Respirators

• US 4,419,994 A
• Filed: 06/22/1981
• Issued: 12/13/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: Racal Safety Limited
• Inventors: Hilton, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Application Number:
  US06/276,163
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 128/206.19, 128/206.12, 128/206.16, 128/139, 128/206.24, 128/206.28, 128/909, D29/8, 46/1 F, 32/1 R, 2/9, 2/175, 2/206
• US Class Current: 128/206.19
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1115 with a horizontal pleated pocket
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1123 with a duckbill configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/113 with a vertical fold or weld

Abstract

The present invention relates to a respirator of the type called a filtering facepiece which is made from a flat pocket of flexible filtering sheet material having a generally tapering shape with an open edge at the larger end of the pocket and a closed end at the smaller end of the pocket. The closed end of the pocket is formed with fold lines defining a generally quadrilateral surface comprising triangular surfaces which are folded to extend inwardly of the pocket, the triangular surfaces facing each other and being, in use, relatively inclined to each other.

Claims

1. A generally cup-shaped filtering facepiece formed of flexible filtering material adapted to cover the nose and mouth of a user, said facepiece comprising

(a) convergent generally frusto-conical side wall means having at its larger end a peripheral free edge (4);

and

(b) end wall means (2) closing the smaller end of said side wall portion, thereby to define a pocket (1) for receiving the nose and mouth of the user with said peripheral edge extending over the nose and under the chin of the user, said end wall means including

(1) a plurality of end wall panels (7) foldably connected with said side wall means by four first fold lines (11,

     12) that are interconnected by four apices (e, f, g, h), respectively, said end wall panels being connected with each other by central fold line means (8) that extend between a pair of opposite apices (g, h), thereby to define between said four interconnected fold lines a quadrilateral region having two triangular panels

(2) said end wall panels being folded inwardly about said four interconnected fold lines to cause said quadrilateral region to extend reversely within said pocket at the closed end of the facepiece; and

(c) means (13,14) for attaching said facepiece to the wearer'"'"'s head.

2. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 1, wherein said central fold line means extends vertically.

3. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 2, wherein said central fold line means comprises a single linear fold line (8), and further wherein said quadrilateral region comprises a pair of triangular panels (7).

4. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 3, and further including second fold lines (9, 15) extending from the uppermost apex (h) and the adjacent two apices (e,f), respectively, toward said free edge for defining in said side wall means a first inverted V-shaped channel (16) which is adapted to seat on the nose of the user, said central fold line and that second fold line extending from the uppermost apex being contained in a common vertical plane, thereby to positively adapt said side wall means to the shape of the user'"'"'s face so as to decrease edge seal leakage around the nose and in the area between the user'"'"'s nose and cheeks.

5. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 4, and further including a deformable element (31) of generally V-shaped configuration mounted to extend over the apex of said V-shaped channel, thereby to improve the seal across the bridge of the user'"'"'s nose.

6. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 4, wherein said center, first and second fold lines are longitudinally rigidified.

7. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 6, wherein said flexible facepiece filtering material is weldable, said center, first and second fold lines being defined by welds formed in said filtering material.

8. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 1, wherein said quadrilateral region has the configuration of a square.

9. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 1, wherein said quadrilateral region has a kite-shaped configuration.

10. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 1, wherein said filtering material includes microfibers having electrostatic and collision efficiency.

11. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 1, wherein said filtering material includes activated charcoal.

12. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 4, and further including third fold line means (12, 40) extending from the lowermost apex (g) toward said free edge for defining in said side wall means a pair of triangular panels (41) arranged to define a second inverted V-shaped channel for receiving to user'"'"'s chin.

13. A filtering facepiece as defined in claim 4, wherein said side wall means includes a first frusto-conical portion of relatively large cone angle adjacent the closed end of the facepiece, and a second frusto-conical portion of relatively small cone angle adjacent the open end of the facepiece.