Personal containment system with sealed passthrough

Details Personal containment system with sealed passthrough Personal containment system with sealed passthrough

2002-10-03

2004-09-28

Dawson, Glenn K. (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Respiratory method or device

Including body or head supported means covering user's scalp

C128S204180, C128S205120, C128S205260, C128S205270

Reexamination Certificate

active

06796304

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates to personal containment systems such as protective suits and protective tents adapted to isolate a wearer or user from a contaminated environment. This invention also relates to personal containment systems having a filtered air delivery system.
BACKGROUND
Personal containment systems can protect a user from a variety of harmful chemical or biological agents. Many examples of personal containment systems that can surround a user are known, such as protective suits, protective tents, casualty bags for injured persons, and the like. These systems preferably isolate the user's entire body from contaminants. Often, the contaminants include respiratory hazards, and the systems must employ air delivery systems so that the user is able to breathe when isolated from the environment. Respirators are often used in conjunction with personal protection systems to provide the user with purified air. A variety of respirators are known and described below.
Certain personal containment systems employ a non-powered purifying respirator. Air is drawn into the system through a filter by the user's breathing action. When the user draws a breath, negative pressure is created in the system and air is drawn in through the filter. When the user expels a breath, spent air leaves the system through a valve.
A powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) can be employed to supply a continuous stream of filtered air under positive pressure to a personal containment system. A typical PAPR includes a filter attached to a blower which delivers filtered air to the system. Such air delivery can involve a conduit that ducts air to a hood or a spigot on a protective garment. PAPRs are generally powered by a battery. When used with a protective garment, the PAPR blower typically is mounted on a belt wrapped around a user's waist or on a harness strapped to the user's torso, and worn externally. PAPRs are generally employed in industrial applications where the environmental hazards are well defined and quantified.
A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is another variety of respirator employed as a part of a personal containment system. A SCBA typically supplies air or oxygen from a portable source to a regulator or other breathing device worn by the user. A SCBA worn inside a sealed protective suit provides the user with a fully contained protective environment. SCBA systems employed in this manner can be used when the nature of the hazard is not known, or in environments that might be void of oxygen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Recently published PCT Application No. WO 01/74449 A1 describes a protective suit having a harness-borne pump unit positioned inside the suit. A port is provided for air to be drawn in from outside the protective suit. A filter may be positioned outside the suit and screwed to a spigot extending from the pump unit through the port. An air-tight connection is said to be made around the port when the filter and pump are properly connected so that no air may pass through the port without passing through the filter.
If the filter in such a device is misconnected or disconnected, leakage could occur between the port and spigot. In addition, sudden movement by the user or other disturbance of the suit while the filter is disconnected might cause the spigot to withdraw from the port and dangle inside the suit. That could make it much more difficult to replace the filter quickly, especially if filter replacement is attempted while in a hazardous environment.
The invention provides, in one aspect, a personal containment system comprising:
a generally fluid-tight barrier having an inner surface defining an inner environment that can surround a user of the containment system and an outer surface defining an outer environment that can contain one or more hazards;
an air delivery system that can provide filtered air from the outer environment to the inner environment, comprising a replaceable filter exposed to the outer environment and a blower generally isolated from the outer environment and in fluid communication with the filter; and
a port for delivery of filtered air through the barrier to the blower, the port providing a generally fluid tight connection to the barrier and blower during filter replacement.
The invention may permit replacement of the filter under hazardous conditions, without requiring the user to exit a contaminated or otherwise hazardous environment. Leakage of contaminants into the system is minimized, and limited to materials that might enter the blower inlet. The blower inlet remains accessible during filter replacement, thereby speeding and simplifying the filter replacement process.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3064488 (1962-11-01), Lee et al.
patent: 3446420 (1969-05-01), Rinecker
patent: 3525334 (1970-08-01), Braman et al.
patent: 3768467 (1973-10-01), Jennings
patent: 3777750 (1973-12-01), Savornin
patent: 4172454 (1979-10-01), Warncke et al.
patent: 4272851 (1981-06-01), Goldstein
patent: 4458680 (1984-07-01), Childers et al.
patent: 4602658 (1986-07-01), Luther et al.
patent: 4614186 (1986-09-01), John
patent: 4651727 (1987-03-01), Howorth
patent: 4741333 (1988-05-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 4771771 (1988-09-01), Walther
patent: 4807614 (1989-02-01), van der Smissen et al.
patent: 4811728 (1989-03-01), Von Kopp
patent: 4818122 (1989-04-01), Arbuthnot
patent: 4864654 (1989-09-01), Schriver et al.
patent: 4881539 (1989-11-01), Pasternack
patent: 4899740 (1990-02-01), Napolitano
patent: 4903694 (1990-02-01), Hager
patent: H863 (1991-01-01), Kwiedorowicz et al.
patent: 5003974 (1991-04-01), Mou
patent: 5125402 (1992-06-01), Greenough
patent: 5140980 (1992-08-01), Haughey et al.
patent: 5186165 (1993-02-01), Swann
patent: 5233975 (1993-08-01), Choate
patent: 5265592 (1993-11-01), Beaussant
patent: 5309901 (1994-05-01), Beaussant
patent: H1316 (1994-06-01), McGuinness
patent: 5339806 (1994-08-01), Beaussant et al.
patent: H1360 (1994-10-01), Grove et al.
patent: 5431156 (1995-07-01), Sundstrom
patent: 5515846 (1996-05-01), Drews
patent: 5526804 (1996-06-01), Ottestad
patent: 5653225 (1997-08-01), Schegerin
patent: 5690095 (1997-11-01), Glynn et al.
patent: 5752282 (1998-05-01), Silveri
patent: 5832919 (1998-11-01), Kano et al.
patent: 5921388 (1999-07-01), Petrilli et al.
patent: 5957131 (1999-09-01), Hutchinson et al.
patent: 5975081 (1999-11-01), Hood et al.
patent: 6014971 (2000-01-01), Danisch et al.
patent: 6076571 (2000-06-01), Burns et al.
patent: 6158429 (2000-12-01), Gardner et al.
patent: 6245009 (2001-06-01), Travis et al.
patent: 6296693 (2001-10-01), McCarthy
patent: 6340024 (2002-01-01), Brookman et al.
patent: 6508850 (2003-01-01), Kotliar
patent: 6575165 (2003-06-01), Cook et al.
patent: 2001/0052144 (2001-12-01), Paris et al.
patent: 2003/0024529 (2003-02-01), Beizndtsson et al.
patent: 2003/0192537 (2003-10-01), Odell et al.
patent: 2003/0192541 (2003-10-01), Avery et al.
patent: 156463 (1982-09-01), None
patent: 93 04 883 (1993-06-01), None
patent: 0 233 995 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 0 211 914 (1988-10-01), None
patent: 0 464 234 (1990-07-01), None
patent: 0 468 188 (1992-01-01), None
patent: 0 474 372 (1992-03-01), None
patent: 0 353 417 (1992-11-01), None
patent: 0 488 880 (1995-10-01), None
patent: 2 565 662 (1985-12-01), None
patent: 2 032 255 (1980-05-01), None
patent: 2061696 (1981-05-01), None
patent: 2173705 (1986-10-01), None
patent: 2 220 573 (1990-01-01), None
patent: 2 247 175 (1992-02-01), None
patent: 2 247 396 (1992-03-01), None
patent: WO 86 04508 (1986-08-01), None
patent: WO 92/04835 (1992-04-01), None
patent: WO 92/09332 (1992-06-01), None
patent: WO 92/18201 (1992-10-01), None
patent: WO 01 41873 (2001-06-01), None
patent: WO 01/74449 (2001-10-01), None
patent: WO 02/11815 (2002-02-01), None
“The Next Step . . .” 3M Innovation Brochure (2001).
“SE-Shield Protective Suit for SE400”, downloaded from the internet archive site at http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.sea.com.au/docs/data/dsseshield.htm . According to the internet archive, this page first appeared on Jan. 11, 2002.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Personal containment system with sealed passthrough does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Personal containment system with sealed passthrough, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Personal containment system with sealed passthrough will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3230989