US-12623098-B2 - Dual mode breathing apparatus

US12623098B2US 12623098 B2US12623098 B2US 12623098B2US-12623098-B2

Abstract

A breathing apparatus includes a tank containing pressurized breathing gas, a regulator having an inlet connected to the tank, an outlet for providing breathing gas to a user, and a valve configured for controlling a flow of breathing gas between the inlet and the outlet. A facepiece includes a first port for connecting with the outlet of the regulator, a second port adapted to be connected to an air purifying system, and an exhalation valve. A pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly is in operative connection with the exhalation valve, and has a first pneumatic connection in operative connection with a second pneumatic connection in the regulator. The pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly is operable to adjust the internal facepiece pressure for opening the exhalation valve based on whether breathing gas is delivered to the pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly. An alignment mechanism is provided for aligning the regulator with the facepiece.

Inventors

Nicholas R. Neugebauer
Michael Laskowski
MARCO TEKELENBURG

Assignees

MSA TECHNOLOGY, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20210910

Claims (20)

1 . A breathing apparatus comprising: a tank configured for containing pressurized breathing gas; a regulator comprising an inlet for connection to the tank via a first airline, an outlet for providing the pressurized breathing gas to a user, and a valve configured for controlling a flow of the pressurized breathing gas between the inlet and the outlet based at least in part on a respiration demand of the user; a facepiece comprising a first port configured to be placed in fluid connection with the outlet of the regulator to introduce the pressurized breathing gas into the facepiece, a second port adapted to be connected to an air purifying system, and an exhalation valve for exhausting exhaled breath from the facepiece; a pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly in operative connection with the exhalation valve, the pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly having a first pneumatic connection in operative connection with a second pneumatic connection in the regulator, the pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly operable to adjust an internal facepiece pressure required to open the exhalation valve based on whether the pressurized breathing gas is delivered to the pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly via the second pneumatic connection in the regulator; and an alignment mechanism for aligning the regulator with the facepiece such that the first pneumatic connection of the pressure adjustment assembly in the facepiece is aligned with the second pneumatic connection in the regulator, wherein the alignment mechanism comprises a pin on one of the regulator and the facepiece and a corresponding recess on the other of the regulator and the facepiece, wherein the regulator is rotatable relative to the facepiece until the pin is received through an open end of the recess and engages a closed end of the recess, wherein the regulator comprises a connection element configured for mechanical connection of the regulator to the facepiece, wherein the mechanical connection is a bayonet connection, a spring-loaded detent connection, or a press-in connection, and wherein the connection element and the alignment mechanism are separate components of the breathing apparatus.
2 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the open end of the recess is configured for receiving the pin and the closed end is opposite the open end and is configured for acting as a stop surface for the pin.
3 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, when the pin engages the closed end of the recess, the regulator is aligned with the facepiece to establish a pneumatic connection in the pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly.
4 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a safety device on the facepiece configured for interfacing with a corresponding safety feature on the regulator, wherein an absence of the corresponding safety feature on the regulator prevents the regulator from connecting to the facepiece.
5 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the safety device is a protrusion extending outwardly from a regulator connection interface on the facepiece, and wherein the safety feature on the regulator is a slot configured for receiving the protrusion when the regulator is connected to the facepiece.
6 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the air purifying system comprises a filter configured for delivering filtered ambient air to the second port on the facepiece via a second airline.
7 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the filter and the second airline is connectable to a clip on a harness worn by the user.
8 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of the filter and the second airline is removably connectable to the clip.
9 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the clip is movable between a deployed position configured for receiving at least one of the filter and the second airline, and a stowed position.
10 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the clip is removably connected to the harness.
11 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an actuator via which the flow of the pressurized breathing gas from the tank to the inlet of the regulator is started when the actuator is in a first state and is stopped when the actuator is in a second state.
12 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly comprises a piston, a piston retainer surrounding at least a portion of the piston, and a return spring positioned between the piston and the piston retainer.
13 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein a distal end of the piston is engaged directly or indirectly with a second spring.
14 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the connection element comprises a locking interface configured to removably connect to a locking interface on the facepiece.
15 . The breathing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the connection element is further configured for direct connection of the regulator to the facepiece.
16 . A facemask configured for use with a breathing apparatus, the facemask comprising: a regulator comprising an inlet configured for connection to a tank containing a pressurized breathing gas, an outlet for providing the pressurized breathing gas to a user, and a valve configured for controlling a flow of the pressurized breathing gas between the inlet and the outlet based at least in part on the respiration of the user; a facepiece comprising a first port configured to be placed in fluid connection with the outlet of the regulator to introduce the pressurized breathing gas into the facepiece, a second port adapted to be connected to an air purifying system, and an exhalation valve for exhausting exhaled breath from the facepiece; a pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly in operative connection with the exhalation valve and operable to adjust the internal facepiece pressure required to open the exhalation valve based on whether the pressurized breathing gas is delivered to the pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly; and an alignment mechanism for aligning the regulator with the facepiece such that the pin is configured to be received within the recess when a first pneumatic connection of the pressure adjustment assembly in the facepiece is aligned with a corresponding second pneumatic connection of the pressure adjustment assembly in the regulator, wherein the alignment mechanism comprises a pin on one of the regulator and the facepiece and a corresponding recess on the other of the regulator and the facepiece, wherein the regulator is rotatable relative to the facepiece until the pin is received through an open end of the recess and engages a closed end of the recess, wherein the regulator comprises a connection element configured for mechanical connection of the regulator to the facepiece, wherein the mechanical connection is a bayonet connection, a spring-loaded detent connection, or a press-in connection, and wherein the connection element and the alignment mechanism are separate components of the breathing apparatus.
17 . The facemask according to claim 16 , wherein the open end of the recess is configured for receiving the pin and the closed end is opposite the open end and is configured for acting as a stop surface for the pin.
18 . The facemask according to claim 16 , wherein, when the pin engages the closed end of the recess, the regulator is aligned with the facepiece to establish a pneumatic connection in the pneumatic pressure adjustment assembly.
19 . The facemask according to claim 16 , further comprising a safety device on the facepiece configured for interfacing with a corresponding safety feature on the regulator, wherein an absence of the corresponding safety feature on the regulator prevents the regulator from connecting to the facepiece.
20 . The facemask according to claim 19 , wherein the safety device is a protrusion extending outwardly from a regulator connection interface on the facepiece, and wherein the safety feature on the regulator is a slot configured for receiving the protrusion when the regulator is connected to the facepiece.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/077,097, filed Sep. 11, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure is generally directed to devices, systems, and methods for operation of a breathing apparatus in multiple modes and, particularly, to devices, systems, and methods for operating a face piece of a breathing apparatus at different pressures via different modes of operation. Technical Considerations A self-contained breathing apparatus (“SCBA”) is a device used to enable breathing in environments which are immediately dangerous to life and health. For example, firefighters may wear an SCBA when fighting a fire. The SCBA typically has a harness supporting an air tank containing a pressurized source of air. The air tank is operatively connected to a facepiece via an airline to deliver the air to the user. The air tank typically contains air or gas under high pressure (2200 psi-5500 psi) and is connected to a first stage regulator which reduces the pressure to about 80 psi. The SCBA usually has a second stage regulator that has an inlet valve which controls the flow of air for breathing between the air tank and the facepiece. Typically, the inlet valve controls the flow of air through the second stage regulator in response to the respiration demands of the user. Typically, a diaphragm divides the regulator assembly into an inner chamber having a pressure corresponding to the pressure within the facepiece of the SCBA and an outer chamber having a pressure corresponding to the pressure in the surrounding environment, which is typically ambient pressure. The diaphragm is coupled to an actuating mechanism which opens and closes the inlet valve. The user's respiration creates a pressure differential between the inner and outer chambers of the regulator assembly which, in turn, causes displacement of the diaphragm thereby controlling the inlet valve mechanism, such as by selectively opening and closing the inlet valve mechanism. The facepiece of the SCBA is typically maintained at a positive pressure as compared to the surrounding environmental pressure to, for example, prevent toxic gases and vapors in the surrounding environment from entering the facepiece. This positive pressure can, for example, be facilitated by biasing the diaphragm with a spring. Combination breathing apparatuses are devices that combine two or more types of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approved breathing apparatuses into a single integrated system. For example, such combination breathing apparatus may be configured to work as an SCBA in a first mode of operation and as an air purifying respirator (APR) in a second mode of operation. In the APR mode, oxygen is supplied to the user from the working atmosphere and the facepiece is typically maintained at the same pressure as the surrounding environmental pressure. Combining an APR with an SCBA respirator, while meeting all NIOSH breathing test requirements, requires that the exhalation valve meet the low resistance requirement of APR exhalation resistance and also allow pressure within the facepiece to be higher than ambient pressure for SCBA operation. An example of such dual-mode breathing apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,256,420, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Existing dual mode breathing apparatuses are not configured to adjust the bias of the diaphragm between the SCBA configuration, where the facepiece is maintained at a positive pressure compared to the surrounding environmental pressure, and APR configuration, where the facepiece is maintained at the same pressure as the surrounding environmental pressure. This can make exhalation difficult in the APR configuration. Furthermore, existing dual mode breathing apparatuses are not configured to securely align the regulator assembly with the facepiece each time a connection is made between these two components. Additionally, existing dual mode breathing apparatuses are not configured to prevent the use of a single-mode facepiece with a dual mode regulator assembly. Accordingly, it would be desirable to improve upon existing dual mode breathing apparatuses. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Generally, provided is an improved breathing apparatus that may have a tank configured for containing pressurized breathing gas, a regulator having an inlet for connection to the tank via a first airline, an outlet to provide the breathing gas to a user, and a valve configured for controlling a flow of the breathing gas between the inlet and the outlet based at least in part on the respiration of the user. The breathing apparatus further may include a facepiece having a first port configured to be placed in fluid connection with the outlet of the regulator to introduce pressurized breathing gas into t