Air filtration system including a helmet assembly

An air filtration system for filtering air between a head and body of a user and an environment external to the user and for minimizing strain on the head and neck of the user, said air filtration system comprising:

• a helmet assembly adapted to be mounted on the head of the user and including a structural shell having a front section and a rear section;
• a gown including a body portion for covering at least a portion of the body of the user and a head portion for covering said helmet assembly, said head portion of said gown operating as a filter medium to filter air between the user and the external environment;
• a face shield mounted to said head portion of said gown to cover a section of said helmet assembly thereby permitting the user to view through said head portion of said gown;
• a rear support rigidly extending from said rear section of said structural shell,
• an adjustment segment disposed on said rear support and having first and second sides;
• a strap flexibly connected to and extending from said front section of said structural shell, said strap including a first end disposed within said first side of said adjustment segment, and a second end disposed within said second side of said adjustment segment;
• and
• an adjustment device mounted to said adjustment segment and engaging said first and second ends of said strap to manipulate said first and second ends toward each other to tighten said strap and to pull said strap from said front section as said rear support remains fixed relative to said rear section and said strap, and to manipulate said first and second ends away from each other to loosen said strap and to push said strap toward said front section as said rear support remains fixed relative to said rear section and said strap.

A helmet assembly of an air filtration system for mounting to a head of a user to distribute air about the head of the user, said assembly comprising:

• an inner structural shell;
• an outer structural shell extending from said inner structural shell to define at least one air flow channel between said inner and outer shells for channeling air about the head of the user, wherein said inner and outer shells define a base section having a front section approximate a front of the head of the user and a rear section approximate a back of the head of the user;
• first and second helmet air exits for distributing air from said air flow channel toward the head of the user, said first helmet air exit being disposed at said front section of said base section for distributing air from said air flow channel toward the front of the head of the user, and said second helmet air exit being disposed at said rear section of said base section for distributing air from said air flow channel toward the back of the head of the user;
• and
• a fan module mounted to at least one of said inner and outer shells and including at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet, said fan module drawing air in through said at least one air inlet and distributing the air out through said at least one air outlet into said air flow channel and to said first and second helmet air exits.

An air filtration system for filtering air between a head and body of a user and an environment external to the user, said air filtration system comprising:

• a helmet assembly adapted to be mounted on the head of the user and including a base section and a facial section, said base section of said helmet assembly further including an inner structural shell and an outer structural shell extending from said inner structural shell to define at least one air flow channel between said inner and outer shells for channeling the air about the head of the user;
• a gown including a body portion for covering the body of the user and a head portion for covering said base section of said helmet assembly, said head portion of said gown operating as a filter medium to filter air between the user and the external environment;
• a skirt removably attached to said body portion of said gown exclusively at a front of said gown;
• and
• a fan module mounted to at least one of said inner and outer shells and including at least one air inlet and at least two air outlets, said fan module drawing air in through said at least one air inlet and distributing the air out through said air outlets into said at least one air flow channel for distributing air about the head of the user.

A helmet assembly of an air filtration system for mounting to a head of a user to distribute air about the head of the user, said assembly comprising:

• an inner structural shell;
• an outer structural shell extending from said inner structural shell to define at least one air flow channel between said inner and outer shells for channeling air about the head of the user;
• a fan module mounted to at least one of said inner and outer shells and including at least one air inlet and at least two air outlets, said fan module drawing air in through said at least one air inlet and distributing air out through said air outlets into said at least one air flow channel for distributing air about the head of the user;
• and
• an integral power supply mounted to at least one of said inner and outer shells for powering said fan module.