Head Covering Device Providing Filtered Air and Climate Control
A head covering device comprising a rigid component comprising a transparent face shield, a fabric component, wherein the face shield and fabric combine to cover an entire head of a user and form a seal around the user's neck, an intake port with an inlet filter, an exhaust port with an exhaust filter, an air mover causing filtered air to enter the intake port and exhaust air to exit the exhaust port, and an environmental control component to condition air within the device.
1 . A head covering device comprising:
a rigid component comprising a transparent face shield;
a fabric component, wherein the face shield and fabric combine to cover an entire head of a user and form a seal around the user's neck;
an intake port with an inlet filter;
an exhaust port with an exhaust filter;
an air mover causing filtered air to enter the intake port and exhaust air to exit the exhaust port; and
an environmental control component to condition air within the device.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the environmental control component controls the temperature of the air inside the device.
3 . The device of claim 2 wherein the environmental control component comprises a heater for heating the air inside the device.
4 . The device of claim 3 wherein the heater comprises an electric resistive heater.
5 . The device of claim 3 wherein the heater uses an exothermic reaction to raise the temperature.
6 . The device of claim 2 wherein the environmental control component comprises a chiller to chill the air inside the device.
7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the chiller comprises a thermoelectric cooler.
8 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the chiller uses evaporative cooling.
9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the chiller comprises a water reservoir in fluid communication with a portion of the fabric component, which portion is adapted to wick water from the reservoir.
10 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the chiller comprises a water reservoir and a mister to create a mist of water for evaporative cooling.
11 . The device of claim 6 , further comprising a chamber for receive a chilled mass used to chill the air inside the device.
12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the chilled mass is ice.
13 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the environmental control component comprises a phase-change material to adjust the temperature by reversibly storing and releasing heat when pre-defined temperature ranges are reached inside the device.
14 . The device of claim 2 wherein the environmental control component comprises a heater and a chiller.
15 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the environmental control component comprises one or more multi-speed air circulation fans.
16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the one or more multi-speed fans switch to a higher speed when a pre-set environmental parameter is reached inside the device.
17 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the environmental control component further comprises a heat recovery device to recover heat from air as it is exhausted from the device.
18 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the environmental control component captures water vapor to lower humidity of the air inside the device.
19 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a source of water vapor to increase the humidity of the air inside the device.
20 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a foam insert so the user can rub his nose against the insert to scratch an itch.