Face mask for self contained breathing apparatus

• US 6,062,222 A
• Filed: 08/14/1997
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avon Protection Systems, Inc. (Avon Protection Plc)
• Original Assignee: International Safety Instruments, Inc. (Avon Protection Plc)
• Inventors: Martin, Craig, Lewis, R. David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Application Number:
  US08/911,341
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 128/201.12, 128/201.14-201.16, 128/205.25, 128/206.21, 128/206.23, 128/206.24, 128/206.27, 128/206.28, 128/207.11, 2/9, 2/12, 2/13, 2/424
• US Class Current: 128/207.11
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/08 Component parts for gas-masks or gas-helmets, e.g. windows, straps, speech transmitters, signal-devices eye-pieces for protective goggles A61F9/02; composition of materials for the windows or other transparent parts A62D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/082 Assembling eyepieces, lenses or vision-correction means in or on gas-masks
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/084 Means for fastening gas-masks to heads or helmets

Abstract

A face mask for a self contained breathing apparatus has two pairs of straps fixed to the frame of the mask, the straps being fixed to a net or woven head piece. The straps at the top of the head piece are fixed with respect to the mask, and the bottom straps are adjustable to tighten the mask against the face of the user. The nose cup has ribs that receive legs of a mounting member for eyeglasses. The eyeglasses include frames, with support arms that are slidably fixable to the mounting member. The mounting member moves towards and away from the eyes of the user, and the support arms move up and down with respect to the nose cup, for full adjustability of the eyeglasses. The nose cup of the face mask is adjustable by either removing a portion at the chin and shortening the mask, or simply removing the portion to allow the user'"'"'s chin to extend beyond the nose cup while still inside the face seal. The seal for the mask has a single thickness in the forehead area for greater comfort while wearing a helmet, and is smaller at the temples for a tighter seal at the temples where users are frequently smaller.

Claims

1. In the face mask for use with a self contained breathing apparatus, said face mask comprising a frame having a top and a bottom, a transparent face plate within said frame, a face seal fixed to said frame and surrounding said face plate, a nose cup within said face seal and towards said bottom of said frame, and strap means for holding said face mask to a user'"'"'s face, the improvement wherein said strap means comprises a head piece having a top end portion adjacent to said top end of said frame and a bottom end portion adjacent to said bottom end of said frame, a first plurality of straps fixed to said top end portion of said head piece and to said top end of said frame, a second plurality of straps adjustably fixed to said bottom end portion of said head piece and fixed to said bottom end of said frame so that shortening said second plurality of straps pulls said head piece and causes said face seal to seal against a user'"'"'s face, said second plurality of straps comprises a second pair of straps, said second pair of straps comprises a pair of buckles fixed to said bottom end portion of said head piece and a pair of longitudinal strap portions having first ends and second ends respectively, said first ends fixed to said bottom end of said frame, said second ends adjustably received by said buckles, said second ends being disposed adjacent a base of a user'"'"'s skull and extending generally forward and downwardly with respect to a user'"'"'s head, said second ends having free end portions, and said free end portions being rotated 180 degrees and being disposed intermediate said buckles and said frame.

2. In a face mask as claimed in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said head piece is non-stretchable and dimensionally unstable for conforming to a user'"'"'s head.

3. In a face mask as claimed in claim 2, the improvement wherein said head piece is generally rectangular, said first plurality of straps comprises a first pair of straps fixed to the corners of said top end of said head piece for fixedly holding said head piece with respect to said frame.

4. In a face mask as claimed in claim 1, the improvement comprising a pair of eyeglasses within said face mask and supported adjacent to said nose piece, said eyeglasses comprising a pair of frames including a pair of lenses in said frames, a bridge fixed to said frames for holding said frames with respect to each other, a mounting member carried by said nose cup, and support arms fixed to said bridge and adjustably fixed to said mounting member.

5. In a face mask as claimed in claim 4, the further improvement comprising at least one rib on said nose cup, said rib defining a longitudinal hole therein, said mounting member including at least one arm slidably receivable within said longitudinal hole.

6. In a face mask as claimed in claim 5, the improvement comprising a block carried by said support arms, said block defining holes therethrough for slidably receiving said mounting member.

7. In a face mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein said face seal includes a forehead portion for contacting a wearer'"'"'s forehead, the improvement wherein said face seal is of a single thickness at said forehead portion.

8. In a face mask as claimed in claim 1, wherein said face seal includes opposed temple portions, the improvement wherein said temple portions extend inwardly of the rest of said seal.

9. In a face mask for use with a self contained breathing apparatus, said face mask comprising a frame having a top and a bottom, a transparent face plate within said frame, a face seal fixed to said frame and surrounding said face plate, a nose cup within said face seal and towards said bottom of said frame, and strap means for holding said face mask to a user'"'"'s face, the improvement comprising a pair of eyeglasses within said face mask and supported adjacent to said nose piece, said eyeglasses comprising a pair of frames including a pair of lenses in said frames, a bridge fixed to said frames for holding said frames with respect to each other, an upwardly angled mounting member carried by said nose cup, support arms fixed to said bridge, at least one rib on said nose cup, said rib defining a longitudinal hole therein, said mounting member including at least one leg slidably receivable within said longitudinal hole for Providing horizontal adjustment to said eyeglasses, a block carried by said support arms, and said mounting member slidably receivable in said block for providing vertical adjustment to said eyeglasses.

10. In a face mask as claimed in claim 9, the improvement wherein said strap means comprises a head piece having a top end adjacent to said top end of said frame and a bottom end adjacent to said bottom end of said frame, a first plurality of straps fixed to said top end of said head piece and to said top end of said frame, and a second plurality of straps adjustably fixed to said bottom end of said head piece and fixed to said bottom end of said frame, so that shortening said second plurality of straps pulls said head piece and causes said face seal to seal against a user'"'"'s face.

11. In a face mask as claimed in claim 10, the further improvement wherein said head piece is non-stretchable and dimensionally unstable for conforming to a user'"'"'s head.

12. In a face mask as claimed in claim 11, the improvement wherein said head piece is generally rectangular, said first plurality of straps comprises a first pair of straps fixed to the corners of said top end of said head piece for fixedly holding said head piece with respect to said frame.

13. In a face mask as claimed in claim 12, the further improvement wherein said second plurality of straps comprises a second pair of straps, said second pair of straps comprising a pair of buckles fixed to said bottom end of said head piece, and a pair of strap portions fixed to said bottom end of said frame and adjustably received by said buckles.

14. In a face mask for use with a self contained breathing apparatus, said face mask comprising a frame having a top and a bottom, a transparent face plate within said frame, a face seal fixed to said frame and surrounding said face plate, a nose cup within said face seal and towards said bottom of said frame, and strap means for holding said face mask to a user'"'"'s face of the face mask, the improvement comprising said nose cup having a top end for engaging a bridge of a user'"'"'s nose and a bottom end for receiving a user'"'"'s chin, a portion of said bottom end being cutaway, said cutaway portion comprising a pair of edges, and said edges being detachably joined together along substantially the length of said edges.

15. In a face mask as claimed in claim 14, wherein said cutaway portion is V-shaped.