Abstract
A head protection hood having an outer surface configured to contact a surrounding environment, an inner surface configured to contact the head of a user, a head passage section, a face opening delimited by an edge at the eyes of the user, and a breathing area is provided. The head protection hood includes a frame connected along the edge of the face opening, that receives a visor and that has a first lip resting against the head of the user at an area situated between the root and the tip of the nose, at the front region, at the temples, and at the infra-orbital regions of the face of the user, thus forming a visual compartment separated from said breathing area. The frame further comprises a second peripheral lip situated between the first lip and the visor, the second peripheral lip extending from the frame towards said surrounding environment.
Claims
1. A head protection hood having an outer surface configured to contact a surrounding environment, an inner surface configured to contact with the head of a user, a head passage section, a face opening delimited by an edge at the eyes of the user, and a breathing area, the hood comprising: a frame connected along the edge of the face opening; and, a visor received by the frame and having a first lip configured to rest on the head of the user at an area situated between the bridge and tip of the nose, at the front region, at the temples, and at the infra-orbital regions of the face of the user, thus forming a visual compartment separated from the breathing area, wherein the frame further comprises a second peripheral lip positioned between the first lip and the visor, the second peripheral lip extending from the frame in the direction of the surrounding environment.
2. The head protection hood according to claim 1, wherein the frame has a first frame section extending from an outer surface of the second peripheral lip towards the surrounding environment, and a second frame section extending from an inner surface of the second peripheral lip towards the head of the user, the second frame section having the first lip.
3. The head protection hood according to claim 1, wherein the first frame section has air flow holes.
4. The head protection hood according to claim 1, wherein the first lip is continuous.
5. The head protection hood according to claim 1, wherein the frame forms an integral part of the hood.
6. The head protection hood according to claim 1, wherein the frame is formed of a material resistant to sterilization by gamma rays, beta rays, autoclaving, ethylene oxide treatments, or any combination thereof.
7. The head protection hood according to claim 1, further comprising an auto-adjustment system for the frame to the face, the auto-adjustment system positioned at the back of the hood or on at least one of the sides of the hood.
8. The head protection hood according to claim 1, wherein the visor comprises a system for fixing to the frame.
9. The head protection hood according to claim 1, wherein the visor is made of a transparent plastic material.
10. The head protection hood according to claim 1, wherein the head protection hood forms an integral part of a protective garment for clean room.
11. The head protection hood according to claim 10, wherein the head protection hood forms an integral part of a protective garment, comprising: an outer surface configured to contact the surrounding environment; an inner surface configured to contact the user; first and second leg sections connected together by an opening in the crotch area; first and second sleeves; a torso section to which the first and second sleeves and the first and second leg sections are connected, the torso section comprising an inner surface and a head passage section; and at least one grip area in contact with the inner surface of the torso section.
12. The head protection hood according to claim 10, wherein the head protection hood forms an integral part of a protective overalls having an opening in the torso section.
13. The head protection hood according to claim 1, wherein the first lip is flexible.
14. The head protection hood according to claim 1, wherein the visor is made of polycarbonate.
Description
[0042] Other features, details and advantages of the invention will be discussed in the description given below, in a non-limiting manner and with reference to the attached drawings.
[0043] FIG. 1A is a front view of a head protection hood according to the prior art.
[0044] FIG. 1B is a sectional view according to Axis II of a head protection hood according to the prior art.
[0045] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are front views of different embodiments of head protection hoods according to the invention.
[0046] FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are sectional views according to Axes IIIA, TIM and IIIC respectively of embodiments of FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C.
[0047] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a frame for a head protection hood according to the invention.
[0048] FIGS. 5A and 5B show a head protection hood according to the invention which is connected to and forms an integral part of a protective garment.
[0049] In the figures, identical or similar elements bear the same references.
[0050] FIG. 1A shows a hood 1 according to the prior art which has an outer surface 2 intended to be in contact with the surrounding environment, an inner surface 3 intended to be in contact with the head of a user, a head passage section 4 and a face opening 5 at the eyes of the user. The face opening 5 is delimited by an edge along which a frame C is connected, arranged to receive a visor 6. The frame has a lip L1 (not visible in FIG. 1A but visible in FIG. 1B) resting on the head of the user at an area situated between the bridge and tip of the nose, at the front region, at the temples and at the infra-orbital regions of the face of the user, thus forming a visual compartment 7 separated from a breathing area 8. This resting of the lip L1 of the frame C allows a visual compartment 7 to be delimited and isolated from a breathing area 8.
[0051] As show in FIG. 1B, the frame C is connected to the material T forming the hood 1 along the edge of the face opening 5 and has a groove G into which a visor 6 is inserted. The frame C further comprises a lip L1 to which the material T of the hood 1 is connected, this lip L1 being continuous and being intended, when the hood 1 is worn by a user, to be in contact with and to rest against the face of the user at an area situated between the bridge and the tip of the nose, at the front region, at the temples and at the infra-orbital regions, thus forming a visual compartment 7 separated from a breathing area 8. More specifically, the frame C has a first frame section Pc1 extending towards the surrounding environment from the outer surface 2 of the hood 1 and a second frame section Pc2 extending towards the head of the user from the inner surface 3 of the hood 1, the second frame section Pc2 being provided with said lip L1.
[0052] As shown, with this head protection hood 1 according to the prior art, the inner surface 3 of the hood 1 is connected along the lip L1. Thus, when the hood 1-frame C connection is implemented by stitching, the stitches (not shown) are in direct contact with the skin of the user and cause itching. Furthermore, the stitches dictate that the lip L1 is perforated, which forms entry points for air and does not allow a proper seal of the visual compartment 7 to be ensured. In addition, that the hood 1-frame C connection is implemented by stitching, by gluing or by any other method onto the lip L1 implies that the latter is subjected to mechanical pressures, the material T pulls on the lip L1, for example, during wash/dry cycles or even during the dressing procedure. The result is that the lip L1 is distorted (damaged) over time and the head protection hood 1 according to the prior art is not durable. It is also noted that it is not easy to connect the hood 1 to the lip L1 because the lip L1 resting against the head of the user must be relatively thin and narrow or else it will be irritating for the user.
[0053] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show three embodiments of a head protection hood according to the invention. In the first embodiment according to FIG. 2A, the head protection hood 1 comprises a frame C provided with a first lip L1 (not visible) and a second peripheral lip L2 situated between the first lip L1 and the visor 6, the second peripheral visor L2 extending towards the surrounding environment. On this second peripheral lip L2, the material T forming the hood 1 is fixed, for example, by stitching or by gluing. Naturally, the material T forming the hood 1 may be fixed to the outer surface L2ex or to the inner surface L2int of the peripheral lip L2. As shown, according to this first embodiment, the frame C comprises a muffler CN which forms an integral part of the protective eyewear (that is, of the frame C). The nose of the operator is then confined in the muffler CN which is made from a material which is either identical or not to that of the frame C.
[0054] FIG. 2B incorporates the same features as mentioned in FIG. 2A, with the difference that the muffler CN according to this second embodiment is formed of material T, which is connected to the peripheral lip L2, for example, by stitching or by gluing.
[0055] According to a third embodiment shown in FIG. 2C, which incorporates the same features as the two preceding figures, the hood 1 is provided with a partial muffler CN which partially covers the nose.
[0056] FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are sectional views of FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C according to Axes IIIA, IIIB and IIIC respectively. As shown in FIG. 3A, the frame C is connected to the material T forming the hood 1 along the edge of the face opening 5 and has a groove G into which a visor 6 is inserted. Naturally, any other means of fixing the visor 6 to the frame C form an integral part of the present invention such as, for example, using clips (interlocking) or other. The frame C comprises a first lip L1 which is continuous and intended, when the hood 1 is worn by a user, to be in contact with and to rest against the face of the user at an area between the bridge and tip of the nose, at the front region, at the temples and at the infra-orbital regions, thus forming a visual compartment 7 separated from a breathing area 8. The frame C also comprises a second peripheral lip L2 having an outer surface L2ext and an inner surface L2int, the material T of the hood 1 being, according to this embodiment, fixed/connected (for example, by stitching or by gluing) to the outer surface L2ext of the second peripheral lip L2. It is understood that the material T of the hood 1 may be, according to an alternative according to the invention, fixed/connected (for example, by stitching or by gluing) to the inner surface L2int of the second peripheral lip L2. More particularly, the frame C has a first frame section Pc1 extending towards the surrounding environment from the outer surface L2ext of the second peripheral lip L2 and a second frame section Pc2 extending towards the head of the user from the inner surface L2int of the second peripheral lip L2, the second frame section Pc2 being provided with said first lip L1. According to this first embodiment, the breathing area 8 is partially formed by a muffler CN section of the frame C connected to the second peripheral lip L2, this muffler CN covering the nose of the user.
[0057] FIG. 3B shows a second embodiment according to the invention and incorporates the same elements as shown in FIG. 3A, with the difference that the muffler CN according to this second embodiment is formed of material, which is connected on the one hand to the peripheral lip L2 and on the other hand to a hood section close to the visor 6, for example, by stitching or by gluing. According to an alternative to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3B according to the invention, a muffler CN may not be present (no material in front of the nose of the user) and the user then places a mask (for example, a disposable mask) over their nose.
[0058] FIG. 3C shows a third embodiment according to the invention and incorporates the same elements as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, with the difference that the muffler CN according to this third embodiment is formed of material T, which is connected on the one hand to the peripheral lip L2 and on the other hand to a frame section close to the visor 6 and in the form of a projection S allowing the material T forming the muffler CN to be guided.
[0059] FIG. 4 shows a frame C for a head protection hood 1 according to the invention. In this figure, the first lip L1, which is continuous and which is intended, when the hood 1 is worn by a user, to be in contact with and resting against the face of the user at an area between the bridge and tip of the nose, at the front region, at the temples and at the infra-orbital regions, thus forming a visual compartment 7, is visible. Air flow holes 9 situated along the lower wall of frame C are shown at the first frame section Pc1 extending towards the surrounding environment from the outer surface L2ext of the second peripheral lip L2. Preferably, the frame C also comprises other air flow holes (not visible) along its upper wall and on the first frame section Pc1 extending towards the surrounding environment from the outer surface L2ext of the second peripheral lip L2. Naturally, it is quite possible, according to the invention, that the frame C is not provided with any air flow hole or that these are only present in the upper wall or the lower wall of the frame C.
[0060] Due to the air flow holes 9 present in the frame C according to the invention, a flow of air is ensured in the visual compartment 7 in a way that further avoids any steam and condensation forming. This air flow is natural, as the hot air which is contained in the visual compartment 7 has a tendency to exit via the holes 9 present in the upper wall of the frame C, this leading to a natural aspiration of fresh air from the surrounding environment (for example, from the clean room) and via the holes 9 present in the lower wall of the frame C: the result is that the temperatures of the air in the visual compartment 7 and in the outer environment are practically identical, which contributes, however without being essential, to eliminating the presence of steam and condensation in the visor 6.
[0061] FIGS. 5A and 5B show a hood 1 according to the invention which connected to and forms an integral part of a protective garment 10, namely, for the example, overalls for clean rooms and similar. It is understood that the hood 1 may be connected by any appropriate means of fixing to the protective garment 10, for example by being sewn to it or by being fixed to it using a zip or snap fasteners. According to the invention, it is also intended that the head passage section 4 be at least partially covered by the protective garment 10 in such a way as to be at least partially inserted into the protective garment 10.
[0062] It is understood that the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described above and that changes may be applied while remaining within the scope of the attached claims.
