The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 08, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 21, 2000
Daniel A. Japuntich, St. Paul, MN (US);
Nicole V. McCullough, St. Paul, MN (US);
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A negative pressure respirator ′ that has an integrally-disposed filter element and that covers at least the nose and mouth of a wearer. The respirator ′ includes an exhalation valve and an impactor element that covers the exhalation valve . The exhalation valve has a diaphragm and an orifice and opens in response to increased pressure when the wearer exhales to allow exhaled air to be rapidly purged from the mask interior. The impactor element is positioned in the exhale flow stream to remove particles and other contaminants from the exhaled air. The exhalation valve and impactor element have a ratio of Z :D of less than about . The respirator ′ is beneficial because it provides comfort to the wearer by allowing warm, moist, high-CO -content air to be rapidly-evacuated from the mask interior through the valve and also protects the wearer from splash-fluids and from polluted air while at the same time protecting other persons or items from being exposed to particles and other contaminants exhaled by the wearer.