US2444417A - Oxygen mask - Google Patents

Description

Patented July 6, 1948 Howard It. Bierman, United States Navy I Application February 27, 1945, Serial No. 580,051

3 Claims.

(Granted under the act or March 3, m3. as

This invention relates to an oxygen mask and has for an object to ,provide an improved oxygen mask particularly intended for use by aviators, a principal feature being that the mask is made in two basic parts including a center universal piece made of plastic material and a separabl rubber attachment which affords fit to the face.

A further object of this invention is to provide a two-piece oxygen mask wherein a centerpiece includes an expiratory valve easily accessible to the gloved finger of the wearer in case of freezing or jamming, together with a side oxygen entry port as well as a compartment for holding a microphone whose cord extends through the oxygen entry port and a separable face-fitting rubber-attachment for holding the mask in proper position by means of a quick connect-disconnect mechanism.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a two-piece oxygen mask and microphone holder including a separable face-fitting attachand to provide ,easily detachable units so that the relatively inexpensive wearable portion may be discarded and replaced, while the more expensive durable portion may be retained and attached to a new wearable portion, thus decreasing the upkeep cost.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a two-piece oxygen mask made of a facefltting and sealing portion of the usual flexible rubber anda center portion including the oxygen ports and microphone holder of a more durable permanent material, and a cooperating means on both portions for quickly and easily uniting or separating the two as may be needed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front eievational view of the mask in the position in which it would be used; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-4 of Fig. 1.

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) There is shown at l0.the oxygen mask of this invention consisting of twoparts, acenterpiece II and a. face-fitting and-sealing piece II. The centerpiece ll includes a compartment l3 for holding a microphone i4 and a conical outlet port l5 leading from a cylindrical port it in which is mounted an outlet valve I! by means of its cylindrical flange l8 seated between the conical port i5 and a cylindrical shoulder 20. The center portion II also includes an oxygen inlet port 2| extending through the one side and connecting to an oxygen tube 22. Extending through the center of the oxygen inlet port 2| is a microphone cord 23 connected to the. microphone ll. Extending rearwardly from the edge of the centerpiece II is a suitably shaped flange 23, ending in an enlarged bead-shaped edge 25.

The face-fitting and sealing piece I: is shaped as shown to fit under thechin 28, over the nose 2'', and about the cheeks 28 of the wearer. These extending portions will be made in various sizes so as to afford a closer fit to various size faces. The center of the face-fitting piece I! is open to receive the centerpiece II and has a molded recess 30- extending inwardly aroundthe center opening and terminating in an inner bead-shaped recess 3| complementary to the shape of the flange 24 and bead-shaped edge 25 of the center= piece I Due to the flexibility of the form-fitting piece I 2, the recess 33 and innerball-shaped recess 3| may be stretched to fit overthe centerpiece flange 24 and headed edge 23 making a perfect sealing joint therebetween. While the recesses 33 and 3i may be formed adjacent the edge of the center opening towards the top of the mask, they will preferably be formed in a ridge 32 towards the bottom of the flange, the ridge 3! extending from a chin-fitting extension 33 merging into the cheek-fitting portions of the face-fitting piece i2.

It will be observed also, particularly from Fig. 2, that the flange 24 of the centerpiece ll extends across a conical downwardly extending port 33 provided in the face-fitting piece I! just below the expiratory conical port it. In order to mount the mask about the head or helmet of the wearer, straps 34 are provided, connected to a quick conmeet-disconnect mechanism consisting of a wire frame 35 extending about the joint between the center and face-fitting pieces and provided with a wire. buckle 36 hinging about a U-shaped wire 31, the buckle 36 being hingedat 33 to a pivot bar 40 on the wire frame 35, the buckle 38 being provided with cammed toes ll which when the buckle 36 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 cause t e wire U 31 to seat in the recess 42 of the wire frame 35 behind the pivot 36; but when the buckle 36 is pulled out to about 180 rotation, the

toes I cam the wire U 31 from outthe recess 42 to disconnect the mask from the face.

In the operation, the centerpiece I I is attached to the face-fitting piece i2 by. inserting the comparatively rigid centerpiece flange 24 and beadshaped edge 25 into the comparatively flexible recess and bead-shaped recess SI of the facefltting piece l2. When thus :fltted together, the entire mask I0 is removable and attachable by manipulating the buckle 86' as though it were a one-piece mask. Should condensate from the breath tend to freeze on outlet valve H, the valve I! may be manipulated by the gloved flnger through the conical port I5 to free it from any ice. Any condensation formed will tend to collect in the reservoir formed below the expiratory port I S by the flange 24 extending over the port 33. Should the amount of condensation become too great, it could be drainedthrough port I! by flexing the port 33 until its recess 30 is so distorted as to provide a' connection from the reservoir.

The centerpiece It may be made of a transparent plastic material more or less rigid and long wearing, while the face-fitting portion I! must necessarily be of a softer, flexible plastic or rubber and hence subject -to wear and somewhat rapid deterioration. When it has so deteriorated and no longer provides a proper fit to the face, this face-fitting piece I! may be discarded and replaced by a new face-fitting piece attached to the same centerpiece. A further advantage is that the centerpiece may be of a single size, while the face fitting piece I! may be made in various sizes making a closer fit for the particular individual who is to wear the mask ll.

permit easy access to said outlet valve, said centerpiece also including an oxygen inlet port located to the side thereof at least slightly above said outlet valve, said centerpiece also including a microphone supporting compartment above said valve.

2. Atwo-piece oxygen mask comprising a separable port-carrying centerpiece and a face-fitting piece and means for joining said pieces into a single mask, said means including an extending flange on one piece and a cooperating. complementary shaped recess on the other piece, an expiratory port located adjacent the bottom of Said centerpiece and an outlet valve mounted in said expiratory port, said expiratory portJformin: a forward protrusion, said centerpiece also including an oxygen inlet port located to the side thereof at least slightly above said outlet valve, said centerpiece also including a microphone supp rt-- :0 ing compartment above said valve, said center- Other modifications and changes in the number and arrangement of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature of this invention, within the scope of what is hereinafter claimed.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of 'the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. A two-piece oxygen mask comprising a separable port-carrying-centerpiece and a facefltting piece and means for Joining said pieces into a single mask, said means including an extending flangeon one piece and a cooperating, complementary shaped recess in the other piece,

said flange having a bead-shaped edge. said recess having a complementary bead-shaped portion. an expiratory passage located adjacent the.

bottom of said centerpiece and an outlet valve set back entirely into said expiratory passage.

40 recess.

piece being of a comparatively durable rigid material. said face-fitting piece being of a comparatively soft, flexible material, and means for attaching said mask to a wearer, including a wire frame extending over said mask about the joint between said centerpiece and said facefitting piece and engaging the lower part of the mask below said protrusion.

3. In a mask of the character described, a relatively soft pliable piece designed to fit portions of the face and having a continuous recess around the edge, a harder piece having laterally offset valve and microphone sockets arranged in superposed reiationship, said harder piece having a rim shaped to flt, detachably into said recess, and said soft piece having at its bottom a downwardly extending flexible spout that'can be deformed to create an opening to atmosphere through the joint between said rim and said OWARD a Brennan. animations crran The following references are of record in the fllejof this patent:

unrran s'm'ras rarau'rs Number Name- Date 791,979 Teter June 29. 1993 1,197,115 Fell Sept. s, 1916 1,502,450 Wood July 22, 1924 1,837,591 Shindel Dec. 22, 1931 2,224,057 Mejean Dec. 3, 1940 2,254,954 O'Connell Sept, 2, 1941 2,317,608 Heldbrink, Apr. 27, 1943 2,359,943 Bulbulian July 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 869,254 Germany 1 Mar. 29, 1934 881,819

France Sept. 15, 1938

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