Electronic human breath filtration device

• US 7,392,806 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bessie M. Yuen Chan, Peter Siltex Yuen
• Original Assignee: Bessie M. Yuen Chan, Peter Siltex Yuen
• Inventors: Yuen, Peter Siltex, Yuen Chan, Bessie M
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas; Steven O
• Application Number:
  US10/428,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20040216745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 128/205.27, 128/205.29, 128/206.12, 128/206.14, 128/206.16, 128/206.21, 128/206.28, 55D/IG.33, 55D/IG.35, 96/16, 96/77, 96/96, 96/97, 96/54, 96/57, 96/59
• US Class Current: 128/205.27
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 19/00 Cartridges with absorbing substances for respiratory apparatus carbon dioxide absorbing devices A61M16/22

Abstract

A battery powered portable human body carrying electronic human breath filtration device is an electronic nose mask and is the most ideal alternative to conventional filter paper type nose mask. It utilizes electronic ionization technique and electrostatic field to remove air borne particles, dust, pollens, contaminants, bacteria, viruses, toxic chemical, fume and tobacco smoke from human inhalation and exhalation breath. It interacts with human breathing action as the air flow driving system to move the inhalation and exhalation breaths through the electronic filter elements, in addition to a front louver cover and a rear louver cover'"'"'s protection as pre-filters. The system requires very low running current and uses small batteries usually found in household electronics. This filtration system is light weight with negligible air flow resistance and is integrated into the nose mask which is connected to a pocket size control system via a connection cable.

Claims

1. A portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body, comprising a filtration apparatus which is adapted to interact with human inhalation and exhalation efforts as energy source to drive the breathing air of the user through the said filtration apparatus and is further comprised of

a mask module including a mask chamber adapted to surround the nose and mouth of a user and a filter chamber for an electronic filter element to be installed;

a seal, which is supported by the mask module, separates the mask chamber from the ambient by forming a sealing edge along the edge of the mask module and the skin surface of the user when the said device is being adapted to be worn onto the face by the user;

a mounting strap, which is supported by the mask module is adapted to be wrapped above the ears and around the back of the head of the user to keep the mask module covering the nose and mouth of the user;

two under ear straps, with one at each side, are supported by the mask module on one end and the other end attached to the mounting strap to increase stability of the mask module when being adapted to be worn on the face of the user;

an electronic filter element is installed inside the filter chamber of the mask module;

a front louver cover with slotted holes covers the front entrance of the electronic filter element is mounted to the front side of the mask module;

a rear louver cover with slotted holes covers the back entrance of the electronic filter element is mounted to the inside of the mask module;

a control system including a printed circuit board assembly, electronic components and battery to provide electronic functions to operate the said electronic filter element and;

a connection cable connects the said electronic filter element to the said control system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control system of the portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body comprises

a main printed circuit board assembly with electronic components, which also includes a high voltage power supply generating electronic components;

a battery connected to the said main printed circuit board assembly to supply power to the said control system;

a connector connected to the said main printed circuit board assembly to allow alternative usage of external power supply instead of the said battery;

a multi-power level selector on/off switch connected to the said main printed circuit board assembly to allow the user to select the preset power levels of the said control system;

a status indicator connected to the said main printed circuit board assembly to show the charge level of the battery, the power level setting selected and if the power is on;

an enclosure housing for all the above components to be mounted to;

a belt clip attached to the said enclosure housing to allow user to carry the said control system with a belt.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said high voltage power supply electronic components of the said main printed circuit board assembly of the portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body comprises

a direct current DC power supply stage;

an oscillator stage powered by said direct current power supply;

a step-up transformer having a primary and at least one secondary winding, said primary winding forming an output of said oscillator stage;

a voltage multiplier stage having an input and an output with the said input of the said voltage multiplier being connected to the output of the oscillator stage; and

the said output of the said voltage multiplier forms an output of said high voltage power supply.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said voltage multiplier stage is a separate printed circuit board assembly from the said main printed circuit board assembly of the said control system.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said voltage multiplier stage is mounted to the said mask module of the portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said voltage multiplier stage is an integrated part of the said electronic filter element of the portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electronic filter element of the portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body is a dual stages electronic filtration element which comprises

an ionic filtration stage filter element;

an electrostatic filtration stage filter element.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said ionic filtration stage filter element comprises

a conducting collector element;

an electrical coupling means for receiving an electric potential from a high voltage source;

an ionizing element comprising an electrically conductive material having needle-pointed ends for providing a high potential gradient to ionize particle components of a gas passing there-through, said conducting collector element and ionizing element being connected to the electrical coupling means to produce said high potential gradient when supplied with charge from a high voltage source through said electrical coupling means.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said electrically conductive material having needle-pointed ends is interchangeable with conductive metal-coated fine non-metallic filaments.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said ionic filtration stage filter element is in combination with a voltage power supply which provides a potential between the ionizing element and the conducting collector element with minimum of 5000 volts.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said electrostatic filtration stage filter element comprises

an electrical coupling means for receiving an electric potential from a high voltage source;

a first conductor electrode, which is connected to a positively charged pole of the said electrical coupling means;

a second conductor electrode, which is connected to a negatively charged pole of the said electrical coupling means, produces an electrostatic field between the said first conductor electrode and the said second conductor electrode due to the production of said high potential gradient when supplied with charge from a high voltage source through said electrical coupling means.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electronic filter element of the portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body is an ionic filtration stage filter element, which comprises

a conducting collector element;

an electrical coupling means for receiving an electric potential from a high voltage source;

an ionizing element comprising an electrically conductive material having needle-pointed ends for providing a high potential gradient to ionize particle components of a gas passing there-through, said conducting collector element and ionizing element being connected to the electrical coupling means to produce said high potential gradient when supplied with charge from a high voltage source through said electrical coupling means.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said ionic filtration stage filter element is in combination with a voltage power supply which provides a potential between the ionizing element and the conducting collector element with minimum of 5000 volts.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said electrically conductive material having needle-pointed ends is interchangeable with conductive metal-coated fine non-metallic filaments.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electronic filter element of the portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body is an electrostatic filtration stage filter element.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said electrostatic filtration stage filter element comprises

an electrical coupling means for receiving an electric potential from a high voltage source;

a first conductor electrode, which is connected to a positively charged pole of the said electrical coupling means;

a second conductor electrode, which is connected to a negatively charged pole of the said electrical coupling means, produces an electrostatic field between the said first conductor electrode and the said second conductor electrode due to the production of said high potential gradient when supplied with charge from a high voltage source through said electrical coupling means.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said a portion of the said connection cable of a portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body is set up as a service loop such that only this said portion of the connection cable will be swinging around, bending and stretching when the user, who has adapted to wear the said mask module on his/her face, moves his/her head.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said service loop is accomplished by a mechanical device which provides attachment means to the said connection cable and mounting means adapted to the user'"'"'s body and/or clothing.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rear louver cover provides resistance and blockage of flow of body fluid from the user'"'"'s mouth and nose directly into the said electronic filter element caused by sneezing, coughing, and speech by the user.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electronic filter element of the portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body may generate small amount of ozone molecules during operation when high voltage is supplied.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electronic filter element of the portable electronic human breath filtration device adapted to be carried on a human body may generate small amount of hydroxide molecules during operation when high voltage is supplied.

25. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said oscillator stage is further comprised of electronic components that converts a DC power source of said direct current DC power supply stage into a pulsating/oscillating DC power source as an input power source to said step-up transformer of the portable human body carrying electronic human breath filtration device which is adapted to be carried on a human body and is adapted to interact with human inhalation and exhalation breaths.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said step-up transformer is further comprised of at least one primary winding and at least one secondary winding to transform said pulsating/oscillating DC power source input to a higher voltage output of a high voltage power supply source of a portable human body carrying electronic human breath filtration device which is adapted to be carried on a human body and is adapted to interact with human inhalation and exhalation breaths.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said voltage multiplier stage is further comprised of electronic components to form a voltage multiplier circuit that multiplies an input voltage generated by the said step-up transformer to a high voltage output of a high voltage power supply source of the portable human body carrying electronic human breath filtration device which is adapted to be carried on a human body and is adapted to interact with human inhalation and exhalation breaths;

the voltage multiplier circuit is defined as using multiple stages of capacitor and diode cascade circuit to multiply the said input voltage to an output voltage of at least 2 times an input voltage potential.

28. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the electronic components of the said voltage multiplier printed circuit board assembly are encapsulated in encapsulation resin to allow the spaces between components to be smaller and will not be electrically shorted.

12. A dual stage electronic filtration system, which comprises of an ionic filtration stage electronic filtration system, which is further comprised of a conducting collector element;

an electrical coupling means for receiving an electric potential from a high voltage source;

an ionizing element comprising an electrically conductive material having needle-pointed ends for providing a high potential gradient to ionize particle components of a gas passing there-through, said conducting collector element and ionizing element being connected to the electrical coupling means to produce said high potential gradient when supplied with charge from a high voltage source through said electrical coupling means;

and an electrostatic filtration stage electronic filtration system which is further comprised of

an electrical coupling means for receiving an electric potential from a high voltage source;

a first conductor electrode, which is connected to a positively charged pole of the said electrical coupling means;

a second conductor electrode, which is connected to a negatively charged pole of the said electrical coupling means, produces an electrostatic field between the said first conductor electrode and the said second conductor electrode due to the production of said high potential gradient when supplied with charge from a high voltage source through said electrical coupling means;

wherein particles are removed from, air borne particles, dust, pollens, contaminants, bacteria, viruses, toxic chemical, fume and tobacco smoke by the system which is adapted to be carried on a human body including a mask module having a mask chamber adapted to surround the nose and mouth of a user and a filter chamber where said first and second conductor electrodes are installed and is adapted to directly interact with human inhalation and exhalation breaths such that all inhalation and exhalation breaths pass through the mask module.

15. An ionic filtration stage electronic filtration system which is further comprised of

a conducting collector element;

an electrical coupling means for receiving an electric potential from a high voltage source;

an ionizing element comprising an electrically conductive material having needle-pointed ends for providing a high potential gradient to ionize particle components of a gas passing there-through, said conducting collector element and ionizing element being connected to the electrical coupling means to produce said high potential gradient when supplied with charge from a high voltage source through said electrical coupling means;

wherein particles are removed from, air borne particles, dust, pollens, contaminants, bacteria, viruses, toxic chemical, fume and tobacco smoke by the system which is adapted to be carried on a human body including a mask module having a mask chamber adapted to surround the nose and mouth of a user and a filter chamber where said ionizing element is installed and is adapted to directly interact with human inhalation and exhalation breaths such that all inhalation and exhalation breaths pass through the mask module.

19. An electrostatic filtration stage electronic filtration system which is further comprised of

an electrical coupling means for receiving an electric potential from a high voltage source;

a first conductor electrode, which is connected to a positively charged pole of the said electrical coupling means;

a second conductor electrode, which is connected to a negatively charged pole of the said electrical coupling means, produces an electrostatic field between the said first conductor electrode and the said second conductor electrode due to the production of said high potential gradient when supplied with charge from a high voltage source through said electrical coupling means;

wherein particles are removed from, air borne particles, dust, pollens, contaminants, bacteria, viruses, toxic chemical, fume and tobacco smoke by the system which is adapted to be carried on a human body including a mask module having a mask chamber adapted to surround the nose and mouth of a user and a filter chamber where said first and second conductor electrodes are installed and is adapted to directly interact with human inhalation and exhalation breaths such that all inhalation and exhalation breaths pass through the mask module.