US2097676A

US2097676A - Head band attachment for respirators

Info

Publication number: US2097676A
Application number: US24834A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry F Shindel; Allen D Brandt
Original assignee: Willson Products Inc
Current assignee: Willson Products Inc
Priority date: 1935-06-04
Filing date: 1935-06-04
Publication date: 1937-11-02
Anticipated expiration: 1954-11-02

Description

1937. H. F. SHINDEL ET AL 2,097,676

HEAD BAND ATTACHMENT FOR RESPIRATORS Filed June 4, 1935 Harry F Shindal Allen D. Brandi:

INVENTORS ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 2, 1937 PAT N 'OF C e ia Application June 4, 1935, Serial No; 24,834'" 5.5Claims. (o1. .i2s ;i41

" This invention relates to respirators"eniploy ing a head band or the like tosecurethem in position on 'the'face of a wearer,1the"main objects being to guard against 'leakagejof impure air 5 through such band connection and toprovidean improved connection insuring a positive support, more accurate'fit, andgreater comfort in wear ing the same. j j The mask portion of the;respiratoris'prefer= l ably made of flexible material, as rubber, or the like, molded to conformingly fit the face, usually the mouth and nose only, and the head' band at tachment has'heretofore commonly been provided by headed studs inserted throughsuitable aper- -15 tures formed in the molded wall. This type of head band connection has proven satisfactory when" slight leakage was not dangerous and the mask material was comparatively firm. Modern practice calls for a softer m'askof increased flex- 0 ibi'lity to more readily conform tothecurvatures of the face and tightly fit against the same without uncomfortable pressure at any point. In thissoftermask, strain of the head band on the headed studs tends to tilt'and strain them in 25 their wall apertures, stretching the latter to cause a dangerous source of leakage for certain uses, and distorting the mask more or less in tauting the band to press the mask against the face.

The present improvements are intended to 30 overcome the aforesaid difficulties and to provide a mask connection which can in no manner cause leakage and that will insure a better support for the mask and freedom from distortion of the latter due to strain of the head band. 35 With the above objects in view the invention comprises the head band attaching device more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the novel features of which are specifically set forth in the appended claims. 40 Fig. 1 indicates in side elevation a respirator mask having band attaching ears embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the attaching ears formed as 45 part of the rim of an attachment securing clamping cap. V

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, but indicating the attaching ears as part of a ring engaged by the clamping cap. 50 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a bent-wire modification of the band attaching ring shown in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a transverse section and front elevation of the embodiment 55 shown in Fig. 2.

rim portion 9' adapted -to engage the Figs; 7 and 8 are correspondingly sectionalan'd 'elevatedwiews of the embodiment shown'in Fig. 3.

,[The' respirator'shown in the drawing is well known-and comprises a face-conforming mjask-5 I which: is 1 of-continuouscharacter and adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a wearerand tightly fit against the face of the latter to ex elude admission of outside'air during inhaling, except as admitted through its air-inlet aperture "10 6, shown formed with -af'usual- -surrouhdingattaching flange 1. -This mask is preferably molded of comparatively soft "rubber or other'flexible material impervious to fluids, and carries, for protection against admission of impureair, a

filtering cartridge or air-supply tube not shown and attached'to the mask, as'bythe well-known end-apertured clamping screw cap -8; having a angel of th m s sshqwn i Preferab1yythe-inask 5 is 1 tubiilarfin construe tion and may be 'relativelyjelongated to permit essential clearance between the face of the wearer and the more rigid elements usually connected to the clamping cap 8. The opposite edges thereof are formed differently, the forward edge comprising the clamping flange 1 and the rearward edge having the face conforming configuration shown in the drawing.

As stated before, the present improvements re- 0 late to a head band connection for a respirator as above set forth, and essentially comprises band-attaching ears l0, l0 adapted to lie closely adjacent against opposite outer side walls of the mask 5, and means for supporting said ears bebind the mask attaching flange I, so that strains of the head band are distributed around the airinlet aperture 6 in drawing the mask against the face of a wearer.

The support for the ears [0, l0, may vary as later herein described, with the object in view of distributing strains around the inlet 6 by a support bearing against the outer surface of the imperforate rubber mask free of any possible piercing of the latter to cause leaks for unconditioned air.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and detail views 5 and 6, the ears In, It) are formed as integral portions of the clamping cap 8, and may be readily made in cutting the end apertures of the cap 8 to leave the rim portion with extension to be bent up as shown to form said ears l0, 10. When the cap rim is engaged over the mask flange 1, and seated against the inner face of the latter by clamping engagement with an air conditioner 'be provided to secure the head band attaching With the head band attaching device above described, the mask wall is free from any aperture likely to cause leakage, and the spaced ears are properly positioned and supported so that the strains of the tauted head band strap are spread around the mask inlet aperture to more equally distribute the pressure of the inner edge of the mask against the wearers face, with freedomto flex as required, and avoidance of distortion more or less inherent in the connections heretofore known.

The supports so far described are shown as made of flat metal or other suitable flat material, but it is obvious that they may, if desired, be made of bent wire, as seen in Fig.9, indicating a collar ring lB with loop ears l9, l9, spaced fromthe ring by

wire twists

20, 20 to prevent opening of the ring orloop ears-when strained by pull on the head band.

It is also obvious that the ear supporting rings may be made in two parts relatively adjustable to properly position the ears in varying position if required.

It is intended to include the above shown and suggested modifications as well as others, not specifically mentioned, that are within the spirit or the invention as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a respirator the combination with a face mask of flexible material having an air inlet provided with a surrounding flange, of a flanged mask extension and head-band attaching means jointly secured to the mask by clamping engagement of the flanges.

2. In a respirator the combination with a face mask of flexible material having an air inlet provided with a surrounding flange, of a flanged mask extension and head-bandattaching means jointly secured to'the mask by clamping engagement of the flanges, said band attaching means comprising rigid band engaging ears overlying the adjacent flexible body of the mask.

3. In a respirator the combination with a face mask of flexible material having an air inlet provided with a surrounding flange, of a flanged mask extension secured to the mask by clamping engagement of the flanges, and a separately formed mask-encircling ring engaged between the. clamping flanges and having band-engaging ears arranged to overlie the adjacent flexible body of the mask.

4. In a respirator the combination with a flexible mask having an air inlet with a surrounding external flange, and an air-conditioner inlet attachment having a clamping rim engageable with said mask flange, of a head band attachment comprising band attaching ears adapted to overlie the mask body and a mask encircling rim adapted to be clampingly engaged between said mask flange and clamping rim.

5. In a respirator the combination with a faceconforming mask of molded flexible material having an inlet opening formed with a surrounding exterior flange, and an inlet-attachment having a rim adapted to clampingly engage said mask flange, of a head-band attaching device com-