Personal ventilation in an aircraft environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10029797-B2
Application number	US-201414191186-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2014
Priority date	Sep 30, 2008
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A method for providing purified air to an occupant of a seat in a mask lacking corporeal features that is generated by an apparatus. The apparatus includes a contaminant conditioning system that delivers purified air to a first and a second laminar flow generator. Each laminar flow generator produces a respective laminar flow that combines to form and fill a breathing space with purified air that envelopes an inhalation sphere of the occupant and inhibits air other than the purified air from entering the breathing space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a purified air source configured to supply purified air to:
a first laminar airflow generator that extends from a right end of a headrest of a seat and configured to generate a first barrier that comprises a first laminar airflow emitted from a first outlet approximately opposite a right ear of a passenger that occupies the seat; and
a second laminar airflow generator that extends from a left end of the headrest and configured to generate a second barrier that comprises a second laminar airflow emitted from a second outlet approximately opposite a left ear of the passenger that occupies the seat,
the first laminar airflow generator and the second laminar airflow generator configured such that the first laminar airflow and the second laminar airflow converge and blend in front of a nose and mouth of the passenger to form a personal breathing space that envelopes an inhalation sphere, impeding transgression of ambient air from crossing through the respective barriers and entering into the personal breathing space, such that the inhalation sphere comprises purified air supplied to the first laminar airflow generator and to the second laminar airflow generator from the purified air source such that air inhaled by the passenger comes from the inhalation sphere.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet comprises a first circular shape, and the second outlet comprises a second circular shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , such that a first nozzle occupies the first outlet in the first laminar airflow generator and a second nozzle occupies the second outlet in the second laminar airflow generator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , such that each laminar airflow generator is configured to receive 8 cubic feet of air per minute and generate a laminar airflow comprising a velocity of 200 feet per minute.

5. A method of providing a purified air to an occupant of a seat, the method comprising:
receiving the purified air;
generating a first barrier comprising a first laminar airflow emitted from an outlet of a first laminar airflow generator located substantially opposite a first ear of the occupant and a second barrier comprising a second laminar airflow emitted from a second outlet of a second laminar airflow generator located substantially opposite a second ear of the occupant, such that the first laminar airflow generator extends outward from a first end of a headrest affixed to a seat occupied by the occupant and the second laminar airflow generator extends outward from a second end of the headrest;
converging the first laminar airflow and the second laminar airflow thus forming barriers, with the purified air, defining a personal breathing space
impeding transgression of ambient air from crossing through the respective barriers and entering into the personal breathing space, and
enveloping an inhalation sphere, substantially in front of a nose and mouth of the occupant, such that based upon anthropometric data, air inhaled by the occupant comes from the inhalation sphere; and suffusing the inhalation sphere with purified air.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the breathing space occupies a height approximately 26.5 to 35.5 inches above a seat pan and a depth extending at approximately 13.5 inches forward from a back of a head of the occupant when in contact with a headrest of the seat; and wherein a width of the breathing space extends from the first laminar airflow generator to the second laminar airflow generator.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the first laminar airflow generator comprising an extension substantially perpendicular to the headrest of the seat.

8. The method of claim 5 , such that generating comprises delivering the purified air to the first laminar airflow generator and to the second laminar airflow generator; and wherein a diameter of the inhalation sphere is substantially equal to a distance extending from a sellion to a supramenton of the occupant.

9. The method of claim 5 , such that the first laminar airflow comprises a first gradient that comprises both: a first part of the first laminar airflow that contacts a face of the occupant at a first velocity that is comfortable for the occupant, and a second part of the first laminar airflow at a second velocity that is greater than the first velocity, and the second laminar airflow comprises a second gradient equivalent to the first gradient.

10. The method of claim 9 , such that the first part comprises a velocity of less than 25 feet per minute with a flow rate less than 10 cubic feet per minute.

11. The method of claim 5 , such that receiving the purified air comprises:
receiving an ambient air into a contaminant conditioning system located in a seatback of the seat;
purifying the ambient air in the contaminant conditioning system; and
delivering the purified air to a first laminar airflow generator and a second laminar airflow generator.

12. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the first laminar airflow impeding air from crossing the first barrier and entering the breathing space, and the second laminar airflow impeding air from crossing the second barrier and entering the breathing space wherein the first laminar airflow and the second laminar airflow substantially isolate and fill the breathing space with the purified air.

13. The method of claim 5 , such that the breathing space forms a hood lacking corporeal features, such that the hood surrounds the inhalation sphere for the occupant; wherein the hood fills, covers, and isolates the inhalation sphere by delivering the purified air into the inhalation sphere for inhalation as though the occupant were wearing at least one of a corporeal: breathing mask, and a protective breathing equipment (PBE) mask.

14. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
the purified air being free of bacterial and viral contaminants comprising: Bacillus subtilis, Mycobacterium parafortuitum, Pseudomonas auriginosa , Coronavirus, Parainfluenza , Poxvirus, Picornavirus, and Paramyxovirus.

15. A method of providing purified air to an inhalation sphere of a passenger in an aircraft seat, the method comprising:
creating the purified air by purifying an air supply;
delivering the purified air to a first laminar airflow generator extending from a first end of a headrest of the aircraft seat and a second laminar airflow generator extending from a second end of the headrest;
generating a first laminar airflow from the first laminar airflow generator located substantially opposite a first ear of the passenger and a second laminar airflow from the second laminar airflow generator located substantially opposite a second ear of the passenger;
controlling vectors of airflows within the first laminar airflow and controlling vectors of airflows within the second laminar airflow and combining the first laminar airflow and the second laminar airflow with each other such that the first laminar airflow and the second laminar airflow form and fill, with the purified air, the first laminar airflow and second laminar airflow vectors impeding transgression of ambient air from crossing through the respective barriers and entering into a personal breathing space
the personal breathing space envelopes the inhalation sphere of the passenger, such that the inhalation sphere comprises at least eighty percent purified air and that the air inhaled by the passenger comes from the inhalation sphere.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Space David R
• Stout Charles A
• Fullerton James A
• Arnaud Timothy J

Classifications

• B64D11/0626

  with individual temperature or ventilation control · CPC title

• B60N2/5657

  blown towards the seat surface · CPC title

• B64D11/06

  Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats (crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04) · CPC title

• B60N2/879

  with additional features not related to head-rest positioning, e.g. heating or cooling devices or loudspeakers · CPC title

• B60N2/565

  sucked from the seat surface · CPC title