Tank attachment arrangement for a self-contained breathing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9943711-B2
Application number	US-201314141550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2013
Priority date	Nov 27, 2013
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A tank attachment arrangement for a self-contained breathing apparatus having at least one tank, including: a base member having a saddle portion comprising a contact side having at least one contact member directly or indirectly attached thereto, the at least one contact member configured to contact a surface of the at least one tank; and at least one tank retainer arrangement configured to retain the at least one tank with respect to the base member; wherein the at least one contact member includes at least one sloped portion to facilitate engagement or disengagement of the at least one tank with the tank attachment arrangement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tank attachment arrangement for a self-contained breathing apparatus having at least one tank, comprising:
a base member having a saddle portion comprising a contact side having at least one contact member directly or indirectly attached thereto, the at least one contact member configured to contact a surface of the at least one tank; and
at least one tank retainer arrangement configured to retain the at least one tank with respect to the base member;
wherein the at least one contact member extends into a groove within the contact side of the saddle portion in a depth direction of the base member, and
wherein the at least one contact member comprises a substantially linear portion, a first sloped portion, and a second sloped portion extending from opposing ends of the substantially linear portion in a longitudinal direction of the at least one contact member and substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the at least one tank to facilitate engagement or disengagement of the at least one tank with at least one of the substantially linear portion, the first sloped portion, and the second sloped portion of the tank attachment arrangement.

2. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact member comprises a tip area having a thickness at a distal end thereof that is less than or substantially equal to the depth of the groove or less than or substantially equal to the thickness of the saddle portion.

3. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first sloped portion, the linear portion, and the second sloped portion of the at least one contact member comprises a first sloped area and a second sloped area, the first sloped area and the second sloped area having a different degree of slope.

4. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact member extends substantially from a first edge of the contact side of the saddle portion to a second edge of the contact side of the base member.

5. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact member has a cross section that is at least one of the following: rounded, at least partially sloped, at least partially angled, substantially triangular, substantially in the form of a truncated triangle, beveled, or any combination thereof.

6. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact member is formed from or coated with at least one of the following: an elastic material, a flexible material, a resilient material, a rubber material, a synthetic material, a plastic material, a silicon material, a low-friction material, or any combination thereof.

7. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the contact side of the saddle portion is substantially concave.

8. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the contact side of the saddle portion comprises at least one saddle contact member configured for contact with at least a portion of the at least one tank upon actuation or operation of the at least one tank retainer arrangement.

9. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising two spaced contact members that are configured to respectively contact two different areas of the surface of the at least one tank.

10. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising at least one groove extending along the contact side of the saddle portion of the base member, wherein the at least one contact member comprises at least one attachment extension extending from a bottom surface of the at least one contact member.

11. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the at least one groove comprises at least one orifice extending therethrough configured to at least partially receive and retain the at least one attachment extension, thereby attaching the at least one contact member to the saddle portion.

12. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the base member comprises:
a cradle attachable to a frame of a back-plate assembly of the self-contained breathing apparatus; and
a cradle cover engageable with the cradle;
wherein the saddle portion is attached to or formed on the cradle cover.

13. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tank retainer arrangement comprises at least one elongate band configured to retain the at least one tank against the contact side of the saddle portion of the base member.

14. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the at least one elongate band is configured to be tightened and loosened with respect to the at least one tank.

15. The tank attachment arrangement of claim 14 , wherein the at least one elongate band is configured to be tightened and loosened using a latching/tensioning assembly in operative engagement with at least a portion of the base member.

16. In a self-contained breathing apparatus having a back-plate assembly configured to be removably attached to a user and at least one tank having gas therein, a tank attachment arrangement comprising:
a base member having a saddle portion comprising a contact side having at least one contact member directly or indirectly attached thereto, the at least one contact member configured to contact a surface of the at least one tank; and
at least one tank retainer arrangement configured to retain the at least one tank with respect to the base member;
wherein the at least one contact member extends into a groove within the contact side of the saddle portion in a depth direction of the base member, and
wherein the at least one contact member comprises a substantially linear portion, a first sloped portion, and a second sloped portion extending from opposing ends of the substantially linear portion in a longitudinal direction of the at least one contact member and substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the at least one tank to facilitate engagement or disengagement of the at least one tank with at least one of the substantially linear portion, the first sloped portion, and the second sloped portion of the tank attachment arrangement.

17. A self-contained breathing apparatus, comprising:
a back-plate assembly having at least one attachment arrangement configured to removably connect the back-plate assembly to a user;
at least one tank having gas therein;
a regulation system directly or indirectly connected to the at least one tank and configured to provide regulated gas from the at least one tank to a mask of the user; and
a tank attachment arrangement comprising:
(i) a base member having a saddle portion comprising a contact side having at least one contact member directly or indirectly attached thereto, the at least one contact member configured to contact a surface of the at least one tank; and
(ii) at least one tank retainer arrangement configured to retain the at least one tank with respect to the base member;

wherein the at least one contact member extends into a groove within the contact side of the saddle portion in a depth direction of the base member, and
wherein the at least one contact member comprises a substantially linear portion, a first sloped portion, and a second sloped portion extending from opposing ends of the substantially linear portion in a longitudinal direction of the at least one contact member and substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the at least one tank to facilitate engagement or disengagement of the at least one tank with at least one of the substantially linear portion, the first sloped portion, and the second sloped portion of

Assignees

• Mine Safety Appliances Co
• Msa Technology Llc

Inventors

• Losos David J
• Denninger Stephen J

Classifications

• A62B9/04 Primary

  Couplings; Supporting frames · CPC title

• A62B25/00

  Devices for storing {or holding or carrying} respiratory or breathing apparatus · CPC title