||||||III

USOO567849A
United States Patent 9 | | | | Patent Number: 5,617,849
Springett et al. (45. Date of Patent: Apr. 8, 1997
54 RESPIRATOR HAVING THERMOCHROMIC 4,488,547 l.2, 1984 Mason ................................ 28/2O2.2
FIT-INDICATING SEA 4,501,503 2, 1985 Buirley ct al. .......................... 37Aff2
4.765,325 8, 1988 Crutchfield . 28/2023
75 inventors: James E. Springett, Hudson, Wis.; 4,827.924 5.7989 Japunich ... - - 428A20612

Leonard W. Barrett, Maplewood, 4,832, () || 5F989 Busch ..., ---- 128/2O2.13

4,846, 66 7.f489 Wilcke .............. 28,2OO.2

Min. 4,85,477. Of 1989 Waschkc ct al. .................. 28H2O)6.6
a 4,883,547 f 1989 Japuntich .............................. 156,734
(73) Assignee. Minnesota Mining and 4,914,957 4f 2990 Dougherty .................................. 3f.)
Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, 4,951,664 8/1990 Niemeyer ... 28H2O62.
Minn. 5,299.448 4, 1994 Maryyanck cal. ........................ 73f.)
5,357,693 ().1994. Owens ........................................ 36ft 1
2) Appl. No.: 526.909 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
22 Filed: Sep. 12, 1995 2266669 1 if 993 United Kingdom .............. 28,212
5 Int. Cl."
-
................................................... A62D S/00 Pr.rtiary FEFaire" W. Mill
1.
52 U.S. Cl. ................................ 128/206.24; 128/20 23: scietant Fv/iwi, rif r is r?
0.282055. So so.
28A206 28
Assistant Examiner Y. Srivastava
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Gary L. Griswold, Walter N.
(4... Kirn, Karl G. Hals
58 Field of Search ...................... 128/202.22, 205.23, l, St a SC
28/205.25, 206.21, 206.23, 206. 24, 206.28, 57 ABSTRACT
2014, 206. 4, 201.33
Respirator 10 has a respirator body 11 that is configured to
{56 References Cited fit over thc nosc and mouth of a weacr. A thcrinochromic
T. material 18 is positioned on the respirator body 11 such that
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS thc thermochronic material 8 makes thcrmal contact with
2.249,867 7.94 Snelling .................................... 737335 the wearer's face when the respirator 10 is worn. The contact
3,580,051 5, 1971 Blewins ....................................... 73/40 causes thc thermochromic material 18 to changc color lo
3,830,224 8,974 Wanacii ct al. ... 28.2 H allow the wcarer to determine i? a proper it has becn
3.95 : 33 4f1976 Reese .........., ... 28.2 establish.cd.
4, 146,025 3, 1979 Warncke et a 28/42.1
43(297. 12,983 Luk .................. ... 3,356
4,437,471 3, 1984 Nelson .................................... 28 FF 36 12 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet
U.S. Patent Apr. 8, 1997 5,617.849
 5,617,849
1 2
RESPRATOR HAVING THERMOCHROMIC U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,448 describes a positive pressure tcsl.
FIT-INDICATING SEAL apparatus for fit testing a face piece respirator having an
cxhalation valvc. The apparatus is mountcc over thc cxha
TEC-NICA, FELD
lation valve, and the cxhalation wave is scalcd by depressing
a plunger. The wearer exhalics, holds this state, and dc cr
This invention pertains to a respirator that has a thermo minics whethcr outward air leakage is dictected and whether
chromic ?it-indicating face scal. the face picce remains adequalcly distended.
Respirator fit also may be qualitatively tested by cxposing
a respirator wearc? to a dicticciable tcsl malcrial in thc form
BACKGROND OF THE INVENTION of a vapor or mist. When using his test, the respirator must
Respirators (also referred to as "face masks" and filtering he capable of ?ilicring out thc icst matcrial so that only when
a leak occurs between the mask and thc wearer's face is thc
face masks) are worn over the breathing passages of a lcs material deccl.cd hy he wearc. Common test matcrials
person for two common purposes: (1) to prevent contami include isoamy accLaLc vapor (banana oil), Saccharin, and an
nants from cincring the wearer's breathing track; and (2) to 5 irritating Smoke containing hydrochloric acid.
protect. Others from being exposed to pathogens and other
contaminant S. cxhaled by thc wearer. In the first situation, the Qualitative tests have a numbcr of drawbacks. A first
respirator is worn in an environment where the air contains drawback is that thc tests strongly rely on the user's Sub
Substances harmful to the wearer, ?o cxamplc, in an auto jective interpretation. The level of test matcrial dict.cccd by
body shop. In thc Sccond situation, the respirator is worn in one person may not he dcl.cccd by another, or the cscr's
an environment where there is a high risk of in?ection, for Scnse of Smell may be dulled or deteriorate during testing.
cxample, in an operating room. Similarly, an inward or outward cakage of air detected by
To accomplish cither of the Sc purposes, the respirator Onc pcson may not he dict cccd by another. Another draw
must be able to maintain a Snug leak-frec fit to the wearer's back is that when hand pressure is uscd to close the air inlet
face—otherwisc, thc wearer or persons in the vicinity of the 5
or outlict, it can forcc the respirator into better contact with
Weare may be cxposed to harmful contaminants. the acc than during actual usc. Also, the hands may bc
For in Slance, thc failure to obtain a leak-rec fit when
gloved and may inter?cre with covcring the inlc or outlet, or
using a negative pressure respirator—i.e., a respirator that thc gloves themselves may be contaminated. And quite often
an adequalc qualitative ?it at rcs1 is not dc criminative of an
has a filter, and thc wearer's lungs draw the air through the adcquate fit under work conditions whicre movement and
filter-allows air to enter or exit the interior of the respirator 3.
heavy breathing conditions generally preside.
without passing through the filter media. Unfillcred air
drawn into the respirator's interior can cnter thic wearer's
brcathing passage, and unfillcred exhaled air may expose Quantitative Fit Testing
others to contaminants exhaled by the wearer. In positive
pressure respirators—i.e., Tcspirators where uncontaminated 35 Quantilative tests difficr from qualitative tests in that here
Oxygen or air is Ted Lo the wearer from a pressurizcd is an attempt to actually measure thc amount of leakage or
vessel—an unsatisfactory fit not only exposcs the wearcr to mcasure a difference in pressure.
and others to contaminants, but it also is was cul in that purc U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,051 describes a quantitative mchod
OXygen or air from thic vessc can pass unuscd into the for lcsting masks for caks by hcrimetically scaling a flow
ambicnt environment. O Incler at the mask's mouth arca. The flow mccr monitors
Although there arc many properly designed respirators leakage duc to cxl.crinal pressure during the mask wearer's
that arc very capable of achieving cak-frce fits, wcarcrs breathing function.
often cncounter difficultics in determining whether or not a U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,025 describes a device for ?it testing
proper fit has been cslablished. After donning the respirator, that uses a bag-like headpiccc that is placed over thc
wearers frequently makc adjustments in hopes of obtaining respirator and thc wearer's head. Thc headpicce is fillcd with
the propcr fit, but without an accurate test they cannot a breathable test gas, and leakagc is evaluated by mcasuring
determinc for certain if they are safe. To put thc wearer's the test gas in thc cxhalcd air.
mind at case, investigators have dicycloped a number of test U.S. Pat. No. 4,765.325 describes a method and apparatus
procedures that arc usc?ul for dctermining whicher leaks are for determining respirator fit, whicre the mcthod involvcs
present in both negative and positive pressure respirators. SC)
placing the respirator on the person's ?acc and partially
Known tesl procedures may be classified as being quali evacuating air in the face piece while the subject holds his
lative or quantilative, and examples of cach type are bricfly hreath and clamps his nostrils. Air that caks into thc ?acc
describcd below. picce is measured by thc apparalus, which is a mass flow
55
mclcr that is in linc with the vacuum source.
Qualitative Fit Testing U.S. Pat No. 4,832, Oli dicScrihcs an attachmcnt for
testing the fit of a personal procctive respirator. The attach
A negative pressure respirator typically is fit Lested by ment is secured to the respirator's cxhalation valve and in
donning the mask, covering the air inlet with the palm of the this position provides a port for rc.cciving tubing that con
hand, and inhaling until the mask is slightly collapscd. If this Ilects the attachments interior to an cxlcrnal gas analysis
position is held for approximatcly 10 scconds and no leak systcm.
age is noticed, the fit is presumed to he adcquate, U.S. Pal. No. 4,846,66 discloses a method and apparatus
The fit of a positive pressure respirator may be similarly for fit lesting respirators. In carrying out thc mchod, the
tested by donning thc mask, covering the air outlet with the wearer positions the respirator over the nose and mouth,
palm of the hand, and cxhaling until the mask is slightly inhalcs and holds their breath, and then records the pressure
distcnded. If this State is held for about 10 scconds and no in the respirator with refcrence to Limc. Thc method car be
leakage is noticed, the fit is presumcd to be adequate. quantitative by establishing alcak holic of known dimension,
 5,617,849
3 4
repcating the above procedure, and comparing the result to mouth of the wearer. As the term is used throughout this
calibration curvcs, document, thermochromic' means being able to signifi
U.S. Pat. No. 49 4,957 describes a cak ics 1 adaptor for cantly change color whicn exposed to relatively minor
facilitating respirator fit testing. The adaptor has a pressure changes in temperature. The term 'respirator means a
responsive gas flow regulating means and a gas Sampling 5 device that Supplics air to and/or purifics air for a person
port for facilitating leak testing on face mask respiralors. wcaring thc dicvicc. The thermochromic material is posi
Quantitative tests may bc disadvantagcous because they tioned on the respirator body so that it thermally contacts the
somclimes Icquire a specially adapted respirator that is wcarer's acc when the respirator is worn. The thermochro
similar to but is not the actual respirator that is worn, or the mic material changes color when in thermal contact with the
tests employ proccdures and cquipment that Inake it. Somc wearer's face to visually display where skin contact docs
what difficult to perform frequent testing and relicsting in the and docs not occur. Lcaks are present whicre thermal contact.
work environment. And like qualitalive tests, an adequatc fit does not occur, and thus the color changc allows the WCarcr
at rest may not be determinative of an adequatic fit under to visually dclcrmine whicher a proper fit has becn cstah
work conditions. lishcd.
The invention is advantagcous in that it quickly allows the
Thermochromic Liquid Crystal Technology wearer to determinic whicher a leak-frce fit has bcci
Thermochromic liquid crystals are commonly uscd lo obtained. The invention may be uscd to select a propcrly
visually display temperature changes. The cry Slals are fitting ?acc mask, or it may be used to assist the wearcr in
capable of displaying different colors at different tempera lcarning how to adjust the respirator to fit their ?acc. Unlikc
O prior art test proccdures, this invention (cils the wearer thc
Lures, and with this ability have found a number of niche precisc location of the lcak so that a correct adjustment can
utilitics-for cxample, in the mcdical fictid to detect physi be made. Compared with qualitative methods, thc invention
ological changes associal cd with 1cmperaturc. Background
information on thcrmochromic macrials may bc ?ound in depends less on thc uscr's Subjective cwaluation, and it can
Parsicy, Dr. M., The Hallcrest Handbook of Thermochromic morc definitively indicate thc scal's status, giving the wearer
5 an added scnse of security. Thc invention also docs not
Liquid Crystal Technology (1991). require test gases, and compared with quantitative methods
Thermochromic liquid crystals havc becr) produced that is fastcrand less complicated, and it can use a respirator that
arc opcrative in the temperature range of the skin, but it is is actually worn by thc user and not a similar onc.
believed that none have been used to determinc whichcr a
respirator properly fits a wearer's acc. What follows is a Becausc of these advantagcs, wearers arc more likcly lo
bric? outline of somc liquid crystal products that have hccn test their respirator to ensure that a proper ?it is initially
cStablished and hereafler maintain cd. Thc thcrmochronic
disclosed in the patent literaturc. materials highly visible character can Servc as a ricgular
U.S. Pat. No. 4,50503 discloses coating compositions remindcr to test for leaks and reinforces the necd to obtain
containing choicst cric liquid crystals that give temperature a good fit. By increasing awarencsS and frcquency of testing.
depcindent color changes. The color changcs arc capable of thc invention provides a safer cnvironment for thic wearcr
providing thermal images when in contact with human body and others. The above and other advantages are norc fully
Surfaces.
shown and described in the drawings and detailed descrip
U.S. Pat. No. 4.302,97 describes a liquid crystal cm Lion of this invention, where like reference nuncials are
perature indicator for measuring human body temperature. uScd to represent similar parts. It is to be understood,
The indicator has a number of liquid crystal dcposits, each O
however, that thc drawings and description arc for the
activatable at a different temperature, and arranged bchind purposes of illustration only and should not be rcad in a
temperature-indicating nuncrais that arc visible when the manner that would unduly limit the scope of this invention.
liquid crystal deposit is activated. The indicator pre?crably
has an adhesive to attach it to a body Surface Such as the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Orchca. 5

U.S. Pal. No. 3,830,224 describes a liquid crystal device In thc drawings:
for displaying a change or gradicnt in thc skin cmperaturc. FIG. 1 illustrates a front vicw of a respirator 10 of thc
Through strategically locating thc Lcmperature sensing invention disposcd on a person's face;
means, ovulation and other physiological changcS can be 50
FIG. 2 illustralics a back view of a respirator 10 in
visually noticed by viewing the liquid crystal display. accordance with the prescnt invention, and
U.S. Pat No. 3,95.133 discloses a liquid crystal device FIG. 3 illustratics a side vicw of a person cwaluating
that allows skin temperature changcS lo be deccled by whether a proper fit has bcen established in accordance with
displaying visible color changes. Liquid cryslal thermal the present invention.
film-strips change color at a dificrent temperatures and arc
assembled sidc by side and wrappcd around a fing.cr. The DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
device shows color changes to a paticnt or doctor so that PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
crision can be evaluated as a function of skin icmperature. FIG. 1 illustratics a person wearing a negative pressurc
U.S. Pat. No. 4,437.47 discloscs an implement for mea respirator 10 that has a cup-shapcd respirator body 11.
suring skin cmperatures. When the user touches the implc Rcspirator 10 gencrally conforms to a wearers ?acc around
mcn, liquid crystals indicate thc individual's temperature, thc whole perimcicr 12 of respirator 10. In the region of the
and the implemcni thus can allegedly assist the user in nose, however, thcre is radical change in contour on the
learning to relax. person's face, and leaks somclinics occur in this area. To
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION prevcnt leakage, an adjustable nosc clip 14 is of cn provided
f5. on thc respirator 10. The nose clip 14 typically is made from
This invention has a thermochromic material on a respi a lincar dead-soft band of aluminum that can be easily
rator hody that is configured to fit owcrat least the nose and conformed by applying hand pressure. Other nose clips have
 5,617,849
5 6
recn shown, for examplc, in U.S. patent applications Thermochromic liquid crystals show color by selectively
08/322.576 and D-297029,750 ?icci by Castiglione. Often an reflecting incident whilc light. Thermochromic liquid crys
exhalalion valve 16 is furnished to facilitate purging air from tals generally change from transparent to red at a given
thc intCrior of respirator 10, and this too can assist in Lemperature and, as thc temperature is increased, pass
preventing cakage; sec for examplc, U.S. Pal. No. 5,325, through the other colors of the visible spectrum in
892 (incorporated hcre by re?crence). FIG. 2 shows a ther Scquicnce-Orange, yellow, green, hluc, and violcl—before
mochromic naterial 18 that is disposed on the respirator's turning transparent again at higher temperatures. Thermo
acc Scal 20. As illustrated, thc thcrmochronic matcial 18
pric ?crably is located on face scal 20 about thc wholic chromic malcrial is best Vicwcd against a black nonreflect
pcriphery (360 degrees) of the respirator hody, it may be ing background for best color visualization.
possible, however, in Somic cmbodiments to simply place the The color changc may he revcrsihlc or irreversible.
thcrimochromic material 18 in arcas where leaks are likely to Rc versible thermochromic materials are prelcircd in this
OCCur, Such as in the nosc region and where thc mask invention and on cooling display a reverse color change
contacts thc chin. Sc(uencC.
When the face Scal thermally contacts he wearcr's face, 5.
Tempcrature-insensitive—sometimes called sheat-scn
heat from the Skin causcs the thcTimochromic matcrial to sitive or clearing point-formulations also may he used in
become colored. Using common thermochromic formula this invention. Thesc mixtures reflect just a single color
tions, the face seal initially turns red, and then as it is further below a given transition temperature (called the clearing
warmed by thc wearcr's skin, passes through thcother colors point) and changc to transparent above it.
of the visible spectrum. Pre?cricd thcrmochromic materials for his invention have
The face Scal material underlying the thermochronic a 27 C. red start cmperaturc and a 17 C. bandwidth. More
malerial preferably is black to make it casier to sec the color preferred materials have a 30° C. red start temperature and
change. The face seal may be made from a soft rubbery a l) C. bandwidth. The bandwidth' is defincid as the
materia such as a thermoplastic castomer for examplc, temperature at which light is reflected at 470 nanomcters
Kralon'', available from Shcil Oil Company), a polyvinyl (approximate bluc start tempcraturc) minus the temperature
chloride foam, polychylencicthylcne vinyl acetalc foam, or at which light is reflected at 650 nanometers (approximatc
a urethanc foam, sce for cxample U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,924 at Icd Star (cmpcrature). A preferred icinperature-insensitive
column 4 linics 33-40. thermochronic liquid crystal has a red clearing point of
The thermochronic material only nceds to make thermal about 37° C., the averagc human skin temperature.
contact with the wearer's acc for thc invention to be 3) Because thermochronic liquid mixtures cind to be vicry
operative. The thermochronic material does not necessarily Scnsitive and Susceptible to change during processing, care
have to actually contact the wearer's skin. Indecd, it may be should he exercised when applying the macrials to the
preferred that therc is a protective layer-for examplc, a thin respirator body. An examplc of a thcrmochromic material
plastic film—overlying the thcrmochromic matcrial. A thin that is suitable for use in this invcntion is thc liquid crystal
film can protect the thermochronic material to increase its 35 pain, Licrithcrm TCS-100 from EM Industries, Inc. of
uSciu service lific. Hawthorne, N.Y. This liquid crystal paint can bc coacd onto
FIG. 3. shows how a wearer can rcadily determinc the face Scal material of a respirator using conventional
whether the respirator 10 correctly fits their face. The wearer coating techniques such as Screcin printing, inkjet printing,
simply displaces respirator 10 from thcir face and quickly roll coating, and brushing. Other thermochromic macrials
O are availabic from Hallcrest Products, Inc., Glenwicw, Il.
glances at the thermochromic matcrial 18. In arcas 22 where Thermochronic matcrials generally dry at room cmperature
thc skin has not madc adequatic contact with the thermo and afterwards change color in responsc to 1cmperature
chromic material 8, no color changc is obscryed. Thc face changes. Thc thcrinochromic macrial also could be applicd
Scal 20 retains its original color, which typically is black. In in the form of a preconstructed Shcct material that has thc
the areas 22, the wearer necds to further adjust the mask 45 thcrmochromic material disposed betwccin a transparcnt
shape by, for examplc, bending thc nosc clip or by Lightening plastic top sheet and a backing. Such a construction could be
hcadbands 24.
adhered or laminatcd to the face Sca.
Although the respirator 10 shown in thc drawings is a The following Examplc has been select.cd mercly to
negative, cup-shaped, half-mask respirator, it is cntircly further illustrate ?catures, advantages, and othcr details of
conceivable that the invention could hc used in csscntially thc invention. It is to be cxpressly understood, however, that
any other respirator, for example, a positive pressure respi whilc thc Example serves this purposc, the particular ingre
rator ()r a full-face respirator (covers nosc, mouth, and cycs). dicnts and amounts uscd as well as other conditions and
Thc respirator also could have removable cartridges that details are not to be construcd in a manner that would unduly
contain activated carbon fillcrs. The invcnion also could be
used in conjunction with respirators such as masks worn by limit the scopc of this invention.
pilots (also known as aviator's face masks), scuba masks,
and the like, and in Surrogate respirators, i.e., respirators that EXAMPLE
arc purely used hy wearers to cwaluate fit. Thermochromic liquid crystal paint, Ellicrithern TCS
Thermochromic materials that can he used in thc inwcn OO!, obtaincol from EM Industrics, inc. Of Hawthornc,
Lion may be essentially any prescntly known or later devel 60 N.Y., was coated onto a black face sea matcrial of a 3M
oped thermochronic material that is capable of changing model 9970 respirator (construction described in U.S. Pat.
color whicn in thermal contact with a person's skin. Nos. 4,827.924 and 4,883.547, incorporated here by refer
Thermochromic materials may bc in the form of liquid ence), and allowed to dry at room ticmpcrature. After drying,
crystals. Known thermochromic liquid crystals are essen the coatings thcrinochromic nature was apparent by its
tially dividcd into two categorics, cholcsteric and chiral color response to ?ingcr contact. Thc Licitherm's TCS
nematic. These two types of liquid crystals and combina lOOi paint was formulated by thc manufacturer to be
tions of thcm may be used in this invention. Sensitive to temperature changes near normal human body
 5,617,849
7 8
temperature. According to vendor measurements, the red chromic material to changc color to allow thc wearer to
start temperature occurred at 27, 1° C. the product became determinc i? a proper fit is cstablished.
cicar again a 43.3° C. 2. The respirator of claim 1, wherein thc Lhermochromic
The respirators that were coated with TCS-100 were matcrial is disposed on a ?acc scal of the respirator body
worn by several persons. Parlicipants were asked to wear the about the whole periphery therco?.
respirator for about 30 seconds, remove it, and observe the 3. Thc respirator of claim 2, whercin the face seal is black.
color pattern on the face scal. In many cascs, there were 4. The respirator of claim 1, wherein thc thermochromic
locations on the acc scal whicre the color had not changcd. material includes liquid crystals.
In Scveral cascs, two black streaks werc obscrved wherc the
5. The rcspirator of claim 4, wherein the liquid crystals arc
l cholesteric, chiral nematic, or combinations thcreo?.
face scal material was meant to contact the Sides of the nose. 6. The respirator of claim 1, whicroin the thermochromic
Another common obscrvation was spots or streaks in the materials demonstratic revcrsible color change.
arca that would contact cither side of the chin. 7. The respirator of claim 1, whicrein the thermochromic
Based on thc pattern observed, participants adjusted the material has a rcd Start cmpcrature of about 27 C. and 7
straps or nose clip in order to provide better facial contact in C. bandwidth,
15
the arcas where no color was observed. After wearing thc 8. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the thermochromic
respirator again for another 30 scconds and removing it for matcrial has red start 1cmperature of about 30° C. and a 0
observation, the color pattern, in most cases, was more C. bandwidth.
uniform, indicating better facial contact and thus bcter fit. 9. The respirator of claim 1, wherein the thermochromic
Areas that on the first trial were colorless now displaycd material is a temperature-insensitive liquid crystal formula
color. O tion that has a red cicaring point of about 37 C.
10. The respirator of claim 1 being a surrogate respirator.
Despite adjustments, sevcral participants could not obtain 11. A method of evaluating thic fit of a respirator on a
a uniform color paticrn on the ?acc scal. These persons person's face, which comprises thc Scps of:
comment cd, however, that this respirator had never ?it them placing a respirator over at least thc nose and mouth of a
very well. 5 person, whicrein the respirator has a thcrinochronic
This invention may take on various modifications and matcrial position.cd on the respirator such that the
alterations without deparling from thc Spirit and scope thcrmochronic material makes thcrmal contact with
thereof. Accordingly, it is to be understood that this inven the wearer's ?acc whicn the respirator is placed over the
tion is not to be limited to the above-described, but it is to nose and mouth of a wearer:
be controlled by the limitations Sct forth in thc following 30 displacing the respirator from the wcarer's facc. and then
claims and any cquivalcats thereo?. It is also to be under visually cxamining the thermochronic material on the
stood that this invention may be suitably practiccd in the respirator 10 ascertain color changcs that indicate where
abscnce of any element not specifically disclosed herein. the respirator docs and does not make thernal contact
What is claimcd is: with thc pcrson's face.
1. A respirator that compriscs: 12. The method of claim 1, whercin the Lhermochromic
a respirator body configured to fit over at least the nose material is a liquid crystal formulation that demonstratics
and mouth of a wearer, and reversible color changc and that is disposcil on a black
a thcrmochromic material positioned on the respirator colorcd face scal of the respirator ahout the black colored
body such that the thermochromic material makes ?acc scal's whole periphery.
...}
thermal contact with the wearer's face when the respi
rator is worn, the thcrnal contact causing the thermo
 UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
PATENT NO. : 5,617,849
DATED : April 8, 1997
INVENTOR(S) : James E. Springett et al.
it is certified that error appears in the above-indentified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby
Corrected as shown below:

Title Page, Item (56), insert

--OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Patent Abstracts of Japan, Vol. 6, No. 166, P. 138 (8/31/82)
Patent Abstracts of Japan, Vol. 9, No. 239, P. 391 (9/25/85)--
Col. 5, line 12, "thermochromie" should read-thermochromic

Signed and Sealed this

Second Day of September, 1997

BRUCELEHMAN

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks