Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a containment and/or transportation device for people, and especially children and babies, to isolate them from airborne pollutants, allergens, and the like.

Background of the invention

Devices are known for isolating people, especially people, and especially children and babies, from airborne pollutants, allergens, and the like. In particular, such devices are known which can be associated with frames, such as baby carriages and strollers.

Examples of devices that substantially enclose the child with a physical barrier conditioned air are known in WO2008/010209 and GB2301879.

Conditioned air can then be supplied to the interior of the enclosure.

Unfortunately, such a physical barrier may cause unease to the child who may feel trapped and may make it difficult for a parent or other care giver to quickly access the child to comfort it.

Other devices may supply conditioned air directly onto the child's face. Such direct impingement can be expected to annoy the child.

A more recent example is known in WO2010/031846 in which nozzles of filtered air generate an air barrier across the opening of the stroller or other transportation device. The air barrier also provides a high pressure zone near the child's face of such filtered air, thus isolating the child from ambient air. Unfortunately, this system may suffer from a level of undesired air movement at the child's face and requires large volumes of filtered air to create the clean air barrier. What is needed is a more efficient system to isolate people from ambient air that may carry excessive pollutants, allergens, and the like. A portable system that isolates the person from ambient air without a complete physical enclosure is also desired. Finally, a system that provides sufficient air stream to create an air barrier to isolate the space around a person from ambient conditions that also provides conditioned, filtered air to that space is needed.

Summary of the invention

Surprisingly, we have found that it is possible to provide an efficient, portable, controlled environment system that isolates a person from ambient air without a complete physical enclosure is possible also desired. This provides a relatively large volumetric air flow to provide sufficient air stream to create an air barrier to isolate the space around the person from ambient conditions. A second, more efficient system provides conditioned, filtered air to the space defined by the air barrier.

In one embodiment, a portable, controlled environment system includes an air barrier subsystem, a conditioned air subsystem, and at least one power source operatively connected to the air barrier subsystem and to the

conditioned air subsystem. The air barrier subsystem includes a frame configured to define a containment area, at least one air barrier nozzle arranged and configured about the frame, and an airflow generator connected to the at least one air barrier nozzle. The at least one air barrier nozzle is arranged and configured about the frame, adapted to emit a jet of air to generate a continuous air barrier directed away from the frame. The

conditioned air subsystem includes at least one conditioned air nozzle and an air conditioner connected thereto. The at least one conditioned air nozzle is disposed on a flexible conduit that is arranged and configured for adjustable placement about a human head located the containment area. The air conditioner provides a conditioned airflow from the at least one conditioned air nozzle of between about 0.4 and about 1 .3 meters/second. Brief Description of the Drawing

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a baby carriage incorporating the controlled environment system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of the air barrier frame useful in the controlled environment system of the baby carriage of Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3 is a side view of the air barrier frame of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the controlled environment system of Figs.

1 -3. Fig. 5 is a top view of the baby carriage of Fig. 1 .

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the conditioned air delivery unit shown in Fig. 5 with a cloth cover partially removed.

Fig. 7 is a representation of the air barrier created by an air barrier frame, such as shown in Figs. 2-3, and a clean air cloud created by the conditioned air subsystem of Figs. 5-6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an infant seat protected by a controlled environment system according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a controlled environment system according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a representation of the air barrier created by an air barrier frame, such as shown in Figs. 2-3, and a clean air cloud created by the conditioned air subsystem of Fig. 9.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

Portable, controlled environment systems are desirable in areas of high pollution and/or airborne allergens. These are useful to protect people from airborne pollutants, allergens, and even insects. These systems can be used in conjunction with supports, such as child or infant carriers, bassinettes, wheel chairs, beds, and other structures.

As shown in Figs. 1 -3, a controlled environment system 100 can be used in conjunction with a support 200, such as baby carriage. The carriage 200 includes a containment receptacle 210 arranged and configured to contain a child having at least one opening 212. The controlled environment system 100 includes an air barrier subsystem 300 having a frame 310 configured in a closed loop to define a substantially planar containment area disposed about the opening 212 of the containment receptacle 210. The frame 310 is attached to the containment receptacle 210 through a plurality of mounts 312. The frame 310 has a plurality of air barrier nozzles 314 arranged and configured about the frame 310. The mounts 312 provide a limited gap 316 between the frame 310 and the containment receptacle 210 permitting a limited flow of ambient air into the containment area adjacent to the at least one air barrier nozzle 314. Each air barrier nozzle 314 is adapted to emit a respective jet of air 318 perpendicular to the plane of the containment area, preferably in an upward direction. Each jet of air 318 draws a limited flow of ambient air 320 through the gap 316 and the plurality of air jets 318 and ambient air flow 320 cooperate to generate a continuous air barrier 322 directed away from the frame 310. An ambient air generator, such as air barrier blower 324, is operatively connected to the plurality of air barrier nozzles 314 via air barrier conduit 326.

As shown schematically in Fig. 4, the air barrier subsystem 300 includes the air barrier blower 324, the air barrier conduit 326, and the frame 310. The conditioned air subsystem 400 includes an air conditioner 410, a blower 420 of conditioned air, a conditioned air conduit 430, and at least one conditioned air delivery unit 440, and is described in greater detail, below. At least one power source 510 is operatively connected to the ambient air generator, e.g., to the air barrier blower 324, and to the conditioned air generator, e.g., to a conditioned air blower 420, via wires 512. Alternatively, each blower, 324, 420, may have its own power supply, such as a battery.

The air conditioner 410 includes at minimum, a replaceable filter. It may also include additional components, such as for as heating, cooling, humidifying, drying, anion and/or ozone treatment, scenting, and the like. The controlled environment system may also include controllers and processors to enable the user to improve its performance.

The frame 310 can be attached to the baby carriage 200 via mounts 312, such as mechanical fasteners, including without limitation hooks, clips, clamps, snaps, or the like. These mounts 312may also enable the same frame 310 to be connected to other containment receptacles 210, such as a stroller, a crib, a car seat, and the like. Additionally the frame 310 curtain can be flexible to conform to the shape of the carriage 200 and placed over/around the carriage 200.

In addition, although the frame has been described above as

incorporating a plurality of nozzles disposed about the frame, a small channel disposed around the frame may form a single air outlet that can be shaped into any shape or dimensions.

Optional control and variations of the above system may improve performance. For example, a wind direction and velocity sensor to detect the speed and direction of wind to modify airflow output. Additional baffling or gates can further control the air output from the air openings to either increase or decrease air output in certain areas to improve performance.

Fan controls can also improve performance by allowing the speed of the fan to change based upon outdoor conditions which can improve efficiency and battery life.

Finally, the angle of the output nozzles can also be adjusted to improve performance and modify the flow direction of the surrounding air.

The components of the controlled environment systems may be incorporated into a single unit, such as a larger frame that includes appropriate air passages to deliver the air barrier air to the air barrier nozzles and additional storage space for the blowers, filters, air intakes, and air conditioning

components, and optionally power components and control elements.

Alternatively, the frame and conditioned air nozzle may be extendable from the other components. In such an example, the blowers, filters, air intakes, and air conditioning components, and optionally power components and control elements may be housed separately with only the air conduits extending to the containment receptacle.

As shown in more detail in Figs. 2-3, the frame is generally rectangular having a length up to about 2 meters, preferably up to about 1 .5 meters, and a width up to about 2 meters, preferably up to about 1 meter. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2-3, these dimensions are adjustable as frame elements 310a and 310c are telescopically slidable into frame elements 310b and 31 Od. To enable this adjustment, frame elements 310a and 310c are dimensioned to be slidably inserted into frame elements 310b and 31 Od. Preferably, the openings of frame elements 310b and 31 Od that accommodate frame elements 310a and 310c are provided with a seal element to minimize undesired escape of air therefrom.

Alternatively, the design can be modular so that section can be added to extend, shorten or otherwise change the overall dimensions and shape of the curtain. The product can also be made from sold extruded silicon or other soft flexible materials such as rubber to conform to different shapes; this also allows the curtain to be folded into a smaller size for travel or carrying

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the frame dimensions may be adjusted by the use of pleated sections to permit the length and width of the frame to be changed to better match the opening 212 of the containment receptacle 210 used with the air barrier 322.

The frame 310 may be relatively rigid with appropriate enlargement features as described above, or it may be flexible to enable the shape to be modified based up on the user's needs or requirements. In a preferred embodiment the shape of the frame would be closed in nature for the most efficient air flow however a non-closed design could also be used.

While the air barrier subsystem 300 employs relatively high velocity air streams to isolate the interior from ambient air, the conditioned air subsystem 400 employs low velocity air to provide a pleasant cloud of clan air about the head of the user.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the conditioned air subsystem 400 includes at least one conditioned air delivery unit 440 that is arranged and configured for adjustable placement about a human head located the containment area. The conditioned air delivery unit 440 includes at least one conditioned air nozzle 442 disposed on a flexible conduit 444. This permits the air delivery unit 440 in the containment area to bend and move to accommodate a user's

requirements. The air delivery unit 440 may be covered with a thin, air- permeable fabric cover 446 for aesthetic and/or safety purposes. This permeable fabric cover 446 may also be useful to equilibrate the airflow exiting the conditioned air nozzles 442 to provide equal air flow on both sides of the user's head, thereby increasing the efficiency of the system.

In the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6, equal air flow streams are generated on both sides of the user's head. We have found that this creates a converging stream of clean air which isolates the external environment from the internal environment. The converging airstreams create an upward motion of clean air directly in front of the nose/mouth of the user providing sufficient clean air for breathing. It also creates a high pressure zone in front of the

nose/mouth to prevent contaminated air from mixing with the clean stream of air. In addition to providing a clean air barrier the two separate air streams allow lower levels of air to be emitted on both sides of the head which also allows lower velocities of clean air to be used improving comfort for the user. The redundancy provided by the two separate air steams can also permit the subsystem to provide conditioned air even if one set of nozzles on one side of the head is blocked. As both streams are connected to the same conditioned air supply, the flow to the unblocked nozzles will increase to compensate for the blocked nozzles. In addition, the conditioned air delivery unit 440 may employ one or more relatively rigid conduits in place of the flexible conduit described above.

The conditioned air blower 420 provides sufficient volumetric flow of conditioned air to provide a flow rate from the at least one conditioned air nozzle of between about 1 mile/hour (? m/s) and about 3 miles/hour (? meters/second). Referring to Fig. 7, the jets of air 318 emitted from the frame 310 are directed upwardly to create the air barrier 322. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that these upwardly directed jets of air 318 create a region of relatively low air pressure as they move further from the frame and generally converge at a distance above the frame, shown at 322a in Fig. 7. It has been discovered that an air jet output velocity of at least about 0.5 m/s, preferably about 1 m/s and more preferably at least about 2 m/s creates a stable air barrier. At the same time that the air barrier nozzles 314, generate the stable air barrier 322, the conditioned air nozzles 442 provide the pleasant cloud of conditioned air 450 about the head of the user. This ensures that any ambient air that may be drawn into the containment area remains away from the air breathed by the user.

The interior 214 of the containment receptacle 210 is supplied with conditioned air 450 via the conditioned air delivery unit 440. The interior 214 thus is at a greater air pressure than ambient to prevent the ingress of polluted air, and the infant 220 placed therein is protected from airborne contaminants.

The conditioned air is filtered, using a replaceable filter. Other modification of the conditioned air may also occur, such as heating, cooling, humidifying, drying, anion and/or ozone treatment, scenting, and the like. The replaceable filter is preferably selected to filter out allergens, pollutants, and the like. A representative, non-limiting list of filters includes carbon filters, High- efficiency particulate arresting filters ("HEPA" filters), electrostatic filters, and the like.

While the controlled environment system is shown in Fig. 1 as used with a baby carriage, it can also be used with other containment receptacles, such as a bassinette, an infant seat, and the like. For example, the frame 310 can be placed on a flat surface, such as floor or table, and the infant seat 230 placed within the area defined by the frame as shown in Fig. 8. The frame provides the air barrier 322 and the floor or table provides a containment surface. While the embodiment of Figs. 5-7shows a conditioned air delivery unit

440 having a plurality of conditioned air nozzles disposed on either side of the user's head, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that alternative arrangements, such as conditioned air nozzles evenly disposed along the length of the conduit, or a single, continuous slot substantially along the length of the conduit, are possible.

In an alternative embodiment shown in Figs. 9-10, the air delivery unit 440' employs a single conditioned air nozzle 442' or set of nozzles is disposed proximate the top of a user's head. This configuration provides a relatively low velocity conditioned air 450' across the face of the user and ensures that any ambient air that may be drawn into the containment area remains away from the air breathed by the user. Again, the jets of air 318 emitted from the frame 310 are directed upwardly to create the air barrier 322.

The specification and embodiments above are presented to aid in the complete and non-limiting understanding of the invention disclosed herein. Since many variations and embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from its spirit and scope, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.