Importance

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Abstract

A portable respirator system for supplying clean, breathable air to a hood or face mask is disclosed. The system can be carried on a waist belt and includes a housing containing air inlet and outlet plenums, and a battery powered, electric motor operated blower connected between the inlet and outlet plenums. The motor can be manually switched between high and low speed operation to supply high quantities of air upon demand caused by high respiration rate and otherwise supply lower quantities of air sufficient for low respiration rates to extend battery life between rechargings. A differential air pressure sensing switch is responsively connected for actuation when the difference between air pressure in the outlet plenum and the pressure of ambient atmosphere is less than a preselected value. A battery powered audible alarm sounds upon actuation of the switch to alert the user to the approach of potentially dangerously lowair pressure in the outlet plenum and, consequently, in the mask or hood so that appropriate corrective action can be taken. The housing contains a dividing wall therein which is spaced from a front cover which partially defines the air inlet plenum. The system can be operated in either a powered air purifying respirator mode or a supplied air respirator mode.

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First Claim