Patent Grant
11219788
Respirators are often used for cleansing air to be breathed by a user, and commonly include a mask body along with one or more filter units that are attached to the respirator body.
In broad summary, herein are disclosed filter cartridge holders that include a fit-check device with a sealing platen that can be actuated between a first, unsealed position and a second, sealed position in which at least a portion of the sealing platen contacts a major surface of a disposable filter cartridge within the cartridge holder so as to prevent airflow through the disposable filter cartridge. Also disclosed are respirators that make use of such cartridge holders, and disposable filter cartridges that are configured for use in such cartridge holders. These and other aspects will be apparent from the detailed description below. In no event, however, should this summary be construed to limit the claimable subject matter, whether such subject matter is presented in claims in the application as initially filed or in claims that are amended or otherwise presented in prosecution.
Like reference numbers in the various figures indicate like elements. Some elements may be present in identical or equivalent multiples; in such cases only one or more representative elements may be designated by a reference number but it will be understood that such reference numbers apply to all such identical elements. Unless otherwise indicated, all figures and drawings in this document are not to scale and are chosen for the purpose of illustrating different embodiments of the invention. In particular the dimensions of the various components are depicted in illustrative terms only, and no relationship between the dimensions of the various components should be inferred from the drawings, unless so indicated. Although terms such as “top”, “bottom”, “upper”, “lower”, “under”, “over”, “up” and “down”, and “first” and “second” may be used in this disclosure, it should be understood that those terms are used in their relative sense only unless otherwise noted.
As used herein as a modifier to a property or attribute, the term “generally”, unless otherwise specifically defined, means that the property or attribute would be readily recognizable by a person of ordinary skill but without requiring absolute precision or a perfect match (e.g., within +/−20% for quantifiable properties). The term “substantially”, unless otherwise specifically defined, means to a high degree of approximation (e.g., within +/−10% for quantifiable properties) but again without requiring absolute precision or a perfect match. Terms such as same, equal, uniform, constant, strictly, and the like, are understood to be within the usual tolerances or measuring error applicable to the particular circumstance rather than requiring absolute precision or a perfect match.
Glossary
“Front”, “frontward”, “forward”, “forward-facing”, “forwardmost”, and like terms are defined with respect to a respirator in which an item is used, and denote a direction generally away from the face of a user wearing the respirator. “Rear”, “rearward”, and like terms denote a direction generally toward the face of a user wearing the respirator.
Terms such as “inside”, “inward”, and the like, are defined with respect to a filter cartridge, and denote a direction toward the interior of a filter cartridge. Terms such as “outside”, “outward”, and the like, denote a direction away from the interior of a filter cartridge.
By “air-permeable” is meant an item (e.g., a sheetlike layer) or an area of an item that permits airflow therethrough, which may be achieved by any conventional means, e.g. the providing of perforated through-holes and the like.
By “air-impermeable” is meant an item or an area of an item (whether continuous or discontinuous) that does not permit airflow therethrough.
By “seal”, “sealed”, “sealing” and like expressions is meant to directly contact at least a portion of a major surface of a disposable filter cartridge so as to physically block (occlude) an otherwise air-permeable area of the major surface of the cartridge so that air cannot flow therethrough. Such sealing can be performed e.g. by blocking air from reaching a perforated area of the major surface of the item (e.g. by sealing around the perimeter of the perforated area) and/or by individually blocking all of the through-holes of the perforated area.
“Upstream” refers to portions of a pathway followed by flowing (unfiltered) air prior to the air entering a filter cartridge; “downstream” refers to portions of a pathway followed by flowing (filtered) air after the air has exited the filter cartridge.
Shown in
A disposable filter cartridge 1 as shown in exemplary embodiment e.g. in
Filter cartridge casing 50 is a part of disposable filter cartridge 1 and is permanently attached (directly or indirectly) to filter media 10. Thus by definition casing 50 is not a part of cartridge holder 60. Filter cartridge casing 50 comprises a first major portion 51 that that resides outwardly of the first major side 25 of the filter media and that has a major front surface 59 that provides the major front surface of filter cartridge 1. First major portion 51 of casing 50 includes a first air-permeable area 52 (with perimeter 58), in which area casing 50 is provided with a plurality of through-holes 55. In some embodiments, major portion 51 of casing 50 may have a non-air-permeable (e.g. non-perforated) picture-frame border 56 that surrounds air-permeable (e.g. perforated) area 52, as shown e.g. in
Casing 50 may further comprise a second major portion 53 that resides outwardly of the second major side 35 of the filter media and that includes a second air-permeable area 54 (noting that these items are not directly visible in
As noted, disposable filter cartridge 1 is installed within cartridge holder 60 for use in respirator 300. It will be appreciated that cartridge holder 60 is not a part of filter cartridge 1 (and vice versa) and filter cartridge 1 and cartridge holder 60 are not permanently attached to each other. Rather, cartridge holder 60 is configured to receive a filter cartridge 1 that is installed thereinto, and serves to fluidically connect the filter cartridge to a mask body over the usable lifetime of the filter cartridge, after which the filter cartridge is removed and replaced. An exemplary cartridge holder 60 is shown in side-front partially exploded perspective view in
As assembled, cartridge holder 60 may be at least substantially air-impermeable (i.e., having no substantially unoccluded openings thereinto) except for at least one unfiltered air inlet 63 located e.g. at a lower end 75 of cartridge holder 60, and at least one filtered air outlet 77 through which filtered air can exit cartridge holder 60 to reach mask body 310. It will be appreciated that locating an unfiltered air inlet 63 at the lower end of cartridge holder, so that it is frontally shielded by front side 61 of the cartridge holder (e.g., by an air-impermeable shroud 64), can advantageously shield the filter cartridge from splashes of liquid, from debris emitted by industrial processes (e.g. such as grinding), from sparks from welding, and so on. However, an unfiltered air inlet can be located at any desired position of cartridge holder 60; for example, an inlet might be located on a forward-facing surface of shroud 64 of cartridge holder 60, e.g. with a splash shield provided thereover. Alternatively, an unfiltered air inlet might be provided on a rearward location of cartridge holder 60 (e.g., on a rear face of base 65). In such a case, all descriptions herein in which a front face of a filter cartridge is referred to as an upstream face of the cartridge, and all descriptions herein in which a rear face of a filter cartridge is referred to as a downstream face of the cartridge, will be understood to be reversed.
In the illustrated embodiment of
Whatever the specific design, cartridge holder 60 may comprise a first holder portion (e.g., a shroud) that is movable relative to a second holder portion (e.g. a base) between a first, open position in which a filter cartridge 1 can be installed into the cartridge holder, and a second, closed position in which the filter cartridge is securely held (sandwiched) within the cartridge holder. The holder portions (regardless of their number) may be conveniently made of e.g. molded thermoplastic polymer material (e.g. an injection-molding resin). In particular embodiments, a first and/or second holder portion may include one or more compressing structures that are configured to press a particular area of the filter cartridge against a receiving structure of the other holder portion, in order to hold the filter cartridge securely in place and to prevent any air leaks around the edges of the filter cartridge. If desired, one or more optional gaskets may be used to enhance the air-tightness of the fit of the filter cartridge within the cartridge holder.
If desired, one or more latches may be provided to ensure that the first and second holder portions are securely latched to each other when the portions are in their closed positions. Such latches may take any suitable form. In some embodiments, a 67 latch may be provided collectively by complementary mating features, a first one of which is e.g. integrally molded with the first portion 64 of the holder, a second of which is e.g. integrally molded with the second portion 65 of the holder. In an exemplary embodiment of this type, first holder portion 64 may comprise a deflectable tongue 74 that, when holder portions are closed together, fits into a slot 71 while being slightly deflected in the process so as to snap in place in the slot. A user of the respirator can the manually deflect tongue 74 so allow the cartridge holder to be opened. In some embodiments a disposable filter cartridge may be held sandwiched in place between the first holder portion and the second holder portion purely by the pressure exerted by the holder portions as described above. However, in other embodiments, one or more ancillary fasteners (e.g., latches, clasps, snaps, pincers, pins, and the like) may be used to enhance the holding of filter cartridge 1 in place. Similarly, any type of adhesive, hook and loop fastener, or the like may be used for such purpose.
Fit-Check Device
A cartridge holder 60 as disclosed herein includes a fit-check device for performing a negative-pressure fit-check of respirator 300. The ordinary artisan will recognize that a negative-pressure fit-check involves blocking the flow of air as a user inhales while wearing the respirator. In this manner a user can evaluate (e.g. by way of the force with which the mask body of the respirator is pulled against the user's face by suction) the quality of the fit of the mask body to the user's face.
In the arrangements disclosed herein, a fit-check device is included in cartridge holder 60. Such an arrangement is distinguished from designs in which a fit-check device is located e.g. in a mask body of a respirator. Furthermore, by definition a fit-check device as disclosed herein operates by interacting with the installed disposable filter cartridge itself (e.g., by way of at least a portion of a sealing platen of the fit-check device being brought into direct contact with a major face of the disposable filter cartridge to block any airflow therethrough). Such an arrangement is distinguished from e.g. a fit-check device that operates by closing a valve that is independent of the presence or absence of a disposable filter cartridge (for example, a valve that is located remotely upstream (or downstream) from the filter cartridge and that operates by way of components solely present in a cartridge holder and/or a mask body and not by way of any interaction with the disposable filter cartridge itself) One example of a valve that operates independently of any disposable filter cartridge would be a valve that is located on an unfiltered air inlet of a filter cartridge, e.g. a valve of the type disclosed in JP Patent 2002126111.
It will be appreciated that arrangements disclosed herein, in which a fit-check device operates by interacting with a disposable filter cartridge itself, can advantageously provide that a fit-check procedure may allow the evaluation of not only the quality of the fit of a mask body to the user's face, but may also enhance the ability of the user to confirm that the disposable filter cartridge is properly installed in the cartridge holder (e.g., without there being any air leaks around the edges of the filter cartridge).
In specific embodiments, a fit-check device as disclosed herein can operate in the air pathway immediately upstream of the disposable filter cartridge (e.g. in the upstream plenum). For example, such a fit-check device may operate e.g. by way of a sealing platen that seals against an upstream face of the disposable filter cartridge and will not operate in, or in fact even be in contact with, any portion of the downstream air pathway of the respirator. The ordinary artisan will appreciate that such an arrangement can advantageously minimize any possibility that the fit-check device itself might provide an airleak pathway by which unfiltered air might enter the filtered air-receiving interior of the mask body of the respirator.
In some embodiments, an air-permeable area 52 of a major front surface 59 of a disposable filter cartridge 1 will be provided by way of a plurality of through-holes (e.g., perforations) 55 in a casing 50 of the disposable filter cartridge (as seen most easily in
In embodiments of the general type shown in
Sealing platen 410 may be manually actuated (moved) into a second, sealed position as shown in
It will be appreciated that in order for appropriate sealing to be achieved with a sealing platen that exhibits a planar (contact) surface 415 (as in the exemplary sealing platen depicted in
It will be appreciated that although in the exemplary embodiments of
In the illustrated embodiment of
In embodiments of the general type shown in
Sealing platen 210 thus operates in somewhat similar manner to the above-described sealing platen 410. One difference is that when sealing platen 210 is actuated into a second, sealed position (by pivotally moving end 213 of platen 210 toward the major front surface 59 of filter cartridge 1), the entirety of air-impermeable area 216 of sealing platen 210 does not come into contact with air-permeable area 52 of the filter cartridge. Rather, the rear contact surface 219 of sealing flange 218 comes into contact with perimeter 58 of air-permeable area 52 of the filter cartridge. In other words, rather than a rear surface of e.g. much or most of the sealing platen coming into contact with the entirety of the area 52 circumscribed by dotted line 58 in
Sealing platen 210 as depicted also differs from sealing platen 410 in the manner of actuation. In the exemplary designs of
Another difference between fit-check device 200 of
It will be appreciated that a sealing flange as disclosed herein, particularly if used in combination with a filter cartridge that includes a casing that is relatively compliant (e.g. that is made of paperboard as described herein), may advantageously allow a relatively low sealing force to be used in placing/maintaining the sealing platen in the second, sealed position. It will also be appreciated that a sealing platen of the type depicted in
Another approach to performing a fit-check is depicted in exemplary embodiment in
With such arrangements, sealing platen 510 is slidably movable relative to major front surface 59 of disposable filter cartridge 1 between a first, unsealed position in which at least some of the through-holes 512 of sealing platen 510 at least partially overlap at least some of the through-holes 55 of area 52 of the major front surface 59 of filter cartridge 1 so as to allow flow of unfiltered air into filter cartridge 1; and, a second, sealed position in which none of the through-holes 512 of sealing platen 510 overlap any portion of any of the through-holes 55 of area 52 of the major front surface 59 of filter cartridge 1. In other words, when sealing platen 510 is in the second, sealed position all of the through-holes 55 of area 52 of the major front surface 59 of filter cartridge 1 are individually occluded by local areas of the discontinuous air-impermeable area 516 of the sealing platen. By way of specific example, when platen 510 is in the first, unsealed position at least a portion of the specific through-hole labeled 512′ of platen 510 will be in overlapping relation with the specific through-hole labeled 55 of the filter cartridge holder. If platen 510 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow labeled 518 in
The ordinary artisan will easily appreciate the difference between the discontinuous air-impermeable area 516 of platen 510 (which discontinuous air-impermeable area is interrupted by through-holes), and the continuously imperforate (air-impermeable) area 416 of platen 410 described earlier herein. Also, it will be noted that the concept of the through-holes of a sealing platen being in an at least partially overlapping pattern relative to the through-holes of a filter cartridge does not mean that the center-to-center distance and direction of the through-holes of the sealing platen must be exactly the same as that of the through-holes of the filter cartridge. Nor must every through-hole of the filter cartridge have exactly one corresponding through-hole of the sealing platen (in fact, the same number of holes need not be present). All that is needed is that the through-holes of the sealing platen are arranged in a pattern such that the sealing platen can be placed in at least one position in which at least some portion of at least some through-holes of the filter cartridge are not blocked by a locally air-impermeable area of the platen; and, such that the sealing platen can be slidably moved to at least one other position in which all portions of all through-holes of the filter cartridge are now blocked by locally air-impermeable areas of the sealing platen. In other words, the first, unsealed position does not require perfect overlap of the through-holes of the platen with the through-holes of the filter cartridge. However, in some specific embodiments the through-holes of the platen may be arranged to have the same center-to-center distance and direction as the through-holes of the filter cartridge.
It will also be appreciated that in embodiments of the general type depicted in
In the depicted embodiment of
In summary, various arrangements have been presented herein by which a filter cartridge can be sealed to perform a negative-pressure fit-check of a respirator. It will be appreciated that many of these approaches have the common theme that a sealing platen is located immediately upstream of a filter cartridge (e.g., in an upstream plenum of the airflow path), and is configured so that at least a portion of a surface (e.g., a rear surface) of the sealing platen can be brought into contact with at least a portion of an air-permeable area of a major upstream surface (e.g., a major front surface) of the filter cartridge, to perform the desired sealing. (In other embodiments, the sealing may be performed by bringing a downstream surface of a sealing platen against a major downstream surface of a filter cartridge, and/or by bringing a major front surface of a sealing platen against a major rear surface of a filter cartridge, if desired.) It is emphasized that in filter cartridges in which an unfiltered air inlet is provided on a rearward side of the filter cartridge (as in, for example, the arrangements disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/186566, referred to in detail later herein), the upstream air plenum will be on the rear side of the filter cartridge, and the downstream air plenum will be on the front side of the filter cartridge. Accordingly, all descriptions herein in which e.g. a rear surface of a sealing platen is described as being contacted with a front surface of a filter cartridge in order to seal the upstream face of the filter cartridge, will be understood to be reversed. All other aspects, features and components described herein will still be applicable in such designs, however.
Shown in
A cartridge holder 60 may be connected to a mask body 310 in any desired manner. For example, as depicted in
Filter media 10 may be made from any suitable media, e.g. pleatable media. Potentially suitable materials may include e.g. paper; porous films of thermoplastic or thermoset materials; nonwoven, such as melt blown or spunbond, webs of synthetic or natural fibers; scrims; woven or knitted materials; foams; electret or electrostatically charged materials; fiberglass media; or laminates or composites of two or more materials. A nonwoven polymeric web comprised of polyethylene, polypropylene or poly(lactic acid) may be suitable, for example. Any suitable method of making a nonwoven web (e.g., melt-blowing, melt-spinning, carding, and so on) may be used. Filter media 10 may also include sorbents, catalysts, and/or activated carbon (granules, fibers, fabric, and molded shapes).
Multilayer media, e.g. laminated media, can also be used as filter media 10. Such media may consist of laminated layers of the media discussed above or of other substrates laminated to one or more layers of filter media, for example. In some embodiments, a prefilter layer may be used on the upstream side of filter media 10. Such a prefilter layer may comprise e.g. polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, poly(lactic acid), or blends of these materials; or it may comprise fiberglass. In other words, in some embodiments filter media 10 may comprise a base (e.g., filtration) layer, along with any other layer or layers as desired for any purpose. For example, a highly open plastic netting or mesh might be laminated to the media, in order to e g enhance the abrasion resistance of the media. Any such layer may be bonded to e.g. a base (e.g. filtration) layer by any suitable method, e.g. by melt-bonding, by way of an adhesive (hot melt adhesive, pressure-sensitive adhesive, and so on), calendering, ultrasonic bonding, etc.
In specific embodiments, filter media 10 may be an electret material, comprised of e.g. any charged material, e.g. split fibrillated charged fibers as described in U.S. Pat. No. RE 30,782. Such charged fibers can be formed into a nonwoven web by conventional means and optionally joined to a scrim such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,800 forming an outer support layer. In other specific embodiments, filter media 10 can be a melt blown microfiber nonwoven web, e.g. such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,948, which can optionally be joined to a secondary layer during web formation as disclosed in that patent, or subsequently joined to a secondary web in any conventional manner. Filter media that may be particularly suitable for certain applications might include e.g. media of the general type described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,162,153 to Fox; media of the general type described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 20080038976 to Berrigan; and, media of the general type described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 20040011204 to Both, and media generally known as tribocharged media. Any such media can be charged to form an electret, if desired. The filter media may be configured to filter (e.g., capture) particles, vapors, or gases, or any combination thereof.
Various filter cartridges and filter media thereof that may be suitable for use in the present application are described in further detail in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/186566, filed 30 Jun. 2015, attorney docket number 76296US002, entitled FILTER CARTRIDGE COMPRISING FILTER MEDIA WITH ADHESIVELY EDGE-SEALED ENDS, AND METHOD OF MAKING AND USING. The '566 application is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein (noting that the permanent edge-sealing of a filter media, e.g. with an adhesive dam, as described in the '566 application is distinguished from the temporary sealing of a disposable filter cartridge in order to perform a fit-check that is described in the present application).
In some embodiments, filter media 10 is a pleated filter media. In particular embodiments, filter media is a pleated filter media that includes edge seals of hardened adhesive at first and second (corrugated) ends of the pleated media, as described in detail in the '566 application. In some embodiments in which the filter media is not pleated, the filter media may be a porous block (e.g. a monolith, e.g. of activated carbon or the like), e.g. wrapped in a casing with first and second air-permeable (e.g. perforated) major surfaces in similar manner to that described above.
In some embodiments, filter cartridge 1 may be the only filtering component that resides within cartridge holder 60. However, in other embodiments, one or more layers of material may reside within cartridge holder 60 (e.g., in overlapping relation to, e.g. butted up against a major surface of, filter cartridge 1) for some additional purpose. Such a layer or layers may contain one or more materials that interact with a gaseous fluid (e.g. an airstream) to at least partially remove one or more components (e.g., gases, vapors, solid particles, aerosols, and so on) therefrom. The components in the fluid may be e.g. sorbed onto or into an active sorbent, may be reacted with a reactive ingredient, may be exposed to a catalyst, and so on. Potentially suitable materials for such uses include e.g., activated carbon; alumina and other metal oxides; sodium bicarbonate; metal particles (e.g., silver particles) that can remove a component from a fluid by adsorption, chemical reaction, or amalgamation; catalytic agents such as hopcalite and/or gold (which can catalyze the oxidation of carbon monoxide); clay and other minerals treated with acidic solutions such as acetic acid or alkaline solutions such as aqueous sodium hydroxide; ion exchange resins; molecular sieves and other zeolites; silica; biocides; fungicides and virucides. Mixtures of any such materials can be employed. In other embodiments, such materials may be provided as particles in a particle-loaded web layer. Combinations of any of these approaches may be used. If desired, such materials may be treated e.g. with one or more impregnants to enhance gas removal capability. Examples of treated materials include chemically surface-treated activated carbon.
Although terminology has been used herein in which a shroud of a cartridge holder is described as movable relative to a base of the cartridge holder, it will be understood that such terminology encompasses all variations such as moving the base relative to the shroud, and moving the base and shroud relative to each other. In some embodiments, at least a portion of a cartridge holder 60 may be sufficiently transparent to allow a user to determine that a filter cartridge 1 has been properly fitted within the holder. To facilitate the uses disclosed herein, a kit (e.g., a refill kit with instructions) may be provided that includes a plurality of filter cartridges, e.g. along with at least one cartridge holder if desired. In some embodiments a respirator 300 may include only a single cartridge holder and filter cartridge, which may be located symmetrically or asymmetrically with respect to the respirator body. In the illustrated embodiment, exemplary respirator 300 is a single-cartridge, half mask respirator. However, a cartridge holder and filter cartridge as disclosed herein may be used with any type of respirator, including e.g. a full mask respirator, a powered air respirator, and so on. Furthermore, two cartridge holders and corresponding filter cartridges as disclosed herein may be used with respirators that accept two such holders and cartridges.
Embodiment 1 is a cartridge holder that is configured to be fluidically connected to a mask body of a respirator and that is configured to securely hold a disposable filter cartridge within the cartridge holder, the cartridge holder including: a fit-check device comprising a sealing platen that is operatively connected to an actuator by which a user of the respirator can manually actuate the sealing platen back and forth between: a first, unsealed position in which airflow is permitted through a disposable filter cartridge that is held within the cartridge holder; and, a second, sealed position in which a rear surface of at least a portion of an air-impermeable area of the sealing platen directly contacts at least a perimeter of a first air-permeable area of a major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge; or, in which a front surface of at least a portion of an air-impermeable area of the sealing platen directly contacts at least a perimeter of a second air-permeable area of a major rear surface of the disposable filter cartridge, so as to seal the first air-permeable area of the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge or to seal the second air-permeable area of the major rear surface of the disposable filter cartridge, to prevent airflow through the disposable filter cartridge.
Embodiment 2 is the cartridge holder of embodiment 1, wherein when the sealing platen is in the second, sealed position, a rear surface of at least a portion of an air-impermeable area of the sealing platen directly contacts at least a perimeter of a first air-permeable area of a major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge so as to seal the first air-permeable area of the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge so as to prevent flow of unfiltered air into the disposable filter cartridge. Embodiment 3 is the cartridge holder of embodiment 2 wherein the first air-permeable area of the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge comprises a plurality of through-holes, wherein the air-impermeable area of the sealing platen is a continuously imperforate area, and wherein when the sealing platen is in the second, sealed position, all of the through-holes of the plurality of through-holes of the first major surface of the disposable filter cartridge are individually occluded by local areas of the continuously imperforate area of the sealing platen. Embodiment 4 is the cartridge holder of embodiment 3 wherein a first end of the sealing platen is pivotally connected to the filter cartridge holder by a pivotal connection and wherein the sealing platen is movable between a first, unsealed position in which at least a second end of the sealing platen that is distal to the pivotal connection is spaced forwardly away from the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge, and a second, sealed position in which a rear surface of at least the second end of the sealing platen is in direct contact with a portion of the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge.
Embodiment 5 is the cartridge holder of any of embodiments 2-3 wherein: the first air-permeable area of the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge comprises a plurality of through-holes that are arranged in a pattern; the air-impermeable area of the sealing platen is a discontinuous air-impermeable area that is interrupted by through-holes that are arranged in a pattern that, when the sealing platen is in a first, unsealed position, at least partially overlaps the through-holes of the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge; at least a substantial portion of a rear surface of the sealing platen is in overlapping relation with, and is in contact with, at least a substantial portion of the first air-permeable area of the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge; and, the sealing platen is slidably movable relative to the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge in a direction that is at least substantially parallel to the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge, between a first, unsealed position in which at least some portion of at least some of the through-holes of the sealing platen at least partially overlap at least some of the through-holes of the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge so as to allow flow of unfiltered air into the disposable filter cartridge, and a second, sealed position in which no portion of any of the through-holes of the sealing platen overlap any portion of any of the through-holes of the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge, in which second, sealed position all of the through-holes of the plurality of through-holes of the major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge are individually occluded by local areas of the discontinuous air-impermeable area of the sealing platen.
Embodiment 6 is the cartridge holder of embodiment 2 wherein the air-impermeable area of the sealing platen is a continuously imperforate area and wherein the sealing platen comprises a sealing flange that extends completely around a perimeter of the continuously imperforate air-impermeable area of the sealing platen and that extends generally rearward therefrom and that has a rearward surface; and, wherein when the sealing platen is in the second, sealed position the entirety of the rearward surface of the sealing flange is in direct contact with the perimeter of the air-permeable area of the first, forward-facing major surface of the disposable filter cartridge. Embodiment 7 is the cartridge holder of any of embodiments 2-4, wherein the actuator comprises a major front surface of the sealing platen, which major front surface can be manually pushed rearward to actuate the sealing platen at least into the second, sealed position.
Embodiment 8 is the cartridge holder of any of embodiments 2-7, wherein the actuator comprises a movable handle that can be moved to actuate the sealing platen at least into the second, sealed position. Embodiment 9 is the cartridge holder of any of embodiments 2-8, wherein the sealing platen and/or the actuator is biased toward the first, unsealed position so that the sealing platen will return from the second, sealed position to the first, unsealed position unless continued manual actuation pressure on the actuator is maintained by a user. Embodiment 10 is the cartridge holder of any of embodiments 2-8, wherein the sealing platen, once actuated by a first manual actuation step into the second, sealed position, will remain in the second, sealed position without continued manual actuation pressure on the actuator by a user, and wherein a second manual actuation step is necessary in order to actuate the sealing platen from the second, sealed position to the first, unsealed position.
Embodiment 11 is the cartridge holder of any of embodiments 1-10, wherein the cartridge holder comprises a shroud that provides a major front face of the cartridge holder and a base that provides a major rear face of the cartridge holder; and, wherein the shroud is movable relative to the base portion between a first, open position in which a disposable filter cartridge can be installed into the holder, and a second, closed position in which the shroud and the base securely hold an installed disposable filter cartridge within the cartridge holder. Embodiment 12 is the cartridge holder of embodiment 11 wherein the shroud comprises a first complementary mating feature, and wherein the base comprises a second complementary mating feature that is complementary to the first complementary mating feature of the shroud, and wherein the first and second complementary mating features collectively provide a latch that, when the shroud portion is in the second, closed position, holds the shroud in the closed position and causes the shroud and base to exert a compressive force against the first and second major surfaces of the disposable filter cartridge so as to securely hold the disposable filter cartridge within the cartridge holder. Embodiment 13 is the cartridge holder of any of embodiments 11-12 wherein the cartridge holder comprises a inlet for unfiltered air, which inlet is defined between a lower end of the shroud and a lower end of the base, and wherein the inlet allows unfiltered air to enter an upstream plenum that is located forward of the disposable filter cartridge.
Embodiment 14 is a respirator comprising: a mask body; and at least one cartridge holder of any of embodiments 1-13 that is fluidically connected to the mask body. Embodiment 15 is the respirator of embodiment 14, further comprising a disposable filter cartridge that is installed in the cartridge holder.
Embodiment 16 is the respirator of any of embodiments 14-15 wherein when a disposable filter cartridge is installed within the cartridge holder and the cartridge holder is in a closed position, the respirator comprises a downstream air path that includes a downstream plenum that is located rearward of the disposable filter cartridge and that receives filtered air that flows through the filter cartridge, wherein the downstream air path further includes an air-exit passage of the cartridge holder that fluidly connects the downstream plenum of the cartridge holder to the mask body of the respirator, and wherein the downstream air path further includes a filtered-air-receiving interior of the mask body; and, wherein no portion of the fit-check device is located within or partially within, or in contact with, the downstream air path of the respirator. Embodiment 17 is the respirator of any of embodiments 14-16 wherein the respirator is a half-mask respirator, a full-mask respirator, or a powered-air respirator.
Embodiment 18 is a disposable filter cartridge that is configured to be installed into a cartridge holder that includes a negative-pressure fit-check device, wherein the disposable filter cartridge comprises a first air-permeable area of a major upstream surface of the disposable filter cartridge, at least a portion of which first air-permeable area is configured to be directly contacted by at least a portion of an air-impermeable area of a sealing platen of the fit-check device of the cartridge holder, so as to prevent flow of unfiltered air into the disposable filter cartridge. Embodiment 19 is the disposable filter cartridge of embodiment 18, wherein the disposable filter cartridge is configured to be installed into a cartridge holder of any of embodiments 1-13. Embodiment 20 is the disposable filter cartridge of any of embodiments 18-19 wherein the disposable filter cartridge comprises: a filter media comprising a first major side and a second, oppositely-facing major side; and, a casing with a first major portion that resides outwardly of the first major side of the filter media and that provides a first air-permeable area of a major front surface of the disposable filter cartridge, and with a second major portion that resides outwardly of the second, oppositely-facing major side of the filter media and that provides a second air-permeable area of a major rear surface of the disposable filter cartridge.
Embodiment 21 is the disposable filter cartridge of embodiment 20 wherein the casing is comprised of paperboard and wherein the first and second air-permeable areas of the first and second major surfaces of the disposable filter cartridge are respectively provided by a plurality of through-holes in the first and second major portions of the casing. Embodiment 22 is the disposable filter cartridge of any of embodiments 18-21 wherein the disposable filter cartridge is front-rear symmetric and front-rear reversible. Embodiment 23 is a kit comprising a plurality of disposable filter cartridges of any of embodiments 18-22.
Embodiment 24 is a cartridge holder that is configured to be fluidically connected to a mask body of a respirator and that is configured to securely hold a disposable filter cartridge within the cartridge holder, the cartridge holder including: a fit-check device comprising a sealing platen that is operatively connected to an actuator by which a user of the respirator can manually actuate the sealing platen back and forth between: a first, unsealed position in which airflow is permitted through a disposable filter cartridge that is held within the cartridge holder; and, a second, sealed position in which a major surface of at least a portion of an air-impermeable area of the sealing platen directly contacts at least a perimeter of an air-permeable area of a major upstream surface of the disposable filter cartridge so as to seal the air-permeable area of the major upstream surface of the disposable filter cartridge to prevent airflow into the disposable filter cartridge.
Embodiment 25 is a method of fit-checking a respirator comprising a mask body, a cartridge holder with a fit-check device and a disposable filter cartridge securely held within the cartridge holder, the method comprising: manually actuating a sealing platen of the fit-check device from a first, unsealed position in which airflow is permitted through the disposable filter cartridge that is held within the cartridge holder to a second, sealed position in which a major surface of at least a portion of an air-impermeable area of the sealing platen directly contacts at least a perimeter of an air-permeable area of a major upstream surface of the disposable filter cartridge so as to seal the air-permeable area of the major upstream surface of the disposable filter cartridge to prevent airflow into the disposable filter cartridge, and, inhaling Embodiment 26 is the method of fit-checking the respirator of embodiment 25, wherein the cartridge holder is the cartridge holder of any of embodiments 1-13.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the specific exemplary elements, structures, features, details, configurations, etc., that are disclosed herein can be modified and/or combined in numerous embodiments. All such variations and combinations are contemplated by the inventor as being within the bounds of the conceived invention, not merely those representative designs that were chosen to serve as exemplary illustrations. Thus, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the specific illustrative structures described herein, but rather extends at least to the structures described by the language of the claims, and the equivalents of those structures. Any of the elements that are positively recited in this specification as alternatives may be explicitly included in the claims or excluded from the claims, in any combination as desired. Any of the elements or combinations of elements that are recited in this specification in open-ended language (e.g., comprise and derivatives thereof), are considered to additionally be recited in closed-ended language (e.g., consist and derivatives thereof) and in partially closed-ended language (e.g., consist essentially, and derivatives thereof). To the extent that there is any conflict or discrepancy between this specification as written and the disclosure in any document incorporated by reference herein, this specification as written will control.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2016/061969 | 11/15/2016 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2017/087353 | 5/26/2017 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3216578 | Wright | Nov 1965 | A |
| RE30782 | Van Turnhout | Oct 1981 | E |
| 4813948 | Insley | Mar 1989 | A |
| 5230800 | Nelson | Jul 1993 | A |
| 5669375 | Dahrendorf | Sep 1997 | A |
| 6408845 | Pereira | Jun 2002 | B1 |
| 7210477 | Templeton | May 2007 | B2 |
| 8162153 | Fox | Apr 2012 | B2 |
| 9440775 | Dwyer | Sep 2016 | B2 |
| 20040011204 | Both | Jan 2004 | A1 |
| 20080038976 | Berrigan | Feb 2008 | A1 |
| 20140216474 | Middlestadt | Aug 2014 | A1 |
| 20140261437 | Catanzarite | Sep 2014 | A1 |
| 20150107596 | Mashiko | Apr 2015 | A1 |
| 20150314147 | Fleming | Nov 2015 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 60-99947 | Jul 1985 | JP |
| S60-099946 | Jul 1985 | JP |
| H04-018584 | Apr 1992 | JP |
| 2002-126111 | May 2002 | JP |
| 2007-181570 | Jul 2007 | JP |
| 2008-246113 | Oct 2008 | JP |
| 2010-035602 | Feb 2010 | JP |
| WO 2012-100116 | Jul 2012 | WO |
| WO 2013-187278 | Dec 2013 | WO |
| WO 2013-187279 | Dec 2013 | WO |
| WO 2014-120500 | Aug 2014 | WO |
| WO 2014163772 | Oct 2014 | WO |
| WO 2015166212 | Nov 2015 | WO |
| WO 2015-179141 | Nov 2015 | WO |
| WO 2016-119080 | Aug 2016 | WO |
| WO 2017-004313 | Jan 2017 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report for PCT International Application No. PCT/US2016/061969, dated Feb. 16, 2017, 3 pages. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180353783 A1 | Dec 2018 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62257531 | Nov 2015 | US |
