Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
  • A41D13/05—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches protecting only a particular body part
  • A41D13/11—Protective face masks, e.g. for surgical use, or for use in foul atmospheres
  • A41D13/1107—Protective face masks, e.g. for surgical use, or for use in foul atmospheres characterised by their shape
  • A41D13/1138—Protective face masks, e.g. for surgical use, or for use in foul atmospheres characterised by their shape with a cup configuration
  • A41D13/1146—Protective face masks, e.g. for surgical use, or for use in foul atmospheres characterised by their shape with a cup configuration obtained by moulding
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
  • A41D13/05—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches protecting only a particular body part
  • A41D13/11—Protective face masks, e.g. for surgical use, or for use in foul atmospheres
  • A41D13/1161—Means for fastening to the user's head
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B18/00—Breathing masks or helmets, e.g. affording protection against chemical agents or for use at high altitudes or incorporating a pump or compressor for reducing the inhalation effort
  • A62B18/08—Component parts for gas-masks or gas-helmets, e.g. windows, straps, speech transmitters, signal-devices
  • A62B18/084—Means for fastening gas-masks to heads or helmets

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a harness assembly for disposable respirators and more particularly to a respirator harness assembly having an open light-weight elastic loop with a single point connector means which enables the respirator to.be easily and quickly applied, and provides for temporary off the face "storage" of the respirator during periods of non-use.
• the harness assembly is essentially self-adjusting to provide adequate tension and an even distribution of pressure over the entire area of the respirator in contact with the face during use.
• the present invention relates to a respirator harness assembly for disposable respirators having an open light-weight elastic loop with a single point connector means which enables the respirator to be easily and quickly applied by a worker — even by a worker wearing heavy workgloves, and also provides temporary off the face storage of the respirator during periods of non-use.
• the harness assembly is essentially self-adjusting to provide adequate tension and an even distribution of pressure over the entire area of the respirator in contact with the face, said harness assembly comprising elastic loop supports along each side edge of the respirator, and an open light-weight elastic loop with a single point connector means, extending between said loop supports.
• the two free ends of the open elastic loop are each provided with a coacting connector element which interconnect to close the elastic loop.
• FIG. 2 is a front view of the respirator of Figure 1 with the respirator harness assembly of the present invention
• Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of another embodiment of the respirator harness assembly of the present invention
• Figure 6 is a front view of another embodiment of the respirator harness assembly of the present invention and showing the respirator in its temporary off the face storage position;
• Figure 7 is a front view of a respirator showing another embodiment of the respirator harness assembly of the present invention.
• Figure 8 is a plan view of the flexible fabric fastener tab forming the elastic loop support means of the respirator harness assembly of Figure 7.
• respirator 10 is representative of disposable dust/mist and dust/mist/fume respirators comprised of a light, porous, fibrous fabric having a rounded cupped shape. It is large enough to fit over the nose, mouth and chin in a non-constricting spaced-away manner, and can be conformed to make a snug marginal fit such that breathing causes substantially all of the air to pass in and out through the porous fabric structure.
• a thin pliable metal strip 11 may be provided at the upper central peripheral edge of the respirator to aid in conforming the respirator over the nose of the wearer.
• light-weight elastic loop 15 is an open elastic loop which is threaded through apertures 22 and 23, spaced about 1.75 inches (4.5 cm) apart, provided in tab 21 of elastic loop support means 20 and through apertures 32 and 33 provided in tab 31 of elastic loop support means 30.
• Elastic loop 15 is preferably a light-weight braided elasticized fabric about 0.25 inch (0.63 cm) wide but can be formed of a rubber or elastic polymeric material, as is well known in the art. The degree of elasticity of elastic loop 15 dictates the actual length thereof. It has been found that for the braided elasticized fabric described above and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a length of about 26 inches (66 cm) provides a snug fit of the respirator to the user's face. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the braided elasticized fabric had a length of 48 inches (122 cm).
• elastic loop support means 20 and 30 comprise rectangular tabs 21 and 31, measuring about 0.5 inch x 2.5 inches (1.3 cm x 6.4 cm), conveniently formed as extensions of the respirator during the respirator molding procedure.
• the elastic loop support means 40 illustrated in Figure 5, comprises a generally lunate base 41 shaped to conform to the curvature of the body of respirator 10.
• a central rectangular recess 43 is provided in each flange 42 for a purpose to be described.
• At the outer end of recess 43 and extending upwardly from the terminus of each flange 42 is a U-shaped member 44.
• Elastic loop support means 40 is formed of polypropylene by injection molding. As shown in Figure 5, elastic loop support means 40 is adhesively or otherwise bonded along each side edge of respirator 10. If desired, the bottom surface of base 41 may be provided with a series of short pin-like projections or may be otherwise textured to provide a more secure adhesive bond. An elastic loop 15, separately fabricated with a coacting connector member 18 and 19 on each end thereof, can then be threaded into elastic loop support means 40 by simply pressing a portion of elastic loop 15 against the free end 45 of U-shaped member 44.
• the rectangular recess is formed of polypropylene by injection molding. As shown in Figure 5, elastic loop support means 40 is adhesively or otherwise bonded along each side edge of respirator 10. If desired, the bottom surface of base 41 may be provided with a series of short pin-like projections or may be otherwise textured to provide a more secure adhesive bond.
• An elastic loop 15, separately fabricated with a coacting connector member 18 and 19 on each end thereof, can then be threaded into elastic loop support means
• U-shaped member 44 permits free end 45 of U-shaped member 44 to slide in said recess and the elastic nature of U-shaped member 44 permits the free end 45 to be slightly upwardly distorted so that elastic loop 15 can be received within the legs of the U.
• tab 90 comprises a flexible fabric backing 91 with a loop portion 92 along one end thereof, a clear central portion 93 adjoining the loop portion and a hook portion 94 along the other end thereof, each portion comprising approximately one-third of the tab.
• Tabs 90 may be attached to the respirator in the positions shown in Fig. 7 by sewing, sonic welding or with an adhesive. The width of the tab 90 serves to separate the elastic loop 15 to effectively provide two elastic straps secured at spaced points on the opposite side edges of the respirator.
• elastic loop 15 is placed onto the clear central portion 93 of tab 90 and the free end of tab 90 is brought into juxtaposition with the other (attached) end of the tab. The hooks will then engage the loops and slidingl -hold elastic loop 15 in the clear central portion 93.
• Tabs 90 will then operate as the elastic loop support means 70 and 80.
• Tabs 90 can be similarly used in place of elastic loop support means 40.
• the free ends 16, 17 of elastic loop 15 are each provided with a coacting connector element 18, 19.
• one connector element 18 is a ring having an inner diameter about 1 3/8 inches (3.5 cm) and the other connector element 19 is a ball having a diameter fractionally less than the inner diameter of the ring such that it will pass through the ring.
• the free ends 16, 17 of elastic loop 15 are each provided with a coacting hook and loop fastener connector element 58, 59 (see U.S. Patent 3,009,235).
• the respirator harness assembly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, wherein elastic loop 15 is a doubled open loop, is particularly suited for heavier " respirators.
• the harness assembly provides four straps which girdle the user's head as shown in Figure 3, but is otherwise identical in operation and function to the harness assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2.
• the harness assembly of the present invention makes it extremely simple for a worker to don a respirator even while wearing a hard hat due to the longer "effective length" of elastic loop 15.
• elastic loop 15 can be pulled upwardly until connector elements 18 and 19 are adjacent apertures 23 and 33, respectively. In this manner, the portion of elastic loop 15 extending outwardly between apertures 22 and 32 is lengthened. Elastic loop 15 can then be easily passed over the worker's head, including the hard hat, and allowed to hang around the worker's neck in the manner of a necklace. At this point, respirator 10 would be lying against the worker's upper chest immediately below the neck in a temporary storage position (see Figure 6).
• respirator harness assembly has been described in relation to a rounded cupped shape single-use respirator, it will be immediately apparent that the harness assembly can be used on other disposable masks and respirators such as flat folded respirators, lightweight dust masks, clean room masks, surgical masks, etc., and such uses are contemplated. It is also understood that other variations and modifications of the illustrative embodiments described herein will become evident to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Respiratory Apparatuses And Protective Means (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=27095787

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 1985
  • 1985-07-19 DE DE8585903763T patent/DE3574814D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1985-07-19 AU AU46319/85A patent/AU582781B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1985-07-19 BR BR8506921A patent/BR8506921A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1985-07-19 WO PCT/US1985/001363 patent/WO1986001693A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1985-07-19 EP EP19850903763 patent/EP0192650B1/de not_active Expired

Patent Citations (6)

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