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BR-112022011243-B1 - Control unit for an aircraft crew member's breathing mask.

BR112022011243B1BR 112022011243 B1BR112022011243 B1BR 112022011243B1BR-112022011243-B1

Abstract

REGULATOR ASSEMBLY FOR A RESPIRATORY MASK. The present invention relates to a control unit (1) for an aircraft crew respiratory mask, said unit comprising a support, a mode selection button (20) mounted with the ability to articulate on the support, said selection button (20) being adapted to articulate between at least a first position, a second position and a third position, a controller adapted to provide a breathing cavity in at least three operating modes depending on the position of the mode selection button and at least one locking/unlocking system adapted to lock and unlock the rotation of the mode selection button to the third position, the locking/unlocking system comprising an operating element (31) adapted to be articulated between a locking position of the rotation of the mode selection button, and an unlocking position of the rotation of the mode selection button.

Inventors

  • Jérémy Jacotey
  • Didier Lamourette
  • Serge MOREIRA

Assignees

  • SAFRAN AEROTECHNICS

Dates

Publication Date
20260317
Application Date
20201208
Priority Date
20191209

Claims (15)

  1. 1. Control unit (1, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107) for a respiratory mask for an aircraft crew member, said unit comprising: - a support (10), - a mode selection button (20, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207) mounted with the ability to articulate on the support (10) in relation to an axis of rotation (Z), the axis of rotation (Z) being disposed perpendicularly to said support (10), said mode selection button (20, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207) having a base (21) extending perpendicularly to the axis of rotation (Z) and a peripheral ring (22), the said selection button (20) being capable of articulation between at least a first position (EMER), a second position (100%) and a third position (N), - a controller intended to be supplied from a breathing gas source and adapted to supply a breathing cavity in at least three of the following operating modes: - when the mode selection button (20, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207) is in the first position (EMER), the controller supplies the breathing cavity as long as the pressure in the breathing cavity is not higher than a first pressure relative to ambient pressure, - when the mode selection button (20, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207) is in the second position (100%), the controller supplies the breathing cavity as long as the pressure in the breathing cavity is not higher than a second pressure relative to ambient pressure at ambient pressure, the first pressure being higher than the second pressure, - when the mode selection button (20, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207) is in the third position (N), the controller supplies the breathing cavity with breathing gas diluted in air, characterized by comprising at least one locking/unlocking system (30, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305) suitable for locking and unlocking the rotation of the mode selection button to the third position, the locking/unlocking system (30, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305) comprising an operating element (31, 310, 311, 312, 313) adapted to be articulated between a position that locks the rotation from the mode selection button and a position that unlocks the rotation of the mode selection button.
  2. 2. Control unit (1, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107), according to claim 1, characterized in that the second position (100%) is positioned between the first position (EMER) and the third position (N), and wherein said locking/unlocking system (30, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305) comprises an opening (32) formed in said support (10), said opening (32) comprising a radial stop (48) delimiting a first opening part (46) and a second opening part (47), and wherein the operating element (31, 310, 311, 312, 313) comprises a tongue (38, 380) adapted to slide in the first opening part. (46) and to rest on said radial stop (48) when the operating element (31, 310, 311, 312, 313) is positioned in the locking position, said tongue (38, 380) being suitable for sliding at least in the second opening part (47) when the operating element (31, 310, 311, 312, 313) is in the unlocking position.
  3. 3. Control unit (1, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107), according to claim 2, characterized in that said opening (32) has the form of at least one arc of a circle centered on the axis of rotation (X).
  4. 4. Control unit (1, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107), according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the first opening part (46) and the second opening part (47) have the shape of an arc of a circle and in that the arc of the circle of the second opening part (47) has a radius different from the radius of the arc of the circle of the first opening part (46); the first opening part (46) having a radial end wall forming a radial stop (48) locking the passage of the tongue (38, 380) to the second opening part (47) when the operating element (31, 310, 311, 312, 313) is in the locking position.
  5. 5. Control unit (1, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107), according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the operating element (31, 310, 311, 312, 313) comprises a lever mounted so as to articulate with respect to the mode selection button (20, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207) around a first pivot axis (X), the first pivot axis (X) being parallel to the axis of rotation (Z).
  6. 6. Control unit (1, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107), according to the combination of claims 2 and 5, characterized in that said tongue (38, 380) and said radial stop (48) are disposed on one side of a plane (A), and in that the operating element (31, 310, 311, 312, 313) has an operating area (44) disposed on the other side of said plane (A), said operating area (44) being an area in which the user acts to unlock the rotation of the mode selection button (20, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207); the said plane (A) being perpendicular to the bottom (31) and passing through the said first pivot axis (X) and an end stop (28).
  7. 7. Control unit (1, 100, 101, 105, 106, 107), according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the locking/unlocking system (30, 300, 301, 303, 304, 305) comprises a resilient element (50, 66, 68) adapted to maintain the operating element (31, 311, 312, 313) in the locking position, the resilient element (50, 66, 68) being adapted to act between the operating element (31, 311, 312, 313) and a support wall (51, 64, 69) of the mode selection button (20, 200, 201, 205, 206, 207).
  8. 8. Control unit (1, 100, 101, 105, 107), according to claim 7, characterized in that the resilient element (50, 68) comprises at least one compression spring (73) capable of being compressed by pressing a part of the operating element (31, 311, 313) so as to unlock the rotation of the mode selection button (20, 200, 201, 205, 207) towards the third position (N).
  9. 9. Control unit (102, 103, 104, 105), according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the peripheral ring (22) of the mode selection button (202, 203, 204) comprises a slot (55) perpendicular to the axis of rotation (Z) which is extended by a cutout (56) parallel to the axis of rotation (Z) and opening outward from the mode selection button (202, 203, 204), and wherein a part of the peripheral ring delimited by said slot (55) and said cutout (56) forms the operating element (310, 311), the operating element (310, 311) being capable of articulation by deformation of an axial part of the peripheral ring (22).
  10. 10. Control unit (106), according to claim 7, characterized in that the operating element (312) has a passage recess (60), a part of the passage recess (60) is in the form of an enlargement (58), another part of the passage recess (60) has a re-entrant corner (67) open to the enlargement (58), and wherein the support wall (61) is perpendicular to the bottom (21) and extends to the passage recess (58), said support wall (61) being provided with a radial notch (65), the resilient element (66) comprising at least one spring beam fixed in a wedge-shaped manner in said radial notch (65) and in the re-entrant corner (67).
  11. 11. Control unit (106), according to claim 5, characterized in that the operating element (312) comprises a passage recess (60), a part of the passage recess (60) having a cylindrical shape, and wherein the support wall (64) comprises, at one of its ends, a pivot (63) disposed in the cylindrical part (61) of the recess, said pivot (63) forming the first pivot axis (X).
  12. 12. Control unit (107), according to the combination of claims 5 and 7, characterized in that it comprises a first hinge element (70, 75) disposed between said resilient element (68) and the mode selection button (207) and a second hinge element (71, 76) disposed between said resilient element (68) and the operating element (313).
  13. 13. Control unit (107), according to claim 12, characterized in that the resilient element (68) comprises a compression spring (74), a first hollow cylinder (72) with a lower wall and a second hollow cylinder (73) with a lower wall; and wherein the second hollow cylinder (73) is sliding around the first hollow cylinder (72), the compression spring (74) being housed partially in the first hollow cylinder and partially in the second hollow cylinder (73), the compression spring (74) being coupled to said lower wall of the first hollow cylinder and to the lower wall of the second hollow cylinder.
  14. 14. Control unit (1, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107), according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that said locking/unlocking system (30, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305) is a first locking/unlocking system and in that said control unit comprises a second locking/unlocking system (30, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305) arranged diametrically opposite to the first locking device (30, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305) with respect to the axis of rotation (Z).
  15. 15. Control unit (1, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107), according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that said locking/unlocking system (30, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305) is a first locking/unlocking system (30, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305), and wherein said control unit comprises a second locking/unlocking system (30, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305), the operating element of the second locking device being arranged symmetrically opposite to the operating element of the first locking device (30, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305) in relation to a radial plane (P1) perpendicular to the bottom (21), said radial plane (P1) passing through the axis of rotation (Z).

Description

[0001] The present description refers to a control unit for a respiratory mask for an aircraft crew member. [0002] In a known manner, such a control unit for an aircraft crewman's breathing mask comprises: - a support, - a mode selection button articulatedly mounted on the support around an axis of rotation between at least a first EMER position, a second 100% position and a third N position, - a controller intended to be supplied from a breathing gas source and adapted to supply a breathing cavity in at least three of the following modes of operation: - when the mode selection button is in the first EMER position, the controller supplies the breathing cavity provided that the pressure in the breathing cavity is not higher than a first pressure relative to ambient pressure, - when the mode selection button is in the second 100% position, the controller supplies the breathing cavity provided that the pressure in the breathing cavity is not higher than a second pressure relative to ambient pressure, the first pressure being higher than the second pressure, - when the mode selection button is in the third N position, the controller supplies the breathing cavity with breathing gas diluted in air. [0003] The first position “EMER” corresponds to the “EMERGENCY” mode. It is selected in case of smoke or fire in the cabin. The second position “100%” corresponds to the “100%” mode. It offers protection against hypoxia. The third position “N” corresponds to the “NORMAL” mode. It can be used to limit oxygen consumption for preventive use or during a descent profile landing. The selection button is, by default, in the second 100% position. The second 100% position is located midway between the first and third positions. [0004] The mode selection button is not visible to the user when the mask is worn. Currently, the selection button is asymmetrical to allow the user to distinguish between the direction of rotation that leads to “EMERGENCY” and “NORMAL” mode by touch. The selection button also has side markings to allow verification of the selected mode by third parties. Thus, current respiratory masks have means of providing information about the selected operating mode to the user, through the asymmetry of the button, and to third parties, through the side markings. [0005] Despite this asymmetry, without significant knowledge and frequent use of the respirator, it is difficult to know the direction of rotation between “EMERGENCY” and “NORMAL” modes. In particular, in the event of a sudden emergency, the user may accidentally rotate the selection button to “NORMAL” mode and lose protection against toxic gases and fumes. The user may select the wrong operating mode if the information is misinterpreted or if the user reacts hastily. [0006] This description is intended to provide a control unit that prevents the accidental selection of “NORMAL” mode instead of “EMERGENCY” mode. This description is intended to increase the safety level of oxygen mask control units by preventing misuse of the mode selection button. [0007] The invention improves the situation. [0008] The invention relates to a control unit for a respiratory mask comprising at least one locking/unlocking system adapted for locking and unlocking the rotation of the mode selection button towards the third position, the locking/unlocking system comprising an operating element adapted for rotation between a locking position of the mode selection button rotation and an unlocking position of the mode selection button rotation. [0009] Advantageously, the present description mechanically prevents the selection of an incorrect operating mode. [0010] The features defined in the following paragraphs may be implemented optionally. They may be implemented independently of each other or in combination with each other: - the second position is positioned between the first position and the third position, and wherein said locking/unlocking system comprises an opening formed in said support; said opening comprising a radial stop delimiting a first opening part and a second opening part, and wherein the operating element comprises a tongue adapted to slide in the first opening part and to abut said radial stop when the operating element is positioned in the locking position, said tongue adapted to slide at least in the second opening part when the operating element is in the unlocking position. - said opening has the shape of at least a circular arc centered on the axis of rotation. - the first opening part and the second opening part have the shape of a circular arc, and wherein the arc of the circle of the second opening part has a radius different from the radius of the arc of the circle of the first opening part; the first opening section having a radial end wall forming a radial stop locking the passage of the tongue in the second opening section when the operating element is in the locking position. - the first opening section extends over a first angled sector and the se