Respirator selection program

Details Respirator selection program Respirator selection program

1996-05-16

2001-03-27

Nasser, Robert L. (Department: 3736)

Surgery

Respiratory method or device

Means for supplying respiratory gas under positive pressure

C128S201220

Reexamination Certificate

active

06206001

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a program which facilitates a user in the selection of respirators.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Exposure to chemical gases and vapors often requires the use of a respirator in order to avoid harmful health effects. Consequently, there are several respirator protection guidebooks currently available which provide information about potentially harmful chemicals disclosed therein. These guidebooks also designate a respirator which is intended to provide a proper level of protection for a corresponding exposure rate of a corresponding quantity of each corresponding chemical disclosed therein.
Moreover, there are software guides currently available which put the information contained in these guidebooks into a database format so that this information may be more easily searched. One example of such a software guide offered by MSA. There are similar systems for the selection of gloves such as Best Gloves, Specwear, Forsburg, and for the selection of detector tubes, such as is offered by Draeger in Germany.
These guidebooks and software guides do not facilitate the selection of respirators based upon interactions between multiple chemicals and based upon multiple levels of exposure to these chemicals. Furthermore, while there are other known software programs which do permit the selection of a respirator based upon multiple chemicals and based upon multiple levels of exposure to these chemicals, these other known software programs are rule-based systems and do not include databases. Another known system is a combination of a database system and a rule-based system. Rule-based systems, and partially rule-based systems (i.e., systems combining a database and a rule-based engine), incorporate many or most of the standards, which govern respirator selection, into a respirator selection engine. However, these fully or partially rule-based systems do not consider the health effects of the chemicals to which people are exposed during the selection of respirators. Moreover, because these fully or partially rule-based systems are rule based, they are very difficult to change. Thus, when government standards, which govern the selection of respirators, change, as they do often, considerable time and effort must be expended in order to upgrade these fully and partially rule-based systems with these standards changes.
The present invention overcomes one or more of the problems discussed above with regard to respirator selection systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method of selecting a respirator comprises the steps, performed by a data processing system, of (a) executing program code in the data processing system in order to determine a health effect of a first chemical, (b) executing program code in the data processing system in order to determine a health effect of a second chemical, and (c) executing program code in the data processing system in order to select a respirator based upon the health effects of the first and second chemicals.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a computer readable storage medium has program code stored thereon. The program code contains a chemicals database, a standards database, and a respirator database. The chemicals database contains data on chemicals which may require the use of respirators. The standards database contains data on respirator selection related to the chemicals contained in the chemicals database. The program code further contains a non-standards based engine which, when executed, performs the steps of (i) accepting a chemical which is entered by a user, (ii) accepting an exposure amount which is entered by the user, and (iii) selecting a respirator based upon the chemicals database, the standards database, the respirator database, the chemical which is entered by the user, and the exposure amount which is entered by the user.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a computer readable storage medium has program code stored thereon. The program code contains a chemicals database, a health effects database, a standards database, and a respirator database. The chemicals database contains data on chemicals which may require the use of respirators, and the chemicals database also contains pointers to the health effects database. The health effects database contains health effects resulting from exposure to the chemicals in the chemical database. The program code further contains a non-standards based engine which, when executed, performs the steps of (a) accepting first and second chemicals which are entered by a user, and (b) selecting a respirator based upon the chemicals database, the health effects database, the standards database, the respirator database, and the first and second chemicals which are entered by the user.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, an article of manufacture comprises a computer readable storage medium and program code stored on the computer readable storage medium. The program code contains a database and a non-standards based engine. The non-standards based engine, when executed, performs the steps of (a) accepting first and second chemicals which are entered by a user, (b) accepting first and second exposure amounts which correspond to the first and second chemicals and which are entered by the user, and (c) selecting a respirator based upon the database, the first and second chemicals which are entered by the user, and the first and second exposure amounts which are entered by the user.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a computer readable storage medium has program code stored thereon. The program code includes a database containing data on chemicals and respirators, and the program code further includes a non-standards based engine. The non-standards based engine, when executed, performs the steps of (a) accepting first and second chemicals which are entered by a user, and (b) selecting a respirator based upon the database and the first and second chemicals which are entered by the user.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4459266 (1984-07-01), Lamoreaux
patent: 4491725 (1985-01-01), Pritchard
patent: 4858121 (1989-08-01), Barber et al.
patent: 4860223 (1989-08-01), Grilk
patent: 5574828 (1996-11-01), Hayward et al.
Computer software program (1 diskette) entitledGuide to Chemical-Resistant Best Gloves, @ 1993 by Best Manufacturing Company, Menlo, GA.
Computer Software publications catalog for Chemical Protective Clothing Permeation/Degradation Database, ACGIH, undated, (pp. 48, 52).
Product advertisement for“SpecWare,” undated, 1 page.
Product advertisement for “Sax's Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials” (Eight Edition) and “Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary” (Twelfth Edition), by Richard J. Lewis, Sr., pub. by Van Nostrand Reinhold, NY, NY, undated, 1 page.
Product information sheet for “Best Glove Recommendations For Vinyl Chloride (GAS)”, dated Jun. 2, 1993, 1 page.
Photocopy of 3M Occupational Health and Environmental Safety Division brochure with page titles “3M has made the process of selecting a respirator easier and faster.” and “3M Select Software© is accurate, traceable and an effective way to meet OSHA regulations.”, undated, 1 page.
Photocopy of Auergesellschaft GmbH product brochure entitled “AUERDATA PR 2.0”, (undated). (Translation has been ordered by Applicants' attorney and will be provided to PTO upon receipt).

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Respirator selection program does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Respirator selection program, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Respirator selection program will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2455251