3m Innovative Properties Company

Brian Cormack

Desmond T Curran

Christopher P Henderson

Andrew S Viner

Elfed I Williams

Audra A Conlan

Malcolm R Watson

Audra A Wilson

Method for making a filter cartridge that is suitable for attachment to a respiratory mask. The method comprises the steps of (a) providing a mass of filter material; (b) providing a filter cartridge housing that has an inlet and outlet and a sidewall that includes sheet material; and (c) thermoforming the sheet material of the housing sidewall around at least part of the mass of filter material to place the housing sidewall in direct contact with the mass of filter material to encapsulate the filter material so that fluid is prevented from passing through the filter cartridge from the inlet to the outlet without being filtered by the mass of filter material.

Method of making a filter cartridge using a thermoforming step

An eye-wear article () for use with a respiratory mask () comprises a flat piece of transparent polymeric material providing a visor portion. The flat piece of polymeric material has shaped portions in a lower edge that fit over respective selected parts of the mask, and elongate tabs () that extend from each side and are inserted into respective guides () on the head harness () of the mask to cause the flat piece of polymeric material to adopt a curved configuration and locate the visor portion in front of the eyes of the wearer. The tabs () can slide in the guides () to permit the eye-wear article to be moved out of engagement with the mask and onto the top of the wearer's while the mask is being worn, without disturbing the position of the mask on the wearer's face and without affecting the respiratory protection provided by the mask.

Eye-wear articles for use with respiratory masks

A filter cartridge (), suitable for attachment to a respiratory mask, has a housing that includes an air inlet (), an air outlet (), and filter material () through which air to be filtered travels through when passing from the inlet to the outlet. At least part of the housing includes a sheet material () that is thermo-formed around the sides of the filter material.

Filter element that has a thermo-formed housing around filter material

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County Durham, United Kingdom

Brian Cormack