Indicating hazardous exposure in a supplied air respirator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10610708-B2
Application number	US-201615190564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2016
Priority date	Jun 23, 2016
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

An exposure-indicating supplied air respirator system comprises a head top, a clean air supply source and a portable personal communication hub. The head top comprises a visor that is sized to fit over at least a user's nose and mouth, a position sensor secured to the head top, and a head top communication module. The clean air supply source is connected to the head top that supplies clean air to the interior of the head top. The position sensor detects whether the visor is in a closed position or in an open position and the head top communication module communicates the visor position to the personal communication hub. If the personal communication hub receives a signal indicating the presence of a hazard, and if the visor is in an open position, an alert is generated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable personal protective equipment system for a worker operating within a work environment that includes at least one contaminant hazardous to respiratory health of the worker, the system comprising:
a head top configured to at least partially encompass the worker's head and defining an interior sealable space that is sealable from air exterior to the head top, the head top comprising:
a visor that is sized to fit over at least the worker's eyes, nose and mouth, wherein the visor is configured to expose the interior sealable space defined by the head top to air external to the head top when the visor is in an open position and is configured to seal the interior sealable space defined by the head top from the air external to the head top when the visor is in a closed position in which the visor is positioned in front of at least the worker's eyes, nose, and mouth, and
a position sensor secured to the head top and configured to output an indication of a position of the visor;

a wearable powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) connected to the head top for supplying clean air to the interior sealable space defined by the head top, wherein the PAPR includes a blower configured to force the clean air to the head top;
a hose configured to connect the PAPR to the head top to provide the clean air to the head top;
an air contaminant sensor configured to detect a contaminant in the air external to the head top, wherein the contaminant is comprised of a material that is hazardous to respiratory health of the worker, and wherein the head top is configured such that the contaminant is breathable by the worker when the visor is in the open position and is prevented from contaminating the clean air within the interior sealable space defined by the head top when the visor is in the closed position; and
at least one processor configured to:
receive the indication of the position of the visor;
determine, based on the indication of the position of the visor, whether the visor is in the closed position, a partially open position, or in the open position;
determine whether a level of the contaminant in the air external to the head top is greater than a threshold contamination level; and
responsive to determining that the level of the contaminant is greater than the threshold contamination level and that the visor is in the partially open position or the open position, generate an alert to the worker to indicate the level of the contaminant is greater than the threshold contamination level, the alert comprising at least one of a vibration, audible output, or light-emitted visual output.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the position sensor comprises at least one of: an accelerometer, gyro, magnet, switch, or air pressure sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an environmental beacon, wherein the environmental beacon comprises the air contaminant sensor and a communication module, wherein the communication module of the environmental beacon is configured to output an indication of the level of the contaminant to the at least one processor.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the communication module of the environmental beacon includes wireless communication capabilities.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the head top further comprises a communication module, wherein the position sensor is configured to output the indication of the position of the visor via the communication module of the head top, wherein the communication module of the head top includes wireless communication capabilities.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor includes a first processor and a second processor, wherein the head top includes the first processor, the system further comprising:
a portable personal communication hub that includes the second processor and a communication module, wherein the communication module of the personal communication hub includes wireless communication capabilities,
wherein the first processor is configured to:
receive the indication of the position of the visor,
determine whether the visor is in the closed position, the partially open position, or the open position, and
output an indication of whether the visor is in the closed position, the partially open position, or the open position,

wherein the second processor is configured to:
receive, via the communication module of the personal communication hub, the indication of whether the visor is in the closed position, the partially open position, or the open position;
receive, via the communication module of the personal communication hub, an indication of the level of the contaminant;
determine whether the level of the contaminant is greater than the threshold contamination level, and
generate the alert.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold contamination level is configurable by the worker.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a memory configured to store the threshold contamination level.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine an amount of time the visor is in the open position or the partially open position, and
generate the alert in further response to determining that the amount of time is greater than a threshold amount of time.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a memory configured to store data indicating the threshold amount of time.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the threshold amount of time based at least in part on a threat to the respiratory health of the worker.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the threshold amount of time based at least in part on a type of the contaminant.

13. The system of claim 9 ,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine that the threshold amount of time is a first threshold amount of time in response to determining the visor is in a partially open position, and
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine that the threshold amount of time is a second threshold amount of time in response to determining the visor is in the open position, the second threshold amount of time different than the first threshold amount of time.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a degree or a percentage that the visor is open, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the threshold amount of time based at least in part on the degree or the percentage that the visor is open.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the head top further comprises a head detection sensor configured to detect whether the head top is being worn by the worker.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the head detection sensor comprises a temperature sensor configured to detect an air temperature inside the head top, wherein the air temperature inside the head top indicates whether the head top is being worn by the worker.

17. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a computing device that includes the at least one processor, wherein the computing device is physically separate from the head top and the PAPR, and wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to at least one of the head top or the PAPR.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to, responsive to determining that the level of the contaminant is greater than the threshold

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Awiszus Steven T
• Kanukurthy Kiran S

Classifications

• A62B27/00

  Methods or devices for testing respiratory or breathing apparatus {for high altitudes}(apparatus for testing gastightness in general G01M) · CPC title

• A42B3/046

  Means for detecting hazards or accidents · CPC title

• A42B3/225 Primary

  with full face protection, e.g. for industrial safety applications · CPC title

• A62B9/006 Primary

  Indicators or warning devices, e.g. of low pressure, contamination · CPC title

• A42B3/0466

  Means for detecting that the user is wearing a helmet · CPC title