PROTECTIVE APPAREL AND SUPPORT APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20120240316A1
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medline Industries Incorporated (Medline Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medline Industries Incorporated (Medline Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Czajka, Francis A., Kutsch, John H., Lother, Troy, Lackowski, Vince
• Granted Patent: US 8,950,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/456
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1153 with a hood
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1218 with head or face protection
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/00 Details of garments or of their making buttons, pins, buckles, slide fasteners or the like A44B
• 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 apparel support (100) system is disclosed comprising a support frame configured to rest on the shoulders of a wearer, the support having a first shoulder member (104a), a second shoulder member (104b) and a shield (202) engagement portion. A shield (202) is selectively coupleable to the support and protective apparel (302) is coupled to the shield.

Claims

1. A protective apparel and support apparatus, comprising:

a first gown portion configured to define a first barrier;

a yoke including a chest portion coupled to a back portion, the yoke configured to rest on shoulders of a wearer, the chest portion configured to secure a shield of a second gown portion; and

the second gown portion including the shield, and configured to define a second barrier, the shield configured to be secured to the chest portion of the yoke such that a portion of a weight of the second gown portion is supported by the yoke.

2. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the back portion of the yoke further includes a fan configured to direct air from an area outside of the second barrier to an area inside of the second barrier.

3. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 2, the back portion of the yoke is a first back portion and the fan is a first fan, wherein the yoke further includes a second back portion including a second fan configured to direct air from an area inside of the second barrier to and area outside of the second barrier.

4. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the back portion of the yoke further includes a battery compartment.

5. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 1, the chest portion being a first chest portion, wherein the yoke includes a second chest portion, the first chest portion including an inlet air port configured to receive air directed from outside of the second barrier, the second chest portion including an outlet air port configured to receive air directed from inside of the second barrier.

6. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 1, where the back portion of the yoke includes an air port configured to align with an aperture of the second gown portion.

7. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chest portion is hingedly coupled to the back portion.

8. A protective apparel and support apparatus, comprising:

a yoke comprising a frame and a harness removably coupled to the frame, the frame comprising a chest member, a first back member and a second back member; and

a protective garment, comprising;

a first gown portion comprising a hood portion and an upper body portion; and

a pair of sleeves coupled to the body portion.

9. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an intake port and an exhaust port.

10. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a shield receiving element.

11. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 8, further including an interior barrier space air port.

12. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 11, wherein the interior barrier space air port is configured at a first angle.

13. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first angle is substantially perpendicular to a shield at a first yoke-shield interface.

14. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first angle is substantially parallel to the wearer'"'"'s line of vision, when the wearer is looking substantially straight ahead.

15. A protective apparel and support apparatus, comprising:

a first gown portion configured to define a first barrier, the first gown portion including an aperture configured to receive a securement strap of a harness;

the harness including the securement strap, the harness configured to be removably coupled to a yoke via the aperture of the first gown portion;

the yoke configured to rest on shoulders of a wearer, the yoke including;

a chest portion coupled to a back portion, the chest portion configured to secure a shield of a second gown portion, the second gown portion defining a second barrier and including the shield; and

the back portion including a fan, the fan configured to direct air from outside of the second barrier to the chest portion,

the chest portion including a port configured to direct the air from the fan to inside of the second barrier; and

the shield configured to be secured to the chest portion of the yoke such that a portion of a weight of the second gown portion is supported by the yoke.

16. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 15, the back portion of the yoke is a first back portion and the fan is a first fan, wherein the yoke further includes a second back portion including a second fan configured to direct air from an area inside of the second barrier to and area outside of the second barrier.

17. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 15, the chest portion being a first chest portion, wherein the yoke includes a second chest portion, the first chest portion including an inlet air port configured to receive air directed from the fan, the second chest portion including an outlet air port configured to receive air directed from inside of the second barrier.

18. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 15, where the back portion of the yoke includes an air port configured to align with an aperture of the second gown portion.

19. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 15, wherein the chest portion is hingedly coupled to the back portion.

20. The protective apparel and support apparatus of claim 15, the yoke further including a shield receiving element.