WO2019043620A1

WO2019043620A1 - Respirator

Info

Publication number: WO2019043620A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/056639
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jung Han Kim; Kyungsik DAN; Jinwook Kim; Hyoungsun Park; Dong-Sun NOH
Original assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
Priority date: 2017-09-01
Filing date: 2018-08-30
Publication date: 2019-03-07
Also published as: CN111050857A; KR20190025468A; TW201919734A; CN115025412A

Abstract

A respirator according to one embodiment includes a filter portion which includes an opening and forms an internal space between the respirator and a partial area of the face of a user when the user wears the respirator, a valve which allows air to flow through the opening or prevents the air from flowing therethrough between the internal space and an external space of the filter portion, and a fan unit provided in the internal space.

Description

RESPIRATOR

The present disclosure relates to a respirator, and more particularly, to a respirator including a fan unit disposed between the face of a user and the respirator when the respirator is worn by the user.

Background

Construction workers or police officers who patrol streets generally wear respirators. Additionally, even healthy adults wear respirators when a yellow sand phenomenon occurs.

However, a user who wears a respirator may experience the following inconvenience. For example, when a user wears a respirator, an internal space is formed between the face of the user and the respirator. Humidity and a temperature of the internal space may increase as a wearing time increases. As a result, the user may feel displeasure. To remove such displeasure, a valve may be provided at the respirator. The valve may be opened by expiration (exhalation) of the user and may be closed by inspiration (inhalation) thereof. However, the valve may not be completely opened when the expiration of the user is weak. In this case, the user may feel inconvenience in breathing.

Summary

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a respirator including a configuration which overcomes the above-described increase in humidity or temperature in an internal space thereof.

Also, a structure in which the above-described configuration is mounted in a respirator and a technology related to a configuration which supplies power to the above-described configuration may be provided.

Also, a technology related to a configuration which allows a valve mounted on a respirator to be easily opened by expiration of a user may be provided.

However, the aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above description, and additional aspects of the present disclosure will be clearly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art from the following description.

A respirator according to one embodiment includes a filter portion which includes an opening and forms an internal space between the respirator and a partial area of the face of a user when the user wears the respirator, a valve which allows air to flow through the opening or prevents the air from flowing therethrough between the internal space and an external space of the filter portion, and a fan unit provided in the internal space. Also, the fan unit may be disposed to allow air output by an operation of the fan unit to move toward the valve.

Also, the fan unit and the valve may allow the air to flow to the external space only when respiration of the user is expiration.

Also, the fan unit may be detachable from the filter portion.

Also, the respirator may further include a power supply which supplies power to the fan unit, and the power supply may include a battery and be detachable from the filter portion.

Also, the fan unit may be attached to one surface of the filter portion opposite the internal space, and the respirator may further include a power supply attached to the other surface of the filter portion, which is opposite the one surface, to supply power to the fan unit.

Also, the fan unit may include a first magnetic body, the power supply may include a second magnetic body having a polarity opposite that of the first magnetic body, and the fan unit and the power supply may be respectively attached to the filter portion with the filter portion interposed therebetween due to an attraction between the first magnetic body and the second magnetic body.

Also, the respirator may further include a fan unit holder attached to the one surface of the filter portion, and the fan unit may include a fan unit holding portion coupled to the fan unit holder.

Also, the fan unit may be attached to the one surface of the filter portion by a Velcro method.

Also, the fan unit may be attached to the one surface of the filter portion by an adhesive.

Also, the respirator may further include a valve case which provides a space, in which the valve is disposed, and includes an accommodating portion, and the power supply may include a power supply holding portion coupled to the accommodating portion.

Also, the respirator may further include a power supply which supplies power to the fan unit using a wireless method, the fan unit may include a power receiver which is disposed at a position facing the power supply with the filter portion interposed therebetween and receives the power supplied by the power supply using the wireless method.

Also, each of the power supply and the power receiver may include a coil.

Also, the power supply may supply power using any one of a magnetic induction method, a magnetic resonance method, and a capacitive method as the wireless method.

Also, the fan unit may include a fan housing coupled to the filter portion, a fan disposed in the fan housing, and a driver which drives the fan, and the respirator may further include a power supply which supplies power to the driver. Also, the fan unit may further include a first magnetic body, the power supply may include a second magnetic body having a polarity opposite that of the first magnetic body, and the fan housing and the power supply may be respectively attached to the filter portion with the filter portion interposed therebetween due to an attraction between the first magnetic body and the second magnetic body.

Also, the filter portion may be foldable with at least one folding line formed at the filter portion as a boundary of the folding.

Also, the filter portion may be divided into at least two areas, the opening may be provided in any one area of the at least two areas, and positions of the valve and the fan unit attached to the filter portion may be determined depending on which area the opening is provided in among the at least two areas.

Also, the valve and the fan unit may be attached to the same area of the at least two areas.

Also, the filter portion may be divided into a left area which covers a left partial area of the face and a right area which covers a right partial area thereof, when the opening is provided in the left area, the valve and the fan unit may be attached to the left area, and when the opening is provided in the right area, the valve and the fan unit may be attached to the right area.

When a user wears a respirator according to one embodiment, an electric device disposed inside a filter portion, that is, in an internal space, may receive power from a power supply disposed outside the filter portion using a wireless method. Due to the wireless method, a line which connects the electric device and the power supply is unnecessary, and it is unnecessary to form a hole for the line to pass through at the filter portion. Accordingly, since a component which connects the internal space of the filter portion to the outside does not exist at the filter portion as long as the valve is closed, the internal space of the filter portion may be sealed from the outside, and thus performance and the like of the respirator may be improved. Also, the electric device and the power supply may be attached to the filter portion due to a magnetic attraction therebetween, and may also be aligned due to the magnetic attraction.

Furthermore, when a fan unit is employed as the electric device, displeasure of the user caused by an increased humidity or temperature in the internal space of the filter portion may be reduced. Furthermore, when respiration of the user is expiration, the valve may be easily opened by wind provided by the fan unit. Accordingly, even when the user wears the respirator, the user may not feel any inconvenience in respiration. Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a structure of a respirator according to one embodiment when viewed from the side.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the respirator shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an operation of a valve in the respirator shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a shape of a fan unit shown in FIG 1.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a shape of a power supply according to one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating the power supply shown in FIG. 5 which is coupled with an accommodating portion of a valve case.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a shape of a power supply according to a different embodiment from FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a structure of a valve case coupled with a housing of the power supply shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a structure in which the power supply shown in FIG. 7 is coupled with the valve case shown in FIG. 8 when viewed from the side.

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating components of a coil included in the power supply shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 1 1 is a view illustrating a circuit formed by the power supply and the fan unit in the respirator shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a respirator according to a different embodiment from FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a shape of a fan unit according to a difference embodiment from FIG. 4.

FIG. 14 is a view illustrating the fan unit shown in FIG. 13 which is attached to the respirator.

FIG. 15 is a graph illustrating performance (a relative humidity change rate) of the respirator according to one embodiment in comparison to other products.

FIG. 16 is a graph illustrating a relative humidity change rate for each of driving voltages of a fan unit when the fan unit is disposed inside a filter portion and when the fan unit is disposed outside the filter portion. Detailed Description

Advantages and features of the present disclosure and a method of achieving the same will become apparent with reference to the attached drawings and embodiments described in detail below. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below and may be embodied with various different modifications. The embodiments are merely provided to allow one of ordinary skill in the art to completely understand the scope of the present disclosure, and are defined by the scope of the claims.

In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, certain detailed explanations of well-known functions or components of the related art will be omitted when they are deemed to unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present disclosure. Also, the terms described below are defined in consideration of functions thereof in the embodiments, which may vary with intentions of a user and an operator or practice. Accordingly, the definitions thereof will be determined on the basis of the content throughout the specification.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a structure of a respirator according to one embodiment when viewed from the side, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the respirator shown in

FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an operation of a valve in the respirator shown in FIG. 1. However, since FIGS. 1 to 3 merely illustrate examples of the present disclosure, the concept of the present disclosure is not limited by the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a respirator 1000 may include a body 100, a valve 200, an electric device 300, a power supply 400, a valve case 600, and a fixing member 700, and may further include other components not shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

First, the respirator 1000 is worn on the face of a user. By wearing the respirator 1000, the nose and mouth of the user may not be exposed to the outside. Although not shown in the drawings, the respirator 1000 may cover all of the eyes, the nose, and the mouth of the user.

When the user wears the respirator 1000, the body 100 forms an internal space between the respirator 1000 and a partial area of the face of the user. For example, the body 100 may cover the nose and mouth of the user and expose the eyes.

The body 100 may be formed as a filter portion 110. The filter portion 110 may include a foldable material.

The filter portion 110 may include a plurality of micro holes not shown in the drawings.

When the user inhales, air may flow into the above-described internal space from the outside through the micro holes. Additionally, a size of the micro holes may be a size through which fine dust, foreign substances, or the like included in outdoor air cannot flow in. That is, the filter portion 110 including the micro holes may perform a function of a filter which filters out fine dust and the like in the air.

The filter portion 110 may include an opening 120. The opening 120 may be disposed in a center of the filter portion 110, which is a place facing the mouth or nose of the user.

However, the opening 120 being disposed in the center of the filter portion 1 10 is simply an example. Depending on an embodiment, the opening 120 may be disposed to a left side or a right side of the filter portion 1 10 instead of the center of the filter portion 1 10. In this case, although it will be described below, the valve 200 and the valve case 600 may also be attached to the filter portion depending on a disposition location of the opening 120, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 12.

The valve 200 is attached to the filter portion 110 to surround the opening 120. The valve 200 may be opened or closed to connect or block the above-described internal space to or from the outside. FIG. 3 illustrates the valve 200 which is opened or closed. In FIG. 3, the valve 200 disposed in a vertical direction indicates the valve 200 being closed and the valve 200 disposed in a diagonal direction indicates the valve 200 being opened. Here, since a

configuration of the valve 200 which is opened or closed as described above is already publicly known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The valve 200 may be opened or closed depending on the user's respiration. For example, the valve 200 may be closed when the respiration of the user is inspiration and may be opened when the respiration is expiration.

Here, the valve 200 may be designed to be opened only when the respiration of the user is expiration. That is, when the respiration of the user is inspiration or the user does not respire, the valve 200 is not opened. Although described below, even when a fan unit is driven as the electric device 300, the valve 200 may not be opened when the respiration of the user is inspiration or when the user does not respire.

The electric device 300 refers to an apparatus which is disposed in the above-described internal space and is driven by power. The electric device 300 is attached to one surface of the filter portion 110 and is detachable from the filter portion 110. The electric device 300 is disposed between the filter portion 1 10 and the mouth of the user, and a position thereof may be freely determined. Hereinafter, the one surface of the filter portion 1 10 refers to a surface which faces the above-described internal space, that is, an inner surface of the filter portion 110 which faces the face of the user. Also, the other surface of the filter portion 1 10 refers to an outer surface of the filter portion 1 10 which is opposite the above-described one surface, that is, a surface which faces the outside.

The power supply 400 is attached to the other surface of the filter portion 110 and is detachable from the filter portion 110. The power supply 400 transfers power to the electric device 300 using a wireless method. Here, the wireless method may be any one of, for example, a magnetic induction method, a magnetic resonance method, and a capacitive method. When the wireless method is the magnetic induction method or magnetic resonance method, although this case will be described with reference to FIG. 1 1, the power supply 400 may include a coil 440 and a transmission driver 441, and a power receiver 360 included in the electric device 300 may include a coil 361 and a reception driver 362. According to one embodiment, the electric device 300 disposed inside the filter portion 110, that is, in the internal space, may receive power from the power supply 400 disposed outside the filter portion 110 using the wireless method. Due to the wireless method, a line which connects the electric device 300 and the power supply 400 is unnecessary and it is unnecessary to form a hole for the line to pass through at the filter portion 1 10. Accordingly, since a component which connects the internal space of the filter portion 110 and the outside does not exist at the filter portion 110 as long as the valve 200 is closed, the internal space of the filter portion 110 may be sealed from the outside, and accordingly performance and the like of the respirator 1000 may be improved

The electric device 300 may include first magnetic bodies 340. In addition, the power supply 400 may include second magnetic bodies 430 (refer to FIG. 5) which have a polarity opposite that of the first magnetic bodies 340 or may include metal bodies which react to a magnetic attraction of the first magnetic body 340. Here, the electric device 300 and the power supply 400 may be disposed at positions facing each other with the filter portion 110 interposed therebetween by using the first magnetic bodies 340 and the second magnetic bodies 430 or by using the first magnetic bodies 340 and the above-described metal bodies. In FIG. 2, broken lines extending from the respective first magnetic bodies 340 show that the first magnetic bodies 340 are respectively disposed at positions facing the second magnetic bodies 430 or the metal bodies with the filter portion 110 therebetween.

According to one embodiment, the magnetic attraction provided by the first magnetic body 340 may attach each of the electric device 300 and the power supply 400 to the filter portion 110 without an additional attachment means.

Also, the magnetic attraction may align positions of the electric device 300 and the power supply 400. As described above, since the electric device 300 should receive power from the power supply 400 using the wireless method, it is necessary to align the electric device 300 and the power supply 400 at positions at which power may be wirelessly transferred or positions optimized for wirelessly transferring power. Accordingly, a magnetic attraction applied between the electric device 300 and the power supply 400 may align the electric device 300 and the power supply 400 to minimize a gap therebetween.

The valve case 600 is attached to the other surface of the filter portion 110 to cover the valve 200. That is, the valve case 600 may provide a space in which the valve is disposed.

The valve case 600 may include a plurality of openings. When the valve 200 is opened, air in the above-described internal space passes through the opening 120 and the valve 200 and is then discharged to the outside through the plurality of openings provided at the valve case 600. The fixing member 700 is a member which fixes the respirator 1000 to the user and may include an elastic material such as a rubber band and the like, but is not limited thereto. The fixing member 700 is not shown in the drawings except FIG. 2 for convenience.

Meanwhile, the electric device 300 may refer to a variety of apparatuses driven by power as described above, and may include at least one of, for example, a sensor portion, a storage portion, or a fan unit.

The sensor portion among the above apparatuses may include a sensor which measures humidity, a temperature, a pressure, or the like of the internal space of the filter portion 110 or a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, or the like which measures a movement of the user who wears the respirator 1000, but is not limited thereto.

The storage portion is a component which stores data measured by the sensor portion and may be embodied as, for example, a memory and the like which stores data. The user may detach the respirator 1000 and connect the storage portion in the respirator 1000 to an external computer to check stored data.

The fan unit 300 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 1 1. Referring to FIGS.

4 and 11, the fan unit 300 may include a fan 310, the power receiver (or driver) 361 and 362, a fan housing 330, and at least one first magnetic body 340. The power receiver, depending on an embodiment, may include the coil 361 and the reception driver 362.

The fan 310 refers to a component which generates wind while rotating. The coil 361 of the power receiver refers to a winding, and wirelessly receives power from the power supply 400. Although not shown in the drawings, the winding may be coated with an insulating material. The reception driver 362 of the power receiver refers to a circuit which includes a rectifier, a direct current (DC) DC converter, and the like. The reception driver 362 receives alternating current (AC) power from the coil 361 and transfers the AC power to the rectifier, and the DC/DC converter converts DC power output from the rectifier into other DC power. The fan housing 330 refers to a case on which the fan 310, the power receiver 361 and 362, the first magnetic body 340, and the like are mounted. The first magnetic body 340 refers to a magnetic body having a magnetic force, and at least one first magnetic body 340 may be included in the fan unit 300. Here, since each of the components which form the fan unit 300 is well-known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 to 3, when the fan unit 300 is employed and operated as the electric device 300, wind generated by the fan unit 300 and respiration of the user may be mixed and circulate in the internal space of the filter portion 110. For example, when the respiration of the user is inspiration, the valve 200 is closed. In this case, the wind output from the fan unit 300 collides with the valve 200 and circulates in the internal space. The wind may decrease the humidity or temperature in the internal space of the filter portion 1 10 to be lower than before the fan unit 300 is employed and operated.

According to one embodiment, when the fan unit 300 is employed as the electric device 300, the humidity or temperature in the internal space of the filter portion 110 may be decreased, and accordingly the user's displeasure may be reduced.

Meanwhile, the fan unit 300 may be disposed to allow the air output by the operation of the fan unit 300 to move toward the valve 200. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the fan 310 of the fan unit 300 may be disposed at a position which faces the valve 200. Since air output from the fan 310 and respiration of the user during expiration collide with the valve 200, the valve 200 may be easily opened when the respiration of the user is expiration.

That is, according to one embodiment, when the respiration of the user is expiration, the valve 200 may be easily opened by wind provided by the fan unit 300. Accordingly, even when the user wears the respirator 1000, the user may not feel any inconvenience in respiration.

Next, the power supply 400, which is a component which supplies power to the electric device 300 using the wireless method as described above, will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5, 6, and 1 1.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a shape of the power supply 400, FIG. 6 is a view illustrating the power supply 400 shown in FIG. 5, which is attached to the filter portion 110, and a part of a circuit shown in FIG. 1 1 is a circuit of the power supply 400. Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, and 11, the power supply 400 may include a battery 410, power supply holding portions 420, at least one second magnetic body 430, the coil 440, the transmission driver 441, and a power supply housing 450, but is not limited thereto.

The battery 410 supplies DC power. The battery 410 may be chargeable. The at least one second magnetic body 430 may be provided and may be a magnetic body having a polarity opposite that of the first magnetic body 340. The transmission driver 441 refers to a component which switches the DC power provided by the battery 410 into AC power. The coil 440 refers to a winding, and wirelessly transfers the AC power formed by the transmission driver 441 to the coil 361 of the power receiver. Here, since the battery 410, the second magnetic body 430, the transmission driver 441, and the power supply housing 450 are similar to well-known components, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. However, the coil 440 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 10.

The coil 440 may include a magnetic sheet 441 disposed on a bottom surface thereof, an adhesive member 442 disposed on the magnetic sheet 441, and a winding 443 wound around the adhesive member 442. The magnetic sheet 441 may have a thickness of, for example, 0.3 mm and a permeability of 150, but is not limited thereto. The winding 443 may be coated with an insulating material. A structure of the coil 440 may be identically applied to the coil 361 of the power receiver.

Meanwhile, referring back to FIG. 5, the power supply holding portions 420 may be fastening means having a hook shape or may be components formed to extend from the power supply housing 450. The power supply holding portions 420 may be fastened to the valve case 600. In one embodiment, the power supply holding portions 420 may be fastened to parts of the valve case 600, for example, extending portions 610. For this, the valve case 600 may include accommodating portions 610 which accommodate the power supply holding portions 420 (refer to FIG. 6). Accordingly, the power supply 400 may be more strongly fastened to the valve case 600.

However, depending on an embodiment, the power supply holding portions 420 may be formed in a shape different from that shown in FIG. 5. In one embodiment, the power supply holding portions 420 and the power supply housing 450 including the power supply holding portions 420 may be formed as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9.

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, the power supply housing 450 may be formed to cover the valve case 600. Also, the power supply holding portions 420 may be formed in a shape of a pair of protrusions which protrude inward from an inner circumferential surface of the power supply housing 450 and face each other. The power supply housing 450 is applicable to any type of the respirator 1000 which employs a valve case having the same external shape as that of the valve case 600 shown in FIG. 7.

In this case, the valve case 600 may include the accommodating portions 610 to which the above-described power supply holding portions 420 are fastened. When the power supply housing 450 is disposed to cover the valve case 600, the power supply holding portions 420 may be bound to the accommodating portions 610, and accordingly the power supply 400 may be more strongly bound to the valve case 600.

Meanwhile, although not shown in the drawings, the power supply 400 may further include a switch portion which prevents the power supplied by the battery 410 from being provided to the transmission driver 441. When the switch portion is turned ON, the power supplied by the battery 410 is provided to the transmission driver 441. When the switch portion is turned OFF, the power supplied by the battery 410 may not be provided to the transmission driver 441.

As described above, when the user wears the respirator according to one embodiment, the electric device disposed inside the filter portion, that is, in the internal space, may receive power from the power supply disposed outside the filter portion using the wireless method. Due to the wireless method, a line which connects the electric device and the power supply is unnecessary, and it is unnecessary to form a hole for the line to pass through at the filter portion. Accordingly, since a component which connects the internal space of the filter portion to the outside does not exist at the filter portion as long as the valve is closed, the internal space of the filter portion may be sealed from the outside, and thus performance and the like of the respirator may be improved.

Also, the electric device and the power supply may be attached to the filter portion due to a magnetic attraction, and may also be aligned due to the magnetic attraction.

Furthermore, when the fan unit is employed as the electric device, displeasure of the user caused by an increase in humidity or temperature in the internal space of the filter portion may be reduced by mixing respiration of the user with wind of the fan unit.

In addition, when the respiration of the user is expiration, the valve may be easily opened by the wind provided by the fan unit or the respiration of the user and the wind of the fan unit. Accordingly, even when the user wears the respirator, the user may not feel any inconvenience in respiration.

FIG. 12 is a front view illustrating the respirator 1000 according to an embodiment different from that of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 12, a folding line 130 may be formed in a center of the filter portion 1 10. Based on the folding line 130, the filter portion 110 may be divided into a right area 140 and a left area 150 (a right side and a left side based on the face of the user). As shown in FIG. 12, the valve case 600 and the power supply 400 may be disposed in the right area 140, but the valve case 600 and the power supply 400 may be disposed in the left area 150 unlike FIG. 12. In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the opening 120 and the valve 200 may also be disposed on a side at which the valve case 600 and the power supply 400 are disposed.

Meanwhile, the filter portion 110 may be folded with the folding line 130 as a boundary. For this, as described above, the filter portion 110 may include a foldable material. In FIG. 12, the folding line 130 is formed in the center of the filter portion 110 and the valve case 600 and the power supply 400 are disposed in the right area 140 instead of the center area. The filter portion 110 in such a shape is easily foldable to allow left and right sides to be symmetrical to each other based on the folding line 130 formed in the center thereof.

However, one folding line 130 being formed in the center of the filter portion 110 is merely an example. For example, the folding line 130 may be formed at another place instead of the center of the filter portion 110. Also, two or more folding lines 130 may be formed. In this case, the filter portion 1 10 may be folded on the basis of each of the folding lines 130. Here, positions of the opening 120, the power supply 400, and the valve case 600 may be different from those shown in FIG. 12. Meanwhile, as described above, the electric device 300 may be attached to the filter portion 110 through a magnetic attraction. However, the electric device 300 may not be strongly attached to the filter portion 1 10 with only the magnetic attraction such that the electric device 300 may be separated from the filter portion 110 while being used according to circumstances. To prevent this, according to an embodiment, an additional component may be added between the electric device 300 and the filter portion 1 10, which will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14.

FIG. 13 is a view of the electric device 300 which further includes electric device holding portions 350. Here, other components in addition to the electric device holding portions 350 are like those of the above-described electric device 300. Accordingly, descriptions of the same components will be omitted below.

Referring to FIG. 13, the electric device holding portions 350 are referred to as fan unit holding portions 350, and the fan housing 330 may include at least one electric device holding portion 350 attached thereto. The electric device holding portions 350 may have a shape which protrudes from the fan housing 330.

FIG. 14 is a view illustrating the electric device 300 shown in FIG. 13, which is coupled to the filter portion 1 10. Referring to FIG. 14, an electric device holder 500 (or a fan unit holder 500) is attached to the one surface of the filter portion 1 10, that is, the inner surface of the filter portion 110, which faces the face of a user. The electric device holding portions 350 may be inserted into the electric device holder 500, as shown in FIG. 14, and accordingly the electric device 300 may be strongly coupled to the one surface of the filter portion 110.

For this, only both ends of the electric device holder 500 are attached to the filter portion 110 while a middle portion thereof has a lattice-shaped structure to be spaced apart from the filter portion 110.

However, the electric device holding portions 350 and the electric device holder 500 having the above-described shapes are merely an example. For example, the electric device holding portions 350 and the electric device holder 500 may employ a Velcro method.

Alternatively, the electric device holding portions 350 are embodied as adhesives while the electric device holder 500 is not provided such that the electric device 300 may be attached to the filter portion 110.

FIG. 15 is a graph illustrating performance (a relative humidity change rate) of the respirator according to one embodiment in comparison to those of other products. Referring to FIG. 15, A, B, and C on the horizontal axis refer to other respirators, and D thereon refers to the respirator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In detail, in the case of the respirator represented by A, a fan unit is disposed outside a filter portion, that is, on an outer surface of the filter portion, and supplies outdoor air to an internal space of the filter portion while being driven. In the case of the respirator represented by B, a fan unit is disposed on an outer surface of a filter portion, that is, an outside of the filter portion, and discharges air in an internal space of the filter portion to the outside while being driven. In the case of the respirator represented by C, like the respirator represented by B, a fan unit is disposed on an outer surface of a filter portion, that is, an outside of the filter portion, and discharges air in an internal space of the filter portion to the outside while being driven.

The vertical axis shows a humidity change rate of an internal space of a filter portion when a fan unit is driven by a driving voltage of 5 V. Checking relative humidity change rates according to the vertical axis, in comparison to A to C, a relative humidity change rate is greatest in D according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. From this, it may be seen that a relative humidity change rate is greatest when a fan unit is disposed in an internal space of a filter portion and air in the internal space is discharged to the outside by driving of the fan unit.

FIG. 16 is a graph illustrating a relative humidity change rate for each of driving voltages of a fan unit when the fan unit is disposed inside a filter portion and when the fan unit is disposed outside the filter portion. Referring to FIG. 16, it may be seen that, when driving voltages of the fan unit are the same, a relative humidity change rate is greater when the fan unit is disposed inside the filter portion than when the fan unit is disposed outside the filter portion. Also, it may be seen that, when the fan unit is disposed inside the filter unit, a relative humidity change rate is greater with a high driving voltage of the fan unit than with a low driving voltage of the fan unit, and this also holds true when the fan unit is disposed outside the filter portion.

Although the technical concept of the present disclosure has been exemplarily described above, various modifications and changes may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the essential quality of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the above- described embodiments of the present disclosure are not intended to limit but to explain the technical concept of the present disclosure. The scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. It should be understood that the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the following claims and equivalents thereof are included in the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A respirator comprising:

a filter portion which comprises an opening and forms an internal space between the respirator and a partial area of the face of a user when the user wears the respirator;

a valve which allows air to flow through the opening or prevents the air from flowing therethrough between the internal space and an external space of the filter portion; and

a fan unit provided in the internal space.

2. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the fan unit is disposed to allow air output by an operation of the fan unit to move toward the valve.

3. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the fan unit and the valve allow the air to flow to the external space only when respiration of the user is expiration.

4. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the fan unit is detachable from the filter portion.

5. The respirator of claim 1, further comprising a power supply which supplies power to the fan unit,

wherein the power supply comprises a battery and is detachable from the filter portion.

6. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the fan unit is attached to one surface of the filter portion opposite the internal space, the respirator further comprising a power supply attached to the other surface of the filter portion, which is opposite the one surface, to supply power to the fan unit.

7. The respirator of claim 6, wherein the fan unit comprises a first magnetic body,

wherein the power supply comprises a second magnetic body having a polarity opposite that of the first magnetic body, and

wherein the fan unit and the power supply are respectively attached to the filter portion with the filter portion interposed therebetween due to an attraction between the first magnetic body and the second magnetic body.

8. The respirator of claim 6, further comprising a fan unit holder attached to the one surface of the filter portion, wherein the fan unit comprises a fan unit holding portion coupled to the fan unit holder.

9. The respirator of claim 6, wherein the fan unit is attached to the one surface of the filter portion by a Velcro method.

10. The respirator of claim 6, wherein the fan unit is attached to the one surface of the filter portion by an adhesive.

11. The respirator of claim 6, further comprising a valve case which provides a space, in which the valve is disposed, and comprises an accommodating portion,

wherein the power supply comprises a power supply holding portion coupled to the accommodating portion.

12. The respirator of claim 1, further comprising a power supply which supplies power to the fan unit using a wireless method,

wherein the fan unit comprises a power receiver which is disposed at a position facing the power supply with the filter portion interposed therebetween and receives the power supplied by the power supply using the wireless method.

13. The respirator of claim 12, wherein each of the power supply and the power receiver comprises a coil.

14. The respirator of claim 12, wherein the power supply supplies power using any one of a magnetic induction method, a magnetic resonance method, and a capacitive method as the wireless method.

15. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the fan unit comprises a fan housing coupled to the filter portion, a fan disposed in the fan housing, and a driver which drives the fan, and the respirator further comprises a power supply which supplies power to the driver.

16. The respirator of claim 15, wherein the fan unit further comprises a first magnetic body, wherein the power supply comprises a second magnetic body having a polarity opposite that of the first magnetic body, and wherein the fan housing and the power supply are attached to the filter portion with the filter portion interposed therebetween due to an attraction between the first magnetic body and the second magnetic body.

17. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the filter portion is foldable with at least one folding line formed at the filter portion as a boundary of the folding.

18. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the filter portion is divided into at least two areas, wherein the opening is provided in any one area of the at least two areas, and wherein positions of the valve and the fan unit attached to the filter portion are determined depending on which area the opening is provided in among the at least two areas.

19. The respirator of claim 18, wherein the valve and the fan unit are attached to the same area of the at least two areas.

20. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the filter portion is divided into a left area, which covers a left partial area of the face, and a right area, which covers a right partial area thereof, wherein when the opening is provided in the left area, the valve and the fan unit are attached to the left area, and

wherein when the opening is provided in the right area, the valve and the fan unit are attached to the right area.