Warning device to indicate the state of gases exhaustion of a gas filter retaining dangerous gases

• US 4,873,970 A
• Filed: 03/10/1989
• Issued: 10/17/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Auergesellschaft GmbH (MSA Safety, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Auergesellschaft GmbH (MSA Safety, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coym, Jurgen, Freidank, Michael, Schubert, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohan, Alan
• Application Number:
  US07/323,069
• Time in Patent Office: 221 Days
• Field of Search: 128/202.22, 128/204.15, 128/205.27, 128/205.29, 128/206.12, 128/206.15, 128/206.17, 128/206.21, 128/207.12
• US Class Current: 128/202.22
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/088 Devices for indicating filter saturation

Abstract

A warning device comprised of an electrochemical cell which detects the concentration of toxic gas that is passing through a housing holding the cell to a face mask. The cell produces a signal corresponding to the concentration level of toxic gas present. The signal is received by a threshold switch which is set to produce a signal only when a signal from the cell equals or exceeds a predetermined level. The signal from the threshold switch activates a visual signal means and acoustical signal means to indicate that a gas filter, connected to the warning device, is exhausted.

Claims

1. A warning device for indicating the exhaustion of a separate gas filter retaining a toxic gas which device functions independently from the gas filter and comprises:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet through which gas is able to enter and leave the housing;

electrochemical means for directly detecting the overall concentration of the toxic gas that enters the housing from the gas filter, said electrochemical means disposed within the housing;

means for alerting disposed on the housing; and

means for activating the alerting means when a predetermined concentration of toxic gas is detected, said activation means disposed within said housing.

2. A warning device as described in claim 1 wherein the electrochemical means is an electrochemical measuring cell that produces a signal corresponding to the detected concentration of toxic gas that has entered the housing.

3. A warning device as described in claim 2 wherein the activating means is comprised of a threshold switch which produces a signal that activates the alerting means when the signal produced by the cell corresponds to a predesired concentration.

4. A warning device as described in claim 3 wherein the alerting means includes a visual signal means and an acoustical signal means that is activated when a signal is produced by the threshold switch, said acoustical signal means disposed within the housing, said visual signal means disposed on said housing, said visual signal means and said acoustical signal means electrically connected to said threshold switch in order to receive the signal produced from said threshold switch.

5. A warning device as described by claim 4 including a battery disposed inside the housing and connected to the switch and the cell in order to power them.

6. A warning device as described in claim 5 including a breathe-out valve located in and through the housing alongside the inlet so any gas returning into the housing through the outlet is expelled through the breathe-out valve and is not able to pass back through the housing inlet, said breathe-out valve allowing gas to pass into the housing through the housing inlet.

7. A warning device as described in claim 5 including a gas filter fluidically connected to the housing inlet and a full face mask fluidically connected to the housing outlet and wherein said threshold switch is set to produce a signal when the concentration of toxic gas detected by the cell indicates the end of the useful life of the gas filter.

12. A warning device as described in claim 1, wherein the housing is detachable to the gas filter and the full force mask.

8. A warning device for the detection of a toxic gas comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet through which gas is able to enter and leave the housing, the housing having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber;

a heat exchanger arranged in the housing to divide the housing into the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber;

a backing board arranged in the outlet chamber and alongside the heat exchanger, said backing board having a hole which allows gas to pass between the inlet chamber and outlet chamber;

an electrochemical measuring cell that produces a signal corresponding to the detected concentration of toxic gas that has entered the housing, said electrochemical measuring cell disposed within the housing in the outlet chamber and attached to and supported in place by the backing board;

a threshold switch which produces a signal when the signal produced by the cell corresponds to a predesired concentration, said threshold switch located in the outlet chamber and attached to and supported in place by the backing board;

a visual signal means and an acoustical signal means that are activated when a signal is produced by the threshold switch, said acoustical signal means disposed within the housing in the outlet chamber and attached to and supported in place by the backing board, said visual signal means disposed on said housing, said visual signal means and said acoustical signal means electrically connected to said threshold switch in order to receive the signal produced from said threshold switch;

a battery disposed inside the housing in the outlet chamber and attached to and supported in place by the backing board, said battery connected to the switch and the cell in order to power them;

a breathe-out valve disposed in and through the inlet chamber of the housing alongside the inlet so any gas returning into the housing through the outlet is expelled through the breathe-out valve and is not able to pass back through the housing inlet said breathe-out valve allowing gas to pass into the housing through the housing inlet.

9. A warning device as described in claim 8 wherein the housing has an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber;

and wherein a backing board is arranged in the housing to divide the housing into the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, said backing board having a hole which allows gas to pass between the inlet chamber and outlet chamber, said battery, cell, acoustical signal means, and threshold switch located in the outlet chamber and attached to and supported in place by the backing board.

10. A warning device as described in claim 9 including an amplifier that is electrically connected between the cell and the threshold switch;

and a battery monitor electrically connected to the battery to monitor the depletion of energy from the battery, said battery monitor and amplifier located in the outlet chamber and attached to the backing board.

11. A warning device for indicating the exhaustion of a separate gas filter retaining a toxic gas which device functions independently from the gas filter and comprises:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet through which gas is able to enter and leave the housing;

a gas filter fluidically connected to the housing inlet;

a full face mask fluidically connected to the housing outlet;

electrochemical means for directly detecting the overall concentration of the toxic gas that enters the housing, said electrochemical means disposed within the housing;

means for alerting disposed on the housing; and

means for activating the alerting means when a predetermined concentration of toxic gas is detected, said activation means disposed within said housing.