Respirator without breathing resistance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a respirator without breathing resistance, which has an air inlet duct that passes through an inside and an outside of the respirator and that has asymmetrical electrodes and particle capturing plates formed on an inner surface of the air inlet duct; ozone removing element that removes ozone generated by micro-plasma; and high voltage dc-dc converter that provides high voltage to the asymmetrical electrodes. It employs asymmetrical electrodes and particle capturing plates to filter air without generating breathing resistance. When the respirator according to the present invention is used, safety of a wearer may be maintained in accordance with an environment and breathing may be smoothly performed even while introduction of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, spores, fine dust, or the like included in air may be effectively blocked. Accordingly, the respirator may be widely utilized to maintain the safety of the wearer in various environments.

Claims

1. A respirator comprising: (a) a body; (b) an unobstructed air inlet duct that is provided at a portion of the body, passes through an inside and an outside of the body; (c) a pair of asymmetrical electrodes that generates a micro-plasma and a pair of particle capturing plates formed on an inner surface of the air inlet duct; (d) an ozone removing element, within the air inlet duct downstream of the asymmetrical electrodes and particle capturing plates, that removes ozone generated by the micro-plasma; (e) a high voltage dc-dc converter within the body to provide high voltage to power the asymmetrical electrodes; and (f) an air quality feedback element comprising an optical sensor that detects fine particle count and a voltage control module that adjust the high voltage dc-dc converter.

2. The respirator of claim 1, wherein each asymmetrical electrode comprises a pin electrode and a plate electrode, and generates asymmetrical electric field so that forms a micro-plasma on the pin electrode.

3. The respirator of claim 2, wherein the pin electrode is formed of stainless steel and the plate electrode is formed of aluminum.

4. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the particle capturing plates form an electric field and is formed of stainless steel or aluminum.

5. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the micro-plasma electrically charges fine particles in the air which pass through the air inlet duct, and the electrically charged fine particles are captured by an electric field generated by the particle capturing plates on the surface of the air inlet duct as the air moves through the air inlet duct.

6. The respirator of claim 5, wherein the fine particles comprises airborne pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, spores, or fine dust.

7. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the body is for mounting on a face to cover a nose and a mouth.

8. The respirator of claim 1, wherein no pressure drop is generated as the air passes through and exits the air inlet duct.

9. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the ozone removing element is formed of manganese oxide or manganese dioxide.

10. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the ozone removing element is formed of a surface film, a mesh filter, and a three-dimensional scaffold which does not pose as an obstruction to air flow.

11. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the high voltage DC-DC converter may generate an output high DC voltage of up to 1.5 to 5.0 kilovolts from an input low DC voltage of 5 volts or less to provide the high DC voltage to the asymmetrical electrodes.

12. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the fine particle charging efficiency of the micro-plasma is controlled when the high voltage dc-dc converter is controlled.

13. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises an inlet guard element that prevents contact between the micro-plasma and a user.

14. The respirator of claim 1, wherein further comprising a power supply element that supplies electric power to the high voltage dc-dc converter.

15. The respirator of claim 14, wherein the power supply element may be batteries or a mobile device.

16. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the voltage control module adjusts the high voltage dc-dc converter according to the amount of fine particle detected by optical sensor in order to optimize electrical power consumption.

17. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the air quality feedback element displays fine particles concentration and micro-plasma voltage on a mobile device.

18. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the air quality feedback element further comprises a signal transfer element.

19. The respirator of claim 18, wherein the signal transfer element is a warning alarm to alert the wearer or an LED indicator light.

20. The respirator of claim 18, wherein the air quality feedback element activates a signal transfer element upon detecting a hazardous level of fine particles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the obstructed air flow introduced to a wearer when the respirator according to the related art is used and the unobstructed air flow introduced to the wearer when a respirator according to the present invention is used;

(3) FIG. 2 is a picture illustrating showing the micro-plasma provided in the respirator according to the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3A illustrates a use state of the respirator provided in the present invention;

(5) FIG. 3B is an exploded perspective view illustrating an air inlet duct included in the respirator provided in the present invention;

(6) FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating an outline of an experimental method for performing a test for coupling force of a manganese dioxide film;

(7) FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a method for measuring ozone removal efficiency of the manganese dioxide film;

(8) FIG. 6 is a picture illustrating a respirator manufactured through 3D printing and a mannequin for the test;

(9) FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a method for evaluating the filtration efficiency of the respirator having the an asymmetrical electrode a particle capturing plate and a ozone removing element formed therein;

(10) FIG. 8A is a picture illustrating the shape of an ozone removing filter;

(11) FIG. 8B is a schematic view illustrating a structure of the respirator having the micro-plasma and the ozone removing filter;

(12) FIG. 8C is a graph depicting a result obtained by measuring a change in a concentration of ozone generated by the micro-plasma performed in the respirator to which the ozone removing filter including manganese oxide is mounted, wherein ∇ corresponds to the respirator to which the ozone removing filter including manganese oxide is mounted, and .circle-solid. corresponds to a control group respirator in which the ozone removing filter is not provided; and

(13) FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating a process of operating the air quality feedback element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(14) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail through embodiments. However, these embodiments are made to exemplarily describe the present invention, and the scope of the prevent invention is not limited to the embodiments.

Example 1

Manufacture of Respirator Having Manganese Dioxide Film and Evaluation of Effect Thereof

Example 1-1

Manufacture of Manganese Dioxide Film Used in the Respirator Thereof

(15) The manganese dioxide film is manufactured to have a size of 2 cm×2 cm and a thickness of 1 mm or thicker by coupling manganese dioxide powder to a polyester substrate through spray coating using adhesive such as Z-16 clear binder or UV cure binder, or inkjet printing.

(16) To perform the test for coupling force, air flows at a speed of 100 LPM or faster and manganese dioxide particles are detected by an impactor (FIG. 4)

(17) FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating an outline of an experimental method for performing a test for coupling force of a manganese dioxide film. As illustrated in FIG. 4, with regard to various air velocities, the manganese dioxide particles represent entrainment of 2.25 mg/m.sup.3 or more.

Example 1-2

Measurement of Ozone Removing Efficiency of Manganese Dioxide Film Used

(18) The micro-plasma is generated via asymmetrical electrodes and powered by high voltage dc-dc converter. The manganese dioxide film is mounted to an air channel and is connected downstream of the asymmetrical electrodes, as illustrated in FIG. 5. At this time, the height of the air channel is set to be 3 mm. An effect of the manganese dioxide film is measured using two ozone sensors while a voltage supplied to the asymmetrical electrodes and a flow rate of air supplied thereto are changed.

(19) FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a method for measuring ozone removal efficiency of the manganese dioxide film. As illustrated in FIG. 5, it is identified that a concentration of ozone measured by an ozone sensor 2 is increased in proportion to the flow rate of the air supplied to the asymmetrical electrodes and its supplied voltage, and the maximum concentration of ozone measured by the ozone sensor 2 should be lower than 0.07 ppm.

Example 1-3

Insertion of and Test for Manganese Dioxide Film of Respirator with Asymmetrical Electrodes for Micro-Plasma and Particle Capturing Plates

(20) A body of the respirator having asymmetrical electrodes and particle capturing plates is designed and is manufactured through 3D printing, and the asymmetrical electrodes and particle capturing plates and the manganese dioxide film are mounted on the interior of the manufactured body (FIG. 6). FIG. 6 is a picture illustrating the respirator manufactured through 3D printing and a mannequin for a test. Non-pathogenic bacteria are used as aerosols for the test. The filtration efficiency of the respirator having the asymmetrical electrodes and particle capturing electrodes is evaluated using a detector having an agar plate. The ozone sensors are also used for monitoring a level of ozone (FIG. 7).

(21) FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a method of evaluating the filtration efficiency of the respirator having the asymmetrical electrodes and particle capturing plates. When the method of FIG. 7 is used, the concentration of ozone is lower than 0.03 ppm. The growth of micro-organism colony on the agar will be indicative of the filtration efficiency of the respirator.

Example 2

Manufacture of Respirator Having Ozone Removing Filter Including Manganese Oxide and Evaluation of Effect Thereof

Example 2-1

Manufacture of Respirator Having Ozone Removing Filter Including Manganese Oxide

(22) First, a mesh type filter is formed of aluminum and the ozone removing filter including manganese oxide is manufactured by coupling manganese oxide powder to a surface of the mesh type filter. At this time, the manganese oxide powder is coupled through the spray coating or the inkjet printing (FIG. 8A). FIG. 8A is a picture illustrating a shape of the ozone removing filter manufactured in the present invention.

(23) Next, the body of the respirator is designed and is manufactured through 3D printing, and the asymmetrical electrodes that generate the micro-plasma, the particle capturing plates and the manufactured ozone removing filter are mounted on the interior of the manufactured body (FIG. 8B).

(24) FIG. 8B is a schematic view illustrating a structure of the respirator having the asymmetrical electrodes that generate the micro-plasma, particle capturing plates and the ozone removing filter.

Example 2-2

Evaluation of Ozone Removing Effect of Respirator Having Ozone Removing Filter Including Manganese Oxide

(25) The ozone removing effect is evaluated using the respirator manufactured in example 2-1.

(26) In detail, the micro-plasma is generated in the respirator manufactured in example 2-1 and a control group respirator not having the ozone removing filter. A concentration of ozone generated therefrom is measured according to the passage of time (FIG. 8C).

(27) FIG. 8C is a graph depicting a result obtained by measuring a change in a concentration of ozone generated when the micro-plasma is generated in the respirator on which the ozone removing filter including manganese oxide is mounted, wherein ∇ corresponds to the respirator to which the ozone removing filter including manganese oxide is mounted, and .circle-solid. corresponds to a control group respirator in which the ozone removing filter is not provided.

(28) As illustrated in FIG. 8C, it is identified that ozone is generated at a level of about 1.7 ppm in the control group respirator (.circle-solid.) not having the ozone removing filter but ozone is generated at a level of about 0.3 ppm in the respirator (∇) on which the ozone removing filter including manganese oxide is mounted. The ozone level can be further reduced to a safe level below 0.03 ppm with a denser or modified manganese oxide ozone removing filter.

(29) Thus, it can be identified that when the manganese oxide filter is used, ozone generated through the micro-plasma is effectively removed, so that the respirator may be safely mounted.