"NO DOUBT - GO OUT!" PPE Respirator

Facemasks are only partially effective yet inconvenient to use. Proper personal protection needs to be adjustable based on different circumstances - the more people are around, the more protection is needed. It should look like a fashion item, not medical device. We propose a no-mask respirator that is built into a baseball cap and includes an air sterilization chamber featuring battery-powered UV irradiation LEDs. A small fan creates a sterilized air curtain in front of the user's face coming down from a visor of the cap - so no facemask is needed. A retractable face shield may be lowered when more people are around. Finally, a fabric flap can complete a full protection of the head in situations like a bus or a subway ride. 

The project was initially created by an 11-year old girl for invention competition. 

The respirator may be used by elderly and other vulnerable people.

Everyday life involves frequently moving between areas with different risks of infection:

• safe area, such as a home or a car,
• minimal risk area, such as a hallway or staircase with no people around,
• moderate risk, such as shopping in a supermarket or attending school with some people around, and
• high risk area, such as riding on a subway with many people close by.

An improved personal protection equipment must allow to adjust the extent of protection depending on the situation. It should also be easy to wear, lightweight and not look like medical equipment.

Face masks are commonly used but unless the mask is N95, they offer no protection against aerosolized tiny virus droplets, which are most dangerous as they travel deeply into the lungs. Masks also make it hard to breathe, cause face to sweat, preclude eating or drinking. Face masks are unsightly and hide the full face of the user from others. 

A novel respirator is built into a baseball cap. It has three main components:

• An airpump pushing ambient air through a sterilization chamber to form a clean air curtain in front of the face,
• A face shield that is lowered down or raised up protecting the face, and
• Three fabric flaps to protect the sides and back of the head.

The sterilization chamber is equipped with two UV light-emitting diodes (LEDs) operating in the UVC range of wavelengths close to 265 nm.

Activating the air curtain will provide sterile breathing air to the user. The user can easily speak, eat or drink and the face is visible to others.

The face shield can be lowered down – partially or completely. Sterile air flow continues to flow inside the shield. Partial lowering allows to eat and drink such as in a restaurant.

Maximum protection is achieved by unfolding fabric flaps to protect the head on all sides. Sterile air flow creates positive pressure inside the respirator to avoid risk of infection when in close proximity to other people.

While anyone can use the invention, it is especially useful for the elderly and people with preexisting conditions who are most vulnerable for contracting Covid-19. This is because it is the only PPE that can neutralize aerosolized virus droplets. 

Using the invention will increase their confidence to go out and enjoy daily activities without the inconvenience of wearing a facemask. 

This invention will particularly help minorities and people of color as they constitute a disproportionately large segment of the population at high risk of contracting and dying from Covid-19.

Leaving the house knowing that the protection is always with you and you can adjust it depending on the situation will allow those that are concerned about the risk of infection to safely travel to work and perform what is required of them by their jobs. That will improve the economy as more people will leave the confines of their houses. 

Finally, the invention will allow people to see each other fully, without the obstruction of the facemask. Normal smiles will come back!

The respirator directly addresses the challenge of containing the spread of pandemic. 

It is inexpensive to produce and affordable to buy. It will likely be preferred over a face mask. It is reusable with a rechargeable battery, detachable electronics, and washable components. 

Most importantly, it will bring confidence in people that their lives do not have to be limited to their homes. It will also reduce the fears of those who have to go to work to make a living by bringing affordable protection to their workplaces. 

This invention is patent pending. 

Novel features include: 

- no-filter air sterilization using UVC LEDs, allowing use of miniature air pump;

- adjustability of personal protection between the air curtain, face shield and fabric flap

- removable face shield and air chamber block allow for easy disinfection and washing of the fabric components

The core part of the respirator is the air sterilization chamber. It has no conventional filters and therefore has very little airflow resistance. Two LEDs are used to irradiate the air pushed by a miniature air pump at a UVC wavelength to destroy the virus. The air chamber is made to maximize air flow residence time so as to neutralize any virus droplets along the way.

Components of the air sterilization chamber are very small, light weight and do not require a lot of electrical power to operate. Li-polymer batteries will provide enough power for 4-6 hours of use. All this makes the invention easy to mount on a cap that can be worn by the user. 

Additional protection is provided by a face shield that can be lowered down when more people are encountered nearby.

Use of UVC irradiation is well known for purification of air in hospitals and as part of the HVAC systems. Large sources of UVC light are sold as products to be installed in homes and other places where forced air handling systems are used. Substantial literature is published in the mechanism of action of UVC light disinfecting air, water, surfaces, etc. 

The present invention is an intermediate solution between a facemask and a fully protective Powered Air Purification Respirator (PAPR). As opposed to a PAPR, the invention does not seek to remove all possible contaminants and dust - only airborne viruses, which makes the requirements easier to achieve. 

UVC LEDs have been developed recently and are now widely used instead of traditional mercury lamps. Their tiny size is very useful for the invention.

Sufficient intensity of UVC irradiation may be achieved to provide adequate airflow for the user with a small-size air chamber using only two UVC LEDs - as per discussion with the engineer at Crystal IS, one company making these LEDs. 

The size of the selected air pump is also small - only 17mm x 17mm x 8mm - with a very low noise rating - will provide 15 l/min of flow, twice as much as the minimal requirement.

Finally, electronics and rechargeable batteries are all well understood. Lithium polymer batteries may be best due to their low size and weight.

The cost of all components is about $40 in low quantity, down to $15-$20 in high volumes.

Facemasks are not effective unless they are N95 or better. People do not like using them as they obstruct the face. A face covering solution that is easier to use, less obstructive and provides a more natural look will make people WANT to use it instead of HAVING to use it. This in turn will increase the number of users willing to protect themselves and others from Covid-19 and therefore will decrease the risk of further disease transmission.

The invention will be especially useful for African Americans and minorities as they constitute a large portion of the population at higher risk for Covid-19 infection.

The invention is still a prototype. We are working with an industrial designer to create the next level of the respirator design.

This device is not difficult to manufacture. I would expect to provide tens of thousands in a year and hundreds of thousands in five years, unless a Covid-19 vaccine is rapidly developed and distributed worldwide. 

Our goal within a year is to finish the design and start producing the respirator in a way that would make it affordable to most users. In five years we hope to produce a large number of respirators and distribute them to many countries where little or no protection is available to residents.

Although UVC sterilization solution will be intuitively appreciated by the customers, we may have to conduct additional studies showing efficacy of the respirator. Our goal is to start with written calculations showing sufficient sterilization efficacy. In addition, bench studies may be done showing operation of the sterilized air curtain. User studies may need to be conducted to determine acceptance of the product. 

Marketing acceptance studies will help to understand customer reaction to the concept of the respirator as well as its specific features. Design adjustments may be implemented to address issues that may be encountered during that process.

The team currently includes three members:

- Team Lead, Boris Leschinsky, a medtech engineer with 30 years of experience and 50+ patents for various medical devices

- Barbara Leschinsky, a student who came up with the original idea and is contributing p/t on the fashion aspects of the device,

- a p/t industrial designer helping with the fabric and face shield aspects of the product

I have 30 years of experience designing a variety of medical devices and technologies. I closely understand the engineering portion of the device. I can reach out to a large number of collaborators and colleagues to help out with implementation and manufacturing of the device. 

I have started a dialogue with a reputable manufacturer of the UVC LEDs. Other elements of the respirator are conventional and do not require any special arrangements.

We aim to design a prototype, conduct a marketing acceptance study and start manufacturing the product in small quantities. We will then track sales and create a business case for licensing to a larger manufacturer of PPE products, such as 3M, Honeywell, and a few others. 

If licensing cannot be achieved, we can continue to increase sales ourselves via Amazon marketplace, Web sales, etc. 

Our plan is to secure patent rights (a patent is already applied for), produce a working prototype (a model is already made) and seek funding through crowdsourcing or angel investments. Our investment needs are very modest and the product may be produced and marketed very quickly, within the next few months. Speed to market is critical as other PPE solutions are being developed, as well as Covid treatments and vaccines. 

I am seeking to connect with interested parties that may be willing to work with us in refining the invention and making it available for consumers.

Some challenges still remain before we create a working model. Critically, I may use help in publicizing the invention and reaching a large number of potential customers. 

Marketing and fundraising collaborations will be most helpful.

The core invention was made by an 11 year old girl. 

The invention will help women and girls feel more confident when outside the house and encourage them to pursue their lives in full without looking back at the risks of Covid-19.

This invention will be uniquely useful for women as it will allow them to remove the obstructive facemasks, which interfere with their makeup in a stronger way than with men.

Refugee camps are especially crowded and are at a higher risk of Covid-19 infection. Providing a more effective personal protection equipment to refugees will reduce the spread of disease in this community and encourage refugees to seek outside opportunities.

The invention is a novel, affordable and effective personal protection product. It will work better than a conventional facemask and will provide for a global reduction of covid-19 transmission risk.