Apparatuses for filtering respiratory emissions

Abstract

An apparatus for filtering respiratory emissions includes a housing. The housing includes a mouthpiece defining a port, a body at least partially defining a filter cavity, and a flange at least partially defining a passageway in fluid communication with the port and extending into the filter cavity. The apparatus includes a filter disposed within the filter cavity and fluidly coupled to the port via the flange. The filter is configured to receive respiratory emissions from the port and emit from the filter as filtered respiratory emissions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for filtering respiratory emissions, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a mouthpiece defining a port; 
 a body at least partially defining a filter cavity; and 
 a flange at least partially defining a passageway in fluid communication with the port and extending into the filter cavity; and 
   a filter disposed within the filter cavity and fluidly coupled to the port via the flange, the filter configured to receive respiratory emissions from the port and emit therefrom filtered respiratory emissions.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece and the body are selectively separable. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the filter defines a pocket in fluid communication with the passageway and configured to receive the respiratory emissions therein. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the filter is spaced from the body within the filter cavity to facilitate transmission through the filter by a positive pressure gradient within the pocket. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the housing further comprises a frame extending into the pocket of the filter to support the filter and direct the respiratory emissions into the pocket. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the frame is longitudinally aligned with the passageway of the flange. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the housing further comprises at least one crossmember coupled to the flange and extending laterally across the passageway, the frame coupled to the crossmember. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an exhaust defining one or more openings in fluid communication with the filter cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a secondary filter positioned at the exhaust. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the exhaust further comprises a grating extending over the one or more openings, the secondary filter positioned at and supported by the grating. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a docking cavity adjacent the filter cavity and in fluid communication with the port. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the passageway is a first passageway and the housing defines a second passageway that opens into the docking cavity and merges with the passageway adjacent the port. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a first check valve disposed within the first passageway adjacent the filter and having an inlet facing the filter; and   a second check valve disposed within the second passageway and having an inlet facing the port.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the housing includes an exhaust defining one or more openings that are in fluid communication with the docking cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a reservoir for storing electronic cigarette fluid; and   an atomizer for vaporizing the electronic cigarette fluid, the atomizer in fluid communication with the reservoir for receiving the electronic cigarette fluid.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the passageway is a first passageway and the housing defines:
 a second passageway in fluid communication with the atomizer and the passageway adjacent the port; and   a third passageway in fluid communication with the atomizer and an exterior of the apparatus.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a first check valve disposed within the first passageway adjacent the filter and having an inlet facing the filter; and   a second check valve disposed within the second passageway and having an inlet facing the port.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the housing includes a second mouthpiece positioned opposite the mouthpiece and defining a second port, the housing defining:
 a second passageway in fluid communication with the atomizer and the second port; and   a third passageway in fluid communication with the atomizer and an exterior of the apparatus.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for filtering respiratory emissions, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a mouthpiece defining a port; 
 a body at least partially defining a filter cavity and an exhaust in fluid communication with the filter cavity; 
 a flange at least partially defining a passageway in fluid communication with the port and extending into the filter cavity; and 
 a frame longitudinally aligned with the passageway of the flange; and 
   a filter disposed within the filter cavity and fluidly coupled to the port via the flange, the filter defining a pocket in fluid communication with the passageway and configured to receive respiratory emissions therein from the port, the frame extending into the pocket of the filter to support the filter and direct the respiratory emissions into the pocket, the filter spaced from body within the filter cavity to facilitate transmission through the filter by a positive pressure gradient within the pocket and emit from the filter as filtered respiratory emissions that pass through the exhaust out of the apparatus.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for filtering respiratory emissions, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a mouthpiece defining a port; 
 a body at least partially defining a filter cavity and a docking cavity adjacent the filter cavity; and 
 a flange at least partially defining a first passageway in fluid communication with the port and extending into the filter cavity, 
 wherein the housing defines one or more first openings in fluid communication with the filter cavity and one or more second openings in fluid communication with the docking cavity, and a second passageway that opens into the docking cavity and merges with the first passageway adjacent the port, the docking cavity configured to position the electronic cigarette therein and allow use of the electronic cigarette through the port by inhaling air through the one or more second openings into the docking cavity; 
   a filter disposed within the filter cavity and fluidly coupled to the port via the flange, the filter configured to receive respiratory emissions from the port, the respiratory emissions configured to transmit through the filter and emit from the filter as filtered respiratory emissions that pass through the one or more first openings and out of the apparatus;   a first check valve disposed within the first passageway adjacent the filter and having an inlet facing the filter; and   a second check valve disposed within the second passageway and having an inlet facing the port.