Air filtration system including a helmet assembly

• US 6,622,311 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation, Stryker Instruments, A Division Of Stryker Corporation (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Stryker Instruments, A Division Of Stryker Corporation (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Smit, Karen L., Wasserman, Mark A., Henniges, Bruce D., Diaz, Luis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsey, Rodney M.
• Application Number:
  US10/188,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20030066121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 245/6, 2 8/4, 2/63, 241/7, 242/1, 217/13, 2 5/1, 211/4, 241/8, 241/9, 290/1, 220/2, 220/5, 245/7, 128/200.28, 128/201.19, 128/201.22, 128/201.23, 128/201.24, 128/201.25, 128/202.19, 128/202.22, 128/202.27
• US Class Current: 2/171.3
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/11 Protective face masks, e.g. for surgical use, or for use in foul atmospheres eye-masks A61F9/04 ; hoods affording protection against heat or harmful chemical agents A62B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1153 with a hood
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/286 with forced flow, e.g. by a fan
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/045 with fans for delivering air for breathing mounted in or on the helmet

Abstract

An air filtration system and a helmet for use in the air filtration system are disclosed and utilized to filter air between a head and body of a user and an external environment. The air filtration system and helmet include inner and outer shells that define an air flow channel for channeling air about the user. A fan module is mounted between the inner and outer shells and a scroll housing is mounted adjacent the fan module. The scroll housing includes an air inlet for drawing air into the air filtration system and helmet, and at least one air outlet to distribute air flow to the air flow channel. The helmet includes air exits at front and rear sections that are in fluid communication with the air flow channel and the air outlet or outlets. The air filtration system includes a gown operating as a filter for filtering the air.

Claims

1. A helmet assembly of an air filtration system for mounting to a head of a user to minimize strain on the head and neck of the user, said assembly comprising:

a structural shell having a front section and a rear section;

a rear support rigidly extending from said rear section of said structural shell,

an adjustment segment disposed on said rear support and having first and second sides;

a strap flexibly connected to and extending from said front section of said structural shell, said strap including a first end disposed within said first side of said adjustment segment, and a second end disposed within said second side of said adjustment segment; and

an adjustment device mounted to said adjustment segment and engaging said first and second ends of said strap to manipulate said first and second ends toward each other to tighten said strap and to pull said strap from said front section as said rear support remains fixed relative to said rear section and said strap, and to manipulate said first and second ends away from each other to loosen said strap and to push said strap toward said front section as said rear support remains fixed relative to said rear section and said strap.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first end is movably disposed within said first side of said adjustment segment and said second end is fixedly disposed within said second side of said adjustment segment.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first end is fixedly disposed within said first side of said adjustment segment and said second end is movably disposed within said second side of said adjustment segment.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first end is movably disposed within said first side of said adjustment segment and said second end is movably disposed within said second side of said adjustment segment.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adjustment segment disposed on said rear support is further defined as an adjustment segment that is mounted to said rear support.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adjustment segment disposed on said rear support is further defined as an adjustment segment that is integrally included within said rear support.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strap further includes a frontal portion disposed between said first and second ends and opposite said adjustment segment.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 further including at least one hinge extending from said frontal portion of said strap to flexibly connect said strap to said front section of said structural shell.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 further including a gap defined between said frontal portion of said strap and said front section of said structural shell.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said at least one hinge flexes to increase said gap as said strap is tightened by said adjustment device.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said at least one hinge relaxes to decrease said gap as said strap is loosened by said adjustment device.

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adjustment segment of said rear support defines an adjustment aperture that receives said first and second ends of said strap.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said adjustment device is further defined as an adjustment knob rotatably mounted from and extending into said adjustment aperture to engage said first and second ends of said strap.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said adjustment knob includes a pinion extending into said adjustment aperture.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first end of said strap includes a first rack and said second end of said strap includes a second rack, said pinion of said adjustment knob extending into said adjustment aperture to engage said first and second racks upon rotation of said adjustment knob.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said adjustment knob further includes an inner surface facing said rear support, said inner surface including a plurality of teeth.

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a fan module and a scroll housing disposed adjacent said rear section of said structural shell.

18. An air filtration system for filtering air between a head and body of a user and an environment external to the user and for minimizing strain on the head and neck of the user, said air filtration system comprising:

a helmet assembly adapted to be mounted on the head of the user and including a structural shell having a front section and a rear section;

a gown including a body portion for covering at least a portion of the body of the user and a head portion for covering said helmet assembly, said head portion of said gown operating as a filter medium to filter air between the user and the external environment;

a face shield mounted to said head portion of said gown to cover a section of said helmet assembly thereby permitting the user to view through said head portion of said gown;

a rear support rigidly extending from said rear section of said structural shell,

an adjustment segment disposed on said rear support and having first and second sides;

a strap flexibly connected to and extending from said front section of said structural shell, said strap including a first end disposed within said first side of said adjustment segment, and a second end disposed within said second side of said adjustment segment; and

an adjustment device mounted to said adjustment segment and engaging said first and second ends of said strap to manipulate said first and second ends toward each other to tighten said strap and to pull said strap from said front section as said rear support remains fixed relative to said rear section and said strap, and to manipulate said first and second ends away from each other to loosen said strap and to push said strap toward said front section as said rear support remains fixed relative to said rear section and said strap.

19. An assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said first end is movably disposed within said first side of said adjustment segment and said second end is fixedly disposed within said second side of said adjustment segment.

20. An assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said first end is fixedly disposed within said first side of said adjustment segment and said second end is movably disposed within said second side of said adjustment segment.

21. An assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said first end is movably disposed within said first side of said adjustment segment and said second end is movably disposed within said second side of said adjustment segment.

22. A helmet assembly of an air filtration system for mounting to a head of a user to distribute air about the head of the user, said assembly comprising:

an inner structural shell;

an outer structural shell extending from said inner structural shell to define at least one air flow channel between said inner and outer shells for channeling air about the head of the user, wherein said inner and outer shells define a base section having a front section approximate a front of the head of the user and a rear section approximate a back of the head of the user;

first and second helmet air exits for distributing air from said air flow channel toward the head of the user, said first helmet air exit being disposed at said front section of said base section for distributing air from said air flow channel toward the front of the head of the user, and said second helmet air exit being disposed at said rear section of said base section for distributing air from said air flow channel toward the back of the head of the user; and

a fan module mounted to at least one of said inner and outer shells and including at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet, said fan module drawing air in through said at least one air inlet and distributing the air out through said at least one air outlet into said air flow channel and to said first and second helmet air exits.

23. An air filtration system for filtering air between a head and body of a user and an environment external to the user, said air filtration system comprising:

a helmet assembly adapted to be mounted on the head of the user and including a base section and a facial section, said base section of said helmet assembly further including an inner structural shell and an outer structural shell extending from said inner structural shell to define at least one air flow channel between said inner and outer shells for channeling the air about the head of the user;

a gown including a body portion for covering the body of the user and a head portion for covering said base section of said helmet assembly, said head portion of said gown operating as a filter medium to filter air between the user and the external environment;

a skirt removably attached to said body portion of said gown exclusively at a front of said gown; and

a fan module mounted to at least one of said inner and outer shells and including at least one air inlet and at least two air outlets, said fan module drawing air in through said at least one air inlet and distributing the air out through said air outlets into said at least one air flow channel for distributing air about the head of the user.

24. A helmet assembly of an air filtration system for mounting to a head of a user to distribute air about the head of the user, said assembly comprising:

an inner structural shell;

an outer structural shell extending from said inner structural shell to define at least one air flow channel between said inner and outer shells for channeling air about the head of the user;

a fan module mounted to at least one of said inner and outer shells and including at least one air inlet and at least two air outlets, said fan module drawing air in through said at least one air inlet and distributing air out through said air outlets into said at least one air flow channel for distributing air about the head of the user; and

an integral power supply mounted to at least one of said inner and outer shells for powering said fan module.

25. An assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein said integral power supply is a battery.

26. A hood that is adapted to cover a helmet assembly used in an air filtration system wherein said hood assists a single user of the air filtration system in self-gowning as the user maintains sterility, said hood comprising:

a filter medium for filtering air between the user and an environment external to the user; and

a face shield mounted to said filter medium of said hood to permit the user to view through said hood, said face shield including a mounting mechanism that is adapted to automatically center said face shield relative to the helmet assembly and to support said face shield and said filter medium on the helmet assembly as the user self-gowns such that the user maintains sterility.

27. A hood as set forth in claim 26 wherein said mounting mechanism of said face shield is adapted to interlock with the helmet assembly to automatically center said face shield relative to the helmet assembly and to support said face shield and said filter medium on the helmet assembly.

28. A hood as set forth in claim 26 wherein said mounting mechanism is centered on said face shield.

29. A hood as set forth in claim 28 wherein said mounting mechanism of said face shield is adapted to interlock with the helmet assembly to automatically center said face shield relative to the helmet assembly and to support said face shield and said filter medium on the helmet assembly.

30. A hood as set forth in claim 26 wherein said mounting mechanism of said face shield is further defined as an aperture.

31. A hood as set forth in claim 30 wherein said aperture of said face shield is adapted to interlock with the helmet assembly to automatically center said face shield relative to the helmet assembly and to support said face shield and said filter medium on the helmet assembly.

32. A hood as set forth in claim 30 wherein said aperture is centered on said face shield.

33. A hood as set forth in claim 32 wherein said aperture of said face shield is adapted to interlock with the helmet assembly to automatically center said face shield relative to the helmet assembly and to support said face shield and said filter medium on the helmet assembly.

34. A hood as set forth in claim 26 wherein said face shield is sewn into said filter medium to maintain a complete barrier between the user and the environment external to the user.

35. A hood as set forth in claim 26 wherein said face shield of said hood is defined by a single curvilinear surface.