# US 2018/0021605 A1 · Coal miner personal air filtration system specially adapted for low ceiling mines

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- Number: US 2018/0021605 A1
- Document ID: US20180021605A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/218,484
- Filed: 2016-07-25
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25
- Inventors: Mark A. Bartkoski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021605A1

## CPC

- A62B 9/04: Couplings; Supporting frames
- A62B 7/10: with filter elements
- A62B 18/006: {with pumps for forced ventilation (A62B18/045 takes precedence)}
- A41D 13/0025: {by means of forced air circulation}
- A62B: DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING (valves specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; life-saving devices, apparatus or methods specially adapted for use in water B63C9/00; divers' equipment B63C11/00; specially adopted for use with aircraft, e.g. parachutes, ejector seats, {B64D17/00, B64D25/10}; rescue devices peculiar to mining E21F11/00)
- A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES

## Abstract

A positive pressure personal air filtration system particularly advantageous in the close quarters of a low ceiling mine. An air pump and air filter unit is mounted to a vest worn by a user and is connected to a nose and mouth mask by an air hose which, if the unit is mounted to the back of the vest, passes directly over the user's shoulder. The mask has upper and side edges contoured to seat against the user's face from immediately above the user's nose and extending down the user's cheeks. The mask extends further downward to a bottom termination edge which is contoured to extend in spaced relationship out in front of the user's face to define a non-valved opening to ambient air across the entire bottom of the mask. The termination edge extends downward to a lower level than the user's mouth and preferably to the level of the user's chin to form an air reservoir.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A positive pressure personal air filtration system comprising:
(a) a vest wearable by a user;
(b) an air pump and air filter mounted to the vest and capable of forcing ambient air through the air filter to an outlet port;
(c) a nose and mouth mask having upper and side edges contoured to seat against the user's face immediately above the user's nose and down the user's cheeks, the mask extending downward to a bottom termination edge, the termination edge contoured to extend in spaced relationship from the face of the user to define a non-valved opening of the mask to ambient air, the termination edge extending downward to a lower level than the mouth of the user, the mask also having an air hose inlet port; and
(d) an air hose connected between the outlet port and the inlet port.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A personal air filtration system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air pump and air filter are mounted to the vest with the outlet port at an upper end of the air pump and air filter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A personal air filtration system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the termination edge extends downward to or below the level of the lower lip of the user.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A personal air filtration system in accordance with claim 3 wherein the air pump and air filter are housed in a flexible bag that is attached to the vest with the outlet port at a shoulder portion of the vest.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A personal air filtration system in accordance with claim 4 wherein a central portion of the hose is attached to a shoulder portion of the vest by a manually releasable fastener.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A personal air filtration system in accordance with claim 4 wherein the flexible bag containing the air pump and air filter is mounted to a back portion of the vest and an electrical cord for supplying battery power to the air pump extends out the bottom of the flexible bag to a battery mounted on a posterior portion of a belt worn by the user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A personal air filtration system in accordance with claim 6 wherein the termination edge extends downward to a bottom level between the user's lower lip and bottom of the user's chin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

A personal air filtration system in accordance with claim 4 wherein the termination edge tapers downward and outward away from the face of the user to be spaced at its bottom by a distance in the range of ¼ inch to ½ inch forward from the user's chin.