A breathing apparatus for athletes to warm and moisturize inhaled air has an elongate housing having both lateral and downward curvatures with respect to the position of the apparatus when positioned over the mouth of the wearer. An oral aperture for disposition over the mouth of the wearer is disposed centrally of the housing on the concave side of the lateral curvature. A plurality of corresponding pairs of spaced-apart leaf members or vanes disposed within the housing. The leaf members are disposed so that the inner ends of the pairs of members form a chamber adjacent to the oral aperture, with the chamber having diminishing depth from front to rear so as to permit the leaf member ends to catch and distribute exhaled air along passages formed by the leaf members. The exhaled air warms and moisturizes the leaf members, which in turn warm and moisturize the inspired air to prevent damage to sensitive tracheal membranes of runners in cold weather.
A mask for use in severe arid climates which includes a countercurrent exchange medium, confined within a mask shell, which salvages heat and moisture given off during exhalation for subsequent transfer to inhalation air. A shaped mask member forms the mask to fit snugly over the lower face and nose. A normally closed opening in the mask shell permits access to the mask interior and to the countercurrent exchange medium. Tubular inserts provide supplemental quantities of the medium as well, in a modified form, provide an interface for additional respiratory gear.
A flexible mouth seal having a porous direct flow hygroscopic material associated with a cold weather mask. The nose has free breathing and does not breath in or out through the hygroscopic material. The cold weather mask and mouth seal captures some of the moisture in exhaled air by a porous hygroscopic material and returns the moisture to the dry cold inhaled air for assistance in cold weather breathing.
A humidity-retaining mask includes a foldable mask body made of humidity-absorbing sheet material which is folded into a honeycomb structure when the mask is used. The mask body has a recessed portion on the upper side thereof to receive a user's nostril, and ear traps attached to the mask body.
A dampening mask for use in aircraft, includes a mask body to be worn in a manner in which it is placed in front of the nose of the wearer to cover at least the nose, and forming a small space separated from the outside air in front of the nose; and a ventilation-passage member provided in a portion of the mask body which is, when the mask is worn, situated in front of the nose, the ventilation-passage member interconnecting the small space and the outside air in communication, the ventilation-passage member being a honeycomb structure made of a moisture absorbing material which has a function of absorbing and releasing moisture, the honeycomb structure having a large number of ventilation passages (tubular cavities) directed forward so as to form passages for air.
A breathing device including a heat exchanger module retained adjacent the mouth of a user by a fabric holder. The heat exchanger module includes a wall surrounding a non-linear, tubular flow passage extending between a first air vent and a second air vent. A heat exchanging medium comprising a woven copper cloth is disposed within the flow passage. The flow passage includes a larger cross-sectional area adjacent the first air vent than adjacent the second air vent.
