Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PROTECTIVE HOOD
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to protective hoods which
are suitable for military and industrial applications and
also in civil emergency situations where dangerous gases or
airborne chemicals are present.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
In emergencies, the ease with which a wearer can don
protective equipment is very important. Furthermore, for
those with a beard, the conventional gas mask is inadequate
because the beard creates an uneven surface for the gas mask
to contact and hence allows dangerous substances to leak
through. It would be advantageous to enjoy gas-tight
protection for the wearer's head using existing,
conventional gas masks (especially over designing or
purchasing special gas masks).
Previous attempts include those in which the wearer
dons the hood over the mask (for example, USP 2,446,530) or
those in which the gas mask is integral with the hood (for
example, US H1360). The present invention intends to avoid
disadvantages inherent in such attempts.
Conventional wet hoods used by a diver are usually
concerned with minimizing (but not preventing) the entrance
of water between the hood and the wearer's head. In such
hoods, the important contact surface is the interior of the
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hood because it contacts the head. Accordingly, a
conventional wet hood is not concerned with the exterior
contact with the diving mask.
SUN~IARY OF INVENTION
According to one embodiment of the invention, a hood is
provided for protecting the wearer's head, made of gas-
impervious, flexible material, to be used with a gas mask
having a face and mouth piece, comprising: (a) a head
portion for enclosing snugly the head of the wearer, which
has: (i) a back; and (ii) a front portion having a smooth
exterior surface for a gas-tight contact with the face piece
of the gas mask and defining a face opening for the eyes,
nose and mouth of the wearer; and (b)a tubular neck portion,
integral with said head portion, for covering the neck of
the wearer, which has: (i) a smooth interior surface for a
gas-tight contact with the neck of the wearer; and (ii) neck
portion constricting means for constricting said neck
portion about the neck of the wearer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional gas
mask.
FIG. 2 is a side external view of the hood in
accordance with this invention.
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FIG. 3 is a side, partially internal view of the hood.
FIG. 4 is a back external view of the hood
FIG. 5 is a back, partially internal view of the hood.
FIG. 6 is a front external view of the hood.
FIG. 7 is a side external view of a variation of the
hood.
FIG. 8 is a front external view of a variation of the
hood.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The protective hood of the present invention is used
with a conventional gas mask l, as illustrated in FIG. 1,
which has a face piece 2 which normally contacts directly
the face of the wearer around the eyes, nose and mouth,
straps 3 and a gas filtration device 4.
FIGS. 2-8, illustrate hood 10 of the present invention.
Hood 10 has two main portions, head portion 20 and neck
portion 25. Hood 10 can be thought of as "synthetic skin"
for the wearer's head and neck.
Head portion 20 is approximately shaped like a
conventional diver's hood to cover snugly the wearer's head,
including the chin. The bottom of head portion 20 when hood
10 is donned, approximately corresponds to the nape of the
neck of the wearer. Typical dimensions for head portion 20
can be easily established for wearers of a given population.
In the front of head portion 20 is a facing or front
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portion 16 which defines an approximately oval face opening
15 for the wearer's eyes, nose and mouth when hood 10 is
donned. Front portion 16 has an outer surface which is
smooth and is suitable for a gas-tight, sealing fit with
face piece 2 of gas mask 1 when gas mask 1 is donned and
strapped tightly on the wearer's head (not shown). Herein,
"smooth" as it relates to a surface, means a very smooth,
non-textured or very finely textured surface which is the
same as or comparable to the smooth surface of the mouth
piece of the face mask which normally contacts the face of
the wearer around the eyes, nose and mouth.
Head portion 20 is made primarily of a suitable gas-
impervious and resilient material (like 420 Denier Nylon, a
polyurethane coated nylon). As seen in FIG. 4, head portion
20 is made of two side panels 21 and 22, central panel 23
therebetween, and front portion 16. Panels 21, 22 and 23
may be made of double sided Nylon coated neoprene. Panels
21, 22 23 and front portion 16 are fastened together
conventionally (blind stitched with nylon thread, heat
bonded with welding tape on the interior and sewn with
elastic tape on the exterior) to provide an integral
connection. The term "integral" as it relates to a
connection between two parts of hood 10 of this invention,
means a connection of two parts whose disconnection will
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damage one or both parts, which allows for four way stretch
and which is gas-tight or sealed.
Front portion 16 is made of neoprene (like that made by
Rubatex neoprene, 2mm thick, with Nylon coated surface
facing inwardly) which has a smooth side facing outwardly to
contact face piece 2 of gas mask 1. The inner surface may
be nylon coated.
The top of neck portion 25 has an about 18" diameter
and is integrally connected to the bottom of head portion 20
by conventional methods described above. Neck portion 25 is
made of neoprene (like that made by Rubatex, 3 mm thick)
with a smooth side facing inwardly to contact snugly the
neck of the wearer.
All other materials are possible, the ideal materials
for front portion 16 and neck portion 25 should have
characteristics of neoprene, that is: be smooth, have high
tensile strength and stretchable in all directions but not
easily punctured or ripped, and be bondable or sewable to
other materials without losing the important
characteristics.
It can be seen that hood 10 is designed to provide a
"synthetic skin" for the wearer, with an opening for the
eyes, nose and mouth, and an opening for the neck, and to
provide a gas-tight fit between the "synthetic skin" and the
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gas mask at the face opening and a gas-tight fit between the
"synthetic skin" and the neck at the neck opening.
The gas-tight fit between neck portion 25 and the neck
can be provided by several constricting means.
Neck portion 25 downwardly tapers or flares inwardly
(like a truncated cone) for about 3" to terminate in a hem
of about 16" diameter. Accordingly, the smooth inner
surface of neck portion 25 contacts the neck of the wearer
in a constricted way to provide a gas-tight fit.
Conventional draw string and toggle 30; is slidably
housed in a circumferential draw string casing or enclosure
around neck portion 25, as shown in FIG. 2. It can be
cinched by the wearer to constrict neck portion 25 around
the neck of the wearer. '
A band 35 having elastic properties, is secured at the
back of neck portion 25 and has free ends which may be drawn
forward and secured together quickly and conventionally (for
example, by interlocking Velcro fasteners ends, snap
fasteners or simply tied, not shown) to constrict neck
portion 25 around the wearer's neck.
The average wearer may have a neck size of 16". The
diameter and taper of neck portion 25 can be adjusted to be
wider than described above to facilitate a quicker donning
of hood 10 or to accommodate a wearer with a large head or
neck. To compensate, constricting means such as elastic
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bands 35 and draw string and toggle 30, can be employed by
the wearer after hood 10 is donned to provide for
constriction.
To improve the circulation of air between hood 10 and
the wearer's head and thereby cool, a cooling or circulation
system is provided by small gaps between the wearer's head
and head portion 20. The gaps are created by a plurality of
ribs 50, 51 and 52, disposed around the inside of head
portion 20, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. Rib 50 is a
central, crown rib which runs centrally from the crown of
head portion 20 to the bottom thereof. Ribs 51 extend from
central rib 50 towards face opening 15 in front portion 16.
In particular, ribs 5l may intersect smoothly with central
rib 50 or be a continuous rib which runs over central rib
50. Ribs 52 (as shown in FIG. 5), are in the form of a
rectangle and will explained later in conjunction with pouch
70 (as shown in FIG. 4).
Ribs 50, 51 and 52 may be made of neoprene cords of
about ;~" thickness and are attached to the inside surface of
head portion 20 by conventional bonding techniques.
As seen in FIG. 6, gaps in front portion 16 are
provided by tubes 60 disposed in front portion 16
approximately co-planar with the surface of front portion 16
when in contact with the wearer's face. Tubes 60 allow air
at face opening 15 to enter between hood 10 and the wearer's
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head, to circulate within the gaps formed by ribs 50, 51 and
52 and to exit at face opening 15. FIG. 3 shows the spatial
relationship, in conceptual form, between tubes 60 and the
gaps created by ribs 50 and 51.
Although tubes 60 are shown, other means of producing a
small gap between the interior of head portion 20 and the
head of the wearer, will be sufficient. For example, any
slugs or similar object disposed in front portion 16 or a
corrugated band of sufficient stiffness will be sufficient
to create the requisite gaps.
To cool hood 10 further, external pouch 70 is disposed
on the exterior of head portion 20 to hold a cold pack (for
example, a conventional ice gel pack (not shown)). Pouch 70
can be closed by a conventional flap and Velcro fastening
means. Pouch 70 is advantageously disposed near the bottom
of the back of head portion 20, which is proximate the
position of the nape of the neck of the wearer when hood 10
is donned. Corresponding to pouch 70 on the exterior, is
rectangular rib 52 bonded to the interior of head portion
20. Rectangular rib 52 creates a cushion of air to
attenuate the direct cooling effect of the cold pack (in
pouch 70) on the wearer's head.
As with the beard, there are other features of a wearer
which may need accommodation, such as a large head or neck,
mustache and a turban.
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The increase in dimensions is a matter of simple design
of hood 10 to match the situation.
If the dimensions of central panel 23 are increased to
facilitate the donning of hood 10, then means for
constricting head portion 20 are provided by cinching device
80, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Cinching device 80 includes
two triangular flaps 81, 82 and a zipper 83 closing
downwardly. After donning hood 10 of. expanded dimensions,
zipper 83 is drawn downwardly to bring flaps 81 and 82 (and
thereby side panels 21 and 22) together.
The shape of head portion 20 can be adjusted to be
complementary to a wearer with a turban, as illustrated in
FIG. 7. By simple design, panels 21, 22 and 23 can be
profiled appropriately so that when assembled, head portion
20 fits comfortably with a turban.
For those with a mustache, an inverted V-shaped cover
90 is provided as an extension of front portion 16 (as shown
in FIG. 8) for the mustache. Being made like front portion
16, the outer surface of cover 80 is very smooth to contact
the mouth piece of face mask 1 (not shown) in a gas-tight
fit.
Depending on the application, it may be sufficient if
only one or two constricting means or cooling means are
employed to the basic model of ~~synthetic skin" of hood 10.
For example, in certain applications, cooling is very
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desirable while the gas-tight fit is perhaps not as
important. In such applications, it is not necessary to
have constriction means for neck portion 25 beyond a snug
fit.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been
shown and described in detail to illustrate the application
of the principles of the invention, it will be understood
that the invention may be embodied otherwise without
departing from such principles.
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