Grey compounded infrared absorbing spectacles, goggles, faceshields and hood windows used in personal protective equipment for arc flash hazards

Abstract

An improved personal protective device and composition thereof. The device comprises arc flash spectacles or goggles, an arc flash faceshield or an arc flash hood window to provide optical clarity, specifically color acuity. The spectacles or goggles, the faceshield and the hood window include polycarbonate material for high-impact, high-mass performance, and surface charring during arc flash exposure and provides an arc flash protective rating of at least 4 cal/cm2 (in the case of eyewear and face shields) or at least 15 cal/cm2 (in the case of hood windows).

We claim: 
     
         1 . A faceshield for blocking arc flash thermal energy, the faceshield comprising:
 a lens providing color acuity within the visible light spectrum, the lens comprised of a particulate consisting of antimony doped tin oxide that blocks infrared radiation, and an optically clear plastic material, the-optically clear plastic material and the particulate chosen and blended in proportion so that the faceshield will block a range from 3 to 40 cal/cm 2  of arc flash thermal energy, the lens further comprising of:
 a) an optically clear plastic material selected from the group consisting of but not limited to polycarbonate, acrylic, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate butyrate; and 
 b) a particulate of antimony doped tin oxide coated with a dispersant; and 
 c) the particulate described in b) dispersed within said optically clear plastic material. 
   
     
     
         2 . The faceshield of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate of antimony doped tin oxide coated with a dispersant has a size range of about 0.1 to 15 microns per particle. 
     
     
         3 . The faceshield of  claim 1 , wherein the leas provides at least 30% light transmission across the visible light spectrum. 
     
     
         4 . A faceshield for blocking arc flash thermal energy, the faceshield comprising:
 a lens providing color acuity within the visible light spectrum, the lens comprised of a particulate consisting of antimony doped tin oxide that blocks infrared radiation, a dye of a color within the visible light spectrum, and an optically clear plastic material, the optically clear plastic material, the particulate and the dye being chosen and blended in proportion so that the faceshield will block a range from 3 to 40 cal/cm 2  of arc flash thermal energy, the lens further comprising of:
 a) an optically clear plastic material selected from the group consisting of but not limited to polycarbonate, acrylic, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate butyrate; and 
 b) a particulate of antimony doped tin oxide coated with a dispersant and a dye of a color within the visible light spectrum; and 
 c) the particulate and the dye described in b) dispersed within said optically clear plastic material. 
   
     
     
         5 . The faceshield of  claim 4 , wherein the particulate of antimony doped tin oxide coated with a dispersant has a size range of about 0.1 to 15 microns per particle. 
     
     
         6 . The faceshield of  claim 4 , wherein the lens provides at least 30% light transmission across the visible light spectrum. 
     
     
         7 . A hood window for blocking arc flash thermal energy, the hood window comprising:
 a lens providing color acuity within the visible light spectrum, the lens comprised of a particulate of antimony doped tin oxide that blocks infrared radiation and an optically clear plastic material, the optically clear plastic material and particulate being chosen and blended in proportion so that the hood window will block a range of 15 to 140 cal cm 2  of arc flash thermal energy, the lens further comprising:
 a) an optically clear plastic material selected from the group consisting of but not limited to polycarbonate, acrylic, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate butyrate; and 
 b) a particulate of antimony doped tin oxide coated with a dispersant; and. 
 c) the particulate described in b) dispersed within said optically clear plastic material. 
   
     
     
         8 . The hood window of  claim 7 , wherein the particulate of antimony doped tin oxide coated with a dispersant has a size range of about 0.1 to 15 microns per particle. 
     
     
         9 . The hood window of  claim 7 , wherein the lens provides at least 30% light transmission across the visible light spectrum. 
     
     
         10 . The hood window of  claim 7 , where in the optically clear plastic material of the hood window is polycarbonate and the particulate of the lens is antimony doped tin oxide coated with a dispersant and has a size range of about 0.1 to 15 microns per particle, whereby the lens chars at arc flash thermal energy exposures greater than 12 cal/cm 2 , and said charring decreases the temperature of the surface of the hood window and increases the blocking of arc flash thermal energy as exposures are increased up to 140 cal/cm 2 . 
     
     
         11 . Eyewear for blocking arc flash thermal energy, the eyewear comprising:
 a polycarbonate frame, and a lens providing color acuity within the visible light spectrum, the lens comprised of a particulate of antimony doped tin oxide that blocks infrared radiation and an optically clear plastic material, the optically clear plastic will block at least 3 cal/cm 2  of arc flash thermal energy, the lens further comprising:
 a) an optically clear plastic material, the optically clear plastic material consisting of an optically clear plastic selected from the group consisting of but not limited to polycarbonate, acrylic, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate butyrate; and 
 b) a particulate of antimony doped tin oxide coated with a dispersant; and 
 c) the particulate described in b) dispersed within said optically clear plastic material. 
   
     
     
         12 . Eyewear of  claim 11 , wherein the lens provides at least 30% light transmission across the visible light spectrum. 
     
     
         13 . Eyewear of  claim 11 , wherein the particulate of antimony doped tin oxide coated with a dispersant has a size range of about 0.1 to 15 microns per particle.