Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-31
2001-05-22
Neas, Michael A. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
C002S006600, C128S201250, C128S205270, C588S253000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233748
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to biological/chemical filtering systems and more particularly to a personal environmental protection system for rendering airborne biological/chemical agents harmless.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of biological and chemical agents in warfare is well-known. Such biological and chemical agents may be dispersed in the air where enemy troops are present in an attempt to incapacitate or kill the enemy troops.
One common countermeasure against such biological and chemical agents is the use of a gas mask, which typically utilizes particulate and chemical filtering. Activated charcoal i.e., carbon, is the typical filtering agent. Protective clothing may also be worn so as to prevent absorption of biological and chemical agents through the skin.
However, for such a contemporary gas mask and protective clothing to be effective, it must be worn prior to exposure to the biological and/or chemical agent. Even under ideal conditions, where a biological/chemical agent detector is co-located with the targeted troops, a soldier frequently does not have time to don such contemporary protective gear. Thus, by the time the soldier has been warned, he may already have inhaled a lethal quality of the toxin or pathogen.
It is also known to inoculate soldiers against biological agents. However, in many instances the concentration of biological agent will be so high that current vaccines are not capable of providing adequate protection thereagainst. Inoculation against chemical agents is typically not possible.
Moreover, contemporary filters provide inadequate protection against some modern toxic chemical agents as well as the more virulent infectious agents such as anthrax.
As such, it is desirable to provide a reliable and effective means for neutralizing toxic chemicals and/or pathogens which is easy to use and very quick to put into service.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention specifically addresses and eliminates the above mentioned deficiencies in the prior art. More particularly, the present invention comprises an environmental protection system for rendering biological/chemical agents harmless. The environmental protection system comprises a source of radiation and a reactive surface, wherein the reactive surface has an oxidation potential sufficient to cooperate with the source of radiation in a manner which renders biological/chemical agents which are in contact with the reactive surface harmless. The source of radiation and the reactive surface are preferably configured for attachment to a helmet having an airtight transparent face plate, so as to make safe air which is breathed by the wearer of the helmet. By incorporating the environmental protection system into a helmet, which is always worn by soldiers upon the battlefield, the environmental protection system of the present invention is always ready for use.
More particularly, the helmet, which incorporates the environmental protection system of the present invention, may be worn without the removable transparent face shield or visor, if desired. Then, when a biological/chemical warning is sounded, the face shield is quickly and easily installed upon the helmet so as to provide an airtight seal. This minimizes the actions which are necessary in order to provide protection from biological/chemical agents (as compared to the procedure for donning a contemporary gas mask), thereby substantially enhancing a soldier's likelihood of surviving a biological/chemical attack. Of course, if the soldier leaves the face shield in place on the helmet and the ultraviolet light source is already turned on, then the environmental protection system is ready to provide protection from a biological/chemical attack without any further action by the soldier. If the ultraviolet light source is turned off, then it must be turned on, either automatically or manually. The ultraviolet light source may optionally be turned on automatically via a radio signal or the like transmitted in response to the sounding of a biological/chemical warning.
Optionally, the environmental protection system of the present invention is configured such that when any soldier within a predetermined area activates his environmental protection system, then a warning is sounded and/or all of the environmental protection systems of all nearby soldiers are automatically activated, such as by a radio signal, for example. Although the environmental protection systems of the soldiers may be activated by radio, for example, they must be manually deactivated, so as to prevent deactivation by an enemy. If a soldier's face shield has been removed, then an audible and/or visual alarm provides an indication of the need to immediately install the face shield and also of the need to activate the ultraviolet light source, if necessary. In this manner, all of the personal environmental systems of a friendly force can be activated in the shortest time possible when a biological/chemical attack is suspected.
The source of radiation preferably comprises a source of ultraviolet radiation and the reactive surface preferably comprises titanium dioxide. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reactive surface comprises a plurality of optical quartz fibers upon which the titanium dioxide is formed and the source of radiation is configured so as to direct ultraviolet radiation into the quartz fibers, thereby illuminating the titanium dioxide surface coating thereof.
The source of radiation preferably comprises a solid-state ultraviolet light source, preferably a gallium nitride diode which emits ultraviolet light having a wavelength between approximately 300 nm and approximately 400 nm.
Preferably, the reactive surface comprises titanium dioxide formed upon optical quartz fibers having a length between approximately 10 cm and approximately 100 cm and having a diameter between approximately 10 microns approximately 50 microns.
A self-sterilizing surface may be formed by applying a coating of titanium dioxides thereto. Where the surface is exposed to sufficient sunlight, no other source of illumination may be necessary. Otherwise, a source of ultraviolet radiation is preferably provided so as to illuminate the self-sterilizing surface.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the helmet, as well as any other desired clothing or surfaces, is formed to have a layer of porous, substantially ultraviolet light transparent material formed upon a layer of titanium dioxide which substantially covers the helmet or other surface.
The layer of porous ultraviolet light transparent material provides a protective coating for the underlying titanium dioxide, such that the underlying titanium dioxide does not easily become scratched or abraded. The layer of porous, substantially ultraviolet light transparent material preferably comprises a ceramic material.
Thus, the source of radiation and the reactive surface are configured so as to render the biological/chemical agents coming into contact therewith harmless, such that breathing and/or touching the biological/chemical agents does not incapacitate a soldier.
Thus, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a helmet comprises an optical fiber reactor and, the optical fiber reactor comprises a source of ultraviolet radiation and a reactive surface which comprises titanium dioxide upon which the ultraviolet radiation is directed. The helmet also comprises an air intake manifold configured so as to route outside air through the optical fiber reactor and into the helmet such that the air is thus rendered safe for breathing.
Self-sterilizing surfaces are fabricated by forming a titanium dioxide layer upon the surface and then forming a layer of porous substantially ultraviolet light transparent material, preferably a ceramic material thereupon. Ultraviolet radiation, such as that of sunlight, incident upon the titanium dioxide layer effects oxidation of harmful biological/chemical agents disposed upon the surface.
The helm
Barnett Peter A.
Gieger Paul Daniel
Integrated Medical Systems, Inc.
Neas Michael A.
Stetina Brunda Garred & Brucker
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