Air-fed protective suit with detachable breathing filter

TECHNICAL FIELD

0001Various embodiments relate generally to personal respiratory protection systems, such as systems used in, for example, contaminated environments.

0002One such respiratory protection system is disclosed in <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="EP2583721A"><text>EP 2583721</text></patcit>. <b>BACKGROUND</b>

0003Air-fed protective suits are widely used in the various industries. In the nuclear industry, for example, air fed protective suits may be used to permit employees to work in tritium contaminated atmospheres. The pharmaceutical industry may have work areas that may be contaminated with biological hazards. Chemical companies may have manufacturing facilities that may present chemical vapor dangers to its employees. Also many industrial settings may result in the production of particle contamination. Both employee and employer have cause for concern for the safety of employees working in atmospheres that present dangerous hazards to the workers.

SUMMARY

0004The present invention in its various aspects is as set out in the appended claims. Apparatus and associated methods relate to an air-fed protective suit having a breathing filter detachably coupled to the suit. In some embodiments, the air-fed suit may have an interior tear strip to provide for filter seal and/or for removal from the air-fed protective suit. In some examples, the air-fed suit may include a sealed flap which the user can open to expose the filter to the atmosphere exterior to the suit. Some embodiments may provide a user accessible mouthpiece connected to the filter via a breathing tube permitting the user to breathe the exterior atmosphere through the filter. The filter may perform tritium filtration of exterior atmospheric gases inhaled therethrough, for example. When exiting a contaminated area, for example, a user may first enter an airlock, detach the filter, remove the suit and then exit the airlock while continuing to breathe through the detached filter. Various embodiments may achieve one or more advantages. For example, some embodiments may permit the user to breath through the filter should the air-fed suit lose its air-feed. If, for example an air-feed compressor loses power, the user may be in urgent need of an alternative source of oxygen. Breathing the unfiltered air exterior to the suit may present grave dangers to the suit wearer. But the use of an appropriate filter for a particular atmospheric danger may permit the user to breath the exterior atmosphere through the filter, even if but for a short time of exiting a contaminated area. Some embodiments may provide an emergency back-up source of air for tritium contaminated atmospheres. Such atmospheres may be present in some nuclear facilities. Various embodiments may permit a person to breath through the filter while changing out of the air-fed suit. Some facilities with contaminated atmospheres may provide an airlock for such donning and/or doffing of protective suits. Some airlock chambers may have residual contamination therein. Some embodiments may permit a protective suit wearer to doff his/her suit while breathing through a filter appropriate for the contamination risk. After doffing an exemplary protective suit, the wearer may continue using the detached filter for breathing while exiting the airlock chamber.

0005The details of various embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0006<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li><figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> depicts an exemplary doffing of an air-fed protective suit while using and detaching an exemplary breathing filter.</li><li><figref idref="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> depicts an exemplary embodiment of a protective suit with a detachable breathing filter being worn by a person.</li><li><figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref> depicts an exemplary openable flap exposing a filter which is attached to an air-fed protective suit.</li><li><figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref> depicts the inside of an exemplary air-fed protective suit showing a mouthpiece, a breathing tube, and a breathing filter.</li><li><figref idref="f0005">FIGs. 5A-5B</figref> depict close-up views of an exemplary openable flap covering and exposing a breathing filter.</li><li><figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref> depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary mouthpiece, breathing tube, and filter.</li><li><figref idref="f0007">FIG. 7</figref> depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary removable breathing filter showing a tearable strip and openable flap.</li><li><figref idref="f0008">FIG. 8</figref> depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary tritium filter and corresponding openable flaps interior and exterior to a protective suit.</li></ul>

0007Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

0008To aid understanding, this document is organized as follows. First, an exemplary application of an air-fed protective suit with detachable breathing filter is briefly introduced with reference to <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref>. Second, with reference to <figref idref="f0002 f0003 f0004">FIGs. 2-4</figref> the discussion turns to exemplary embodiments that illustrate the openable cover of the detachable protective filter. Finally, with reference to <figref idref="f0005 f0006 f0007">FIGs. 5-7</figref>, schematic representations of exemplary detachable breathing filters will be used to assist in the description of methods of use of the detachable breathing filters.

0009<figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> depicts an exemplary doffing of an air-fed protective suit while using and detaching an exemplary breathing filter. A contaminated-air facility 100 is depicted in this figure. Within the contaminated-air facility, a contaminated-air area 105, an airlock chamber 110 and a clean-air area 115 exist. The airlock chamber 110 may permit a worker to put on an air-fed protective suit 120 before entering the contaminated-air area 105. Similarly, the airlock chamber 110 may also permit a worker to take off an air-fed protective suit 120 after exiting the contaminated-air area 105. The level of air-contamination in the air-lock chamber 110 may be significantly lower than the level of air-contamination in the contaminated-air area 105. Some air contamination may exist, however, in the airlock chamber 110 due to the periodic opening of the door between the airlock chamber 110 and the contaminated-air area 105.

0010In the <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> embodiment, a worker 125 is shown in the airlock chamber 110 removing his air-fed protective suit 120. The worker 125 may remove the air-fed protective suit 120 and detach a protective breathing filter 130 so that he may continue to breathe using a protective breathing filter 130. Even after removing his air-fed protective suit 120, he may use the protective breathing filter 130. Also depicted in this exemplary application is a second worker 135 entering the clear-air area 115. This second worker 135 is still breathing through a protective breathing filter 130 after exiting from the airlock chamber 110. Now in the clean-air area of the facility, the wearer may now safely remove the protective breathing filter 130.

0011<figref idref="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> depicts an exemplary embodiment of a protective suit with a detachable breathing filter being worn by a person. If this figure, an exemplary protective suit 200 with a detachable breathing filter 205 is shown being worn by a wearer 210. The interior side of the detachable filter 205 is shown connected to a breathing tube 215. The breathing tube 215 in turn is shown connected to a mouthpiece 220. A head region 225 of the protective suit 200 is depicted to be transparent so that the user may be able to see outside of the protective suit 200. The main air supply for the protective suit 200 is shown by an air line 230 which may supply a source of breathable air to the wearer 210

0012<figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref> depicts an exemplary openable flap exposing a filter which is attached to an air-fed protective suit. In this figure, an exemplary air-fed protective suit 300 is depicted. In this embodiment, the air-fed protective suit 300 has an exemplary breathing filter 305 in a chest area 310 of the air-fed protective suit 300. A covering 310 has been peeled back to expose a front face 315 of the breathing filter 305. Prior to being peeled back, the covering 310 had a welded seem 320 attaching the covering 310 to the air-fed protective suit 300. Prior to being peeled back, the covering 310 together with the intact weld and a skin 325 of the air-fed protective suit 300 provided a substantially air-imperious covering of the breathing filter 305. Also depicted in this figure is a tearable weld 330 for removing the breathing filter 305 from the air-fed protective suit 300. In various embodiments, the tearable weld 330 may be torn from the outside of the air-fed protective suit 300. In some embodiments, the tearable weld 330 may be torn from the inside of the air-fed protective suit 300. In some embodiments, the tearable weld 330 may be torn from either side of the air-fed protective suit 300.

0013<figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref> depicts the inside of an exemplary air-fed protective suit showing a mouthpiece, a breathing tube, and a breathing filter. In this figure, an exemplary air-fed protective suit 400 is depicted from a perspective view showing an inside 405. A chest area 410 is shown wherein an air tube 410 attaches to a breathing filter 415. The air tube 410 fluidly connects a mouthpiece 420 to the breathing filter 415. When a person is wearing such an exemplary air-fed protective suit 400, the wearer may move his head to take hold of the mouthpiece 420 with his mouth to make respiratory connection with the breathing filter 415. Again, a tearable weld 425 is shown in this figure. The tearable weld 425 may be torn to release the breathing filter 415 from the air-fed protective suit 400.

0014<figref idref="f0005">FIGs. 5A-5B</figref> depict close-up views of an exemplary openable flap covering and exposing a breathing filter. In the <figref idref="f0005">FIGs. 5A-5B</figref> embodiments, an exemplary openable flap covering 500 is depicted. In <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5A</figref>, the openable flap covering 500 is covering an air filter 505. The openable flap covering 500 has a welding 510 attaching the openable flap covering 500 to a shell 515 of a protective suit. The welding 510 may provide a sealed covering of the air filter 505. In <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5B</figref>, the openable flap covering 500 has been torn, exposing the air filter 505. Note that the shell 515 has a circular hole 518 inside of the welding 510. This circular hole exposes the air filter 505 to an external atmosphere.

0015A second welding 520 attaches the openable flap covering 500 to the shell 515 of the protective suit. This second welding 520 may prevent the openable flap covering 500 from becoming a foreign body discarded in an air-contaminated area. This second welding is described in the <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="EP2583721A"><text>EP 2583721</text></patcit> published application, for example, at least with reference to figures 3A-3B of that published application. The welded openable flap covering may prevent the filter from exposure to contaminated air before one intends to use it. In this way, the capacity of the air filter to remove undesirable air contaminants may remain substantially effective until the air filter is needed to be used.

0016<figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref> depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary mouthpiece, an exemplary breathing tube, and an exemplary filter. In this figure, an exemplary breathing system 600 for contaminated air is depicted attached to an exemplary protective suit 605. An exterior atmosphere 610 may be contaminated. But an interior atmosphere 615 may be supplied by an air tube carrying clean breathable air. Should a wearer of such a protective suit 605 experience an interruption in the supply of clean breathable air, or should there be a break in the protective suit, the wearer may be able to use a filter 620 to substantially decontaminate the contaminated air of the exterior atmosphere 610. For example, should the air line feeding the protective suit 605 become kinked, the wearer would be in urgent need of a secondary source of breathable air. The wearer may first grab a mouthpiece 625 with his/her mouth by moving his head to the nearby located mouthpiece within the head area of the suit, for example. The wearer may then tear a tearable filter covering 630 with his/her hand, for example. The wearer may then begin breathing through the filter 620 simply by inhaling and exhaling through the mouthpiece 625. The mouthpiece in this exemplary embodiment contains a valve 635 which directs the inhaled air through the filter as indicated by the arrows with the diagonal hash marks 640. When a user exhales, the valve 635 directs the exhaled air into the interior atmosphere 615 of the protective suit 605, as indicated by the arrows with checkerboard hash marks 645. The exhaled air into the interior atmosphere 615 may help the protective suit 605 maintain a positive air pressure with respect to the exterior atmosphere 610. If, for example, the air supply line becomes kinked, the suit may otherwise lose the positive pressure of the interior atmosphere 615.

0017<figref idref="f0007">FIG. 7</figref> depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary removable breathing filter showing a tearable strip and openable flap. In this respiratory system 700, a protective suit skin 705 is connected to a filter assembly 710 via a filter removal device 715. The filter removal device may be a tearable strip, for example. In some embodiments, the filter removal device may be a line of preferential weakness in the protective suit skin 705, which may permit the user to detach a filter 715 by tearing the protective suit skin 705 along the line of preferential weakness. An openable seal 720 is shown covering a breathing filter 725. The openable seal 720 may be a flap which may be torn to expose a front face 730 of the breathing filter 725. In some embodiments, the openable seal may be attached to the protective suit skin 705. In some embodiments, the openable seal may be attached to the filter assembly 710. In some embodiments, the removal of the openable seal 720 may permit a wearer to breath through the breathing filter 725. In some embodiments, the removal of the openable seal 720 may expose the breathing filter 725 to an exterior atmosphere 735.

0018<figref idref="f0008">FIG. 8</figref> depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary tritium filter and corresponding openable flaps interior and exterior to a protective suit. In the <figref idref="f0008">FIG. 8</figref> embodiment, a breathing tube 800 is shown connected to a mouthpiece 805 but disconnected from a tritium filter 810. The tritium filter 810 may require moisture for preservation, for example. If moisture is required for preservation of a filter, a protective suit 815 may have two filter covers, one an exterior filter cover 820 and one an interior filter cover 825. In this embodiment, a wearer may remove the interior filter cover 825, for example, when he/she first puts on the protective suit 815. After the interior filter cover is removed, an interior surface 850 may be exposed to an atmosphere interior to the protective suit. In this exemplary embodiment, the filter has an inner connector 840 for connection to the breathing tube 800. Then, if the wearer encounters a need to use a tritium filter 810, he/she may remove the exterior filter cover 820, exposing an exterior surface 845 to an atmosphere exterior to the protective suit. The removal of the exterior filter cover 820 may also permit the flow of an exterior atmosphere 835 through the tritium filter 810. The user may then secure a mouthpiece with his/her mouth and breathe through the mouthpiece 805.

0019Although various embodiments have been described with reference to the Figures, other embodiments are possible. For example, some embodiments may use a P3 type of filter. In some examples, pancake type filters may be used for the purpose of filtering the contaminated atmospheric air. In some embodiments tritium filters may be used. Some exemplary filters may require storage within a substantially air-tight environment until time of use. The use of such filters may require a tearable interior filter cover to be removed when a wearer dons a protective suit so equipped. An air tube may then be coupled to the filter after such a removal of the interior filter cover. In some embodiments a breathing filter may be located in the chest area of an exemplary air-fed protective suit. In some embodiments a breathing filter may be located in the mask region of a protective suit. In one example, a filter may be located in a neck region of a protective suit.

0020In various embodiments, apparatus and methods may involve a protective suit that has a source of breathable air attached to the suit or the wearer of the suit. Such a suit may encapsulate a user with a bottle of compressed air attached to the user's body, for example. In various embodiments a protective suit may be connected to a tank of compressed air via an air line.

0021Various embodiments may include an encapsulated protective suit including a skin configured to substantially isolate a wearer from an exterior atmosphere. All embodiments include an air-connection port configured to attach to a source of breathable air. An exemplary embodiment may include a breathing filter detachably coupled to the skin, the breathing filter having an exterior side and an interior side. Some exemplary configurations my include a tearable filter-release strip, wherein before the filter-release strip is torn, the breathing filter is coupled to the skin, and after the filter-release strip is torn, the breathing filter is detached from the skin. Some embodiments include a tearable exterior filter cover, wherein before the exterior filter cover is torn, the exterior side of the filter is covered by the filter cover, and after the exterior filter cover is torn, the exterior side of the filter is exposed to the exterior atmosphere. The embodiments include a mouthpiece accessible to the wearer from within the encapsulated protective suit. The protective suit includes a breathing tube having a first port connected to the mouthpiece, and a second port configured to connect to the interior side of the breathing filter.

0022The embodiments include a protective suit including a substantially air-impervious shell. An air-connection port is configured to attach to a source of breathable air. The embodiments include a filter having an inner connector and an outer face, the filter having an attached mode and a detached mode, wherein when the filter is in the attached mode, the filter is attached to the substantially air-impervious shell, and when the filter is in the detached mode, the filter is detached from the substantially air-impervious shell. A breathing tube has a first port connectable to a mouthpiece and in fluid communication with a second port configured to connect to the inner connector of the filter.

0023The protective suit includes a substantially air-impervious shell. The substantially air-impervious suit includes an air-connection port configured to attach to a source of breathable air. It includes a detachable filter coupled to the substantially air-impervious shell, the filter having an inner connector and an outer face. A breathing tube having a first port connectable to a mouthpiece and in fluid communication with a second port configured to connect to the inner connector of the is included in all embodiments.

0024In various embodiments the filter may be toollessly detached from the substantially air-impervious shell without interruption of user respiration via the filter. Such means of toollessly detachment may include the use of a tearable weld, for example. Some embodiments may include a rigid structure underlying a substantially air-impervious membrane. And when the user wishes to detach the filter, he may pull the string which may simultaneously remove the air-impervious membrane. In one exemplary embodiment, the flexible shell of the protective suit may be scored such that the flexible shell may preferentially tear along the scoring.

0025A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modification may be made. For example, advantageous results may be achieved if the steps of the disclosed techniques were performed in a different sequence, or if components of the disclosed systems were combined in a different manner, or if the components were supplemented with other components. Accordingly, other implementations are contemplated.