Disposable ventilated face shield and head covering

• US 6,374,823 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zoya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mohammed Ali Hajianpour
• Inventors: Hajianpour, Mohammed Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EREZO, DARWIN P
• Application Number:
  US09/524,793
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 128/201.22, 128/201.23, 128/201.24, 128/201.25, 128/202.19, 128/201.29, 128/206.21, 128/207.11, 128/205.25, 128/200.27, 128/200.28, 128/206.23, 128/206.25, 220/2, 220/5, 2/9, 241/7, 242/1, 242/4
• US Class Current: 128/201.22
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 17/04 Hoods
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/045 with fans for delivering air for breathing mounted in or on the helmet
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/084 Means for fastening gas-masks to heads or helmets

Abstract

A protective structure for use in a surgical environment includes a face shield formed as a transparent tube to extend around the wearer'"'"'s head and a cloth head covering extending above and around the face shield, with a viewing aperture being formed in the head covering to extend in front of the wearer'"'"'s face, and with the head covering being attached to the face shield around the viewing aperture. A support structure extends from a rear portion of the face shield to a front portion thereof, forming an air channel through which air is moved by an internal fan between an air inlet aperture in the head covering at the rear of the support structure and an air outlet at the front of the support structure above the wearer'"'"'s face.

Claims

1. Apparatus to provide a protective barrier between a face and head of a wearer of said apparatus and a surgical environment, wherein said apparatus comprises:

a face shield formed as a transparent tube, including a top edge, wherein said face shield is formed to extend across said face and around a portion of said head;

a head covering extending across said top edge of said face shield and downward around said face shield, wherein said head covering includes a viewing aperture formed to extend across said face, wherein a rear portion of said head covering includes a first air inlet aperture, and wherein said head covering is adhesively attached to said face shield around said viewing aperture;

a support structure extending between front and rear portions of said face shield; and

an air supply structure including an air outlet aperture adjacent a front end of said air supply structure, an air channel extending between a position aligned with said first air inlet aperture and said air outlet aperture, and a fan moving air from said first air inlet aperture to said air outlet aperture, wherein

said support structure forms said air supply structure,

said rear portion of said face shield includes a second air inlet aperture aligned with said first air inlet aperture, and

said head covering is attached to said face shield around said first air inlet aperture.

2. Apparatus to provide a protective barrier between a face and head of a wearer of said apparatus and a surgical environment, wherein said apparatus comprises:

a face shield formed as a transparent tube, including a top edge, wherein said face shield is formed to extend across said face and around a portion of said head;

a head covering extending across said top edge of said face shield and downward around said face shield, wherein said head covering includes a viewing aperture formed to extend across said face, and wherein said head covering is adhesively attached to said face shield around said viewing aperture; and

a support structure extending between front and rear portions of said face shield;

a cap attached to said support structure, downwardly disposed from said support structure, for supporting said apparatus on said head, wherein said cap includes a threaded adjustment surface; and

a cap adjustment knob having screw threads, engaging said threaded adjustment surface to move said cap upward and downward with rotation of said cap adjustment knob.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

said cap adjustment knob is rotatably mounted within said support structure,

said head covering includes a cap adjustment knob aperture through which said cap adjustment knob extends, and

said head covering is attached to said support structure around said cap adjustment knob aperture.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, additionally comprising a headband resiliently supported by attachment to opposite sides of said face shield, wherein said headband is disposed within said face shield below said cap.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein

said headband includes a headband adjustment mechanism for adjusting a circumferential length of said headband,

said front surface of said face shield includes a headband adjusting aperture,

said apparatus includes a headband adjustment knob extending outwardly through said headband adjusting aperture, and

said headband adjusting mechanism adjusts said circumferential length in response to rotation of said headband adjustment knob.

6. Apparatus to provide a protective barrier between a face and head of a wearer of said apparatus and a surgical environment, wherein said apparatus comprises:

a transparent face shield formed to extend across said face and as a tube to extend around a portion of said head,

a head covering formed to extend around and above said head, wherein said head covering includes a viewing aperture formed to extend across said face and a first air inlet aperture extending along a side of said head covering opposite said viewing aperture, wherein said head covering is attached to said face shield around said viewing aperture; and

an air supply structure including a slotted air inlet aperture coextensive with said first air inlet aperture, an air outlet aperture at an end of said air supply structure opposite said slotted air inlet, an air channel extending between said slotted air inlet aperture and said air outlet aperture, and a fan moving air from said slotted air inlet aperture to said air outlet aperture, wherein said air supply structure is attached to said face shield to extend between a rear portion of said face shield and a front portion of said face shield,

wherein said rear portion of said face shield includes a second air inlet aperture coextensive with said first air inlet aperture, and

wherein said head covering is attached to said face shield around said second air inlet aperture.

7. Apparatus to provide a protective barrier between a face and head of a wearer of said apparatus and a surgical environment, wherein said apparatus comprises:

a transparent face shield formed to extend across said face, wherein said transparent face shield includes a headband adjustment aperture to be disposed above said face;

a head covering formed to extend around and above said head, wherein said head covering includes a viewing aperture formed to extend across said face and a first air inlet aperture extending along a side of said head covering opposite said viewing aperture, wherein said head covering is attached to said face shield around said viewing aperture;

a headband resiliently supported by attachment to opposite sides of said face shield, wherein said headband includes a headband adjustment mechanism for adjusting a circumferential length of said headband; and

a headband adjustment knob extending outwardly through said headband adjustment aperture, wherein rotation of said headband adjustment knob causes said headband adjustment mechanism to adjust said circumferential length of said headband.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein

said face shield is formed as a tube to extend around a portion of said head, and

said apparatus additionally comprises a support structure extending between front and rear portions of said face shield.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, additionally comprising a cap attached to said support structure, downwardly disposed from said support structure, for supporting said apparatus on said head.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein

said cap includes a threaded adjustment surface, and

said apparatus additionally comprises a cap adjustment knob having screw threads, engaging said threaded adjustment surface to move said cap upward and downward with rotation of said cap adjustment knob.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein

said cap adjustment knob is rotatably mounted within said support structure,

said head covering includes a cap adjustment knob aperture through which said cap adjustment knob extends, and

said head covering is attached to said support structure around said cap adjustment knob aperture.