Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B23/00—Filters for breathing-protection purposes
  • A62B23/02—Filters for breathing-protection purposes for respirators
  • A62B23/025—Filters for breathing-protection purposes for respirators the filter having substantially the shape of a mask
• • 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
• • 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
  • A62B18/02—Masks
• • 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
  • A62B18/02—Masks
  • A62B18/025—Halfmasks
• • 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
• • 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
  • A62B18/10—Valves
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B19/00—Cartridges with absorbing substances for respiratory apparatus
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B7/00—Respiratory apparatus
  • A62B7/10—Respiratory apparatus with filter elements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B9/00—Component parts for respiratory or breathing apparatus
  • A62B9/04—Couplings; Supporting frames
• • 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
  • A62B18/006—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 with pumps for forced ventilation
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B23/00—Filters for breathing-protection purposes
  • A62B23/02—Filters for breathing-protection purposes for respirators

Definitions

• the disclosure relates to respirator cartridges that have an interface for lateral engagement with respirator apparatus.
• Respirators can include a full face mask body or a half mask body or a body element of a Positive Air Pressure Respirator (PAPR).
• PAPR Positive Air Pressure Respirator
• One or more filter cartridges can be attached to these respirators. Air is drawn through the filter cartridge by a negative pressure generated by either a wearer of the masks or by a blower in the PAPR. This air passes through the filter medium and then enters the mask body interior where the filtered air is then inhaled by the respirator user.
• PAPR Positive Air Pressure Respirator
• Filter cartridges can possess helical or advancing spiral threads that mate with a tapped collar or socket that receives the threaded portion of the filter cartridge. Rotating the filter cartridge in an appropriate direction allows the cartridge to be attached to or removed from the respirator.
• a resilient, deformable gas can be used to ensure an airtight fit to the respirator body.
• a bayonet type closure has been used to attach a filter cartridge to a respirator.
• the bayonet type connector inserts into a complementary connector portion of a mask body and a filter cartridge may be rotated to engage tabs until the tabs engage the ends of the corresponding slots, providing a positive rotational stop point.
• This configuration provides for automatic alignment and orientating air filter cartridges relative to the respirator.
• the disclosure relates to respirator cartridges that have an interface for lateral engagement with respirator apparatus.
• the disclosure relates to sleeve-fit respirator cartridges that include a cantilever latch extending from the cartridge that is configured to cooperate with a mating surface on the respirator body.
• a respirator apparatus in a first aspect of the disclosure, includes a respirator body, a filter cartridge receiver integral with and extending from the respirator body, and a filter cartridge.
• the filter cartridge includes a nozzle element being integral with the filter cartridge.
• the respirator body and filter cartridge are configured to be fluidically coupled through sleeve-fit engagement between the filter cartridge receiver and nozzle element and the filter cartridge receiver and nozzle element define an airflow channel.
• a respirator cartridge includes a nozzle element defining an airflow channel and being integral with a filter cartridge, and a cantilever latch adjacent the nozzle and extending from the filter cartridge.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative half mask respirator and a disengaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridge
• FIG. 2A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the sleeve-fit portion of an engaged respirator cartridge and filter cartridge receiver
• FIG. 2B is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the illustrative half mask respirator and a engaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridges of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another illustrative half mask respirator and a disengaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridge
• FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the illustrative half mask respirator and a engaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridges of FIG. 3;
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another illustrative half mask respirator and a disengaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridge
• FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the illustrative half mask respirator and a engaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridges of FIG. 5;
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a illustrative full mask respirator and a disengaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridge.
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a illustrative positive air pressure respirator (PAPR) and a disengaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridge.
• PAPR positive air pressure respirator
• spatially related terms including but not limited to, “lower,” “upper,” “beneath,” “below,” “above,” and “on top,” if used herein, are utilized for ease of description to describe spatial relationships of an element(s) to another.
• Such spatially related terms encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the particular orientations depicted in the figures and described herein. For example, if an object depicted in the figures is turned over or flipped over, portions previously described as below or beneath other elements would then be above those other elements.
• separating or “adjacent” another element, component or layer it can be directly on, directly connected to, directly coupled with, in direct contact with, or intervening elements, components or layers may be on, connected, coupled or in contact with or separating the particular element, component or layer, for example.
• an element, component or layer for example is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” “directly coupled with,” or “directly in contact with” another element, there are no intervening elements, components or layers for example.
• filter cartridge refers to a device that is attachable to a respirator for purposes of filtering air before it enters the interior air space between a mask body and a person's face.
• respirator cartridge refers to a device that is attachable to a respirator for purposes of filtering air before it enters the interior air space between a mask body and a person's face.
• respirator cartridge is used interchangeably with “filter cartridge” herein.
• respirator refers to a device that is worn by a person to filter air before the air enters the person's respiratory system.
• integral refers to being made at the same time or being incapable of being separated without damaging one or more of the integral parts.
• carrier sidewall means an air- impermeable surface that is located at a portion of the side of a cartridge.
• mask body refers to the structure that fits at least over the nose and mouth of a person and that helps define an interior air space separated from an exterior air space.
• sleeves-fit refers to a lateral engagement of two elements where one element slides into a channel defined by the other element.
• the disclosure relates to respirator cartridges that have an interface for lateral engagement with respirator apparatus, among other aspects.
• the disclosure relates to sleeve-fit respirator cartridges are configured to be fluidically coupled through sleeve-fit engagement between a filter cartridge receiver on the respirator and a nozzle element on the respirator cartridge.
• the respirator cartridge can include a cantilever latch extending from the cartridge that is configured to cooperate with a mating surface on the respirator body.
• the respirator body or filter cartridge receiver on the respirator can include a cantilever latch extending from the respirator body or filter cartridge receiver that is configured to cooperate with a mating surface on the nozzle element on the respirator cartridge.
• the cantilever latch can be parallel with a nozzle element that defines an airflow channel and is integral with a cartridge sidewall. In some embodiments the cantilever latch extends from the nozzle element.
• the cantilever latch can include both an anchoring protrusion to secure the respirator cartridge to the respirator and a push button protrusion to release or detach the respirator cartridge from the respirator. In some embodiments the anchoring protrusion and the push button protrusion are the same protrusion element.
• the respirator cartridge includes an alignment element that cooperates with an alignment element on the respirator to laterally align and laterally secure the respirator cartridge to the respirator. The alignment elements can also provide side to side or rotational stability to the respirator cartridge to the respirator.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative half mask respirator 10 and a disengaged sleeve- fit respirator cartridge 12.
• FIG. 2A is a vertical cross-sectional view of the sleeve-fit portion of an engaged respirator cartridge 12 and filter cartridge receiver 15.
• FIG. 2B is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the illustrative half mask respirator 10 and a engaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridges 12 of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another illustrative half mask respirator 10 and a disengaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridge 12.
• FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the illustrative half mask respirator 10 and a engaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridges 12 of FIG. 3.
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another illustrative half mask respirator 10 and a disengaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridge 12.
• FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the illustrative half mask respirator 10 and a engaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridges 12 of FIG. 5.
• the illustrative respirator 10 is a half mask respirator that can be worn by a person on their head, covering the nose and mouth and defining an interior air space.
• the respirator 10 has one or more filter cartridges 12 located on opposing sides of the mask body 14.
• the filter cartridges 12 are releasably attached from the mask body 14 via a sleeve-fit engagement.
• the filter cartridges 12 filter ambient air before it passes into the interior air space between the mask body 14 and a user.
• the mask body 14 can include a rigid insert 16 and an elastomeric face contacting portion 18.
• An exhalation valve 19 may be placed on the mask body 14 to allow exhaled air to be purged from the interior air space.
• the respirator 10 can also have a harness (not shown) for supporting the mask body 14 on the wearer's head when the respirator is being worn.
• the filter cartridges 12 that are secured to the mask body 14 have first and second major surfaces 26 and 28 and a housing or cartridge sidewall 30.
• the cartridge sidewall 30 extends at least from the first major surface 26 to at least the second major surface 28.
• the cartridge sidewall 30 commonly meets the perimeter of the layer(s) of filter media that are located therein.
• One or more of these surfaces 26 and 28, or a portion of surfaces 26 and 28, may be fluid permeable to allow ambient air to enter the filter cartridge 12.
• the filter cartridges 12 that are secured to the mask body 14 have first and second major surfaces 26 and 28 that are essentially filter media and are welded together along a side edge.
• a respirator apparatus includes a respirator body 14, a filter cartridge receiver 15 integral with and extending from the respirator body 14, and a filter cartridge 12.
• the filter cartridge 12 includes a nozzle element 42 being integral with a filter cartridge 12.
• nozzle element 42 is integral with a cartridge sidewall 30.
• the respirator body 14 and filter cartridge 12 are configured to be fluidically coupled through sleeve-fit engagement between the filter cartridge receiver 15 and nozzle element 42. While the nozzle element 42 is illustrated as being received in an opening defined by the filter cartridge receiver 15, it is understood that the filter cartridge receiver 15 can be configured to be received in an opening defined by the nozzle element 42.
• the filter cartridge receiver 15 and nozzle element 42 cooperate to form an airflow channel.
• the nozzle element 42 extends a first lateral distance away from the filter cartridge 12 and the filter cartridge receiver 15 extends a second lateral distance away from the respirator body 14.
• a "sleeve- fit" engagement refers to the lateral engagement of the nozzle element 42 and filter cartridge receiver 15 where one of these element slides into a channel defined by the other element at least any useful lateral distance.
• this lateral distance is at least 50%, or at least 75%, or at least 90% or 100% of either the first lateral distance or second lateral distance.
• this lateral distance is at least 50%, or at least 75%, or at least 90% of the larger of the first lateral distance or second lateral distance.
• a sleeve-fit engagement with nozzle element 42 and filter cartridge receiver 15 provides a stable connection between the two elements and can inhibit or prevent relative rotation between the two elements, among other advantages.
• nozzle element 42 and filter cartridge 15 may exhibit a non-circular shape that prevents rotation, and a relatively large lateral distance of engagement prevents a side or portion of nozzle element 42 from becoming disengaged from cartridge receiver 15.
• the respirator 10 includes a cantilever latch 44 that secures the filter cartridge nozzle element 42 to the filter cartridge receiver 15.
• the cantilever latch 44 is integral with the filter cartridge 12, as illustrated.
• the filter cartridge receiver 15 or respirator body 14 includes a mating surface 52 that cooperates with the cantilever latch 44 to secure the filter cartridge nozzle element 42 to the filter cartridge receiver 15.
• the cantilever latch 44 is integral with the filter cartridge receiver 15 or respirator body 14.
• the filter cartridge nozzle element 42 includes a mating surface that cooperates with the cantilever latch to secure the filter cartridge nozzle element 42 to the filter cartridge receiver 15.
• the cantilever latch 44 extends from the cartridge sidewall 30 and is substantially parallel with the nozzle element 42, as illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 2A, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.
• the filter cartridge 12 includes a pair of cantilever latches 44 extending from the cartridge side wall 30 and being substantially parallel or co-extending with the nozzle element 42, and the nozzle element 42 is positioned between the pair of cantilever latches 44, as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2A.
• the cantilever latch 44 extends from the nozzle element 42, as illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG.
• cantilever latch 44 extends from portion of nozzle element 42 proximate respirator body 14 such that cantilever latch is positioned substantially between filter cartridge 12 and respirator body 14.
• a cantilever latch positioned between a cartridge and respirator body protects cantilever latch from inadvertent contact and provides additional security against inadvertent separation of a cartridge from a respirator body, for example.
• one or more alignment features 17A, 17B cooperate to register the nozzle element 42 to the filter cartridge receiver 15.
• a first alignment feature 17A cooperates with a second alignment feature 17B to align and secure the nozzle element 42 to the filter cartridge receiver 15.
• one of the first alignment feature and the second alignment feature is an elongated protrusion that is parallel with a direction of the sleeve-fit engagement.
• the first alignment feature 17A can be an elongated channel on the filter cartridge receiver 15 that extends laterally along a direction of the sleeve-fit engagement
• the second alignment feature 17B can be an elongated protrusion on the nozzle element 42 that extends laterally along a direction of the sleeve-fit engagement.
• Sleeve-fit engagement of the nozzle element 42 into the filter cartridge receiver 15 mates the first alignment feature 17A cooperates with a second alignment feature 17B to align and secure the nozzle element 42 to the filter cartridge receiver 15.
• These alignment elements laterally align and laterally secure the respirator cartridge to the respirator.
• These alignment elements can also provide side to side or rotational stability to the respirator cartridge to the respirator. In addition, due the small scale of these elements, they are less prone to environmental expansion and contraction effects. While these alignment elements are illustrated in FIG. 1, it is understood that these alignment elements can be utilized in any embodiment of the disclosure.
• the cantilever latch 44 includes an anchoring protrusion 45 located along a length of the cantilever latch 44.
• the anchoring protrusion 45 is configured to secure the respirator cartridge 12 to a respirator article. If present, the anchoring protrusion 45 can be located at any location on the respirator article such as on the mask body 14, filter cartridge receiver 15, cantilever latch 44, or filter cartridge 12.
• the cantilever latch 44 can include an anchoring protrusion 45 located at a distal end of the cantilever latch 44 and a push button protrusion 46 located along a length of the cantilever latch 44.
• the push button protrusion 46 is configured to detach the respirator cartridge 12 from a respirator article.
• An user can apply force or pressure to the push button protrusion 46 to deflect the cantilever latch 44 and detach the anchoring protrusion 45 from the mating surface 52 and disengage or remove the respirator cartridge 12 from the respirator article.
• the cantilever latch 44 includes an anchoring protrusion 45 located along a length and not at a distal end of the cantilever latch 44 and a push button protrusion 46 located along a length of the cantilever latch 44 and between the distal end and anchoring protrusion 45.
• the anchoring protrusion element 45 is configured to both secure the respirator cartridge to the respirator article and to detach the respirator cartridge from a respirator article.
• the cantilever latch 44 can include an anchoring protrusion 45 located along a length and not at a distal end of the cantilever latch 44 and a push button protrusion 46 at the distal end of the cantilever latch 44.
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a illustrative full mask respirator 100 and a disengaged sleeve- fit respirator cartridge 12.
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a illustrative Positive Air Pressure Respirator (PAPR) 200 and a disengaged sleeve-fit respirator cartridge 12.
• the respirator apparatus 100, 200 includes a filter cartridge receiver 15 integral with and extending from the respirator body and a filter cartridge 12.
• the filter cartridge 12 includes a nozzle element 42 defining an airflow channel and being integral with a cartridge sidewalk
• the respirator body and filter cartridge 12 are configured to be fluidically coupled through sleeve-fit engagement between the filter cartridge receiver 15 and nozzle element 42. Any of the attachment embodiments described herein can be implemented with the respirator apparatus 100, 200 illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.

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

Priority Applications (10)

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Publications (2)

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Cited By (5)

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• 2013
  • 2013-02-01 US US13/757,434 patent/US9510626B2/en active Active
• 2014
  • 2014-01-20 JP JP2015556057A patent/JP6422892B2/ja active Active
  • 2014-01-20 PL PL14703691T patent/PL2950891T3/pl unknown
  • 2014-01-20 CN CN201480006599.8A patent/CN104955527B/zh active Active
  • 2014-01-20 BR BR112015018400-6A patent/BR112015018400B1/pt active IP Right Grant
  • 2014-01-20 WO PCT/US2014/012197 patent/WO2014120502A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2014-01-20 AU AU2014212795A patent/AU2014212795B2/en active Active
  • 2014-01-20 RU RU2015132167A patent/RU2660781C2/ru active
  • 2014-01-20 EP EP14703691.7A patent/EP2950891B1/en active Active
  • 2014-01-20 KR KR1020157021471A patent/KR102287417B1/ko active Active
  • 2014-01-20 CN CN201810203832.1A patent/CN108325108B/zh active Active
  • 2014-01-20 ES ES14703691T patent/ES2731222T3/es active Active
  • 2014-01-20 EP EP19168201.2A patent/EP3533496A1/en active Pending
• 2016
  • 2016-11-22 US US15/358,195 patent/US10391338B2/en active Active
  • 2016-11-23 AU AU2016262694A patent/AU2016262694A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2019
  • 2019-02-15 AU AU2019201073A patent/AU2019201073A1/en not_active Abandoned

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