ORO-NASAL INTERFACE DEVICE INCLUDING A FILTRATION AND DISINFECTION SYSTEM

Abstract

An oro-nasal interface device includes: a facemask; an intake tube with an inner surface made from a reflective material; an exhaust tube; an intake disinfection unit located at a first end of the intake tube, the intake disinfection unit housing: a battery-powered intake fan in fluid communication with the intake tube that, in operation, creates a positive pressure air flow through the intake tube into the facemask; an intake high-efficiency particulate air filter in fluid communication with the intake tube that filters air passing through the intake tube prior to reaching the facemask; and an intake UV radiation source acting on the air passing through the intake tube prior to reaching the facemask; and an exhaust high-efficiency particulate air filter in fluid communication with the exhaust tube that filters air passing through the exhaust tube after leaving the facemask.

Claims

1. An oro-nasal interface device comprising: a facemask covering the nose and mouth of a user; an intake tube in fluid communication with the facemask; an air source configured to create a positive pressure air flow through the intake tube into the facemask; an air filter configured to filter the positive pressure air flow passing through the intake tube; and a UV radiation source configured to disinfect the positive pressure air flow passing through the intake tube.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the air filter is a high-efficiency particulate air filter.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the disinfection unit is located at a first end of the intake tube opposite to a second end of the intake tube, the second end of the intake tube being attached to the facemask.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the air source is a battery-powered intake fan.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the air filter is a high-efficiency particulate air filter.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the intake tube includes a reflective material.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an exhaust tube and an additional air filter in fluid communication with the exhaust tube, the additional air filter configured to filter air passing through the exhaust tube.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising a further UV radiation source configured to disinfect the air passing through the exhaust tube.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein an inner surface of the exhaust tube includes a reflective material.

10. An oro-nasal interface device comprising: a facemask covering the nose and mouth of a user; an intake tube in fluid communication with the facemask; and a disinfection unit in fluid communication with the intake tube, the disinfection unit comprising: an air source configured to create a positive pressure air flow through the intake tube into the facemask; an air filter configured to filter the positive pressure air flow passing through the intake tube; and a UV radiation source acting on the air passing through the intake tube prior to reaching the facemask.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the air filter is a high-efficiency particulate air filter.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein an inner surface of the intake tube comprises a reflective material.

13. The device of claim 10, further comprising an exhaust tube and a further disinfection unit, the further disinfection unit comprising: a further air filter configured to filter air passing through the exhaust tube; and a further UV radiation source configured to disinfect the air passing through the exhaust tube.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein an inner surface of the exhaust tube includes a reflective material.

15. An oro-nasal interface device comprising: a facemask covering the nose and mouth of a user; an intake tube in fluid communication with the facemask, wherein the inner surface of the intake tube comprises a reflective material; an exhaust tube in fluid communication with the facemask; a battery-powered intake fan in fluid communication with the intake tube configured to create a positive pressure air flow through the intake tube into the facemask; an intake high-efficiency particulate air filter in fluid communication with the intake tube configured to filter the positive pressure air flow passing through the intake tube prior to reaching the facemask; an intake UV radiation source acting on the positive pressure air flow passing through the intake tube prior to reaching the facemask; and an exhaust high-efficiency particulate air filter in fluid communication with the exhaust tube configured to filter air passing through the exhaust tube after leaving the facemask.

16. The device of claim 16, further comprising an exhaust UV radiation source configured to disinfect the air passing through the exhaust tube after leaving the facemask, wherein the inner surface of the exhaust tube comprises a reflective material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is an example of an oro-nasal interface device of the present application.

[0025] FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the disinfection unit taken generally along lines A-A of the oro-nasal interface device shown in FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the intake tube taken generally along lines B-B of the oro-nasal interface device shown in FIG. 1.

[0027] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the intake and exhaust tubes on the facemask of the oro-nasal interface device shown in FIG. 1.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a further embodiment the oro-nasal interface device including an eye covering.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a still further embodiment the oro-nasal interface device including a full facemask.

[0030] FIG. 6 is a further embodiment the oro-nasal interface device including a second disinfection unit on the exhaust tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The present disclosure provides for a protective oro-nasal interface device 100 including a facemask 102 that covers both the nose and the mouth of a user and a disinfection unit 104 that is used to disinfect the air before the user inhales the air through facemask 102. Such devices 100 will be useful for protecting the user from airborne pathogens.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1-6, the device 100 includes a facemask 102 covering the nose and mouth of a user, an intake tube 106 in fluid communication with the facemask 102 and an exhaust tube 108 in fluid communication with the facemask 102. Referring to FIG. 2A, the disinfection unit 104 includes a housing 105 within which an air source (e.g., an intake fan) 110 is positioned. The intake tube 106 is secured to an outlet port 105A of the housing 105. The air source 110 is in fluid communication with the intake tube 106 such that, in operation, the air source 110 creates a positive pressure air flow through the intake tube 106 into the facemask 102.

[0033] An intake air filter 112 is provided along a portion of the housing 105 of the disinfection unit 104, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2A. The air filter 112 filters air passing entering the disinfection unit 104 and passing through to the intake tube 106. In other embodiments, the disinfection unit 104 may comprise a solid housing structure with a hole or opening through which air is pulled into the air source 110, and the air filter 112 may be positioned across the opening upstream of the air source 110 and/or downstream of the air source 110 before air is directed out of the outlet port 105A and into the intake tube 106.

[0034] An intake UV radiation source 114 also acts on the air passing through the intake tube 106 prior to reaching the facemask 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the UV radiation source 114 is a UV light source positioned within the disinfection unit 104 so that it directs UV light into the center of the intake tube 106 at the outlet port 105A. In other embodiments, the UV radiation source 114 may be a ring of UV light sources mounted within the intake tube 106 directed in one or multiple directions. Preferably, the UV radiation source 114 includes one or more UVC lamps. The UV radiation source 114 may emit ultraviolet radiation, such as ultraviolet-C radiation, in sufficient amounts to disinfect the air moving through the disinfection unit 104. The UV radiation source 114 may be battery-powered and operated through a switch on the housing of the disinfection unit. In still further embodiments, the disinfection unit 104 may include a UV radiation source 114 without an air filter 112 for disinfecting air passing through the intake tube 106 before reaching the facemask 102.

[0035] In FIG. 1, the intake fan 110, the intake air filter 112, and the UV radiation source 114 are housed in the battery-powered intake disinfection unit 104. In another example embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the device 100 may also include a first disinfection unit 104A on the intake tube 106 and a second disinfection unit 104B on the exhaust tube 108. The second disinfection unit 104B may include a second filter 112B and/or a second exhaust UV radiation source positioned similarly to the UV radiation source 114 as shown in FIG. 2A acting on the exhaust tube 108 instead of the intake tube 106 to disinfect the exhaled air before it returns to the ambient environment.

[0036] The disinfection unit 104 utilizes UV radiation to disinfect airborne pathogen, such as influenza virus and coronavirus. In the device 100 shown in the FIGS. 1-6, the combination of the air filter 112 and the UV radiation source 114 disinfect the air as it passes through the disinfection unit 104 and travels through the intake tube 106. The presently disclosed device 100 may be more protective than a regular cloth facemask because it not only blocks the airborne pathogen, but also kills the pathogen by UV radiation.

[0037] In some embodiments, the intake and exhaust tubes 106, 108 comprise a translucent material. Preferably, the inner surface of the intake tube 106 comprises a reflective material 116 such that any UV radiation in the tube 106 reflects back into and along the length of the tube 106, thereby increasing its effectiveness in killing pathogens in the tube 106. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the tube 106 may comprise an inner coating of reflective material 116, such as a reflective tape. Examples of reflective material include but are not limited to coatings and/or tape that include aluminum, stainless steel, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

[0038] The facemask 102 may comprises a clear plastic material so that users can view the faces of other users, allowing users to express and understand facial expressions that is not available through the use of a N95 or cloth face mask.

[0039] In some examples, the presently disclosed device 100 connects to an external air supply source. For example, an external air supply, such as an air supply associated with a commercial airline seat or within a bus or other public transportation, may connect directly to the intake disinfection unit 106. In such embodiments, the intake air source 110 may be omitted or inactive.

[0040] FIG. 3 illustrates that the elements of the device 100 such as the facemask 102, the intake tube 106, and the exhaust tube 108, may be removably connected such that they may each be individually cleaned or replaced. The fittings connecting the tubes 106, 108 to the facemask 102 shown in FIG. 3 are friction fittings, which is only one example of removable fittings that may be used in the device.

[0041] FIG. 4 illustrates another example of an oro-nasal interface device 200 including an eye covering 203, such as googles. The intake tube 206 includes a t-shaped connector 207 that allows the tube 206 to connect to the eye covering 203 through a removable fitting before the tube 206 connects to the nasal facemask 202. In the further embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the facemask 302 of the oro-nasal interface device 300 is a full face mask integrating the eye protection with the nose and mouth protection.

[0042] Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can use the preceding description to utilize the claimed inventions to their fullest extent. The examples and embodiments disclosed herein are to be construed as merely illustrative and not a limitation of the scope of the present disclosure in any way. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles discussed. In other words, various modifications and improvements of the embodiments specifically disclosed in the description above are within the scope of the appended claims. For example, any suitable combination of features of the various embodiments described is contemplated.