Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Face mask covering a breathing passage
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-18
2004-04-06
Lewis, Aaron J. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Face mask covering a breathing passage
C128S206280, C128S207110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06715490
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention pertains to a respirator that can be conveniently disposed beneath a wearer's chin when not in use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are two important reasons for wearing a respirator: to prevent impurities or contaminants from entering the wearer's breathing track; and to protect others from being exposed to pathogenic microbes and other contaminants exhaled by the wearer. When wearing a respirator for either of these reasons, occasions frequently arise which require the wearer to temporarily displace the body of the respirator from their face. For instance, the wearer may temporarily leave a contaminated area for a short time, or the wearer may wish to briefly speak to another person. When the respirator body is temporarily displaced from the wearer's face, it is desirable to keep the respirator body readily accessible so that it can be quickly retrieved and returned to its position over the wearer's nose and mouth. Otherwise, it becomes more likely that the person would not consistently wear the respirator in the work place, creating unsafe conditions for the wearer or others who may be exposed to contaminants exhaled by the wearer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a new respirator which has a harness that allows the respirator body to be retained in a convenient location when removed from a wearer's face. In the respirator of the invention, the harness is attached to the respirator body and includes an element that contains a curved elongated slot and a substantially flat, flexible strap. The substantially flat, flexible strap slidably passes through the curved elongated slot in the element. The curved elongated configuration of the slot deforms the strap, causing the strap to assume the curved configuration of the slot to frictionally engage the element at the point where the strap passes through the curved elongated slot.
The use of such a harness in a respirator is particularly beneficial for temporarily storing the respirator body when not in use and for conveniently remounting the respirator body upon the wearer's face. When a wearer desires to remove the respirator body from their face, the flexible strap can be slid through the curved elongated slot to create slack sufficient to allow the respirator body to be stored beneath the wearer's chin. When the wearer desires to return the respirator body to its position over the wearer's nose and mouth, the wearer simply pulls on the strap, and the respirator body rises up into position over the nose and mouth of the wearer. The frictional engagement between the strap and the element allows the respirator body to remain in that position until a buckle or other suitable means is engaged to more snugly secure the respirator body to the person's face. Thus, the respirator of the invention is advantageous in that: (1) the respirator body can be conveniently disposed beneath the wearer's chin when not in use; and (2) the respirator body can be provisionally supported by itself over the nose and mouth of the wearer until a more permanent securement is achieved. Both of these advantages improve the likelihood that the wearer will consistently wear the respirator in the work place. The former advantage does so by keeping the respirator body readily accessible, and the latter advantage does so by making it easier for the wearer to reposition the respirator body over their nose and mouth.
In addition to the advantages (1) and (2) described above, the invention also is advantageous in that the harness is very simple in design. The harness employs a minimal number of parts, which do not have a complicated structure and are relatively easy to manufacture.
REFERENCES:
patent: 509718 (1893-11-01), Behrens
patent: 671616 (1901-04-01), Thompson
patent: 1055067 (1913-03-01), Molloy
patent: 1398966 (1921-12-01), Hirsh
patent: 1798576 (1931-03-01), Alonso
patent: 2079581 (1937-05-01), Whipple
patent: 2228379 (1941-01-01), Woodward
patent: 2444417 (1948-07-01), Bierman
patent: 2867812 (1959-01-01), Roth et al.
patent: 2928387 (1960-03-01), Layne
patent: 2970593 (1961-02-01), Seeler
patent: 3079917 (1963-03-01), Pate
patent: 3117574 (1964-01-01), Replogle
patent: 3234939 (1966-02-01), Morton
patent: 3234940 (1966-02-01), Morton
patent: 3347229 (1967-10-01), Heitman
patent: 3379195 (1968-04-01), Bleach
patent: 3971373 (1976-07-01), Braun
patent: 4414973 (1983-11-01), Matheson et al.
patent: 4536440 (1985-08-01), Berg
patent: 4559939 (1985-12-01), Levine et al.
patent: 4676236 (1987-06-01), Piorkowski et al.
patent: 4790306 (1988-12-01), Braun et al.
patent: 4807619 (1989-02-01), Dyrud et al.
patent: 4811728 (1989-03-01), Von Kopp
patent: 4827924 (1989-05-01), Japuntich
patent: 4960121 (1990-10-01), Nelson et al.
patent: 5033465 (1991-07-01), Braun et al.
patent: 5062421 (1991-11-01), Burns et al.
patent: 5069205 (1991-12-01), Urso
patent: 5156146 (1992-10-01), Corces et al.
patent: 5181507 (1993-01-01), Michel et al.
patent: 5237986 (1993-08-01), Seppala et al.
patent: 5291880 (1994-03-01), Almovist et al.
patent: 5464010 (1995-11-01), Byram
patent: 6062221 (2000-05-01), Brostrom et al.
patent: 6095143 (2000-08-01), Dyrud et al.
patent: 6119692 (2000-09-01), Byram
patent: 6338342 (2002-01-01), Fecteau et al.
patent: 6457473 (2002-10-01), Brostrom et al.
patent: 6497232 (2002-12-01), Fecteau et al.
patent: 6536435 (2003-03-01), Fecteau et al.
patent: 6591837 (2003-07-01), Byram
patent: 643803 (1962-06-01), None
patent: 818787 (1951-10-01), None
patent: 866108 (1953-02-01), None
patent: 3122034 (1982-12-01), None
patent: 34-12900 (1959-08-01), None
patent: WO 86/01693 (1986-03-01), None
patent: WO 93/14819 (1993-08-01), None
3M Innovative Properties Company
Hanson Karl G.
Johnson Allison
Lewis Aaron J.
LandOfFree
Convenient “drop-down” respirator does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Convenient “drop-down” respirator, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Convenient “drop-down” respirator will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3245350