Removable device and method for establishing a natural environment inside a helmet

Abstract

An improved air supply device that is removably securable within a welding hood or similar helmet structure. The air supply device provides two thin sheets of smooth, directed air within the hood. One sheet is directed toward a lens to provide a barrier to humidity. The other sheet of air is provided back toward a user's face to provide a barrier to external fumes and to cool the user. The air supply device is designed to smooth turbulent air flow through multiple structures so supply laminar sheets of air flow within the welding hood to recreate a natural environment for the user.

1 . A self-contained air filtration and conditioning device for protective headgear, comprising:
 a housing containing a blower, an air filter, a power source for driving at least the blower, and a circuit board for at least activating and deactivating the blower, and   a partially bifurcated air supply member attached at an end to the housing,   wherein turbulent air enters the housing through the air filter and continues into the blower, the turbulent air thereafter smoothed into a laminar air flow as the blower pushes the air to and through the air supply member, wherein the laminar air flow is bifurcated and expelled from the air supply member as two thin sheets of laminar air.   
     
     
         2 . The self-contained air filtration and conditioning device of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener secured on an outer surface of the housing, the fastener configured to removably secure the device to the protective headgear. 
     
     
         3 . The self-contained air filtration and conditioning device of  claim 2 , wherein the fastener is a clip. 
     
     
         4 . The self-contained air filtration and conditioning device of  claim 1 , wherein the air supply member is attached at a corresponding longitudinal end to the housing and has an opposing longitudinal free end, the air supply member increasing in width along a length towards the free end, such that the air supply member is narrowest where secured to the housing and widest along the free end. 
     
     
         5 . The self-contained air filtration and conditioning device of  claim 1 , wherein the air supply member has a downwardly-extending element extending along a width of a free end of the air supply member, and a divider upwardly extends along a bottom surface of the downwardly-extending element. 
     
     
         6 . The self-contained air filtration and conditioning device of  claim 5 , wherein the divider partially separates at least two openings along the downwardly-extending element. 
     
     
         7 . The self-contained air filtration and conditioning device of  claim 6 , wherein one of the at least two openings directs a thin sheet of laminar air downwardly and forwardly relative to the free end of the air supply member. 
     
     
         8 . The self-contained air filtration and conditioning device of  claim 7 , wherein one of the at least two openings further comprises a plurality of linearly-oriented circular openings which together direct a thin sheet of laminar air. 
     
     
         9 . The self-contained air filtration and conditioning device of  claim 6 , wherein one of the at least two openings directs a thin sheet of laminar air downwardly and backwardly relative to the free end of the air supply member. 
     
     
         10 . The self-contained air filtration and conditioning device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes an air intake channel that guides the turbulent air entering the housing through the air filter into the blower. 
     
     
         11 . A method for cooling and protecting a user wearing a protective covering over a face of the user, comprising:
 supplying air towards peripheral openings of the protective covering around the face of the user, wherein the supplied air is delivered in two thin sheets of smoothed air;   creating a barrier along a lens of the protective covering by supplying one of the two thin sheets of smoothed air across the lens;   creating a barrier to external air around the peripheral openings of the protective covering by supplying another of the two thin sheets of smoothed air across the user's face and toward the peripheral openings; and   cooling the user with air replacement and evaporative cooling provided by the two thin sheets of smoothed air,   wherein the self-contained air filtration and conditioning device of  claim 1  is attachable to the protective covering to supply and deliver the air in two thin sheets of smoothed air.   
     
     
         12 . A method for cooling and protecting a user wearing a protective covering over a face of the user, comprising:
 supplying air towards peripheral openings of the protective covering around the face of the user, wherein the supplied air is delivered in two thin sheets of smoothed air;   creating a barrier along a lens of the protective covering by supplying one of the two thin sheets of smoothed air across the lens;   creating a barrier to external air around the peripheral openings of the protective covering by supplying another of the two thin sheets of smoothed air across the user's face and toward the peripheral openings; and   cooling the user with air replacement and evaporative cooling provided by the two thin sheets of smoothed air.