Method of air filtration for fire fighter emergency smoke inhalation protection

Claim 1

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for fire fighters in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: configuring a smoke filter in a use-evidencing manner so that use of the smoke filter for breathing is permanently indicated; equipping the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus including a face mask connected by a conduit to a tank of breathable air; interfacing the smoke filter with the fire fighter's face mask to filter air breathed by the fire fighter when the tank of breathable air is depleted.

Claim 2

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for fire fighters in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: configuring a smoke filter in a use-evidencing manner so that use of the smoke filter for breathing is permanently indicated; equipping the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus including a face mask connected by a conduit to a tank of breathable air; interfacing the smoke filter with the fire fighter's face mask to filter air breathed by the fire fighter when the tank of breathable air is depleted.

Claim 7

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for a fire fighter in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use by the fire fighter to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: configuring a smoke filter with a use-evidencing mechanism so that use of the smoke filter for breathing is permanently indicated; providing the smoke filter to a fire fighter for use in an imminently life-threatening situation; providing the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus including a face mask connected by conduit to a tank of breathable air for primary use during exposure to a non-breathable environment; said fire fighter primarily using said self-contained breathing apparatus in a non-breathable environment and transporting the smoke filter into said non-breathable environment; said fire fighter depleting an air supply in the self-contained breathing apparatus; said fire fighter disconnecting the face mask from the tank of breathable air; said fire fighter breaching said use-evidencing mechanism to access said smoke filter, whereby use of said smoke filter is evidenced; said fire fighter interfacing the smoke filter with the fire fighter's face mask to filter air breathed by the fire fighter through the smoke filter; after exiting the non-breathable environment, a third party inspecting the use-evidencing mechanism; and said fire fighter accounting for use of said smoke filter.

Claim 8

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for a fire fighter in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use by the fire fighter to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: configuring a smoke filter with a use-evidencing mechanism so that use of the smoke filter for breathing is permanently indicated; providing the smoke filter to a fire fighter for use in an imminently life-threatening situation; providing the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus including a face mask connected by conduit to a tank of breathable air for primary use during exposure to a non-breathable environment; said fire fighter primarily using said self-contained breathing apparatus in a non-breathable environment and transporting the smoke filter into said non-breathable environment; said fire fighter depleting an air supply in the self-contained breathing apparatus; said fire fighter disconnecting the face mask from the tank of breathable air; said fire fighter breaching said use-evidencing mechanism to access said smoke filter, whereby use of said smoke filter is evidenced; said fire fighter interfacing the smoke filter with the fire fighter's face mask to filter air breathed by the fire fighter through the smoke filter; after exiting the non-breathable environment, a third party inspecting the use-evidencing mechanism; and said fire fighter accounting for use of said smoke filter.

Claim 9

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for a fire fighter in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use by the fire fighter to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: configuring a smoke filter with a use-evidencing mechanism so that use of the smoke filter for breathing is permanently indicated; providing the smoke filter to a fire fighter for use in an imminently life-threatening situation; providing the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus including a face mask connected by conduit to a tank of breathable air for primary use during exposure to a non-breathable environment; said fire fighter primarily using said self-contained breathing apparatus in a non-breathable environment and transporting the smoke filter into said non-breathable environment; said self-contained breathing apparatus failing to provide breathable air to said fire fighter; said fire fighter disconnecting the face mask from the tank of breathable air; said fire fighter breaching said use-evidencing mechanism to access said smoke filter, whereby use of said smoke filter is evidenced; said fire fighter interfacing the smoke filter with the fire fighter's face mask to filter air breathed by the fire fighter through the smoke filter; after exiting the non-breathable environment, a third party inspecting the use-evidencing mechanism; and said fire fighter accounting for use of said smoke filter.

Claim 10

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for a fire fighter in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use by the fire fighter to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: configuring a smoke filter with a use-evidencing mechanism so that use of the smoke filter for breathing is permanently indicated; providing the smoke filter to a fire fighter for use in an imminently life-threatening situation; providing the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus including a face mask connected by conduit to a tank of breathable air for primary use during exposure to a non-breathable environment; said fire fighter primarily using said self-contained breathing apparatus in a non-breathable environment and transporting the smoke filter into said non-breathable environment; said self-contained breathing apparatus failing to provide breathable air to said fire fighter; said fire fighter disconnecting the face mask from the tank of breathable air; said fire fighter breaching said use-evidencing mechanism to access said smoke filter, whereby use of said smoke filter is evidenced; said fire fighter interfacing the smoke filter with the fire fighter's face mask to filter air breathed by the fire fighter through the smoke filter; after exiting the non-breathable environment, a third party inspecting the use-evidencing mechanism; and said fire fighter accounting for use of said smoke filter.

Claim 11

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for a fire fighter in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use by the fire fighter to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: placing a hoodless, compact mouthpiece and smoke filter in a use-evidencing container; providing the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter in a use-evidencing container to a fire fighter for use in an imminently life-threatening situation; providing the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus for primary use during exposure to a non-breathable environment; said fire fighter primarily using said self-contained breathing apparatus in a non-breathable environment and transporting the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter in a use-evidencing container into said non-breathable environment; said self-contained breathing apparatus failing to provide breathable air to said fire fighter; said fire fighter breaching said use-evidencing container to access said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter, whereby use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter is evidenced; said fire fighter using said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter to breathe within said non-breathable environment; after exiting the non-breathable environment, inspecting the use-evidencing container by a third party; and accounting for use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter by said fire fighter.

Claim 12

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for a fire fighter in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use by the fire fighter to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: placing a hoodless, compact mouthpiece and smoke filter in a use-evidencing container; providing the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter in a use-evidencing container to a fire fighter for use in an imminently life-threatening situation; providing the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus for primary use during exposure to a non-breathable environment; said fire fighter primarily using said self-contained breathing apparatus in a non-breathable environment and transporting the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter in a use-evidencing container into said non-breathable environment; said self-contained breathing apparatus failing to provide breathable air to said fire fighter; said fire fighter breaching said use-evidencing container to access said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter, whereby use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter is evidenced; said fire fighter using said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter to breathe within said non-breathable environment; after exiting the non-breathable environment, inspecting the use-evidencing container by a third party; and accounting for use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter by said fire fighter.

Claim 14

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for a fire fighter in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use by the fire fighter to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: covering an inlet of a hoodless smoke filter and an outlet of an associated mouthpiece with use-evidencing removable covers; providing the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter with use-evidencing covers to a fire fighter for use in an imminently life-threatening situation; providing the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus for primary use during exposure to a non-breathable environment; said fire fighter primarily using said self-contained breathing apparatus in a non-breathable environment and transporting the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter with use-evidencing covers into said non-breathable environment; said self-contained breathing apparatus failing to provide breathable air to said fire fighter; said fire fighter breaching said use-evidencing container to access said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter whereby use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter is evidenced; said fire fighter using said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter to breathe within said non-breathable environment; after exiting the non-breathable environment, inspecting the use-evidencing covers by a third party; and accounting for use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter by said fire fighter.

Claim 15

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for a fire fighter in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use by the fire fighter to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: covering an inlet of a hoodless smoke filter and an outlet of an associated mouthpiece with use-evidencing removable covers; providing the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter with use-evidencing covers to a fire fighter for use in an imminently life-threatening situation; providing the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus for primary use during exposure to a non-breathable environment; said fire fighter primarily using said self-contained breathing apparatus in a non-breathable environment and transporting the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter with use-evidencing covers into said non-breathable environment; said self-contained breathing apparatus failing to provide breathable air to said fire fighter; said fire fighter breaching said use-evidencing container to access said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter whereby use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter is evidenced; said fire fighter using said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter to breathe within said non-breathable environment; after exiting the non-breathable environment, inspecting the use-evidencing covers by a third party; and accounting for use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter by said fire fighter.

Claim 16

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for a fire fighter in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use by the fire fighter to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: equipping a hoodless, compact mouthpiece and smoke filter with a use-evidencing mechanism wherein use of the hoodless, compact mouthpiece and smoke filter is visually and irrevocably detectable once used; providing the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter with use-evidencing mechanism to a fire fighter for possible use in an imminently life-threatening situation; providing the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus for primary use during exposure to a non-breathable environment; said fire fighter primarily using said self-contained breathing apparatus in a non-breathable environment and transporting the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter with a use-evidencing mechanism into said non-breathable environment; said self-contained breathing apparatus failing to provide breathable air to said fire fighter; said fire fighter breaching said use-evidencing mechanism to access said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter whereby use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter is evidenced; said fire fighter using said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter to breathe within said non-breathable environment; after exiting the non-breathable environment, inspecting the use-evidencing mechanism by a third party; and accounting for use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter by said fire fighter.

Claim 17

A method for storing and preparing a personal air filtering device for smoke inhalation protection for a fire fighter in imminently life-threatening situations and for encouraging its limited use by the fire fighter to the imminently life-threatening situations, said method comprising the steps of: equipping a hoodless, compact mouthpiece and smoke filter with a use-evidencing mechanism wherein use of the hoodless, compact mouthpiece and smoke filter is visually and irrevocably detectable once used; providing the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter with use-evidencing mechanism to a fire fighter for possible use in an imminently life-threatening situation; providing the fire fighter with a self-contained breathing apparatus for primary use during exposure to a non-breathable environment; said fire fighter primarily using said self-contained breathing apparatus in a non-breathable environment and transporting the hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter with a use-evidencing mechanism into said non-breathable environment; said self-contained breathing apparatus failing to provide breathable air to said fire fighter; said fire fighter breaching said use-evidencing mechanism to access said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter whereby use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter is evidenced; said fire fighter using said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter to breathe within said non-breathable environment; after exiting the non-breathable environment, inspecting the use-evidencing mechanism by a third party; and accounting for use of said hoodless compact mouthpiece and smoke filter by said fire fighter.