BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional personal use air supply canister assembly.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the conventional canister assembly of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective assembled view of a personal use assembly according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the operative aspects of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is bottom side exploded perspective view of selected elements in the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a side view of a mounting adaptor member according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a top view of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line 8-8 in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a top view of an action knob according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a sectional view along line 10-10 in FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a side view of a mouth piece according to the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the mouth piece in FIG. 11.
FIG. 13 is a partially cut-away assembled view of the present invention in a closed condition.
FIG. 14 is partially cut-away assembled view of FIG. 13 noting valve positioning.
FIG. 15 is a partially cut-away assembled view of the present invention in an open or use condition.
FIG. 16 is a partially cut-away assembled view of FIG. 15 noting valve actuation for use.
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the present invention in use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale or shape. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, up, down, over, above, and below may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. Furthermore, the words “connect,” “couple,” and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through mediate elements or devices.
Referring now to FIGS. 3-4, a personal assistive breathing apparatus 500 includes an assembly fixably joined to a top portion of a gas container 502. The assembly includes a bottle mounting member or can adaptor 503 fixed on a valve boss 508 on a top of gas canister 502, a mouth piece member 501, and a retained action knob member 506 operating there between. As shown, gas canister includes a valve stem member 504A on a valve support or stem support member 504.
Bottle mounting member 503 includes an outer skirt portion 513 for receiving and positioning gas container 502 during an assembly, and is formed in a series of stepped regions, as shown. A plurality of outer base holes 505 are positioned about a mid-region of bottle mounting member 503 for enabling an alternative (non-principal) source of ambient air to a user during a use from a gap between outer skirt member 513 and bottle member, as will be discussed. An inner sleeve member 511 projects upwardly away from outer skirt portion or member 513 and openings 505 and includes therein a top groove 512 formed about a portion of an inner periphery thereof for sealing with mouthpiece member 501, as will be discussed. It should be noted that sleeve member 511 forms a semi-complete arc having a gap about the central axis.
Mouthpiece member 501 includes an outer lip sealing rim 525 and a plurality of outer air flow openings 522 about an outer ring for allowing the flow of ambient air A and a plurality of inner oxygen openings 523 about an inner ring for allowing the flow of oxygen O from bottle 502. As will be appreciated, the bowl defined by rim 525 when positioned on a user's lips aids the mixing of ambient air A and supplied oxygen O proximate a user's mouth.
Action knob 506 includes a plurality of outer periphery undulations 516 for improving a grip during rotation relative to bottle 502, as will be discussed. Also noted is the formation of a receiving bowl curve 526 formed proximate top portions of respective undulations 516 to match a bottom curve of mouthpiece member 501, as will be shown. An inner central opening 515 provides for the flow of oxygen O from valve stem member 504A through sleeve member 511 to inner openings 523.
Referring now to FIGS. 5-8 assembly members are positioned for review. Mouth piece member 501 includes a gluing or fixing assist member 521 projecting downwardly parallel to a bottle central axis for engaging a respective gap formed in sleeve member 511, described above. As noted best in FIG. 8, top groove 512 in sleeve 511 engages a ring edge projecting from a bottom of mouthpiece 501 concurrent with glue ember 521 so as to provide an increased surface area for glue adhesion, when mouth piece 501 is glued into top groove 512 of sleeve 511 during assembly. It is noted that assist member 521 is positioned between outer air passage openings 522 and an inner partial ring including projecting keys 518 as will be discussed. As will be shown, this inner partial ring bounds the oxygen flow and guides such flow to inner openings 523. It is noted here, that ambient air flow A passes between knob member 506 and the bottom arcuate curve of rim 525 on mouthpiece member 501.
As seen best in FIG. 5, an inner web supports respective undulations 516 during formation, and joins an inner bounded receiving opening 519 for receiving sleeve 511 during assembly. A keyed web portion or joining web 520 projects from the perimeter of bounded receiving opening 519 to support a valve central opening 515 for receiving valve stem member 504A. A bottom view of bottle mounting member 503 notes the positioning of outer skirt member 513 relative to sleeve 511 bounding an inner base passage 509. An inner skirt member 514 project in a step-wise fashion and forms openings 505 for optional ambient air transmission. Opposing sets of stabilizing members 524 project inwardly into inner base passage 509 of sleeve portion 511 and serve to guidably receive and slidably guide central member 517, as will be shown.
In an optional means for joining bottle mounting member 503 to a top of bottle or canister 502, a plurality of double-sided sticky adhesive 507 may be positioned inwardly of air passage openings 505 for adhering to the bounded contact region defined between bottle boss member 508 and valve stem support 504.
As is noted in FIG. 7, inward stabilizing members 524 project inwardly for guiding central stem 517 of action knob 506. Stabilizing members 524 also join proximate their respective top portions in inner base passage 509 forming angular semi-triangular pointed projections for receiving portions of action knob as will be shown. Stabilizing members 524 also bound respective inner regions between them so as to guide valve stem member 504A without causing undue contact. As should be realized now, joining web 520 action knob 506 is assembled by sliding it on top of sleeve 511 in so that web 520 rests between respective stabilizing members 524 on either side of inner base passage 509, thereby allowing the present assembly to be assembled in either of two positions, both equally effective to down-stream operation, thereby speeding assembly time.
Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, action knob member 506 is shown with bounded central opening 515 receiving three off-set and inwardly projecting actuation urging studs 510, 510, 510, as shown. During assembly action studs 515, (a tip end of one is shown at K in FIG. 10), contact the top of valve stem member 504A, and upon actuation pivot with action knob 506 and move downwardly to release oxygen. Also shown are two respective receiving regions on sloped edges or receiving keyways formed in 517 proximate parallel sides of web 520. As will be later shown, receiving regions receive respectively keys 518 from mouthpiece 501, and the upwardly sloped key formed from joined stabilizing members 424, 424.
Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12, mouthpiece member 501 includes two opposing keys 518 as shown that fit within respective keyways 517 in action knob 506. FIG. 12 notes particularly the relationship between outer openings 522, inner openings 523, and glue member 521 there between completing the gap noted in sleeve 511 during assembly to provide a secure engagement to resist lift under rotational movement.
Referring now to FIGS. 13 and 14, apparatus or assembly 500 is shown in an at-reset, or non-actuated condition with the top of urging studs 510 (the end shown at letter K in section) resting upon the top surface of stem member 504A. Inner skirt 514 is shown with a snap engagement lip at its bottom edge for snap-engaging boss 508 of canister or bottle 102 and effecting a secure attachment thereto. Inner skirt 514 and it's snap engagement lip are spaced from urging studs 510 so that upon a user first assembly step (fixing bottle mounting member or can adaptor 503 onto can 502, there are no pressures or stresses on stem member 504A which is securely and slidably guided between respective sides of stabilizing members 524 (See FIG. 14) so that its movement along the can axis is not deflected. As seen, keys 518 are centrally located within top open keyway or sloped joint formed by slopes 517 on web 520 on the top or mouthpiece-side, so that respective keys formed by joined stabilizing members 524 are not in contact with web 520.
As shown are optional adhesive tape members 507 for fixing (optionally) can adaptor 506 to can 2. As should be noted the outer rim 525 of mouthpiece 501 slopes downwardly to meet with the sealing upward curve of the top of undulations 516. Also noted is the alignment of inner openings 523 with inner base passage 509 for the transmission of oxygen along the central opening 515. Similarly shown is the engagement (fixed) of glue member 512, fixed by adhesive, sonic welding or other conventional means, to stem member 511, thereby pivotably engaging action knob 506 there between.
Turning now specifically to FIGS. 15 and 16 two rotation directions R, R′ are noted about a central pivot axis which is the same as the axis of assembly 100. During rotation in either direction, slopes 517 slid along sloped sides of keys 518 toward initial engagement with corresponding sloped sides of joined stabilizing members 524. As a consequence of the constructions, with action knob 503 pivotably joined between the fixed-in-position mouth piece 501 and can adaptor 503, during rotation in either direction R, R′, action knob 503 moves axially toward can 502 placing pressure on upwardly urged stem 504A via urging studs 510 that travel rotationally and downwardly to release oxygen. As can be seen from the corresponding views of either rotational direction, movement in either direction places downward pressure on valve stem 504A to release oxygen flow while simultaneously spacing to top of undulations 516 from the outer curve of mouthpiece 501 thereby allowing atmospheric air flows A to enter along mouthpiece, into outer holes 522 to mix with oxygen and supply sufficient lung volume to satisfy a user while minimizing the risk of oxygen poisoning through over blood saturation. It should be noted that upon an alternative construction minimizing web thickness 520 so that respective tips of keys 518 are positioned such that the upward elastic urging of stem member 504A is resisted by the rotational resistance of action knob 506, that the present assembly 500 includes a mechanism for hands free use so that oxygen and air flow will continue without the continuous user-manipulation of action knob 506. As can also be seen in reviewing the contrasts between respective non-use views FIGS. 13-14, and in-use views FIGS. 15-16, the present invention enables a mechanism for entraining atmospheric air in a delivered oxygen stream while allowing a responsive hands free use.
Referring now to FIG. 17, a user 1000 is positioning assembly 500 for rapid one-handed use. As can be seen, a single hand action to rotate in either direction R/R′ thereby improving a user-security during high risk or high activity sports such as climbing. For the reasons noted above, a hands-free use mechanism is provided that enables the turn of knob 506 and later use without continual pressure, thereby allowing a user rest in a prone position with mouthpiece 501 in close proximity to their lips thus minimizing damage and pain from pressure against chapped lips or where a user is injured.
In the claims, means- or step-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described or suggested herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Thus, for example, although a nail, a screw, and a bolt may not be structural equivalents in that a nail relies on friction between a wooden part and a cylindrical surface, a screw's helical surface positively engages the wooden part, and a bolt's head and nut compress opposite sides of a wooden part, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail, a screw, and a bolt may be readily understood by those skilled in the art as equivalent structures.
Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes, modifications, and adaptations may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Patent Application
20080041375
