PERSONAL AIR FILTER WITH AMPLIFIER AND VIBRATOR

• US 20100268131A1
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dimitrios Efthimiou
• Original Assignee: Dimitrios Efthimiou
• Inventors: Efthimiou, Dimitrios
• Granted Patent: US 8,978,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/47
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0006 with means for creating vibrations in patients' airways
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/10 with filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/185 Rhythm indicators

Abstract

A personal air filter with amplifier and vibrator having a mouthpiece and housing, incorporating filter media, with amplifier and vibrator. Inhaled air flows into the housing through the rearward vent end, past the amplifier and vibrator then through the filter media, and then out the forward end vent mouthpiece for inhalation of cleansed air by the user. The device is held to the mouth by the user'"'"'s lips for the duration of the inhalation, without using hands or attachments to face. During inhalation and exhalation, the device is retained between the lips with the air flow moving through the housing in either direction past the amplifier producing audible sound for monitoring the duration of inhalation and exhalation facilitating controlled breathing. During vocalized respiration, the air flow moving past the oscillating vibrator produces oscillation vibration for internal massage or communicating said vibration to another person. A method of controlled breathing results from a sequential order and equivalent duration of breathing through abdominal, chest and thoracic regions of lungs, by the user monitoring the duration and rate of audible respiration. The device results in relaxation, rather than contraction, of muscles. Increased proficiency results in longer intervals of inhalation, retention and exhalation. Concentration on breathing cycle is achieved via the audible respiration effected by the resonant device housing. An oscillating membrane also transmits vibration to user'"'"'s facial and cranial areas and internally massages body, as well as transmitting and communicating said vibration to another person facilitating educational, training leisure, pleasure, health, fitness and therapeutic use. Thus a considerably more versatile personal air filter is invented which can be conveniently, efficiently and effectively placed to the mouth for inhaling air, and is suitable for using during a variety of normal daily activities to filter inhaled air, audibly control breathing and vibrate to stimulate, optimize and enhance circulation.

Claims

1. A personal air filter, comprising:

(a) a housing comprising an air inlet and an air outlet, (b) a mouthpiece, (c) a filter comprised within said housing at a point between said air inlet and said air outlet;

said filter comprising filter media, whereby a user can retain said personal air filter in mouth between lips to inhale air for a single or plurality of breaths receiving purified air through the filter media.

2. The personal air filter of claim 1, wherein said housing is made from a material selected from the group consisting of paper, wood, metal, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene and other polyethers, polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polypropylene, carbon fibre, nanomaterials and combinations thereof.

3. The personal air filter of claim 1, wherein said filter is selected from the group consisting of glass wool, glass fibre, polymer fibre, cotton, activated carbon, nonwoven polypropylene, nonwoven textiles, HEPA filter, nanomaterials and combinations thereof.

4. The personal air filter of claim 1, further including a resonant cavity whereby respiration is amplified and the audible resonant sound of inhalation and exhalation enables a person to monitor and control breathing duration or rate.

5. The personal air filter of claim 1, further including an oscillating membrane, wherein said membrane is selected from the group consisting of paper, wooden reed, flexible thermoplastic, rigid thermoplastic, other natural or artificial materials and combinations thereof, whereby a user can produce oscillating vibration of vocalized respiration thereby receiving internal, facial, cranial or body vibration massage or communicating and transmitting said vibrations to another person.

6. The personal air filter of claim 1, further including a lanyard whereby a user can have immediate access to the device thereby obtaining instant access as and when needed.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein prompting said subject to take the breath at the specific time uses the device of claim 1 on an “

as user needs”

basis and wherein prompting comprises prompting said subject using said device of claim 1 where said device and its audible resonating sound is the signaling cue indicator.

7. A method of controlled breathing, comprising

(a) providing a personal air filter with amplifier and vibrator of the type comprising a housing having a mouthpiece, an air inlet, an air outlet;

resonant cavity and oscillating membrane, and between the said air inlet and said air outlet, having a filter, said filter preferably comprising High Efficiency Particulate Air filtration media.

(b) inserting said personal breathing filter mouthpiece in the mouth creating a seal with the lips then inhaling, whereby said personal breathing filter provides filtered air for the user to fill the lungs.

(c) retaining breath for equal duration as for inhalation

(d) exhaling breath for equal duration as for inhalation

(e) controlling duration and rate of inhalation and exhalation by monitoring audible resonant sound produced during said inhalation and exhalation whereby said audible sound enables the user to effectively monitor and concentrate on the breathing process

(f) vocalizing respiration for oscillating vibration whereby user receives internal massage to the face, cranial area or body, or may communicate and transmit said oscillating vibration to another person.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said personal air filter housing is preferably composed of polypropylene, but can be composed of other suitable materials.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the said filter material is preferably composed of HEPA filtration, but can be composed of other suitable materials such as activated carbon mesh.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said device is used for a subject'"'"'s respiration sequential cycle, such sequential cycle comprising using device for filling the lower portion of lungs stomach region with inhaled air, then filling the middle portion of lungs chest region with inhaled air, then filling the top portion of lungs thoracic region with inhaled air, using the audible inhalation sound to monitor the duration for such inhalation sequential cycle. Following said inhalation sequential cycle, is a retention cycle, said retention cycle comprising retaining the inhaled air for an equivalent duration as for the total inhalation sequential cycle. Following said retention cycle, is an exhalation sequential cycle, said exhalation sequential cycle comprising reversing the inhalation sequence of abdomen, chest and thoracic stages and exhaling the air for equivalent duration as for the said inhalation cycle, using the audible exhalation sound to monitor, the duration for such exhalation sequential cycle. Whereby said sequential and equivalent duration respiratory cycle changes user'"'"'s prior unregulated breathing pattern to a controlled breathing pattern facilitating circulation.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein further comprising improving said subject'"'"'s physical, physiological and emotional health and wellbeing using said prompting and respiration cycles.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein said one or more current and/or optimal breathing patterns reflect a current and/or optimal physical, physiological and emotional state of said subject.

14. An amplifier comprising a resonant cavity wherein said resonant cavity is selected from the group consisting of paper, wooden reed, flexible thermoplastic, rigid thermoplastic, other natural or artificial materials and combinations thereof, whereby the sound of inhalation and exhalation is amplified which audible resonant sound of inhalation and exhalation enables a person to monitor and control breathing duration or rate.

15. A vibrator comprising an oscillating membrane, wherein said membrane is selected from the group consisting of paper, wooden reed, flexible thermoplastic, rigid thermoplastic, other natural or artificial materials and combinations thereof, whereby a user can produce vibration by vocalizing any sound during inhalation or exhalation thereby receiving internal, facial, cranial or body vibration massage via the device or communicating and transmitting said vibrations to another person.

16. A filter housing comprising (a) an air inlet and an air outlet, (b) a mouthpiece, (c) a cover comprised around said filter housing at a point beyond edge of said housing, said cover comprising shrunk wrapped plastic whereby said shrunk wrapped plastic provides vent opening orifice allowing airflow through filter housing, oscillation and means of retaining filter media within said filter housing.