Personal containment system with isolated blower

#The present disclosure relates to a personal containment system, such as a protective suit adapted to isolate a person from a contaminated environment. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a personal containment system with an air delivery system.

#Personal containment systems are useful to protect a user from a variety of harmful chemical or biological agents. Many examples of personal containment systems are known, such as gas-masks, protective suits, protective tents, casualty bags for injured persons, and the like. These systems isolate a body from contaminants. Often, the contaminants include respiratory hazards, and the systems must employ respirators or air delivery systems so that the user is able to breathe when isolated from the environment. A variety of respirators are known and described below.

#Certain gas masks and other systems employ a non-powered purifying respirator. Air is drawn into the system through a filter by the user's breathing action. When the wearer draws a breath, negative pressure is created in the mask and air is drawn in through the filter. When the user expels a breath, spent air leaves the system through a valve.

#FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a personal containment system constructed in accordance with the present invention.

#FIGS. 2-6 show schematic views of various examples of personal containment systems indicated in FIG. 1.

#FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a personal containment system, indicated in FIG. 1, in the form of a chemical suit.

#FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an example, or embodiment, of the personal containment system 20 constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. The personal containment system 20 includes a generally fluid-tight barrier 22 having an inner surface 24 and an outer surface 26. The generally fluid tight barrier 22 adapted to at least partially define an inner environment 28 interfacing with the inner surface 24, and an outer environment 30 interfacing with the outer surface 26. The personal containment system 20 also includes an air delivery system 32 powered by a blower 34 connected through the generally fluid-tight barrier 22. The blower 34 is generally isolated from the outer environment 30 and draws filtered air from a filter 36 in fluid communication with the blower 34, and the filter is located in the outer environment 30. Air from the outer environment 30 is passed into the inner environment 28 by the blower 34 from the filter 34. FIGS. 2-5 show alternative embodiments of the general personal containment system 20 of FIG. 1, where like parts have like reference numerals.

#The personal containment system 20 can be one of a variety of protection systems that may be suitable for protecting living things from a contaminated or hazardous environment. For example, the personal containment system can be a protective garment such as commonly known chemical suits, hoods or masks. Other examples include a tent or a casualty bag. Still other examples, both known and unknown, are intended to fall within the scope of the disclosure. The personal containment system at least partially defines an inner environment 28. The inner environment 28 is intended to be habitable and contaminant-free when worn in a contaminated or hazardous outer environment 30. The personal containment system is described as at partially defining an inner environment because, in the case of a suit, the suit may have openings for at least the limbs and head. In such a case, the suit may be worn with gloves, boots and a hood, for example. In another embodiment, one or more of the gloves boots and hood may be integral to the suit. In still another embodiment, the barrier may include the attachments such as one or more of the gloves, boots, and hood, which are not integral to the suit, but are connected to it in a known manner to protect a user. In cases where the personal containment system is a hood, there exists an opening at the neck, an so on.

#FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the personal containment system 20 including an attachment 38 to define the inner environment 28. The attachment 38 can include one or more pieces. Accordingly, FIG. 2 can be a schematic representation of a suit with attached gloves, boots and hood, or the like. FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a personal containment system 20 which is either self sealing or all attachments are integral with the generally fluid tight barrier 22. FIGS. 2 and 3 also include a vent 40 to permit gasses to escape. In one embodiment, the vent 40 is a one-way valve that opens automatically after the pressure within the inner environment 28 has reached a certain threshold. More than one vent 40 can be used. The vent 40 can be attached to the barrier 22, the attachment 38, or both. In another embodiment, the vent is an exhaust filter.