Inflatable head harness with hearing device placement

• US 5,771,886 A
• Filed: 08/11/1997
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Aerotechnics
• Original Assignee: Intertechnique SA (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Maire, Patrick, Touratier, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Asher, Kimberly L.
• Application Number:
  US08/907,976
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 128/201.19, 128/202.27, 128/206.21, 128/206.24, 128/206.27, 128/206.28, 128/207.11, 128/207.12, 2/423
• US Class Current: 128/207.11
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/084 Means for fastening gas-masks to heads or helmets

Abstract

A respiratory protection apparatus has a breathing mask with a regulator and a fast donning harness having at least a pair of extensible strap whose ends are connected to the mask. Each strap has an element which is inflatable by the pressurized breathable gas for extending the strap until it has a sufficient size for enabling the user to quickly don the harness over the head and deflatable to permit the strap to tighten, to urge the mask against the face and to maintain the mask on the face. An ear piece is connected to the harness or mask and is applied against the ear when the harness straps are deflated.

Claims

1. Fast donning breathing apparatus, comprising:

a mask provided with a regulator arranged for connection to a source of pressurized breathable gas; and

a harness having at least one stretchable strap whose ends are attached on the mask and including an inflatable element, and

means connectable to a source of pressurized breathable gas and manually controllable to admit a pressurized breathable gas to the inflatable element to extend said stretchable strap up to a large size and to discharge said pressurized breathable gas from said inflatable element to decrease the size of said stretchable strap and to enable the strap to tighten and to bias the mask onto a face of wearer; and

at least one ear piece secured to the harness or to the mask by means arranged for applying it against the auditory track or around the ear with a sufficient pressure for correct hearing, when the harness straps are deflated.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, having two said ear pieces, wherein at least one of them is arranged for being movable between a position where it is applied against the ear and a position enabling audition of ambient noise and conversation.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said harness has two said stretchable straps and said ear piece is located on a flexible non-extendable strap which limits an amount of spacing between the two inflatable straps of the harness.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ear piece is an electro-acoustic cell located in an ear cup defining a chamber around an ear of the wearer.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ear piece is an electro-acoustical cell carried by an ear piece applicable against an ear of the wearer.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising electrical connection means between the ear piece and an on-board system of an aircraft which includes a loose electrical cable attached at the harness at a plurality of mutually spaced points.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical connection between the ear piece and an on-board system of an aircraft which includes an electrical cable embedded in an expandable sheath running along the strap of the harness.

8. Respiratory protection apparatus comprising:

(a) a breathing mask with a regulator arranged for connection to a source of pressurized breathable gas;

(b) a fast donning harness having a pair of extensible straps whose ends are connected to the mask and which each have an element which is inflatable by the pressurized gas for extending the harness until it has a sufficient size for enabling the user to quickly don the harness over the head and deflatable to permit the strap to tighten, to urge the mask against the face and to maintain the mask on the face and having a plurality of cords connecting the straps to limit the spacing thereof; and

(c) at least one ear piece secured to one of said cords by means enabling said ear piece to be applied to the mask by means arranged for applying it against the auditory track or around the ear with a sufficient pressure for correct hearing, by the harness when said straps are deflated.