WO2022009227A1

WO2022009227A1 - Breathing apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2022009227A1
Application number: PCT/IN2021/050661
Authority: WO
Inventors: Manish Malhotra
Original assignee: Manish Malhotra
Priority date: 2020-07-07
Filing date: 2021-07-07
Publication date: 2022-01-13

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel and dynamically adaptable breathing apparatus (100) based on a hybrid technique and Concealed Filter Cartridge (CFC). The invention relates to a breathing apparatus (100) comprising an impermeable base (102) having one or more openings (104); a filter cartridge (108), adapted to be detachably fixed on one or more openings (104) of the impermeable base (102), the filter cartridge (108) comprising, a first element (114); a second element (116) adapted to connect to the rear surface of the first element (114), the second element (116) having a partially opened surface, and at least one filter (110) concealed between the first element (114) and the second element (116). The contaminated filter (110) remains concealed inside the cartridge (108) thus cannot spread infection and it is inexpensive, sterilizable, recyclable, sharable, mass producible and uses a greener concept.

Description

BREATHING APPARATUS FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The present invention generally relates to an air filtering apparatus, particularly a breathing apparatus having high air filtration efficiency. Specifically, the present invention relates to a novel and improved breathing apparatus comprising a unique combination of impermeable and permeable material for filtering a large array of microbes and other harmful contaminants and pollutants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[002] Air can have solid or liquid substances, including toxic pollutants, infectious pathogens, bacteria, viruses, infected droplets or aerosols and/or direct spillage of mucous, saliva, blood etc. These pollutants can enter the respiratory system of an individual through direct contact, inspiration, inhalation, and direct spray aerosols. Various air breathing apparatus have been currently used to effectively prevent and filter these air pollutants from the air. Such breathing apparatus prevents these contaminants and pollutants from entering the respiratory system of an individual and its spread to other persons or items.

[003] Currently, the novel coronavirus outbreak (named COVID-19) has infected and caused respiratory illness to millions of people in the world. Apart from the threat posed by the pandemic, another challenge that the world is dealing with is the availability of medical infrastructure and safety equipment like masks, gloves, Personal Protection Equipment Kit (PPE Kit), ventilators, drugs etc. to handle the patients, so that the infectivity rate and in turn the mortality rate remains low. The majority of medical advancements to fight this outbreak involved attempts to improve the filtering properties of facemasks or respirators by using high-efficiency filtering material. N95 filtering material or similar grade material is often recommended for respiratory protection against such infectious pathogens.

[004] Unfortunately, due to the worldwide shortage during pandemics and the high cost of N95 (n95 grade/ high efficiency) masks, many people including the medical professionals and staff are getting infected and facing serious medical conditions. Due to this shortage, many medical and healthcare professionals have to either reuse or use these masks for an extended time to combat shortages and meet economic demands. During such respiratory viral pandemic, even other high-risk individuals or the general public shall use higher percentage grade protection masks to safeguard themselves but unfortunately, the access to such masks is limited due to the same reasons as stated above. Additionally, there is a high-risk factor for the spread of infectious diseases amongst healthcare workers such as nurses, garbage collectors and others, if any biohazardous wastes, e.g. discarded masks, respirators, gloves, etc. are not disposed or sanitized carefully and accidentally touched by them. These single-use disposable masks are causing significant harm to the environment. Another disadvantage is that the currently available breathing apparatus cannot be used again as none of the masks or respirators available today of any type could be reused. In fact, there is not even a single safe and non-damaging way to sterilize a mask so that it can be reused or recycled or exchanged amongst multiple unrelated groups of users, thus limiting the apparatus to a particular user only. Existing masks of similar grade are expensive and have higher overall usage costs as all masks have to be completely disposed of, ideally after 8 hours of usage.

[005] Therefore, in light of the above shortcomings with the existing filtering devices or equipment, there is a need for a multi-purpose breathing apparatus, which can be available at an affordable price, comfortable to wear, safe with a reliable air-tight seal and suitable for recycling purposes thus eco-friendly in nature. The apparatus should be able to filter a large array of microbes and other harmful contaminants.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[006] An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved breathing apparatus having high air filtration efficiency. The said apparatus must be capable of filtering a large array of microbes and other harmful contaminants such as toxic gases, allergens, pollutants, infectious pathogens, bacteria, viruses, or to stop any droplet of mucous, saliva, blood, etc. or from their direct spillage or contact. [007] Another object of the present invention pertains to the breathing apparatus having a unique combination of impermeable and permeable material configured to provide high air filtration efficiency, at least 90 percent filtration efficiency and can go up to 99.99% depending on the filter material being used. [008] Another object of the present invention pertains to the breathing apparatus having one or more components that may be easily removed and sterilized, thereby capable of being recycled after use when shelf life is over or discarded from further use and reused or shared amongst different users or repeated self- reuse with minimum risk of causing cross or self-contamination but after sterilization. [009] Another object of the present invention pertains to the breathing apparatus, which is safe, effective, eco-friendly and cost-effective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention is described hereinafter by various embodiments. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms, should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, the embodiments are provided with the intent of imparting clarity pertaining to the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the invention relates to a breathing apparatus having a unique combination of impermeable and permeable material configured to provide high air filtration efficiency, preferably at least 90 percent filtration efficiency against oil-based or non-oil based particles, depending upon the type of filter used.

[0012] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the invention relates to a breathing apparatus, particularly breathing apparatus comprising an impermeable base adapted to substantially cover at least the mouth and nostrils of a user, the impermeable base having at least one opening; and an air-tight seal arranged on the circumference of the impermeable base; wherein, at least one filter cartridge is adapted to be detachably fixed on at least one opening, the filter cartridge having one or more filters.

[0013] Thus, the present invention relates to a breathing apparatus that utilizes less quantity of the filter material thereby saving the overall filtering material and cost used for making the breathing apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] The manner in which the above-recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may have been referred by examples, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical examples of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective examples.

[0015] These and other features, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the breathing apparatus having a single opening according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig 2 illustrates a perspective view of the breathing apparatus having two openings according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates an exploded view of the breathing apparatus having the filter cartridge, first and second element and filter according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig 4A and Fig 4B illustrate the perspective view of the second element and rear view of the filter according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig 5 illustrates the perspective view of the two-way cartridge having a one-way inlet channel and the one-way outlet channel according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig 6 illustrates the perspective view of the breathing apparatus covering the full face of the user according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] While the present invention is described herein by way of example using embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments of drawing or drawings described, and are not intended to represent the scale of the various components. Further, some components that may form a part of the invention may not be illustrated in certain figures, for ease of illustration, and such omissions do not limit the embodiments outlined in any way. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim. As used throughout this description, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e. meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense, (i.e. meaning must). Further, the words "a" or "an" mean "at least one” and the word “plurality” means “one or more” unless otherwise mentioned. Furthermore, the terminology and phraseology used herein is solely used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as limiting in scope. Language such as "including," "comprising," "having," "containing," or "involving," and variations thereof, is intended to be broad and encompass the subject matter listed thereafter, equivalents, and additional subject matter not recited, and is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps and the like is included in the specification solely for the purpose of Likewise, the term "comprising" is considered synonymous with the terms "including" or "containing" for applicable legal purposes. Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles providing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention.

[0017] In this disclosure, whenever a composition or an element or a group of elements is preceded with the transitional phrase “comprising”, it is understood that we also contemplate the same composition, element or group of elements with transitional phrases “consisting of’, “consisting”, “selected from the group of consisting of, “including”, or “is” preceding the recitation of the composition, element or group of elements and vice versa.

[0018] The present invention is described hereinafter by various embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein reference numerals used in the accompanying drawings correspond to the like elements throughout the description. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the following detailed description, numeric values and ranges are provided for various aspects of the implementations described. These values and ranges are to be treated as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. In addition, a number of materials are identified as suitable for various facets of the implementations. These materials are to be treated as exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the invention discloses a breathing apparatus, having a novel and unique combination of impermeable and permeable material in a particular configuration, according to the embodiments of the invention. A person skilled in the art will appreciate such an invention that relates to the breathing apparatus with an impermeable base having one or more openings to fix filter cartridge which may allow the passage of air or gas or aerosol to pass through at least one concealed or enclosed filter arranged inside the said cartridge. The said breathing apparatus may be designed to provide a reusable base, at least one replaceable filter cartridge enclosing at least one concealed filter having at least 90 percent filtration efficiency against oil-based or non-oil based particles thereby, making the overall product economical and safe for use. The apparatus of the present invention may include, but not limited to a respirator, a face shield, a face mask, a surgical mask, a filter mask, a mouth mask, or a gas mask. [0020] The breathing apparatus 100 having a unique combination of impermeable and permeable material configured to provide high air filtration efficiency, preferably at least 90 percent filtration efficiency against oil-based or non-oil based particles will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the breathing apparatus having a single opening and Fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the breathing apparatus having openings on both sides of the breathing apparatus. Accordingly, the breathing apparatus 100 may include an impermeable base 102 adapted to substantially cover at least the mouth and nostrils of a user, the impermeable base 102 having at least one opening 104 and an air-tight seal 106 arranged on the circumference of the impermeable base 102 wherein, at least one filter cartridge 108 is adapted to be detachably fixed on at least one opening 104, the filter cartridge 108 having one or more concealed filters 110.

[0021] In another embodiment, the breathing apparatus may have a resterilizable, washable, reusable and recyclable impermeable base 102 that may be impermeable but may include one or more openings 104 at pre-defmed positions. The term “washable” means the components may undergo a standard laundry cycle or treatment with soap and water for eliminating or reducing contaminants or pollutants which are susceptible to such treatment. The term “sterilization” or “disinfection” or “resterilizable” means the use of formalin or hypochlorite solutions or soap solution or exposure to UV rays or chlorine or alcohol-based products for killing the contaminants. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the process for eliminating contaminants may not be limited to the above processes, and other processes known in the art may also be employed. The impermeable base 102 may be designed to cover the full face or part of face like the nose, mouth, and chin of the user. The impermeable base 102 may prevent the entry of air, gases, water, mucous, blood or any other contaminant from entering the breathing apparatus 100 of the present invention. The impermeable base 102 may be made of hard or soft impermeable plastic or rubber or any polymer material that allows it to serve its function. The impermeable base 102 may be made in a variety of shapes and configurations, for example, face contoured fitting, tubular, circular, oval, and the like. The impermeable base 102 may be maintained in stable form for a long shelf life of approximately 6 months or 1 year but after every use, it must be sterilized, washed or sanitized using any standard means known in the art thus making it recyclable to the users. The impermeable base 102 may further include an airtight seal 106 about the periphery or more openings and a nose clip made of any soft metal e.g. aluminium that may assist in improving the fit over the user’s nose. According to an embodiment, the airtight seal 106 may be made of the same material as the impermeable base 102. According to another embodiment, the airtight seal 106 may be achieved by using a silicone seal or any other material known in the art to ensure a hermetic seal between the user’s face and apparatus. Further, the impermeable base 102 may include adjustable straps 112 attached on either side of the apparatus 100, thereby providing a reusable harness for fastening the apparatus to a user’s head or ears. The strap(s) 112 may be made from an elastic material such as an elastic braided material or plastic or velcro or similar material The strap(s) 112 may be capable of holding the apparatus 100 in position, and may help in adjusting the sealing of the apparatus 100 on the face of the wearer.

[0022] Now referring to Fig. 3, the breathing apparatus 100 may further include the impermeable base 102 having one or more openings 104 to accommodate plurality of filter cartridge 108 positioned in front of the mouth or on either side of the face of the user or below or embedded totally inside base 102. The said filter cartridge 108 may be adapted to be detachably fixed on one or more openings 104 of the impermeable base 102. The base 102 of the breathing apparatus 100 may be provided with means to facilitate easy detachment of cartridge 108 after a single use or damaged or clogged or after 8 hours of continuous or intermittent use, followed by replacing the same with a fresh, unused and/or sterilized cartridge 108. The filter cartridge 108 may be in communication with the impermeable base 102 by proper attachment means, such as, a twisting flange snap-fit means, a threaded twisting fit means, a direct pressure snap-fit means, magnetic locks, screwing mechanism or any other suitable connection known to those of ordinary skill in the art which may allow the removal and replacement of the cartridge. It is pertinent to note that the plurality of filter cartridges 108 arranged in front of the mouth or on either side of the wearer's face can be made of a flexible or semi- flexible, modular sized, lightweight material containing one or more air purifying filter 110 concealed inside the said cartridges 108. The filtration cartridges 108 may be made in a variety of shapes and configurations for example, triangular, cuboidal, tubular, circular, oval, and the like. It is pertinent to note that the said filter cartridge 108 may include at least one concealed filter 110 which may be safely disposed of along with the cartridge 108 without getting exposed to the user or any other person.

[0023] In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the filter cartridge 108 may be structurally designed as a single piece or as a unitary piece comprising of a first element 114 and a second element 116 fixed on the internal surface of the impermeable base 102. The first element 114 may further include a cavity or hollow protrusion extending from the front surface of the first element 114, the cavity or protrusion may be arranged to extend out of the one or more openings 104 located on the impermeable base 102 as illustrated in Fig 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. The cavity or hollow protrusion of the first element 114 may be placed downstream or outside the impermeable base 102 or embedded inside the impermeable base 102 and allows airflow across the filter cartridge 108. The filter cartridge 108 is attached to the impermeable base 102 through a seal 130as shown in figure 3.

[0024] Referring to Fig. 4A, a second element 116 may be adapted to connect to the rear surface of the first element 114 wherein, the second element 116 may have a partially opened and partially closed surface so at to allow the passage of air. Essentially any suitable mechanism that is known (or later developed) may be used to join the first element 114 to the second element 116, for instance, a threaded arrangement or heat-sealed mechanism. The first and second elements 114, 116 may enclose at least one or multiple filters 110 to stack in series behind each other or laterally on top of each other depending on the environment and need. The cavity or hollow protrusion extending from the front surface of the first element 114 may be protruding outside or remain embedded inside the impermeable base 102 so that the particles including the pollutants or contaminants in the inhaled air may be collected and filtered by at least one concealed filter 110 arranged or concealed between the first and second elements 114, 116 of the filter cartridge 108. As illustrated in Fig. 4B, the filter 110 may be positioned or rested on the second element 116 that may be designed or constructed to have pores or open line spaces to allow the passage of inhaled or exhaled air through it.

[0025] Typically, the one or more filters 110 arranged or concealed inside the cartridge 108 may be made of any semi-rigid and porous material which is capable of filtering the air. Examples of materials that are suitable for making the filter 110 may include, but not limited to nonwoven blown out plastic layer, SMMS (spun-bond, melt-blown, melt-blown and spun-bond) fabric, SSMMS (spun-bond, spun-bond, melt-blown, melt-blown and spun-bond) fabric, or similar standard combinations, polystyrene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, sintered materials, microfibers, composites, and other known materials. The said filter 110 may be concealed inside the casing of the first and second elements 114,116. It is pertinent to note that the filter 110 can be of any type which is capable of filtering air, for instance, N95, N99, N100, R95, P95, P99, PI 00 or similar grade material to provide at least 90 percent filtration efficiency against oil-based or non-oil based particles to the user. Therefore, the breathing apparatus 100 of the invention may be used as a mask or a respirator. [0026] In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, at least one opening 104 of the breathing apparatus 100 may include an air filtering element 120 connected with at least one inlet 122 and at least one outlet 124. Alternatively, a single opening 104 may serve both as an inlet as well as an outlet for the passing of air, aerosols, etc. Now referring to Fig. 5, air filtering element 120 may comprise at least one inlet 122 being connected with one-way inlet channel 126 and at least one outlet 124 being connected with one-way outlet channel 128. Each of the one-way inlet channel 126 and the one-way outlet channel 128 includes at least one filter cartridge 108 detachably fixed on the air filtering element 120. It is pertinent to note that the one-way inlet channel 126 is adapted to convey air being inhaled by the user and the one-way outlet channel 128 is adapted to convey the air being exhaled by the user.

[0027] In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the breathing apparatus 200 may include an impermeable base 202 adapted to substantially cover the mouth, nostrils, eyes including the full face of a user as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the present invention. A protective face-shield 204, made up of plastic material may be incorporated to cover the upper portion of the user’s face. The impermeable base 202 may prevent the entry of air, gases, water, mucous, blood or any other contaminant from entering the mouth and nostrils of the user. The impermeable base 202 may be made of hard or soft impermeable plastic or rubber or any polymer material that allows it to serve its function. Further, adjustable straps 206 may be used to connect the face-shield and base and it may be located at the back of the apparatus 200, thereby providing a reusable harness for fastening the apparatus to a user’s head. The strap(s) 206 may be made from an elastic material such as an elastic braided material or plastic or velcro or similar material.

[0028] The impermeable base 202 may include at least one opening 208 and an air-tight seal 210 arranged on the circumference of the breathing apparatus 200 wherein, at least one filter cartridge 212 is adapted to be detachably fixed on at least one opening 208, the filter cartridge 212 having one or more concealed filters 214. The airtight seal 210 may completely prevent the entry of air, gases, water, mucous, blood or any other contaminant from entering the breathing apparatus 200 of the present invention. The air-tight seal 210 may be created using a plastic tube having a nozzle 216 through which air may be injected via any air injection system or object and nozzle 216 may be closed using a cap 218. In another embodiment, air may be injected using a surgical syringe to create an air-tight seal 210, which may be an easier and inexpensive method. Alternatively, the seal 210 may be a silicone-based sealing mechanism.

[0029] In an embodiment, the breathing apparatus 100 of the present invention may comprise 80% - 85% of an inexpensive impermeable base 102 including the sealing material and uses less than 15% - 20% of the expensive filter materials, preferably, N95 grade or similar standard material or higher grade material thus, saves the valuable filtering material. Since, filter 100 is completely concealed between the first and second elements 114,116 of the detachable filter cartridge 108 thus the user may easily remove the said cartridge from the impermeable base 102 after use, without any exposure to contaminants including germs or viruses or bacteria thus, minimizing any changes of self or cross contaminations amongst people due to touch or accidental contact. A fresh similar cartridge 108 having at least one filter 110 may be now reinstalled on one more or opening 104 of a new base or already used but a sterilized impermeable base 102.

[0030] Some embodiments of the breathing apparatus 100 described herein are recyclable and reusable. Typically, masks or respirators are of one-time-use disposable design. It is pertinent to note that all components (except the filter cartridge 108 and concealed filter 110) used in the present invention may withstand repeated cleaning and disinfection by methods common to the industry thus saves material, cost, and environment. In yet another embodiment, after proper sterilization or disinfection even the material of filter cartridge 108 can be recycled (if required) rendering only the filter material as the wasteful part of the breathing apparatus 100, which would constitute approximately less than 2-3% of total material used in making the whole apparatus.

[0031] The disposed components of mask or respirators which are generally considered to be biohazardous waste may be easily converted into domestic waste in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention. Since the components can be manufactured using simple techniques thus it is possible to produce this breathing apparatus on a large scale at a low or moderate cost. The said apparatus can be made using any existing machinery which is capable of molding or casting plastic material or any similar material, required for making the components (such as base or cartridge) of the breathing apparatus and there is no need for dedicated and specific new heavy machinery required for the production of conventional masks and/or respirators. The same machinery can be used to manufacture other products apart from apparatus thus saves cost and resources. [0032] In view of the above embodiments, it may be noted that the present invention utilizes a “hybrid” technique. The term “hybrid” indicates a unique arrangement of impermeable and permeable material which is capable of filtering air. The impermeable base 102 which may be made of an impermeable material and filter cartridge 108 having high-grade filter 110 which is hidden or concealed inside the said cartridge 108 may be made of permeable material. The term “hybrid” also refers to one or more components that may be resterilized and reused and other components which are disposable after usage, for instance, the base can be reused and shared amongst different users, whereas the filter cartridge and filter material are disposable components used in the breathing apparatus of the present invention. The filter cartridge 108 has the filter 110 concealed inside and this novel concealed filter cartridge (CFC) can hold infectious material within the filter cartridge 108. Therefore, the filter cartridge 108 of the present invention is less infectious as compared to open filter which harbors and trap microbes which can be touched and thus microbes can spread easily. Therefore, the novel filter cartridge 108 of the present invention is safer and easy to use.

[0033] The features, structures, or characteristics of the invention described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. For example, reference throughout this specification to “certain embodiments,” “some embodiments,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in certain embodiments,” “in some embodiment,” “in other embodiments,” or similar language throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same group of embodiments and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0034] It should be noted that reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. [0035] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

[0036] One having ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that the invention as discussed above may be practiced with steps in a different order, and/or with hardware elements in configurations which are different than those which are disclosed. Therefore, although the invention has been described based upon these preferred embodiments, it would be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions would be apparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. In order to determine the metes and bounds of the invention, therefore, reference should be made to the appended claims.

ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

• The breathing apparatus can be made up of a unique combination of impermeable & permeable material having a high-efficiency air filter for preventing the users from any respiratory illness or pollutants.

• The apparatus may include a reusable and recyclable impermeable base having an opening on which one or more detachable filter cartridges can be placed.

• The apparatus may include a plurality of filter cartridges comprising at least one concealed filter for filtering aerosols or airborne particles.

• The impermeable base having filter cartridge with one or more concealed filters can be recycled and reused whereas the filter cartridge is disposable and may be replaced by a fresh filter cartridge on a new or same base thus it is economically feasible and can be shared amongst individuals and saves a huge amount of cost. After proper sterilization or disinfection, even the material of the filter cartridge can be recycled (if required) rendering only the filter material as the wasteful part of the breathing apparatus, which would constitute approximately less than 2-3% of total material used in making the whole apparatus. • The apparatus may use at least one concealed filter which is made up of only 15%-20% or even less percentage, of the high-efficiency filter materials, preferably, N95 grade or similar standard material grade capable to provide high filtration efficiency of N99, P99, FFP1,FF2,FFP3, CLASS-I or other similar efficiency grades . Thus, saves the use of valuable filtering material to a large extent.

• The apparatus with at least one concealed filter concealed inside the cartridge may be sterilized and disinfected using suitable means thus, aiding in the conversion of bio-hazardous waste into less harmful domestic waste thereby reducing various health and environmental-related issues.

• The apparatus can be effectively made on a large-scale basis during any pandemic outbreak causing any respiratory disorders such as Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. It can be used during routine prevention of contamination in Hospitals, Operation Theatres or ICU by Healthcare professionals or allied staff or even general public.

• Reuse of base or sharing of base decreases the overall demand for a new breathing apparatus or device (as compared to the conventional masks), for every subsequent use, so the overall cost is reduced because only filter cartridge is required to be changed which is disposable.

• The apparatus may be designed in a manner wherein the filter having the contaminants or highest microbial count on its surface and is concealed inside the cartridge which cannot be accidentally touched thus leads to minimal chances of cross-contamination amongst users and even comparatively lesser chance for self-contamination when compared to the use of the conventional mask as virtue of its Concealed Filter Cartridge (CFC) as described.

• The impermeable base used in the apparatus has an overall shelf life of 6 months or 1 year or until damaged, thus a sustainable alternative to existing masks or respirators.

• The apparatus may be designed to provide at least 90 percent filtration efficiency against oil-based or non-oil based particles or gases or aerosols to the users. • The apparatus may use an airtight sealing mechanism to ensure that inhaled air passes only through the filter placed inside the cartridge which remains concealed or hidden from the user. · The said apparatus can be made using any existing machinery which is capable of molding or casting plastic material or any similar material, required for making the components (such as base or cartridge) of the breathing apparatus and there is no need for dedicated and specific new heavy machinery required for the production of conventional masks and/or respirators. The same machinery can be used to manufacture other products apart from apparatus.

• It may also be possible to safely touch or adjust the apparatus (as compared to conventional masks) while in use because the filter which has the highest microbial count or most contaminated part is concealed inside the filter cartridge making thereby making it relatively safer for making any adjustments or touch if done under any reflex action or accidentally.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A breathing apparatus 100 comprising: an impermeable base 102 adapted to substantially cover at least the mouth and nostrils of a user, the impermeable base 102 having at least one opening 104; and an air-tight seal 106 arranged on the circumference of the impermeable base 102; wherein, at least one filter cartridge 108 adapted to be detachably fixed on at least one opening 104, the filter cartridge 108 having one or more filters 110.

2. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one opening 104, comprises at least one inlet 122 and at least one outlet 124 or a combination thereof.

3. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 2, wherein the breathing apparatus 100 further comprising an air filtering element 120 attached to the at least one inlet 122 and the at least one outlet 124.

4. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 3, wherein the air filtering element 120 includes a one-way inlet channel 126 and a one-way outlet channel 128, the one-way inlet channel 126 being connected to at least one inlet 122 and the one-way outlet channel 128 being connected to the at least one outlet 124.

5. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the one-way inlet channel 126 and the one-way outlet channel 128 includes at least one filter cartridge 108 detachably fixed on the air filtering element 120

6. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 4, the one-way inlet channel 126 is adapted to convey air being inhaled by the user, and the one-way outlet channel 128 is adapted to convey the air being exhaled by the user.

7. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the breathing apparatus 100 is adapted to cover the mouth and nostrils of the user.

8. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the breathing apparatus 100 is adapted to cover the full face of the user.

9. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the breathing apparatus 100 is at least one of a mask or a respirator.

10 The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the impermeable base 102 is made of polymer.

11 The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one filter cartridge 108 includes a first element 114 and a second element 116, the first element 114 and the second element 116 encase the one or more filters 110.

12. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first element 114 and the second element 116 have a partially opened surface.

13. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air-tight seal 106 is inflatable.

14. The breathing apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air-tight seal 210 comprises a nozzle 216 and a cap 218.