Oxygen sensor mounting in medical or flight crew masks for direct indication of blood level oxygen
First Claim
1. An oxygen mask for use on a human including a chin portion along a lower level of the oxygen mask, a sensor for monitoring blood conditions mounted on an interior surface of the chin portion, the sensor sensing conditions of blood in vessels in the skin of a person wearing the mask.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to sensing conditions of blood of the wearer of an oxygen mask that provides supplemental oxygen to the wearer. A sensor is mounted on the interior of the mask directly adjacent to or in contact with the skin of the wearer. The sensor preferably is positioned just below the jaw in the throat area, where blood vessels are relatively close to the skin and are of sufficient number and size so that a condition such as blood oxygen level can be sensed by non-invasive sensors. The sensor in turn is connected to a suitable controller that will receive the signal from the sensor and control the flow of oxygen to the mask, both as to pressure, and to control oxygen level. Additionally, the controller can regulate outside conditions such as a pressure suit that may be worn by a fighter pilot, or can activate alarms as desired.
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Citations
11 Claims
- 1. An oxygen mask for use on a human including a chin portion along a lower level of the oxygen mask, a sensor for monitoring blood conditions mounted on an interior surface of the chin portion, the sensor sensing conditions of blood in vessels in the skin of a person wearing the mask.
- 7. A mask for covering the nose and mouth of a user and for supplying a gas for breathing by the user, said mask having a breath cavity and being shaped so that portions of the mask contact a user for support, the mask having a gas supply tube leading to the breath cavity, and a sensor mounted on an interior surface of the mask in a position to sense blood in vessels under the skin of a user, a controller coupled to the sensor for receiving signals from the sensor that indicate a condition of the blood being sensed, and a gas regulator connected to the controller, the controller controlling the gas regulator to regulate the gas provided through the gas supply tube in response to signals from the sensor.
Specification