generator for creating an airflow through the filter.
14. A wearable air purifier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of conduits wherein the air purifier assembly is configured to provide filtered airflow to the plurality of conduits and the outlet assembly is arranged to emit filtered airflow from the plurality of conduits.
15. A wearable air purifier as claimed in claim 14, wherein the outlet body comprises a divider for dividing the air outlet into first and second air outlet portions.