3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Joseph G Reischel

David P Knivsland

Vaughn B Grannis

Michael J Bartholomew

David C Byram

Gerald M Brostrom

Robert J Mattila

Gary A Baribeau

Kenneth W Jensen

James A Burns

Frank J Fabin

Full-face respirator lens

Two position pressure demand inlet port adaptor

Inlet port adaptor on a full-face respirator lens

A full face respirator mask (10) includes a face shield portion (12) with the seal (20) surrounding a lens portion (14). Inhalation ports (16) and an exhalation port (18) are formed at the lower portion of the lens (14). A center adapter (30) includes a nose cup (40) and an exhalation valve (38) in the center orifice (18). The inhalation ports (16,116) are placed at each side of the exhalation port (18) and include connector portions (50,150) formed with the lens (14) or ultrasonically welded to the lens (14). The connector portions (50) include male connectors (58) in a first embodiment and female connectors (150) in a second embodiment receiving complementary formed connectors of a breathable air source.

Full face respirator mask having integral connectors disposed in lens

Full face respirator lens

Full face respirator

The novel respiratory mask has a soft, compliant facepiece to which is permanently sealed a relatively thin, rigid insert. The insert has swept back cheek portions, each formed with an aperture at which a filter cartridge is snapped into place through an opening in the facepiece. Adjacent said opening, the facepiece has a rigid which is bent over and stretched outwardly by the cartridge to create a hermetic seal. Each filter cartridge is asymmetric and swept back to shift the center of gravity inwardly toward the wearer's head, thus making the mask seem to be lighter to a wearer than is a conventional respiratory mask of equal weight which has a center of gravity in front of the wearer's head. Fitted over an annular flange around a central aperture of the insert is a harness attachment. Because the insert and harness attachment can be lightweight, the mask can be lighter in weight than are prior masks having filters of equal weight. The novel respiratory mask can be of low cost, thus making it economical to be discarded after each use.

Respiratory mask having a soft, compliant facepiece and a thin, rigid

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Joseph G Reischel