Protective cover for emergency worker oxygen tank

Abstract

A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank has a rigid protective cover member with a knob protection portion and a tank attachment member. The tank attachment member is fixedly attached to the rigid cover member. The tank attachment member is capable of being securely attached to a portion of a standard oxygen tank or a portion of the frame supporting said oxygen tank used by emergency workers. The oxygen tank is commonly strapped onto the emergency worker's back via a standard rigid frame. The rigid protective cover member includes a knob protection portion that is appointed to extend around and over an adjustment knob portion of the oxygen tank to prevent damage and facilitate transport.

Claims

1. A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank having an adjustment knob, comprising: a) a rigid protective cover member comprising a tank holding portion and a knob protection portion, said knob protection portion having an extension tab configured to operate as a stop to prevent said knob protection portion from contacting said adjustment knob during use; b) a tank attachment member; c) said tank attachment member fixedly attached to said rigid protective cover member; d) said tank attachment member adapted to be securely attached to a portion of a standard oxygen tank or to a portion of a supporting frame for said oxygen tank appointed to be used by an emergency worker; e) said knob protection portion adapted to extend around and over an adjustment knob portion of said oxygen tank, said knob protection portion having an arced shape and a cupped interior, and being adapted to receive and cradle said adjustment knob portion to thereby extend over only a portion thereof and provide access to said adjustment knob so that said adjustment knob can be adjusted without having to remove said knob protection portion from said oxygen tank, said knob protection portion being hingedly attached to said protective cover and thereby configured to swing away from said adjustment knob to provide free access thereto; f) said tank attachment member comprising: (i) a pair of elongated brackets fixedly attached to either side of said oxygen tank by way of heat resistant double sided adhesive tape; (ii) a mating pair of elongated brackets fixedly attached to an inside portion of said rigid cover member and adapted to slide onto said pair of elongated brackets attached to either side of said oxygen tank to secure said tank holding portion of said rigid protective cover member to said oxygen tank; and (iii) a rail stop adapted to prevent said rigid protective cover member from sliding when on said oxygen tank; and g) a plurality of low friction slide rails constructed of material that has a low coefficient of friction, said slide rails being fixedly and longitudinally attached to an outside portion of said protective cover for sliding contact with a ground surface or stairs while being used in an emergency.

2. A protective cover for an emergency worker as recited by claim 1, wherein said rigid protective cover member forms a rigid frame and comprises straps and is appointed to be strapped onto a back of said emergency worker.

3. A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank as recited by claim 1, wherein said attachment member includes a flexible strap for further securing said rigid protective cover member to said oxygen tank.

4. A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank as recited by claim 1, wherein said tank attachment member comprises a clamping assembly adapted to engage a neck of said oxygen tank.

5. A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank as recited by claim 1, wherein said tank attachment member comprises a hinge member or at least one strap or tab adapted to be attached to a portion of said tank supporting frame.

6. A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank having an adjustment knob, comprising: a) a rigid protective cover member comprising a tank holding portion and a knob protection portion, said knob protection portion having an extension tab configured to operate as a stop to prevent said knob protection portion from contacting said adjustment knob during use; b) a tank attachment member; c) said tank attachment member fixedly attached to said rigid protective cover member; d) said tank attachment member adapted to be securely attached to a portion of a standard oxygen tank or to a portion of a supporting frame for said oxygen tank appointed to be used by an emergency worker; e) said knob protection portion adapted to extend around and over an adjustment knob portion of said oxygen tank, said knob protection portion having an arced shape and a cupped interior, and being adapted to receive and cradle said adjustment knob portion to thereby extend over only a portion thereof and provide access to said adjustment knob so that said adjustment knob can be adjusted without having to remove said knob protection portion from said oxygen tank, said knob protection portion being hingedly attached to said protective cover and thereby configured to swing away from said adjustment knob to provide free access thereto; f) said rigid protective cover member being fixed in place onto said oxygen tank by high temperature rated double side adhesive tape; g) said tank attachment member comprising: (i) a pair of elongated brackets fixedly attached to either side of said oxygen tank by way of heat resistant double sided adhesive tape; (ii) a mating pair of elongated brackets fixedly attached to an inside portion of said rigid cover member and adapted to slide onto said pair of elongated brackets attached to either side of said oxygen tank to secure said tank holding portion of said rigid protective cover member to said oxygen tank; and (iii) a rail stop adapted to prevent said rigid protective cover member from sliding when on said oxygen tank; and h) a plurality of low friction slide rails constructed of material that has a low coefficient of friction, said slide rails being fixedly and longitudinally attached to an outside portion of said protective cover for sliding contact with a ground surface or stairs while being used in an emergency.

7. A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank as recited by claim 1, comprising at least one strap adapted to be released and attached by standard fastening clips to secure said oxygen tank.

8. A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank as recited by claim 1, wherein said rigid protective cover member is composed of a light weight metal.

9. A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank as recited by claim 1, wherein said rigid protective cover member is composed of a high heat polymer.

10. A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank having an adjustment knob, comprising: a) a rigid protective cover member formed having a main body portion, a neck portion and a knob cover extension portion, said rigid protective cover adapted to receive and extend around at least a portion of an oxygen tank; b) a tank attachment member fixedly integrated with said rigid cover member, said tank attachment member adapted to be securely attached to a portion of a standard oxygen tank appointed to be used by an emergency worker; and c) a knob protection portion adapted to extend around and over an adjustment knob portion of said oxygen tank to protect said adjustment knob portion, said knob protection portion having an arced shape and a cupped interior, and being adapted to receive and cradle said adjustment knob portion to thereby extend over only a portion thereof and provide access to said adjustment knob so that said adjustment knob can be adjusted without having to remove said knob protection portion from said oxygen tank, said knob protection portion being hingedly attached to said protective cover and thereby configured to swing away from said adjustment knob to provide free access thereto, said knob protection portion having an extension tab configured to operate as a stop to prevent said knob protection portion from contacting said adjustment knob during use; d) said rigid protective cover member being composed of a high heat fiberglass; e) said tank attachment member comprising: (i) a pair of rails elongated brackets fixedly attached to either side of said oxygen tank by way of heat resistant double sided adhesive tape; (ii) a mating pair of elongated brackets fixedly attached to an inside portion of said rigid cover member and adapted to slide onto said pair of elongated brackets attached to either side of said oxygen tank to secure said tank holding portion of said rigid protective cover member to said oxygen tank; and (iii) a rail stop adapted to prevent said rigid protective cover member from sliding when on said oxygen tank; and e) a plurality of low friction slide rails being mounted on an outside of said rigid protective cover member for sliding contact with a ground surface or stairs while being used in an emergency.

11. A protective cover for an emergency worker as recited by claim 10, wherein said main body portion, neck portion and knob cover extension are fixedly attached to one another.

12. A protective cover for an emergency worker oxygen tank having an adjustment knob, comprising: a) a rigid protective cover member comprising a tank holding portion and a knob protection portion; b) a tank attachment member; c) said tank attachment member fixedly attached to said rigid protective cover member; d) said tank attachment member adapted to be securely attached to a portion of a standard oxygen tank or to a portion of a supporting frame for said oxygen tank appointed to be used by an emergency worker; e) said tank holding portion of said rigid protective cover member adapted to cover only a portion of said oxygen tank and extending to form a knob protection portion adapted to extend around and over an adjustment knob portion of said oxygen tank, said knob protection portion formed as an arced portion having a cupped interior that is adapted to receive and cradle said adjustment knob portion to thereby extend over only a portion thereof and provide access to said adjustment knob so that said adjustment knob portion is protected while access to said adjustment knob portion is readily provided without having to remove said knob protection portion from said oxygen tank, said knob protection portion being hingedly attached to said protective cover and thereby configured to swing away from said adjustment knob to provide free access thereto, said knob protection portion having an extension tab configured to operate as a stop to prevent said knob protection portion from contacting said adjustment knob during use; f) said rigid protective cover member being composed of a high heat polycarbonate that can tolerate temperatures of at least 1000 deg. F.; g) said tank attachment member comprising: (i) a pair of elongated brackets fixedly attached to either side of said oxygen tank by way of heat resistant double sided adhesive tape; (ii) a mating pair of elongated brackets fixedly attached to an inside portion of said rigid cover member and adapted to slide onto said pair of elongated brackets attached to either side of said oxygen tank to secure said tank holding portion of said rigid protective cover member to said oxygen tank; and (iii) a rail stop adapted to prevent said rigid protective cover member from sliding when on said oxygen tank; and h) a plurality of low friction slide rails constructed of material that has a low coefficient of friction, said slide rails being fixedly and longitudinally attached to an outside portion of said protective cover for sliding contact with a ground surface or stairs while being used in an emergency.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention will be more fully understood and further advantages will become apparent when reference is had to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and the accompanying drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side view of the first embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the first embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention in use;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is a front sectional view of the second embodiment of the invention;

(8) FIG. 7 is a side view of a third embodiment of the invention in the attached position;

(9) FIG. 8 is a side view of the third embodiment of the invention in the detached position;

(10) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention;

(11) FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the invention in place on an Oxygen tank; and

(12) FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in place on an Oxygen tank.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(13) Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

(14) During emergency situations emergency workers such as firefighters and/or EMTs must wear/transport compressed gas cylinders such as oxygen tanks on their backs, and/or must pull or carry the compressed gas cylinders, or oxygen tanks, behind them. As discussed herein throughout the specification and claims, the terms “compressed gas cylinder” and “oxygen tank” are used interchangeably to mean a tank that contains air, or a mixture of oxygen with nitrogen and other gasses appointed for use in connection with an emergency rescue operation. Frequently, oxygen tanks are located on a standard rigid frame which in turn can be strapped onto an emergency worker's back. The standard rigid frame typically includes rails so that the frame, tank and emergency worker can be pulled along a surface such as the ground or stairs. Unfortunately, frequently the adjustment knob portion of the oxygen tank slams against the surface, causing damage to the adjustment knob portion while also causing snagging or catching on articles and surface abutments. It has been surprisingly and unexpectedly found that covering at least a portion of the adjustment knob portion during slide transport prevents the adjustment knob from snagging or catching on surfaces and protects the knob from damage, while still providing the ability to readily access the adjustment knob as needed when extracting an emergency worker from a dangerous situation, such as in a house or commercial structure fire.

(15) Referring now to FIG. 1, a side view of an embodiment of the protective cover of the present invention is shown generally at 100. The cover 100 comprises a tank holding portion 14 and a knob protection portion 6. The knob protection portion 6 is preferably formed as an arced portion having a cupped interior that is adapted to receive and cradle the adjustment knob of the oxygen tank. In this manner, the adjustment knob fits inside the portion 6. At the same time, preferably knob protection portion 6 is formed so that it extends over at least a portion of the adjustment knob, extending to phantom lines 6a, 6b, 6c, or 6d. It is noted that wherein only a portion of the adjustment knob is covered by portion 6, such as shown at 6a, 6b and 6c, access is readily provided so that the adjustment knob can be readily adjusted without having to remove portion 6 from the oxygen tank. In this manner, preferably knob protection portion 6 only covers a portion of the knob adjustment so that the knob is protected, yet access to the knob is readily apparent. Wherein portion 6 extends to phantom line 6d, substantially the entire adjustment knob is contained within portion 6, and as a result preferably portion 6 is attached to the main body of the cover by way of a hinge so that it can be opened for access to the adjustment knob.

(16) Preferably, the tank holding portion 14 is held onto the tank 2 by a tank attachment member system 10, 11, 13, 15 comprising a pair of pair of rails 10, 11 adapted to be fixedly attached to either side of tank 2 and a mating pair of rails 13, 15 that are fixedly attached to an inside portion of tank holding portion 14 that are adapted to slide onto the rails 10, 11 to secure the tank holding portion 14 to the tank 2, as shown in the exploded view in FIG. 3. The rails 10, 11 are held onto tank 2 via heat resistant double sided adhesive tape 38, 40 shown in FIG. 3, such as a fiberglass based tape made by CS Hide part number HTT-174508-36, which has a temperature rating of 500 degrees F. The tank holding portion 14 and knob protection portion 6 is made of rigid material such as formed metal sheet or high temperature rated plastic such as Nylon 6-6 which has a height temperature rating of 560 degrees F. Low friction slide rails 16 are mounted on the side of the tank holding portion 14 that would be in contact with the ground, or stairs as shown in FIG. 4. Referring back to FIG. 1, the tank holding portion 14 and knob protection portion 6 is also held in place by flexible strap 4. Strap 4 can be released and attached by standard fastening clip 22, 24 as shown in FIG. 3. Rail stop 12 prevents the tank holding portion 14 from accidentally sliding backward.

(17) FIG. 2 is a front sectional view that bisects tank 2 of the first embodiment of the invention 100. It can be seen that the cover 14 is in close proximity to the tank 2 and therefore will not get in the way during the course of use in emergency activities.

(18) FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the invention as explained above. Tank neck 36 is clearly seen as well as knob assembly 8 which is protected by cover portion 6.

(19) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a person 28 dragging a downed emergency worker 26 up a flight of stairs 60. The emergency worker 28 is pulling on the upper portion of the standard frame 30 that emergency workers use to carry oxygen tanks 2 and other equipment. The frame 30 is held on by standard straps 32, 34. As shown, the emergency worker 28 is being assisted in pulling the downed worker 26 because of low friction slid rails 16 as they engage the stair steps 60. The rails are constructed of material that has a low coefficient of friction such as Teflon. The tank 2 is protected by cover member 14 and the tank adjustment knobs 8 are protected by cover member 6.

(20) FIG. 5 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention 200. In this embodiment a cover member 206 is held onto tank 2 via two attachment bolts 208, 210 that clamp onto tank neck 36. Protective panel 202 covers tank adjustment knobs 8. Extension tab 212 acts as a stop to make sure that panel 202 does not deform during use and hit knob assembly 8. Protective panel 202 can be swung away from knob assembly 8 via hinge member 204, allowing a user to have free access to the knobs 8.

(21) FIG. 6 is a cross section view as defined by section line 210 shown in FIG. 5. This section view shows that the main cover is made from two halves 206, 207 which are bolted together around tank neck 36 by bolts 208, 210.

(22) FIG. 7 is a side view of a third embodiment of the invention 300. In this embodiment, the main protective cover 308 his held in place at hinge point 302. The hinge member 302 is attached to a triangular portion 306 of the standard frame 30. The curved portion 304 of the cover 300 protects knob assembly 8. The user can have complete access to knob assembly 8 by swinging away the protective cover 300 as shown in FIG. 8.

(23) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention 400. This embodiment is meant to be permanently attached to tank 2 via high temperature tape 406. The cover 400 can be made of rigid material including welded metal, or high temperature molded nylon 6-6. The main body 402 attaches to the main portion of the tank 2 and the forward portion 404 protects the knob assembly 8 of the tank 2 as shown in the perspective view in FIG. 10.

(24) Referring now to FIG. 11, a front perspective view of an embodiment of the protective cover of the present invention is shown generally at 1100. The cover 1100 comprises a tank holding portion 1114 and a knob protection portion 1106 on an oxygen tank 1101 secured to a rigid tank frame 1102. The knob protection portion 1106 is preferably formed as an arced portion having a cupped interior that is adapted to receive and cradle the adjustment knob of an oxygen tank 1101. In this manner, the adjustment knob fits inside the portion 1106. In the embodiment shown, portion 1106 includes reflective sections 1106′ for further safety of the emergency worker. The cover 1100 is secured to the rigid tank frame 1102 and oxygen tank 1101 by way of straps 1150, 1151. Low friction slide rails 1116 are mounted on the side of the tank holding portion 1114 for sliding contact with the ground, or stairs. Straps 1118 with mating buckles are provided in relation to said knob protection portion 1106 to further secure the cover on the worker's back for added safety and support.

(25) While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.