Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Means for removing substance from respiratory gas
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-14
2001-10-09
Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Means for removing substance from respiratory gas
C128S206170
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298849
ABSTRACT:
THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a respirator mask and specifically to a respirator mask with includes replaceable cartridges.
In the prior art respirator masks have been made with replaceable cartridges. These respirator masks normally include cartridges being replaceable by either a screw on joint, using threaded connections or using a bayonet type joint between the cartridge and the mask. In these prior art devices it is often difficult to replace the cartridge since the threads may misalign or the bayonet joint may be difficult to engage. In addition in the prior art, if the cartridge is not either threaded on properly or connected properly using the bayonet joint, the mask may allow for the leakage of outside, unfiltered air into the mask. It is sometimes difficult to tell if the cartridge has been properly seated into a mask, which as indicated above, can allow for a dangerous situation of the mask allowing in unfiltered air.
The prior art masks are also relatively expensive to manufacture since the threaded connections must be accurately dimensioned and the bayonet joint must also be accurately dimensioned to ensure a proper seal.
In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art respirator masks as indicated above, a prior invention, now the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,197 and assigned to the same assignee as the instant invention, provided for a respirator mask which uses replaceable cartridges, but does not incorporate any threaded connection or a bayonet joint to have the cartridge attached to the mask. Specifically, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,197 the cartridge is attached to the mask using a simple groove around an interior inner end of the cartridge which mates with a complementary opening having a flange portion which is received in the groove inner end of the cartridge.
In the prior invention the mask body is made of a resilient, flexible rubber-like material and the flange portion around the opening itself acts as a joint member in cooperation with the groove to have the cartridge simply attached to the mask using this combination flange/groove construction. Since the mask is made of a flexible resilient material, the flange provides for an airtight seal between the cartridge and the mask.
Because of the specific groove and flange structure and the resiliency of the mask body itself, it is simple to install a cartridge by inserting the cartridge on an angle to engage the flange in one portion of the groove and then by merely stretching the resilient mask body around the opening the remaining groove portion seats into place to produce the proper sealing of the cartridge to the mask.
The difficulty with this type of design is that the mask body, being made of the resilient flexible rubber-like material is quite heavy and it would be desirable to replace the mask body with a thin rigid member, which is strong but yet much lighter in weight.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a respiratory mask, which uses replaceable cartridges, but with the mask body or respirator shell molded from a relatively hard or rigid plastic material. Over molded to the outer edge of the mask body is a flexible, rubber-like material to provide for sealing of the mask body to the face of a user. In addition, the mask body includes at least one opening for receiving a filter cartridge and with a flexible, rubber-like material over molded within this, at least one cartridge opening, to receive the filter cartridge.
Specifically, the present invention uses a filter cartridge essentially of the same type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,197, but with the over molded rubber-like material surrounding the interior portion of the opening forming a cartridge opening designed to receive the filter cartridge and to have the filter cartridge fixed into position by snapping the filter cartridge into the cartridge opening.
In particular, the rubber-like material over molded within the cartridge opening includes a pair of flange members which extend into the cartridge opening and form inner and outer sealing members. The outer sealing member engages a tapered sealing surface in the filter cartridge and with the inner sealing member projecting downward to capture a flange portion of the filter cartridge. This provides for a snap-in cartridge, which is locked into position and additionally, sealed by the inner sealing member once the cartridge is fully seated into the cartridge opening.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2668532 (1954-02-01), Evans
patent: 5062421 (1991-11-01), Burns et al.
patent: 5148803 (1992-09-01), Schlobohm
patent: 5181507 (1993-01-01), Michel et al.
patent: 5505197 (1996-04-01), Scholey
patent: 5579761 (1996-12-01), Yuschak et al.
patent: 6016804 (2000-01-01), Gleason et al.
patent: 6044842 (2000-04-01), Pereira et al.
patent: 6062221 (2000-05-01), Brostrom et al.
patent: 6176239 (2001-01-01), Grove et al.
patent: 6216693 (2001-04-01), Rekow et al.
Grimsley Terry L.
Scholey Michael Forbes
Mitchell Teena K
Moldex-Metric, Inc.
Schwartz Charles H.
Weiss John G.
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