US 12,403,337 B2
SCBA with enhanced emergency breathing support system
Darrill L. Plummer, Midland, NC (US); William E. Parson, Indian Trail, NC (US); and William K. Shaffer, Monroe, NC (US)
Assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US)
Filed by 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US)
Filed on Jun. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/844,223.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/217,529, filed on Jul. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0001241 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. A62B 9/04 (2006.01); A62B 7/02 (2006.01)
CPC A62B 9/04 (2013.01) [A62B 7/02 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A reducer for a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), the reducer being configured to receive air from a high-pressure air tank at a tank pressure and to deliver the air through a delivery outlet of the reducer at an outlet pressure, and the reducer comprising:
a primary air pathway that is fluidly connected to the delivery outlet of the reducer and that comprises a primary metering valve configured to allow tank air into the primary air pathway until the pressure in the primary air pathway reaches a first, lower nominal pressure;
a secondary air pathway comprising a secondary metering valve configured to allow tank air into the secondary air pathway until the pressure in the secondary air pathway reaches a second, higher nominal pressure that is higher than the first, lower nominal pressure;
a normally-closed low-tank-air transfer valve that, when closed, isolates the secondary air pathway from direct connection with the delivery outlet of the reducer;
and,
a normally-closed automatic transfer valve that, when closed, isolates a branch line of the secondary air pathway from the delivery outlet of the reducer;
wherein the reducer comprises an Emergency Breathing Support System (EBSS) outlet that is fluidly connected to the branch line of the secondary air pathway;
wherein a supply hose of an EBSS module of the SCBA is fluidly connected to the EBSS outlet of the reducer;
and, wherein the EBSS module comprises first and second donor hoses that are arranged in parallel to each other and that are each configured to receive air from the supply hose of the EBSS module, the first donor hose comprising a first, male coupling and the second donor hose comprising a second, female coupling.