Respirator

Abstract

A closing device is provided for a container of a respirator with two container shells (2, 2) joining each other at front surfaces, with at least one tightening strap (4), which encloses a part of a container shell outer surface located at right angles to the front surfaces. Two holding elements (5, 5) are each provided with a recess (6, 6) and are formed at the free ends of the tightening strap (4). A closing element (7) is formed in a U-shaped pattern with two legs (8) and meshes with each recess (6, 6) of the holding elements (5, 5). The legs (8) of the closing element (7) can be pulled out of the recess (6, 6) of the holding elements (5, 5) to take off the tightening strap (4).

Claims

1. A respirator comprising: two container shells joining each other at front surfaces; and a closing device for holding together said container shells, said closing device comprising: a tightening strap enclosing part of one of said container shell's outer surface located at right angles to the front surfaces; a first holding element provided with a first recess formed as a loop at a first free end of said tightening strap; a second holding element provided with a second recess formed as a loop at a second free end of said tightening strap; a U-shaped closing element with a first leg and with a second leg, said first leg engaging said first recess of said first holding element and said second leg engaging said second recess of said second holding element, wherein said first leg and second leg of said closing element can be pulled out of said recesses of said first holding element and said second holding element to take off said tightening strap; and a closing cover connected to said closing element, said closing cover including a grip, said closing cover being movable between a closed position and an open position, a direction of opening of said closing cover extending at right angles to a plane of said tightening strap.

2. A respirator in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first holding element and said second holding element each have a one-part design.

3. A respirator in accordance with claim 2, wherein said first recess of said first holding element is tubular and said first leg of said closing element is cylindrical and said second recess of said first holding element is tubular and said second leg of said closing element is cylindrical.

4. A respirator in accordance with claim 2, wherein said first recess of said first holding element is conical with a cone angle equaling about 1.15 and said second recess of said second holding element is conical with a cone angle equaling about 1.15.

5. A respirator in accordance with claim 2, wherein said first leg of said closing element and said second leg of said closing element extend in parallel to one another.

6. A respirator in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a holding device for holding said closing device.

7. A respirator in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first leg and said second leg of said closing element are dimensioned such that said first leg and said second leg project beyond side edges of said recess formed in said holding elements.

8. A respirator in accordance with claim 1, wherein a portion of said first leg and said second leg of said closing element, which said portion of said first leg and said second leg projects beyond the side edges of said first recess and said second recess of said holding elements, is provided with a lead seal.

9. A respirator in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said first free end of said tightening strap engages said first holding element, at least a portion of said second free end of said tightening strap engaging said second holding element.

10. A respirator in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said closing element is pulled out of said recesses of said first holding elements in an axial direction of one of said first and second legs.

11. A respirator in accordance with claim 10, wherein: said closing cover is connected to said closing element to pull said closing element out of said first and second recesses when said closing cover moves between said closed position and said open position.

12. A respirator comprising: two container shells joining each other at front surfaces; and a closing device for holding together said container shells, said closing device comprising: a tightening strap enclosing part of a container shell outer surface located at right angles to the front surfaces; a first holding element provided with a first recess and formed at a first free end of said tightening strap; a second holding element provided with a second recess and formed at a second free end of said tightening strap; and a closing element comprising a first leg and a second leg, said closing element being mounted for movement such that said closing element is movable between a first position and a second position, said first recess of said first holding element receiving at least a portion of said first leg and said second recess of said second holding element receiving at least a portion of said second leg with said closing element in said first position, said first leg being located at a spaced location from said first holding element and said second leg being located at a spaced location from said second holding element with said closing element in said second position.

13. A respirator in accordance with claim 12, wherein said first holding element and said second holding element each have a one-part design.

14. A respirator in accordance with claim 12, wherein said first recess of said first holding element is tubular and said first leg of said closing element is cylindrical and said second recess of said first holding element is tubular and said second leg of said closing element is cylindrical.

15. A respirator in accordance with claim 12, wherein said first recess of said first holding element is conical with a cone angle equaling about 1.15 and said second recess of said second holding element is conical with a cone angle equaling about 15.

16. A respirator in accordance with claim 12, further comprising: a holding device for holding said closing device; and a closing cover connected to said closing element.

17. A respirator comprising: two container shells joining each other at front surfaces, one of said container shells having an outer surface located at right angles to said front surfaces; and a closing device for holding together said container shells, said closing device comprising: a tightening strap enclosing part of said outer surface; a first holding element provided with a first recess formed as a loop at a first free end of said tightening strap; a second holding element provided with a second recess formed as a loop at a second free end of said tightening strap; and a U-shaped closing element with a first leg and with a second leg, said closing element being movable between a first position and a second position, said first leg engaging said first recess of said first holding element and said second leg engaging said second recess of said second holding element in said first position, said first and second legs being spaced from said first and second recesses respectively in said second position, said closing element being arranged and mounted on said tightening strap to move between said first position and said second position.

18. A respirator in accordance with claim 17, wherein: said closing element is movable between said first and second positions in an axial direction of one of said first and second legs.

19. A respirator in accordance with claim 17, further comprising: a closing cover connected to said closing element, said closing cover being movable between a closed position and an open position, said closing cover being connected to said closing element to pull said closing element from said first position into said second position when said closing cover moves between said close position and said open position.

20. A respirator in accordance with claim 17, further comprising: a closing cover connected to said closing element, said closing cover including a grip, said closing cover being movable between a closed position and an open position, a direction of opening of said closing cover extending at right angles to a plane of said tightening strap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a closing device of the respirator according to the present invention in a nearly closed state;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the closing device of the respirator according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 in an opened state;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a closing device of the respirator according to the present invention in a nearly closed state;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a closing device of the respirator according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 3 in an opened state without tightening strap; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the respirator according to the present invention with the closing device according to FIG. 3 in a nearly closed state.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) Referring to the drawings in particular FIG. 1 shows a simplified view of a first embodiment of a closing device 1 of the respirator according to the present invention in a nearly closed state. The closing device 1 comprises a tightening strap 4 and two holding elements 5. The holding elements 5 are each designed as a loop at the free ends of the tightening strap 4 and thus form a recess 6. In addition, the closing device 1 comprises a closing element 7, which has a U-shaped design and has two legs 8.

(8) The legs 8 of the closing element 7 are of a cylindrical shape and can be caused to mesh with the respective recesses 6 of the holding elements 5. In the view according to FIG. 1, the legs 8 of the closing element 7 are bent towards one another at an angle of 1.5 . This design makes possible a better fixation of the legs 8 of the closing element 7 in the particular recesses 6 of the holding elements 5. However, the legs 8 of the closing element 7 may also be parallel to one another (not shown) in another embodiment. The closing device 1 of the respirator according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 is shown in a nearly closed state. The legs 8 of the closing element 7 are caused to mesh with the recess 6 of the holding elements 5. The closing device 1 is opened by pulling the two legs 8 out of the recess 6 of the holding elements 5.

(9) An opened state of the closing device 1 without tightening strap 4 is shown in

(10) FIG. 2.

(11) FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the closing device 1 of the respirator according to the present invention in a nearly closed state. The closing device 1 comprises a tightening strap 4 and two holding elements 5 of a one-part design with a recess 6 each, wherein the holding elements 5 are provided at the free ends of the tightening strap 4. The ends of the tightening strap 4 advantageously surround the holding elements 5. The recess 6 of the holding elements 5 is tubular. The closing device 1 comprises, furthermore, a closing element 7, which has a U-shaped design and has two legs 8. The legs 8 of the closing element 7 are of a cylindrical design complementary to the holding elements 5. In another advantageous embodiment, the recess 6 of the holding elements 5 may be of a conical design, with a cone angle in the range of 1 to 2 . A cone angle of 1.15 is preferably selected. The legs 8 of the closing element 7 have, furthermore, a structure complementary to the recess 6 of the holding elements 5. In the nearly closed state of the closing device 1 of the respirator according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 3, the closing element 7 is caused to mesh with each recess 6 of the holding elements 5. The closing device 1 is opened in the same manner as in the case of the closing device 1 shown in FIG. 1, which was mentioned above, namely, by pulling the two parallel legs 8 out of the recess 6 of the holding elements 5.

(12) An opened state of the closing device 1 of the respirator according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 4.

(13) FIG. 5 shows the respirator according to the present invention with the closing device 1 shown in FIG. 3 for the gas-tight closing of two container shells 2, 2 joining each other at front surfaces in a nearly closed state. Furthermore, a container 3 is shown, which is formed from the two container shells 2, 2 joining each other at front surfaces. The container shells 2, 2 are held together and closed with a tightening strap 4. In the tightened state, the tightening strap 4 encloses part of a container shell outer surface located at right angles to the front surfaces of the container shells 2, 2. The container 3 of the respirator according to the present invention is used for the gas-tight closure of a respirator with a moisture-sensitive chemical oxygen carrier, which is used especially in the area of underground mining in order to make possible the reliable breathing of the user of the device in a toxic environment in case of an emergency.

(14) The closing device 1 of the respirator according to the present invention is fixed by a holding device 9 in all five views in FIGS. 1 through 5. The holding device 9 is preferably rectangular in shape, so that it can be connected with a first angle side to the container shell 2 or 2. Recesses 10, which are intended to receive and fix the legs 8 of the closing element 7, are formed in the second angle side of the lever device 9. The legs 8 of the closing element 7 are therefore dimensioned such that they project beyond the side edges of the recess 6, 6 formed in the holding elements 5, 5. A lead seal 11, which is shown in FIG. 5, is preferably provided at one of the two parts of the legs 8 of the closing element 7, which said part projects beyond the side wall of the recess 6, 6 formed in the holding elements 5, 5. The closing device 1 of the respirator according to the present invention according to FIGS. 1 through 5 is provided, furthermore, with a closing cover 12, which is connected to the closing element 7. The closing cover 12 is provided, moreover, with a grip 13. When opening the closing cover 12, the legs 8 of the closing element 7 are pulled out of the recesses 6, 6 of the holding elements 5, 5. The direction of opening 14 of the closing cover 12 extends at right angles to the plane of the tightening strap 4. The grip 13 preferably has a large surface, so that easy opening of the closing cover 12 with protective gloves is guaranteed in emergency situations. The respirator is kept ready in the container 3 of the respirator according to the present invention by pressing together the container shells 2, 2 by means of an auxiliary device and by strapping the tightening strap 4 around part of a container shell outer surface located at right angles to the front surfaces. The holding elements 5, 5 provided at the free ends of the tightening strap 4 are caused to mesh with the legs 8 of the U-shaped closing element 7 by introducing the legs 8 into the recess 6, 6 of the holding elements 5, 5. The closing cover 12 closes the closing device 1 in this position. The closing device 1 is fixed by the holding device 9. It is guaranteed by a locking mechanism on the closing cover 12 that the closing device 1 will not open under load (not shown).

(15) While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.