Frictionally engaged supplied air helmet face seal

Abstract

A supplied air helmet 10 that has a visor 14 , and a face seal 12 that includes a frame member 16 and a sealing member 18 . The frame member 116 can be secured to the visor 14 by frictional engagement. The use of frictional engagement as opposed to pegs, adhesives, and hook and look type fasteners, may reduce the number of parts, may permit face seal installation and/or removal in a less onerous manner, and may reduce the opportunity for fastener failure.

1 . A supplied air helmet that comprises: 
 (a) a visor; and    (b) a face seal that includes a frame member and a sealing member, wherein the frame member is secured to the visor by frictional engagement.    
   
   
       2 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the frictional engagement occurs at first and second temporal locations.  
   
   
       3 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 2 , wherein the frictional engagement also occurs at a third location on the visor.  
   
   
       4 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 3 , wherein the third location is proximal to a wearer's forehead when the supplied air helmet is worn.  
   
   
       5 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising a crown member that is secured to the visor at first and second engagement points.  
   
   
       6 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 2 , wherein the frictional engagement occurs at the first and second engagement points.  
   
   
       7 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 6 , wherein first and second spacer elements are disposed at the first and second engagement points, the face seal being rotatable about the first and second spacer elements.  
   
   
       8 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the frame member has brow and chin portions that are offset from each other at an angle α of 50 to 80 degrees.  
   
   
       9 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is elastically stretchable.  
   
   
       10 . The supplied; air helmet of  claim 9 , further comprising a tab for drawing a chin portion of the sealing member underneath the wearer's chin when donning the supplied air helmet.  
   
   
       11 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising an air duct and a crown member for supporting the air duct, the air duct directing clean air into a breathing zone of the supplied air helmet.  
   
   
       12 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 11 , being adapted for connection to a powered air purifying system.  
   
   
       13 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 11 , being adapted for connection to a self-contained breathing apparatus.  
   
   
       14 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 1 , being a welding helmet.  
   
   
       15 . A supplied air helmet that comprises: 
 (a) a visor; and    (b) a face seal that includes a frame member and a sealing member, the frame member being held in the visor by means that consists essentially of configuration of the frame member and the visor such that the frame member and visor are frictionally held together.    
   
   
       16 . A supplied air helmet that comprises: 
 (a) a visor;    (b) a face seal that includes a frame member and a sealing member; and    (c) a means for causing frictional engagement between the face seal and the visor.    
   
   
       17 . The supplied air helmet of  claim 16 , wherein the frame member is adapted to conform in response to manual pressure and to return to an original configuration once the manual pressure ceases.